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SPAWNews Archives Available - from Jan. 1997 to this month
SPAWNews, April, 2007
Wendy Dager, Editor
For contributions to the newsletter and Letters to the Editor, please e-mail the editor of SPAWNews: Editor@spawn.org.
Those of you who are SPAWN members, be sure to go to the first page of the site, http://www.spawn.org and click on the "Visit Member Area" button. You will be asked to log in.
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Table of Contents
- Two Tips to Make Your Web Site Available to Search Engines
- Contests
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Editor’s Note
By Wendy Dager
I am writing this the Sunday before SPAWNews "goes to press." I wish you could see me as I type, because it’s awkwardly comical, as I am also waiting for my nails to dry. The polish color is "Purple Passion," but it’s more spastic than passionate, as I have missed some spots on my nails, but parts of my fingers are quite the lovely shade of aubergine.
After I finish my editor’s note, I am taking my youngest daughter to a play at a nearby community college. Then I will come home and file the paperwork that has mysteriously accumulated in—and is spilling over—my in-box. After that, I will get my script synopses ready for a meeting I am having Monday morning with a co-writer on an upcoming television project.
Monday afternoon, when I get back to my office, I will complete my biweekly newspaper opinion column, answer e-mails, post to my blog and work on SPAWNews. Tuesday, I will check SPAWNews for errors and send it to the executive director and president for proofreading. I’ll e-mail my newspaper column to the deputy opinion pages’ editor, scribble some ideas for the TV project and try to squeeze in some work for the e-greetings company for which I am doing marketing and scriptwriting.
Somewhere in-between, I have to get a mammogram, fold a pile of laundry and dye my hair, which is taunting me with little silvery invaders.
And that’s just the first couple of days of the week. By Wednesday, I’ll be touching up the chips on my nails with more "Purple Passion," making business phone calls, checking my e-mail, and, of course, writing.
I’ve had to backburner my household tasks, including the deep-cleaning of my kitchen, a disaster zone, thanks to My Daughter the Culinary Student, who came home for the weekend and worked on this semester’s final project, a salt-dough statue. It looks as if the Pillsbury Doughboy and Betty Crocker had a smackdown in there, but I can’t worry about it. I’m too busy with work—and happily so. Multi-tasking can be overwhelming at first, but there’s a euphoric quality to it once you get into a rhythm.
Does this sound familiar? I bet it does. I just wanted you to know that you’re not alone—that we share an all-consuming, challenging, lofty and—yes, purple—passion—and I’m not talking about a bottle of nail polish.
–Wendy Dager is editor of SPAWNews. Her Web site is http://www.gorgeousandbrilliant.com.
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Market Update
By Patricia Fry
The April edition of the SPAWN Market Update includes over a dozen opportunities for freelance writers, authors and scriptwriters. We provide something you will likely not see anywhere else—a list of library systems in other countries. We're told that librarians outside of the U.S. are hungry for our books. Find out how to get Publishers Weekly FREE. Learn if there's a book festival happening near you this year. Win $1,000 for your excellent self-published book. Get your poetry published. Do you have a script ready? We'll tell you where to send it. Would you like to better understand the publishing paradigm? We can direct you to a 26-page article that explains it once and for all.
There’s so much waiting for you:
- The book genre for which sales are up almost 25%
- A highly-recommended article on the big business of publishing
- Who’s looking for stories for pet lovers, novels/stories written in specific writing techniques, seasonal poetry and poetry related to major events
- Book festivals galore for great promotion
- Considering selling your books to libraries in other countries? Here’s where to start.
- FREE! Four great resources for writers/authors/publishers/artists!
- Read about the first thing to consider before entering the publishing world
- How to help keep YOUR local bookstore from closing
Market Update is one of the most valuable benefits of being a SPAWN member. Be sure to take advantage of this timely information!
To read the Market Update, you first join SPAWN. Go to http://www.spawn.org and click on the "Join SPAWN Now" button in the upper left corner of the page.
After you join, you'll receive the password for the private member area!
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Book Marketing Idea of the Month
Promote Your Book Through Spin Offs
By Patricia Fry
What’s a spin off? It’s a by-product or a follow-up to the original. Within the context of a book, it might be a sequel or any number of other writings related to the theme of your book.
The point of a spin off is to generate more sales. Not only will you have additional items to sell, but each book, pamphlet, guide, article or list that you produce is a marketing tool for the original book.
Read about some great ideas for promoting your book through spin offs at http://www.spawn.org/marketing/promotethruspinoffs.htm.
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Two Tips to Make Your Web Site Available to Search Engines
By Virginia Lawrence
We’ve discussed before that everyone can create a Web site, and we all know that everyone can write a book. Just as authors must learn how to write a book properly, Web site designers must learn how to design a Web site properly. Designers must keep in mind that the initial goals for every Web site are to present information to the visitor and to be found in the search engines. If the Web site design is invisible to the search engines, those targeted visitors will never arrive.
Read more about the valuable tips will help you to design a better site or to evaluate a site designed for you at http://www.spawn.org/internet/makesiteavailable.htm.
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Ask the Book Doctor: A Few Questions about Agents
By Bobbie Christmas, author of Write in Style, the triple-award-winning textbook on creative writing
Q: Is it proper to resubmit an improved manuscript to agents who have previously rejected it? If it is proper, what additional information or explanation should I include?
A: If an agent has specifically stated that you may resubmit the manuscript if you make particular changes, then it is proper to resubmit to that agent. In such a case, the cover letter should thank the agent for the opportunity to resubmit and give a brief explanation of what has been changed. Include a copy of the agent’s request, to trigger the agent’s memory.
Read more about agents at http://www.spawn.org/editing/askthebookdoctor27.htm.
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Note: To have your announcements included in this section, you must be a paid member of SPAWN. Please e-mail your news to editor@spawn.org.
SPAWN Founder Mary Embree announces the The Second Annual Ventura Book Festival on Saturday, August 25, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 93003. Please see the details below under Events.
Learn How to Write and Sell Magazine Articles from 33-year veteran article writer, Patricia Fry. Sign up NOW for her 6-week online Article Writing course starting April 10. Whether you become a freelance article writer or promote your books through articles, the techniques and skills you learn here will help you to meet your goals. $125. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm. Questions? plfry620@yahoo.com.
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Read about the latest contests at http://www.spawn.org/contests.htm.
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Read about the latest contests at http://www.spawn.org/events.htm.
Note: SPAWNews advises "caveat emptor" when dealing with venues, contests or promotions unknown to you
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SPAWN is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
Donations are tax deductible.
Join SPAWN now and receive one FREE book! See the selection from which you can choose your book at the Member Benefits page. As a member, you can enjoy the benefits of the Members Only Area. There you will find:
- Member Forum. In the SPAWN Forum, you can discuss publishing with knowledgeable published writers and publishers.
- Market Update. This valuable Market Update will appear every month, letting us know exactly what is going on with magazine and book publishers.
- Event Calendar where you can submit your events. After approval, your events will be available for all members to see.
- Member Webpages where you can upload your HTML pages to build your own Web site. Your Web pages will be viewable by everyone on the Internet.
- Member Catalog where you can list your books and services
- Member Discussion list where you can discuss your triumphs and questions with your publishing peers.
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SPAWNews SPAWN is a nonprofit corporation. Donations are tax deductible.
Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network
PMB 123
323 E. Matilija St., Suite 110
Ojai, CA 93023
Website: http://www.spawn.org
Telephone: 818-886-4281
Fax: 818-886-3320
Wendy Dager
SPAWNews Editor, Membership and Database Coordinator
e-mail:
editor@spawn.org
Virginia Lawrence, Ph.D.
SPAWN Webmaster
e-mail:
virginia@spawn.org
Virginia Lawrence, Ph.D.
SPAWN Executive Director
e-mail:
execdir@spawn.org
Patricia Fry
SPAWN President
e-mail:
patty@spawn.org
MISSION STATEMENT
To promote the literary arts and provide education, information, resources and a supportive networking environment for artists, writers, and other creative people interested in the publishing process.
Submission Guidelines
Members and Nonmembers: Please send your press releases, seminar
information, and books for review to Wendy Dager, Editor, SPAWNews
PMB 123
323 E. Matilija St., Suite 110
Ojai, CA 93023
or email Editor@spawn.org.
SPAWN membership dues are $45 per year; spouses, half-price. Make your check payable to SPAWN and mail to P.O. Box 2653, Ventura, CA 93002-2653. Or click on Member Application to fill out the secure online form and pay your dues by credit card.
SPAWNews, Member Directory and Web site listings, and discounts for SPAWN events are included in membership.
SPAWN is a nonprofit corporation. Donations are tax deductible.
Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network
PMB 123
323 E. Matilija St., Suite 110
Ojai, CA 93023
execdir@spawn.org