SHALLA: SHALLA Magazine Screenwriting Contest

Nice to see you again!

Have you read our spring 2009 issue of SHALLA Magazine yet?

Come meet the very talented writers and poets we've discovered...

The Sea by Christian Ward

Moth by Christian Ward

Shadows by C.P.Stewart

Writing Butterflies on the Wall by Zachary Kluckman

A small bird has flown into my chest by Linda Albert

In Passing by James Keane

PICKING UP OLD VIETNAMESE WOMAN FROM DIALYSIS
by David Allen Bright

in Perspective by Nabina Das
Departure by Anthony Kendrick

responsorium by Christopher Mulrooney

***

The 2009 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

Now in its sixth anniversary year, the stakes are higher than ever. This year over $50,000 in Cash and Prizes to winning screenwriters are presented– including a $25,000 Grand Prize – as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze Prizes in ten different genre categories.

Do you want to get your script into the hands of Hollywood professionals who can truly help advance your career?

FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE:
Friday, May 15th
Submit your script today!

The Categories
The Prizes
The Rules
Judging Procedure
How To Enter
FAQ’s

$$$

Jokes about Writing

A visitor to a certain college paused to admire the new Hemingway Hall that had been built on campus.

"It's a pleasure to see a building named for Ernest Hemingway," he said.

"Actually," said his guide, "it's named for Joshua Hemingway. "No relation."

"The visitor was astonished. "Was Joshua Hemingway a writer, also?"

"Yes, indeed," said his guide. "He wrote a check."


*read more

Have you joined us on Myspace yet?

Know about--

“The Current State and Future of the Publishing Business”

SHALLA CHATS with NY Times Bestselling author, Bob Mayer

*read more

Please visit us at:

http://www.shalladeguzman.com/

http://www.shalladeguzman.com/books/smartauthorstoolkit/contents.php

SHALLA: WRITER’S BLOCK IS ONLY IN THE MIND—DUH! by Harry W Carpenter, author of The Genie Within

Hi writers,

Need help for your writer's block? Ever tried positive thinking? Meditation? Hypnosis?

Well, here's a book that combines practical ways to manifest your heart's desires--such as getting over writer's block. Get that novel finished. Make your book successful--all using the power of your mind.

A Let's Shalla Blog EXCLUSIVE

The author of the book, The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind—How It Works and How to Use It, Harry W Carpenter has written an article exclusively for all our SHALLA Blogs to help you overcome writer's block.

A Note from Shalla:

A way to get to your alpha or theta state is to relax your mind using meditation. Several free meditations you can listen to (I always use these) can be found at: http://www.shalladeguzman.com/getmuse.php

And try one, Shalla, has written herself called, Requesting Extra Energy to Write.

Read the meditation for Requesting Extra Energy to Write.
Read it, making sure to imagine what it says and feel the words.

***

WRITER’S BLOCK IS ONLY IN THE MIND—DUH!

by Harry W Carpenter

“Wow! That’s impressive,” I said to my wife. We were at the annual fair in Del Mar, California watching a stage hypnotist. He had eighteen volunteers on stage and was making them do things they would not normally want to, nor could do. One of the volunteers was a young man named Bill. The hypnotist suggested that Bill had just returned from a trip to the planet Xenon. Would he tell the audience about his trip? Without hesitation, Bill started to describe his trip and the Xenonians that he met. He told the story as if he had actually been there. The hypnotist had to stop him or he would have gone on all night.

Most of us would find it hard to stand in front of 500 people and make up a story about something we knew nothing about. And, moreover, tell this made-up story as if we experienced it, when we knew it was fantasy. I don’t know Bill, but I would bet my house he could not have made up that story spontaneously and told it so vividly and fluidly if he was not hypnotized.

When you sit down at your desk or kitchen table to write, do you start writing immediately? Do you create a story or a scene and write it down in detail without hesitating and agonizing? If you do, then you never have “writer’s block.” Lucky you! But if you have occasions when nothing comes to mind and you can’t get started on the story, then you’ve had writer’s block.

Is there much difference between Bill’s experience and when you have writer’s block? The difference is huge. When you have writer’s block, you are limiting yourself by only using your conscious mind, and at that, only a tiny portion of it. Bill, on the other hand, used over 90 percent of his mind. He used his subconscious mind—his fertile, imaginative, creative mind.

Your conscious mind is critical, judgmental, and carping. That’s the part of you that interrupts your writing and says, “This stinks,” “I can’t write about that,” “I just can’t think of a thing to write today,” on and on.

Your mind also inhibits you with false beliefs. In your early, formative years, you were told thousands of times things like, “No, you can’t do that,” “No, don’t do that,” “No, that’s too hard,” “No, no ,no, don’t you ever learn?” These responses are suggestions (just as if they came from a hypnotist) that go into your subconscious mind. Thus, you are hypnotized to believe you are limited and, worse, you are unconscious of these negative beliefs.

The epitome of a false belief is the story of Roger Banister. Runners, coaches, and trainers were hypnotized to believe running a mile under 4 minutes was not humanly possible. Race times asymptotically approached 4 minutes but no runner could break through this mental barrier. Not until Roger, who “knew” he could do it, did it. Within months other runners broke the barrier. Those runners could not break 4 minutes until someone showed them that their belief in limitation was false.

When your writing is blocked, do you “try” harder? Do you find that the harder you try, the more blocked you become? Trying harder is fighting against an absolute law of the mind. You can’t win.

So, how do you beat writer’s block? Instead of writing with your conscious mind, open up and tap into your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is the part of you that is imaginative and creative.

How do you tap into your subconscious mind? This may sound too easy, but it works. Just relax and talk to yourself. Affirm that you have the ability to write and that the story or poem is already written. Too simple? That’s Mother Nature’s way: the best way, is almost always the simplest way.

When relaxed, you slip into an altered state of mind. That’s the key to being creative—going into the alpha or, much better, the theta state. Dali, the abstract painter of weird landscapes, used to go into theta before starting a new canvas. That is how he got his visions of melting time and distorted figures, concepts foreign to the logical, linear-thinking conscious mind. It is simple to learn to go into these states. And it is invaluable if you want to be creative and write from the heart.

If you want more detail and more powerful methods of using your subconscious mind, get a copy of a book that many readers say is the best book written on the subject (Some of these reviews are posted on www.Amazon.com , and www.thegeniewithin.net) The book is, The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind—How It Works and How to Use It, by Harry W Carpenter. Oh! That’s me. How shameless to brag about my book. I couldn’t help it. It came from my subconscious.

Transcript of our Q&A with Writer/Producer and Script Analyst Peter Myers

Like to read the Transcript of our

Q&A with Writer/Producer and Script Analyst Peter Myers?

Get his expertise for FREE or here's a list of his services:

Dear Writers,

It's been a pleasure to answer your question in this Q and A.

Let me know if you need any further help in the area of scripts.

You can always contact me at peterdavidmyers@gmail.com.

My services are:

Analysis---2-3 page synopses $75.00

---10-20 page treatments $150.00

---full scripts $250.00

Consulting is $50.00/hour charged against a retainer fee.

subjects for consulting: How do I get representation formy writing? How do I get started in screenwriting?How do I meet producers, directors and stars? etc.

Testimonials from my screenwriter clients can be viewed at:

www.storylink.com/profile/peterdavidmyers

Happy writing!

Best,

Peter Myers

*read more

You can read our FREE transcript at

http://shallabuzz.blogspot.com/2009/03/transcript-of-our-q-with-writerproducer.html

Q&A with Black Rose Writing Publisher Reagan Rothe

You’re invited!

Join Us!

Q&A with Black Rose Writing Publisher Reagan Rothe

Who is Reagan Rothe?

Reagan Rothe is a small-scale successful author and the creator of Black Rose Writing.

Black Rose Writing is an independent publishing house that doesn't guarantee endless money spent on promotion or false hopes, we work with our authors and develop a personal relationship. Owned by Reagan Rothe, a small-scale successful author, we have the experience from the author's view, knowing the trials and tribulations. We understand the rejection, frustration, and stress marketing and promoting a novel can be. We will do whatever we can within budget for our authors, as they reach success, so do we.


We are a Print-on-demand publishing house. We are currently seeking most genre fiction and either war, how-to, or biography non-fiction. Reagan Rothe is the author of Dreams and Baseball, Give Wings to My Triumph, and the Misanthropy series.

For more: http://www.blackrosewriting.com/index.html

Q&A with Black Rose Writing Publisher Reagan Rothe

Thursday, March 19, 2009 11am to 12pm pst (or 2pm-3pm est)

Registration is FREE at



The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group



JOIN US!

Shalla DeGuzman

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman

Join Us! Q&A with Writer/Producer and Script Analyst Peter Myers

You’re invited!

Join Us!

Q&A with Writer/Producer and Script Analyst

Peter Myers

Who is Peter Myers?

Producer:

In partnership with New York Film Group, Peter is producing the theatrical feature, VENGEANCE, from his own script. Principal photography: Winter 2008/2009. Director attached: Vahe Babaian, (After Freedom, winner, Audience Award, Method Fest). Budget $5 million. Distributor letter-of-interest: Artist View Entertainment. Seed money has been raised. Casting of major roles in progress.

Peter co-executive-produced "SPEAK TO THE WORLD," a pilot for an interview show for cable television. He also co-produced and co-wrote "DOUBLE CROSS," a half-hour suspense drama for cable, which was offered a worldwide distribution deal within a month of its completion.
Additionally, Peter was a founding partner and Senior Vice President of Creative Affairs of BlueSky Pictures, an Anglo-Dutch film company which, in concert with Creative Artists Agency, in Los Angeles, developed a motion picture package with Antonio Banderas attached to star, and Michael Cristofer attached to direct.

*read more

Q&A with Writer/Producer and Script Analyst Peter Myers

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
11am to 12pm pst (or 2pm-3pm est)

Registration is FREE at

The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group

JOIN US!

Shalla DeGuzman

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman

****Permission to forward is granted and requested********

Online Classes for Writers

***OKAY TO FORWARD***

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

April 3-30, 2009
"In & Out: Writing Believable Conflict"
by Sherry Lewis
www.WriterUniv.com

This workshop focuses on the art and craft of creating realistic, believable conflict for your character, both internal and external, and on weaving those conflict together in ways that are fresh, exciting, and powerful enough to catch an editor's eye. Topics include:

* Understanding how a character's core beliefs crate conflict
* How internal and external conflicts work together
* When to hang on to / let go of a character's past
* Keeping conflicts realistic
* Creating layers of conflict
* Why urgency matters in conflict
* Applying conflict to each scene you write
* Avoiding anticipated conflict

Sherry Lewis is a career writer with more than 30 published mystery, contemporary romance, and time travel romance novels to her credit. She loves sharing what she has learned since selling her first book fifteen years ago, and has given workshops all over the country. Sherry has also taught online workshops for several years.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

April 3-30, 2009
"Writing For Magazines"
by Julie Rowe
www.WriterUniv.com

Interested in writing for magazines? Learn the process of creating an article, from coming up with an idea to how to sell that idea to a magazine and write your finished piece. This class will tear apart real examples of successful queries and their subsequent published articles see what worked, and what didn't work, and why. Topics include:

* Why fiction writers should also write for magazines
* Choosing the right magazine and editor to query
* Topics, research, angles, titles and hooks
* The knock-out magazine query letter
* How to get quotes & statistics and fact check
* Writing the article; sidebars and photography
* Word count, deadlines, contracts and invoicing
* Creating a portfolio and finding your niche

Julie Rowe has been freelancing for magazines for over five years. She's an enthusiastic instructor who enjoys lively discussion and encourages questions. Her articles have appeared in numerous magazines such as Today's Parent magazine, Reader's Digest (Canada), The Canadian Writer's Journal, Writer's Digest, Canadian Living, What's Up Kids Magazine, the Romance Writer's Report and various RWA chapter newsletters.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

April 6-17, 2009
MASTER CLASS: "Do-It-Yourself Media Kits"
by Theresa Meyers
www.WriterUniv.com

Prerequisite: Published book or upcoming release date

Working on your own promotion, but not sure what you should or shouldn’t include when you send material out to the media? Look no further. Public Relations guru Theresa Meyers takes you through the ins and outs of media kits, both print and electronic, and demystifies what you need to have on hand. In this course you’ll get:

* The elements every media kit needs
* How to create them yourself
* Templates for making instant bios, press releases, and more!
* What to include and omit based on the media contact
* Fresh ideas for packaging your media kit
* Knowledge of why print and electronic media kits are different
* How to make each kind

Best known for getting her clients chosen as two out of the total seven picks for the Kelly Ripa Book Club, Theresa Meyers spent over ten years working in public relations, garnering millions of dollars in media coverage for her clients, before she launched Blue Moon Communications. A former journalist and magazine columnist, she now focuses on strategic planning for her clients, media training and author branded media campaigns. Find her online at www.bluemooncommunications.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~


***OKAY TO FORWARD***

Remember Barry Eisler; For Readers

Remember Barry Eisler?

We did a SHALLA CHATS with him over at SHALLA Magazine several months ago.

Well, now he's got a new book!


Hi all,






Just wanted to let you know that Fault Line, my first standalone thriller, hits stores today.

I'll be on the road for the rest of the month promoting it, so if you find yourself in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Los Angeles (Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, LA), San Diego, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area (Palo Alto and San Mateo), Houston, Indianapolis (Carmel), Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Washington DC (Bethesda and Baileys Crossroads), or New York City, stop by and say hello!

--Barry Eisler

Insider’s Look at Publishing the Rain Series

SHALLA CHATS with NY Times Best Selling author,

BarryEisler

*read more

From Harlequin Readers


Top 10 Ultimate Betrayals


1. The Ruthless Magnate's Virgin Mistress by Lynne Graham2.
The Heiress's 2-Week Affair by Marie Ferrarella
3. Italian Prince, Wedlocked Wife by Jennie Lucas
4. Questions of Honor by Kate Welsh
5. Ruthless Tycoon, Innocent Wife by Helen Brooks
6. Suspect Lover by Stephanie Doyle7
. Betrayals by Carla Neggers
8. An Indecent Proposal by Margot Early
9. Familiar Vows by Caroline Burnes
10. The Pregnancy Secret by Maggie Cox


Looking for more tales of attraction and obsession? Check out our Ultimate Betrayals special offer and get 4 books for the price of 3!


*read more

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mystery Writing: Keep Your Audience Intoxicated

by Patrick Davis

A mystery, a compelling love story, a darkened enigma, and fragments of the past are elements of secrets. Secrets are powerful. Gossip is devious. A dark secret whispered through gossiping lips unleashes its intoxicating spell that will, for the moment, seize the hearers. Gossip, as powerful as it is, buys the attention of those listening. But if you harness the intoxicating power of secrets that reside within the pages of a captivating story, you have the potential of buying yourself the attention of the vast, book-reading population.

Blending your secret in with the story's setting

If you are thinking of writing of mystery novel but are not sure how, this is what you may want to consider. Within the opening pages of your novel, introduce your readers to a captivating secret. Allow this "hidden incident" be a fragment of a love story from another era. This will quickly lure your audience to read more. Or your secret may be an old discarded tool, but later discovered that it was a murder weapon. Or perhaps, there's something recorded within the pages of a diary containing a secret about someone else. Or suppose the diary belonged to a young lady during the Victorian era who knew of a secret romance that was forbidden. Perhaps this secret romance involved someone who was dear to her. And perhaps the author of the diary had no strength to destroy her personal journal; and it was too painful for her to keep it. So she entombed it within a secret hold residing in her lavished home with hopes that no one would ever find it.

You can read the rest of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/mysterywriting.html

Get Your Novel Published Now by Shalla DeGuzman

Get Your Novel Published Now

by Shalla DeGuzman



So, you’re editing and polishing your novel with hopes of getting it published? There are many different steps you can take to get there, here’s one way that works more times than not:

1. Edit Your Novel You can hire a Freelance Editor to check your manuscript for you but this costs $$$. Last time I checked it’s about $1-$5 per page. Or you can read books such as: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne, Dave King and edit your novel yourself. It’s a great book, recommended by many Literary Agents

2. And what has worked well for me—Listen to Good Books-on-Tape. Listen to the way the words are put together into sentences. Listen to the rhythm, the smoothness of the sentences then record yourself reading your novel. Does it also sound smooth? Does it read well? Does it have a good rhythm to it?

3. Spell Check It If you’re using Microsoft Word 2007, make sure to proof your document using Spell Check and Grammar Check. Click on the Review tab and select Spell Check and Grammar.

4. Write a Query Letter This is the one-page letter you will send to a Literary Agent or an Editor, selling your book.

5. Querying a Literary Agent If you decide your novel is best represented by a Literary Agent, check the free lists of agents at Preditors and Editors and Agent Query. Find them at: http://shalladeguzman.com/ShallaAgentList.php

6. Querying an Editor Attend writers conferences where you can meet acquisition editors looking for novels to publish. For a list of writers conferences, check http://writing.shawguides.com/

You can also go to a publishing house’s website and find out what they are looking for and what their submission guidelines are. For example: http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/daw/submissions.html
http://www.harpercollins.com/imprints/avon/SubmissionGuidelines.aspx

Good luck! To your highly successful future as a published novelist!

Find this SHALLA Article on eHow

http://www.ehow.com/how_4822163_novel-published-now.html

SHALLA: Weave Sub-Plots Into Your Novel

So, you like to write and publish a novel, huh?

WRITE & PUBLISH YOUR NOVEL From writing Query letters to Formatting Manuscripts to writing Book Proposals, here are tips and tricks to get your book sold!

*read more

***

Weave Sub-Plots Into Your Novel

by Lee Masterson


How many times have you started work on a great novel only to run out of steam 50 pages into your work?

The story stalls, the idea goes flat, the characters seem to stare back at you saying “What now, boss?”

In some cases it might be that you didn’t spend enough time planning how your characters are going to get from beginning to end and that red-hot plot you were so excited about just fizzles out. In other cases it might be that the idea wasn’t big enough to fill out a novel or maybe you simply don’t have enough conflict in your story so far and want to liven things up a bit.

Weaving a second plot through your main storyline not only helps you to uncover new facets of your characters but can help raise conflict levels and create tension. You also have the opportunity to create a new depth to your original story, building layers of complexity that can force your fictional world into three dimensions.

If you create a sub-plot that has absolutely nothing to do with the main plot you’ll even force your reader to keep turning pages just to see how they gel together. Of course your reader already knows they will end up tied together in a neat little bow by the end of the book – otherwise there would be no reason for the new plot thread – but the reader will want to know how they end up intertwined and so will keep reading to find out.

Your sub-plot doesn’t need to be a romantic thread braided through the original story, although this is one of the more common sub-plot tactics used in many novels. You might decide to have your main secondary character working with your protagonist openly, but secretly harboring a desire to thwart the hero’s efforts at every turn because he has other things on his agenda. You might decide to introduce a completely new plot to your novel that has nothing to do with the first and weave these together.

No matter what you decide to add for your sub-plot or how separate they are, it’s important that something within the sub-plot contains a vital element that is necessary to complete the main plot.

For more: http://www.fictionf%20actor.com/%20articles/%20subplots.%20html



***

SHALLA: Good links for writers

Writers Associations and Affiliations Get help and support.
New York Times Bestseller List (find out what's selling)
USA Today Bestseller List
webrings

A Glossary of Literary Terms... Literary Agent Search

Looking for the perfect literary agent for your novel?

Find out who's agenting what book...

at Publisher's Marketplace

With hundreds of agents hosting web pages, Marketplace is already the largest most popular place to find information about top literary agencies. The deals database and daily updates provide essential information, and searches reveal editors' buying patterns and more, while the contact database keeps track of editors on the move. And the book tracker and book review index let you follow books for your agency and your clients.

***

Need to know what a multicultural novel is? Or what the difference between allegory and parody is?

Check out:

A Glossary of Literary Terms

Novel of manners. A novel focusing on and describing in detail the social customs and habits of a particular social group. Usually these conventions function as shaping or even stifling controls over the behavior of the characters. Examples:
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair


Parody. A satiric imitation of a work or of an author with the idea of ridiculing the author, his ideas, or work. The parodist exploits the peculiarities of an author's expression--his propensity to use too many parentheses, certain favorite words, or whatever. The parody may also be focused on, say, an improbable plot with too many convenient events. Fielding's Shamela is, in large part, a parody of Richardson's Pamela.



*for more

SHALLA: Writing Competitions, Conference for Writers

Writing Competitions

Cabell First Novelist Award The First Novelist Award honors the best debut novel published during a calendar year. The author receives a $5000 prize, travel expenses to Richmond, and 5-star accommodations ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2009.PRIZES: $5,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $.00.

Texas Institute of LettersThe Texas Institute of Letters has issued its call for entries in twelve categories for the best works published in the year 2008. This year’s awards will carry a monetary value of $21,450 ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-09-2009.PRIZES: $21,450.00.ENTRY FEE: $0.00.

2009 AWP ( Association of Writers and Writing Program)

Annual ConferenceFebruary 11-14, 2009

South Carolina Fiction ProjectThis annual writing competition, sponsored by The Post and Courier and the South Carolina Arts Commission, calls for previously unpublished short stories of 2,500 words or less ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2009.PRIZES: $500.00.ENTRY FEE: $0.00.

Robert Bingham Fellowship for WritersThe winner receives a cash award of $35,000, a stipend intended to permit a significant degree of leisure in which to pursue a second work of literary fiction ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-16-2009.PRIZES: $35,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $50.00.

Joyce Osterweil Award for PoetryThe Osterweil Award recognizes the high literary character of the published work to date of a new and emerging American poet of any age and the promise of further literary achievement ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-16-2009.PRIZES: $5,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $0.00.

Helen and Laura Krout Memorial Ohioana Poetry AwardAward of $1,000 to an author whose body of work has made, and continues to make, a significant contribution to poetry ... (more) DEADLINE: 12-31-2008.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $0.00.

Doris Betts Fiction PrizeThe Doris Betts Fiction Prize awards the first-place winner with a prize of $250. Winners and finalists will be considered for publication in the North Carolina Literary Review ... (more) DEADLINE: 02-01-2009.PRIZES: $250.00.ENTRY FEE: $20.00.

The Editors' Prize ContestThe Editors' Prize Contest is now accepting entries, with $1,000 awarded in each genre. Poets can upload four poems per entry. Fiction writers may submit one story of 10,000 words ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-07-2009.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $16.00.

Hurston/Wright Award for College WritersThe Hurston/Richard Wright Award for College Writers has been established by novelist Marita Golden to honor excellence in fiction writing by students of African descent enrolled full time as an undergraduate or graduate student in any college or university in the United States ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2009.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $10.00.

H. E. Francis Short Story CompetitionManuscripts must be unpublished and may not exceed 5000 words in length. Multiple submissions are acceptable. Award: $1000 prize ... (more) DEADLINE: 12-31-208.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $15.00.

Prize of $1000.00 will be awarded for a single, unpublished poem that has not won first prize in any national competition. A Regional Prize of $250.00 will be awarded ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2008.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $15.00.

Colorado Prize for PoetryEach year’s prizewinner receives a $1,500 honorarium and publication of his or her book by the Center for Literary Publishing ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-12-2009.PRIZES: $1,500.00.ENTRY FEE: $25.00.

The John Ciardi Prize for PoetryPrize: $1,000 and publication for the best book-length collections of poetry in English by a living author ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2009.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $25.00.

The G. S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short FictionPrize: $1,000 and publication for the best book-length of short fiction in English by a living author ... (more) DEADLINE: 01-15-2009.PRIZES: $1,000.00.ENTRY FEE: $25.00.

SHALLA" Listen to books and short stories

SHALLA Magazine


Do you write award-winning poetry?

Like to get nominated for the Pushcart Prize?

We welcome your poetry submissions...

continue...

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***

Need a Synopsis for your Novel?

Tips for Writing a Novel Synopsis

***

Writing a Romance Novel?

Romance Writing Course. Increase your chances of writing a great romance manuscript and having it accepted for publication. Join our romance course today and launch your romance writing career! (This link will take you to Romance Factor)

SHALLA: SO, YOU'RE... HUH?

SO, YOU'RE... HUH?

So, you're looking to E-Publish, huh? *read more

So, you're looking for an Agent, huh? *read more

So, you like to Market your novel, huh? *read more

So, you like to understand your Book Contract, huh? *read more

So, you like to Edit your novel, huh? *read more

So, you're looking to Write Freelance, huh? *read more

Let's say, you're looking for a Literary Agent...

Check out Full Literary Circle

Listen to what they're looking for (mp3)

They have a Blog!

Full Circle Literary : Blog Now Online

For realtime news and author tips, add this to your bookmarks:http://fullcirclelit.blogspot.com/

What Book Editors Really Want

I like their site because they also have book suggestions for writers

***

Writing Contests

Read the Halloween Edition of SHALLA Magazine?

(click on HALLO.pdf and Open)

Listen to the spooky paranormal tale by Margaret L. Carter, Residual Fumes

***

Hello Writers, Shalla here--Hola! Shalla aqui (Estudiando espanol para Cancun! :)

Anyway, 'hope you're doing perfectly well.

Here's a list of writing competitions that may interest you. Winning one of these can add some dazzle to your bio when you query a literary agent or editor...

Soul-Making Literary Competition - 11 categories: poetry, prose poem, short story, flash fiction, essay, memoir, novel excerpt, humor, creative nonfiction and young adult poetry, and young adult prose. Most categories accept previously published works. Awards: $100, $50, $25 in each category. Entry fee: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2008. Info: NLAPW, Nob Hill Branch, The Webhallow House, 1544 Sweetwood Drive, Broadmoor Village CA 94015; PenNobHill@aol.com; www.soulmakingcontest.us/

Colonial Players Promising Playwright Contest. Playwrights residing in 14 states and the District of Columbia along the Eastern Seaboard from New Hampshire to South Carolina are eligible to submit scripts. One act and two act plays, but no musicals, may be entered. Award: $1000 plus a weekend workshop of the playwith a rehearsal. Deadline: Postmark of December 1, 2008. info: Colonial Players, 108 East St., Annapolis MD 21401; http://www.cplayers.com/.

Write2Help.Org Fall 2008 Short Fiction Contest. Proceeds benefit World Relief, a worldwide humanitarian effort based out of Baltimore, MD. Write a short story (1500 words or less) about an exciting or awakening experience in childhood. Awards: $1,000, $250, $100. Entry Fee: $10. Deadline: December 20, 2008. Info: http://www.write2help.org/.

The 2008 Northern Woods Literary Awards for Short Stories and Poetry. Awards: "Prizes are determined by total number of entrants but right now it looks like first place in each category will be around $250." Top three entries will receive cash awards. Entry fee: $10. Deadline: December 31, 2008. Info: www.northernwoodsliteraryawards.blogspot.com/.

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest - Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject and/or Write a short story, 5 pages maximum on any theme. Awards: Poetry Contest: $250, $125, $50; Writing Contest: $500, $250, $100. Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story. Postmark Deadline: December 31, 2008. Mail entries/fees to: Dream Quest One, PO Box 3141, Chicago IL 60654. Info: http://www.dreamquestone.com/.

Suspense Magazine First Annual Writing Contest. All entries must be in the suspense/mystery/thriller genre. Writers retain all rights. Awards: Winner will receive 12 Bestselling Books (many or all of them autographed by the authors). Second and Third places will receive Amazon.com gift cards. No entry fee. Deadline: December 31, 2008. Info: www.suspensemagazine.com/contest.html.

Creative Quills Writing Contests: Humorous story or essay; Inspirational essay; Poetry. Awards: $150 and online publication ($50 for poetry), online publication and editing/promotional consultation, promotional consultation and literary advice. Entry fee: $15. Deadline: December 31, 2008. Info: http://www.creativequills.com/; booklady@creativequills.com; Andrea Foster, Creative Quills, PO Box 942, Kingfisher OK 73750.

Annual Neurobiological Learning Society Choice and Top Choice Awards for (1) published or unpublished books; (2) published or unpublished articles; and (3) published or unpublished enduring public education media concerning any aspect of the neurobiology of learning, especially transformative learning. Awards: (1) Top Choice Award: $100, review and press release; (2) Up to 30 choice awards, 10 each for books, articles and enduring public education media: review and press release. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: December 31, 2008. Info: Daniel S. Janik MD PhD, 2630 Kapiolani Blvd #1601, Honolulu HI 96826; phone/fax (808) 941-3927; drjanik@gmail.com; Intercultural Communications College, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd #1000, Honolulu HI 96814; (808) 946-2445, fax (808) 946-2231.
Buffalo Carp's Flash Fiction Contest for up to 600 words. Awards: $250 plus five copies Buffalo Carp, Volume 6. All entries will be considered for publication. Entry fee: $10 for each submission of up to three stories. Deadline: January 16, 2009. Info: Flash Fiction Contest, Buffalo Carp, Quad City Arts, 1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201;

buffalocarp@gmail.com.

2009 Longleaf Press Chapbook Contest. Open to residents of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Submit 20 to 24 pages including table of contents and acknowledgments. No name on the manuscript. Include a separate cover page with name, address, e-mail, and contact information. Award: Publication, 50 copies and $100 prize. Authors retain all rights. Entry fee: $15. Postmark deadline: January 30, 2009. Send to: Longleaf Press c/o English Dept., Methodist University, 4500 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville NC 28311.
Amy Writing Awards for articles that present the biblical position in a sensitive, thought-provoking manner – must be published during 2007 in a mainstream, non-religious publication, or on the pages of mainstream, non-religious newspaper, news or e-magazine Web sites as determined by the Amy Writing Awards panel. No entry fee. Deadline: January 31, 2007. Awards: $10,000–$1,000. Full information at www.amyfound.org/amy_writing_awards/amy_writing_awards.html or The Amy Foundation, PO Box 16091, Lansing MI 48901.

Christine Kringle Plot Contest -- come up with a one-page synopsis of a plot for book two in the series. Award: US$5,000 or its equivalent in your national currency. Entry fee: proof of purchase of Christine Kringle. Deadline: January 31, 2009. Info: www.christinekringle.com/win-5000.html.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship. Awards: $10,000 and two $750 runner-up prizes. Deadline: March 1, 2009. Info: jamesjonesfirstnovel@wilkes.edu; www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp; Creative Writing Program, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre PA 18766.

Writers' League of Texas Manuscript Contest - Categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Children's Categories. Award: The winner in each category meets individually with an agent or editor during the annual Writers' League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference. Entry fee: $50. Deadline: March 6, 2009. Info: www.writersleague.org/contests/manuscript.html; Writers' League of Texas, 611 S. Congress Ave., Suite 130, Austin TX 78704; wlt@WritersLeague.org; (512) 499-8914.

Annual Writers-Editors International Writing Competition. Nonfiction (Previously Published and Unpublished); Fiction (Short Story and Novel Chapter); Children's Literature; Poetry. Awards: $100, $75, $50. Entry fee: $3–$20. Deadline: March 15, 2009. Click for Guidelines and Entry form or send SASE to CNW Contest, PO Box A, North Stratford NH 03590.
Mozelle Memoir Contest. Award: $500 and publication. Entry fee: $10. Deadline: March 20, 2009. Info: www.writersleague.org/contests/memoir.html; Writers' League of Texas, 611 S. Congress Ave., Suite 130, Austin TX 78704; wlt@WritersLeague.org
OnceWritten.com Annual Poetry Contest. Award: $500 & publication. Entry fee: $15. Deadline: March 31, 2009. Info: www.oncewritten.com/Contests/PoetryContest.php.

Well, good luck!

Who are we nominating for the Pushcart Prize at SHALLA Magazine?

Coming Soon...

BTW, have you seen this video of me?

Who is Shalla?

So you'd like to... Improve Writing Short Fiction: Dialogue

SHALLA BOOK LIST


for Writers.... DIALOGUE

A guide by Shalla DeGuzman "Editor of SHALLA Magazine"

Writing exercises and more! These books contain many exercises that will get you writing good dialogue.

What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers by Anne Bernays

A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life by Caroline Sharp

All writers must have a command of the language and a great vocabulary in order to write a short story (or a novel or an article ...) and proper dialogue so, here are books to improve your skill: Better Vocabulary in 30 Minutes a Day (Better English Series)

Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella

Write Great Fiction - Dialogue (Write Great Fiction) by Gloria Kempton

How to Write Realistic Dialogue (Allison & Busby's Writer's Guides) by Jean Saunders

For more:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R105Y88455V6JF/ref=cm_sylt_byauthor_title_full_2

Guess What's Featured in The Wild Rose Press

What's Featured in The Wild Rose Press?






Writers: Boost Your Web Traffic

by Shalla DeGuzman

Okay, so you’re an upcoming writer with a future best seller in the works or maybe you just pubbed, anyway, have a website and want to know how to increase traffic and start generating fans?
Well, ‘glad you asked. I just got my website and I’ve been juggling with ideas on how to market it. Luckily, I know computer consultants and analysts so I asked them—err—interviewed them on How to attract visitors to my site?

*read more

What is the Wild Rose Press?

The staff at The Wild Rose Press is committed to bringing you the best in romance today. Whether you are a writer of romance or a reader, you will find everything you need here inside the Garden Gate.

Home
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NEWS for WRITERS

Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device is a wireless, portable reading device with instant access to more than 100,000 books, blogs, newspapers and magazines.

The Kindle's revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. It is simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing. Whether you're in bed or on the train, Kindle lets you think of a book and get it in less than a minute.

Click Here!

FREE BOOK GIVE AWAYS

Return to ReadersRead.com Return to Writerswrite.com

Fill out the entry form below to win a free book. There is no entry fee or purchase obligation of any kind to enter. Winners will be selected in a random drawing...

*read more

Hello Writers! Shalla here...

Ready for a Writers Boot Camp?


Freelance Writers Boot Camp
Saturday, August 30, 2008 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Perelandra College
8250 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa

Veteran journalists and book authors Ken Kuhlken and Steven Saint (goahead, Google us!) will lead a most-of-the-day boot camp to inspire andinvigorate your nonfiction career. Be prepared to plug into the localwriting community and pick up lots of practical tools of the trade,including:

* Query-writing
* Fiction Techniques in Nonfiction
* Article Basics
* On-the-spot feedback of queries, article outlines and other worksubmitted by interested students.

Students can bring bag lunches or go to one of the nearby restaurantsbefore the afternoon sessions. The college is on the trolley line. Costis $40 (this is a special advance discount price being offered byemail). General admission will be $45.To receive a registration form, email Steven Saint at ssaint@pcisys.net




Check out the SHALLA Listmania at Amazon:

Win the Pulitzer in Fiction (Write Award Winning Short Stories)

This list includes:• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne

For more: http://www.amazon.com/Win-the-Pulitzer-in-Fiction-Write-Award-Winning-Short-Stories/lm/RCWU4NLQXM4Q0/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full




Write Funny! A list by Shalla DeGuzman

This list includes:• Comedy Writing Step by Step by Gene Perret

For more: http://www.amazon.com/Write-Funny-A-list-by-Shalla-DeGuzman/lm/R3S34KYCRPR501/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full

SHALLA: Writing Tips

HAPPY 4th of JULY

SO YOU WANT TO PUBLISH A NOVEL?

By Alastair Rosie

So you want to publish a novel? It’s a daunting prospect and not quite the glamorous undertaking you might think. Forget the media interviews and book signings, the publishing world is not for the faint hearted. Contemporary history is filled with disenchanted authors whose artistic talent was sacrificed for economic gain.

THE SUBMISSION

Let’s suppose that your novel, The Midnight Hour has been accepted by the Terrified Publishing Company. Your book goes out to readers who are paid to read and assess your work in terms of originality, concept and style. Publishers rely on professional readers. Providing they like the plot, the characters and your style of writing, your precious manuscript will now receive a publisher’s approval.

THE EDITOR

The editor is employed either in-house or on a contract basis to go over your manuscript and edit your work. You may receive a rude awakening when the editor’s corrections come back to you for approval. It’s here that a potential contract hangs in the balance. If you don’t agree with the corrections, say so now or forever hold your peace. There are often good reasons behind an editor’s corrections. They have been in contact with the publisher and are very aware of the market your book is aimed at. Editors are the workhorses of the industry, it is their job to check illustrations, liaise with authors, designers, typesetters and printers and oversee the production control to produce the best possible product within the allocated budget.

PUBLICITY AND SALES

The publicity department of a publishing house is responsible for devising a campaign for marketing your book. They are usually experts in their field and work to a previously arranged budget. It’s important to realise at this early stage that you’re entering into a business arrangement with a publishing house and, like all business agreements, it relies on cold hard cash to survive. So, the idea you had for employing a sky writer is great but probably not feasible given the fact that your book will sell for $8.95 and only has a print run of 5,000. The Publicity/Marketing department is closely tied to the warehousing network and advance orders are balanced against the projected budget.

WHAT IS PRODUCTION CONTROL?

Production Control is responsible for the overall schedules and costings. This department is in close communication with the editor, designer, accounts department and warehouse. The cold hard reality is, many books are not printed because the publishing house will not receive a return on investments, against the investment in time and money they need to make in order for your book to reach the shelves.


THE DESIGNER

The designers are in charge of the overall layout of The Midnight Hour. They work with the illustrator, paste-up artist and typesetter. A decision is made as to the final layout, number of pages, type of paper and cover. This is factored into the cost and added to the price of the book. Ever wondered why hard cover glossy books with lots of illustrations are so expensive? Now you know why.

THE TYPESETTER

Now we come to the nuts and bolts of publishing. Don’t worry, everything is running smoothly, your book is well on the way. The typesetter lays out the final proofs - called 'galleys' in the industry or 'galley proofs'. The blank is checked for errors here. A word of warning here. Your accidental typo ‘adn’ is not corrected here. If it wasn’t picked up during the extensive editing process then it stays in, so make sure your work is the best it can be. The only errors that are corrected here are design issues, colours, layout, number of pages etc.

THE PRINTER

The final stage is when your manuscript is turned into a printed book. The printer takes the final proofs, production schedule and prints it according to the instructions they have received. The printer is already familiar with your work as they printed out your first proofs. The glossy cover may not be printed in the same place as your manuscript however, it’s often cheaper to print covers elsewhere and bring them in for binding. The printer prints what is called a ‘first run.’ The first copies are sent to the publisher for checking and advance copies are sent to various departments and reviewers before the final run is printed.

For more: http://www.write101.com/publish.htm

How to End Your Novel

By Laura College

Have you ever read a book with an unsatisfying ending? Annoying, isn’t it? You’ve just read this exciting, emotionally draining and captivating novel, then arrived at the end only to be left hanging on the edge of a precipice. What happened to the characters? Were all of the problems resolved? The ending to a novel is almost as important as the beginning.

For more: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/end.html

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Where’s Shalla? SHALLA IN CANCUN, MEXICO & BORACAY, PHILIPPINES ’08