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The Official Propaganda Organ of the Cincinnati Writers Project Marcia Eckstein, Editor-at-Home Summer time and the living is easy. You say. Got antihistamine? I prefer freezing temperatures to river valley humidity cum heat - but that’s the born-on-the-great lakes person in me talking. To tag onto Jim Jackson’s piece on forming relationships with manuscripts, “Falling in Love” (below), I’m out with the fact that my novel and I are legally separated. For months I stewed and cursed, let the guilt eat me up. Then one day I sat down and cranked out a short story. I felt as if I had cheated on my novel. It felt good. Relationships are tricky. The more I cheated, the more relaxed I became, until one day I thought about my novel in what you could call sentimental terms. It’s creeping up on me, making it’s way back. We both have work to do, and who knows? Maybe there is room in my life for a long-word relationship. At any rate, the stick-to-your-shirt feeling one gets from ninety degrees and humid will keep the focus inside and air-conditioned. Loosely disguised, I think that may have been lake-girl’s endorsement for river valley summers. Take it and run.
Lora Jollis Cincinnati Writers’ Project was pleased to host a meeting with editorial staff from The Cincinnati Review on March 26, 2009. Nicola Mason, Managing Editor, was accompanied by assistant editors Peter Grimes, Bryan Smith and Julianne Lynch who talked about the Review’s manuscript submission and selection process as well as its history and subscribership. Published in May and November, The Cincinnati Review has been in production for five years and publishes renowned as well as up and coming writers. There are 400 subscribers. Individual copies of The Cincinnati Review may be purchased at Joseph Beth Bookstores or online. Submissions are accepted in hard copy only. Volunteers read and score 10,000 manuscripts each year which are then reviewed by the staff, Ms. Mason and her superiors. Every manuscript is read in its entirety, though less than one percent of them are actually published. They pay their authors $25.00 per printed page. The Cincinnati Review wants to see more creative nonfiction such as contemplative essays that are grounded in real-life events. Excessive navel staring is a turn-off. Funky, fun concepts are welcome, but after publishing many of them, the editors look for more serious writing. One overdone category is people attending a family function and zaniness ensues. Considerable discussion was generated related to literary (interior driven) versus commercial (plot driven) fiction. Ms. Mason observed that the lines are blurring between the two, and that The Cincinnati Review is looking for submissions with interiority and psychological complexity. Superior writing will trump subject matter. Within their covers you’ll find more than the usual literary fare. Indeed, the cover story in the latest issue is a work of science fiction about time travel. A past issue included an award-nominated mystery. On the business side we learned the reason why the Review has stopped taking ads. The revenue did not cover the increase it would cause in their postage rate. Without ads, the magazine qualifies for media rate. Although they are funded by a foundation, even a literary magazine must keep an eye on the bottom line.
By James Montgomery Jackson Friends asked: How could you leave Cincinnati? You know so many people; won’t you miss them? Some of us grow taproots starting shortly after birth and refuse to be transplanted more than a few blocks or miles from our parents’ home. (And might wilt away if forced to move.) Others, like me, periodically pick up possessions and memories and cart them to a new locale – just because. Other than twice yearly trips through Cincinnati between Savannah and Michigan’s UP, my ties to the Queen City are physically broken, but not psychologically. I’m still hawking a novel set in Cincinnati. I still get emails telling of the doings of the Cincinnati Writers Project and they remind me that without CWP my writing would be much, much worse than it is. As I write or rewrite wherever I am, I can hear the advice I’ve received over the years whispered in my ear. I thanks you all. The Rough Draft published two of my pieces on critiquing. Trilogies are a writing tradition (and mathematically three points determine a plane, a stable geometric property.) Here is my parting gift to the group to help stabilize good critiquing processes: Don’t fall in love with either your work or that of any one else in the group. Recall the first blush of love. We want to spend every waking (and depending on age, sleeping) moment with our new find. We ignore warts: later on we’ll polish any small flaw with our tender attention. Major flaws are “wonderful character traits,” making this one so much better than the last bum we threw out. As love matures, we learn to ignore the little glitches. The major flaws lead to divorce or therapy. How, in heavens name does this relate to a critique group? In the book of Genesis, God created a world and at each step along the way he recognizes it is good. We could debate whether or not God should have utilized a critique group. In our current WIP (work in progress, ed.), each word we have written is not so precious as to remain unchallenged. We do not bring our work to critique group to receive adulation. We bring it because it is flawed and we are often too close to see the pesky little problems in the current love in our life that need polish. If our love contains major flaws, the critique group can provide a free couch in which to talk them through. Sometimes we will need a divorce and must start over, but most often making changes can save our love and strengthen the novel or short story. Perhaps it becomes publishable. More insidious for the critique group than self-love is when our fellow authors and their novels seduce us. Week after week we read their work, make our comments, listen to the other critiques and bit by bit we become invested in the novel’s success. We have spent so much time with the WIP that, like a long standing love, we begin to ignore the day-to-day blemishes. It must be good; otherwise we have wasted our time. We know and care for the characters. They become family, and as if they were our own children, we will them to succeed. Ignoring the small details (after thirty-five years he still can’t put the seat down) is probably a good strategy for maintaining a healthy love relationship, but it’s a killer when our challenge is to help an author strengthen the WIP. We must praise all that is good, but also shine a bright light on any blemish. If at the end, the work still contains a major flaw, we must take courage and say that the duck with wings pinned on backwards will not fly. To do less cheats us; it cheats the group; it cheats the writing.
News from across-the-border correspondent, Jenny Engleka Update - The U.S. soccer team won 2-0 and was very impressive. The Mexicans are very depressed about their team because the players are a bunch of high-paid primadonnas and not team players. Today there was more kissing - mothers' meeting. I got a mouthful of hair from one, so I have to learn to be precise when leaning in. All this week there have been play rehearsals at school. Before you start worrying how Ellie will perform in a play in Spanish, worry for me, because it is the mothers performing for the kids. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why. Maybe there is a serious lack of community theatre in Mexico City. It's ridiculous. For the record I'm the flower/narrator (with a bad gringo accent). I have seven lines to set the scene, then I stand silent for the next twenty minutes until the end of the play when we all dance. I told you it's ridiculous. But at least I'm a flower, not the donkey. Okay, we can all finish the punchline ... I went to Mexico City and became an a$$. I'm doing this for three reasons - 1)to take part in Ellie's school and get to know the other mothers (plus, those not coming to rehearsals have to be trees) 2)we threw Ellie into a Spanish-only speaking school, so I should throw myself into the play and 3)I've got years of material bragging about how embarrassing this is.
We salute the Few, the Proud Jean Syed’s poem Red Lane Ritual has been published in the Lyric (Fall Edition). Two other poems were published on line at The Road Not Taken: The Journal of Formal Poetry, in the fall. Victoria Barber-Emery invites us to check out the following link to her friend, Mike Iskandar’s, article in the New York Times. He has an interesting non-profit startup. Check it out . And don’t forget to check out the website mentioned in the beginning of the article. Tom Groh’s short story, “Little White Bunnies,” was accepted for publication and will be featured in the summer issue of Badlight Magazine. Evan Holbrook, whose story you might have read in our last anthology, had his short story “Purge” win him a seat at the international Future Problem Solving Scenario Writing Competition as Kentucky’s representative.
In no particular order Karen George will teach WRITING THE NATURAL WORLD (Autum 2009-10) Are you a beginning or continuing writer of fiction who wants to learn how to enrich your work by including the natural world? During this five week course we will read and discuss published authors who incorporate the earth, bodies of water, plants, insects, and animals to create setting, enhance characterization, set tone or mood, add conflict or tension, and suggest meaning. Karen George, MFA in Creative Writing, has been writing, studying, and critiquing fiction for the past twenty years. Her short stories and poems have been published in literary journals and anthologies; and she has won a number of writing awards. For more information, drop her a line—KARENLGEO@ZOOMTOWN.COM Tues., 6:30-8:30 pm; Oct. 13 - Nov. 10; 5 wks; $99, #3376-01 The Independence Inklings Writer’s Group is open to all writers, of all skill levels and genres. The group is hosted by and meets at the Durr Branch of the Kenton County Public Library in Independence, Kentucky, on the first Sunday of every month at 1 p.m. Dawn Rinkens has details www.dawnrinken.com or drinken@therinkens.com. Gangsters, Gamblers, and Girls: A Historic Walkabout Are you running out of ideas? Need to add a little sleaze to your knowledge of local history? Ever wonder what ding-donging a casino means? Check out www.newportgangsters.com . They offer walking tours of Newport criminal heyday. I had a great time on one. Less than two hours and only a half mile of walking, so don't fear the exercise. I even learned about the secret life of York Street Cafe, one of the places Wednesday group used to meet. And don't overlook their October offering--GANGSTERS AND GHOSTS. Best of all, the proceeds support Student Service Works, getting local high schoolers to do good in Central America. A poetry performance by Bianca Spriggs, founder of the Gypsy Slam Poetry Competition, will preview the 30th anniversary Kentucky Women Writers Conference and Gypsy Slam this September 10-12. Works by Nikky Finney and Holly Goddard Jones will also be read by Bianca and by Conference director Julie Wrinn. Enter your name in a drawing for free admission to the conference (a $140 value). Go to www.thewomenwritersconference.org for details. Editor's Day, led by Liz Waniewski, editor at Dial Books, will be held June 27th at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky. In a one-day workshop, Liz will reveal her secrets to getting your book published. She will explain the submission process and highlight the top ten reasons a manuscript gets accepted or rejected. In addition, Liz will discuss the need for captivating queries and current trends in the industry. The full day seminar will run from 8 AM - 4 PM and includes lunch. SCBWI members: $55 ($60 if received after May 16); nonmembers: $65 ($70 if received after May 16). Registrations will be accepted until the workshop is full. For more information or to register, go to http://www.scbwi-midsouth.org/events.htm Midwest Writers Workshop July 23–25. Be inspired, encouraged, enlightened, become a more powerful writer! Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. Go to www.midwestwriters.com.org/ for details. SinC Into Great Writing! Sisters in Crime will sponsor a writing workshop October 14, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, IN, (the day before the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention begins). The SinC into Great Writing program features seminars by Donald Maass, Hallie Ephron, and Chris Roerden, with dinner keynote speaker Nancy Pickard: "My First Editor Got Fired and Other Tales of Survival in the Mystery Business". $50 for SinC members, $150 for nonmembers. Features: Writing the Breakout Novel with Donald Maass; Twisting a Mystery Plot: The Secret's in the Secrets with Hallie Ephron; Dont Sabotage Your Submission with Chris Roerden.. For questions: email Beth Wasson sistersincrime@juno.com. Deadline: September 22, 2009. Registration capped at 200. Discounted conference hotel rates are offered through the Bouchercon website. Writer’s Conference at Penn, Oct. 2009 and the U. of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Links, Blogs, Websites and other good stuff The following selection was culled from Writer's Digest List of 101 Best Websites: Brainyquote.com – fun ssa.gov/OACT/babynames – trying to name a character? urbandictionary.com – modern Nanowrimo.org – National Novel Writing Month (November) Book-in-a-week.com – Their motto: BIC HOK TAM. Butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly thestorystarter.com – need a kick start? absolutewrite.com – a lot here, navigate at your own risk. ed2010.com - for learning about the magazine side of publishing thewritingbridge.com – Application process. If you’re approved, you’re on probation and must keep up with the required critiques and submissions agentquery.com – Indispensible duotrope.com – handy for finding markets for short stories and poetry writersdigest.com - the online version of the popular print magazine has just enough to get you on your way. But you have to pay for a subscription to writersmarket.com, along with publishersmarketplace.com, another biggie in publishing, so if you’re just looking for agents, agentquery.com is free and has all you need jakonrath.blogspot.com – Newbie’s Guide To Publishing cbaybooks.blogspot.com –good glossary etreidliterary.blogspot.com nathanbransford.blogspot.com –agent site bookendsliteraryagency.blogspot.com – daily posting from Jessica Faust of Bookends Literary Agency pubrants.blogspot.com –agent Kristen Nelson, chatty, useful labels, interested in women’s’ fiction (and beyond) rejectionqueen.blogspot.com – if you want to feel better about your own rejections anotherrealm.com/prededitors - Preditors & Editors literarylawguide.com/resources.htm – the go-to source for copyrights QueryTracker.net – If you plan to send out lots of queries, or have more than one project sfwa.org/beware – Originating from the sci-fi crowd, this watchdog site is for all writers Read up on your fav author - armchairinterviews.com eighteenquestions.com noveljourneys.blogspot.com coolstuff4writers.com – Self-explanatory writesideout.com –Custom book covers, t-shirts, etc. Website for CWP http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CWP_Fiction/ Mary Fitzpatrick, President CWP http://maryfitz.typepad.com/my_weblog www.joedriscoll.org http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CWP_Fiction/?yguid=177017700 Bob Lewis, fiction writer http://iaintsorry.blogspot.com Amy Purcell, fiction, www.amypurcell.com/blog Kaza Kingsley, young adult, http://memorymogul.blogspot.com Chris Specht www.cspecht.com Madeline Izzo writers group website (group is in Pittsburgh) www.pittsburghwritersproject.org Very helpful website: www.agentquery.com for everything from a quick agent search, to formatting tips, to conferences and seminars all over the globe. Overheard at Grand Jury Duty “Even Hyde Park lawyers can be made to behave.” “CPAs, despite years of schooling, can be dumb as rocks.” “Drug dealers are businessmen, first and foremost.” |
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Last updated by Tgroh, September 24, 2009