Valentine Story – Andrew’s Valentine Day Miracle

Andrew – One of the ‘St. Valentines’

by S.A. Gibbins, Volunteer Staff 

Andrew slumped into the same lounge chair that he had occupied for the past eight weeks. The IV dripped a miracle concoction that would supposedly kill his cancer while somewhere in the background, a CD reeled off one more verse of “All you need is Love.” It echoed through the depressed recesses of his mind. 

The seat opposite him was empty again today. The old woman that usually sat there always nudged him for cheerful conversation. He barely noticed when she thanked the workers profusely and ambled down the hall with her walker.

“The old bag’s probably dead. She must’ve known she was gonna die.”

Her voice intruded on his mind. “You should smile, Andrew. It’d do you a world of good.” 

Smile? Why should he? Since his wife left and the kids quit visiting, there was nothing to smile about. All You Need is Love hummed a happy tune in empty ears and he yearned to hear something else.   

He peered around, feeling like a permanent fixture in the sterile room, and then heard a familiar squeaky voice behind him.

“Will you be my Valentine, Sir?”  

There stood the old woman, holding a handmade Valentine Card in her age-spotted hands. As she pressed the card into his palm, it jolted a 50-year old memory. Andrew was in the first grade again, absent from school because of an eye operation. The teacher came to visit and delivered dozens of homemade Valentine cards from his schoolmates. They looked a lot like this one. A slow smile erupted as he shook her hand. 

“You’re not dead!”

“Of course I ain’t. You ain’t either,” she said as she took her seat. “I missed you, too.”

Some say it was the card that healed Andrew that day. Some say it was the love that broke down his barrier. Whatever it was – it worked!
 

Visit Creative Writing Institute for inexpensive writing courses with your own personal tutor!

http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

The “St. Valentines” – History of St. Valentine’s Day

The Story of St. Valentine

by Joe Massingham, Volunteer Coordinator of CWI

The story of St. Valentine says he is the patron saint of lovers and we celebrate his feast day on February 14. Right? Well, not exactly. There are no less than fourteen ‘St. Valentines’ in the Roman Catholic church list and only a couple in the Greek Orthodox church. Will the real St. Valentine please rise?

None is definitively linked with February 14 and only one has even a remote tie to that date. (Born in Italy April 16, died on an uncertain date, and buried on February 14.), and yet church history doesn’t connect any of these saints with lovers.

There are three serious contenders for the ‘real’ St. Valentine: one a priest, one a bishop, and one a missionary in the Roman occupied territory, approximately where Libya is today.

To confuse matters further, no one knows if the February 14 feast commemorates all, some, or only one of the group. No wonder the Catholic church discontinued the commemoration in 1969, although most of the ‘St. Valentines’ remain on their books.

There is no doubt that the English-speaking world created many of the Valentine’s Day stories, but they were first published by the great English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. The union of St. Valentine and love may link to old English tales of gallantry and knighthood.

In more modern times, relics of alleged St. Valentines have been identified in Rome (Italy), Dublin (Eire), Vienna (Austria), and Glasgow (Scotland). Another one was buried just north of Rome on the main road. Not troubled by the confusing history, Roquemaure, near Avignon in France also claims his remains. They seized opportunities for fame and fortune when the festival, ‘La Fête de Baiser’ (the Festival of Kissing) in 1989, focusing oddly on 19th century life and the heavy promotion of local wines. At least they included the kissing.

An interesting side story about the earliest claimant: St. Valentine supposedly ‘restored sight and hearing to the daughter of his jailer.’ Perhaps we should work on linking St. Valentine to Creative Writing Institute and our work with cancer patients.

Creative Writing Institute is a 501c3 nonprofit charity that sponsors cancer patients in free writing courses. Support us by signing up for our newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Tips for CV Writing

Three Things You Need to Know to Write a Resume
by Hugh Wilson, Volunteer Staff, Creative Writing Institute

What is its purpose?
What to include?
What to leave out?

The Purpose

You write a resume to get a job, right? Wrong. You write a resume to get an interview. Nobody gets a job on the strength of a resume alone.

Prospective employers want to know more than whether you have the qualifications, skills and experience for the post to be filled. They want to know what sort of person you are, how well you will fit in with the company image, fellow employees and customers.

They can only judge that in a face-to-face meeting. Therefore, your resume should be geared to arousing interest in you as a person, and not only your ability to do the job.

What to Include

Don’t forget your name, address, telephone number and email. Yes, people have left out those vital details, then wondered why they had no replies. Check and double check the details for accuracy. If your telephone number is one digit off, you won’t get any calls.

Some discrimination laws make date of birth optional. If you think your age might go against you, leave it out and hope what you have to offer will get you an interview.

What to include will depend on the job itself. For instance, if a job involves teamwork and supervising others, the fact that you were captain of your school hockey team may show leadership qualities that work in your favor. If the job involves sitting alone in an office doing spreadsheets, focus on your computer skills, and your ability to work without supervision.

What to Leave Out

Avoid the personal pronoun. Change “I was captain of the school hockey team” to “Captained the school hockey team.” The employer can figure out who you’re talking about.

Leave out anything that doesn’t show you in your best light. A member of one of my writing classes asked me to look at her 18-year-old granddaughter’s CV, (as we call resumes in Britain – Curriculum Vitae – Latin for the course of one’s life). The girl had applied for umpteen jobs and had not a single interview.

I rewrote it and stuck to the facts, but presented them in a more favorable light. For instance, she had listed her exam results by subject, including grades that were far from impressive. I simply put “Five GCSEs, including English and Maths.”

She had attended a drama school for a year and attained a Certificate of Excellence for her performance in “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat”. No need to add that she had been in the chorus and all of them received one. I played up her computing and word processing skills. Within two weeks she landed a job with a local office supply company.

A resume can be a powerful selling tool. Use it to sell yourself, and land that interview!

For more great writing tips, sign up for The Writer’s Choice Newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Tips on Writing Memoirs

Looking for Tips on Writing Memoirs?
by Hugh Wilson
Volunteer Staff at Creative Writing Institute

Writing memoirs is easy. Don’t make something easy into something hard. Write for the sake of posterity. Wouldn’t you love to read what your great, great grandmother wrote about her everyday life in the 1800s? Well… IF she had written it. Publication is not the only measure of success. Sure, it means an editor thinks thousands will enjoy your writing and a good byline always massages the eyeballs, but writing is a transient thing.

Think about future generations and how they would love to read about your life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Yes, we’re talking about writing memoirs.

“But I haven’t done anything memorable,” you protest. “My life is humdrum. Who’d be interested in me?”

What seems commonplace to you can be fascinating to someone else, especially in a hundred years’ time. Think about the kind of details you’d like to know about that great, great grandmother. What type of clothes did she wear? What did she eat for breakfast? What did she do in the evenings? How did she meet her husband? Did all of her children live to adulthood?

Just as today’s teens can’t imagine a world without television, today’s ordinary life will seem extraordinary in tomorrow’s world. By the time someone read’s your heart’s deepest secrets, you will likely be gone anyway.

You don’t have to reminisce in chronological order. Write memories down as they come to you and slot them into the proper period. You can write them by hand and put them in a three-ring binder or type them into a computer and rearrange the order, but no matter how you do it, DO keep your memoirs in a safe place. Carbonite.com is a good place to back your files up for just $59 a year. Dropbox has a free program, and there are other such free places. Just Google “free storage.” Keep your work backed up in more than one location. Store it on an external hard drive or flash drive and keep it in a lock box. Material kept on CD’s will deteriorate over time.

Build a picture of your life for your descendants to read. Leave a part of yourself behind. Start writing memoirs today.

Read more writing tips at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. You may leave comments without joining the site – and don’t forget to ‘like’ and rate us before you leave! Happy day.

Writing Resolutions for 2012

Setting Realistic Writing Resolutions for 2012
by S.A. Gibbins, volunteer staff

Suffice it to say, if you didn’t write anything on January 1 or 2, you have some catching up to do and your writing resolutions aren’t making the grade.

Did you ever wonder where New Year’s resolutions come from? The Babylonians, and we still carry that tradition on today. Resolutions usually indicate an effort to change your life for the better. So how’s that working for you?

The best of intentions tend to wane as the year grinds on, but let’s be real, if you’re already have problems, your resolutions aren’t holding up too well. Any goal or resolution involves determination!

Let’s look at ways to improve this year:

1. Set short goals. Resolve to write five minutes a day, six days a week and make no exceptions! True, you won’t have time to write deep or stir passion, but at least it’s a reachable goal that can lead to bigger things.

2. Concentrate on weak areas with vim and vigor. Rather then adopting the attitude “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” try “it’s never too late to learn.” Whether it’s punctuation, grammar, transition sentences, or structure, you CAN improve this year, but do so methodically.

3. Get serious about writing. Stephen King encourages writers to set aside an hour or two for writing daily. Get up a little early, stay up a little later, or punish yourself when you don’t meet your goal. Whatever it takes.

4. Find your favorite writers and read everything they wrote. Part of it will sink into your sub-conscious and come out your fingers.

Improving calls for great effort and determination. Stick to your resolve and don’t give up. When you fail, start over. You CAN achieve your goal!

If you want to sell your writing, consider taking a course. It’s money well spent!

Reading books is a great way to enhance your writing abilities. Try The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. This small book, written in 1918, is as potent now as it was then. It discusses the fundamental rules of composition. On Writing by Stephen King, is another great one.

Chart out your weekly time schedule and see where you can fit writing in. Make it reasonable. It’s better to realistically say you’ll write twice a week for thirty minutes than to think you will live up to writing two hours a day. And as for that writing course we were talking about, check the comparison sheet below. Creative Writing Institute is a 501c3 Nonprofit charity that sponsors cancer patients and it is the only school that gives every student a private tutor:

Creative Writing Institute Dynamic Non-Fiction $200 (Pmnt. plan option)
The Writer’s Bureau Nonfiction Writing course $357
Writers.com Creative Nonfiction and the Personal Essay $340
Writer’s Digest University Fundamentals of Nonfiction Writing $335
Gotham Writers Workshop Nonfiction 101 $295

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Hey! “Like” us before you leave. Thanks!

Christmas Customs Around the World

Christmas Customs and Traditions by Shanna Wegrocki.

Let’s take a brief break from writing and discuss a well-researched piece on Christmas world traditions.

Christmas tree lots are on the corners, lights are twinkling on houses, and decorations are everywhere you look, but this is one of the few holidays that is celebrated around the world.

China, for instance, celebrates by hanging paper lanterns, and crafting paper chains and flowers for their Christmas trees. They get a visit from Dun Che Lao Ren, (their version of Santa Claus).

India celebrates Bada Din (Big Day) with festivals and large feasts. Since they don’t have pine trees, they use mango or banana trees instead. For them, it’s a time of spring-cleaning and whitewashing their homes. Shopping and baking abound.

In Argentina and many South American countries, people celebrate by going to church and taking part in religious rituals. Families feast together and trade presents while celebrating the birth of Jesus. They thrive on dancing, caroling, and fireworks displays for twelve days, ending on Three Kings Day in January.
Swedes start Christmas festivities on December 13 with the Santa Lucia ceremony. They set up trees and decorate them with candies, straw ornaments, and small gnomes. Christmas Eve ends with a candlelight procession to church. The Christmas gnome, Tomte, (believed to live under the house), leaves gifts for the family.

Spain starts their holiday season with the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. The big cathedral in Seville hosts a ceremony that includes Los Seises, the dance of six, which is a ritual dance performed by ten boys in elaborate costumes. On Christmas Eve, known as Nochebuena, families feast together around the Nativity scene and light tiny oil lamps when the stars come out.

Germany starts their Christmas season even earlier, with St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. Children put out their shoes and if they’ve been good, they receive gifts, but if they’ve been bad, they can expect twigs. Given that the Christmas tree, as we know it, originated in Germany, it’s no surprise that the tree is a point of pride in many German homes. On Christmas Eve, they unveil it and serve a feast.

The French trade the Christmas tree for a Nativity scene and populate it with small, clay figurines called Santons or Little Saints, which local craftsmen prepare. They also serve Christmas cakes in the shape of a Yule log. On Christmas Eve, children leave wooden clogs out for Pere Noel to fill. Families attend midnight Mass and return home for a giant Christmas feast called Le Reveillon. In some areas of France, children get gifts on both St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. Adults usually exchange their gifts on New Year’s Day.

The Italian Christmas season starts with the Novena, nine days of special prayers and religious devotion. Children perform with carols and reciting poems to receive coins and musicians sing tributes to the Virgin Mary. Instead of writing letters to Santa, children write notes to their parents. Families often build a Presepio, their own replica of the manger where Jesus was born, and they worship around it. After fasting 24 hours before Christmas, they enjoy a lavish feast. In some places, they open gifts after midnight Mass, but most wait until after the Feast of Epiphany on January 6. That’s when Befana, an ugly witch, brings gifts on her broomstick. The legend of Befana says she missed seeing Jesus in the manger because she got lost, so now she goes house to house looking for Him, leaving gifts for good children and charcoal for bad ones.

In all probability, the closest to American tradition is Britain. It starts with Advent, four Sundays before Christmas. Instead of Santa Claus, Father Christmas brings presents. Children write letters to him and then toss them into the fireplace where he reads their requests in the smoke. The day after Christmas is Boxing Day, so called because people used to collect money in boxes made out of clay, which they distributed to the poor.

Most of America’s Christmas traditions trace back to Victorian times in England. Everything from Christmas stockings to “A Christmas Carol” originated there.

Christmas is an important holiday all over the world. Whether you’re decorating a tree or buying gifts, Christmas is the one holiday that transcends cultural differences and draws people together. Have a very Merry Christmas!

All writing courses are only $177 until the end of the year. Don’t miss out on this great bargain at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Contest Winners for Short Story Contest

SHORT STORY CONTEST WINNERS

Thank you to our judges: Head judge – Jo Popek – and judges Mr. Lynn Carroll
and Annie Evett. Without them, there would have been no contest. Many
thanks! Here are their decisions for Creative Writing Institute’s
Third Annual Beginner’s Writing Contest:

1st place: Secrets Best Kept by Diane Davis
2nd place: Annabell Hated Being Asian by Michelle Yu (age 15)
3rd place: Apples, Pumpkins, or Manure by Shirley Dilley

Honorable mentions: Helen Crall, Sneha Koilada, Shirley Dilley

Read 2nd place, 3rd place and honorable mention stories here:

http://www.cwinst.com/ContestWinners.php

And now for our first place winner’s story in it’s entirety…

SECRETS BEST KEPT by Diane Davis (See Diane’s bio at the bottom)

Rachel pulled the last box out of her mother’s closet and set it on the bed. Putting her fists in the small of her back, she stretched her aching back and rolled her shoulders. With a sigh she opened the flaps. She had delayed long enough. The cleaning service was due this afternoon.A loud clang from the kitchen indicated her older sister, Sylvia, had things moving along in there. Packing up the debris from the life of a sixty-two-year-old woman was physically exhausting, but when she was your mother it was emotionally taxing too.

Rachel pulled a pink baby afghan out of the box and laid it aside. She didn’t know whose it was, but she and Sylvia would never have kids. Maybe she’d give it to the Cradle Guild at church. Next came a jumble of stuff. A tassel from a graduation cap, a Kewpie doll, an old Timex, a pair of baby shoes.

At the bottom of the box she found a small brown notebook bound with a thick rubber band. The cover had no writing on it, front or back. Rachel started to take off the rubber band, but hesitated. It felt wrong, digging through Mama’s personal things like this. She had been a private person, loving but reserved, even with her family. Now that she was gone, Rachel felt like she was violating some unwritten rule. But she couldn’t throw the notebook away without looking at it. After all, there may be something important in there. She pulled off the rubber band and opened the cover before she could change her mind.

In the upper right-hand corner of page one was what looked like a date:14 Juni, 1968. The page was crammed with line after line of her mother’s fluid cursive, but Rachel couldn’t understand a word of it because it was in—German? Did her mother speak German?

Flipping through the rest of the notebook, Rachel’s unease grew. She didn’t know what this meant, but she sensed it was bad. Why would Mama have a diary written in a language she never spoke in everyday life? Had she been hiding something?

Rachel’s first impulse was to show it to her sister. After all, Sylvia was thirteen years her senior—maybe she would remember a time when Mama spoke German. Rachel almost called out to her, but the words died unuttered. Her sister had taken Mama’s death hard. That’s why Rachel had the task of packing their mother’s room. Sylvia had finally managed to achieve a certain amount of calm. Showing her the notebook might send her on another crying jag. Besides, maybe it was nothing.

Slipping the notebook into her purse, she decided to find a translator. If it turned out to be harmless as she hoped, she would show it to her sister when the time was right.

* * *

Weeks passed. Rachel had forgotten about the notebook after she scanned the pages and emailed them to a college friend who knew a German language major. Now it was tucked away in the bottom drawer of her nightstand under a half-finished novel and a crossword book. Life went on.

The packet came on a Saturday. Rachel sat at the kitchen table staring at it, torn between the urge to burn it and curiosity over the contents. Once she opened it and read the translation, there would be no going back. Not knowing would drive her crazy, but did she want to deal with the revelations it might contain, good or bad?

Grabbing the packet, she tore it open and pulled out the loose pages. The cover letter was a courtly salutation followed by a polite request for payment, signed by the translator. Her hands shook as she laid it aside and started to read the text.

The first dozen pages related everyday anecdotes about Sylvia and Father, along with notes about her rosebushes, and various church activities. Rachel scanned them, charmed by the light tone of the entries. Her mother seemed to be happy in those days.

At page thirteen, the tone became dark and frightened and angry. Rachel’s reading pace slowed as she tried to comprehend the horrible things her mother had written. She reread portions, too stunned to take it all in. By the end, tears streamed down her face and sobs clawed at her throat. It was much worse than she had ever imagined.

Hilda didn’t know when the incest began, but she gradually became aware of subtle clues. Sylvia shrank from touching her father and avoided direct eye contact with everyone. She had always been shy, but every day she became more withdrawn. Her appetite decreased and she rarely smiled. Finally Hilda was so worried she took her to the doctor. That’s when she learned the depth of her husband’s depravity.

Twelve-year-old Sylvia was pregnant, and Hilda suspected her husband was the father. The family would never survive the shame. To be so young and unmarried and pregnant was bad enough, but to bear a child of incest was horrible. There was only one thing to do.

Hilda put the word out that she was pregnant then took Sylvia with her to stay with a friend in Phoenix until the baby was born. She told her friends that her doctor had recommended the drier climate so her asthma wouldn’t flare up and endanger the baby’s life. After the child was born, Sylvia and Hilda brought her home with nobody the wiser. Rachel grew up blissfully unaware that her loving older sister was her mother, and her mother was actually her grandmother.

Robert never touched Sylvia again, as far as Hilda could tell. Perhaps her threat to go to the police scared him into compliance. But it seemed his depravity only went dormant for a dozen years.

To her horror, she noticed that he began to pay special attention to Rachel. He touched her frequently and his hands lingered on her arm or back. He insisted she kiss him on the lips and he hugged her tight, often pulling her onto his lap. Hilda knew she had to do something before it was too late.

She couldn’t let history repeat itself.

Over the next few days she began to put digitalis in his food, gradually increasing the dose. Never one to go to the doctor, he stayed in bed, forcing fluid even though he kept vomiting, trying to sleep in spite of his splitting headache. Two days later he was dead of a heart attack.

Rachel laid the last page down. She stared at the wall as she struggled to find her balance in this new topsy-turvy paradigm. Her grandmother had killed her father to save her from incest, and her mother was alive. Why she wrote it down, and more importantly, why she wrote the whole tale in German were mysteries that had died with Hilda.

Her mother was alive! Smiling for the first time in hours, Rachel jumped up and rushed to the phone, but she put the receiver back after dialing a few numbers. She covered her mouth as a fresh round of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Sylvia had lived with the pain of this secret for years. Would it be more painful for her if she knew Rachel had learned the truth? Or would it be better to go on as sisters with a close, loving relationship?

Sinking back into her chair, she closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. Letting go of the tension, sadness and fear, she opened herself to accept everything the diary had revealed. She was still the same person she had been before reading Hilda’s words. There would be time to decide what to do with the knowledge later.

The phone interrupted her meditation. She checked the caller ID and her smile came through in her voice when she answered.

“Hello, Sylvia. I was just thinking about you.”

About the Author

Diane Davis, an Arizona native, is a happily married mother of two with a life-long passion for words. She’s had ten short stories and an essay published in online ezines like Long Story Short, Menopause Press and FlashShots, and won first place in Phyllis Scott Publishing’s short story contest. Diane’s goal is to become a novelist.
____________________________________________________________

CHRISTMAS SALE on WRITING COURSES at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com until Dec. 31, 2011. All courses now only $177. Eight weeks in length with your own private tutor. It just doesn’t get any better than that! Payment plan available. See the site for more details.

CHRISTMAS SALE – Every Writing Course $177 w/a PRIVATE TUTOR

 

CHRISTMAS WRITING SALE!    $200 NOW $177 with a private tutor.

Sale ends December 31, 2011. Reserve your seat before classes fill up. Can’t afford the tuition? Buy on the payment plan – four payments of $50 every second week. You will receive a $23 REBATE in February or March.

                                                *Practical Gifts for the Writer*

Writers the world around want relevant gifts to encourage their hearts, make creative writing easier, prevent writer’s block, and increase their stash of writing tools. Sit on Ho Ho’s knee and ask for these cool items:

1. A writing course, of course, at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.
2. The Chicago Manual of Style by University of Chicago, about $35 on Amazon.com, or The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr., $10 and up. These are excellent reference books. They will answer all your questions about grammar and give you guidance in literary composition. A must have for any writer.
3. The Writer’s Market – Learn the latest from editors and those in the know! This is the best marketing resource I’ve ever found. It’s easy to understand, easy to use, offers a variety of support tools, names the editors, and points you to the right market to sell your work. Ask for the online edition because they update it monthly whereas the book is updated yearly. Find it at writersmarket.com for $30-$40, depending on which one you choose. A must have for every selling writer!
4. The Writer Magazine – highly recommended. Stay up to date on trends at http://www.writermag.com/en/sitecore/content/Home/The%20Magazine/Current%20Issue.aspx
5. A writing journal to record the events of your life.
6. Business cards – tell Santa what color you would like and what you want them to say – or make your own on good card stock!
7. Personalized stationary for that “special” correspondence – or – make your own!
8. Great books on writing: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (for ideas and motivation); Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (highly recommended); On Writing by Stephen King (half autobiography and half lessons for writers); On Writing Well, The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser (lots of non-fiction writing tips). Don’t forget that you can buy used books on Amazon.com.
9. A ream of paper to print your creations (specify exactly what weight you want)
10. Printer ink
11. A gift certificate from a bookstore.

Get more writing tips in Creative Writing Institute’s newsletter, The Writer’s Choice, at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com, and don’t forget our huge Christmas Sale.

                                                Ho, ho, ho. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Making Time

Finding Time to Write by guest blogger, Hope Clark, Funds for Writers

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin
you have, and only you can determine how it will be
spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it
for you.”

~ Carl Sandburg ~

You cannot create time. You are allotted time. Twenty-
four hours in a day. So when you say you don’t have time,
you’re wrong. You have the same amount as anyone else.

So when someone contacts me, and asked how can they make
time for writing, I turn up the tough love to a pretty
high volume.

You make time for writing by sacrificing something else.

There! Problem solved. Now all you have to do is decide
what you toss out of your life to make room for your stories.

Oh, but you can’t. You have the job, kids, parents, church,
volunteer activities, exercising, gardening, cleaning, commuting,
Wednesday’s bridge, Friday’s movie night, and the list goes on
and on. How do successful writers do it?

Let’s start with one week. Find your notebook or calendar
that has plenty of room to write on, and make note of
absolutely everything you do. No fudging. No forgetting
and making up answers. You have twenty-four hours in a
day, seven days a week. Note them all.

Maybe you cannot give up your kids, as much as you’d like
to on some days. However, you can do the following to
spend more time writing and less time with child-rearing.
Yes, I said it! Take some time away from the kids. I’m
serious as a heart attack when I say that if your children
do not see you passionate about something other than them,
they don’t learn how to go after something great in their
lives or respect others who do.

1. Pick your writing time, even if it’s 15 minutes a day.
2. Make that time off limits except in case of emergency
(dinner isn’t an emergency).
3. Do not break your own regimen, or you teach the kids
it’s okay to break their own obligations.
4. Have someone watch the kids even if you’re in the house.
This teaches the kids that rules are rules.
5. Attend a conference. You’ll miss them more than they’ll
miss you.

Don’t have kids? Let’s take the job, the commute, volunteering,
and so on, and step back to analyze them in a different light.
How can they be streamlined, short-cut, or reorganized to
consume less time?

There’s always a way. With all the books on Amazon, obviously
somebody is finding the time. You are not the martyr. You are
not so unique. It’s just a matter of reorganization,
prioritizing, and frankly, not being afraid of tackling your
writing as if it were vital to who you are.

See more of Hope’s articles at http://www.fundsforwriters.com

For more great writing tips, get our newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Writers, Don’t Abuse your Short Story Readers

Short Story No-No’s
by guest blogger, Annie Evett

Short stories have rules specific to length. Don’t abuse your readers by wasting time on unimportant, mundane details, bad structure, or clichés. Be punchy and get to the point. Put a bit of ‘burlesque’ into your writing with hidden sparkles and treats around every corner. Tantalize and tease your readers and they’ll beg for more.

• We have a responsibility to honor the gift and talent we hold in weaving a short story.
• We owe it to our muse. Be strong enough to stab to the inner heart of the story.
• Don’t wimp away or cop out with extraneous details.

Show, don’t tell. A stark image of a naked body may stir some people, but the addition of whisper-thin draping and dimmed lighting will allure a greater percentage of people. Tantalize your reader with snippets of information. Avoid the “full frontal” mode.

Using tags, exclamation marks. Don’t overuse tags like screamed, shouted, said, yelled, fumed. Telling the reader how your character states their words is an insult to their intelligence. (The possible exception is whispered, since it can hardly be conveyed any other way.) Show action and emotions with dialogue or action, not tags and exclamation marks.

Don’t state the obvious. Only mention details that are necessary to the scene. Example: “She sat in the café chair at the table across from him” is remote unless she was sitting on the floor in the café or she’d been sitting there for so long her bottom was numb. If the scene doesn’t demand it, delete it.

Using clichés. Avoid clichés like the plague. (Forgive the cliché.) Get rid of the “rugged trapper,” “kind prostitute,” “crooked cop,” “gorgeous girl,” “flashing eyes,” the sighing constantly scenes or the melodramatic and predictable storylines unless they are absolutely essential.

Your readers will correct you. They’ll correct your grammar, point out your spelling mistakes, misuse of tenses and other writing conventions quicker than you can hiccup. There will always be someone who knows more than you. When they read your story, they’ll rip you to shreds for inaccuracies. Do your research well.

Spoon feed your readers. Readers actually enjoy being a little confused as the story unfolds. However, some plots and themes are so obscure, only the writer can safely discuss them, so don’t be too obscure. Some genres such as science fiction or fantasy need a little more detail, but Show, Don’t Tell is hard to beat.

Giving details. Detailing physical descriptions and what a character is wearing takes too much time in a short story. The reader will create the character in their mind if you give them a skeletal framework to hang their thoughts on. Skip what he/she ate for breakfast unless it is crucial.

For more great writing tips, get The Writer’s Choice Newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. We are a 501(c)3 charity that sponsors cancer patients in writing therapy and are presently piloting a writing course for the blind. Your tuition will help support us. Thanks! “Like us” and leave a quick comment. You don’t have to subscribe or join to leave a comment.

HOW to WIN a SHORT STORY CONTEST

SHORT STORY CONTEST for BEGINNERS listed below… by Bob Bruggemann

If you want to win a short story contest, the first thing you must do is study the rules. Many submissions are disqualified because they don’t meet all the requirements. If formatting guidelines have not been given, single space the text and indent the paragraph. If the rules state a maximum of 1000 words, a 1200-word story, however brilliant, will hit the trash pile. If the short story contest calls for G-rated material (which means no swearing, vulgarities, or erotica) and your entry contains just one swear word, it will be discarded.

Welcome to the judging world, where judges go strictly by the rules. Assuming you follow the guidelines, the judges will then look at these four elements:

• Originality
• Creativity
• Style
• Technique

Let’s look at each one and see what they mean.

Originality

Short story contest winners come from second, third, and tenth thoughts. Some contests give you a theme, such as, “Wedding Day.” What’s the first story idea that comes to mind? Whatever it is, forget it. You can bet everyone else will have thought of it, too. A large percentage of submissions will be so similar that the competition will be fierce.

Make your short story unique and the judges will love you. Come at it from a different point of view. Seek a new angle.

Creativity

Don’t wrack your brain for an idea. Relax. Get your conscious, critical mind out of the way and allow ideas to bubble up from your subconscious. In other words, daydream.

Ask yourself who, what, when, where, why, how, and ‘what if?’ Let your train of thought go where it will. Before long, you’ll have an idea for a story that is different.

For example, what if a shy looking woman attended a wedding and sat in the back, all alone? At the reception, she avoided conversation. She partook of the food and drinks and then left. Back in her lonely, one room apartment she scanned the Forthcoming Marriages column in the local paper to see where her next free food and wine would come from. See? The ‘what if’ question can lead you down original alleys.

Style

In short story contests, you’ll never wrong with the KISS method: Keep It Simple, Sweetie! Don’t try to impress the judges with $3 words. Like any other reader, they want a story that is readable and absorbing.

Every sentence must move the story forward. The reader doesn’t want flowery descriptions of a rose garden in the moonlight. He/she wants to know what the girl is doing there at two in the morning and what will happen next. Stick to the point.

Technique

A short story contest calls for three distinct parts: the beginning, middle, and end. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

The beginning introduces the main character and what the short story is about. The middle develops the theme and keeps the reader hooked. The ending must be believable, resolve the problems, and leave the reader satisfied.

Above all, don’t overlook simple formatting rules.

• Make a new paragraph for every new speaker
• Single space your short story and indent paragraphs
• Run the spellchecker!
• Watch your punctuation

And Finally…

If you don’t write an original entry for a short story contest, at least rewrite it to fit. For example, Creative Writing Institute’s contest is G-rated, which means no swearing or vulgar language. We’ve already received entries that contain good stories but the author probably didn’t cull out swear words from a story they had already written so it won’t be eligible. What a shame. Make sure your entry fits the rules.

This is short story contest is especially for beginners and the first thing the writer must learn is that judges go strictly by the book. See the rules here and abide by them: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Above all, have fun! First prize wins $$ OR a FREE Writing Course!

Short Story Titles for Contests and Competitions

First Impressions for Short Story Competition
by Hugh Wilson

As a reader, what is the first thing you look at in a short story? The title. Does it appeal to you? Does it arouse your curiosity enough to want to read the opening lines? If the title doesn’t grab you, you’ll look for something more interesting.

Short story contest judges are readers, too. The title is the first indication of your skill and creativity so choose one that will attract the judges – one that will make them want to read it again. The title is important in a short story competition. Here are some pointers:

• Make it Short and Fitting

Make it easy to remember, not more than four or five words. It should give the reader a clue about the tone and mood. For instance, it’s obvious that Dial M for Murder is going to be something creepy involving murder and a telephone, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover revolves around another man.

• Not too revealing

But a short story title shouldn’t give away too much, especially the ending. For example, Crime Doesn’t Pay tells the reader that the bad guy gets his comeuppance in the end, so why bother to read the story?

• Re-cycle existing phrases

Well known literary works can provide memorable titles. Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, and Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises stem from the Bible.

British author H.E. Bates’, The Darling Buds of May, (a line from a Shakespeare sonnet), evokes inviting images of life in the countryside.

Another method is to twist well-known phrases or sayings such as Live and Let Die, and You Only Live Twice.

• Just names

Some short story titles use names of people or places, so let’s make up a couple. Deborah’s Secret would surely make you rub your hands in anticipation, while Florida Frolics might suggest a lighthearted tale of fun and games on vacation in the Everglades.

• Let the Short Story Name Itself

A short story can name itself by extracting dialogue, a memorable line, or a couple of words that capture the mood. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins are such titles.

• Research Your Title for Short Story Competition

There is no copyright on titles, but it’s worth a quick search to make sure yours is not identical to a well-known story or one that has recently won a short story contest. If it is, change it slightly.

These are just a few ideas to get your mind thinking of different ways to dream up a short story title.

Study the titles that have won recent contests and, of course, read the stories to see what made them stand out from the rest. You might be the next short story contest winner.

Please click on “Share This” and “Like” below to help us spread the word.

More great writing tips and short story contest rules at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Ends October 20, 2011. Hurry! First place wins a $$$ price (or) FREE writing course.

Writing for Short Story Contests – Beginner’s Contest Listed Below

Entering Short Story Contests by Bob Bruggemann

Why enter a short story contest? One answer is to win prizes and services, but the primary reason is for exposure and recognition. It’s the next best thing to getting the entry published.

Some short story contests make submissions public. On other sites, only the winning stories are displayed. Either way, your work will appear before an audience. In rare instances, you may even receive feedback on it.

Short story contests can be scary, as it puts your work up for close inspection. It’s hard to be objective with your own writing. By the time you read and reread the same piece, your mind slips into a surreal fantasy and literally supplies missing words. Get a second or third set of eyes to proof your material and give you a report.

• Receive prizes
• Receive recognition for your labor
• Get Exposure
• Get Reviews

Don’t fear rejection. Keep on submitting. Don’t give up! Check out this SHORT STORY CONTEST for BEGINNERS ONLY at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. (Ends October 20, 2011.)

Short Story Contest Parameters:

• Guidelines (always stay within them)
• Some short story contests use prompts
• Content is first and foremost

Note: Always read the submission guidelines carefully and abide by them or your entry will be discarded as ineligible.

Have Fun

Short story contests immediately connect you with authors and avid readers. They have a unique talent for picking a story apart. A good writing forum will provide you with clear and concise feedback about your work and suggestions to improve it.

• Get your work read, even if it doesn’t win.
• Read your reviews and see where you can improve
• Grow a hard shell. Don’t get hurt feelings. Rewrite the piece and submit it again.

The absolute best part of short story contests is to let your imagination run free. In real life, you have so little control of what is around you, but when you write, you control the story, its inhabitants, and the surroundings. It is your own little world and you’re the king.

Use short story contest opportunities to sharpen your skills and don’t forget to check out this short story contest for beginners. It’s a small contest and your chance of winning is good. First place will receive a cash prize or a free writing course. http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com
Remember – FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES or your entry will be discarded.

AMATEUR SHORT STORY CONTEST

Third Annual Beginner’s Short Story Contest

A contest that is truly for beginner’s only! If you have been fortunate enough to sell a book or a short story, congratulations – but you don’t qualify for this contest. If you have self-published, you do qualify. This is an honor system.

RULES:

1. Any genre (Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Drama, Children, etc.)
2. 1,000 – 1,750 words
3. There is no entry fee, but since Creative Writing Institute is a non-profit charity that sponsors cancer patients in writing courses, we’re asking entrants to donate $1 – $5 donations through credit card or PayPal at http://creativewritinginstitute.com/donate.php. If you can’t donate, you’re still welcome to enter.
4. Short Story rights remain the property of the author
5. Entries must be G-rated. That means no swearing or vulgarities.
6. Contest ends midnight, USA Eastern Standard Time, October 20, 2011
7. Mail to head judge, jopopek@gmail.com
8. Put WRITING CONTEST in the subject line
9. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity, style, and technique
10. NOT following instructions may lead to disqualification
11. Up to two entries per person
12. Winners will be notified by email on or before December 15, 2011.

Prizes: 1st place winner will receive cash (up to $100, depending on donations received) OR a free, tutored writing course at Creative Writing Institute, valued at $200. In addition, the winner will receive two books, Word Magic by Cindy Rogers and an autographed copy of Word Trippers by Barbara McNichol. Our thanks go to both Cindy and Barbara for making these prizes available. Winning entry will be published on http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and our blogs, along with the winner’s bio and picture, if provided.

Second place: Two free tutoring sessions with CEO and Founder, Deborah Owen, and a copy of Word Magic by Cindy Rogers. Winner’s name will be published on http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and its blogs and we will provide a link to your story.

Third place: One free tutoring session with CEO and Founder, Deborah Owen, and an autographed copy of Word Trippers by Barbara McNichol. Winner’s name will be published on http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and its blogs and we will provide a link to your story.

Honorable mentions: Names will be published on http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and its blogs and we will provide a link to your story.

This is a small contest and your chances of winning are good. Enter now!

If you haven’t signed up for The Writer’s Choice Newsletter, which is chock full of writing tips, you can do that here: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Fear not – we won’t spam you.

Journaling with a Writing Voice

Use Your Writing Voice to Journal

by guest blogger, Annie Evett

Journaling gives a writer the opportunity to exercise their voice. We all have a story to tell. What better way to express your writing voice than through journaling?

Journal your observations on everyday life. Don’t shy away from committing your words to page because you feel your contribution to life is unimportant. What is pedestrian to you will most certainly be exotic to at least a small audience somewhere on the globe.

* Let your writing voice out. Journal first. Worry about getting a publisher or a book deal later. Write to just prove you can do it.

* We are surrounded by those who talk about books they want to write. There are far fewer individuals who actually complete that vision. Write more, talk less.

* Accept your past and all of your experiences as key to shaping who you are. Instead of comparing your writing voice to others, embrace where it is taking you.

* Write from your whole self and from your passions. A clear writing voice will reach your audience. Flavor it with humor. Learn to laugh at yourself. If you like to talk about new ideas, liberally sprinkle them in your writing. Anything less will be unsustainable along your journey as a writer.

* Start journaling the passions and perceptions of events that shape your existence. Do more than write a series of personal events. Put effort into your writing.

A myriad of venues that simply includes surroundings and experiences can stop creative flow. Similarly, a writing voice that holds no structure or theme leaves the audience little to identify with. Even when you write only for yourself, let your writing voice shine.

Can anyone write or is it only for the chosen few?

Perhaps it is for the few that choose to hone their writing voice.

TRANSITION SENTENCES and HOW to USE THEM

Transition Sentences Make Your Writing Clear and Concise

By guest blogger, Shanna Wegrocki

What are Transition Sentences? Think of them as a bridge that transitions from one slight change of subject to another. They connect the paragraphs seamlessly and make the writing flow more smoothly in the reader’s mind without need of extraneous explanations. Without transition sentences, your work will be choppy and disjointed;

You can use transition sentences:

• Between sections. This type of transition summarizes information for the reader.
• Between paragraphs. This is the most common type, and is usually the first or last sentence of a paragraph.
• Within paragraphs. You can do these with a single word or short phrase.

All three types are equally important. Transitions are the cues that tell the reader how to interpret progressive details on subject matter.

There are Many Styles of Transitions:

Single transitional words are easy to identify. There is a long list, but they fit into distinct categories, such as addition, comparison, concession, contrast, emphasis, example, summary, time sequence, spatial arrangement, cause and effect, purpose, similarity, place, result and repetition.

Single transitional words may also be pronouns, parallelism, or synonyms. With practice, you will find you can use any and all of these devices to smoothly transition from one sentence to another, one paragraph to another, or one subject to another – all the while keeping the coherence of your work in place.

Examples, with the transitions in bold:

• She was a good girl while her mother was around.
• You can go to the movie if you clean your room first.
• “I told Jenny she could go to her friend’s house for the night because she did all her chores.”
• “No, he didn’t say that, and furthermore, he couldn’t have said it because he lost his voice.”
• “She shouldn’t have done that, but by the same token, look what he did to her.”

Do you see how transitions and transition sentences move from one subject to another closely related subject? And that’s the whole point.

Your Assignment: Select something to read and pick out the transition words. Transition sentences will be the first or last sentence of a paragraph – usually the first one.

For more great writing tips, sign up for The Writer’s Choice Newsletter on our site: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. But hey – before you leave – please bookmark us and leave a comment. You don’t even have to sign in. Thanks!

For further study on this subject, check these out:
http://www.smart-words.org/transition-words.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/574/02/
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.html#5

Story Painting

How to Paint a Story by guest blogger Sandra Tooley

Painting a story is a lot like painting a picture. My sister is an artist. When she paints a picture of Santa Claus, you can almost smell the smoke coming from his pipe. I happened to be there when she was painting flowerpots for a Christmas bizarre. As I watched, I realized her process wasn’t much different from the one I use to write a book. You can use the same process to write a story.

Step One: Sketching the Story

First, the basics. She painted the terra cotta pot with an undercoat of white. She sketched a scene of a brick house, Christmas tree, a clothesline with Santa’s long underwear hanging from it, a birdhouse, shrubbery, and a deer.

When I start writing, I sketch my basic plot. I usually know the beginning, the end, and several action points I’ll include. Then I let the characters write the story going from Point A to B and C. It’s only a sketch so I write whatever comes to mind without agonizing over whether a scene is working.

Step Two: Add Details to the Story

When Sis completes her sketch, she erases and makes changes, such as adding ornaments to the tree, another plant, and the face of an elf in the window.

When I finish my initial draft, I read through to see what details are added, discover what doesn’t move the story along and what can be deleted. Sometimes I eliminate unnecessary characters or even whole chapters that aren’t essential to the plot.

Step Three: Add Color to Your Story

When Sis is ready to paint, she adds color to her characters and scenery.

When I write, I don’t take time to research. Instead, I type two question marks ?? where I need information. Then I print out all the pages with ?? on them and start picking expert’s brains: my brother, the lawyer; my friend, the nurse; my friend’s husband, the cop. I use a Forensics for Dummies book and of course, the Internet.

Step Four: Add More Story Color

My sister constantly does touches up on her art. She has a way with shading colors that makes everything look real. Santa’s long johns actually look worn, the trees and plants seem to grow in front of your eyes, and the snow looks real enough to cause a shiver.

This is the point where I make sure my characters have a distinct voice, that I have engaged at least two senses on each page, that my setting gives the readers a sense of place, and that the crime and solution are logical.

Step Five: The Critical Eye of Story Telling

This is when Sis turns on the critical eye. She knows the sections that are complete and which ones need more work.

Writers can’t see their own mistakes as clearly as artists can so this is where I pass my manuscript off to the editor or one of my friends. They’re great at catching mistakes that I miss because I’ve been looking at the words for months on end and don’t realize my character had brown eyes in chapter two and blue eyes in chapter twenty. Once I get my friends’ feedback and my editor’s comments, it’s time to make the final changes. Voila! I’m done.

You can comment without signing in. Please do. For more great writing tips, get our newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

* Sandra Tooley’s Sam Casey Series combines mystery with paranormal (think Medium with a Native American twist). Her Chase Dagger Series combines mystery with fantasy. Dagger takes on cases that are more like X-Files and his assistant is a Shape Shifter (Critics call it MacGyver meets Dark Angel). You can find Sandra’s books in print, audio, and ebook formats. Check out her website at www.sdtooley.com. Her email is sdtooley@sbcglobal.net.

How to Write Romance

Romance Writing by guest blogger Jan Marquart

Why is writing romance so challenging? Because you not only have to portray the hopes, wishes and desires of the heart, but also face the daunting task of resolving struggles between a couple that continually falls in and out of love – and by the way, don’t dread breaking hearts in the process. Romance readers enjoy being teased. They want to be involved in the hopes, conflicts and ‘love will conquer all’ theory.

How Explicit Should Sex Be?

Many authors rely on sex to pull their scenes together, but writing erotica with sexual and explicit details sucks the life out of the fantasy you’re creating. You want the reader to feel the emotion. Romance is seductive, enticing, playful, with an innocence of purity. It begs the heart to open with trust and willingness.

Give your characters a unique slant on what romance means to them. It will enhance the powerful relationship between your characters. Romance has different definitions for different people. Did you ever see a fountain with colorful lights lit against the night sky and hear someone say, “How romantic”?
Finding a red rose on a doorstep would be romantic for one person but for another it may take a busy husband buying tickets to a play and taking her out for a fancy dinner. True romance, no matter what the content, opens the heart and fills it.

Three Tips to Strengthen Romantic Scenes

* Create a mood: A good romantic scene melts the reader’s heart before anyone removes clothing. Make the reader pay attention to small but important things that inspire intimacy. Pry open the crack in their heart. Make a connection so the reader will feel the emotion.
* Stop the mind: When selecting words to describe romantic scenes, try stating romantic feelings through one or two similes. (Comparing one thing to the resemblance of another, usually using the word “like” or “as”. Example: Your eyes are like lipid pools of water splashing in the midday sun.) A simile takes the reader out of the literal and drops him/her into a world where the senses take over.
* Create a union: Readers want to know that love will change unhappiness to happiness and the ordinary to extraordinary. This is what drives us to romance again and again. Readers want to feel joined to something bigger than them. They want loving unions that offer hope.

Writers write best when they write what they know. What does romance mean to you? What makes your heart unlock? Write those feelings out in detail and then make them part of your character.

* Jan Marquart is the author of seven books, including Kate’s Way and The Basket Weaver, in addition to two booklets. Jan has been a licensed social worker for 30 years. She writes self-help and fiction books to advocate the strength of the human spirit and healing of the mind, body and spirit through the craft of writing. You can connect with her through www.JanMarquart.com or visit her blog at www.freethepen.wordpress.com

For more great writing tips, visit http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Our newsletter, The Writer’s Choice, is chock full of writing tips!

Get Published Now!

Get Published Right Away
Where do I submit my stuff?

By guest blogger, Annie Evett

Where do new writers get published? You’ve just finished writing material that you think is pretty good, but you’re not sure where to send it. Most writers begin their career by submitting to free publications such as e-anthologies (ebooks or pdfs available online), e-zines (online magazines or newsletters)or local newspapers. The thrill of seeing your name in the byline is reward enough, but accepted and published work also reinforces the belief that your work has some quality. It exposes your talents to a new audience, boosts your ego, and may pave the way to paid work.

When seeking publication, be sure to:

1. Check your work for:
• Grammatical and spelling errors
• Beta read by at least two other people. (Beta readers are people outside your immediate family or friend circle and who are more likely to give you constructive feedback. Their role is to give an impression of how your piece will be received by the audience you’re targeting. Beta readers don’t edit or correct your piece. Try to find someone with some writing experience.)
• Act upon their feedback
• Rewrite to perfection
• Submit to an editor (know the editor’s name)

2. Craft a cover letter and a short biography (up to 50 words)

3. Submit a publicity photo (clear head shot) of yourself in electronic format. Most publications will include this in your byline at the end of your piece.

4. Write a publishing goal for yourself and make a specific date. (Answer such questions as what is most important to you? To be paid? How much? To be published? Be recognized? Why? By whom?) Post your goal in a prominent place near your writing area. These answers will arm you with a basic level of professionalism.

Data bases of markets open to emerging writers:

Duotropes http://www.duotrope.com/
Worldwide Freelance http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/
Fiction Writing Markets http://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/markets.htm
The Short Story http://www.theshortstory.org.uk/prizes/
Writers Weekly http://www.writersweekly.com/markets_and_jobs.php
Womagwriter http://womagwriter.blogspot.com This blog highlights magazines that accept short story submissions across several countries. They also provide writers guidelines and the blog will keep you up to date with what’s happening in the market.

Also Open for Submissions:

Untitled http://www.untitledonline.com.au Fiction of any genre – 350 words to 5000 words.

Ether books – http://www.etherbooks.co.uk/ – open to any genre in fiction. Specifically looking at short stories or serial stories. This platform publishes to mobile devices and are available through itunes.

Global Short Stories http://www.globalshortstories.net – all genres all themes – short stories under 2000 words.

Noble Romance – https://www.nobleromance.com Sweethearts (no sex or sexual overtones) and Erotica (more saucy)- Short Stories– 3-10K words. Novellas 10,001-29,999K, 30+K words and up for novels

Wet Ink – http://www.wetink.com.au A magazine of new writing – open to fiction (including genre fiction), creative non-fiction, poetry, memoir, essays and opinion pieces

eFiction http://authors.efictionmag.com/ online monthly magazine – all genres

Red Asylum – http://theredasylum.webs.com/ Quarterly online magazine, devoted to the discovery and publication of dark and twisted stories.

Lyrical Press http://www.lyricalpress.com Seeking erotica, romance, and urban fantasy short stories (15K) through to novels

Got your stories posted on your site and want some readers? These sites are community-run listings of online fiction where you can post a link to your stories and go and check out other writers work. This is particularly handy in order to get feedback from other writers and build your own support group.

Webfiction http://webfictionguide.com/
Write Anythings Fiction Friday http://wa.emergent-publishing.com/writing-prompts/
Mad Utopia http://MadUtopia.com/blog/fridayflash/what-is-fridayflash/

Make sure you follow the submission guidelines carefully – and good luck!

For more great tips, get The Writer’s Choice Newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Please take a moment to rate this article and make a comment. Bookmark us! Happy day!

The Benefits of Journaling

Reasons Why You Should Try Journaling by Annie Evett

We write for myriads of reasons:

• To share with others
• To seek social justice
• For self expression
• As a journey of self discovery
• To privately meditate

Journaling is a tool. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the deepest voice of your spirit emerge. Open the door to your soul and allow empowerment to blossom. Let the words flow until you see your situation in black and white. Sometimes issues will resolve themselves, but even if they don’t, confronting them will help you work through the pain.

Journaling provides opportunity to question yourself on a deeper level. Once you find the courage to voice the questions, it will be easier to find the answers… answers that may offer inspiration, further pondering, or maybe the base for a new character or article.

Reflective writing will help you keep in touch with honest feelings, explore without judgment, sense intimacy through movement, and process life.

Journaling will help you find solutions. Some people prefer the private formatting of pen and paper while others release through a keyboard or blog. Whichever you choose, commit to it on a daily basis. Don’t edit thoughts or direction the first five minutes. More often than not, the time will stretch and skills will ensue. Don’t worry about the end. It will come when you’re ready for it.

Every reflection will help solve your puzzle. You’ll clarify your thoughts and before you know it, past patterns of life will emerge as resurfaced memories. The incidents from yesteryear have formed your present being, but now you’ll be able to view them as a bridge between the present and the past.

Grant yourself the time to search your soul, understand yourself better, explore the pain, find new purpose, heal, and connect with the world around you. You’ll find that the song you sing will not only warble for you, but it will provide a guiding light for countless others.

Journaling is part of writing therapy and that’s what we special in at Creative Writing Institute. Drop by for a visit at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and find more great writing tips in The Writer’s Choice Newsletter, available on that page.

Tell us about your journaling efforts. Did journaling (or keeping a diary) help you work through issues?