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Sunoasis 2004 V8 Issue 10
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David Eide
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Oct 29, 2004 13:51 PDT
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___________________________S U N O A S I S 2 0 0 4
Volume 8 Issue 10
October 2004
"...words,...I think I can influence them slightly
and have even learned to beat them now and then,
which they appear to enjoy."
-- Dylan Thomas
_____________________T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
1) [Editor Notes- Cover Letters]
2) [The Free Press- "Grass-roots journalism"]
3) [The Writing Life- Every Man and Woman a Writer]
4) [Resources]
5) [Markets and Leads]
6) [Community]
7) [Acknowledgments]
http://www.sunoasis.com/sunoasisblog.html
Here's the link to the on-line version.
Don't forget to get your free preview issue
of Sunoasis X 2004 here:
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Enjoy this issue! Forward any comments to:
eide-@earthlink.net
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_________________________E D I T O R N O T E S
I've been preparing cover letters for material I am
sending out to publishers. It's amazing to note that
a "letter" can still be effective in this day and age.
And what are the criteria for a well-written letter?
One would be to get the most impact in the smallest space.
"Brevity is the soul of wit." And what this requires is
a writing spirit or persona that knows instantly the
right word, at the right time.
Remember that you aren't begging the editor or agent for
anything. You are, in effect, introducing yourself at
a party or conference and inviting the editor to get
to know you better by reading the material you have sent.
An editor wants to know something of your background
and what the manuscript you have entrusted to her is about
so she doesn't have to guess. And the way this is handled
tells the editor a great deal about how you size things up
and frame them in the written language.
The publishing world is ruthless in this day and age and
every 't' must be crossed and every 'i' dotted.
I can say this as an editor, albeit at a small, modest
literary ezine: I look for what eliminates manuscripts
first. I try to eliminate as many as possible. Don't
give the editor the opportunity to reject your manuscript
because of some small item.
When a manuscript comes to me in e-mail with a cover
letter that says something intelligent about C/Oasis, I
take some note. It clues me that the writer has read
the publication and wants to contribute to it and add
value to it.
Credits do help if you make the list concise and they
are relevant to the publication you are submitting to.
* * * * * * * * *
If you are preparing a book manuscript I do recommend the
Todd Pierce article and his 11 tips to do it right. It's
listed below in the "links to use" section.
"Never published anything? A cover letter is a persuasive
document designed to do one thing: entice an editor or
agent to read your manuscript. Say whatever you have to,
within reason, to accomplish this."
There are differences between the proposal, the cover
letter, and the query. In the cover letter answer the
questions, "who am I?" and "what do I have to offer you?"
Some things that the book editor or agent would like to know
about are: have you won any prizes in writing? Are you an
expert? Do you belong to an association or group that gives
you insight into the subject? Remember that the cover letter
is not the selling point of the package. The book proposal
is going to convince the editor or agent to take up the
manuscript and turn it into a book. But the cover letter is
going to be a segue into the proposal. And to some agents and
editors it is a kind of gate keeper. "If she can't write a
cover letter, for goodness sake, how in the world can she
write anything?"
The cover letter gets the editor moving toward your
manuscript and helps establish that plum of qualities,
relationship.
>>>>>>>>>>links to use<<<<<<<<<<<<<
http://pages.ivillage.com/simplejoys/cover.html
Guide for Aspiring Writers- The Cover Letter.
http://www.wordsmitten.com/coverletter.html
Todd Pierce's 11 Tips.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=24236
The Cover Letter Made Easy by Liana Metal.
http://www.writersblock.ca/summer1999/essay.htm
Cover letter writing blues by Sylvia Van Nooten.
| | | | | | | | | | | | >>>>>>>>> t h e f r e e p r e s s <<<<<<<<<<<<<
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http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3752
Here is what the "grass roots journalists" can do to get
credibility. On Tuesday, Election Day, there is going to be
a very big problem with voting machines. It's worth reading
the American Journalism Review article linked above. The
voting machine problem and undercount is extraordinarily
significant as we discovered last election. And local media
outlets don't have the heft to cover it all. If thousands of
bloggers and "grass roots journalists" got involved in this
story they would go to the head of the class. The author of
this article explains an easy formula for figuring out the
undercount.
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=34&aid=73211
Some pointed comments by media writer Ken Auletta on
journalism. He finds the low opinion of journalists by the
public "really scary" because, "we don't have subpoena power.
We need people to talk to us, and if they don't trust us
they won't."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y22A65F99
The profession of journalism is increasingly dangerous
in Iraq.
http://www.forbes.com/2004/10/08/cx_sm_1008mcgookin.html
More about blogging and politics.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=6489252
Bloggers in Iran, watch out.
http://www.pw.org/mag/0409/murray.htm
Speaking of watching out, Poets and Writers magazine did a
decent abstract on the Patriot Act. Among other things
"Journalists investigating terrorism or other crimes, for
example, now may be prime targets of surveillance
themselves."
_________________________T H E W R I T I N G L I F E
The advent of the internet and digital publishing has
fostered the idea, "everyone a writer." To get a lot of
people interested in writing has very salutary effects;
among them is the creation of new readers.
If I were president I would actually make it a decree:
"Every man, woman, and child must be a writer."
The first thing would be to teach them that all flows from
mastery. Therefore, study the masters as if your life
depended on it. Connect with the thousands of years of
writing traditions from around the world. Convert every
dream, every sensation, every perception into language; even
as you fly through the air or freeway. Develop freely, with
sanity.
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/viewarticle.php?id=110
"If I am going to be a writer, earning a living in the era of
digital text, I need to understand where the opportunities are.
They won't disappear, they'll just be different, and need
to be recognized." So says Cory Doctorow of the Electronic
Frontier Foundation.
_________________________________________________________
The Featured Article in this month's Sunoasis X 2004 is,
Write Strategy: Add Extra Impact Using Facts and Figures
by Resmi Shaji
Try the preview by going to this link:
http://www.sunoasis.com/premium.html
=========================
For Freelancers Only:
http://powerreporting.com/category/Top_100_sites/
Top 100 sites for power reporting.
http://www.write101.com/beginner.htm
A beginner's guide to freelance writing---pretty
extensive and resourceful.
http://www.poewar.com/articles/benevolent.htm
The truth about editors by Kelly Sagert.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/freelance_writing/india.htm
Freelancing in India (for all those who have asked.)
=========================
http://www.sunoasis.com/premium.html
Get more from the Premium Sunoasis X Newsletter.
____________________________________
The feedback we've gotten is superb. We're proud of the
quality of people who have subscribed to Sunoasis 2004.
So, please continue!
http://www.sunoasis.com/sunoasisqanda.html
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________________________________________R E S O U R C E S
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=4438&t=srobbins
Here's a useful piece of information about how to handle
e-mail overload.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A33A22F99
Writers, especially budding screenwriters, might be
interested in the recent Jeff Grosso v Miramax Film
Corporation case that upholds the screenwriter's contention
that the film company stole his idea for a movie. It's not
clear if it will help writers or place a new barrier between
their manuscripts and movie companies.
____________________________________________C R A F T
http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/index.html
Evaluating the quality of information on the 'net. It's
written for legal professionals but can be used by
writers and journalists.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H39C214A9
Surviving the rewrite process by Heather Grove.
http://www.writerscereal.net/NovelAdviceArticles/critique.html
Guidelines for effective criticism by Amy Watson.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/self_editing.htm
Self-editing success by Carole Moore
______________W R I T I N G O R G A N I Z A T I O N S
http://www.bwa.org/
Boulder Writer's Alliance
http://writingcenters.org/index.php
International Writing Centers Association
http://www.heartlandwriters.org/
Heartland Writers Guild
http://www.owaa.org/
Outdoor Writers Association of America
______________________________P U B L I S H I N G
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O15A13F99
Twenty percent of involved newspaper readers read blogs. The
other eighty percent don't because of, "not knowing what
Weblogs are to finding them self-centered, rude or lacking
enough credibility."
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/living/9861100.htm
Writers who take time out from books to write blogs.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J16A32F99
Minnesota is the land of small-presses.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J2BC124A9
How a local library is using e-books to get patrons the latest.
http://www.dlib.org/dlib/october04/cox/10cox.html
The Deputy Librarian of the National University of
Ireland, Galway takes a look at e-books.
______________________________________A T C/ O A S I S
There's always an assortment of interesting writing at
C/Oasis. Stories, poems, essays, and now a new literary
blog. So make it a stop as you go through Sunoasis.com!
http://www.sunoasis.com/oasis.html
http://www.sunoasis.com/protestors.html
The Protestors; a story by George Sparling
"The large turnout in Eureka challenging the U.S. war of
aggression in Iraq wasn't unusual because Humboldt County
had always been very liberal, at least since Reed moved
here in 1974."
http://www.sunoasis.com/mrfixitstory.html
Mr. Fix-It; a story by Nora M. Mulligan
"I was really nervous when I brought Tom to my garage. I
mean, I don't let just anyone see this alien artifact
thingy that I have hidden out there. You never know what
some people might do if they see something that's not from
earth, you know?"
http://www.sunoasis.com/widows.html
A Gathering of Widows; a story by Dayna Mari
"The age-old custom of flaying political assassins
alive and wrapping the ashes of their victims in their
skin was constitutionally terminated by the most
recent widow."
Check out the new Sunoasis Opinion page:
http://www.sunoasis.com/sunoasisopinion.html
Better yet, subscribe to the newsletter devoted to the
literary life! It's free.
http://www.sunoasis.com/newsubscriptions.html
__________________________M A R K E T S A N D L E A D S
Los Angeles based copywriter needed immediately, for website
and print materials for a aerial camera company. Must have
at least 2-3 years experience in technical writing. A
degree in english/communications. Corporate and advertising
agency experience A+. Please email URL of your work samples
and resume.
Email: jo-@monarchdesignsite.com
Posted: October 19, 2004; closes December 2, 2004
_________________________________________________________
Editorial Assistant---Tustin, California
Performs a wide range of editorial and project assistance
on USFN publications, training resources, and member
services
Major Responsibilities:
Assist in developing, editing, proofing, and compiling
annual edition of a 1,000-page industry reference
publication. Assist in compiling copy, proofing and
coordinating overall development of quarterly newsmagazine,
monthly electronic newsletter, state-by-state desk guides,
training video scripts, video personal workbooks, and other
publications. Assist in developing surveys and evaluating
responses to provide focus on future programs and
publications. Assist with website updating and maintenance
(prior experience using web editing tools and programs is
a strong plus)
For full ad click here:
http://www.sunoasis.com/tustin.html
_________________________________________________________
FREELANCE EDITING AND PROOFING FOR MONTHLY OFF-ROAD TRUCK
MAGAZINE. EDIT FOR READER'S INTEREST. MUST HAVE ENOUGH
AUTOMOTIVE KNOWLEDGE TO EDIT TECHNICAL INSTALLATION OR
HOW-TO ARTICLES OR HAVE OFF-ROADING OUTDOOR RECREATION OR
TRAVEL EXPERIENCE. ABLE TO WORK ON SHORT TURNAROUND.
Email: andr-@oramagazine.com
Fax: 310-762-6210
_________________________________________________________
Financial Writer/Copywriter - Location: Baltimore, MD
The world's leading publisher of financial and investing
newsletters is seeking a talented, motivated and energetic
financial writer and/or copywriter. The successful
candidate will have proven skills in organizing large
chunks of information into highly focused and effective
marketing pieces. Candidates will preferably have 2 to 3
years experience in a fast-paced newspaper
(business section) environment, or proven copywriting
skills in a marketing organization.
For full ad go here:
http://www.sunoasis.com/agora.html
_________________________________________________________
On Sunoasis X 2004 there are market listings and writer
guidelines for Hobby and Craft publications.
Subscribe today and get a year's worth of resource for
only $10.
Go to:
http://www.sunoasis.com/premium.html
Job Links for new leads!
Go to http://www.sunoasis.com/joblinks.html
________________________________________________________
http://childrenswriters.signaleader.com/
Colossal Directory of Children's Publishers
http://r144.com/article043.htm
How to find foreign writing markets.
http://www.nwu.org/journ/dollar.htm
The National Writer's Union has a list of markets
that pay $1/word and up.
If you have any suggestions about markets you want
guidelines for, just drop a line:
<mailto:eide-@earthlink.net>
_______________________________________C O M M U N I T Y
The international Cat Writers' Association (CWA)
announces its 11th annual writing competition for
published writers, photographers and editors in
print, on-line and broadcast media. The CWA offers
corporate-sponsored special awards of $500 to $1,300,
as well as its own Muse Medallions to winners in 38
categories. For more information go to this link:
http://www.sunoasis.com/tips.html
http://www.expodallas2004.com
NOVEMBER 5, 6, 7, 2004 ~ El Paso City Books, LLC is
hosting the first annual AMERICAN WEST IN FICTION WEEK,
a national celebration of Western fiction. The
culmination of this week-long celebration, EXPO DALLAS
2004, will be held November 5 - 7, 2004 in Centennial
Hall, Fair Park Dallas. This three day event, covering
approximately 130,000 square feet in area and including
350 vendors, artists, performers and film personalities,
will bring together published authors, aspiring writers,
publishers, agents, marketing experts and filmmakers
interested in helping to promote Western fiction.
http://writing.shawguides.com/search?t=November
Shaw Guide for Writing Conferences in November.
_____________________________________F Y I
Put an ad in Sunoasis 2004 and reach its 4,000 subscribers.
Just $25 for 45 days!
Contact <mailto:eide-@earthlink.net>
_________________________________________________________
Staff of experienced editors, including several published
authors, will edit your fiction and nonfiction Free sample
and critique. First-time writers our specialty.
http://www.alphaediting.com
___________________________________________________________
Looking for a seasoned Web content, PR, and marketing
writer?
With a career spanning 30 years and a client list that
includes a number of the world's largest corporations,
Jeff Berger has the credentials to deliver the results you
want on any project. Jeff specializes in high technology,
finance, and hospitality; see www.jmbcommunications.com for
a spectrum of writing samples.
Email him at in-@jmbcommunications.com
or call (508) 830-3456.
___________________________________________________________
Sunoasis--You're amazing! A mere five hours after I sent
in the text for my classified ad I got a call for a writing
project, and within two days, the project was mine. Thanks
so much for your invaluable services!
Debbie Lerman, freelance writer
<http://www.sunoasis.com/classif.html>
_______________________________________E T C/ E T C/ E T C
Editor/Publisher: David Eide
C/Oasis: http://www.sunoasis.com/oasis.html
Sunoasis Jobs: http://www.sunoasis.com
E-mail:<mailto:eide-@earthlink.net>
Oasis Online:
http://www.topica.com/lists/oasis-l/read
My Virtual Space:
http://www.sunoasis.com/myvirtualspace.html
Sunoasis 2004 is fully protected by copyright.
Sunoasis 2004 can be distributed in any way deemed
intelligent by the reader as long as it is
distributed in full for non-commercial uses.
Reprint rights belong to the authors.
Contact them if you wish to use their material.
Unauthorized use of any material is strictly
forbidden.
Subscribe: oasis-l-s-@topica.com
Unsubscribe: oasis-l-un-@topica.com
You can always reach me at <mailto:eide-@earthlink.net>
Please do if you have any advice; anything you'd want to
see put into Sunoasis 2004. If there is any problem with
the delivery in your mailbox, let me know. I try to
format it correctly but problems can arise.
Let's all meet again in November 2004!
David
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