**************************************************************** i n k l i n g s Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net http://www.inkspot.com Issue 7:01 January 3, 2001 ***************************************************************** In this issue: Jenna Glatzer explains how to break into the health market, and Ginger Knowlton (Ask the Agent) discusses how to find an agent and more. This issue sponsored by: ***************************************************************** Publish today! XLIBRIS exists to help YOU publish in both printed and e-books, sell through stores and the Internet, and connect with writing resources. Plus, you keep your rights--forever. To learn more, call 888-795-4274, write to info@xlibris.com, or visit http://xlibris.com/pubservices/ps_pubkit.asp, Xlibris. Where writers become authors. ***************************************************************** ISSN 1205-6413. Copyright (c) 2001 Inkspot Company Of Canada. See end of issue for full copyright and contact information. ***************************************************************** CONTENTS THIS ISSUE: From the Editor's Desk New on Inkspot/Book Giveaway/Fresh Ink Market Information Ask the Agent "Here's to Your Health (Writing)" by Jenna Glatzer Inkspot Community Chat Update Writers' Classifieds ***************************************************************** FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR'S DESK ------------------------------- Happy New Year! --------------- I've barely become accustomed to writing "2000" on my checks, and now I must start writing "2001." I'm not quite sure what happened to 2000; I must have blinked. I did, however, have the pleasure of wrapping up the year with one of my favorite new "traditions": The end-of-year trip to the post office to mail off my latest manuscript! Yes, THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO QUERIES, PITCHES AND PROPOSALS is on its way to Allworth Press; look for it around August. (Besides my own efforts, the book contains several chapters by Inkspot contributors.) Postal Rate Changes ------------------- The U.S. post office knows how to ring in the New Year: by ringing up rates. If you're a U.S. writer, remember that first class rates go up 1 cent on January 7. This means your queries and SASEs are going to cost 34 cents (which means, if you're like me and have a hoard of 33-cent stamps on hand, buying a bunch of penny stamps to make up the difference). Fortunately, the rate for the second ounce of postage has gone down to 21 cents, which means that the rates for heavier first-class mail remains the same. (In other words, those 55-cent, 77-cent, and $1 stamps are still good.) Priority mail rates have also increased: It now costs $3.50 for one pound, and $3.95 for up to two pounds. (This means that first class rates will actually be cheaper for one-pound items.) If you're mailing to an international address, it appears that the rates have actually gone down. A one-ounce letter from the U.S. to Canada or Mexico now costs 60 cents; to other countries, 80 cents. These are also the rates to keep in mind if you're submitting a manuscript or query from outside the U.S., and wish to put the proper U.S. postage on your SASE. (You can order U.S. postage from anywhere in the world at http://www.stampsonline.com.) When Those SASEs Come Back with Bad News... ------------------------------------------- Putting the right postage on the envelope doesn't guarantee that you'll like what's inside! How do you handle rejection? What tips do you have for "easing the sting"? If you'd like to share your insights and suggestions for this universal bane of writers, send them to with "rejection" in the subject header. Write for Inkspot! ------------------ We can't guarantee acceptance, but... Queries and submissions are being sought for several of Inkspot's genre sections. We're looking for material for: The Poet's Resource - see guidelines at http://www.inkspot.com/genres/poetry/editguide.html The Technical & Business Writer's Corner - see guidelines at http://www.inkspot.com/genres/tech/editguide.html The Children's Writing Resource - see guidelines at http://www.inkspot.com/genres/child/guidelines.html The Travel Writer's Spot - see guidelines at http://www.inkspot.com/genres/travel/editguide.html -- Moira Allen ***************************************************************** Looking for online discussion with other writers? Check out Inkspot's discussion forum community! Wide range of topics for writers of all ages. Forum Topics: http://www.inkspot.com/forums/topics.html Community Events Calendar: http://www.inkspot.com/events ***************************************************************** NEW ON INKSPOT: --------------- Y Write, by Melanie Barton Zoltan NEW COLUMN in the "For Young Writers" section. http://www.inkspot.com/young/ywrite/ Ursula LeGuin Steers Her Craft - by Faith Justice Check out this interview on the SF & Fantasy Writer's Resource. http://www.inkspot.com/genres/sf/leguin.html What's in a Name? - by Desmond Lindo "Everything, if you want to create memorable characters," says Lindo, in this article in the Romance Writer's Resource. http://www.inkspot.com/genres/romance/naming.html How to Avoid Ever Writing a Novel - by Josh Allen Are you a member of Procrastinators Anonymous? Do you find endless ways to postpone that novel (such as the need for infinitely detailed research)? You're not alone; find out how Josh handles these problems in his "Stranger than Nonfiction" column on The Fictioneer. http://www.inkspot.com/fiction/articles/stranger02.html Check THE GENRE WRITING PAGE for regular announcements and updates regarding Inkspot's various fiction and nonfiction genre sections. http://www.inkspot.com/genres ***************************************************************** INKPRINTS PRIZE GIVEAWAY: A Writer's Guide to Sassy Synonyms for "Said" by Koz and Victoria M. St. Christopher --------------------------------------------- Ever get tired of using the word "said" over and over? Wish you had a handy reference book you could reach for when your hero or heroine needs to utter something other than "said"? Your writing wishes have been answered! To win this valuable reference guide, write a 150-word entry (fiction or nonfiction) that demonstrates how you can expertly construct an interesting missive WITHOUT using the word "said." Don't slip up, or your entry will be disqualified! Deadline: January 10, 2001 Please post your entry at the Writers' Challenge Board http://writers-bbs.com/inkspot/?forum=bookchallenge For more details about the contests, plus other book news, reviews, interviews, and tidbits, please see the current issue of INKPRINTS at http://www.inkspot.com/books/inkprints.html Congratulations to: ------------------- Brian "Braz" Leahy, winner of the December 20 Bookstop Challenge (a choice of writing courses from Gotham Writer's Workshops and a copy of Shel Horowitz's "Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World"). Julie Harrington, December 20 runner-up, who won an autographed copy of Mili Thornton's "Fear of Writing." "Maggie," December 20 runner-up, who won a copy of Tami Cowden's "The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes" Lori Anton, winner of the December 27 Bookstop Challenge and a copy of Michael Sedge's "Successful Syndication" ***************************************************************** FRESH INK --------- WritersNet ---------- WritersNet, a directory of published writers, agents, publishers, editors and writing assignments, has been completely revamped and redesigned, "with lots of new features." http://www.writers.net The Epicene Pronouns -------------------- Subtitled "A Chronology of the Word that Failed," this list proves that the quest for gender-neutral pronouns is far from new (and that today's clunky entries are far from unique). Among efforts that failed: thon, thons (1884); ha, hez, hem (1927); hesh, hizzer, himmer (1948); himorher (1935); tey, term, tem (1972). ("Epicene" means "having one form to indicate either sex," and yes, I had to look it up.) http://www.english.uiuc.edu/baron/essays/epicene.htm English Grammar and Style ------------------------- Lots of links to articles and resources on grammar, English usage, and more. http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/8707 A Guide to Writing/Grammar Resource Sites ----------------------------------------- Though aimed primarily at students, this site lists an extensive array of grammar and reference resources. http://www.quintcareers.com/writing/general_writing_resources.html Freelancehelp.com ----------------- "Beta" version of a site focusing on "e-commerce for the creative community," featuring articles, columns, and markets. http://www.freelancehelp.com/ ** Please send suggestions for Fresh Ink to freshink@inkspot.com ***************************************************************** MARKET INFORMATION ------------------ Please get current, detailed guidelines before submitting to publications if possible. Don't submit to email addresses unless specifically stated. Include a SASE for surface mail replies. More market info at: http://www.inkspot.com/market/. **-----------------------------------------------------** "FNASR": First North American Serial Rights, "SASE": self-addressed, stamped envelope, "simsubs": simultaneous submissions, "mss": manuscript, "RT": response time, "GL": guidelines, "cc": contributors' copies. Markets Editor: Sal Towse (ST). Research assistants: Shane Stacks (SS), Margaret Shauers (MS), Jan Edwards (JE). **-----------------------------------------------------** ART THOUGHTS JOURNAL Editor: Mark Patro ART THOUGHTS JOURNAL is an online publication discussing artists and their work, including painters, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers, and more. FREQ: 6 times/year. NEEDS: Art-related articles, essays, and interviews. Topics tend to focus on the artists themselves, and the inspirations for their work. GL: "Writers should first send a query to mark@artthought.com, [sending attachments in either Word of Word Perfect format]. We want to know the essence of the article or essay you intend to write. With involved topics we will ask for an outline of your concept before you start writing. With an artist interview we will ask you to learn about the artist beforehand and submit a rough list of questions you intend to ask. Please include your resume and describe your qualifications." Will consider multiple queries, simultaneous queries, and previously published material. RIGHTS: Electronic rights and archival rights, with specific rights purchased varying from author to author. Author retains print rights. PAYS: $25 - $100/article, on publication. RT: 2 weeks. TIPS: "The articles, essays and interviews published in our journal are intended for an audience interested in art- making. Our goal is to broaden the scope of understanding about why artists create in the way they do. Ideas influence the thoughts of artists and in turn the thoughts affect the product of their work. We are aiming to document the "artistic why." The audience will include: artists, art students, art teachers, aspiring artists, parents of aspiring artists, art critics, art historians, gallery owners, art collectors and those seeking a new focus in the art discussion." (SS) URL: http://www.artthought.com/ GL: http://www.artthought.com/guidelines.htm E-mail: mark@artthought.com **-----------------------------------------------------** LAKELAND BOATING Editor: Matthew Wright 500 Davis Street, Suite 1000, Evanston, IL 60201; (847) 869-5400; fax (847) 869-5989 LAKELAND BOATING is dedicated to boating throughout the Great Lakes (and surrounding) areas. "Principal areas of readership include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, surrounding Midwest and mid-South states, and the southern parts of the Canadian provinces Ontario and Quebec." FREQ: 11 issues/yr. NEEDS: "Publishes cruising features, boating-related technical articles, boat tests, historical pieces, personality profiles, photo essays, and other boating- and Great Lakes-related information of interest to readers in these areas." Specific types of articles: Cruising, "Port o' Call", Weekender, Great Lakes Historical Subjects, Environment, "Bosun's Locker", Antique and Classic Boats, and Profiles. [NOTE: For a more specific breakdown, please study this market's submission guidelines.] AUDIENCE: "Nearly 80% of LB readers own a powerboat of some type, the majority of which are 19 feet or more in length; 20% own a sailboat. Because of this ratio, LB orients most of its editorial features toward powerboating. LENGTH: 800-2,500 wds. Newsy bits and maintenance tips of 100 wds and up also accepted. GL: Query first, including an outline of the proposed article, as well as indicating why the proposed article would be of interest to LAKELAND BOATING's readers. Query via postal or e-mail, using Word attachments if necessary for e-mail. Also, "please include at least two sample clips of previously published writings and any other personal or professional information that might be useful to the editor." Be prepared to submit finished article electronically if query is accepted. Multiple queries, simultaneous queries, and queries regarding previously published material all considered. RIGHTS: FNASR. Electronic rights also purchased occasionally. PAY: $50- $600/article, depending on length. Pays on publication. RT: "Within a few weeks." TIPS: "We prefer to work with freelance writers who are skilled photographers and are able to submit photography that will complement their manuscripts." (SS) URL: http://www.lakelandboating.com GL: by request E-mail: lb@omeara-brown.com **-----------------------------------------------------** WRITERS' JOURNAL Editor: Leon Ogroske P. O. Box 394, Perham, MN 56573-0394; (218) 346-7921; fax (218) 346-7924 WRITERS' JOURNAL is a magazine for writers, including professional communicators, self/independent publishers, part-time or full-time freelancers, screenwriters, desktop publishers, authors, editors, teachers, and poets. FREQ: Published bimonthly. CIRC: 26,000+. NEEDS: Although most of the columns in Writers' Journal are staff-written, articles from freelance writers are always welcome. Several feature articles are published in each issue (1,000 to 1,500 words). Some of the topics Writers' Journal is looking for include: The Business Side of Writing - tips, techniques, record keeping, tactics on how to increase writing production, taxes, financial aspects of writing; Self/Independent Publishing - practical advice on all facets of independent publishing. Particularly wanted are success stories that impart solid information on book design and production, distribution, costs, marketing, profits; Skills of Writing - how-to articles on style, punctuation, sentence structure, story composition, interviewing, research; Software Reviews - on recent developments in software of interest and use to writers. Only authoritative and thoroughly researched pieces will be considered. Book Reviews - on recently published books on writing and of use to writers (200 to 250 words). Other nonfiction topics - Photography, travel writing, screenwriting, technical writing, newspaper writing, corporate/business writing. Articles on fiction-writing covering technique, plotting, marketing, character development or other aspects of writing fiction are welcomed. Writers' Journal buys about 25 poems/year for filler material. Light verse, preferably about writing, but will also buy a few serious pieces, any subject, any style. Imagery and impact are musts. No vulgarity or explicit pieces considered. Maximum length is 25 lines. RTS: One-time rights; only previously unpublished work. PAYMENT: On publication, variable scale for articles. Poetry $5/poem. RT: Allow six weeks on queries; six months for mss. SAMPLE COPIES: Available for $5; some material available on website. SUBMISSION: Complete mss are welcome, or query with clips first. Mail submissions with SASE for editor's response. Mss will not be returned. Submissions can also be e-mailed as text within the body of email. TIPS: "We want to see highly informative articles of an advisory nature that feature a positive and practical approach to the topic being covered. We particularly like to see a narrow focus, and the subject covered well in a tightly written style (not an article that wanders for a page and a half before getting down to the business at hand). This doesn't mean writing without style, however, or lacking the basic elements of good article construction. No dull writing, please." (JE) URL: http://www.writersjournal.com GL: Available for SASE E-mail: writersjournal@wadena.net **-----------------------------------------------------** MARKET UPDATE: Back Brain Recluse --------------------------------- From Editor & Publisher Chris Reed: "BBR is now closed to unsolicited short story submissions." BACK BRAIN RECLUSE will continue publishing, however, and is interested in proposals concerning novels, short story anthologies, and other media projects. This high-quality science fiction market was originally featured in Inklings 5.25 (Dec.08/99). (SS) http://www.bbr-online.com/backbrainrecluse Resources for Writers: http://www.bbr-online.com/writers Please send market news to Moira Allen, moira@inkspot.com. ***************************************************************** Ask the Experts --------------- *** Please put "Inklings question" in the subject header. *** Judith Bowen (ROMANCE WRITER) judith@judithbowen.com David Breeden (POET) dbreeden@schreiner.edu Charles Deemer (SCREENWRITER) charlesd@inkspot.com Mark Fowler (LAWYER) askthelawyer@inkspot.com Ginger Knowlton (AGENT) agent@inkspot.com Michelle West (SF/FANTASY WRITER) Michelle.Sagara@sff.net Lee Wardlaw (CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER) lee@inkspot.com Marcia Yudkin (FREELANCE WRITER) yudkin@inkspot.com Columnists may be unable to reply privately to every message, but will answer selected questions in future issues of Inklings. Please keep your question BRIEF and send it to *one* columnist. ***************************************************************** ASK THE AGENT ----------------------------------------------------------------- by Ginger Knowlton To find a fiction agent, start with nonfiction! ----------------------------------------------- Q: I've not had any problems getting my nonfiction published, but fiction is another matter. I've sent queries to all the agents who represent mysteries and thriller/adventures, but only get form letter rejections back. I did better a couple of years ago when I'd at least get a personal letter once in a while. This is a Catch-22 -- you have to have an agent to be read by publishers, but you can't get an agent. Any tips? A: Often it's harder to find an agent for fiction than it is for nonfiction. (Nonfiction can be easier to sell to a publisher and it can garner better advances than a lot of fiction.) From your letter, I gather you don't have an agent for your nonfiction either. Perhaps a way around the Catch-22 is for you to seek an agent for your nonfiction projects. Then, once you've established a relationship, show the agent your fiction. If this seems like a weak answer, I apologize. It's tough to get past this hurdle and I'm afraid I don't have any magic answers. Should I tell my agent I'll miss my deadline? --------------------------------------------- Q: Should I tell my agent that I'm writing more slowly than I expected, because I'm (unexpectedly) having to care for my father? I'm not ignoring my book, I've finished three of the four to five chapters I originally proposed and have a couple of friends reviewing the first chapter right now. While I never told my agent that I'd have the book to her by a specific date, I did tell her that my goal was to have the book completed by August 2000 if I could keep up my writing schedule. Obviously, I haven't been able to keep up my normal schedule. Do I tell her what's been going on? Do I ask her if she wants the book chapter by chapter so she can shop the book? This is my first book. I've been published in magazines and have never missed a deadline. A: The short answer is "Yes!" Feel free to send her a brief note, explaining that you've had some unexpected delays but you plan to send the book to her as soon as you can. Unless this is a timely project (and if it is, it's probably too late now since you wrote to me two months ago), the most important thing for you to do (besides helping care for your dad) is to get the proposal and chapters into the best possible shape before you send anything other than a letter to her. In your letter to me, you mentioned that you hoped to complete the book by August but you also said you finished three of the four to five chapters you originally proposed. If the agent has not seen the proposal or any chapters yet and if you are completely satisfied with the first three or five or however many chapters you've finished, I think it would be fine for you to include the proposal and first several chapters with your letter. The key here is not to let your self-imposed time pressures compromise the quality of your work. Should I hand out flyers on my unpublished novel? ------------------------------------------------- Q: I've prepared a one page description of my novel -- a catchy description that I'll incorporate into the query letters that I'll be sending out soon. At the bottom, I say "for further information, contact" me. Would it be considered unprofessional to bring a stack with me when I go to BookExpo, to give a copy to people whom I engage in conversation? A: Yes, I think it would be considered unprofessional. I think it would be much more advantageous for you to engage agents in conversation and ask for their business cards and then later write notes about what was said on each card so that when you submit to that agent later, you can personalize the query letter and jog the agent's memory. That said, it couldn't hurt for you to bring a few of the one page descriptions with you just in case someone begs you for such a thing in the midst of a conversation. However, I don't think you should offer it unless someone asks first. **-----------------------------------------------------** Ginger Knowlton is a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. (Please note that she is not currently seeking new clients, and cannot make recommendations for possible agents for your work). Because of the volume of mail she receives, Ginger is unable to reply to messages privately, but will answer selected questions in future issues of Inklings. If you wish to make a business-related query, please use regular channels (surface mail). For tips on how to query an agent, see: http://www.bookwire.com/AAR/FAQs.html Copyright (c) 2000 Ginger Knowlton. ***************************************************************** Here's to Your Health (Writing) ----------------------------------------------------------------- by Jenna Glatzer You may have noticed that health publications have nearly the highest pay of any online markets. But you may also have fallen prey to the old adage, "write what you know" -- and what if you don't think you know anything about health? Are these markets closed to you? I used to think so. I had studied communications, not medicine. How could I write about those elusive things that only doctors knew? To me, stitches were for needlepoint, and tongue depressors were what I used to build dollhouses. Yet today I receive regular assignments from health publications. Here's how it began: Write About What You Know... ---------------------------- My brother has Down's Syndrome, and when I mentioned this in a query to the editor of a small disabilities website, she gave me several assignments related to Down's Syndrome and other developmental disabilities. The most meaningful was the story of a young girl with Down's Syndrome who couldn't get on a waiting list for a heart transplant. In the course of this research, I became quite an expert on transplant policies. I had to learn why organ rationing is so fierce -- and why so many people are turned down for even the smallest excuses. This inspired me to propose articles about organ transplants to other markets. The story offered all kinds of angles: political, medical, human interest, ethical, regional, international - the possibilities were endless! What amazed me more was that I was suddenly getting well-paying assignments from health markets. I felt like a fraud, as if I'd snuck in the back door, and that sooner or later they'd discover I didn't have the right "pedigree." But finally I realized that most health writers don't have any special background: They just understood a few simple plans of attack that I hadn't recognized earlier. Pick a Topic that Interests You ------------------------------- Instead of looking at the health market in broad terms, break it down into areas that interest you or relate to problems you've had. Does your spouse snore? Are you concerned with bad breath? Do you wonder what all those herbal remedies really do? Are you concerned about your risk for Alzheimer's Disease? Would you like to overcome your fear of needles? These are all health topics. They don't need to sound clinical; you won't be writing for medical journals. You'll be writing for people just like you -- people who don't have medical degrees -- so you need to pick topics that will interest them. You'll also want to write about those topics as you might write on any other subject -- in a way that won't send your reader to a dictionary. Most importantly, make sure your piece has a service angle. How will your article help the lives of readers? They don't need "just the facts;" they need your article to provide a solution to a problem. Locate Experts -------------- Of course, you're not expected to come up with those solutions by yourself. Your next job is to find out which experts will be willing to speak with you and help you flesh out your article. You can find plenty of experts online. Yahoo offers a listing of medical associations online. Many have "member bios" on site, or a contact e-mail for someone who can refer you to an appropriate member. Also, do keywords searches related to your topic. For example, for an article I'm writing for a pediatrics website, I needed to find an expert who could talk to me about how to help obese children lose weight. I searched using keywords "child psychologist" or "pediatrician," plus "obesity," "overweight children," or "losing weight," and instantly found more than ten experts appropriate for the article. You can also contact your local university and ask to speak to the department chairperson or a professor in the appropriate field. Explain your situation and ask for an interview, and/or ask for recommendations for appropriate interview candidates. Finally, don't overlook the obvious: Your local yellow pages are a fine source of potential interviewees! Make The Pitch -------------- With a few facts and a few experts behind you, you're ready to query the markets. Find the contact information for the appropriate section editor, and send your perfect query letter -- no more than one page, including a strong hook, a short synopsis of your intended piece, and the names and titles of experts you plan to quote. I would suggest that you "test the waters" by querying smaller markets first. It will make it easier to get your foot in the door with the dollar-a-word markets if you can list a few health publications in your credits, and show a clip or two that prove you can write for this niche market. Do Your Homework ---------------- The main reason health writers get paid well is that their work requires research. Not only do you have to understand the information, you have to know it so well that you can explain it to someone else. You will often end up reading technical, difficult heaps of information and learning to translate it for the "everyman." If you can learn this skill, you'll be well on your way to a terrific new career turn. Check Your Facts ---------------- Typically, writers are advised never to show their interviewees a copy of an article before it is published. With health writing, though, it's imperative that you have a professional read your piece to make sure that all your facts are accurate. Once you find an expert you like, you can use this person again and again to proofread your work, as long as he or she is willing. Be sure to reward this person with as much publicity as you can. You may even offer a barter of some kind -- maybe you can rewrite their office's boring brochure in exchange for proofreading. When you submit your article, be sure that you've enclosed a source sheet that gives contact information for anyone you've quoted. Also include footnotes for any specific data or medical advice that you found in books, magazines, newspapers, online, etc. Strike While the Iron Is Hot ---------------------------- As soon as your first piece has been accepted, don't wait for the editor to come to you with a new assignment. Query again! Think hard -- what else interests you within the health field? Remember how diverse a topic this is. How about the benefits of aromatherapy, or massage therapy, or wax treatments? How about the dangers of electrolysis? How about the real differences between HMOs? Being a health writer isn't so much about writing what you know -- but writing what you can learn. Happy learning! Resources: ---------- Yahoo http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Medicine/Organizations/Professional/Medica l_Associations_and_Societies/ Additional Health Information Resources (by Joseph Hayes) --------------------------------------------------------- 48 Hours - http://www.48hours.net/ A constantly updated source of health-related news that has been released within the last 48 hours Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/ Medical World Search - http://www.mwsearch.com/ Search full text of nearly 100,000 Web pages from thousands of medical sites The Mayo Clinic Health Oasis - http://www.mayohealth.org/ Medical Matrix - http://www.medmatrix.org/index.asp Literally thousands of health information topics. Registration is free, and you can sign up for e-mail updates. National Institutes of Health - http://www.nih.gov/ News and information about health, dietary supplements, alternative medicine and clinical trials Pharmaceutical Information Network - http://pharminfo.com/ Searchable database of info on drugs and drug interaction The Routine Autopsy - http://www.neosoft.com/~uthman/Autop.html Dr. Ed Uthman has set up this detailed description of postmortem exam procedures as a resource for writers U.S. National Library of Medicine - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ Through the NLM site, you can access more than 9 million published articles via MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, PREMEDLINE, AIDSLINE, AIDSDRUGS, AIDSTRIALS, DIRLINE, HISTLINE, HSRPROJ, OLDMEDLINE, and SDILINE databases American Medical Writers Association - http://www.amwa.org/ Founded in 1940, with more than 4,000 members from around the world, AMWA provides conferences, certificate programs, and a freelance directory of medical communication services. Membership is $95. This organization might be worth your effort to join, if this is your journalistic calling. **-----------------------------------------------------** Jenna Glatzer is a full-time freelancer, editor of AbsoluteWrite.com (http://www.absolutewrite.com) and author of The More Than Any Human Being Needs To Know About Freelance Writing Workbook (available at her website). She's also the Public Relations Director of the upcoming Scottish film CURSE OF THE BOG WOMEN (http://www.bogwomen.com). Copyright (c) 2000 Jenna Glatzer Would you like to reprint this article? If so, please contact Jenna Glatzer for permission. Inklings grants permission for reprints in any medium if and only if permission is granted by the original author. ***************************************************************** INKSPOT WRITERS' CHAT CENTER UPDATE - by Shane Stacks ----------------------------------------------------- NEXT CHAT: PROMOTION IDEAS with ANDREA CAMPBELL Thursday, January 18, 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. Central Join ANDREA CAMPBELL, an enthusiastic author with seven books currently on the market, as she discusses excellent ideas for promoting both yourself and your work! CHAT GIVEAWAY: ANDREA will be giving away a copy of her book, GREAT GAMES FOR GREAT PARTIES, to one lucky random winner. NEW MONTHLY CHAT! "Freelancer's Forum" Host: Rusty Fischer (RustyF) Every 3rd Monday at 8 p.m. EST Set your freelancing writing career free while gaining tips, insight, encouragement and camaraderie with other freelancers like yourself. (Next date: Jan. 15th) WEEKLY CHATS: "Death By The Pen" (Mystery/Thriller) Fridays at 9 p.m. EST "The Underside" (Horror) Saturdays at 9 p.m. EST NOTE: The Inkspot chat room now has several main rooms for your chatting convenience: Adult Writers, Young Writers, and All Ages. MORE INFO ON ALL OF THE ABOVE: http://www.inkspot.com/ss/iwcc INKSPOT CHAT MAILING LIST: Send blank e-mail to icc-subscribe@topica.com DISCUSSION FORUMS: Join this growing community of writers! Wide variety of topics and events, everyone welcome. http://www.inkspot.com/forums/topics.html FOR MORE INFORMATION: Inkspot Java Chat (open 24/7): http://www.inkspot.com/ss/iwcc Community Events Newsletter: http://www.inkspot.com/events/ (Or send e-mail to Shane Stacks at staxx@inkspot.com) Inkspot Chat Mailing List: icc-subcribe@topica.com ***************************************************************** W R I T E R S ' C L A S S I F I E D S ---------------------------------------------------------------- Ready to improve your skills? Writers University can help. We have classes covering many topics, including screenplays, novels, marketing, developing characters, and more. All classes are offered online and are affordably priced. Visit our website for more information: http://writersbbs.com/wu/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Keep your New Year's Writing Resolutions with Moira Allen's WRITING.COM: CREATIVE INTERNET STRATEGIES TO ADVANCE YOUR WRITING CAREER. Now available as an e-book from: http://www.booklocker.com/bookpages/writing.html ---------------------------------------------------------------- FREE SELF-PUBLISHING NEWSLETTER. To subscribe, send e-mail to pam@inkspot.com with "subscribe selfpub" in the subject header, or see http://www.inkspot.com/selfpub/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- FREE TRAVEL WRITING NEWSLETTER. 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