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The Whispering Blackboard
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Issue 4 - December 2000
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Introduction
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You are receiving this ezine because you joined The Rejection Slip
mailing list to be notified when the writing pages are updated. You
will not receive any unrelated mail from my site. And I will not
circulate your email address elsewhere.
If you have any complaints, queries, ideas, questions, email: Clare@hopefulwriter.co.uk Place
Whispering Blackboard in the subject field and I will reply as soon
as possible. I hope you enjoy the new sites I have listed and
thanks for subscribing.
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News
Updates
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Articles:
*Are You Ever In The "Write Mood" . . . Wrong Time?
by Ron Knowlton.
*Surf Along the Technological Highway to Better Writing by Clare McHale.
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Sticky URL's
Free Software Links
And More.
Please note that an empty section does not denote a problem with content.
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Check out the Looking For Literature section at The Rejection Slip http://www.100megsfree4.com/trs/lookingforlit.html.
There a books to buy, publishing opportunities, author sites that do more than just advertise their latest books. Most of the sites have useful information, helpful articles, competitions, advice and encouragement for writers. They are all worth investigating. If you like you can also subscribe to my new little web based ezine, The LFL Bulletin which will be exclusively about the Looking for Literature section of the website - books, writers, excerpts when I can, and anything else I think of to add.
It will be as infrequent as The Whispering Blackboard and hopefully interesting and useful; including the latest offers from a few of the UK based bookstores I use (Up to date at the time I add it to the site). If you decide to subscribe, let me know if you'd like an email edition too or are happy with just the URL in you inbox.
Gary at Garbl's Writing Resources Online has updated his writing resources site and added a section called Garbl's Fat-Free-Writing http://members.home.net/garbl/writing/concise.htm. He says: "This annotated directory features Web sites that give advice on cutting the fat from your writing -- so your readers can easily chew, digest and be nourished by your top-choice words." Sounds interesting, why not check it out and let him know that The Rejection Slip sent you!
Jacqui Bennett Writers Bureau, http://www.jbwb.co.uk/ has recently been updated too. You can peruse the latest writing competitions, markets, bookshop and JBWB's own competition at: http://www.jbwb.co.uk/competition.html.
Check out The Rejection Collection: http://rejectioncollection.com/ in IDEAS/OTHER, it's a site where you can read, post or rant about rejection letters and there's even a chance to win a letter opener. If you do win one and you're inclined to be emotional, only use it to open potential rejections when you're alone - just in case. I have posted a letter under the magazine editors section, see if you can guess which one it is, bearing in mind the name of The Rejection Slip's Award for writers. It's an interesting site and rejection is something that anyone who writes and tries to get published can relate too.
New books have been added to The Hopeful Writer's Bookshelf, grammar, fiction writing and more at: http://www.100megsfree4.com/trs/hwbookshelf.html.
Speaking of awards, I am now the awards editor for The Reststop Writers' Newsletter - that's just a fancy way of saying that I visit any sites that apply for their writing awards. It's a great site and much bigger than mine. Drop by for a visit, you never know what you might find. http://www.creativepurrsuits.com/reststopnews/index.html
I have quite a few interesting sites for you again, most of them are general writing resources, but I think there's something for everyone.
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THE REJECTION SLIP
Resources
Pendle Writers
http://pendlewriters.com
Frightwriter!
http://www.frightwriter.com/
The Writers' Room
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/
Wordup
http://www.wordup.co.uk/
Write Tools
http://writetools.com/
FreelanceWriting.com
http://www.freelancewriting.com/
Ralan's Specific and Humor Webstravaganza
http://www.ralan.com/
REFDESK
http://www.refdesk.com/
NetRead
http://www.netread.com/
Novation
http://novalearn.com/
Mslexia- UK
http://www.mslexia.co.uk/
The Interface
http://www.baworks.com/interface
Wet Wires
http://www.wetwires.com
Friction Magazine
http://www.frictionmag.com/
Writer Online - Novation's Newsletter
http://novalearn.com/wol/
Vestal Review
http://www.vestalreview.net/mainbody1_1.htm
The Green Tricycle
http://greentricycle.com/index.html
Pif Magazine
http://pifmagazine.com/2000/11/
The Royal Scribe
http://www.romfort.org/rs/
Promo Preview
http://www.rfpub.com/promopreview
Alternative Reality Writers Zone
http://www.geocities.com/ARWZone/
Robert Frost: America's Poet
http://www.ketzle.com/frost/
sense of city road
http://www.senseofcityrd.freeuk.com
dPress
http://www.dpress.net
The Rejection Collection
http://rejectioncollection.com/
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Resources
The Association of Small Press
http://www.smallpresspoets.co.uk/
Sampler poetry.now
http://www.sampler-poetry.freeuk.com/wizzc.html
Ponty Poetry Site
http://geena.freeservers.com/index.htm
ThePoetsGuild.com
http://www.thepoetsguild.com/
42explore
http://eduscapes.com/42explore/ and their Poetry For Kids section http://eduscapes.com/42explore/poetry.htm
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Poetry Ezines
Word of Mouth Book Review newsletter
http://www.oe-pages.com/ARTS/Writing/joerules/
The e-zine for Harvest Art Productions, Inc.
http://www.harvest-art.com/
Poetic Reflections
http://expage.com/poeticreflections
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Starlite Cafe's Poets Corner
http://www.thestarlitecafe.com/
Spondee
http://www.spondee.net/
Atlantic Unbound - Poetry pages
http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/poetry/poetry.htm
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(From the email list: mailto:PublishInYours@onelist.com)
Are You Ever In The "Write Mood" . . . Wrong Time?
By Ron Knowlton
You know the feeling. It comes over you suddenly at 4 a.m. in the morning. And why it comes, who knows?
Gotta get up and write!
The thoughts are coursing through my brain, coming just as fast as I can move the keys on my computer keyboard.
There's almost a rhythm as I "click" "click" "click" away.
Then it's done. I log off the computer and climb back into bed.
It would be frustrating to be awakened that way, but I've just created a "masterpiece".
So . . .
So what?
I fall back asleep. And it's over.
I just experienced the "write mood"!
Funny how it only comes once in awhile and sometimes at the most bizarre times . . .
. . . like when you're away from the computer riding in your car.
What do you do? Pull over to the side of the road and start writing?
Or while you're at the movie theater.
While everyone else is out purchasing popcorn, you're doing what?
Why frantically scratching away in a notebook you just happened to bring with you for this very purpose.
Then at night it happens again . . .
While I'm laying there in bed with my wife.
"Sorry dear, gotta get up and write," I say calmly, as I climb up out of bed.
Not exactly the words she wanted to hear!
Don't know if she understands it yet. This kind of thing only seems to happen to writers.
Next day while helping my son with his homework -bam- I've got it again!
"Sorry, I'll be right back," I tell him. He frowns.
A half an hour later I'm back.
"What took you so long, dad?"
"Oh, I had to write something down," I explain, again trying to switch gears, but the write mood is still with me.
He just rolls his eyes and we're back on the homework.
Have you ever tried to listen to a speaker give his talk with the "write mood" surging through your veins?
The speaker is up there talking away at a hundred miles an hour and the only thing you hear is the screech-scratching sounds as you scribble away in your notebook.
He's oblivious to what you're doing and you're oblivious to what he's saying.
It always seems to amaze me how the "write mood" never seems to come when you want it to. Have you ever noticed that?
You can sit at the computer keyboard staring into the screen for an hour or two . . . and nothing.
But just when you get up to use the bathroom, BOOM, it hits you! You're in the "write mood".
Can't fight mother nature.
But can't use toilet paper to write on, either, so it's a frantic search for my notebook and then a mad dash to the you-know-where.
I know, I can complain and complain about it (the mood) hitting me at the most inconvenient times. But, the truth be known, I'm really quite grateful that it hits me at all!
Afterall, those are the times when I'm at my best. Those are the times when I'm writing away. Those are the times when my mind is most clear.
Those are the times when I write my best copy!
Those are the times when I churn out crazy little articles like this one!
Ron Knowlton is a former journalist and the founding
editor at http://www.soaringprofits.com/
Subscribe to "Articles To Boost Your Success Online!"
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email! subscribe@soaringprofits.com
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==========================Sail Along the Technological Highway to Better Writing
By Clare McHale
The Internet is something of a blessing in disguise, especially to the new writer. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of information available and to become caught up in surfing less than useful sites.
Narrow your focus and that feeling of being smothered by the waves of the technological super highway will fade and you'll be an old pro at finding the information that's relevant to you.
Take a deep breath and follow me on a gentle journey into the wonderful writing world of the Internet.
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First stop: Resources and Information
Do you want to improve your writing/poetry?
Do some research? Would you like to read some tips from a published author or take a FREE writing workshop? Then these sites are a good place to start. They are full of relevant writing information and are also gateways to other writing gems.
*About.com - Writing.
http://www.100megsfree4.com/trs/aboutdotcom.html
The above link is a writing resources gateway from The Rejection Slip to About.com's huge site. About.com is free to join.
*The Poetry Kit
http://www.poetrykit.org/
*The Write Life
http://thewritelife.8m.com/
FREE writing workshops and great Ezines
*Caro Clarke
http://www.mallet.dircon.co.uk/nadvice1.html
Writing advice from a published author.
*Garbl's Writing Resources Online
http://members.home.net/garbl/writing/
*Wordweave Creative Writing Web
http://welcome.to/Wordweave
Great FREE workshops and ezine.
*The Scriptorium
http://www.thescriptorium.net
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Second stop: Writing Ezines
Do you want relevant writing information delivered to you?
Ezines are a useful and convenient writing resource. Pick the right ones and you can have writing tips and articles delivered straight to your inbox along with links and updates from your favourite sites.
A few words of caution: Don't go overboard and subscribe to every ezine out there. Be selective and take into consideration the amount of free time you have. You don't want to be swamped with so much mail that you don't have time for anything else!
To avoid clogging your inbox, create a new folder for your writing Ezines. Use the tools menu and message rules to send them straight to the designated folder until you have time to read them. When you're finished save them to your hard drive or a disk for future reference and delete them from your mailbox. This way you can keep on top of your subscriptions.
*The Rose & Thorn Literary E-Zine
http://members.aol.com/Raven763/index.html
*i n k l i n g s - Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net
http://www.inkspot.com
*Am I A Writer Yet?
http://awriteryet.homepage.com
*Writers Open Workshop
http://welcome.to/Regentbooks
*Tips and Updates From Writer's Digest
http://www.writersdigest.com
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Third stop: Publishing.
Would you like to have your work published?
These sites offer opportunities and information about places where you can research publishing opportunities. Remember that most magazines prefer you to be a subscriber before you submit work.
*Little Magazines
http://www.little-magazines.co.uk
A nice site that's easy to understand and navigate. Contains the contact details of over 100 magazines in the UK and Ireland. It also has a useful links section. (I found this link in the http://www.author.co.uk newsletter.)
*Poetry Monthly
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/martinholroyd/
A great little poetry magazine based in the UK. The editor accepts subscriptions and submissions worldwide.
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Fourth stop: Free Software.
Do you need to keep track of submissions?
Do you want to store your poetry and stories in an easy to access application? Are you fed up of having to repeat the same searches? These FREE applications will help you.
*S.A.M.M
http://www.sandbaggers.8m.com/samm.htm#dl
Helps you keep track of your submissions.
*Treepad
http://www.freebyte.com/freeware/#treepad
Store your poems, stories etc… in this easy to use utility.
*Copernic
http://www.copernic.com/
Save time on your research. This utility uses several search engines at once and saves your searches.
*Instant Poetry
http://homepage.dave-world.net/~sennett/mike/sw.html
Have some fun creating poems.
*It's Time
http://edienske.homepage.com/
This little program is a must for anyone who spends a lot of time typing. It's designed to force you to take a break from your work with a view to helping protect from painful Repetitive Strain Injury, (RSI).
The above writing sites and Ezines will draw you further into the resources available on the Internet. Take some time to explore them and find the information relevant to you.
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Gathered together for you to enjoy, a multitude of cyber gems to employ. Food for your muse with writings galore, visit our sites if you long to explore:
*The Rejection Slip
http://www.HopefulWriter.co.uk
*RestStop Writers'
http://www.creativepurrsuits.com/reststopnews/index.html
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21/11/00 Moonspinners Writer's Page
http://moonspinners.homestead.com
18/11/00 MR Books
http://www.geocities.com/tomrbooks
14/11/00 Ralan's SpecFic & Humor Webstravaganza
http://www.ralan.com/
05/11/00 Teach
http://devoted.to/teach
21/10/00 Parnassus
http://www.fdbg11097.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
25/08/00 MikesMaddie's Multitudes of Musings
http://www8.50megs.com/mikesmaddie/html/index.html
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Here's a piece of free writing software for you right out of the great UK magazine 'Writers' Forum' listed at The Rejection Slip under Magazines in case you were wondering.
Rough Draft - http://www.rsalsbury.co.uk/roughdraft
It's a basic word processor geared towards writers with some special features such as a screen play mode and play mode for help with formatting your work. The program was created by Richard Salsbury who wrote the article about free software for 'Writers' Forum.
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Quotes from http://www.btinternet.com/~alexandergrant/quotes/qlawr.htm
"I can't bear art that you can walk round and admire. A book should be either a bandit or a rebel or a man in the crowd." - D.H. Lawrence
"There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy." - Mark Twain
"When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." - Albert Einstein
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." - Albert Einstein
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Whispering Blackboard Index
http://www.100megsfree4.com/trs/blackboardindex.html
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Issue Four - December 2000.
Compiled by La Vizelle.
Thank you for reading.
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