February 8, 2005
A WriterOnLine Publication

My dear readers,

In keeping with this theme, our puzzle also looks at the nuts and bolts of writing. Test your knowledge and skill and join us with "The Technical Side of Writing" Puzzle.

We also excitedly introduce our new Editor: Magazine Writing, Mike Sedge. Mike brings a world-class perspective to the profession of magazine writing, as seen in his debut article, "'List' Queries: Getting More Mileage."

Also joining the ranks of magazine writers extraordinaire is Stephanie Olsen, who tells us about the magic of timing in her article "Query Queen."

On the mechanics of writing: polish that text, so says Terrie Relf in her article "Figure Enhancements Anyone: A Few Techniques to Hone That Writing Scalpel."

Not into the lacy valentine thing? Our curmudgeon debunks the whole star-gazed lover bit with this hilarious commentary on Valentine's Day.

Don't forget, just a few weeks to go for our Novel Contest! We've extended the deadline to March 3rd, so be sure to get your submissions in well ahead of time!

And of course, we've got all the news that's fit to print, courtesy Pam Beers.

Well then, until next issue, keep that ink flowing and those keyboards a'clacking!

My warm regards,

Mary Anne Donovan

GET YOUR NOVEL PUBLISHED!!!

To celebrate the New Year and the opening of Writer Online’s new e-publishing house, MY-E-BOOK is sponsoring an Unpublished Novel Contest. An unprecedented opportunity, submit your novel(s) to Writer Online and the winner will receive publication at MY-E-BOOK, which includes an impressive e-publishing package... More

The Technical Side of Writing

In this issue we put the focus on technical writing, and in this puzzle, we focus on the technical side of writing… More

A Look at Technical Communication Through FAQs
By Judy Shenouda

Whenever I give talks to “creative” types, I love watching the reaction when I initiate the “marketing” discussion. Dozens of sets of eyes all calculating the distance between their seats and the door. Brows furrow. Throats gulp. Teeth practically chatter.... More

The Year of the Screenplay
By Christina Hamlett

Movies. No matter their theme, budget, or cast, they all start out in pretty much the same way. They start out with dreamers—just like you—sitting in darkened theaters around the world and imagining what it would be like to see their names scrolling up the credits after the words, “Screenplay Written By…”... More

"List" Queries: Getting More Mileage
By Mike Sedge

A decade ago, I began using list submissions. This marketing technique increased my article sales, while decreasing my overhead and workload... More

Query Queen
By Stephanie Olsen

Timing plays such a crucial role in landing assignments that—if I had to choose—I'd place speed over the perfect query any day of the week... More

Figure Enhancements Anyone?
A Few Techniques to Hone That Writing Scalpel
By Terrie Leigh Relf

No matter how hard we work out at the computer, sometimes we realize that there’s a bit more padding than we want in one area and another area that needs a bit of enhancement. Let’s get out our trusty do-it-yourself-home-prose-doctoring kits, hone those figurative writing scalpels, and create a new—or an improved—text!... More

The Curmudgeon Speaks: Roses are Red. Violets are Blue: Who Cares?!
By Pamela Beers

Is your barn/house cat your real significant other? Are you tired of all the delusions and cliches about love, sweet love? I can answer “yes” to both of these questions. I am the great debunker of lacy valentines dealing with romance as I get straight to the heart of the matter that makes fools of us all…love!... More

By Pamela Beers

Publisher Signs Pope: Ten Years of Preparation

Pope John Paul II was a philosopher before he became a cleric. His Holiness has written an autobiographical meditation called Memory and Identity. The book is a meditative, philosophical response on religious themes... More

The Quill Awards: Celebrate Reading and Promote Literacy

Create excitement among consumers, bring well-deserved recognition to writers, and invigorate the marketplace…all objectives of The Quills Literacy Foundation. Most importantly, Quills wants to interest more people in buying and reading books... More

Elvis Fans: Celebrate His Life

Private dreams and truths of an extraordinary talented and complex man will be revealed by Priscilla Presley and Lisa-Marie Presley, ex-wife and daughter of Elvis Presley in a book called, Elvis by the Presleys... More

Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys: Same Author?

Years have passed since I read The Nancy Drew Mystery Series by Carolyn Keene. I never read The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon because we didn’t cross gender barriers 50 years ago. Today both of my grandchildren, Ivey and Zane, enjoy reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys because they get to solve a mystery through deductive reasoning ... More

Senior Athletics: Geezerjock Magazine

Finally, there is a serious senior athletics magazine for people 40-and-over. GeezerJock is a Masters sports and fitness publication that will be distributed quarterly and has a companion website at geezerjock.com... More

Medals: Newberry and Caldecott: 2005

Kira-Kira, written by Cynthia Kadohata, won the 2005 John Newberry medal of honor, which recognizes outstanding writing and Kevin Henkes’ artwork in Kitten’s First Full Moon won the 2005 Randolph Caldecott medal for outstanding illustrations... More

Highly Controversial Writings: Collected by Doubleday/Random House Publishers

Oral teachings of Osama Bin Laden and the writings of Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden’s chief strategist have been acquired by Doubleday/Random House for a low six figure sum... More