Writing It Real: Sheila Bender's Blog

Article Discussion: A History of Journal Keeping

Sheila — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:23:10 +0000

Writing about journaling, I became interested in why some writers called their journals commonplace books. This search led me to learning about scores of published journals. As I read about them, I realized that the diverse styles of journals, diaries and logs from the past could fertilize new writing ideas for today’s journal keepers.

Please add to this week’s articles’ information with book titles and tidbits from your experience by commenting on the blog.

Sevenkitchenpress -Rebound project

Sheila — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:10:25 +0000

Calll for submissions to the third annual ReBound Series from Seven Kitchens Press. 7KP will publish a new edition of an out-of-print chapbook, complete with a new ISBN and an introduction by the nominating writer. Submissions are currently being accepted through October 15; complete guidelines are available at http://sevenkitchenspress.wordpress.com/series-guidelines/guidelines-the-rebound-series/.

The first title in the series, *Notes from the Red Zone* by Christina Pacosz (with an introduction by David Chorlton), is available now, and the second title, Naomi Lazard’s *Ordinances* (with an introduction by Edward Field), will be published next month.

Ron Mohring
Seven Kitchens Press
http://sevenkitchenspress.wordpress.com <http://sevenkitchenspress.wordpress.com/>

Frag Lit Magazine Looking for Fragmentary Writing Contributions

Sheila — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:40:57 +0000

From Olivia Dresher, editor
FragLit Magazine
www.fraglit.com

The Fall 2010 issue of FragLit, on the theme of Solitude, is now online.
To read this 7th issue of the magazine, click on “Current Issue” at
www.fraglit.com.

If you’d like to submit to an upcoming issue (the next two themes are
Letters and On Writing), please consult our submission guidelines. We’re
also accepting submissions for the non-topical section of the magazine,
especially aphorisms.

For those who might be interested, we’ve recently added two
bibliographies to our website: “Works on Fragments” and “Fragmentary
Works”. Links to the bibliographies can be found on the “About” page of
the website.

Three-year-old’s recitation of A Billie Collins Poem!

Sheila — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:10:33 +0000

Click here. It’s moving! Oh, poetry. Oh that kids grew up on it!

Article Discussion: Writing About A Loved One Who Is Gone

Sheila — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:04:42 +0000

When we think of particular people, we often associate them with particular places or we may go to particular places to honor them. When we include those places in our writing, we write more deeply than we might imagine we can. This week’s article contains an excerpt from Sheila’s memoir A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief as well as two exercises based on the excerpt that will guide you in writing about those you have treasured by focusing on place and the associations you make from that place.

Please let us know how you might use these exercises; if you have already created writing on loss, tell us how you have done it.

Glimmer Train Fiction Open

Sheila — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:46:21 +0000

The September Fiction Open closes September 30. See guidelines.
Open to ALL writers–see editors’ note.

Former WIR Subscriber Publishes Children’s Book

Sheila — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:12:09 +0000

Linda Krisch has published a lovely children’s picture book about composting: http://www.thedirtmakerbook.blogspot.com/

Congratulations, Linda!

1,000 Writing Prompts – $10

Sheila — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:56:01 +0000

Actor/writer Byran Cohen maintains website www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com. He has put together a rich and varied collection of 1,000 writing prompts available now through his website for a penny each!

These prompts will work for memoir and fiction: Here are two sample prompts, “250. You give the best presentation of your life about the thing you care about the most in this world. Write down the presentation as if you were actually going to present it.” And: “925. Strange things begin to happen in your house. Lights turn on and off. Furniture moves on its own. You may have an angry spirit in your house. What do you do to deal with this odd problem?”

Essay Contest- Faith Inspired and Interfaith Enterprise Solutions to Poverty

Sheila — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:49:58 +0000

The SEVEN Fund (SEVEN) is pleased to announce its 2010-11 Essay Competition in partnership with the Washington DC-based Center For Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA). We are seeking essays on enterprise solutions to poverty from around the globe that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. The competition will award two (2) prizes of US $5,000. The submission deadline is October 15, 2010 at midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST). Winners will be announced on December 15, 2010. Writers are asked to submit a first-person narrative describing enterprise solutions to poverty that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. Illustrations may come from any domain, including healthcare, education, consumer products, human rights, and others; examples must represent innovative private solutions to public problems. SEVEN (the Social Equity Venture Fund) is a virtual non-profit entity run by entrepreneurs whose strategy is to markedly increase the rate of innovation and diffusion of enterprise-based solutions to poverty. It does this through targeted investment that fosters thought leadership through books, films and websites; supporting role models – whether they are entrepreneurs or innovative firms – in developing nations; and shaping a new discourse in government, the press and the academy around private-sector innovation, prosperity, and progressive human values.

Address questions to : info@sevenfund.org

http://www.sevenfund.org
http://twitter.com/sevenfund
http://www.facebook.com/sevenfund

Author Susan Wingate’s Blogs

Sheila — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:40:25 +0000

I’ve taught with Susan Wingate. Her words are worth reading regularly:

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/susanwingate/