I am excited to share
with you the results from this year’s Spring Writing Competition! I
enjoyed reading every entry. There were some I went back to read several times
just because I loved them so much! The hardest part about judging a
writing competition is that you have to rate the entries. I HATE this
part. Each entry was unique, well written, and SO different from the
others. But, for the sake of the contest, here are the winners from 3rd to 1st:
3) Socialized
Medicine by J. Tod... Continue reading ...
What an exciting adventure! I've been looking forward
to hosting this contest for several weeks. And now that the novel Curse of the Beast by Ashley Lavering is published,
I can breathe easier for a while and focus more on hosting Mystic
Manuscripts’ first writing contest. Do you want to see your work in print? Unsure if your work is up to par? Have you been published before and want the
chance to show off your skills? Send
your submissions to the Mystic Manuscripts Spring Writing C... Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Drollette on Thursday, March 8, 2012,
In :
Submissions
Finding the perfect place for your manuscript, your articles, and your poetry can often be the hardest part of submitting your work. To celebrate the 101's International Women's Day, Writer's Relief put together a list of MANY literary journals that promote work for women by women. Check it out! Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Drollette on Thursday, March 8, 2012,
In :
self-publishing
 Does anyone enjoy receiving rejection letters? We all know in the writing business that rejection letters often have their own file drawer, but the sting that sometimes accompanies rejection can be lessened by following some great advice by Tamela Hancock Murray from the Steve Laube Agency.What is the worst (or best) rejection letter you've ever received?
Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Drollette on Tuesday, March 6, 2012,
In :
self-publishing
 Are you following the publishing world debacle? If you are, check out this article written recently on up-to-date information on the publishing ecosystem. If you are not, this is a great article to get your feet wet. To summarize: The publishing world is moving through a shift--one that may take years to settle. Like ripples in a rainstorm, the extent of effect it with have on not only publishers, but authors and even readers, is hard to tell. One thing is clear: Amazon and Barnes and No... Continue reading ...
Hello my wonderful writing friends! Thank you for your patience as I evaluated the entries for this competition. I decided it wouldn't be too wise to judge them while on high doses of hydrocodone and pain. But, here they are for your enjoyment! There were so many wonderful entries it was difficult to choose. Several made me laugh out loud (not a great idea with stitches, but worth the endorphin rush) and some made me ponder deeply. Without further rambling, let's get to the results!
#1: ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Drollette on Monday, February 20, 2012,
In :
self-publishing
 If you publish through Amazon.com, be aware of their right to change your pricing at any time. BUT, if you sign with them at $2.99, you will receive the 70% royalty rate, even if they drop your book to $0.99 (compared to the 35% rate that you sign for at $0.99/book in the beginning). This article is fascinating. Take the time to read the comments section as well. Who Controls Your Amazon E-book Price? by Jim C. Hines. Continue reading ...
Posted by Jessica Drollette on Monday, February 13, 2012,
In :
Self-editing
Do you remember your third grade teacher drilling adverbs into your brain like your writing depended on them? They may have served a purpose for our younger years, but for professional writers, they should be shot out of your writing forever. Follow the link below to find out why. You'll discover one valuable tip to whittle down any style of writing to its most precise and profound level.
http://writetodone.com/2010/08/30/shoot-adverbs/ Continue reading ...
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” - George Bernard Shaw  Continue reading ...
As we embark into the new year, remember that setting goals is a wonderfully soul-stimulating process, but accomplishing what you set out to do is the real journey. Aim for the horizon, but remember that each small step on that pathway leads to the final destination.
 Continue reading ...
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