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Help us Sponsor this Cancer Survivor
100% Donations go for Her Scholarship

Dear Friends,

At CWI, we encourage cancer survivors by inspiring them with a free writing course. When they learn how to paint new worlds into existence, the mind can rest and the body can heal. Shirley M. has been approved for a scholarship, but our Scholarship Fund is depleted. We need $200 to sponsor her, so we are appealing to you; 100% of your donation will go directly to this cause. Of course, your gift is tax deductible.

Shirley M. waits for your help

Just click here: http://cwinst.com/donate.php. Thank you for your generosity, love and concern. God bless you richly. Questions? Feel free to write to our CEO: DeborahOwen@CWinst.com.

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Disabled Writer Turns Dollars and Makes Sense
Blind Writer Shares Personal Struggles
by Phyllis Campbell

We all have them… those precious things called dreams, but for those with a so-called disability, fulfilled dreams seem impossible. Not so! Find your dream, and cling to it, no matter what.

When my fourth-grade teacher told Mother I was going to be a writer, I thought the poor woman had gone ‘round the bend, but she had simply seen my talent peeking through every composition I wrote.

Later, I won first place in a short story contest for young, blind people, and I also placed in a statewide contest for schools in Virginia, but that was before I sold my first essay and my writing dream became a reality.

With that first $15 sale, I recognized that, more than anything else on earth, I wanted to write. If I had known the hard work and disappointment that lay ahead, would I have submitted the first thing for consideration? Well... yes! I fought the odds.

“Blind people can’t write,” the editor of our local paper said.

“You don’t even want to think of becoming a writer,” my rehab counselor said. “You’ll never make any money at it.”

“But it isn’t all about money,” my dear husband said. Chuck used to hold me close, always giving the loving encouragement I needed, no matter how many rejection slips ended up in our mailbox.

In those days, the mechanics of writing were hard, and even more so for the blind. I remember composing in Braille by punching little Braille dots out one at a time, using a device which was almost a twin to the one Louis Braille used. It took a great deal of time and patience to punch a story out one letter at a time.

When it was done, I read with my fingers and then typed it out on the typewriter, hoping it would be the final copy. If there was a distraction or if I couldn’t remember what I wrote last, I was lost and had to begin again. I learned to note the first and last lines of each page so I wouldn’t have to go back to the very beginning.

I didn’t have a proofreader. I relied on the teacher who taught me to type and the precious thing that never failed, prayer. Chuck checked the order of the pages, and horror of horrors if the typewriter malfunctioned and left blank pages. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to throw that typewriter across the room and give up, but I couldn’t even lift the wretched thing.

With the coming of computers, all of that has changed… except for the rejection slips that plague every writer’s life. Those pink slips brought me to tears. When the tenth one arrived, I reached for a tissue as I tore it up and settled in to try again.

Finally, I began selling things, and in 1986, I held my first published book in my hand. It was a milestone.Chuck described the cover to me, and I confess, we both shed a few tears.

I continued to sell short stories, but it would be another ten years before I would sell Friendships in the Dark, which was published in China, the United Kingdom and the USA. It is still available in libraries.

Today, I write three monthly columns, and I have three eBooks on Amazon and Smashwords. [You are invited to visit my site at http://www.phylliscampbellbooks.com.]

Chuck is deceased now and I miss him so much, but I walk down Memory Lane with him daily. I can still hear him say, “You can do it.” Yes, I can – and so can you.

Dream big, and never quit reaching for your star.

***Phyllis Campbell has been blind from birth. Her work has appeared in such publications as The Christian Herald, The Lutheran, The Lutheran Woman, and in the romance market of McFadden's Woman's Group. Her recorded material, From My Kitchen, has been used by the Virginia Department for the Vision Impaired, and she has written a true crime novel.

Phyllis is a pipe organist at Faith Lutheran Church and is a piano teacher. Presently, she is memorizing Bach’s fugue done on the choral, "All Glory be to God on High" for an Easter special.

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Rambling Writing
Barbara McNichol's Editorial
by Barbara McNichol
(Reprint by Permission)

Rambling in your writing often stems from muddy thinking. Do you have a clear idea of exactly what you want to say? Challenge yourself to state its purpose in one simple sentence. Once you have your intended point in mind, ask:

Did I put in unnecessary facts?
Did I add any irrelevant phrases?
Did I keep in mind what readers need to know?
Do my sentences lack rhythm?
Did I go straight to the point or did I take unnecessary detours?

Use the following formula to monitor your writing and keep sentences from running away on you. Use no more than:

5 paragraphs per page
10 sentences per paragraph
21 words per sentence
3 syllables per word

How to apply this formula:

Step 1: Take one page of your writing, 300-400 words, and count the number of paragraphs. Fewer than 5?

Step 2: In an average paragraph, count the number of sentences you have. Fewer than 10?

Step 3: Choose one paragraph and count the number of words in each sentence. What’s the average? Fewer than 21?

Step 4: Now circle all the words on the page that have 4 syllables or more.

Follow these four steps and you’ll find it easier to reduce wordiness and increase the clarity of your writing.

Need a Nudge to Write Your Book Now?

Ready to write a book that transforms people’s lives? My colleague Lisa Tener has helped hundreds of authors take their messages out into the world. Through her coaching, she takes their books from good to great to transformative–and best-sellers, too. I invite you to read these two articles Lisa has crafted to help you do exactly that.

35 Superb Reasons to Write a Book Now

5 Miracles You’ll Experience When you Write a Book

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What's Hot and What's Not
by Kevin Keeney, Columnist

Writer's Block interferes, postpones, stalls, or halts your writing effort. Blocks can appear any time, so put away the misconception that they are nocturnal. They might show up in your office or at home, in the coffee shop, on the train, or in your car (although writing while you drive is more hazardous than texting).

You can't shrug off Writer's Block. You can't push it out of the way, crawl under it, or climb over it. You must replace it with an idea or ideas to get you back on the writing path, and ideas are everywhere. You just have to be observant. Notice your world as you travel through it, and jot notes in that notebook you carry everywhere. (You are still carrying that notebook, aren’t you?)

Not having any luck paying attention as you wander through life? The Internet is the answer to your prayers – sort of. The Internet is like your overstuffed file cabinet. All the papers you need are there. The problem is finding the one you want.

Searching Google for “writing prompts” returns about 11,500,000 results, while “writer's prompts” returns 706,000 results, and “writers prompts” lists 28,700,000. Talk about a needle in a haystack! Luckily, Google sorts the results by “relevance.” In theory, the best websites are on the first few pages of results.

Here are just a few of the most “relevant” sites [according to Google] that might help you chug through your writer’s block:

http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts – an average of one prompt posted a week.
http://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises – three prompts posted a week, in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts – countless prompts updated by a subset of the 9 million Reddit subscribers.
https://www.pinterest.com/ – thousands of images searchable by keywords for visual ideas. This is also a good place to mix with other writers.

Besides written prompts, visual prompts are an ideal way to banish writer's block. One of the easiest ways to find visuals is a Google image search (https://www.google.com/images). Search on keywords, and browse until you find something interesting.

If Google image search doesn't work for you, head over to the largest social network for artists in the world, Deviant Art, at https://www.deviantart.com/. Each day, users upload 80,000 new images (or text submissions) to the 80,000,000 item database. With 2,500 categories available, if it isn't here, it may not exist.

The Internet is a valuable tool for breaking through Writer's Block, but there is always the danger of chasing rabbits. You may end up doing a lot of searching and no writing, kind’a like the wannabee writer who spends years studying how to write, but never takes the big leap. Smash that writer's block! You can’t finish something you don’t start.

The rest of the Internet is waiting for you, with the perfect website to help you distance writer’s block.

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Contests, Agents, and Jobs
by Michelle K. Malsbury, BSBM, MM
Creative Writing Institute Staff Intern

Contests

2017 Ginosko Flash Fiction Contest has a $5 entry fee and a $500 award. Submit up to two pieces, 800 words maximum each piece. Deadline March 1, 2017. Awarded work will be published on Ginosko Literary Journal website and in their forthcoming issue. See their website for more information: http://GinoskoLiteraryJournal.com.

The San Francisco Writing Conference contest is open to all writers. Categories are Adult-Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction/Memoir, and Children’s/YA. Entries may have been self-published or not yet published, but not traditionally published, and can be up to 1500 words or less. The grand prize winner receives $250 and a meeting with a literary agent, while first place winners in each category are awarded checks for $100. The deadline for entries is January 13, 2017. Winners will be announced February 17, 2017. Register at http://sfwriters.org/2017-writing-contest-overview.

The Women’s National Book Association, open to all women, is holding their 5^th Annual Writing Contest. The acceptable genres are: fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry. There are four awards in each category, with the first-place winner receiving $250.00. The entry fee for women association members is $15 per submission and $20 for non-members. Deadline for submissions is February 15, 2017 and the winners will be announced May 1, 2017. Log on to http://www.wnba-books.org/contest/.

Lamar York Writing Contest is open to writers of fiction and non-fiction. Genres range from short stories to memoirs to fiction prose and non-fiction. There are two prizes of $1000.00 each and publishing in the Chattahoochee Review. The entry fee is $18 per submission with a 6,000-word limit. All essays must be received by January 31, 2017. Log on to http://thechattahoocheereview.gpc.edu/prizes.htm.

Crazyhorse is holding a fiction, poetry and non-fiction contest with a deadline of January 31, 2017. Their grand prize is $2,000! No more than 25 pages for fiction and non-fiction, poems between one and three pages in length. There is a $20 submission fee. Log on to http://thechattahoocheereview.gpc.edu/.

Agents

Amaryah Orenstein from Go Literary is particularly drawn to narrative non-fiction and memoir that connects the reader to its characters. She offers skilled advice and guidance to help clients bring out the best in their writing. For general inquiries, write to info@go-lit.com and for submissions sub@go-lit.com. Her website is http://go-lit.com.

Carrie Pestritto from Prospect Agency loves to find new authors with strong, unique voices. She works closely with her clients to develop their ideas. Carrie’s primary interest are books that take the reader to another culture or period, though she is open to many different types of manuscripts and genres. Her submission requirements are: query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters. The entirety of picture books should be submitted. Submit via their website and it may take up to three months for a reply. Log onto http://www.prospectagency.com/zoo.html.

L. Perkins Agency is both a literary agent and e-book publisher. They accept a wide spectrum of genres and subjects. For submissions, email a query letter to submissions@lperkinsagency.com containing a brief synopsis of your manuscript, your bio, and the first five pages from your novel or book proposal. For information about their agents, query guide and contact info, check out the Agents section on their website at www.lperkinsagency.com.

http://www.Searchingforpublishers.com helps you publish, design, and edit your book. They also offer advertising campaigns and marketing tools that help your written work achieve the publicity it deserves. A free publishing consultation is available. Turn-around time for replies is 48 hours.

The website http://www.sfwa.org/real/ for Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) invites science fiction and fantasy writers to learn how to find a real literary agent. The website is loaded with pertinent information including when you need an agent, when you don’t, and how to follow submission guidelines. They warn you what to beware of in your search to find the right avenues.

Jobs

Are you a travel writer? Great Escape Publishing is looking for writers. Their home page invites submissions from an array of exotic travel destinations. They also state that “no experience is required.” Go to http://www.greatescapepublishing.com/.

HT Hires.today welcomes all writers. Though one should be wary of fraudulent sites claiming they pay a lot, Hires.today states writers can work remotely full or part time and earn up to $50 per hour depending on your experience. Go to http://www.hires.today.

Contena matches writers with organizations and people seeking writers. You can search different industry positions and click the links to learn more about specific jobs. Go to https://www.contena.co/.

Happy New Year! Let’s start the new year off right and WRITE.

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Points to Ponder
by Julie Canfield, Columnist

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare;
before they spring into being I announce them to you. Isaiah 42:9 (NLT)

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them
ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.
Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Every January, we make resolutions, then break them shortly thereafter. We say “diet” and then eat a candy bar. We say 'no caffeine after 4:00 p.m.' and stop at the nearest coffee pot for a quick fix. We tell people we’re getting serious about the gym this year and continue our standing as a couch potato.

Humans are not known for their willpower. The good news is that no matter what we intend but fail to do, God forgives and gives us another chance.

We may desire to use the gift of writing every day, but let’s be honest… life gets in the way. But because of His mercy, God lets us keep our gift, though it will never achie fullness if we don’t exercise it. Writing is muscle we need to flex, and push to new levels if we want it well developed.

The year of 2017 is still a blank book called Opportunity. Make a commitment to write a page in it every day. By exercising your writing muscle, you will strengthen your God-given gift, and when you do that, your faith will grow. When your faith increases, more doors will open for greater blessings. Greater blessings bring a deeper trust in God, which means a closer relationship with the One who gave you the gift of writing.

Maybe you didn’t make any resolutions, or maybe you made some and have already broken them. Fortunately, this is a new day and you can start over with a new commitment to write at least 10-15 minutes a day.

Write about anything! About the dryer that just broke, the child who won’t mind, the driver who made you late for work, your favorite pet or favorite piece of furniture. Just… write!

The effort you put into using your gift will be rewarded by the one who gave it to you. You can’t ask for, nor receive, a bigger blessing than that. Make 2017 your breakthrough year.

What are you waiting for? Get busy. Flex those writing muscles!

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Connect with our CEO, Deborah Owen

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Blog: https://DeborahOwen.wordpress.com/

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A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Proverbs 25:10

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Disclaimer:

Deborah Owen and Creative Writing Institute, Inc., its board and staff make no warranties or guarantees of any kind. Writing success is a product of personal study and persistence. We endeavor to be accurate in every way, but the publishing industry and research material fluctuates almost daily. Deborah Owen, Creative Writing Institute, Inc., its board and staff may not be held liable for damages of any kind.

Travel the writing road at your own risk. Investigate and research thoroughly to protect yourself against fraud. Direct questions to DeborahOwen@CWinst.com.

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In this Issue

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