Workshop Sneak Peek: Dahlynn McKowen, Publishing Syndicate LLC

Joining us for the Nonfiction mini-workshop (June 14-15) of the SWA Writers Workshop, June 13-17, at Epworth-by-the-Sea on St. Simon’s Island, GA, Dahlynn McKowen is the CEO and publisher of Publishing Syndicate LLC. A publishing house based in Northern California, the company is responsible for many books, including the highly successful Not Your Mother’s Book anthology.  In 2012, Dahlynn launched the Not Your Mother’s Book (NYMB) anthology. With six books released thus far, there are another 25 under production, from dieting to dating to menopause. 

Prior to Dahlynn’s publishing foray, she spent 25 years as a freelance travel writer, author, ghostwriter and copyeditor. Since selling her first feature article in 1987, she has sold and published over 2,000 works including business features and travel articles. She has been referred to by Chicken Soup for the Soul founders as one of their most trusted coauthors, having worked from 1999 to 2009 with series creators Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen and their staffs. 

Here's a peek at what Dahlynn has planned for us: 

Make Them Laugh!

The focus of this fun workshop will be on using humor in nonfiction anthology writing. Having spent 10 years at Chicken Soup for the Soul, Dahlynn’s new anthology series—Not Your Mother’s Book—does not accept death/dying, sad or sappy stories, only funny, entertaining and edgy stories. Also, she will offer insider tips on submitting to anthologies and talk about current publishing industry concerns (i.e., intellectual property and copyrights, libel, slander)…that is, if she and the group don’t get too wrapped up in the amusing part of the workshop! Each participant will also receive a silly memento. 

How to Get Your Nonfiction Work Published

Dahlynn and her husband Ken will co-lead this session.  With a combined 60 years in the publishing industry, the McKowens have a wealth of writing and publishing knowledge to share. This workshop will be a casual Q&A that will focus on getting your nonfiction work published. 

So are you ready to join us?

Space is limited!

Register today!

News from the Twitterverse

I was going to call this article "Do You Tweet?" but I thought, Doesn't everybody?

Not quite.  According to Statistic Brain, 645,750,000 people do with 135,000 joining every day.  That's a lot of people!

But it is not EVERYbody so for the few people, writer-people, who don't live their lives in 140-character spurts, I'm trying out this column to share writing-related news I have found on Twitter.  This, of course, is not everything out there.  I don't follow everybody. And, obviously, I'm no Twitter expert.  Still, I believe this will be helpful to writers.  For instance,

Two Agents Seeking Authors

Connor Goldsmith (‏@dreamoforgonon) posted on March 14:

"I'm actively looking to build my list. You can see my new submission guidelines at http://forewordliterary.com/foreword/connor-goldsmith/"

Writer Unboxed ‏(@WriterUnboxed) posted on Mar 3

"AGENT ALERT: Cate Hart seeks fantasy, steampnk, historical, mystery, magical realism, erotica, LGBT, YA, MG http://bit.ly/1jLWrXA  #WUAgent"  

Note:  This Twitter post links to Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Blog from Aug. 2012, but apparently she is still actively seeking clients. Meet Chuck at the Southeastern Writers Workshop will be June 13-17, 2014 at Epworth by the Sea on scenic St. Simons Island, Georgia. 

A Call for Submissions

Literary agent John M. Cusick (‏@johnmcusick) posted on March 4

"Submissions are now open for Issue 5 of @ArmchairShotgun! Submit your amazing poetry and fiction today! http://armchair.broadlatitude.com/submit-to-as/"

Follow SWA on Twitter: @SWAwriters

~~ Amy Munnell

Amy is the Editor of The Purple Pros, and has been an SWA member since 1990, serving on the Board of Directors from 1993-2007 and again from 2011 to the present.  She has been a freelance writer and editor for 25 years with her work appearing in various publications including the Chocolate for a Woman's Soul series, Saying Goodbye, From the Heart, Points North, ByLine, Athens Magazine and Georgia Magazine. Find Amy on Twitter: @amunnell

Workshop Sneak Peek: Bob Mayer, NYT Best-selling Author

Bob Mayer, the NY Times Bestselling author of factual thrillers, will anchor the Fiction mini-workshop (June 16-17) of the SWA Writers Workshop, June 13-17, at Epworth-by-the-Sea on St. Simon’s Island, GA. He steeps his stories in military, historical and scientific facts, then weaves those facts through fiction creating an exciting ride for the reader. He’s a West Point graduate, former Green Beret, and author of 60 books (the 60th released late last month) that have sold over 4 million copies. He’s been on bestseller lists in thriller, science fiction, suspense, action, war, historical fiction and is the only male author on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll.

Bob will offer six 1-hour classes, covering the foundations of novel writing: from idea and character to point of view and plotting, as well as some more advanced topics.  Here's sneak peek into two of Bob's classes:

Introduction to Write It Forward: From Writer To Successful Author 

Write It Forward is a holistic approach encompassing goals, intent, environment, personality, change, courage, communication and leadership that gives the writer a road map to become a successful author. Many writers become focused on either the writing or the business end; Write It Forward integrates the two, especially in the rapidly changing world of digital publishing.

Platform, Product & Promotion: Understand Your Unique Position as an Author 

A writer can easily be overwhelmed by all the well-meaning advice given by experts, industry professionals and even other authors.  The reason for this is that every single writer is in a different place and has to figure out their own position and point of view with which to boil down all the information into intelligence (useable information).  If you consider these three variables, with a sliding scale from ‘none’ to ‘the best’, you end up with an infinite variety of authors. This will help you make decisions such as should you traditional publish or self-publish, what areas you should focus your creative and marketing efforts on and much more. 

Is your curiosity piqued? 

Have we grabbed your novel-writing attention? 

Register for the SWA Writers Workshop here.

A Round of Applause: Member News

Debra Ayers Brown announces that her story "A Change of Tune" will be in Not Your Mother's Book ... On Being a Mom with a release date of April 8.

June Hall McCash will be speaking to a library group in Lagrange, GA, Tuesday, March 18 at 7 p.m.

Erika Hoffman’s story about how she met her husband, called "Before March Madness", has been accepted by Screamin’ Mamas. This is Erika’s fifth story to be published by this print magazine.

Edward Nagel signed with YesPlays, a play licensing company in Indiana, for the selling and licensing of his play scripts. The first three that will be on line with YesPlays are the full length plays, HOAX, WARD SIX (an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's novel of the same name) and a play adaptation of Albert Camus' existential novel THE STRANGER.   

Patrick Hempfing had moMENts columns published in March issues of About Families, Western New York Family, Fredericksburg Parent and Family, Palmetto Parent, Metroparent, Suburban Parent, Rio Grande Family, and Idaho Family magazines.  His moMENts columns have now been published in 15 states and two Canadian provinces.  

We invite members to share news about their successes and activities so we can all join the celebration!

Bright Idea #64: Learning to Dance

Early this year I found an interesting call out in Total Funds for Writers, a valuable resource for writers made possible by C. Hope Clark.  In early January, she mentioned that Dancing with Bear Publishers (DWB) were looking for submissions that would fulfill the following description:

"Have you been married to your childhood, high school, or college sweetheart and are still in love like the day you married?  . . . Then send us those true stories of everlasting love."

Immediately I got in touch with Debbie Ropollo, the submissions editor, and explained that Tim and I had been married 45 years and still loved each other. Heck, most days we even LIKE each other.  She encouraged me to submit my family memoir/essay "My Forever Valentines" in answer to DWB’s special call out for a Valentines’ publication.  I hadn’t heard of DWB publishers but Debbie was so personable and their mission statement was impressive.

A few days after I submitted my article, I received an email from Debbie with an attached contract.  A contract seemed a little unusual for an anthology, but not one to look a gift publishing op in the mouth. I read it, electronically signed it, and returned it.  

Imagine my surprise when Maria McGaha, the owner of DWB, welcomed me into their publishing family.  At the end of her note, she enclosed the link to my Kindle book.  

BOOK! What book?  

Dancing With Bear had turned My Forever Valentines into a Kindle book.  I was surprised, delighted, delirious, thrilled, and absolutely amazed.

When I recovered from shock, I spread the news.  My writing partner Amy could probably hear me shouting from five miles away.  I emailed my family, close friends, acquaintances, and probably strangers.  I posted the link and picture on Twitter along with a blurb about the book’s contents.  I bought Google’s promotion plan for a month.  This holiday piece was time sensitive and I wanted to give it a little push.

I posted an initial announcement on my Facebook page.  My greatest encourager, Tim, reminded me that I needed to do this on several occasions since FB pages fill up quickly and items get missed.  Several friends bought the book and responded with kind comments.  Thanks to Hope Clark’s Shy Writer Reborn, I discovered Amazon Author Central where an author can post pictures, comments, or get a scoop on how things are going with your book. The whole e-book publishing experience was a rush and I learned a lot of valuable information that I plan to use.  Just for people like me, Hope wrote a whole chapter on Amazon Author Central with hints on media marketing, building a writer’s platform.  Excellent advice for budding authors and even late bloomers like me.

The little book on Kindle couldn’t have come at a better time for me.  This season of the year brings rain, dark skies, and thoughts of kicking the habit – the writing habit, that is.  I need a little encouraging kick in the pants however I can get it.   provided the nudge to get on with bigger things.

And as an added plus, I get to build relationships with the staff at Dancing with Bear Publishers, which is never a bad thing.  Their interesting name, by the way, comes from a romantic story written by the owner.  Pull up the web page, www.dancingwithbearpublishing.com  and read it.  I guarantee it will warm your heart’s cockles, whatever they are.  Who knows?  Maybe you too will learn to dance.

~~ Sheila Hudson

Sheila's work appears in Chocolate for a Woman's Soul series, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Patchwork Path, From the Heart, Vols. 1 & 2, plus numerous periodicals including Costumer Magazine. She established Bright Ideas to bring hope and inspiration through the written word.  Sheila has also served as president of Southeastern Writers Association.  Read more about Sheila on her website.