Monday, January 29, 2007

Buzzing Books...

I've been hard at work on the marketing of my next book--it is due out in April. Part of my intention is to do a virtual book tour and in my quest to set this up I stumbled across one of the interesting efforts just launched by Bill Stephens to promote his Horizons Past.

In addition to his blog, where he is posting chapters of his book and building his list, he is also putting out videos about the process. I've included his below along with one reading group who submitted a response (and did a good job of marketing in the process).

Good ideas--also check out Patry Francis as she has created quite the buzz about her first novel, The Liar's Diary.



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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Diarists' Workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico

I received a bunch of information from Charlene at the Diarist's Workshop in New Mexico. If you live in that area or need an excuse to visit--here are a few of her programs:

WRITE ON
A journal, too can be more than a repository for words, it can serve as the canvas upon which our images, dreams, and symbols can be stretched and colored. - George Simons

Having trouble finding the time to journal? Are you in a rut and wanting to be in the groove with your creativity? Maybe you would benefit from the support, stimulus, or discipline of a group. Be encouraged to use different writing styles and visual techniques while recording your unique perceptions of the world. Have fun filling the pages of your journal with provocative entries suggested by Charlene.

Instructor: Charlene Geiss.
8 weeks: January 23rd to March 15th
Tuesday evenings, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Fee: $210 includes tax and materials.
Call Charlene at 505-986-8902 for further information or to register for any of her classes.

INNER CRITIC
Do your "inner voices" criticize, judge, and undermine your efforts continuously? Perhaps it is time for you to turn the spotlight on and the volume up, to better understand where these voices or thoughts come from and what you can do about them. Charlene's thought-provoking writing exercises and discussions will expose, identify, and eventually quiet these most annoying and troublesome voices. Isn't it time you listened to more supportive loving messages?

Instructor: Charlene Geiss.
Three Sunday sessions, March 18, 25, April 1
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Fee: $195 includes tax and materials.
Call Charlene at 505-986-8902 for further information or to register for any of her classes.

JOURNAL HARVESTING
You need to read your journals with an eye for expanding awareness and growth.-Tristine Rainer, New Diary -Tristine Rainer, New Diary

What are you doing with all those completed journals? When is the last time you opened your completed journals to read your mind? While writing is a tool for self-discovery, revisiting your journals adds another dimension to "knowing thyself." Discover patterns of behavior, consider your thoughts from a new perspective, and honor your accomplishments while turning the pages of your past. Charlene introduces techniques and suggests ways to use past entries that will serve you for years to come.

Instructor: Charlene Geiss.
1 Session: Saturday, February 17
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: $85 includes tax and materials.
Call Charlene at 505-986-8902 for further information or to register for any of her classes.

PRIVATE SESSIONS
Charlene continues to work privately with individuals who would like to focus on a long or short-term goal, explore what has been ignored or avoided, rediscover a passion, or find the courage to manifest a heart's desire. In a safe environment, uncover possibilities for action by finding and using one's voice, through "Echoing", a process of talking, writing and listening.

$70 per session includes tax.
Call Charlene at 505-986-8902 to arrange for a consultation or appointment.

This semester two creative and talented teachers, Judy Morse and Ann Hawkins join Charlene at the Diarists' Workshop to offer exciting new classes that delight, inspire, and transform.

YOUR HEARTS' DESIRE
Such a price the Gods exact for song, to become what we sing. - Goethe

This 8-week workshop is based on author Sonia Choquette's Nine Principles for Creating the Life You Really Want. These principles are presented in a clear, simple, practical format, AND THEY WORK! The workshop also includes many journaling exercises and the creation of your own "Alchemy Box."
Students are asked to be committed to the 8-week process, for each week builds upon the previous session and the writing exercises.
Nine Principles covered

* Bring Your Dreams Into Focus
* Gain Support of Your Subconscious Mind
* Imagine Your Heart's Desire
* Eliminate Your Obstacles
* Be Open to Intuitive Guidance
* Choose to Support Your Dream with Love
* Surrender Control
* Claim Your Dream
* Stay True to Your Dream

Instructor: Judy Morse
8 Weeks: January 21st through March 11th
Sunday afternoons, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Fee: $180 includes tax and materials.
Call Judy at 505-424-1744 for further information or to register.

Judy Morse is an experienced diarist, teacher and author who has taught workshops and written articles for the Cuyamungue Institute. She has been teaching "Between the Lines" and "Write On" at the Diarists' Workshop.

BETWEEN THE LINES
And what does January hold? Clean account books. Bare diaries. Three hundred and sixty-five new days, neatly parceled into weeks, months, seasons. A chunk of time, of life... those first notes like an orchestra tuning up before the play begins. - Phyllis Nicholson, Country Bouquet

So, what does the New Year hold for you? How about a fun and innovative journaling class in which you learn many different writing techniques to help fill those bare diary pages? Between the Lines is a foundational journaling class in which students learn writing techniques that are used in many of the classes offered at the Diarists' Workshop. Students learn ten techniques such as Spiral Writing, Unsent Letters, Child Reporter and Third-Person Portrait. These techniques help the experienced or beginner diarist to better express his or her thoughts and feelings.

Instructor: Judy Morse
8 Weeks: January 31st through March 21th
Wednesday Evenings, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Fee: $190 includes Inner Outings deck, plus tax and materials.
Call Judy at 505-424-1744 for further information or to register.

THE MAGICAL DAYBOOK
The dominant thoughts and images that you hold in your mind are what you create in your life.

In this 8-week workshop you create a Magical Daybook and design a simple daily ritual, so that you can start each day by cultivating the thoughts, feelings, and images that you want to resonate with throughout your day. Each beautiful page of your personal Magical Daybook provides you with a reminder of the intentions, dreams, goals and values that inspire you to create your masterpiece: your most authentic, meaningful life.
As a group, we explore the Law of Attraction through a carefully orchestrated sequence of provocative journaling exercises, discussions, guided visualizations and book arts. Be challenged to determine what is truly important to you, and what you want to create in your life. Learn how to use self-hypnosis and subconscious affirmations to transform blocks and negative beliefs.

Instructor: Ann Hawkins
8 Weeks: January 25th through March 15th
Thursday Evenings, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Fee: $200 includes tax and materials.
Call Ann at 505-992-2663 for further information or to register.

Ann Hawkins spent 20 years as an advertising and film production executive before coming to Santa Fe to study the healing arts. She is now a licensed Massage Therapist and is Certified in Life Coaching and Hypnotherapy. She previously taught "The Magic Manifestation Workshop" at the Diarists' Workshop.

LIVING LA DOLCE VITA
What is this life for, if not to experience happiness, joy, and delight? In this workshop, you honor the yummy things in life, such as beauty, friendship, the arts, nature, wisdom, love, reflection, and contentment. So often, these precious jewels are forgotten in the midst of our hectic schedules, personal difficulties, and the myriad pressures and distractions of daily life. Sometimes we live in anticipation of happiness and the good life, instead of remembering that we can experience it in every moment.

Using a series of inspiring writing and visual journaling exercises, this workshop gives you the opportunity to explore and name the things in life that bring you the most happiness and make you feel good! A visual Book of Treasures will be the culmination of your musings. You also learn ways to transform your subconscious mind and to enhance your ability to enjoy La Dolce Vita!

Topics Include

* The Inner Game of Appreciation
* Cultivating Evocative Moods
* The Epicurean Art of Happiness
* The Way of Paying Attention
* Being a Connoisseur of Life

Instructor: Ann Hawkins
8 Weeks: February 5th through March 26th
Monday Evenings, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Fee: $200 includes tax and materials.
Call Ann at 505-992-2663 for further information or to register.

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

IWOSC SATURDAY SEMINAR: January 20, 2007

"Spiders and Bugs: Web Writing and Management"

Saturday, January 20
10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Writers Store, 2040 Westwood Blvd. (Westwood)

Today's effective professional writers use the Internet as both a tool
and a marketplace. Learn how at IWOSC's January Saturday Seminar, when iMedia
Editor in Chief Brad Berens discusses writing for the Internet, and
Internet marketing expert Cliff Allen speaks about webmastering.

The workshop will cover the differences between writing online and off;
site metrics and how they inform editorial decisions; how to design,
implement and manage a website; tips on creating a good website; personalization;
e-mail marketing; and data mining.

In addition, Berens will talk about iMedia's current needs and its
marketplace for freelancers, including his freelance budget.

Meet our instructors:

Brad Berens is an editor, writer, critic, public speaker, and thinker
--
mostly about media (new and old), culture (high and low), marketing
(traditional and interactive), and how what audiences do with the
things they watch have a huge impact on who they are.

Berens is Editor in Chief and the primary content supervisor (and
freelancers' contact) at iMedia, an online trade publication and
offline events producer whose business mission is "to advance how interactive
media and marketing can -- and must -- work together." The internet has
changed and will continue to change how audiences behave, and tracking those
changes is a big part of what Berens does at iMedia, in his "Mediavorous Blog," and
in talks all over the country.

Cliff Allen began his computer industry career in 1973 when he left the
broadcasting sector to start his own software company serving the
advertising industry with statistical analysis software used to analyze audience
rating data. After selling that company, Allen established a high-tech
advertising/PR firm to provide marketing communications services to
companies selling software, hardware, electronics, data communications, and
telecommunications products.

Allen is also an author whose latest book is "One-to-One Web
Marketing," and whose first book was the "Web Catalog Cookbook." He has written a
weekly column on "precision marketing" for ClickZ.com, as well as articles for
other marketing magazines.

COST: General Admission: $35; IWOSC members: $15

RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION: (required!) info@iwosc.org or 877-799-7483.
Space is limited. Reservations will be held until ten minutes before the
start of the program.

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Monday, January 15, 2007

BEYOND WORDS (Writers Guild) February 8, 2007

BEYOND WORDS – THE NOMINEES PANEL
Thursday, February 8, 7:30pm
At the Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills 90211
parking in adjacent lot

Join the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild Foundation for
Beyond Words, a panel discussion and celebration of the year’s best
writing for the big screen. Beyond Words features the WGA and Academy
award nominees for original and adapted screenplays, and is a
must-not-miss event.

TICKETS: www.wgfoundation.org

General - $20
WGA - $15
Student with current ID - $10

Dessert reception to follow in the theatre lobby. This event sells out
every year, so early reservation is recommended.

The panelists will be selected from the following list and from the
Academy Award list of screenwriting nominees when announced:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Babel, Written by Guillermo Arriaga, Paramount Vantage
Little Miss Sunshine, Written by Michael Arndt, Fox Searchlight
Pictures

The Queen, Written by Peter Morgan, Miramax Films

Stranger Than Fiction, Written by Zach Helm, Sony Pictures
Entertainment

United 93, Written by Paul Greengrass, Universal Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation
of Kazakhstan, Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter
Baynham & Dan Mazer, Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham &
Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips, Based on a Character Created by Sacha Baron
Cohen, Twentieth Century Fox

The Departed, Screenplay by William Monahan, Based on the Motion
Picture Infernal Affairs, Written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, Warner Bros.
Pictures

The Devil Wears Prada, Screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna, Based on the
Novel by Lauren Weisberger, Twentieth Century Fox

Little Children, Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta, Based on the
Novel by Tom Perrotta, New Line Cinema

Thank You for Smoking, Screenplay by Jason Reitman, Based on the Novel
by Christopher Buckley, Fox Searchlight Pictures

TICKETS WILL BE MAILED THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE EVENT (FEB 1)
No refund, no exchange.
WGA member discount automatically calculated when you add item to your
cart.

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Alliance of Writers: News Area

For 2007 we decided to offer a place where writing groups can post their activities. We do not endorse any of these but offer them as a public service since many of you keep emailing about your contests, workshops and other such activities.

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