In the spirit of summertime, the July & August Write On! Extra Credit is to go out and have some fun. Do something different, have an adventure, and then post about it 300 – 400 words on the Write On! Online Facebook Discussion Board (or in the “Comments” section of this post).

Some suggestions: Take an improv or dance class, choose a place you’ve been wanting to explore – and walk there, try surfing. You can also post about an adventure you just had over the weekend.

One week left to submit. Posts are due next Monday, August 10. The winning post will receive The Write Environment DVD interview with Entourage creator Doug Ellin and have their story in the August Write On! Newsletter.

Questions, email writeononline@yahoo.com.Happy Writing!

In the spirit of summertime, the July Write On! Extra Credit is to go out and have some fun. Do something different, have an adventure, and then post about it 300 – 400 words on the Write On! Online Facebook or Yahoo Group Discussion Board.

Some suggestions from last night’s meeting: Take an improv or dance class, choose a place you’ve been wanting to explore – and walk there, try surfing. Feel free to post your adventure suggestions on the Discussion Boards, as well. There’s a separate thread for posting your stories. Happy writing!

Remember Write On! June Extra Credit is to enter the Write On! Online/The Write Environment Query Contest. For a complete list of Prizes, Details, and Submission Guidelines, click here. Questions, email writeononline@yahoo.com. No cost to enter. Deadline has been June 30. Submit your query today!

Write On! June Extra Credit is to enter the Write On! Online/The Write Environment Query Contest.

The winner in each category – Screenplay, Teleplay, Fiction, and Non-Fiction - will have their query letter read by a literary agent, among other prizes.

David Boxerbaum - a senior literary agent working at APA, where he represents writers and directors in the feature and TV world – will read the winners in the screenplay and teleplay categories. Laura Strachan – who has a boutique literary agency, specializing in literary fiction and narrative non-fiction – will read the fiction and non-fiction queries. The winning queries will also win an iScript recording of their project. Plus, one Grand Prize winner will take home a copy of Save the Cat Software. Other sponsors include The Writers Store and Barnes & Noble.

For a complete list of Prizes, Details, and Submission Guidelines, click here. For tips on writing a good query letter, read the Write On! Online Author Q&A with The Query Queen Wendy Burt-Thomas.

Questions, email writeononline@yahoo.com. No cost to enter. Deadline is June 30.

Submit your query today!

Just a few quick reminders:

Post your May Extra Credit Assignment (People-Watching) on the Write On! Yahoo Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writeononline/message/67) or Facebook Group by end of day, tomorrow, May 8, for a chance to win The Write Environment DVD with “Heroes” creator/executive producer/writer Tim Kring, and have your story in the next newsletter. For more information, go to http://writeononline.com/2009/04/17/may-extra-credit/.

Also, post your May Goals (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writeononline/) for a chance to win a FREE iScript. (www.iscript.com).

Send your news, events, etc. for the May Write On! Newsletter to writeononline@yahoo.com by Monday, May 11. Keep an eye out for the Write On!Online/The Write Environment Contest launching next week. Details in the newsletter.

Go out People-Watching. You can either eavesdrop on a conversation, draw your own conclusions, and write it up OR observe a stranger or someone you see every day—mail carrier, bank teller, person at the grocery—and decide what you think their life is really like. Write up to 200 words and post it on the Write On! Yahoo or Facebook group Message Board by May 8.

Write On! Online is pleased to welcome our newest sponsor: The Write Environment, a DVD series of one-on-one interviews with some of today’s most prolific writers, created and hosted by screenwriter and journalist Jeffrey Berman.

The winner of May Extra Credit will receive The Write Environment: Featuring an Interview with Tim Kring (Heroes creator/executive producer/writer) and have their story in the next newsletter.

Congratulations to CJ Larson, who won an iScript for posting April goals on Write On! Online.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 13. Join the Write On! Online Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writeononline/) or Facebook group, and post your goals by Monday, May 11, and be entered in a drawing to win a FREE iScript.

We frequently discuss the importance of writing out of our comfort zone. A fiction writer can certainly benefit from interviewing people for a non-fiction story. A journalist can learn something from writing a poem. A sci fi writer might consider it a stretch to write something in the romance genre, but the challenge of writing what you don’t know really only serves to make for a better writer.

It is with this in mind that I present this month’s extra credit assignment: Have an adventure—experience something that causes you to leave your comfort zone—and then post about it (up to 200 words) on the Write On! Yahoo or Facebook group Message Board. I am not suggesting you take up skydiving or run away and join the circus… however, if you are an athlete, paint a picture; if you are a homebody, run a marathon; if you like to eat out, cook a meal. Anything goes. Be creative. And then write about it.

While it is important to hone your “chops” by writing in different mediums and genres, having experiences that draw you out of your comfort zone is essential for any writer.

Post up to 200 words on your adventure by April 8. The winner will receive a free iScript and have their story in the next newsletter.

February Extra Credit: Writing Recess. Spend some time with a “dream” project you never allow yourself time for. We get so busy with day jobs, deadlines, and writing “saleable” material that we rarely take time to explore the ideas marked in our minds “someday.” Write a treatment, outline, or a mind-dump on a passion project. It’s always nice to have something to work on just for fun. Allow yourself that pleasure.

Post your Goals for the year ahead on the Write On! Yahoo Group.

Remember, when goal-setting, the key is to come up with realistic, attainable goals that bring you closer to achieving the life you want—as a writer, as a person.

I always encourage people to set both a Personal and Professional Annual Goal. Getting organized, eating healthy, finding a new roommate or day job (all examples of last year’s goals) can help you achieve autonomy. Sometimes you need elements in your life to settle-out, so you can focus on professional goals and move forward full-speed-ahead towards the writing-life you desire!

December Extra Credit: Write a 250-word bio on you. Need a little perspective? Interview friends, business associates, and strangers for their take on you.

We’ve also decided to extend November Extra Credit, which is to read one of the books recommended by a fellow Write On! member. If you have a non-fiction or fiction book to add, please email your book recommendations to deckerling@cs.com. For a list of posts, check out http://writeononline.com/2008/10/19/november-extra-credit-book-recommendations/.