March Newsletter

THE MARCH CHALLENGE: GREEN
Time for another Writing Prompt contest. The March Challenge is to write a story or essay, based on the writing prompt: “Green.” There are numerous ways a writer can go with this: Green is a color, name, and emotion, as well as a representation of money and the environment. And that’s just a start. Have at it!

Submit 200 to 400 words, using the writing prompt “Green,” in the body of an email to debra@writeononline.com by Wednesday, March 31. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, in the April Write On! Newsletter.

PRIZES
1st Place: A medium-length (or 21,000 word) one-reader iScript, and have your story published on Write On! Online

2nd Place: The Hero’s 2 Journeys DVD by Michael Hauge & Christopher Vogler, compliments of The Writers Store

3rd Place: No Justice by Mystery/Suspense Author Darcía Helle (QuietFury Books) and The Frugal Editor by Carolyn Howard-Johnson ( author of the acclaimed HowToDoItFrugally series). Courtesy of VBT-Writers on the Move

NEWS
Congratulations to the winners of the Write On! Online February Challenge – Have a Heart!

1st Place: PJ Kaiser – “Waiting for Spring” – Posted on Write On! Online

2nd Place: Dylan Kenin – “Heart”

3rd Place: Kathryn Ray – “Car Wheels”

* * *

Congratulations to Laurie Dinnerstein, March winner for posting goals. Post your April goals on Write On! Online and be entered in the monthly drawing to win a FREE iScript. (An iScript is a professionally recorded audio version of a screenplay or novel read by professional readers, similar to an audiobook.)

* * *

I will be talking Blogging and Social Networking on the Write Now! Mastermind Call with host Rochelle Melander on Wednesday, March 24, at 10 am PDT. For details, check the website.

Also, I will be leading another small-group workshop on Blogging in Los Angeles in the next two weeks. If you are interested in this class (or in a workshop on Goal Setting or Breaking through Writers Block), email debra@writeononline.com.

* * *

One of Jocelyn Hughes’ short stories was posted on the San Diego Writer’s Ink website. Congratulations, Jocelyn!

Screenwriter Tracey Jackson’s documentary – Lucky Ducks – will be released on DVD next week. Watch for the Author Q&A coming soon!

Congratulations, Mark Niu. Mark’s film Juche Rules, which he adapted from his award-winning, one-act play, has been accepted into two film festivals: Edgemar Short Film Festival in Santa Monica (from March 26-28) and Buffalo-Niagara Film Festival (screens on April 24). Mark read a portion of his play at Write On! in Santa Monica.

Poetry Alert: If you’re a creative person and looking for something to get your mother this Mother’s Day, why not write a poem and include it in a special Mother’s Day anthology? While your at it, learn first-hand about the process of publishing a book, even make some of the most important nit-picky decisions. Submission deadline is March 17. For more information, contact Heather Paye: the_jewelonsolot@msn.com

The Mystic Pete Chronicles seeks “Tales of Love and Madness” for the radio program. Details here.

Pitch your screenplay ideas to industry professionals with a chance to win Final Draft and Save the Cat screenwriting software, a free script consultation, or even a first look deal with a known producer – it’s as easy as logging into your Facebook page! For more info join the Facebook Group, The Hollywood VPYPE Pitch Contest.

Check out the March VBT – Writers on the Move Tour for info, articles, reviews, and more!

EVENTS
Musician Danny Moynahan will be performing with Richard Fultineer and Austin Nicholsen at The Talking Stick, 1411 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, 90291, on Tuesday, March 9, from 7pm to 10pm. Danny, Austin, and Richard – piano, bass, and drums, and voices. For more info, here’s the Facebook event link.

Martha Burns will be signing her book – Belly Dance: Celebrating the Sacred Feminine – at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore Avenue, Pacific Palisades, on Monday, March 15 from 7:30 pm – 9 pm. For a peek behind Martha’s story, read the Write On! Author Q&A. RSVP on Facebook.

Join Judy Sandra in celebrating the release of her book – The Metal Girl – at  Hygge Bakery, 1106 Hope Street, Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 21 from 1 pm – 4 pm. RSVP on Facebook.

ONGOING
Want to hear your work read? AltScreenPlay meets on Thursdays 7:30 – 10 pm, at Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA, and is moderated by Matt Byrnes, mbbyrnes@gmail.com. First reading starts at 8 pm; and readings begin in the order in which the author arrived. Bring 1-10 pages of your screenplay, and make enough copies for each role. No RSVP necessary. Feel free to sit in without bringing any material of your own.

The Los Angeles Public Library now has a Screenwriters Workshop four Saturdays a month at different branches, from 10:30 am – 12 pm, and every Sunday in the Farmers Market community room from 3 – 5 pm, hosted by Sasha Karova. Learn format and workshop original material (screenplays, 1/2 hour sitcom, and 1/2 hour and 1 hour episodic) with an open reading or read-through. Open reading is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please RSVP to WritersUnblock@aol.com.

Writers Boot Camp offers Write On! members a discount on enlistment. For more information, contact Christine Baroumand at 800-800-1733 ext. 313, or christine@writersbootcamp.com.

Meditation Friday Nights at The Learning Garden the 2nd Friday of the month. Meditation begins promptly at 8:00 pm. Please dress in layers and bring a blanket and cushion to sit on. Meditation lasts about 40 minutes around a fire in the peaceful surroundings of the Garden. Donations go to The Learning Garden. For more information contact Camille at (310) 382-4323.

WRITE ON!
Our April Meeting will be on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Please have newsletter items to debra@writeononline.com by April 12.

Write On! Online Author Q&As are posted every Tuesday and Friday. Check out the columns posted since the last newsletter:

Entertainment Writer Andy Hunsaker, Fancast

Oscar®-Nominated Filmmaker Gregg Helvey, Kavi

Dennis Danziger, A Short History of a Tall Jew

Billy Mernit, Writing the Romantic Comedy

The WGA Awards

Darcía Helle, Miami Snow

Jennie Fahn, BROADS! The Musical

Franz Wisner, How the World Makes Love

Published Authors: Share your knowledge by participating in a Write On! Q&A. Email debra@writeononline.com for more information. Also, if you have already participated in an Author Q&A, please keep us posted on current projects!

Also, here are links to the Write On! Columns posted since the last newsletter:

Write On! Screenwriting East of LA by Scott W Smith, Screenwriting from Iowa.

Jen’s Gems … for the Healthy Writer: Eating for Creativity & Productivity by Seattle-based movement and fitness coach Jennifer Waak.

Techno Tools for Writers: Ergonomic Keyboards by freelance writer Heidi Leder

Moving Write Along: Advice from the Experts – Traditional vs Self-Publishing by Todd Rutherford, Vice President, Yorkshire Publishing.

FINAL NOTE – PURPLE PENCIL ADVENTURES
Check out Purple Pencil Adventures, a website and workshops, designed to help young adults learn to love the written word. The website has weekly writing “adventures,” as well as interviews for young writers.

Teen Writer Isabel Kaplan, Hancock Park

Wizards of Waverly Place creator Todd J. Greenwald and star David Henrie

12-Year-Old Author Jolie Vanier, Puwaii Adventures

13-year-old Author J.K. Hawkins

More info on the Facebook page and in this interview on Educationtipster.