January Newsletter

The January Write On! Meeting on Blog Talk Radio is on January 12 at 8pm Pacific/11pm Eastern. Call in (646-381-4910) or listen online. Michele Wallerstein, author of MIND YOUR BUSINESS: A Hollywood Literary Agent’s Guide To Your Writing Career will be calling in to answer your questions about finding an agent.

Remember, post your Goals for 2011 on the website, as well as your Accomplishments from 2010.

We posted a list of Write On! Member sites/blogs on Write On! Online. Take a look, click around, see what other writers are doing. And, if you have not already sent in or posted your link(s), just comment on the post, and you will be added.

CONTEST
The January Challenge is to write-up your Excuses, 200 to 400 words. Be creative or just tell it like it is. Excuses Editor Tina Haapala will choose the winners.

First Prize: A medium-length (or 21,000 word) one-reader iScript (an iScript is a digital recording of a manuscript, read by an actor)
Second Prize: Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate Is Waiting autographed by author/matchmaker Marla Martenson
Third Prize: The Devastator Quarterly#2, autographed by Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Golden

Submit your 200- to 400-word Excuses in the body of an email to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com by Monday, January 31. Please also include your name and the type of writing you do along with your submission. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, February 8, on Write On! Online, and in the February Write On! Newsletter.

NEWS
Congratulations to Barbara Hogeland, January winner of an iScript, for posting goals on Write On! Online. Post your February Goals and be entered in the monthly drawing to win an iScript. Post your February Goals here. Thanks!

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Whole Life Times is always interested in submissions and queries about sustainable living, alternative healing, healthy lifestyle, and new thought spirituality, particularly in and around Southern California. Please see guidelines at their website.

From John Paul Rice and Edger Michael Bravo: An exclusive new clip is up for No Restrictions Entertainment’s Mother’s Red Dress. Watch it here.

Emmy-winning writer Brooks Wachtel will be teaching Writing Animation for Television and the Web at the UCLA Extension School, starting January 18.  His 10-week course takes students though the entire process from springboard to outline to first draft to polish. Enroll online or via phone: 310-206-2612.

It’s Award Season: Check out the Film Independent Spirit Award, as well as the Writers Guild Television and Film Award, nominees. The Golden Globes are this Sunday, January 16. The Academy Award nominations will be announced on January 25. Which films/shows of 2011 were your favorites?

EVENTS
On Saturday, January 15, join Debra Eckerling, creator of Write On! Online and Write On Track LA for a Brainstorming and Creativity Workshop from 10 am – 12 pm at 1061 Production in Inglewood, CA. Details and registration here.

On Sunday, January 16, swing by Coloft in Santa Monica, CA, for a Jerk Chicken BBQ Party & Football from 1 to 4pm. Go to the Facebook Event page for details and to RSVP.

The January Scriptchat Mixer, hosted by @ZacSanford and @Yeah_Write, is set for Wednesday, January 19, at Formosa Cafe in Hollywood, starting at 8pm. RSVP on Facebook.

Screenwriter Karaoke returns on Thursday, January 27, at Sardos in Burbank. The singing starts at 8:30pm. Details on Facebook or Meetup.

ONGOING
Sundays: Scriptchat is a twitter chat for new and seasoned screenwriters. Since screenwriters are global, Scriptchat has two chats each Sunday: 8pm GMT is EURO #scriptchat, moderated by Mina Zaher (@DreamsGrafter) and 8pm EST, moderated by Jeanne Veillette Bowerman (@jeannevb). All transcripts are posted on the blog, as well as tons of screenwriting resources.

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.

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!
The January Write On! Meeting on Blog Talk Radio is on January 12 at 8pm Pacific/11pm Eastern. Call in (646-381-4910) or listen online. Author Michele Wallerstein will be calling in to answer your questions about finding an agent.

The February Write On! Meeting on Blog Talk Radio will be February 9 at 8 pm Pacific/11 pm Eastern. Please send 2-3 line newsletter items to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com by February 7. Post your February Goals on Write On! Online.

Write On! Online has new content Monday through Friday.

Mondays – Write On! Reviews:
This feature rotates between TV with Phillip Ramati; Film – Maria Fotopoulos; and Writing Resources with Jeanne Veillette Bowerman. Watch for Book Reviews coming soon!

Tuesdays – Author Q&As:
Jen Lieberman, Year of the Slut
Karl Gajdusek, Greedy
Jennifer Barbee & Alex Cohen, Down & Derby
Joel Harry Newman, Tell Me What You See
Thaisa Frank, Heidegger’s Glasses

Write On! Wednesdays – Send 2-3 line upcoming events to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com

Thursday Expert Columns:
Steve On Screenwriting: Your Screenwriting IQ, Part 3 by Steve Kaire
Creating E-Books: 5 Simple Steps by Karen Cioffi, Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It!
Finding Characters by author Vivian Zabel, Stolen

Friday – Video Interviews Return this Month

Published Authors: Share your knowledge by participating in a Write On! Q&A, Video Interview, or Expert Column. Email Debra@WriteOnOnline.com for more information.
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Purple Pencil Adventures: Teen and Tween writers, a new Purple Pencil Adventure is posted every Friday! Learn more on the Facebook Page.

FRIENDS OF WRITE ON!
Create Write Now, home of the Journaling for the Health of It ™ community, shows writers how to use Journal Writing Therapy to cure writing problems like Writer’s Block, Page Fright, and the Inner Critic. Free Writer’s Block Cure eBook.

Dream It, Then Do It!: Communications specialist and writing coach Debra Eckerling and life coach/matchmaker/author Marla Martenson have teamed up to bring you workshops, tools, and inspiration to turn your dreams into reality. Become a Fan on Facebook.

iScript.com has added a new audiobook component to their offerings. Now, you can get high-quality audiobooks made of your writing!

Chambers of Commerce, connect with your community. Check out MyChamberApp.com.

The New Media Film Festival returns to Los Angeles this spring! Stay tuned for details.

Screenwriters and filmmakers, read the StoryLink eZine for interviews, expert columns. contests, and events.

The first Screenwriter Karaoke of 2011 is Thursday, January 27, at Sardos in Burbank. Watch the Write On! video interview with Screenwriter Karaoke creator Merrel Davis and read Jeanne Veillette Bowerman’s review here.

You can write a short story! Let best-selling authors Geoff Hoff and Steve Mancini guide through the short-story writing process with their simple, practical, effective, and fun creative writing system. Learn more here.

Write On! Track LA Personal Training for Writers! Writing coach Debra Eckerling trains individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses, so they can organize, articulate, and complete their writing projects. Email Debra@WriteOnOnline.com or call 310.908.8980 for more information!

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If you’d like to support Write On! Online and promote your business or service, email Debra@WriteOnOnline.com.