August Newsletter

NEWS
Starting in September, Write On! will be moving exclusively online! The August Write On! Meeting on Wednesday, August 11, will be the last one at Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica. Please join us for cake and conversation!

I have really enjoyed leading the live group over the last 8 1/2 years, and am looking forward to taking Write On! to the next level. Stay tuned for info on upcoming live and online events. I hope everyone will continue to participate and spread the word.

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

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THE SUMMER CHALLENGE: FICTIONAL “HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION”
Here’s a fun, creative challenge for the Write On! Summer Contest, which runs from July 1 to August 31, 2010. Write 200 to 400 words on the subject, “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.” Here’s the catch: Your story must be fiction.

Travel writer John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) will select the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from the finalists!

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

2nd Place: 10 Steps to Creating Memorable Characters by Sue Viders, Lucynda Storey, Cher Gorman, and Becky Martinez, compliments of The Writers Store

3rd Place: Ebooks, Courtesy of VBT-Writers on the Move. Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It! by Karen Cioffi; plus novels from Heather Paye (A Gift from Above ) and mystery/suspense author Darcía Helle (QuietFury Books, ebook is winner’s choice)

Submit 200 to 400 words of your fictional “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” in the body of an email to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com by Tuesday, August 31. Winners will be announced on Monday, September 13, 2010, and in the September Write On! Newsletter.

Write On! Online’s monthly contests are designed to encourage you to give those writing muscles a workout.

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Please note: I will send an email confirmation within a few days of receiving a submission. If you submit and do not hear from me, please message me on Facebook or send an email to my alternate address. Thanks!

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If you sent an email or contest-entry to me at the end of July/beginning of August, it might have gotten lost while  I switched webhosts! Please re-send to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com.Thanks!

EVENTS
Join Danny Moynahan, who will be joined by Richard Fultineer, Austin Nicholsen, and others, for the Guy Fluffner Memorial at The Talking Stick, 1411 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, 90291, on Tuesday, August 10, from 7pm to 10pm. No cover. They will remember the legendary Guy Fluffner through stories, pictures, writings, and most of all, music. RSVP on Faccebook.

The Dream It, Then Do It “Power Lunch” with Debra Eckerling and Marla Martenson on Blog Talk Radio is tomorrow, Wednesday from 11 am – 11:30 am Pacific Time. Listen. Call in. Learn. Here’s the link!. Missed a show? Listen anytime on Blog Talk Radio.

UCLA Extension Writers’ Program presents the 2010 Writers Faire on Sunday, August 22, from 11 am – 3 pm at the Young Hall Courtyard on the UCLA campus. Exhibit mall opens at 10 am. Admission is free. Parking is $10. Go to the website to read the event schedule. 

The Writers Guild Foundation and Writers Guild of America West present Sublime Primetime, panel of 2010 Emmy-nominated writers, on Thursday, August 26, 7:30 – 9:30 pm at the Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills. For panelists and ticket information, check the website.

Film Courage – The Radio Show hosts its monthly Film Courage Interactive on Monday, August 30, from 7 pm to 11 pm at The Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., Los Angeles. The night will feature Shooting April, written and directed by Tod Lancaster. Director’s Q & A and filmmaker-discussion (“support group”) caps off the event. For more info, please visit www.downtownindependent.com or filmcourage@gmail.com.

ONGOING
Scriptchat was created for the purpose of bringing new and seasoned screenwriters together to learn and grow. 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). The same topic is discussed at both chats., and the topic changes every week. Remember, Script Chat is a community, not competitors. Everyone has something to learn . All transcripts are posted on the blog, as well as tons of screenwriting resources: http://www.scriptchat.com.

Want to hear your work read? AltScreenPlay meets on Thursdays, starting at 8 pm at Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA, and is moderated by Matt Byrnes, mbbyrnes@gmail.com. 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.

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!
Starting in September, Write On! will be moving exclusively online! Stay tuned for info on upcoming live and online events.

The first Write On! Meeting on Blog Talk Radio will be September 15 at 5 pm Pacific/8 pm Eastern. Post September Goals on Write On! Online.

Please send 2-3 line newsletter items to Debra@WriteOnOnline.com by September 13.

Write On! Online has new and exciting features.

Mondays – Write On! Reviews: This new feature, which will rotate between TV (Phillip Ramati); Film (Maria Fotopoulos); Tech (Tyler Weaver); Writing Resources (Jeanne Veillette Bowerman); and Books (Kathryn Ray) launched Monday with Phillip Ramati’s review of Mad Men.

Traditional Author Q&As will be on Tuesdays, while Video Interviews take over the Friday Q&A spot.

Read the Author Q&As posted since the last newsletter:

Pilar Alessandra, The Coffee Break Screenwriter
Cheri Mancuso, Coldspring
Ron Hogan, Beatrice.com
Entertainment Writer and Novelist Mary McNamara
Julie Spira, The Perils of Cyber Dating

Watch Video Interviews with:

Peter Shankman, Help A Reporter
Gayl Murphy, Interview Tactics
Mario Moreno & Anthony Grieco, “The Pocket Screenwriting Guide

Published Authors: Share your knowledge by participating in a Write On! Q&A. Email Debra@WriteOnOnline.com for more information.

Plus, check Write On! Online for a new Expert Column every Thursday:

The Ten Commandments of Writing Book Reviews by Mayra Calvani
Jens Gems … For the Healthy Writer: Napping by movement and fitness coach Jennifer Waak
Moving Write Along: Advice from the Experts – The Agent/Client Relationship by Michele Wallerstein
Write On! Making Comic-Con Work for You by Scott Gross

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Purple Pencil Adventures is on summer vacation! Still, a new Purple Pencil Adventure is posted every Friday! Learn more on the Facebook Page.

FRIENDS OF WRITE ON!
Write On! Track Personal Training for Writers! Writing coach Debra Eckerling trains individuals, experts, and entrepreneurs, so they can organize, articulate, and complete their writing projects. Email Debra@WriteOnOnline.com or call 310.908.8980 for more information! Sessions available via Skype phone, Skype video, telephone, or Internet chat.

Dream It, Then Do It!: Communications specialist/writing motivator 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!

Read the StoryLink eZine for interviews, expert columns. contests, and events.

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.

Thanks to Jim “Barce” Barcelona of AppDevAndMarketing.com for resolving my tech hosting issues and getting Write On! back Online!

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