by Randy Ingermanson

What's the dirtiest word in a writer's lexicon? Think about that for a minute before you read on. What's the worst thing you can call a fellow writer?

Here's what many writers would say: "Unpublished."

I've met a ton of writers at writing conferences. To break the ice, I usually ask them what they're working on. They'll spend ten minutes telling me all about their novel. Then, if they've not sold a book yet, they'll hang their heads like they're admitting to being a drug dealer or a congress-critter and mutter, "But I'm (shudder) unpublished."

Let's just dump that word. I've got a better one. When I was in college, I knew a lot of students who were hoping to get into med school. Some of them eventually made it. Some didn't. But here's the thing: I never heard any of them saying they were "unmedical" students. They said they were "pre-med."

Read more!

by Sandra Haven

Words are plentiful--and free. Just look in the dictionary! So how does a writer take these bare essentials and create a real, honest-to-goodness, worth-the-time-to-read, or better yet, worth-an-acceptance-from-a-publisher story? Here are four simple--yet powerful--rules used to create a story. Let's go over the rules first, then discuss how they can work for you.

WHAT

1. First, a story needs to have a main character, usually a person (sometimes an animal or even a machine in some instances) whom readers care about. Readers need to feel some kinship or fascination with the character--enough to make them want to stick with the character to see what will happen to him or her.

Read more!

reported by Jordan Frantz, FictionFanatic.com

Fans have gotten together in Toronto, Canada in anticipation of the release of the final Harry Potter novel. Sixteen volunteers have created a Potter Party in Casa Loma (http://hp-casaloma.virgin-designs.net) for July 20th, which has many fans buzzing in excitement.

With Casa Loma being an actual castle built in the early 1900s, the location already gives the sense of a Canadian "wizard school." This was one of the main inspirations which triggered the event's organization.

Read more!

reported by Brian Scott, FictionFanatic.com

The Grey School of Wizardry has launched the 2007 Apprentice Wizard Essay Contest. The theme of this year's Contest is "Why I Want To Be A Wizard." The Contest is open to all aspiring Wizards between the ages of 11 and 17 years old (as of October 1, 2007). Contestants do not have to live in the United States of America; entries are welcome from all countries worldwide. The purpose of the Contest is to promote magickal scholarship in young people, and it is free to enter and submit an essay.

All Essays must be typed (not handwritten) in English, and be between 400 and 500 words long. Contest entries must be new, original, and unpublished essays. Essays will be judged on how well they fit the theme, how convincing they are, and the overall writing skill.

Read more!