Father’s Day

The cool thing about father’s day is not giving or receiving gifts. The cool thing is having great people to celebrate with. My dad and I don’t have a great relationship, but he did help me with my love for writing. Thank you dad and thank you to my wonderful wife and children for what…

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Writing Tests

I’m in the middle of applying to a few different writing sites. Although many will take your portfolio into account, most of them give simple writing tests. The great thing about a writing test is that if you actually write well but don’t have a great deal of experience, you can get some good paying…

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Experience Tea

This piece was originally a writing test that I did to show my ability to write a positive review. This was not written for Teavana. Teavana is more than bulk loose leaves; it’s where tea lovers go to experience a cup of comfort, brewed to perfection. Teavana’s sommeliers of the tea world have a welcoming…

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Experience Life

Once in a while you can watch TV or read a good book, and you’ll get some ideas about writing style. Most of the time though, the only way to write well is to go out and live your life.To stand out as a writer, you can’t be the next Stephen King. You have to…

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Write Better by Learning a Second Language

It makes the ears perk up a bit and the head turn to the side when I suggest that learning French, Spanish or any other language is going to help your English writing skills. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll understand that a second or even third language opens up a reality that wasn’t there…

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Killer Deadlines

Deadlines happen, and they’re good at causing stress and crushing creativity. Deadlines are important, but your work is always more important. If you’re working towards a writing deadline, start early and finish early. I don’t recommend handing your work in early because it gives time for editors to ask for rewrites and other things that…

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Exploring The Culture And World Of Books

Beginning Friday, May 17 at 10 PM ET, RLTV, the only cable network and online destination for adults 50+, premieres Bookmark, a fast-paced weekly series that explores the culture surrounding books in America today. Hosted by author, columnist and former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan , Bookmark presents intriguing book-centric features that include stories on how…

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Alliance to Benefit Authors

A new alliance between two award-winning companies, DocUmeant Publishing (www.documeantpublishing.com) and EMSI Public Relations, aims to make sure authors aren’t left floundering on their own once their books are published, say pioneering businesswomen Ginger Marks and Marsha Friedman. “This relationship streamlines the next step for my clients when my job as a publisher is complete,”…

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Digital Journalism Stars

The Online News Association, the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists, opened applications for the 2013 MJ Bear Fellowships for early career digital journalists, in honor of founding member MJ Bear. For the third year of the Fellowships, the search committee will again select three promising, up-and-coming digital journalists — two in the United…

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Award to Recognize Excellence in Caribbean Literature for Young Adults

An exciting global initiative in Young Adult literature is coming to the Caribbean! The Burt Award for Caribbean Literature was launched at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Part of a unique global literary award and readership initiative aiming to give youth everywhere with access to books they will…

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