Dallas Woodburn's Blog, page 30

Guest Post by Maria Rainier: Staying Motivated

I became a writer when I was seven years old. My mother bought me a journal and I never looked back. Fifteen journals later I am on my way to becoming the writer I want to be, but it isn't easy. I endured lapses of time when I didn't write, but like an empty car I am in need of the fuel that will carry me on. I have to work hard on my writing skills, but there is nothing I enjoy more.

Here are a few of my own philosophies for staying motivated to my writing. Just like staying in shape it is a ...

Radio Show This Friday!

This Friday, May 7th, I'm going to be a guest on the popular Internet radio show "Kitchen Chat" -- I am so delighted! Host Margaret McSweeney is a fabulous and inspirational woman and I look forward to talking with her about food, writing, reading, and following your passion.

Listen in at http://toginet.com/shows/kitchenchat/articles/514.

Be sure to check out the website for my recipe for Magic Cookie Bars, a delicious dessert that is super easy and quick to make!

Great Contest for Aspiring Writers!

Write On! Online Query Contest: Books

In the continuing effort to help writers jump-start their careers, Write On! Online is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Write On! Query Contest. The winner in each category -- Fiction and Non-Fiction -- will have their query letter read by Los Angeles-based literary agent Betsy Amster. They will also receive a gift certificate from iScript.

Authors Amy Friedman (Syndicated Columnist, "Tell Me A Story") and Dennis Danziger ("A Short History of a Tall Jew")...

Book Reviews Wanted

Attention young writers! I am looking for more book reviews to publish on the Write On! website: http://writeonbooks.org/bookreviews.aspx

I want to hear from you! What books are you reading, loving, and recommending to your friends? What books are keeping you awake with flashlights under the covers? What books have enriched your life and opened your mind to new possibilities?

Email your short book reviews (two to four paragraphs long) to dallaswoodburn@aol.com. Be sure to include the title and ...

Welcome, Kathy Stemke!

This month I'd like to welcome author/educator Kathy Stemke. As a freelance writer Kathy has published several articles. She is a contributing editor for The National Writing for Children's Center. Kathy's first children's books came out in 2009: Moving Through All Seven Days, Trouble on Earth Day, and Visual Dance Poetry. Sh, Sh, Sh Will the Baby Sleep? will come out in 2010. She loves to write about relationships, health and fitness, education, antiques, biographical personalities...

Magazines Looking for Kid & Teen Writers!

KidSpirit Magazine is a unique, unaffiliated spiritual magazine written by and for 11-to-15-year-olds. Their goal is to foster dialogue and understanding among kids of diverse backgrounds and traditions about values, spirituality and life's big questions. Free of advertising, KidSpirit empowers today's youth to explore deep issues and mankind's search for meaning in a spirit of openness. Upcoming themes include "The Body in Balance" and "Find Your Spirit in Art."

Guidelines are available...

Featured on GirlsLife.com

I was recently interviewed by Girls' Life magazine about my career as a writer!

Here's the beginning of the interview:

Author and Write On! For Literacy founder Dallas Woodburn knows what it's like to have one little event change her life.

When she was in fifth grade, her writing was published in the November/December '98 issue of Girls' Life. Pretty cool, huh? Since then, Dallas has established Write On! For Literacy, a program that makes writing fun for kids. She teaches tons of...

Interview on Mrs. Magoo Reads

Mrs. Magoo was kind enough to interview me on her popular YA blog! Read my interview here:

http://www.mrsmagooreads.com/2010/04/blogger-profile-contest-dallas.html

Also, to get in the running to win an autographed copy of my collection of short stories 3 a.m., leave a comment on this post AND also on the Mrs. Magoo blog post. The winner will be announced May 12th.

Insights from Simon Van Booy, author of "The Secret Lives of People in Love"

I just finished reading a phenomenal collection of short stories: The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy. My favorite story, "Snow Falls and Then Disappears," is alone worth the $13.99 paperback price. It's one of those stories that curls up inside you and becomes a part of you.

The stories themselves are beautiful, and the book has an extra gift at the end: a "P.S." section with "insights from the author." This section is a goldmine. I love reading about writers' processes, curi...

Guest Post by Wendy Graham: Make Money Writing Online Until You Make It Big

*Note: this article contains the opinion of the writer, Wendy Graham. Online degrees are a great option to consider, but the links mentioned are not endorsed by Dallas or Write On!

According to some studies, there are twice as many wanna-be writers as there are readers, but do not let that deter you. We all knew that writing was a competitive field, and though they may not want to admit it, that competition is at least part of the reason some writers were attracted to the field in the...