Cathy C. Hall Writes

So I cleaned out ALL my emails, which was really just cleaning out a TON of newsletters and such that had been languishing in the old inbox. But I found some interesting stuff to share with you, the languishing summer writer.

1. Kate Wolford over at Enchanted Conversation is having a contest, perfect for summer. She’s looking for a great character sketch of a summer fairy, in 300 words or less. All you writer friends who are hooked on memes, put that writing practice to work for you! Deadline is June 17th.

2. Need some fast summer money? I just came across London Brokers, a web content provider. Unlike Demand Studios, you don’t have to apply. But you don’t make much moola, either. Still, pay is through Paypal. Just pick a topic, write, and get a flat fee.

3. Cheryl Klein is the speaker for a WD webinar on “How to Plot and Structure your Novel.” You’ll also get a query and first 250 words critique. So if a conference will break your budget, or you simply can’t get away, here’s a chance to hear an amazing editor (she’s a senior editor with Arthur Levine) for $89.00. The seminar’s June 23, but you’ll have access for a year, so you can listen and learn whenever you get your lazy summer boomerosity in gear.

4. And because some of you have little ones (or grand little ones) and might be traveling, I’m throwing in this site called MomsMinivan with its printable car activities and games. If I’d had this little gem back in the day, I would not need Golden Auburn or whatever haircolor Gloria uses to disguise the gray hairs I earned on kiddie road trips. And don’t forget rainy days–stick the kids in an inside fort and throw a few games and flashlight inside. Bottom line: You can save a ton of money for yourself in hair dye down the road.

That’s it, my summer sistahs (and brothers). Go forth and languish no more!

You probably know Debbie Ridpath Ohi because she’s amazingly talented and her talented stuff is always popping up somewhere in the writing world. But just in case you don’t know about Inkygirl and her cartoons, or her incredibly useful website, crammed with tons of writer goodies, I’m here to pass along the word. Or links, as the case may be.

Go here and read her posts. (P.S. I think it’s odd that she’s opining about the same thing I opined upon over at Cathy C’s Hall of Fame just a few weeks ago. To wit, spending more time on the Internet than other writerish stuff. But I’d like it noted that I opined about it first. And with a totally cool pic of an inflatable monkey on a fern.)

Check out her Writer’s Guide to Twitter. (Yes, I know. That’s one of those Internet time sucks we both opined about. But Twitter has a place in your writer’s toolbox. Quit griping and learn how to maximize this tool.)

At least read a few of her comics. (Especially if you’re having one of those days where nothing is going writerly right.)

And if rejection is part of the worst day ever, read how rejection got Debbie her first book deal (And P.S. It all started with SCBWI.)

That’s my Debbie Ridpath Ohi primer. Unless you can think of other links I should have mentioned.(That is a Cathy C. Hall original cartoon above. Um, I probably need a little more time with the DRO primer.)