In this Issue:

• "Welcome" - Dan Case, editor
  
  
• Feature "How to Make More Writing Money by Shopping"
  by Jennifer Brown Banks
  
  
• 12 Paying Markets - High, Medium, and Low
  

Want to contribute to this newsletter? We are a paying market. Read our guidelines for contributors here: http://www.writingfordollars.com/wfdguidelines.cfm

Welcome

One of the best things you can do to become a successful writer or to make more money as a writer is to attend good writing conferences. I’d like to invite each of you to join me at one of the largest and best writing conferences in the country next month on April 29 thru May 1 in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc (OWFI) is holding its 42nd annual writers’ conference, “Write Every Day,” at the beautiful Embassy Suites Hotel on Meridian Street. There will be thirty speakers and presenters putting on more than forty workshops, panels and speeches. Plus, there will be buzz sessions on Friday night, bonus workshops on Thursday night and Friday and Saturday at lunchtime, appointments available with agents and editors, and plenty of opportunity to smooze with all thirty of the guest speakers. You can take them to lunch, sit in a buzz session in their hotel room, or sit and have a conversation with one at breakfast. There will be a famous authors’ banquet on Friday night and an awards banquet on Saturday night… all included in your conference fee of $175 for the 2-day conference.

Who will be there? NY Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow (www.stabenow.com) will be the Keynote speaker at the Friday night banquet and will be smoozing around at the conference for the entire weekend. There will be an autograph party and booksigning on Saturday afternoon so you can get those autographed books. In addition to Dana, there will such notable speakers as Jane Friedman of Writer’s Digest, writer Kelly James-Enger (www.becomebodywise.com), writer Jessica Burkhart (www.jessicaburkhart.com), writer Deborah LeBlanc (www.deborahleblanc.com), writer Christina Katz (www.christinakatz.com), writer Page Lambert (www.pagelambert.com), writer Jory Sherman (www.jorysherman.com) (Jory Sherman has written over 400 published novels!), writer Nancy Robinson Masters (www.nancyrobinsonmasters.com), writer Margaret Daley (www.margaretdaley.com), writer K.D. Wentworth (www.kdwentworth.com), four agents, eight editors, and many more.

And best of all, the conference will be hosted by ME! Yes, I am the president of OWFI this year and I was able to invite many of my favorite authors, agents and editors, and to put together my dream writing conference. Plan on attending, please! You can find details and forms for signing up on the OWFI website (www.OWFI.org). But hurry, space is limited to the first 400 who sign up and we are already half full. See you there!

You can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChickenWriter and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1041077107
I'll tweet you some interesting articles and markets!

How to Promote Your Book Get new ideas to promote your book at promotebooks.blogspot.com. Please visit and leave a comment or two.

Check out the article database. Our inventory of over 500 past articles from WFD is available to search and read. Find just the right information you need to make a few more bucks this year.

Don't forget our database of writer’s guidelines is readily available to everyone for FREE! All links have been checked within the last year (the date that they were last checked is listed) so you can be sure to have the most up-to-date information.

Here are the top-selling writing books at AWOCBooks.com - $1 SHIPPING on selected books! ($2.95 value)

1. The Complete Guide to Writing & Selling Magazine Articles 2nd Edition by Peggy Fielding and Dan Case. $1 SHIPPING!
   
2. Confessing for Money 2nd Edition Writing and Selling to the SECRET Short Story Market by Peggy Fielding $1 SHIPPING!
   
3. Who's Your Daddy? by Carolyn B. Leonard $1 SHIPPING!
   
4. Inspire! Writing from the Soul by Linda C. Apple $1 SHIPPING!
5. Preserving Family Legends for Future Generations by M. Carolyn Steele $1 SHIPPING!
   
6. The Organized Writer is a Selling Writer by Kathryn Lay. $1 SHIPPING!
   
7. Magic Steps to Writing Success by Charles W. Sasser. $1 SHIPPING!
   
8. Devoted to Writing! by Nancy Robinson Masters & Maurice Parsley Mallow $1 SHIPPING!
   
9. Journal Jumpstart for Writers by Jennifer DiCamillo $1 SHIPPING!
   
10. Be Your Own Book Doctor: So You Can Cure What Ails Your Writing by Robyn Conley.
    

Dan Case, editor
editor@writingfordollars.com (put WFD in the subject line)

How to Make More Writing Money by Shopping

Admit it. For years you’ve been trying to justify your shopping sprees. To others you’ve rationalized that it’s “therapeutic,” that the mad dashing from store to store and aisle to aisle even keeps you in good physical shape. You’ve even rationalized how strategic bargain hunting can ultimately save you and your family money.

But to the average spouse this is probably a “hard sell.” However, (smart) shopping can actually be a way to increase your base of creative ideas and your bottom line if approached correctly.

Here’s an example.

I’m a big fan of shopping at (quality) thrift stores and antique outlets. At a trip to one of my regular local spots, I happened to browse their video section and came up with about a half-dozen 30 minute tapes on fitness and exercising. This collection included Richard Simmons and the ever-popular Tae Bo workout. The cost came out to about $6.00 including tax.

I watched them, compared the level of difficulty, penned a 500 word review for a singles’ publication, and earned 50 bucks for “exercising” a little creativity.

Here are a few other ways to cash in on your next shopping trip.

1. Consumer Reviews—Whether it’s dining at a local restaurant, purchasing toys for little Tommy, or test driving new cars, take note. The cool thing about this type pf writing is that it doesn’t require any “expertise” or major time investment. Think about it. How many times have you bought something that you boasted to friends about? Or perhaps you’ve had a bad experience and had to craft a complaint letter. The sky’s the limit. Do tell.
   
   
2. Shopping Tips—Can you stretch a dollar like African-rubber? Feed a family of six on a shoe string budget? Have a system for organizing coupons? Turn your know-how into net worth through essays, how-tos, and helpful hints fillers.
   
   
3. Fashion Finds—Where’s the best place for women to buy blue jeans that flatter their figure? Which stores have great return policies and helpful staff? What local spot lets you be a diva on a dime? This valuable information is sure to find a home at places like Lucky Magazine, Consumer Reports, or many general interest magazines for women.
   
   
4. Do-It-Yourself Wisdom—“Kids do not try this at home!” Share horror stories or humorous anecdotes you might have from Home Depot and a not-so-handy husband’s attempt to repair plumbing. Or perhaps you’re a gadget “guru”. Your reflections and revelations can help others to make their learning curve shorter, and save time and money.
   
   
5. Paper or Plastic?—Are you a “conscious consumer?” Buy green products? How are they different? What effect do they have on the environment? What resources are available to learn more? Was the transition an easy one? Your green lifestyle can earn you green! Weigh in.

By following these five tips, you’ll never experience true “buyer’s remorse” again. Not to mention, shopping stimulates the economy.

Keep in mind that “you have to spend money to make money.” And if you’re reading this article, it’s proof positive that this system works. It just paid for my “after-the-holiday” shopping excursion.

© 2010 by Jennifer Brown Banks

Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, columnist and editor. She teaches online classes at www.coffeehouseforwriters.com Visit her site at: http://penandprosper.blogspot.com/

High - Over $500

• Backpacker Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Backpacking, destinations, adventure, human interest, equipment. 

• PassageMaker Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on publication.  Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Subjects: Trawlers and ocean motorboats. 

• Precast Inc. Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Precast concrete. 

Medium - $125 - $500

• ASTRONOMY Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Subjects: Astronomy, hobby and scientific. 

• Australian Yoga Life - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction. Subjects: Yoga. 

• Drive Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction. Subjects: Subaru. 

• Hunting The West Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on publication.  Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Subjects: Hunting in 11 western states, Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia. 

• Kids' Pages Family Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on publication.  Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, fillers. Subjects: Family, children Denver emphasis. 

• Sew News - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction. Subjects: Sewing, how-to. 

Low - Less than $125

• GoNOMAD - Guidelines:  Pays on publication.  Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Travel. 

• Iguana Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on acceptance.  Seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, fillers, photos/artwork. Subjects: Children's magazine written entirely in Spanish. 

• Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine - Guidelines:  Pays on publication.  Seeks fiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Sci-fi, fantasy. 

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