There will be a new contest on the QueryTracker Blog.
Keep your eyes open for the adult fiction contest, which will open on Tuesday, July 6th.

There is also an online conference being held soon. WriteOnCon is free, and registration opens on the 1st July 2010

WriteOnCon is an Online Children’s Writers Conference (rated MC-18, for Main Characters under 18 only) created by writers, for writers.

When: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010

Where: http://www.writeoncon.com

Cost: Free!

Who: That’s the best part—it’s for EVERYONE!

For more information visit their blog.

Well it's not for everyone, really, since it's Children's Writers only, but I thought I'll give a heads up on it.

Bookmark It

From Writers Organizations –

• Ebook  / Print author equality 

  Join the 21st Century, people! Yes, it’s very nice to be published in print, but a lot of books are ebooks now. It’s time to treat a writer like a published author, if they are published, you know what I mean?
  You can’t have your cake and eat it. Either a published author is a published author regardless of medium, or we need a new categorization for writers on a whole. Anything else is simply unacceptable. And if those ebook authors don’t qualify for published status, then frankly, I’d like to see a dues reduction, as they often do not get the same benefits as other published authors.

   
• Global rather than National affiliations

  The Net has no borders! If you accept dues from international members, then how about broadening the horizon of the organization? How about embracing all writers, regardless of location? How about conferences in other countries, albeit smaller ones?
   

• Support for Local groups 

  And I mean SUPPORT, not just "You may use our initials". I am talking about providing those local groups with something more. Frankly what I don’t want to see is members paying extra to belong to a local chapter. That should be a given.
  If a local group has to rent space to meet, then I’d like to see a subsidy for this, or a bit of a discount on the fees. After all — they don’t have to belong to your "club" to meet up.
   

• Fair dues 

  I mean membership dues. Just because you do not live in the same country, you shouldn’t be penalized for it. (If you are a RWA member, you know I’m talking about the shipping costs for RWR, which you should be able to opt OUT of — and which, incidentally, should be available electronically. Global warming, carbon emissions etc!)
  I’d like to see a tiered approach to membership dues. The more you get, the more you’ll likely pay. But I don’t think an unpublished author (who, after all, doesn’t earn from their writing) should pay the same as a published author, who may have access to a great deal more resources than an unpublished one.
   

• Discount negotiations

  Things like writing books, paper, ink, toner, notebooks, software, insurance, web hosting, web design, travel, promotional items… you name it. Benefits, you know?
   

• Services

  Things like legal advice, mediation, that kind of thing. Discounted writing retreats, stuff like that.

I pay dues for benefits, so the more an organization can offer its members, the more people will be willing to join.
There are more I can think of, many more, especially when it comes to benefits. I’d love to see an organization take up the gauntlet I’ve thrown down here and run with those suggestions.
And if there isn’t one — maybe it’s time some writers got together and started a truly global "club". An inclusive, rather than exclusive one.
And if Nanowrimo.org can negotiate deals with various companies… then I don’t see why writers organizations can’t do this.

What would you like to see?

Bookmark It

Here is the link, for those who have not registered yet:

MUSE ONLINE CONFERENCE 2009
Last Registration Day: 01 August 2009

I would suggest to register before then. The conference is FREE and there is a ton going on.

Check it out here: 2009 Workshops
 

Bookmark It