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As Christians who write, we meet together to promote unity and fellowship, to encourage one another and to develop our skills as writers. We are a chapter of American Christian Writers, a national organization.

We meet at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 1 block south of Patterson Avenue at 8701 Ridge Road, Richmond, VA 23229 in Room 211.

We typically meet on the third Sunday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Join us!


Click HERE for directions.


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Monday, December 29, 2008

Best Unpublished Novel Contest Deadline Approaching



James River Writers and Richmond Magazine
are partnering to present
Third Annual Best Unpublished Novel Contest.

Do you have what it takes to be a published author?

Deadline (postmark): Thursday, January 15, 2009

Entry fee: $25. Checks should be made out to James River Writers.


PRIZES: First prize: $500, publication of an excerpt in Richmond magazine, a ticket to the 2009 James River Writers conference, and feedback from a JRW board member. Two finalists will each receive $200.

Entries: Submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript by Jan. 15, 2009 (postmark deadline) to

Richmond magazine
Best Unpublished Novel Contest
2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105
Richmond, VA 23220

Full manuscripts will be requested later if the submission passes the first round of judging. Please do not submit duplicates of manuscripts entered in previous years.

Rules of the road: Entries must not include the author's name or will be disqualified. Each submission must have a cover sheet with the author's name, contact information and the novel's title. Each page of the manuscript must have the title in the upper left corner, page numbers in the upper right, double-spaced, one-inch margins, Times New Roman or Arial font, size 12. Limit of two submissions per writer @ $25 per submission. This is a fiction contest. Richmond magazine writers and other employees, and JRW employees and board members cannot enter. To submit an entry, the author must be a resident of Virginia, a student at a Virginia college or university, or a member of JRW. The winner will be published in the July 2009 issue of the magazine. Submissions will be returned only if accompanied by a SASE. All submissions will receive comments from a professional writer.

Link to original post HERE.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

RCWW MEETINGS = PAID WRITING ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2 MEMBERS!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!! I received my first paid assignment to write seven daily devotionals for Light from the Word, a daily devotional published by Wesleyan Publishing House!

I thank RCWW again because, I received the information through the group!!! Be encouraged my brothers and sisters---my greatest writing victories lately have come at discouraging times when I wanted to set my writing on a shelf. (I got several rejections prior to this.) Galatians 6:9 (NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Please pray for me in writing these devotionals. My prayer is that God would inspire and direct my writing so that the readers know and serve Him more.
Laurie Vines: oneway2heaven@verizon.net


I too celebrate with Laurie; I too have received a paid assignment for Light from the Word, and I also found this information through RCWW. Special thanks to Rebekah for bringing back all those opportunities from her writers conference. This is my 2nd paid assignment, the 1st I also got from Rebekah and RCWW.

What a blessing this group is to writers! Thank you, and Merry Christmas to all.

Kelly Combs
www.chattykelly.blogspot.com
www.kellycombs.com

Monday, December 08, 2008

What Are Your 2009 Writing Resolutions?

It's that time of year again. Time to start thinking about your writing resolutions for 2009! That's right, we're less than a month away from a brand new year.

What are your 2009 writing resolutions? Click here to go straight to the forum post (after you've logged in or signed up). Be sure to include your name and I may highlight your answer along with a link to the thread in a future issue of the newsletter.

Maximizing Your Web Presence, Take a Survey and a Reminder

This month's issues of WM.com offers these great tips for how to maximize your internet presence using networks and online communities.

How to Make a Friend:
-Click on another person's profile.
-Under the person's profile pic, there should be an Add Friend button.
-Click on the Add Friend button.
-Once you do this, a friend request will go to the person's community home page, where he or she will approve or deny the friend request.
-There are many reasons a person might deny a friend request, but the most common may be that the person doesn't know you and/or thinks you could potentially be a spammer. So to improve your chances of having your friend request approved, you could send a message introducing yourself. (Of course, if you're already friends with someone, it's still a good idea to send a message from time-to-time to just be friendly.)

How to Send a Message:
-Click on another person's profile.
-Under the person's profile pic, there should be a Send Message button.
-Click on the Send Message button.
-Type in a subject in the subject line and type a message in the Your Message box.
-Once you're happy with your message, click the Send Message button.

If you would like your own subscription to to WritersMarket.com click here .


QUICK SURVEY
As 2008 winds down, we're trying to figure out the best ways
to help serve your needs as users of WritersMarket.com.
Please participate in the following survey to help us serve you:

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Ox_2ffJVyz6aAaNDanqXHM_2fA_3d_3d

As a thank you gift for participating, we will assign you a special
discount code you can use in the "Writing" section of the F+W Bookstore at http://www.fwbookstore.com/category/writing that gives 25% off anything found there.


Don't forget about WritersMarket.com's
Freelance Success Stories Contest
To read the previous post click here .

Saturday, December 06, 2008

VABOOK-NEWS

Hello from VABook-News!

It's time to get a glimpse of who'll be coming to the Virginia Festival of the Book in March. Early signers news below, and a new ticketed event announced with Adriana Trigiani and David Baldacci.

Also, don't miss our "Mixed Bag Challenge"--15 weeks of questions and your answer/comments. The weekly prize is one of our Festival shopping bags, and every entry is eligible for the grand prize. See more below.


Enjoy!

Kevin McFadden
Assoc. Program Director, VABook!

Contents:

I.

VABook! 2009 Announces Early Signers

II.

Just Announced: Trigiani and Baldacci Event

III.

The Mixed Bag: 15 Weeks of Bookish Challenges

IV.

Festival Bags--Take Home the Savings


VABook! 2009 Announces Early Signers

The Virginia Festival of the Book is pleased to announce a selection of “early signers”—those who have committed to appear in its 15th anniversary celebration of books and literacy, March 18-22, 2009.

Fiction luminaries include John Grisham (The Associate), Stephen L. Carter (Emperor of Ocean Park, Palace Council), Mary Doria Russell (Dreamers of the Day), Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission), Alan Cheuse (To Catch the Lightning), Katherine Neville (The Fire), and emerging writers like Virginia Literary Award winner Helon Habila (Measuring Time) and New South novelist Inman Majors (The Millionaires).

For vampire fans, the Festival is featuring two well-known genre writers Kim Harrison (White Witch, Black Curse), Mario Acevedo (Jailbait Zombie) and recovering pop culture critic Eric Nuzum (The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula).

Launching poetry books at the Festival will be Rita Dove (Sonata Mulattica) and Gregory Orr (How Beautiful the Beloved). Irish poet Paul Muldoon (Horse Latitudes) and Australian poet laureate Kevin Hart (Night Music) will read, as will a host of poets with Virginia ties: John Casteen (Free Union), Michael Chitwood (Spill), Ted Genoways (Anna, Washing), Sarah Kennedy (Home Remedies), Debra Nystrom (Bad River Road), R.T. Smith (Outlaw Style), and Lisa Russ Spaar (Satin Cash).

Virginia Civil Rights icon John A. Stokes will return to the Festival with his young adult book Students on Strike. Featured photographers will include Sam Abell (The Life of a Photograph) and Robert Llewellyn (Remarkable Trees of Virginia).

Writers with Charlottesville connections include constitutional lawyer John Whitehead (The Change Manifesto), memoirist Peach Friedman (Diary of an Exercise Addict), science historian Eric Vettel (Biotech: The Countercultural Origins of an Industry), New York Times crossword puzzle creator Arthur Schulman (Websterisms: A Collection of Words and Definitions Set Forth by the Founding Father of American English), and public health professor Jeff Goldsmith (The Long Baby Boom).

Participant information and programs will be on the site soon, as details are confirmed.



Just Announced: Trigiani and Baldacci Event

Wine & Words with Adriana and David

Thursday, March 19, 4 - 6 p.m.

Enoteca ($50)

It's la dolce vita with Adriana Trigiani (Very Valentine) and David Baldacci (Divine Justice). Enjoy an assortment of Italian meats, cheeses, grapes, olives, and a glass of wine at this intimate engagement followed by remarks and a booksigning by two of Virginia's best-loved and bestselling authors.

This event will make a great gift for the book lover you know, hosted at Enoteca wine & panini bar on the Downtown Mall. Order tickets online here.


The Mixed Bag: 15 Weeks of Bookish Challenges

We've got just 15 weeks til the Virginia Festival of the Book. What better way to get in the mood for our milestone anniversary than a related challenge question each week. The weekly winner with the most clever, creative, or funny answer gets a free Festival shopping bag (stuffed with great coupons, see below) and every entrant will have a chance to win two tickets to the Trigiani-Baldacci reception on Thursday, March 19 (see above). Take the Mixed Bag Challenge!

Enter by adding a comment to our Mixed Bag Challenge blog. We'll collect these comments week by week and enlist special judges for each challenge. We're giving our newsletter readers a head-start, the first two challenges are below:

The first challenge is live now on the site:

1. What do you love about the Virginia Festival of the Book in 15 words? (Answer online here.)


Sneak Peak for next week:

2. What's your "Martha Stewart" idea for getting the most use out of a Festival shopping bag? (Will post 12/10/08)


Festival Bags--Take Home the Savings

The Virginia Festival of the Book, in partnership with Federal Realty/Barracks Road Shopping Center, have produced 15th anniversary bags, perfect for carrying your favorite books, groceries or anything else!

The bags, made from recycled materials, are on sale for $10 and include more than $200 in free coupons for stores at Barracks Road Shopping Center. You can get your money back in savings on the same shopping trip! Proceeds support VABook!

The 15th Anniversary bags are now available at:

Chimney Corner (434-295-1044)

Blue Ridge Mountain Sports (434-977-4400)

Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters (434-977-1415)

Plow & Hearth (after January 2009 only, 434-977-3707)

Coupons inside are good at the following Barracks Road stores: Origins, Chimney Corner, Rebecca's Natural Food, Smoothie King, Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters, Tara Thai, HotCakes, The Virginia Shop, Oil & Vinegar, and Plow & Hearth.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

JAMES RIVER WRITING CONTESTS AND PRIZES

WRITING CONTESTS!

PRIZES!

The First Annual Poetry Contest
Submit up to four original, never-published poems by Dec. 15, 2008.
A poet may enter only once.
Submissions must be mailed to
Richmond Magazine,
Best Poetry Contest
2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105
Richmond, VA 23220.

Entry fee: $15 (one fee covers all four poems).
Checks should be made out to James River Writers.
First prize: $500, plus one or more winning poems published in Richmond magazine
and a ticket to the 2009 James River Writers conference.

Two finalists will receive $200 prizes.

Entry fee: $15 poetry

ALSO:
The 3rd Annual Best Unpublished Novel Contest
Do you have what it takes to be a published author?

Deadline (postmark): Thursday, January 15, 2009

Entry fee: $25.
Checks should be made out to
James River Writers.
PRIZES: First prize: $500, publication of an excerpt in
Richmond magazine, a ticket to the 2009 James River Writers conference,
and feedback from a JRW board member.

Two finalists will each receive $200.

Entries: Submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript by
Jan. 15, 2009 (postmark deadline) to
Richmond magazine
Best Unpublished Novel Contest
2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105
Richmond, VA 23220

Full manuscripts will be requested later if the submission passes the first round of judging. Please do not submit duplicates of manuscripts entered in previous years.

For complete rules and details, go to