Ask for What You Want, Writers.
And if you don’t get it, be creative.
April 2nd, 2024
Dear Writers,
First, a shout out to my former Writer Magazine colleague Yi Shun Lai for the publication of her debut young adult novel A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic. It’s available in bookstores and libraries everywhere (well, okay, if it’s not available in your library, please request it!)
What I’m Publishing.
Next month, I’ll have several essays and articles to share with you. This month, why not check out my two award-winning novels Daisy Woodworm Changes the World and Avenging the Owl! And if you’re motivated to write and post a review for one or both books, I’d be grateful.
Ask for What You Want. If You Don’t Get It, Be Creative.
In February, I traveled to Kansas City for the AWP Conference—a mammoth four-day annual event for writers, booksellers, teachers, students, editors, etc. Many scenes in my novel-in-progress take place in early 1900s Kansas City, and so I spent hours roaming the streets and popping into old theaters and restaurants and hotels. One hotel boasted a famous stained-glass window which I thought I might like to include in my story. I marched into the elegant lobby in jeans and my winter coat and my red and white striped beanie and asked the concierge if I might take the elevator up to the ballroom to look at the window.
He said no. There was an event taking place, he explained, and the room was closed to the public.
“No” is not a word that dissuades me from my goal. As long as I’m not hurting anyone, I generally figure out a way around “No.” In this case, I quietly slipped away into a corner, and then, when the concierge wasn’t looking, I took the elevator up to the floor with the stained glass window. Imagine my surprise as the elevator doors opened onto a ballroom packed with tables full of young, hip, beautifully-dressed speed daters.
Imagine their surprise as they looked at me, a middle-aged woman in jeans and a goofy hat. Fortunately, the famed window stood directly across from me. I snapped two photos and left before anyone could ask me out for dinner and a movie.
Shameless, I know, and privileged . . . but my transgression hurt absolutely no one.
You’ve got to ask for what you want, writers. Before I published Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens, I thought of the person I’d most want to write the foreword . . . National Teacher of the Year and bestselling middle-grade author Sharon Draper. Her fame and her accomplishments intimidated me, for sure, but I composed a concise email explaining exactly what I needed—a short foreword for a book I knew she’d find important—and she said yes!
Last week, I sold an essay to a literary magazine for which I’d previously written, and the editor offered $400. That’s not a lot of money for a 1,200-word piece. “That’s fine,” I emailed her, “but if you could bump it up to $500 because I’m a previous contributor, I’d be grateful.” She said yes!
It’s okay to ask for what you want, whether it’s more money, more time to write, a back cover blurb for your new book, or a peek at a famous window. The worst someone can say is “No,” and if you’re not breaking any laws or causing pain, there are usually ways around that word. 😊
Where I’ll Be Soon.
April 4-8, 2024--I’m teaching a powerful and supportive workshop titled “Crafting Your Memoir” at the stunningly-beautiful Playa Summer Lake in Central Oregon. Registration closes tomorrow, April 3rd. Contact me with any questions at all—I can’t emphasize enough the loveliness of Playa! Here, see for yourself:
April 26-28th, 2024—I’m one of the featured workshop speakers at Oregon Writers’ Colony’s annual conference held at the charming Sylvia Beach Hotel in Nye Beach on the central coast. We’ll be talking about how to plan and write book-length memoir, but those working on short memoir will find plenty of useful and inspiring information, as well. This is going to be an intimate, inspiring three-day event with plenty of low-key networking and lots and lots of great coffee with strangers destined to become friends.
July 12-13th, 2024—I’m teaching—yes, teaching—at the Oregon Country Fair, specifically on the Spoken Word stage. More details soon. Will I wear fairy wings and cat ears and a tail? You can count on it!
Want me to keynote and/or teach at your conference, school, library, or decades-old hippie fair? I’d be thrilled! See my website for information on what I teach, or ask me to teach something else!
A Few Cool Resources for Writers
· I found this essay by Paul Zakrzewski, “The Confessional Essay Returns,” absolutely fascinating! So many insights from women, in particular, weighing in on the power of the personal essay form.
· Tim Herrera made me rethink my nearly non-existent activity on LinkedIn with this post “LinkedIn is the best place you’re not hanging out at.” Hererra writes, “Conversations on LinkedIn are, while often corny, exponentially kinder and more civilized than anything you can find on Twitter these days. People are actually sincere!” (Find me on LinkedIn at Melissa Hart | LinkedIn . I promise I’ll be sincere, and I won’t spam you with cat videos.)
· I admire the generous spirit behind author Samatha Skal’s podcast episode “How to Be a Good Literary Citizen: Volunteer at a Writing Conference.” Before I started teaching workshops at writing conferences, I volunteered at several. Aside from getting a discount on my conference registration and free food (!), I also got to meet so many authors and editors and agents. Definitely a win-win situation! You can find a local writing conference at this Poets & Writers database and contact the director for volunteer opportunities.
· I appreciate Anastasia Zadeik’s and Kaily Brennan Dellorusso’s super-intelligent article titled “What a Debut Author Can Expect After Their Book is Published by an Indie Press.” Also, it’s applicable to those who’ve published more than one book!
· And oh wow, here’s a thought-provoking piece that may change your mind about shameless self-promotion…or affirm everything you’ve suspected: Want to sell a book or release an album? Better start a TikTok. - Vox
Conferences, Residencies & Calls for Submissions
· Electric Literature, a well-respected paying online literary magazine, is open for submissions right now in numerous creative genres: Electric Literature Submission Manager (submittable.com)
· One of my favorite paying online publications, Longreads, is accepted pitches. From the editors: “We're accepting personal essay drafts and pitches for reported personal essays and reading lists. We're looking for pieces on unexpected topics and unique angles.” Here’s what I wrote for them a while back: Families Like Ours: A Reading List for the Children of Queer Parents - Longreads
· Who doesn’t love getting paid for their writing? Check out this article! 20 Online Gold Mines for Finding Freelance Writing Jobs (thewritelife.com)
· Specific to my Oregon friends, Oregon Humanities has this call for submissions with the theme “Public.” Call for Submissions — Oregon Humanities . I wrote this for them a while back: The Privilege to Raise Our Voices — Oregon Humanities
· I just ran across this “Voices in the Wilderness” residency in Alaska, which looks amazing. You might also enjoy a DIY residency in this Scottish treehouse!
· Here’s an enormous list of upcoming writing conferences, both in person and online: AWP: Directory of Conferences & Centers (awpwriter.org). And I enjoyed reading about the five recommended conferences in this article-- 5 Amazing Conferences For Indie Authors To Attend in 2024 - Book Brush—especially Killer Nashville, which I profiled in The Writer Magazine a while back, and which looks like SO much fun! A mock crime scene and an authors’ bar? Sign me up!
· I’m about to head out to Playa on Oregon’s Summer Lake to teach a four-day workshop on memoir writing. Playa is taking applications for 2025 writer and artist residencies until May. You get a cabin to yourself, a stunning location, and the companionship (if you want it) of other creative people.
· As always, visit these sites for editors’ calls for submissions: Calls for Submissions :: Where to Submit - NewPages.com, Practicing Writing - Erika Dreifus, Opportunities of the Week Newsletter – Sonia Weiser (wordpress.com), FundsforWriters and Call for Submissions | Poets & Writers (pw.org).
Okay, that’s all for now. Let me know if you want me to include any writing resources in my May issue, and I’ll do so!
Much gratitude,
Melissa
P.S. Here’s me with the skeleton of a Giant Ground Sloth at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon.
Melissa Hart is the author of seven books including the novels Daisy Woodworm Changes the World and Avenging the Owl, and the nonfiction titles Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens, Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family, and Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood. Find out more at www.melissahart.com