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RANT 'O THE WEEK: by WritersCollege.com Director Steve Morrill
Last week I reported on the untimely demise of Lori Hall Steele, writer, mom, fellow ASJA member. I used the expression, "made her final deadline" and got flak from one reader for that. I tried to weasel out from under by explaining that this is an expression some of us use, and that there was nothing "flip" intended. That got me nowhere.
Obviously, I was not intending to make light of this tragedy but what I was doing was using jargon, language and expressions not commonly understood by the general public or which could be misinterpreted by the general public. I should, after 24 years of writing for publications, most of them general-interest, know better. My own rule, taught to my magazine article course students, is that, if ten people read over your manuscript and one doesn't understand something, you need to fix that something. Unless they intend to telephone every reader of that magazine to explain what they really meant, I tell the students, they need to have said it clearly the first time. I failed to do this.
Well, our holiday season is upon us and most people are 'way too busy with family and shopping and cooking and traveling to bother with some writing class they may have signed up for or which they are thinking of signing up for. That's fine but I do have a great shopping idea for you. Read on...
SCHOOL
NEWS:Emergency!, Emergency! A-ooga, a-ooga, dive, dive!
Yes, it's almost gift-giving time and here you have forgotten someone. Well, we offer succor, aid, rescue, and we'll also get you out of really bad trouble. Give the gift of knowledge. We here at WritersCollege.com, know that men everywhere have doofussed-out once again (and some women too, sad to report) and we will take care of you.
Here is how this works:
You buy a WritersCollege.com writing course. But be sure to also...
EMAIL US IMMEDIATELY (or even add a note on the form at time of purchase if using PayPal) and tell us that this is a GIFT and FOR WHOM and what the for whom's EMAIL ADDRESS is.
You can print out a GIFT CERTIFICATE to have to hand across at the appropriate time.
On THE MORNING OF December 25 we send this person a welcome notice.
If the person wishes to take a different course, we can make the switch. If there is a price difference, we will contact you and work out the details.
And, as ever our ten-day, no-questions-asked refund policy covers you against major changes-of-mind.
Price increase. Remember, sign up between now and the end of the year to beat the price increase. Students already signed up for courses, even if those courses do not start until after the price increase, pay the current prices. You may register now, in other words, for a course that you wish to start in January. I'll extend this offer only to the month of January, 2009.
On January 1 of 2009 I plan to increase prices. I realize that in a downturned economy this is hardly the time to do this, but my fine teachers have been waiting a looong time for a raise and they deserve it. And we're 'way underpriced as it is.
Prices will increase from the present $25/week (i.e. a four-week course costs $100) to $30 per week. So prices would increase as follows:
Course Length
Current Prices
New Prices
4-week course
standard course $100
extended version* $125
standard course $120
extended version* $150
6-week course
standard course $150
extended version*$188
standard course $180
extended version* $225
8-week course
standard course $200
extended version* $250
standard course $240
extended version* $300
* Extended courses merely have twice as many weeks to do the lessons and homework. There's no extra material offered but our students are busy adults with real lives too, and so we make available the option.
Are you ready to plunge into the pool of flash fiction? Be prepared to hold your breath! Although the water appears shallow, the emotional impact of this writing form boasts depths rivaling the high seas of longer fiction.
Develop a basic knowledge of the internet, how it functions, how web sites are made, and the steps necessary to build your own web site. Learn how easy it is to have your web presence!
Adding speechwriting skills to your writer's toolkit can make you more marketable. Public relations firms, businesses, local government officials, nonprofit organizations, etc., need people with this skill.
COOL WEB SITE: I just thought this was funny "Save an Executive" on YouTube.
I asked if I would get a photo and thank-you letter but got no response.
And at the American Society of Journalists & Authors holiday party in New York last Saturday, member Bill Dyszel entertained with several songs about writers. Here's one: http://www.youtube.com/cinemasolo
WHO's
DOING WHAT: Send me your news.
Mary McIntosh's essay titled "Political persuasion at the hands of FDR" appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on December 21. It's a cute story about her first savings account at age 11, when the bank defaulted and took her $2.50.
Stephen Morrill, WritersCollege.com's Maximum Leader, collaborated on a new ebook, 100 Florida freebies & cheapies, which he is selling as an experiment in self-publishing. It's available at his Florida-travel web site www.VacationFunFlorida.com
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