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Will Rogers Writers’ workshop
newsletter July 2008 COLUMNISTS HONOR TWO WILL ROGERS HUMANITARIAN
AWARD WINNERS Two
columnists were honored with the presentation of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award June 21 at the 2008 conference of the
National Society of Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) in For
the first time in the nine-year history of the award, the judging ended in a tie. The winners are: Carol
A. Dawson, who writes “The Extra Miler” column for
the Bill
Campbell, a longtime James
Rogers, great-grandson of Will Rogers, presented each of the winners with a statuette of the farsighted philosopher-humorist of the 1920s
and ‘30s, who used his forum as a commentator for humanitarian purposes. Campbell,
a columnist for the past 20 years, had community service as a theme for many of his writings. He gave support to a wide variety
of non-profit organizations and involved himself personally with a number of these groups. As president of the local unit
of the American Cancer Society he was instrumental in the launching of “Relay for Life,” a program that has raised
more than $1 million to benefit cancer patients. He
was nominated for the award by a physician who praised his efforts to urge men to get checked for prostate cancer at an annual
free screening. NSNC
members last year approved a proposal that future conferences include a time to focus on how columnists can better serve those
people for whom newspapers have become a last resort. At this year’s meeting columnists went into various parts of WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
PLAYED ROLES IN NSNC CONFERENCE
Several participants in
the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop played important roles in the 32nd annual NSNC conference. Smiley Anders of
The Advocate, The conference program
included a presentation by Suzette Martinez Standring, author of The
Art of Column Writing, who also spoke at the Ben Pollock,
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist, a workshop attendee, chaired a panel discussion
of mental illness among the nation’s young, focusing on the trauma resulting from such events as the disastrous consequences
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Another attendee, Sheila
Moss, a self-syndicated writer from Workshop speaker Bill
Tammeus, The Kansas City Star, who wrote eloquently about the George Waters,
Waters
was first-place winner in the 2006 Will Rogers Writing Contest. EILEEN MITCHELL IN FINALS FOR ROBERT BENCHLEY HUMOR AWARD Prizewinning writer Eileen Mitchell of This year’s contest
is being judged by Bob Newhart - comedian, writer, humorist, actor, entertainer and former certified public accountant. Newhart's selection and ranking of the top four winners for this year's Robert Benchley
Society Awards will be announced the week of July 6th. Mitchell, a 2007 workshop
attendee, won second place in the 2006 Will Rogers Writing Contest and has collected several other writing awards. The Robert Benchley Society
Award for Humor is an international writing competition dedicated to the warm, self-effacing comic writing style that made
Benchley so beloved during his lifetime. Benchley has influenced many of the most popular and successful comic minds over
the past 50 years, including Bob Newhart. SELF-PUBLISHING LEADER SUSAN DRISCOLL IS MOVING ON Susan
Driscoll, former president and CEO of iUniverse, wrote a farewell column in her blog at www.iuniverse.com. A dynamic leader in supported self-publishing,
Driscoll delivered a well-attended breakfast program on “Publishing Options for Writers” at the Will Rogers Writers’
Workshop in She has been serving as vice president for strategy
at Author Solutions, Driscoll writes in her
blog: “I’ll be moving on in my journey to a new challenge that is closer to home, but I won’t be leaving
iUniverse altogether. I’ve agreed to stay involved as a special advisor to the board, and I hope to write a blog column
from time to time to let you know what I’m up to.” To read her entire message,
go to: http://www.iuniverse.com/community/blog/ KELLY JAMES-ENGER GIVES MORE ADVICE
TO Letters of introduction
can be a valuable tool for writers. Kelly
James-Enger, who conducted a workshop on “Six-Figure Freelancing” at the 2007 workshop, talks about “LOIs”
in her free monthly newsletter. She also writes about the subject in her column
in the July issue of The Writer magazine. Here’s some good
advice from an expert: “First, what is an
LOI? It's a brief (two to three paragraphs) letter that highlights your experience and background, rather than focusing on
one particular idea the way a query does. Many editors, especially at trade and custom magazines, prefer to receive LOIs instead
of queries. They may have “A strong LOI showcases
your background, knowledge of a particular subject, and reporting skills. Demonstrating why you personally are a great fit
for the publication(s) you're pitching is critical. For example, when I sent a LOI to a grocery trade publication, I mentioned
that I'd worked at Trader Joe's in RESOURCES:
Writer’s Digest has published its 10th annual listing of 101 best
Web sites for writers. You can find it at http://www.writersdigest.com/101BestSites/ This year, the magazine
added a “jobs” category and expanded the “genres/niches” category.
The list is divided into nine sections: general resources, challenges/creativity, publishing resources, jobs, writing
groups and communities, genres/niches, agent blogs, protect yourself and just for fun. EDITOR-AUTHOR WRITES ABOUT WILL ROGERS AT 1924 CONVENTION Greg Mitchell is the editor of Editor&Publisher
magazine and the author of nine books, including his current title, So Wrong for
So Long: How the Press, the Pundits – and the President – Failed on Last
April, before the Democratic nomination contest was decided, he wrote an interesting article titled, “If There’s
a Brokered Convention: Who Will Be Our Will Rogers?” Writing as “a
historian of American campaigns,” Mitchell recalled the 1924 Democratic convention, “when a compromise candidate
indeed came out of nowhere and earned the nod – with disastrous results for the Democrats.” “This
was the gathering” he wrote, “that inspired the famous Will Rogers
line, ‘I don’t belong to any organized party, I’m a Democrat.’
In fact, Will (the top newspaper columnist and most beloved man in Mitchell’s
piece still makes for good reading. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/3z9k2s NEWS ABOUT WORKSHOPPERS
Ben Shaberman, Radio. You can listen to “At the End of My Paternal Line” and other essays at
Linda Fulkerson,
Charley Green, presentation at the Old West Cowboy Days in is appearing at the Charleston Books and Gifts in will return to Branson on September 19 for a stint at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum & Theater. BULLETIN: SOME GOOD NEWS FROM THE
(From
“In response to soaring gas prices, the
“The new rate will apply to miles driven from July 1 through Dec. 31 this year.
Taxpayers will have to use the old rate to deduct miles driven during the first six months of the year.
“The higher rate will allow self-employed workers to deduct a larger amount on their 2008 tax returns.”
******* June 2008 FOR DAILY DOSE OF HUMOR, WELCOME THE “WA” BLOG
George Waters has become the newest blogger on the block with the creation of “The Wa Blog”,
which offers “a daily dose of humor.”
Waters, first place winner of the 2006 Will Rogers Writing Contest, announced the launching of the blog in his “On
the Waters Front” column: To
paraphrase poet John Greenleaf Whittier, “For all sad words of man or dog, the saddest are these: 'I write a blog.'"
Sad as in "lame," because
it is lame to jump on a trend long after everybody else has, but that is what I have done - I started a blog. It used to be that if
you were a blowhard, your venues were limited - the public park, letters to the editor, the presidency. No more. A blog allows
anyone with computer access to yak large, free of charge. A "blog" is basically
a kind of public Internet diary in which one writes one's life experiences, favorite jokes or opinions, and in which total
strangers can comment back mercilessly. To learn why it’s called “The Wa Blog” and other vital information, read the entire column at: http://www.georgewaters.net/blog_launch.html STERLING PAPERS DONATED
TO WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL
A valuable collection of
tapes, manuscripts, correspondence and galley proofs relating to Will Rogers has been donated to the The Sterlings, who lived
in Museum director Steve Gragert
said PETERSEN’S BOOK
WINS TOP PRIZE FOR HUMOR A
book by Petersen’s
book, How to Shovel Manure: And Other Life Lessons for the Country Woman, won the top prize for humor. The book also placed second in the humor/comedy/satire
division of the 2008 Benjamin Franklin Awards, sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Those awards were
presented May 29 in Peggy
Sanders of Oral, S.D. reports her fifth Her
bi-weekly column "Confluence Chronicle: Peggy
won first place in the 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest. In addition to her writing,
she also is involved in starting a LIEBER’S ADVICE TO COLUMNISTS IS WORTH Whether or not you write a column, you will benefit from reading “you,
the columnist” by Dave Lieber, which he writes for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists newsletter
and Web site. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
columnist, author and speaker led two break-out sessions at the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop.
In his current offering, a commentary on the state of the newspaper business, he writes:
“Of all the things going down, down, down in newspapers because of high-tech immediacy – including coverage
of yesterday’s ball game, the horoscopes, TV listings and stock prices – the one piece that will survive, indeed
even thrive, is – wait for it – you, the columnist.”
You can read his other observations and learn about “Dave’s Law for 21st Century Columnists” by going
to www.columnists.com and click on The Columnist – Newsletter.
It’s not too late to register for the 2008 NSNC Conference June 19-22 at the Hotel Monteleone in ON A PERSONAL
NOTE . . .
This month’s newsletter is a few days late getting out because I just got back from a 12-day trip which included
a multi-city book tour in my home state of
My first stop was Claremore, where I spent some quality time at the
One of those who came to the book-signing was my longtime friend, Joseph H. Carter, a former director and author of
two books on Will Rogers -- Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like (1991) and The Quotable Will Rogers (2005). Joe and I go back to the 1950’s
when we both worked for UPI in
In
Friday, May 30 was a very special day. I returned to my hometown of
The last stop on the tour was at the Tulsa Press Club. I spoke at a Page
One luncheon on Monday, June 2 on the topic of “Picking on Presidents: a National Sport.” My appearance was covered by the Tulsa World and videotaped
as part of a series produced by
Robert L. Haught ******** May 2008 CANCER CLAIMS THE
Bryan Sterling, noted authority on Will Rogers, died April 13 in
Steve Gragert, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museums in WILL
The Web site of the Will Rogers
Memorial Museums has a striking new look and an exciting new feature. Now visitors
to www.willrogers.com can access the four volumes of Museum officials said users
of the Web site “will be able to search easily and quickly by phrases and keywords to locate and use the full range
of his previously published work, plus his weekly radio broadcasts for which sound recordings are available.” ZASLOW BOOK
“The Last Lecture”, co-authored by Randy Pausch
and Jeffrey Zaslow, quickly topped the leading bestseller lists following its April 8 release. Pausch,
a The book made its debut
with a wave of publicity, including a cover story in Parade magazine and an ABC-TV
primetime special with Diane Sawyer. It has been listed as the
Number One bestseller by The New York Times, Publishers
Weekly, the Toronto Star and many other publishers and book sellers. ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS’
WORKSHOP REPORT
The 2008 Erma Bombeck
Writers’ Workshop featured almost 30 experts with advice on writing, publication, promotion, networking and staying
inspired. About 325 humor and general interest writers attended the two-day conference held at the The
NSNC was one of the workshop’s sponsors. Dan St. Yves, NSNC membership
chair, and Suzette Martinez Standring, NSNC Past President, were there to pick up tips (and hopefully, new NSNC members). So
what’s in it for those who did not attend? Dan
and Suzette pooled their workshop notes for sharing. You can find their
report on the NSNC Web site www.columnists.com.
GWEN PETERSEN’S
BOOK NOMINATED FOR TWO AWARDS
Gwen Petersen's book, How To Shovel Manure
and Other Life Lessons for the Country Woman, made the list of finalists in two book award competitions. It was selected by the Midwest Independent Publishers
Association as a finalist in the humor category. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony May 14 in Following that selection, the author was notified
that her book was one of three nominated in the humor/comedy/satire division of the 2008 Benjamin Franklin Awards, sponsored
by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Those awards will be presented May 29 in
A WILL ROBERTS
Humorist and trick roper Will Roberts has made the crossover from Newspaper (105 news sites, online) to a broadcast
TV segment of his weekly comments.”‘Will Roberts Weekly Telegram” now is being aired on PBS’s Okalahoma
Horizons TV show (http://okhorizon.com).
Roberts is not a stranger to the broadcast world, spending the last 25 years as a actor and as a NSNC CONFERENCE
IN
If you're going to the NSNC conference in
Smiley Anders of The Advocate in
James Rogers, a great-grandson of Will Rogers, will present the annual Will Rogers Humanitarian Award on Saturday evening,
June 21. WRITERS’
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS … The The Magazine Writer’s Workshop will be held June 6-8 at the Marriott Hotel in
Workshop speaker Kelly James-Enger has accepted an invitation to teach at the ******** April 2008 ZASLOW TO BE IN THE
SPOTLIGHT WITH EXTRAORDINARY BOOK Jeffrey Zaslow is a familiar
figure to those who attended the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop in Zaslow participated in two workshop sessions,
on feature writing and winning contests. Late last year he cut back his column
writing for The Wall Street Journal to work on a book to be titled The Girls From Ames. Then he wrote a column about a Hundreds of thousands read the online version
of Zaslow’s column, Pausch became famous overnight from his TV appearances, and Zaslow signed a lucrative publishing
deal to collaborate with Pausch on a book, The Last Lecture. He worked long days for three months to meet a tight deadline and the book is scheduled for release April
8 with a flood of publicity. PARADE magazine will feature a cover story with
excerpts from the book on Sunday, April 6. Diane Sawyer will host an ABC News
special airing on Wednesday, April 9. In book circles, the word is that The Last Lecture could be the next Tuesdays with Morrie, which has
sold around 14 million copies worldwide since 1997. Jeff Zaslow, winner of the first Will Rogers
Humanitarian Award in 2000, is about to reap some well deserved returns on his work. (For an interesting background piece with a local
angle, click on http://tinyurl.com/2uq8bz ) BRUCE CAMERON DOES VIDEO TO PROMOTE
It was a rather low-key announcement, considering
it came from the king of self-promotion, W. Bruce Cameron. “Well, I tried this video thing,”
he informed members of the NSNC Discussion Group. “Turns out I'm less funny
talking than writing, and less funny writing than when I pick out my own clothes.” What he was talking about, it turns out, is a
3-minute video on YouTube. It features Bruce, wearing an ill-fitting brown sweater,
addressing the question: Is the Man Your Daughter Is Marrying Really Good Enough For You?
The narration is interspersed with still photos and home movies of a supposedly real daughter, as well as some gag
shots (a baboon identified as a member of Congress). Oh, yes, there is an occasional
glimpse (roughly one every 36 seconds) of the cover of Bruce’s newest book, 8
Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter, which goes on sale in April. Within the first week the video had received
more than 300 views. If you would like to add to that number, see for yourself
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kgHPc1NsL0.
As further evidence that the 8 Simple Rules sequel is making its debut with a splash, the Hollywood
Reporter is in print with a story that the new book will be brought to the big screen by 26 Films and the producer of
“The Devil Wears Prada.” “Cameron is
adapting his semi-autobiographical tome into a comedy with co-writer Cathryn Michon, author of the ‘Grrl Genius Guide’
book series,” the newspaper stated. “It offers wry commentary in the same vein as his 2001 book ‘8 Simple
Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter,’ the basis of ABC's eponymous series starring the late John Ritter.” LESTER
Carol Mell of “Five years ago, I wrote a column about how poor For the full story of the
episode, including the Pell dog throwing up on the rug before the “Today” show crews’s arrival, visit Carol’s
Web site: http://www.newwest.net/main/article/lester_holt_in_my_living_room/ A video clip of the “Today”
show in COLUMNISTS OBSERVE SPECIAL Members
of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists will observe their own special day on April 18. National Columnists Day was
established in 1995 as a time "to reflect on the way newspaper columnists connect, educate, comfort, encourage, celebrate,
outrage and occasionally even amuse readers and a time to express appreciation for them for their hard work." The
day also honors Ernie Pyle, the courageous wartime correspondent whose frontline reporting cost him his life. He was killed
in the South Pacific on Over
the years National Columnists Day has been observed in many ways. Columnists write about Ernie Pyle and his focus on the soldier
rather than the general. They also take the occasion to tell readers what it means to be a columnist and how what they write
affects many lives. REGISTRATION OPENS FOR NSNC Registration is open for the 2008 annual conference
of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Conference Chair Smiley Anders, a member of the workshop faculty, said, “We have done our best to keep fees affordable for
columnists whose newspapers don’t cover their expenses.” The member rate is $275, but a $250 earlybird
rate is available for anyone who registers before May 1. Anyone who is
an NSNC member, that is. For non-members, it will cost $325 to attend the conference. That’s an incentive to join the NSNC for only $50 and get all the benefits. The guest fee is $150. To register, go to the NSNC Web site www.columnists.com and click on Conference. TWO PODCASTS OF INTEREST TO WRITERS AVAILABLE
Check out these two links to podcasts on the web site for Beyond
the Book, hosted by Christopher Kenneally of the
A podcast recorded on February 7 featured The Art of Column Writing, with NSNC's Suzette Martinez Standring and book contributors Ray Hanania (voted Best Ethnic Columnist), author and NSNC member Terry Marotta and Keith Woods of the Poynter Institute. http://beyondthebookcast.com/?p=84
Kenneally also posted an interview with literary agent Noah Lukeman for insights on transforming newspaper columns
into books. This podcast was excerpted from the Beyond the Book panel at the 30th annual NSNC conference in JIM CASTO TURNS SCRIPTWRITER FOR VIDEO DOCUMENTARY
Over the years, Jim Casto has been a number of things – a newspaper
reporter, editor and columnist; a freelance magazine writer; a public relations person, and an amateur historian with more
than a half dozen books to his credit. (Accompanied by his wife, Norma, Casto
attended the 2007 workshop and participated in the Books and Authors evening book sale.)
Now, Casto has added another title to that list – scriptwriter.
He has researched and written the script for “A Moving Monument,” a new one-hour video documentary that
traces the history of the West Virginia State Capitol. The documentary, which debuted on West Virginia Public Television on
March 13, was produced by MotionMasters, a film, video and multimedia production company located in
Copies of the documentary are to be distributed to schools and libraries in
More about the documentary, including information on purchasing copies, can be found at its web site, www.movingmonument.org. Casto’s web site is www.jimcasto.com and his e-mail address is jimmycasto@aol.com. AN ELECTION YEAR BOOK FOR POLITICAL JUNKIES EVERYWHERE The POTUS Chronicles: Bubba
Between the Bushes, the latest literary
achievement by Robert L. Haught, is a merry romp through some of the most eventful times in the nation’s political history. It’s a sometimes-bumpy roller coaster ride, “prudently recreating” with George H. W.
Bush, wondering what’s next for “Bubba” Bill Clinton and his co-president wife, and “misunderestimating”
George “Dubya” Bush.
Haught, a former UPI correspondent, drew on his experience as a U.S. Senate aide to write the political humor column
“Potomac Junction” for 18 years, chronicling the exploits of three presidents and other
Published by iUniverse, the 320-page book is available from the bookstore at www.iuniverse.com and soon may be purchased at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
“It’s the election year book for political junkies everywhere.” ******* March 2008 PLATFORMS AREN’T
JUST FOR CANDIDATES If you’re considering doing a non-fiction
book, you need to think about your platform. That’s the advice of workshop
speaker Kelly James-Enger. She discusses the subject in her
March newsletter. “Your platform is what you bring to the
book project in terms of not only your expertise but your ability to help sell the title once it comes out,” she says.
“Are you recognized as an expert in your field? Have you published articles
about the subject already? Do you teach? Have you been interviewed about the subject or appeared on radio or television programs?
“These kinds of expertise and media exposure
make up your platform. Forget how good your idea is. Publishers want to know how you're going to help sell your book –
and the broader and bigger your platform is, the better.” Get more guidance from this authority on freelance
writing and selling by going to http://www.becomebodywise.com/mwsubscribe/index.php?what=subscribe. At her Web site, you’ll also find information
about how to order the second, updated and expanded version of Ready, Aim, Specialize!
Create your own Writing Specialty and Make More Money, as well as her popular CDs on freelancing. FREE NEWSLETTERS AVAILABLE FOR THE ASKING Besides Kelly’s monthly publication, there are many other free newsletters
that writers might want to receive. Here is a sample listing: Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop - http://homestead.sitetoolbox.com/app/newsltr/subscribe.html?no=255 Totally Skewed by
On the Waters Front by Finally, this
plea from workshop speaker W. Bruce Cameron: “Have you ever accidentally
given somebody the flu virus? Well then, if you were willing to do that, why not get somebody to subscribe to the Cameron
column? “But if you do have
friends who might like the column, now would be a great time to sign them up! That way, they are "in the know" about it so
when my new book comes out, they'll already feel popular. RAY HANANIA HAS NEW ONLINE TV SHOW Hanania, best known to workshop attendees as
the emcee for the closing night stand-up performances, has been doing online interviews for about two years. His new show is called “Point to Point: Online Interviews With No Boundaries.” He explained that by using a video camera and
an audio headset, “I can interview anyone anywhere.” All the guest
needs is a camera and a headset. Hanania told Editor & Publisher magazine: “Right now I’m working with an online host, “YallaTunes.com,
to produce interviews focused on “With the journalism
market in a ‘recession’ like the rest of the economy, you have to be on the cutting edge to stay afloat,”
said Hanania, who also is a co-founder of the 2007-launched Arab Writers Group Syndicate. TWO PODCASTS OF INTEREST TO WRITERS Writers might be interested in these two links to podcasts on the Web site for Beyond the Book, hosted
by Christopher Kenneally of One podcast featured Suzette Martinez
Standring’s book, The
Art of Column Writing, with Standring and book contributors Ray Hanania (voted Best Ethnic Columnist), author Terry Marotta
and Keith Woods of the Poynter Institute. The podcast was recorded on COLUMN
WRITING CONTEST DEADLINE NEARS You could win a prize of
$100, $200 or $300 for general interest, humor, notes/items or online columns written in 2007.
Complete information and entry forms may be found at www.columnists.com. The entry deadline is March 14, so don’t delay. Nominations also are being
accepted for the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, presented annually to a columnist whose work has positively affected readers’
lives and produced tangible benefits for the community served by the columnist’s newspaper. See the above link for details. WESTERN WRITERS TO MEET IN
The Western Writers of America will hold its 2009 national
convention in The organization, with
members in 46 states, CHEROKEE AUTHOR HAS NEW BOOK
Robert
J. Conley, a featured speaker at the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’
Workshop, is the author of a new book, A Cherokee Encyclopedia, published by the
The volume is a quick reference guide for many of the people, places, and things connected to the United Keetoowah
Band of Cherokees, as well as for the other officially recognized Cherokee groups, the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band
of Cherokees.
Conley, who has written more than 70 books, is an enrolled member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees. He has won numerous Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. NEWHART
TO JUDGE BENCHLEY COMPETITION Comedic genus Bob Newhart
will serve as finalist judge for the 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor competition. Entries of up to 500 words
will be accepted through FRIENDS OF WILL ROGERS WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS Join Friends of Will Rogers
and help share the legend of an Indian Territory Cherokee, who grew up to be recognized worldwide for his wit and wisdom. Membership in Friends of
Will Rogers through Will Rogers Heritage, Inc., will help support educational and cultural contributions which the Learn more at: http://www.willrogers.com/new/articles/Friends_Will_Rogers/launch/launch.html February 2008
“Because space is always limited in newspapers, sometimes columnists like me don't get to share everything they'd like
to in print. The Internet has begun to solve that problem with the creation of
blogs, or Web logs, those now widely used journals of thought (and sometimes nonsense).” * Post consistently
at the same time each day or each week or at whatever schedule you choose. I set my daily posts to publish at * Use all
the links you can. If real estate is about location, location, location, blogging is about links, links, links. * Use graphics.
Lots of clip art and free stuff is out there. Typepad, which I use, makes it easy to insert art in the text. * Develop
a consistent voice by being you. * Let readers
have their say in the comments section. I only rarely invade that area (though recently
I had to shut it down for a few days because of abuse and spamming by a reader) with my
own comment. My space is the daily posting. The comments area is for readers. * Try to limit
the length of your postings (and encourage commenters to do the same). The most easily digestible run about 300 words. * Find a format
for the look of your page that you like and stay with it. People like consistency -- with some occasional flare. * E-mail your
whole e-mail list to advise them that you've got a blog they should read. * Get a link
to your blog on as many other sites as possible. Links on other sites drive traffic to
your site. The more the better. And if you work for a paper, make sure the paper promotes your site on its opening page. Read Bill’s
blog at http://billtammeus.typepad.com. If you want
to catch up on the current buzz about blogging, join the NSNC Discussion Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsncdiscussions and find the “Who Here Blogs?” series of posts beginning on January 24. AT INCOME
TAX TIME, DON’T OVERLOOK DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSES If you attended the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop you might be entitled
to claim some deductible expenses on your Workshop speaker Kelly James-Enger has told freelancers and other writers: “If you’re
operating your writing as a business, instead of a hobby, you can deduct legitimate business deductions from that income …
those expenses would include … trip to attend a writing conference.” Conference fees, hotel
and travel expenses, including car mileage, are all deductible expenses even for unpublished writers. BOOK PUBLISHER iUNIVERSE MOVING OPERATIONS TO Susan Driscoll, president and CEO of the iUniverse book publishing company, has announced the relocation of operations
from Driscoll, who made a breakfast
presentation on self-publishing at the Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop, said, “We’re rolling up our sleeves
to maintain iUniverse service and standards during the transition.” With the relocation, effective
For other information,
see http://www.authorsolutions.com. WILL
The famed cowboy humorist
did much of his writing in a second-floor study of the 31-room ranch house and played polo with Over the years, the house
and grounds fell into disrepair. In 2003 the state began a $5 million restoration
that culminated in a rededication of the park in March of 2006, with Schwarzenegger participating in the ceremonies. Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry,
speaking for her father, Kem Rogers and other family members, told the Los Angeles
Times they were shocked by the news that the park was on a list of 48 facilities scheduled for closure. She said the family had no intention of selling the property for development. “We’re not fighting to take it back; we’re fighting to keep it open,” she said. The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation,
a non-profit group formed to raise funds to help maintain and operate the park, is far short of resources to run the park
on its own, Rogers-Etcheverry said. State officials said no
closures would come about before the next fiscal year begins on July 1. The family
remains hopeful that the budget proposal might be altered and the LUCKY CHARMS: WRITING AID OR SILLY SUPERSTITION? (Reprinted from the January-February issue of e-Columnist,
newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists) Self-syndicated Columnist Director, Will Rogers Writers' Workshop When I decided to retire a column I had been writing for 18 years, I was faced with another important decision: should
I also hang up my lucky pants? For the past several years, when a column was due I pulled on a pair of wine-colored Docker jeans with a rip in the
left knee before I sat down to write. Maybe it was just my imagination, but wearing those disreputable trousers seemed to
bring me luck. As a Washington-based political humor columnist, I was never at a loss for subject matter. Finding the right words
and phrases to develop an idea was something else. Somehow they came relatively
easy when I wore my lucky pants. Whether the inspiration came from staring at a knee patch that came loose or pondering whether my wife was correct
in identifying the color of the garment as plum, not wine - I can't say. (I suppose
today it would be aubergine, which I understand is this season's hot fashion color.) All I know is that when she bought those jeans on sale sometime in the early '90s, it definitely had a positive effect
on my career as a columnist. At least I think so. And in the words of Still, you have to wonder if wearing a shamrock, carrying a rabbit's foot or dressing a special way aren't just silly
superstitions. Music helps connect with readers One noted authority on writing, Dr. Roy Peter Clark of the Poynter Institute, makes a convincing case that music not
only has charms to "soothe the savage breast" but also to help writers connect with readers. "You can listen to music in preparation for writing, while writing, and after writing as a kind of reward," said Clark,
an accomplished pianist, in a memorable musical presentation at the 2004 NSNC Conference in "We usually appeal to readers through the eyes," he observed. "We need
to appeal to readers through the ears." In my first public confession of my secret obsession (I hear a rhythm, too), I posted an
inquiry to members of the NSNC Internet Discussion Group about "lucky charms." (And
here I'm not referring to the breakfast cereal or the Kansas City Irish band of the same name.) Rick Horowitz responded right away: "No superstitions quite as charming as yours, but I've always found credit card
bills pretty inspiring." I suspect Rick's earnings from his work as a syndicated columnist, TV commentator, writing coach and public speaker will keep the wolf away
from his door. www.yesrick.com Ben's Orange Stick
"I turn on my lava lamp, and
my lava lamp turns me on," said Danny Gallagher of From NSNC Secretary
Ben Pollock of Fayetteville, Ark., volunteered a fascinating revelation about his "Orange Stick," which he wants us to know
he's had since he was a kid. "The original Orange Stick came
from a wooden block set," he said. "It was a one-inch dowel eight to 10 inches long. "I imagined my Orange Stick into a motorcycle
handlebar, a race car steering wheel or an airplane throttle. More practically, it held kite string and could dig small holes.
George the terrier fetched it. "The Orange Stick also could
be a dagger, spear or pistol, needed for Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and Army."
Now, that's a serious all-purpose Lucky Charm. When Ben was in the fifth grade,
he was flying a kite one day and the wind grabbed it and pulled the Orange Stick high into a tree. "After a few years, I couldn't see it anymore." But in the summer of 1998, he
made two replicas from a hardware store dowel and a pint of paint. "One Orange Stick stays on my writing desk," he said. "I
probably get by with carrying the other one everywhere because I shun the temptation of running through the newsroom or airports
steering a pretend-Harley." Cameron's
ugly pillow Cameron Sullivan does something
with her lucky charm that Ben probably wouldn't want to do. She sits on it. "I have an ugly pillow," said
the Now she takes it when she has
to write at offsite locations, "such as a café where some fellow writers and I meet to write a few times a week." "I just realized, after writing
10,221 words of a novel in only two weeks (most of it offsite, using said pillow under said arse), that I now require the pillow when
column writing at my home office. Soon it will have an impression." Don't get
the impression this mother of three school-age children has been sitting down on the job.
With a background in marketing, publicity, radio production, and public relations, Cameron is a prolific writer who
has published more than 500 features and columns in The Valley Times, a regional daily paper. www.cameronsullivan.net Having shared the story of her
ugly pillow, Cameron offered a suggestion for my lucky pants. "Why not stuff them to look
like you did when you were at your fittest and hang them in your office for inspiration?
Or wear them while hammering out your memoirs?" First of all, Cameron - what
makes you think I'm not at my fittest now? And I certainly have more living to
do before I write my memoirs. As for stuffing the pants, the last thing I need
is a hideous indoor scarecrow. I'm not sure what I'll do with
my good luck charm. One thing for sure: I'll not be wearing these odd-colored raggedy old pants out in public - unless it's
at a columnists' meeting. Oh, and if anyone wants to know
about Bruce Cameron's pair of lucky underpants, you'll have to read about it in the NSNC Discussion Group. This newsletter is for anyone interested in the
writings of Will Rogers. It originated with the Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop, held Robert L. Haught Workshop Director ******** January
2008 DIGITAL RECORDER IS HANDY DEVICE FOR WRITERS Electronic gadgets are among the most popular
gifts, so it’s entirely possible you received one in the holiday season. If
it was a digital recording device, you’re in luck. Kimberly Dawn Wells, writing
on the Squidoo web site, said: “A digital voice recorder can be an awesome tool for writers and novelists because it
allows you to record ideas quickly, immediately, and nearly hands-free. Using
a digital recorder can also assist you when it comes time to edit, because instead of writing out everything you thought,
you only have to write down what you really like and want to use.” In a posting at http://becoming-a-writer-seriously.com, Tom Colvin wrote: “There are many occasions when it is inconvenient to pull out a notebook or a word processor to
take note of some significant, but fleeting ideas. A digital voice recorder can at such times save the day — and the
ideas. This device is also nearly indispensable during in-person interviews.” Workshop speaker Dave Lieber cited such an experience in an article for The Columnist,
the newsletter of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Lieber wrote
about confronting Bill O’Reilly of Fox News Channel, who spoke at the NSNC 2007 annual conference in “So I was second
in line for his post-speech Q&A (first is too soon, but third is too late) to ask Bill-O questions for this column.” He had his “trusty Olympus Digital Voice Recorder” handy. (You can read Lieber’s
verbatim exchange with O’Reilly at www.columnists.com (click on The Columnist – newsletter under News). COLUMN WRITING CONTEST OFFERS CASH PRIZES While you’re at the NSNC web site, take note of the announcement of the
annual column writing contest. (You can’t miss it.) Cash awards are given to winners for general
interest, humor and notes/items columns that appeared in a daily, weekly or monthly newspaper in the First prize is $200, second $100 and third $50
in all categories. Entry fees are $25 for NSNC members and $45 for
non-members. HALF-PRICE NSNC MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE If you’re a columnist, take advantage of
a limited time offer to join the National Society of Newspaper Columnists for $25 – half the normal membership fee. All you have to do is find an existing member of NSNC as your buddy. Instead of paying $50 an NSNC member may renew for only $25 if a new member joins at the same time. (Anyone who is interested in joining NSNC and
needs a two-for-one sponsor, please send a note to willrogersok@gmail.com.) Among the many benefits of NSNC membership is
a discounted registration fee for the annual conference, to be held at the Hotel Monteleone in Many of those who attended the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop were impressed
with the quiet beauty of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. A focal point of
the memorial is the Survivor Tree, a 90-year-old American elm so named because it withstood the blast of the 1995 bombing
that destroyed the When a severe ice storm
struck the city late last year, more than 500,000 trees were toppled throughout the area.
The site of the memorial was iced over and several trees fell, but thanks to a critical incident management plan, the
Survivor Tree was saved. Ice was knocked off the tree and was removed constantly
until the crisis passed. Suzette Martinez Standring, a workshop speaker who writes a spiritual column distributed by Gatehouse News Service,
gave recognition to the special tree, and to trees in general, because of their ability to “regenerate even from near
ruin.” “The Survivor Tree,
and millions like it, speaks to the Great Spirit within each of us,” she wrote. (Read the entire column
as printed in the Norwich (CT) Bulletin at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/lifestyles/spirituality/x546807925/) Suzette’s new book,
The Art of Column Writing: Insider Secrets from Art Buchwald, Dave George
Waters of “I write a weekly
humor column, and don't normally even touch on sports, but last Other writers in the group
complimented him on his clever column and some took their own potshots at soccer players.
AWARDS
FOR RELIGION REPORTING EXCELLENCE The RNA annual contests recognize journalism
excellence in general circulation newspapers, news magazines, news wire services, radio and television. Contest categories and awards are as follows:
REPORTING
EXCELLENCE—PRINT BROADCAST EXCELLENCE AIRLINE TICKET WINNERS GOING TO
Brenda Elsagher of
The meeting, billed as “SpeakerPalooza”, will feature such speakers as best-selling author John G. Miller, founder of QBQ, Inc., an organizational development firm dedicated to making
personal accountability a core value for organizations and individuals, and Emmy winner Steve Spangler, host of NBC television's
News for Kids. He appears each week as the "Science Guy" on NBC affiliates throughout the country. Brenda, book author and columnist for Hollister’s
Secure Start Newsletter, delivers light, uplifting speeches around the country on her experience as a colorectal cancer survivor. She is still seeking stories for her next book, Bedpan Banter. “I am looking for humorous and inspirational
medical stories,” she says. For complete details, go to www.livingandlaughing.com. Eileen
Mitchell of Eileen won second place in the 2006 Will Rogers
Writing Contest. LONG-RUNNING COLUMN IS RETIRED
Throwing all modesty aside, the following editorial of “Loyal readers of
The Oklahoman’s editorial pages doubtless noted Friday’s final installment
of Robert Haught’s “Potomac Junction” column, a regular op-ed feature the past 18 years. “Certainly, few have
enjoyed so eclectic a career as our colleague, a former United Press International correspondent and bureau manager and The Oklahoman’s first Washington-based editorial writer – sandwiched around
a stint in politics when he was press secretary to Gov. and later Sen. Henry Bellmon. “As a senior editorial
writer for The Oklahoman, Haught was assigned to the newspaper’s “Haught’s keen
eye, dry wit and gift for the American language served him well in each of his career branches, but especially as a journalist. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2001 and held key offices
with the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. In that organization he was
best known for creating the group’s annual Will Rogers Humanitarian Award. “As he enters full
retirement with his wife, Mary, at their One correction: that column
is retired but I’m not. I’ll remain active as a self-syndicated columnist
(“Now, I’m No Expert”) and free-lance writer. ENTRIES INVITED FOR PLAYWRITING COMPETITION Gwen Petersen is director of the Montana Cowboy Poetry Wintercamp held annually in her hometown of Big Timber,
This year’s show features a Wild West Melodrama, and writers are invited to submit scripts
and compete for prizes. Deadline is February 1. ********
Will Rogers December 2007 Jeffrey Zaslow, who conducted a well-attended session on feature writing at the
Pausch, who is dying of pancreatic cancer, described his childhood dreams and lessons learned in a September lecture at Zaslow covered Pausch’s
lecture and wrote about it for The Wall Street Journal. On November 27, Hyperion announced plans to publish “The Last Lecture” by Pausch and Zaslow. USA Today quoted publisher Robert Miller
as saying the book will “flesh out his speech” and deal “with mortality and how to live well.” Pausch, father of three young children, “may have a couple of months left and
is working as quickly as possible,” said Miller. Jeff already was working
on another book, “The Girls From Ames.” He said he put that book
on hold to concentrate on “The Last Lecture.” Publication is planned
for April 2008. Zaslow has taken a leave from the Journal to do both books. COWGIRL COLUMNIST
LAUNCHES BOOK PUBLISHING VENTURE Debra Coppinger Hill, the
workshop participant who gave a lesson in speaking the Cherokee Indian language, has formed a publishing company, Westword
Press, and published its first book, “Once a Cowboy…” Debra,
who also is an award-winning cowgirl poet, writes a syndicated column, “Riding Drag”, in which she shares western
culture, poetry, humor and stories of life on the 4DH ranch at Read Debra’s work at http://www.freewebs.com/oldyellowslicker. SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED
FOR NSNC CONFERENCE IN The annual conference of
the National Society of Newspaper Columnists will open On Friday morning there
will be talks on “Covering the End of the World,” featuring writers who wrote about, and are still writing about,
Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the city. Mayor Ray Nagin, Friday afternoon attendees
will hear about “The American Way of Dissent” from a panel of investigative reporters organized by The Nation
Institute and The Fertel Foundation, presenters of the annual Ron Ridenhour Prizes to whistleblowers and others who work for
social justice. Bob Mann, professor at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communications,
will discuss his upcoming book on wartime dissent in
For more information about the conference, go to the NSNC Web site www.columnists.com. Charley Green of “Thought it was time
to give you an update on what’s been going on with one of your students since the Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop.
I have a new book out, “Will Rogers & Charley”, with
a corresponding Web site www.WillRogersandCharley.com. The site features all the products available along with other information, and a monthly newsletter
is in the works. “I have the honor
of featuring several of my stories in the Better Horses Network, a quarterly
magazine available at most Purina dealers (or by subscription) here in the “Through the association
with Better Horses Network and Purina, I have been a featured author at various events sponsored by them including the Dream
Ride in the Flint Hills (trail ride), the American Royal and the Extreme Cowboy Race National Championships. “Additionally, I
have participated in author events at various western stores, Tractor Supply stores and appeared at the Roy Rogers & Dale
Evans Happy Trails Theater in “I attended the Will Rogers
Gala in “Also, I have qualified
for and am now a member of the Western Writers of America. “There is other marketing
stuff in the works and if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to share as I’m looking for ways to market, explore
syndication possibilities, and sell product.” E-mail charleygreen@charleygreen.com.
HUMOR WRITERS CAN
FIND NEWS APLENTY AT THE ERMA WEB SITE
Tim Bete, director
of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and a member of the Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop faculty, offers a wealth
of news and information in a monthly newsletter. The current issue features his
review of Judy Carter's Comedy Career in a Box and he says, “it's one of the best programs
for humor writers I've ever seen.” There’s plenty more items of interest to
writers of funny stuff as well as other types of writers. You can read the newsletter
at http://www.humorwriters.org/EBWW110107.html. You’ll also find instructions on how to subscribe
to this free newsletter at this Web site. FEELING OVERWHELMED WITH WORK? TIPS ON HOW TO HANDLE IT
Living the Writer's Life: Too
Much to Do, Too Little Time So,
I feel overwhelmed, but I know (or at least hope) that this is temporary. I put
in a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon while Ryan napped to do some background research for one of the stories, and lined
up a sitter so I could work an extra afternoon one day this week. But first,
I need to clean off my desk. I have a huge pile of papers, magazines, and press
releases that have been growing in a pile next to my computer. Tonight, after
he goes to bed, I’ll go through and winnow the pile. I know that will help. Second,
because I’m so busy, I’ll do two things each morning. First, I’ll
make a list of what I need to do that day, and prioritize it. Then I’ll schedule my day, and stick to it. Usually the more I have to do, the more productive I am. But
I’ve also found that when I have a seemingly insurmountable amount of work to do, I fritter away time instead of simply
sitting down and tackling it.
Scheduling every hour in my workday (and giving myself some short breaks) will let me make the most
of the next few days. I've also learned that the only way to get over feeling
overwhelmed is to simply make a list of what I have to do, and attack the list one item at a time. I know if I buckle down
and do that, by week's end, I'll have met my deadlines and accomplished what I need to do. My reward will be taking the entire
weekend off from work, guilt-free and having time to get our Christmas tree up before Christmas Eve! Also in the December issue, Kelly tells how to sell a screenplay. You can subscribe to this free newsletter by going to her Web site www.becomebodywise.com (resources, newsletter, subscribe). You’ll get lots of valuable information
from the author of “Six-Figure Freelancing.” ********
November
2007 RANCH WIFE PEGGY
SANDERS WINS WRITING CONTEST Sanders was chosen top prize winner
in the competition sponsored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists with her essay, "Run Amuck Ranching," which mocks
"city folk" moving to the country. Her entry was judged the best of all submissions received
in the nationwide contest to find the best example of Will Rogers' style of writing. Second-place winner was Randall Reeder of Hilliard,
Ohio, who writes a column, "Will Rogers Today." His entry titled "Water’s Risin’" was about flooding in normally
dry Oklahoma. An author from Pownal, Vt., Andrew Dequasie, won third
place with "The Twenty Horse Race." His entry took the form of a letter from Rogers to Henry Ford. Rogers, born in Oologah, Okla. (Indian Territory) November
4, 1879, reached millions of Americans through his stage, screen and radio performances and his newspaper and magazine writing
in the 1920s and 1930s. He left a rich literary legacy when he died in a plane crash in 1935. Steven K. Gragert, Director of the Will Rogers Memorial
Museums in Claremore, Okla., served as the final judge of the contest. He complimented the quality of the entries, saying
this year’s judging was "no easier in the second year." Cash prizes were awarded to the winners. Sanders will
receive a check for $200. The prize for second place is $100 and for third place $50. The 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest drew entries from
18 states and submissions ranged from a wide area of the country - from California to Pennsylvania, from Colorado to Louisiana.
"The widespread response to the contest indicates a
broad interest in the simple and folksy but sharp and incisive style of Will Rogers," said Robert L. Haught, director of the
2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop and contest coordinator. "Steve Gragert is well qualified to pick the top three
winners from a top-10 list of entries," he said. "He was editor of several books on Will Rogers, including the recent five-volume
series, ‘The Papers of Will Rogers.’ Nobody knows the Rogers style better than he does." Other contestants in the top 10 included: Terry Burns,
Amarillo, TX; James DeBord, Lancaster, PA; John Duncklee, Las Cruces, NM; Cathy Hall, Lilburn, GA; Cheryl Jobe, Del City,
OK; Eileen Mitchell, Palatine, IL; and Mary Ramstetter, Golden, CO.
Peggy Sanders calls herself “an
independent historian who writes about everyday people.” Her great grandparents,
Ira and Hattie Tillotson, homesteaded near Cascade, S.D. in 1881. Peggy and her
husband have two sons who are the fifth generation of Tillotson descendants to reside in
A graduate of
She is the author of three vintage photo history books: “
In addition to freelance articles, Peggy started writing columns for the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal seven years ago. She now has a column in the Rocky Mountain Fence Post called “Confluence Chronicles:
“I see the divide between city and country getting wider as former city people move to the country to ‘get
away from it all’, then proceed to try and change the country and its people,” she said. “The easiest way to soften people on both sides of the ideologies is with humor, and it gets them
talking to each other. My columns serve to educate as well as entertain.”
Peggy, a member of the Western Writers of America, attended the 2007 Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop in
“Though I have not written in Will’s style before, my column subjects are along the lines of a country
resident’s view on things, much like Will’s writings.”
Randall Reeder also participated in the workshop, and he turned heads because of his remarkable resemblance to Will Rogers. An agricultural engineer by profession, he makes appearances as Will Raised on a livestock
farm in
Born in
Dequasie said before entering the contest he did a quick study of Will Rogers’ writing style by reading his book,
“The Illiterate Digest.” TEXTS OF THE WINNING COLUMNS Peggy Sanders Run Amuck Ranching I’m just a down home country girl. Don’t quite know what to make of this stuff called “The
New West.” Heck, the land is still in the same place. It’s the people who have moved in that are causing it to be called “new.” Seems lots of city folk don’t like the city life, the
crowded conditions, neighbors barking dogs, sirens wailing all the time. So they cast about for a better spot to land. Choosing a countryside area, they ponied up for a small chunk of land, a ranch with horses they called it, built the first house in that section with their very own checkbook. Naturally, the house was full of fancies, ’bout as many as fleas on a dog. Imported tiles—from missus didn’t take kindly to hot air, cold air, well, any air and fixed it so no one could mistakenly
let in fresh air. From the smallest window to the south-facing 10-foot high sitting room window not one of them had a sash
that could’ve been throwed open. Along with the new house came new furniture and a placement person, something about being an expert in
setting couches and chairs and tables in the right spots to allow chi to flow. I’d heard of water flowing but
not this new fangled, New West feng shui that was being gushed about. Too bad the furniture didn’t arrive before the
trees were put in. One of them little pines had to be sacrificed cuz of it was in the chi way. Being a new place, the trees planted by the landscape artist were still in the not-yet-dry-paint stage—they had lots of time to go ’fore they could be called finished. That let lots of sunshine for sitting in. Matter of fact, the house was so full of windows, the couple had to put on something called sunscreen to walk around inside. First night in the new house the couple couldn’t sleep a wink. It was too quiet. Heard a siren off in the distance and it calmed them down. Guess they figured they weren’t far from civilization after all. They was just drifting off finally ’bout started up. A committee of re-introduced wolves had come to welcome the newly arrived horses. It was excitin’ to see the furry, cuddly wolves. The couple knew all about ‘em as they were
faithful readers of Contrived Rhetoric Animal Press. Half of the horses couldn’t get away. Wolves had a feast. The couple
had been looking forward to riding their horses and seeing wolves off in the distance. Never knew wolves would kill anything. Just a month later a new house started going up on the adjoining ranch. Must have been city folk who didn’t
want to be without close company. Instead of building in the center of their five-acre ranch, the new dwelling was awful close.
Soon the couple knew why. After months of the couple being scared of the dark at night—too many stars, not enough city lights, or what the New West folks called “light pollution”—the new neighbors moved
in and brought their livestock. They raised little dogs with big barks. Put their dog pens and shelter right
‘tween their new house and the couple’s. Wind protection, they said. Wolf protection, the couple thought. The
doggies was scared of the dark, had to sleep with nightlights on. One million candlepower nightlights. That took care of the
New West folks’ fear of the dark—and their quiet living. ##### Randall Reeder Water’s Risin’
All I know is what I read in the paper or learn as I fly from place to place. I flew into
In my old home area at Oologah the lake rose more than twenty feet. I didn't have any hip boot waders so I left and
flew to
Well, the big news in
That works out to be about one person for every 100 gallons of water in
In
But really, instead of banning it
These bottled water wars have netted a couple of big fish. Pepsi and Coke came out and admitted their fancy bottled
water is right from the tap. No cool mountain streams, no gushing bubbling springs. Just plain ole city water.
If you want to start a business, this bottled water enterprise seems to have better prospects than most. You can buy
all the city water you want, piped to your front door, five gallons for a penny. You pour it into little bottles, screw on
a lid and sell the same five gallons for ten or twenty dollars. Even more if you sell it ice cold at a ball game. Now, I ain't
an economist, but if you can spend a couple of cents on an empty bottle and the water to fill it with, then an hour or two
later sell it for a dollar, where markup is concerned it sure beats farming. That's bordering on Mafia territory.
This water business has got to be mighty tempting to the old dairy farmer. Instead of feeding corn to an old ##### Andrew
Dequasie The Twenty
Horse Race
Will
Mr. Henry Ford Ford Motor Company Dear Mr. Ford, I
have long admired your Model T Automobile for its ability to stand practically forever alone and without complaint at the
Hitchin’ post. I never had a horse so obedient as that. Fact is, I’ve had a horse or two or ten as would get peeved enough to pull nasty tricks (biteing,
balking, and bucking) when I left ‘em too long. Now
I see you have moved the Fuel Tank forward so a Feller drivin’ a Model T don’t have to climb hills backwards. Most likely, you’ll soon get that Model T to start as quick as a horse, too. It ain’t escaped my attention either that you can build a car every 93 minutes
while it takes 2 horses near a year to make a colt that needs 2 years to be a riding horse. It
might be that somebody put something wild and maybe Illegal in our drinks at the New Year party last night, and it kinder
hit me with a Scheme I need to lay out to you before it slips my noose.
You have spent pretty near 18 years improving your Automobile and Mother Nature has had a whole lot longer to perfect
the Horse. Don’t you suppose it might be time for a real contest between
them? The notion come to me that we ought to have a race across
Now, the way I figure it out, the State of For
the benefit of the Press, my first horse will be named Flivver and horse 20 will be Tan Lizzie. Most likely, my mishaps along the way will be called Comedy, so you can claim yours to be a Study in how
to improve your machine. You’ll likely blow tires and I’ll likely
lose horse shoes, while your backfires will be noisy and mine will be smelly. You
can have a mechanic riding shotgun and other fellers at your gasoline stations along the way.
You can have anybody else pull you out of mud holes or off high rocks, but none of my horses can be used for that. I’ll go it alone except for the fellers attending my horses and that ought to
make the hired hands about even. No
matter which way it comes out, it ain’t likely to hurt your chances in the next Presidential Race (This country Loves
a Good Sport.) or mine in Comedy Acts. Anyone says different, I say they’re
just talkin’ Applesauce. And I promise not to do anything like it with
any other Presidential Candidate. Why, done fair and square, who knows what may
come of this? If
necessary, I can send along some of that New Year punch to help you decide.
Earnestly yours (this ain’t no gag),
Will ##### THE
2008 ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS' WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT. FOR WAIT LIST INFORMATION GO TO www.humorwriters.org October
2007 WRITING CONTEST DRAWS ENTRIES FROM ALL OVER
Entries were received from all over the country for the 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest. By the deadline of October 1, contestants from 18 states had entered the competition, sponsored by the
National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
The largest number of entries came from
Among the contestants were three high school students from Grove, “EIGHT SIMPLE RULES” AUTHOR HAS NEW BOOK COMING OUT
With two widely-read books under his belt, W. Bruce Cameron is coming out with a third. “8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter: and Other
Reasonable Advice from the Father of the Bride (Not that Anyone is Paying Attention)” is scheduled for May 2008 release
by Touchstone/Fireside. It is available for pre-order at www.amazon.com.
Cameron’s first book, “8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter”, made the best-seller lists
in a matter of weeks and was adapted for the ABC hit series “8 Simple Rules.”
He followed this successful venture with “How To Remodel a
Asked if he wrote about one or both of his daughters getting married, he replied:
“It is based very loosely on my family, but I didn’t drag my daughters’ real life stories into it. I have promised to leave their personal relationships out of it.”
He added: “It’s a book for anyone who is in any way caught up in the madness of weddings. People who read this book will probably decide that they never want to get married to me.”
As for prospects of the book being adapted for the screen, he said, “I am in negotiations with studios right
now.”
Cameron told fellow columnists in an Internet discussion group that he had considered another title for the book.
"I wanted to call it
'Tuesdays Morrie Has Chicken Soup For the Soul of Dummies for Idiots' and put a picture of a Labrador puppy on the cover,
but THAT would have been too commercial." (Read the author's recent
columns at www.wbrucecameron.com.) Another member of the
2007 Will Rogers Writers' Workshop faculty, Bill Tammeus, is working with a rabbi on a book about Jews in
Poland who survived the Holocause with non-Jewish help. "Just back from Poland and Cleveland, and we're writing like
crazy," he reports. Read Tammeus' blog at
http://billtammeus.typepad.com. Smiley
Anders, who also conducted a workshop in Oklahoma City, is busy chairing the 2008 NSNC annual conference, which will be held
in New Orleans June 19-22. Check out Smiley's report on plans for a different kind of meeting at www.columnists.com.
Eileen Mitchell, the second-place winner in the 2006 Will Rogers Writing Contest, has scored even better
in another competition. She writes: “The Montana Festival of the Book sponsors
a literary contest called Happy Tales and I have won first place!” My entry
‘Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in Sheep's Clothing?’ put a humorous spin on the bleak ending of that interesting
play. In addition to the cash prize I get a nifty trophy.” Her winning essay is posted at www.bookfest-mt.org. (Click on Happy Tales Literary Contest and scroll all the way down to 2007.) MORE SUCCESS STORIES
FROM WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS Florida-based columnist Jackie
Papandrew has expanded her readership considerably in recent months.
“My column is now (or is about to be) carried
in eight newspapers, all but one of which picked it up after I attended the workshop, so I must have learned something there!”
she says. From “Any marketing or publicity advice--I'd
love to hear it” she says.
We welcome news about what writers are doing to further their careers. Post
it on the willrogers_writers discussion group message board at Yahoo.com or write willrogersok@gmail.com. ******* September 2007 WORKSHOP PRIZE WINNER TO PUBLISH
FIRST NOVEL
“Her whimsical adventures ultimately lead to her own self-realization.
Although the novel is humorous, the message is serious: hanging onto anger is a major roadblock to a fulfilling life.”
The
Her publisher, iUniverse, was a major sponsor of the workshop. Another beneficiary
of the workshop prize drawing, Brenda Elsagher, is soliciting contributions for her third book, “Bedpan Banter, funny
and inspiring stories from the hospital.”
She is requesting true, unpublished submissions no longer than 1,500 words. Check
her Web site www.livingandlaughing.com for information on how to submit stories.
Brenda says authors whose stories are accepted will be paid $25, a first edition signed copy, “and a bedpan!”
Submissions will be taken until
Bahgat Elsagher, who accompanied his wife to the workshop and participated in the guest program, won the top prize
of two Southwest Airlines round-trip tickets.
Brenda, a colorectal cancer survivor, has built a career based on the benefits of humor in healing. A columnist for Hollister’s Secure Start Newsletter, she is a public speaker and the author of two
books: “If the AUTHOR OF COLUMN-WRITING
BOOK IS POPULAR SPEAKER
Suzette Martinez Standring, who spoke on column-writing at the
In addition to writing her humor and religion columns, the ROBERT
BENCHLEY WINNERS TO BE RECOGNIZED IN
The fifth Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering and Awards Ceremony will be held in
The program includes a special tribute to the 85th anniversary of Benchley’s delivery of “The Treasurer’s
Report”, one of his most popular works, to a
“Appropriately for an author who defined the smart set in The City in the twenties, we’ll be raising our
spirits and glasses in honor of ‘Sweet Old Bob,’ and recognizing the winners of the 2007 Robert Benchley Writing
Competition,” said
George Waters, a WILL
Don’t forget to enter the 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest before the end of September. The deadline for receipt of entries is October 1. The contest, sponsored by the
National Society of Newspaper Columnists, is open to writers everywhere who are interested in the writings of Will Rogers. Authors of entries that best
reflect the Rogers style of writing will be awarded cash prizes. The first place winner will receive an award of $200.
The prize for second place is $100 and third place $50. An entry consists of an essay
of 500 to 750 words (maximum) written in the style of Will Rogers. Detailed rules and information may be found at the
NSNC Web site www.columnists.com or at www.willrogersok.org (scroll down to the September 2007 newsletter).
MORE GROUPIES
NEEDED Most writers belong to one or more Internet discussion groups. They are valuable sources of information
and ideas, as well as career news. The Will Rogers Writers Internet discussion group was established to provide a forum
especially for attendees of the 2007 Will Rogers Writers' Workshop, but anyone who wants to participate in the exchanges may
join. Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com and search for Will Rogers_Writers. You are requested to apply for membership to keep the list free of spammers. * * * * * August
2007 WILL ROGERS WRITING CONTEST OPEN
The 2007 Will Rogers Writing Contest is now open. The competition, sponsored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists,
will be conducted generally in the same manner as the 2006 contest. Writers
everywhere who are interested in the writings of Will Rogers may enter the contest. Cash prizes will be awarded for
entries that best reflect the Rogers style of writing.
In addition to national recognition, the first place winner will receive an award of $200. The prize for second place
is $100 and for third place $50.
To enter the contest, submit an essay of 500 to 750 words (maximum) written in the style of Will Rogers. It may take
the form of humor, commentary, human interest or briefs. (Please
see examples.)
The essay should be on a current (or timeless) topic -- personalities, social or cultural trends, home and family, government
and politics, education, and so on. Will Rogers wrote on many subjects. One, and only one, of Will Rogers'
well-known sayings may be used, if so desired ("All I know is what I read in the papers", "Everybody is ignorant, just on
different things", "I don't make jokes, I just watch the government and report the facts", etc.)
Essays may be original, in English and written in strict conformity to the above rules. They will be judged by writers
and scholars who are knowledgeable about Will Rogers and his writings. Entries will not be returned. The writer
retains all rights to publication, except that permission must be granted for the winning entries to be printed by NSNC
in its publications and on its Web site, by the Will Rogers Writers' Workshop newsletter and on its Web site, and on
the Will Rogers Memorial Museums Web site, with credit to the writer.
Entries must include the writer's name, mailing address and email address. Telephone and fax numbers are optional.
This information should be provided on a separate page preceding the entry (to facilitate judging without revealing the identity
of the writer). The essay may, or may not, include a title. Only one essay per entry is permitted. No more
than three essays per entrant will be accepted and each must be a separate entry. There is no entry fee.
Contest entries may be submitted in two ways:
Mail to: NSNC Contest
P.O. Box 1582
Madison, VA 22727-1582 E-mail
to: willrogersok@gmail.com
Subject line must include the words "Will Rogers Writing Contest"
Entries must be submitted to reach either of the above addresses no later than October 1, 2007. Winners will
be announced by November 1.
For more information about Will Rogers, see www.willrogers.com.
Four examples of Will Rogers' writing style (click on to view):
WORKSHOPPERS
STAND OUT AT COLUMNISTS CONFERENCE
Like the small band of colonists that put From the workshop faculty, Dave Lieber
and Suzette Martinez Standring, again filled the role of instructors, serving on panels. Standring participated in a panel discussion on ethics. Lieber
was moderator of a panel on book publishing and served as a member of a panel on video columns. Lieber received a special plaque for his service
to NSNC and celebrated his 50th birthday. It was a homecoming of sorts for Lieber,
who worked 10 years as a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He lost his wallet on the first evening, and true to form got a good column out of it – how he flew
back to http://www.star-telegram.com/news/columnists/dave_lieber/ Perennial NSNC column writing contest winner
Smiley Anders had to settle for second place in the notes/items category this year. Smiley has been busy with preparations for next year’s conference, which will be held As a former president and archivist, Bill
Tammeus was called on again to explain to first-time attendees about the Jeff Kramer Mystic Memorial Tie award, named
for a columnist who made the mistake of wearing a tie to the 1989 NSNC conference in Mystic, Conn. Each year the award (a horribly ugly tie hanging from a plaque) is presented to the columnist who most
thoroughly embarrasses the profession in a bad-writing contest. One first-time attendee, Gwen Petersen
of Big Timber, James and Norma Casto
also are regular attendees at NSNC conferences. As president of the
NSNC Education Foundation, Jim presented a $1,000 scholarship to a college student and delivered a report at the general membership
meeting. At that meeting, Ben Pollock was elected NSNC secretary. Christy Pollock also was on hand. Another familiar couple, Sheila Moss
and Morris Kupfer, were busy taking photos, which you can see in a marvelous pictorial presentation on the
NSNC Web site www.columnists.com. Sheila, as Web editor, also posted a number of stories about the
conference. Included are columns by Ben Shaberman and George
Waters. Ron Besser also took lots of pictures, some
of which may show up in the NSNC newsletter. Mary and I enjoyed seeing longtime acquaintances
and making new friends. LEARNING HOW TO BE A BACKBENCHER Having retired from the NSNC board after serving
six years, I am practicing to be a backbencher. As I understand it, that role
involves doing a lot of bellyaching directed at those responsible for running the organization. So I suppose I ought to come up with some gripes about the Well, let’s start with the hotel. We had a room, at $159 a night plus tax, at the French-owned Sofitel (translation:
“where are the sock drawers?”) It was a nice room, but anything that
wouldn’t hang in the closet had to find a place on a shelf or on top of a table.
That included the contents of the “welcome bag” – an odd assortment of items contributed by local
businesses and organizations. A small round object that looked, to a person of
my age, like a pillbox, was the object of a guessing game. It turned out to be
a cutter to open the complimentary CDs. Seminars and other learning activities in the
hospitality suite ran so late we couldn’t fully appreciate the hotel’s fancy bathroom fixtures or take full advantage
of the patented “Softashell” mattress. I could imagine a couple with a 5-year-old tot
checking out the room. “Mommy, mommy! Come look! We have a toilet named Toto! Is it okay to tee-tee in Toto?” “Of course, dear.” “Mommy, where is Daddy?” “He lay down in the middle of the bed and
the mattress swallowed him.” Now,
as to the conference program. For a hefty registration fee, I received a lesson
from Dave Barry in how to write humor (Rule No. 1: You should be funny). I had
to endure a rant by Bill O’Reilly. And like other males, I was humiliated
by Washington Post fashion editor Robin Givhan about the clothes we wear. I could go on and talk about the subway adventure,
where we had to descend unending flights of metal steps to Philadelphia’s smelly underground; the dinner at the National
Constitution Center where we sat at tables with gorgeous centerpieces and sparkling glassware and ate off plastic plates;
and the awards dinner where, after entering the column writing contest for the past 15 years or so I still didn’t get
so much as an honorable mention. So why do I keep going to these things? It’s the people mainly. Columnists
are a rare breed and I value highly the friendships Mary and I have made and continue to make at these annual get-togethers. And to be serious, Philly007 was a terrific conference. It’s hard to think of anything that really was worth complaining about (except
not including guests in the attendee list). I can see that I’m going to
need a lot more practice before I become a full-fledged backbencher. - Bob WILL
The Will Rogers Writing Contest, held in 2006 for the first time, will be repeated
later this year. It will be sponsored again by the National Society of Newspaper
Columnists. Prizes will be awarded for the best essays written in the style of
Will Rogers. Watch for more information and details about
entering in future issues of this newsletter. JOIN
THE WILL ROGERS WRITERS GROUP Following the workshop, an Internet discussion group was formed to enable workshop attendees and other
interested writers to share information and ideas. If you are interested in joining
this group, go to http://groups.yahoo.com and search for Will Rogers_Writers. You are requested to apply
for membership to keep the list free of spammers.
******** June 2007
LOOK WHO’S GOING TO
When she strode through the hotel lobby wearing a black
cowboy hat and carrying a guitar case, there was no mistaking the fact that Gwen Petersen
had arrived for the Will Rogers Writers’ Workshop in On the final evening, this ageless cowgirl poet
unpacked her musical instrument and joined other writers in a special hour of performances.
She got a couple of other workshop participants – western author Terry
Burns and Debra Coppinger-Hill, who also writes cowboy poetry – to join
her in a raucous song parody. That same evening Gwen was a winner in the big
prize drawing. She won a free registration to the annual conference of the National
Society of Newspaper Columnists, which is being held June 21-24 in Gwen, a columnist for www.thefencepost.com, has been a working rancher for more than 30 years, raising cows, sheep, pigs and now, miniature horses. She established the first summertime Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Big Timber in 1985 and ramrodded
it for five years. She made an appearance on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show doing
cowboy poetry in 1986. Inspired by the 2003 British movie, “Calendar
Girls”, Gwen organized a group of “We weren’t quite as brave as the
English,” said Gwen, who posed for September as Lady Godiva, astride a horse named Kootenai, who has since joined Barbaro
and other equine comrades in that Big Pasture in the Sky. She said the women
took potluck food and plenty of wine to every shot. “The wine was for snake
bites, and to bolster our courage,” she said. It must have worked because
they never saw any snakes. Gwen, author of “Ranch Woman’s Manual”
and “The Greenhorn’s Guide to the Wolly West”, wrote humorous verses for each month on the calendar. Before heading to Philly, Gwen attended the Wyoming
Writers annual conference, had a banquet gig in Kathie Felix was among the first subscribers to this newsletter. She also was an early registrant for the workshop. Unfortunately,
just before the workshop was to begin, she had to cancel her registration because of a family health emergency. However, she did proceed with plans to attend the annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper
Columnists, of which she is a member.
When an opening for editor of the NSNC newsletter suddenly developed, Kathie expressed an interest. The NSNC Board of Directors, after reviewing her experience as a magazine editor with a background in public
relations for national associations, appointed her to succeed Don McNay, who resigned for health reasons before completing
his two-year term. She will serve on an interim basis until the June 24 NSNC
membership meeting at the conference in Philadelphia, at which time she will be a nominee for election to serve the remaining
one year of McNay’s term.
Kathie is a columnist for the Loudoun Times-Mirror of
In her “day job” she is the managing editor of “MultiMedia & Internet@Schools”, a bi-monthly
magazine that covers technology for K-12 education. She has been with the publication
10 years, starting as a freelance columnist.
Her prior work experience includes handling public relations for the National Association of Greeting Card Publishers
and three other national organizations. She produced news releases and various
publications, dealt with news media and coordinated special events. COLUMNIST
RETURNS TO MIDEAST FOR COMEDY TOUR Columnist Ray Hanania, a workshop speaker who also ran the Stand-up Performance Hour
following the Saturday dinner, is returning to the
Hanania, a Palestinian-American journalist married to a Jewish woman, is joining three other comedians on the tour. About 10 performances were planned between June 6 and June 18 in | ||||
