The writing process is something that has been pounded into my head since I was in Elementary School. Even over the years, with many refinements, the same basic process kept its shape. In the beginning, one has to think of ideas or topics in which to write about. This is also called brainstorming. I was taught to just sit down and collectively think about anything, then capture those thoughts on paper. This, to me, works as brainstorming. I think what you’re thinking about currently is obviously interesting to you so why not write on it? When this type of technique is used I believe that writing comes off as enjoyable and exciting. Many students consider writing a bore and even a huge task. I have used this method of brainstorming for years and I’ve rarely been bored.

The next step involves a different type of thinking. Outlining creates a preview for the reader as to what is included in a paper. I have never liked this step because it is restraining. What I mean by that, is an outline is predictable and I enjoy just writing on a topic with a general direction in mind, but no path paved in stone. To me, writing has always had freedom. I write with the will of a child. Bouncing off different objects until I have exhausted all outcomes. Writing has to be fun for the writer, otherwise the final outcome may have structure but lack a voice.

I came up with seven steps to writing a paper in this class. They are as follows: Brainstorming, Outline, Pre-write (Rough Draft), Edit, Revise, Peer Editing, and Produce Final Draft.. Of these tasks the easiest for me would be the rough draft stage. Once I have a clear idea of the topics and material needing to be covered 1 can produce a paper of any length. For me a blank piece of paper is an opportunity to explore. 1 can captivate the audience and have fun. I am also good at peer editing. Critiquing another’s paper is challenging and exciting. I enjoy helping people and this I do well.

The tasks left are ones I do poorly. Brainstorming is usually lengthy and time consuming, yet a step that can not be left out. I realize there are many methods to do this but I, more often than not, have trouble doing it the way I want to. Coming up with ideas for topics is never easy for me. Outlining a paper has always been done in a formal manner and I prefer to be informal, at least until the final is produced. As far as being easy, yes, writing the outline is very easy and consists of my organized thoughts on paper. Editing my own work is not my best quality. I enjoy correcting someone else’s paper rather than my own. If I edit mine, I have to let it sit for a day or two then come back to it again.

Writing anything is a must have when concluding that one is literate. To be literate one must know and be able to read and write. If one of these qualities is left out it is hard to find that individual literate. To communicate effectively, writing is a required skill.

My method for pre-writing for a paper consists of me reading and taking thorough notes. I was taught this way and I prefer it. Creating all these bubbles and diagrams, that just doesn’t float my boat. I just write as I think of ideas.

Why is progress better than perfection in writing? I believe that perfection is first of all never achieved with writing. Progress is the method through which we move mountains. Without error how can we become better? Learning is all about progress and achievement. To demand perfection is foolish because no one learns from that. Writing then turns into memorization with lack of character and feeling. That is what dictionaries are for; dictionaries is the place for perfection not writing papers.

Thesis: Through experience, my misconceptions of writing have shaped the way that I feel about writing today.

Introduction
I.) Do you remember your earliest childhood experiences with writing? Writing was a piece of cake, right?
II.) Writing is a difficult task. There are so many things to be aware of before becoming an effective writer.
III.) Through experience, my misconceptions of writing have shaped the way I feel about writing today.

Body
I.) My misconception of writing led me through horrifying experiences in the past, which initially make me dislike it.
A) I remember when my teacher first talked about writing.
B) Then my teacher speaks of the writing process, and confuses me.
C) I asked, “Why is she making writing so difficult?”
D) From this point on I was through with writing; it just wasn’t for me.

II.) Over the years I have been able to experience writing in all sorts of forms.
A) Reading allowed me to open up the way I feel about writing.
B) Some different types of writing include novels, short stories, ballads, essays, plays, and poems.
C) I think poems are my favorite types of writing.
D) I am grateful for being able to experience various writing styles.

III.) Writing and reading has been very beneficial to my mental process.
A) Writing has forced me to think a lot.
B) I am now able to appreciate writings of all kinds.
C) Writing makes me more knowledgeable of the wonderful world writing creates.
Conclusion
I.) Through my experiences in writing, I have learned a lot.
II.) I guess it has taken the worst experiences in writing for me to finally unlock the mystery of it.
III.) I have finally retrieved the key!

The war and its effect on Ireland was always a key concern for Joyce. He did not support it and Tom Stoppard once remarked, What did you do in the Great War, Mr Joyce? I wrote Ulysses. What did you do? He was unconcerned about the politics of the war, in that he did not care for the Empire, but the casualties and the human suffering that the war caused distressed Joyce immensely. He highlights this suffering at a number of points in his great work Ulysses. One of the most effective is when he has his character Simon Dedalus lecturing to a class of young boys at school, Pyrrhusa disappointed bridge. This is his description of the Greek hero, Pyrrhus, holding a bridge where many died. The fact that he calls it a disappointed bridge shows how unworthy he considers it for the amount of lives that it took. Earlier Dedalus thinks on ancient battles and uses the terms, I hear the ruin of all space, shattered glass and toppling masonry, and time one livid flame. Although Joyce uses these terms as a description of the destruction that was reaped during the great battles of history the image that is portrayed is that of modern warfare. Again he is highlighting these tragedies of warfare, it is as if he is pleading with the children in the class so that it will not happen again.

Joyce also uses the recurrent theme of a one legged sailor in the streets of Dublin. The sailor has been wounded in battle and Joyce uses him as a portrayal of the human agony that war causes. A onelegged sailor crutched himself round MacConnells cornerhe growled unamiably for Englandhome and beauty. This character appears at various points throughout the novel. Joyce never lets the reader forget these victims of war. Joyce uses the character of Father Conmee to voice his worries about how people reacted to this generation If I had served my God as I had served my king He would not have abandoned me in my old days. Again Joyce bothers that these people have been wounded fighting for an Empire that was not really theirs. The character of the citizen voices these sentiments in the Cyclopes chapter. He appears at a couple of points through the novel, he is a staunchly nationalistic element in the novel, as his name hints. He voices many of Joyces sentiments on war, Bloody wars, says I. . Sometimes he does seem to be ridiculed by the author for his overly nationalistic sentiments, but this is because Joyce also does not believe that a revolution would free Ireland from its colonial ties to Britain. He highlights this point with the statue of Parnell in the square in Dublin. Parnell is a symbol of the failure of Irish nationalism. In some ways the whole novel can be seen as an outcry against the deeply routed ideals of epic warfare. The novel ridicules the ideas of heroes and great victories. Its title, Ulysses, reminiscent of these ideals, is used to describe a novel about non-epic everyday lives. This turns the idea of the epic on its head. Also the images that the novel opens and closes with are in the same vein. It opens with Dedalus, Haines and Mulligan in a tower that was used as a lookout by the English during the Napoleonic wars, a reminder of previous wars. The novel closes with a quote from Joyce Trieste-Zurich-Paris, 1914-1921. This was Joyces travel, trying to avoid the war. The fact that the book is contained by two images of war, and is labelled with a title that summons up the idea of epic battles shows Joyces concern about war.

Joyce was not only concerned about Irish soldiers being sent off to Europe to fight. The idea of Ireland being colonised by the English was also a concern for Joyce. He alludes to this throughout Ulysses. Joyces main device to show this colonisation and its forms is the character of Haines. He shows him to be a representation of the Empire and colonisation from the outset of the novel. He was raving all night about a black panther, Where is his gun case? Here Joyce shows the Englishman having his dreams of Empire, of far off colonies and hunting. Haines acts like a coloniser, or an anthropologist. Haines conforms to the stereotype of a Frazer-like anthropologist. He first captures the Irish language, I thought it was Irish, she said, by the sound of it. Are you from the west sir? I am an Englishman. He thinks we should speak Irish in Ireland. He also tries to capture their culture; I intend to make a collection of your sayings if you will let me. These have been some of the most effective uses of language to attain Empire since Rome, and here Haines can be seen using them in Ireland. This capture of culture by a colonising nature takes away the sense of national identity from the natives. Haines symbolises this, as he is the only character in the novel that speaks fluent Gaelic, and Mulligan cannot remember Irish folklore, which Haines has been collecting for his book. Joyce even goes so far as to suggest that Dedalus is like Caliban from Shakespeares Tempest, the classical colonised native character. Joyce highlights the theme of colonisation at various points throughout the novel. On page 324, lieutenant colonel Hessaltine and some other dignitaries are driving through the streets of Dublin, in a parade in front of all the Irish. At one point they encounter John Howard Parnell, the brother of the Irish revolutionary, John Howard Parnell translated a white bishop quietly and his grey claw went up again to his forehead whereat it rested. Parnell tries to ignore this parade of English power through the streets of his native town. Joyce also alludes to Dublin not being the centre of Ireland. He points out that London is now the seat of government in Ireland. He uses the character of Father Conmee to illustrate this point, when he meets an Irish MPs wife in the street, And Mr. Sheehy himself? Still in London A wonderful man really. He begged to be remembered to Mr. David Sheehy M.P. Father Conmee is a social climber, and he considers that this man who has parliamentary contacts in London is the most important man in his parish. Here can be seen the influence that London wielded over Ireland. The fact that Dublin is no longer the most important place in Ireland, but London, is what Joyce is hinting towards. The idea of Ireland being a colony of England, with its men conscripted to fight in a war that did not really concern them. Joyce saw the inhabitants of Dublin like a group of Calibans, colonised and forced into labour.

Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is a very different case from Joyces Ulysses. Obviously it is not based in his native country, as he was Polish, but he travelled on merchant vessels, first from Marseilles and then from Britain. He saw Empire in action on these voyages, what he saw concerned him. He approves of the idea of empire but he questions the methods and acts that occur in the colonies, We all read Conrads Heart of Darkness for its ambiguity, not for its call for a more authentic, manly, and violent imperialism. Conrad compares the Empires to the Roman Empire in its glory, Imagine the feelings of a commander of a finetrireme in the Mediterraneanor think of a decent young citizen in a toga. to mend his fortunes. Conrad uses Marlow to put forward the ideas that the Empire is glorious, that it is a piece of the Roman world that has been passed down as their inheritance. Marlow expresses the sentiments that colonies can make man money and can supply adventure, and for these reasons, the basic idea behind Empire, he supports it. Conrads dialectic, the language that he uses, cannot be considered as racist, as he is only using the terms that were in common use at that time. But Marlow also highlights something else for Conrad, Conrads use of an internal narrator in Heart of Darkness creates an irony in the story of imperialism. Conrad uses Marlows narration as a literary device to highlight his own mixed feelings on the colonies. Although he feels that the money that the colonies bring in is a good thing, he also feels that it attracts the wrong people, I couldnt help asking him once what he meant by coming there at all. To make money, of course. What do you think? he said scornfully. The mentality that Marlow encounters in Africa is similar to the Englishman in Defoes Captain Singleton; he is hell bent on extracting gold at any cost, just as the colonists are extracting as much ivory from the natives as possible. Conrads main concern is the methods and lawlessness of the colonies. But look how precarious the position is and why? Because the method is unsound. The methods that concern him in the colonies are the senseless killing of the natives, the bribery of tribes for ivory and the corruption of the managers and the European workers in these colonies. As he travels to the camp, Marlow sees examples of the brutish authority that was used by the colonisers. One white man in an unbuttoned uniform Was looking after the upkeep of the road Cant say I saw any road or upkeep, unless the body of a middle-aged Negro, with a bullet-hole in the forehead may be considered as a permanent improvement. Conrad disproves of these acts of senseless brutality in the colonies. It is ambiguous whether he is worried about the natives or just that the killing is a waste of resources. Conrads novel does not have a definite conclusion; he does not say whether the white man has brought this darkness to the colonies, or whether the darkness is a reference to the natives. It can be argued either way; he highlights the corruption of these Europeans in the colonies. When the manager talks of one of Kurtzs men, of whom he does not approve, says, Get him hanged! Why not? Anything- anything can be done in this country. Conrad does not just light on this particular incident, at various points he sees the managers trying to claw for more influence in the colony. Marlow hears in a discussion that the most responsible people are not in charge here, but instead those that have the constitution to survive the climate and other dangers. Thus Conrad shows the darkness to be something that the Europeans have brought with them to the colony. Their civilizing mission to bring enlightenment to the natives actually only shows the darkness at the heart of the colonising movement. When Marlow first goes for an interview with the company he is to work for he says that he felt as if he was being let in on some conspiracy, there was something ominous in the atmosphereMorturi te salutant. Even at the top of the ladder this company seems to be corrupt, again he hearkens back to the Roman Empire, but this time he highlights some of their more brutal practices of the Empire. Conrad does not have any certain conclusion, he does not give enough away to bias the reading either way. It is entirely possible that he has an ambiguous view on Empire, that the idea behind Empire is good, but that in practice it has failed and has become corrupt.

The ideas of Empire vary in writers of this period, from James George Frazers almost fascist anthropological study of cultures asking for a harsher attitude to be taken towards the natives. To Joyces damnation of the current practices of the colonisers towards the colonised. His passionate dislike of the greed of those that are controlling the Empire. Conrad takes the middle ground but could fall either way; he could be condemned as a racist, or he could be seen as supporting the natives. No, they were not inhuman. The thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Conrad leaves his final conclusion on Empire unspoken, as Africa was once a blank space on the map so Conrads conclusion is left blank.

Writing has been an aid for me in many ways. I am able to fully and intelligently express my feelings and beliefs much better in writing than in actually speech. There have been times when I expressed my feelings toward a person, either it be in anger or love, only in writing. I was unable to say those certain feelings that made me uncomfortable in speech, where I would began to lose my train of thought and begin to mumble incoherently. I have realized that my point of view is better expressed in writing. I have also realized that I tend to sound more intelligent and mature in writing than in verbal communication, which results in I being taken more seriously and professionally.

Writing has also been an aid of venting for me. When I get to the point that I can no longer bottle up my feelings any longer, I pour them out on paper. It is almost like writing is a form of communication even when it is not shared with anyone. Writing out my feelings creates a sense of relief, as in if I have actually released my emotions on the paper and no longer feel as stressed as before.

I considered journalism as a major once. In writing for the media, I dreamed of writing something that would have a big impact in the world. Writing is a powerful tool not taken seriously enough. I dreamed of writing stories that would change the way people thought and maybe even in a small way change the world in a positive way; however, I chose photography, because a picture is worth a thousand words.

Writing has many advantages for people. It allows us to be heard in a form different than in speaking. Many people suffer from the fear of speaking in front of large groups. In writing, they can express their opinions and beliefs freely without worry of their beliefs not being interpreted correctly, or even at all. Writing also educates and informs us, something the public likes. This would explain the popularity of the newspaper mass media.

I noticed it was a cold and dark night as I slowly headed up the broken antique stairs. A flash of lightening made me jump in fear, almost causing me to lose my balance. As it began to rain, I realized the place smelled of mildew and the stairs were covered in paint chippings from the wall. There was a door slightly open at the top of the stairs. I noticed the door knob was broken off as I reached for it. All of a sudden, it slammed shut! Writing is the key to the door of the world of fantasy. It entertains us and allows us to escape reality one chapter at a time. It creates characters that we fall in love with because we can identify with them so well. They feel what we feel, and this allows us to remind ourselves that we are not the only ones in the world that feel that certain way.

I believed I have expressed my reasons for writing in this letter. I could go on naming the many benefits of writing, like trying to get an A in your writing class; however, I feel as if I have explained the more important reasons of writing for me personally. Some people claim they have no talent for writing. Is this a possibility? Like in art, does one have to be born of the talent? I don’t know the answer to those questions. I do not even know if I would label myself a good writer. I usually write for myself. If it sounds good to me, then I think it is good, and that is all that matters to me. In most my writing, my style may not be proper, and I may not follow the writing rules correctly, but I tend to like the sense of feeling I get from it more.

Web writing may be very difficult to do because it is such a new form of media. One thing that needs to be done to be affective is the article(s) brevity. This means that items written need to get to the points. People do not want to have to search for the importance of an article. Information should be stated so that readers know the important and main facts of what is being written.

For the broadcast media the most important thing that should be focused on is clarity. Clarity is so important because unlike other types of media the audience usually only gets one chance to hear what is being stated. If a news castor does not have good clarity and messes up the audience is most likely not going to get the information that was intended.

2. When discussing news values there are six different ones that are important. Three that are most interesting to me and keep me keyed in to the news are timeliness, conflict, and interest. A perfect story that would display all three of these would be the fight that occurred during the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. It is good to discuss this because the World Series is coming up, many people are interested in baseball right now, and fights usually get the attention and interest most people. The fight that occurred has been a hot news topic and the main reason is because it has great news value.

3. The inverted pyramid style is a way of writing in which you place the most important information at the top or beginning of your story. The inverted pyramid usually starts with a lead, describes what happened, and finally moves on to not so important facts. Two advantages of inverted pyramid would be that most people only read the first few lines of an article and by writing like this it allows you to get the main parts of the story across. Also the inverted pyramid style gets the attention of the reader quickly by telling them exactly what is happening in the story. Two disadvantages to this style would be that some stories are meant to be told in a story form. You don’t want to tell the results before you explain what happened. Another thing that this style does is sometimes makes the reader not want to go further since they already know what happened.

4. A delayed identification lead is usually the first sentence of in the first paragraph where you discuss what has happened but do not tell who was involved. This is done because it grabs the reader’s attention and makes them what to what happened to whom. If you state exactly who they are talking about it may have no interest to the reader and stop them from continuing on.

5. This sentence is not an effective lead because it does not follow the guidelines for writing. A good news lead in order to gain the attention of the reader should describe “what did what to whom”. The verb in this sentence used does not do that and it does not explain what has happened. This sentence also sounds very awkward when it is read and is a result from not following the guidelines.

6. Quotes to be used in a news story should be selected very carefully. There are a many things that could go wrong when choosing a quote. The first and most important thing is to make sure that the quote goes along with the story that you’re talking about. By having a quote that is not related to your story can cause a lot of confusion. Another thing is make sure that the quote is from a credible source. It would not be the best idea to have a middle school student’s quote in a story about college lifestyles. Also quotes should be brief and inform you on who is saying it and what their feelings are about the topic. Usually quotes that are written correctly give credibility to your article and allow people to read emotions.

7. There are three major writing styles and most of them have similar things in common. However there are also many differences that occur between these three styles. Some differences between broadcasting media and print media would be that in broadcast media you need to emphasis on when things will occur. This must occur because on television times must be written down when it is your turn to speak. In broadcast you are also allowed to give the audience video footage of what is occurring and this allows you a better chance in gaining the audiences attention. Print media can only use pictures to help with this part of their writing. Print on the other hand is very different from online media. Print is unable to produce something and go back and change it like online media can. Once something is printed and sent out it is hard to change. Print media is also different because online media because of the space restraints. In print media you are only allowed so much space on a page. On the other hand with online media you boundaries for writing are unlimited. Last broadcasting media is different from online media in the fact that broadcast is only shown once or twice. Once it occurs it is harder to get a copy of what happened in the news. With online media you can usually go to an archives page and find past information.

8. Television news scripts use two columns because of the way broadcast media is set up. The left column for television scripts will inform the anchor or telecaster at what specific times events will occur. Such as when video footage of the story discussed will come on. This column allows the reader to know when it is their turn to speak. The right hand column is used for the scripts on what is to be said. This is the section where the reader will be reading on camera. Most likely the first part on this column would be the lead of a story. By having two columns it makes it easier for the reader to know what needs to be done and at what time.

9. When rewriting a story for an online medium there are a few things that writers should be careful about. One thing the writers should do is to make sure that the story is dated so the reader knows when it occurred. Online media also should try to gain the interest of the reader. Some ways to do this would be to have short paragraphs, bullet listings, subheadings, relevant pictures, links, hotspots, and many more. Readers do not want to read things that are clustered and look very intimidating to read. When people go online it is important that facts are stated clear and you use the technology of the internet to get the readers attention. This can be done by adding links and other relevant items so the reader can learn more about what is written. Credibility is another thing that is difficult to prove with the internet. These writers should make sure that they establish credibility by posting previous stories or have a biography link for the writers that are doing the stories. There are probably a lot more things that need to be done for online media but since it is newer medium it is hard to know everything that should be done.

Rebecca Kruse :time
Can binge drinking really be reduced at universities? One would hope so; however, 80 percent of college freshmen believe that drinking will be a part of their weekend activities. College students also annually consume about ten percent of the domestic beer market, which equals about four billion cans. With these statistics, it would be difficult to reduce the number of regular drinkers, but local universities are taking action in attempting to do so. At Illinois State University, alcohol is prohibited during Greek rush week, and the college suggests that all fraternities and sororities participate in risk management training programs. All incoming freshmen at Illinois Wesleyan University are required to take an online training course in alcohol education. ISU student, Melissa Maxwell, comments on why it is impossible to reduce the number of students drinking on a regular basis.

Maxwell :time outcue: “will not change.”
“It doesn’t matter what the university does to reduce drinkers on campus. Drinking is what happens on weekends; going out to parties is what most students do for fun, and that will not change.” (I am thinking about using a different sound bite.)

Rebecca Kruse :time
Binge drinking is a high-risk activity, with one long-term effect being sclerosis of the liver. According to alcohol treatment centers, alcohol education needs to begin long before college to ensure a lower number of drinkers.

I think the articles by Fanny Fern were some of the most entertaining we have read so far this semester. I found her voice and tone to be very powerful and think this is why Hawthorne had no problem with her as a writer. Most other female writers only complain and wretch over how unfair life is, even when they themselves, have had a wonderful education and live a decent life. Here, the author experiences much grief, her first husband dying and the second one being a hypocrite who deserted her, and is still able to find humor in life. I think is she was still writing today, it would be as columnist for a hip magazine or news paper. The advice she gives in Hints to Young Wives is similar to the advice found in Cosmo or other female magazines. She writes Just so long as a man isnt quite as sure as if he knew for certain, whether nothing on earth could ever disturb your affection for him, he is your humble servant, but the very second he finds out (or thinks he does) that he has possession of every inch of your heart, and no neutral territory- he will turn on his heel and march of whistling Yankee Doodle! In todays words, come one strong and show your feelings, the guys gone, hide them and play the game and youve got him.

Stanton was raised in a home, and a country, where men are valued more then women, and some think we still are today. However, she did not just sit back and accept this fact. I think had she not been raised in a home like this, she would not have been so vocal and strong in the womens rights movement. The way she was brought up gave her enough anger, and then courage, to stand up for what she believed in. It is true that it is hard for a person to grow mentally when only surrounded by people of less intelligence, children and servants. This was not the life for Stanton so she, and others, did something about it. She says the first convention was a success but after word got out, members began to dwindle. All the journals from Maine to Texas seemed to strive with each other to see which could make our movement appear the most ridiculous. Men across the country used this convention to laugh and ridicule women, and many backed out as a cause of the mens actions. I think this upset Stanton even more because now it was even more apparent that women acted on the beliefs of men. In her Declaration of Sentiments Stanton lists practically every injustice man has done to woman over time. I think she uses all these withheld rights, civilly dead, submit to laws, taken property/wages, etc. to ignite the fire in women. It is like a call to action and an invitation to join the womens rights movement.

Stoddards narrative
I think that Stoddards writing challenges traditional values as well as the institution of marriage. It also discusses different classes. I think that this story is humorous in a sense because it is exaggerated and discusses love in an unrealistic sense. There are horseback rides and this kind of fablelike love. I think the story also portrays men in a negative light. The men are shown to be deceiving and intent on tricking the women. My husband is a scoundrel is one of the best statements that reflects how the men act and how they treat the women in the story. Often women are tricked by men into relationships and in this story Margaret finds out that her husband is not the man who she thought he was. On a personal noteЧI enjoyed reading Stoddard and liked her portrayal of the characters.

Also, with all the manuscripts we receive each month, we’ve noticed that the snail-mail submissions tend to be cleaner, fresher, and better written. In part this may be that mailing a manuscript and paying postage takes a lot more effort than copying and pasting or attaching a file. Dedicated writers sweat over every piece of mail they send and receive. Submitting online is easier, though, and here at WPJ we’re all about making it easy on our writers to submit their work. All we ask in return is to care for your online submissions the same way you would if you had to pay for postage both ways!

WHAT TO INCLUDE (COVER LETTER)

No matter the genre, your submissions should include a cover letter with the following contact info: Full Name (pseudonyms are ok), home address, and e-mail. You may also include your phone number, and if you have a website, please include that as well. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!

Your cover letter should include a paragraph introducing the piece you’re submitting. For essays and fiction please mention the WORD COUNT. You can use a second paragraph to tell us a little about yourself. Namely, mention your writing, any publishing credits and awards you may have received.

You can submit more than once per issue for consideration, but please ensure that you submit only one piece per form. Our issues are based on themes. Please, make sure you state which issue/theme your submission relates to (If you’re using our online form, mention this in the Title heading).

The Writers Post Journal is open to submissions in the following:

SHORT STORIES (we accept all genre)

We accept short stories up to 5,000 words MAX, but we tend to hold a special place in our hearts for those stories in the middle range (1,500-2,500 words). The best way to see your story in print is to hook us right from the beginning. This is especially true for longer manuscripts. If you catch our attention by page one, we’re much more likely to pay closer attention. A great piece of advice is to start your story fast. Make it active and original. Bring us up close. Don’t waste any words to get where you’re going!

FLASH FICTION

For our flash pieces we look for 1,000 words max. Because you have less room to work with in flash fiction, make every word count! Don’t tell us the entire life of a character in a thousand words. Bring us into a moment in his life. Give us something significant. Something worth taking a look.

POETRY

You may submit more than once, per issue, for consideration. But please ensure that you submit only one piece per form or email. Via snail mail you may include more than one per envelope.

NON FICTION

Essays between 1,500-3,000 words. These should be essays or articles in the interest of writers and general audience readers.
“How to” articles of all types work great. We’re always looking for creative nonfiction and new journalism types of writing.

ARTWORK
Anyone interested in illustrating for WPJ should email with a query letter and available on-line portfolio.
Cartoons and fillers (b & w or grayscale only) .
What you send to us should to be print-quality, preferably 300 dpi. We will resize the art as necessary before using it. Electronic files should be sent in jpeg format.

PAYMENT

Beginning in July 2007, although on the small scale level, The WPJ once again, will begin to pay for short stories and non fiction.

However, we do not issue checks. You must have a paypal account to receive a monetary payment.

Payments are as follows $5.00 – $10.00 Short stories

Articles and Essays $5.00

All other pieces receive a complimentary print issue with a provided SASE.

All published material is used on a one time rights non exclusive basis. You are free to submit elsewhere

Accepts simultaneous submissions if stated in query.

RESPONSE TIME

Please allow 3 – 4 months on submissions. Depending on numerous variables, however, it can sometimes take longer. If you have received no response after five months, send me a reminder via email stating your name, when you submitted, Issue and submission title

Themes

There are three ways to submit to us. Please, no matter which way you choose, provide us with contact information.

SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS

Do not send originals. Please include an appropriately sized, self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) if you wish your submission returned. Contributors submitting disposable submissions may alternately request response via e-mail, in which case a working e-mail address must be provided with the submission.

If you choose to submit photocopies, please ensure they are clear and legible. We are not responsible for submissions lost due to the USPS.

All snail mail submissions should be sent to:

Writers Post Journal

PO Box 7989

Pittsburgh, PA 15216

EMAIL SUBMISSIONS

You may submit more than once, per issue, for consideration. But please ensure that you submit only one piece per form, or email.

If you chose to Email, send to: Submission Email

If you are asked to send your story or poem as an attachment file, please make sure all submissions are double spaced, one inch margins, and no fancy fonts. Please limit use of (bold) as well

SUBMISSION FORM

Click here to Submit via our Submission Form.

I started the WPJ as a place for people to get their work read. To date over 800 writers and artists have seen their work published for the first time on the pages of WPJ.

It means as much to me to publish the stories as it does for writers to get published.

I do not want it to end. Unfortunately, if we do not increase our sale and/or subscription base, I may, may, be forced to close the WPJ in January. God willing, it won’t happen. And hopefully we’ll see some great sales for the issues of August and September.

I know the WPJ means as much to many people as it does to me. It is an open door for many that I do not want to close.

So, therefore, as tacky as some may see it, I am starting a ‘Save the WPJ’ campaign. Our costs aren’t that high. If each of those 800 people donated 2 dollars each we’d save the journal for six additional months.

To save the WPJ you can make a purchase, buy an ad, or simply a donation, even if it’s only a buck. Anyone that donates more than 10$ will get past issues of the WPJ that we have in stock. (pot luck)

Many of you have supported the WPJ and I appreciate it with all my heart. I thank you in advance for any help you can give to save this little literary wonder now.

NOTE – If you are making a donation, you will see the incriment is a dollar, This is the best way I could set it up. Just chage the quantity to the amount of your donation. THANK YOU!!!!

Rejection.

Rejection sucks. Plain and simple. I firmly believe a person becomes a ‘real’ writer, not when they get published, but when they get rejected.

That hopeful feeling every time you submit. That sinking feeling when the rejection letter comes.

Sometimes they are personal, often they are form rejections.

In any event, in any case, they still hurt.

Come on, this is your baby, right? This is formed from your soul, a product of your being. Your feelings. Hey, you laughed at it right? Why wouldn’t some editor?

I, too, have been rejected. Probably more times than anyone else has.

I actually contacted the Guinness Book of World Records about it. They said they don’t have a category for rejection letters. Well, damn it, they should. I’m certain I’d hold the title.

To date, as I pen this, I have written since 1995, 57 novels, nine screenplays, countless poems and short stories, most of which I have submitted. All of those submissions faced rejection. I’ve been fortunate one time, one novel, never received rejection, it was accepted by the first publisher that received it. I still believe to this day, my resume helped.

When I submitted, I opened up the handy dandy Writers Digest. I’d submit to everyone that my novel fit, then submit again.

I was addicted to submitting. Checking the mail, the email. Obsessed? You bet.

But perseverance is the key.

PHASES OF REJECTION

Nobody likes rejection. No one seeks to be rejected. Yet, there are phases you go through when getting rejected.

Hurt. You feel dejected, depressed, and you’ve received a lot, you feel like giving up.

But you don’t. Someone you know says something nice about your work and you are filled with hope.

Dejection. Anger Hope.

You need to just learn to get back on the horse and keep submitting.

HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION

Don’t live by the rule if it is a form letter, they didn’t read it. Not true, often editors have so many submissions, as much as they want to respond personally, they just can’t.

If an editor scribbled ‘no thanks’ on my cover letter, hey, I knew they took time.

Set a goal for yourself. Tell yourself that you will let a piece get rejected only so many times. After that, set it aside for two months. After that, reread, tweak, and try again. Even the same markets.

Save your rejection letters. I have an entire bin. Save them. The letters are not your failures; they are the steps you have taken to success.

Keep in mind, if an editor takes time to give advice in a rejection, your story has something. Editors are busy and to take time to do that, says something for your work.

WHY DO I GET REJECTED?

As an editor who rejects 90% of what I read, here is a list of why a submission gets rejected.

Inundation – This is probably the number one reason. The magazine is inundated with submissions that they must reject. Often times many good stories are rejected because there are too many to choose from.

Poorly written cover letter or no cover letter.

Check that spelling on your cover letter, and make sure you include one.

No SASE.

Although if I see an email address I don’t reject, but if there’s no email and no SASE, out it goes.

Story takes to long to get interesting.

I don’t mind a cover letter stating ‘Dear editor’, it doesn’t bother me. But fellow editors at other magazines, reject, especially if their name is on the website.

Too long. If I get a short story that is 30 pages long, it’s far too much. My readers won’t want to read it either.

Sloppy submissions.

Yes, you probably gasped. Writers send sloppy submissions? You would never? Good. But many authors send used copies with stains. Crinkled paper. Notebook paper.

Watch your typos. While I don’t reject for too many typos, others do. I have two modes. The reader mode and editor mode. I judge a story in reader mode, so I don’t see those errors unless they are blearing.

The number one reason I reject is a bad ending. Don’t rush your endings; make them good, original and not so cliché.

HOW NOT AVOID REJECTION

Even though rejection is a given at some point in a writers life, here are some tips on avoiding rejection.

Always include a SASE or an email address.

Keep your cover letters short and sweet. Don’t bog me down with details of your life, but pertinent information should be there. Are you a teacher? A professional writer. Expertise in the field in which you are writing. Also, a one or two sentence log line about the story helps.

Submit in the winter. Surprisingly, most writers do an abundance of writing in the winter, and flood us with submissions from April to August. Try to submit in the cold months when submissions are low.

Indulge in the highest reading pleasure.

Take a look at the Writers Post Journal.

WELCOME BACK SEAN!

Along with Sean comes a new look. The WPJ is proud to welcome back Sean Simmans. Sean was the original artist in the WPJ and the mastermind behind the original look. Now, Sean has returned, and in a style that only he can do, has transformed the WPJ to a new level. We are proud to have him back on the team.

The WPJ takes on a new look with an old fashioned appeal.

*NEWS UPDATE – DELAYS*

We at the Writers Post Journal apologize profusely for the delays in the July Issue.

The September, August and October Issues

No, it’s not a typo. You read the title correctly. We are almost back on track, and will deliver two issues. Oddly, because we are using two printers, the September issue will ship first and by August 26th. The delux, super packed, dual issue of August and Oct should be out rather soon. Right now, we are trying to convince Sean to do a small August WPJ. But he says the dual issue is gonna ‘rock’. I believe him.

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