CONTENTS

1. Editorial
   - Picture Paragraph Competition
2. Featured Article
   - Not Getting Where You Want As A Writer? Change Your Mind! by Georgina Stath
3. Wordcraft
   - Writers' Wisdom
   - Writing Tip
   - Wordhoard
   - Computer Scrabble Give Away
4. Market Watch
   - How To Make Money With Steve Manning's Course
   - SBI! Action Guide Give Away!
5. Your Articles!
   - New Articles, Submit an Article, Earn Revenue
6. Announcements
   - Do You Own A Writing-Related Site That Makes $1000 or More Per Month?
7. Ad Policy & Subscription Information

Picture Paragraph Competition

On New Year's Day I did something I have not done for a long time. A friend and I got together, grabbed a book with pictures in and chose a picture. We then took ten minutes to each write a paragraph about the picture as if it were a scene from a story.

My friend, who had not written any creative writing for quite some time, was most pleased with the exercise. I also found it very fulfilling.

Hey, now you probably did something really exciting on New Year's Day but each to his (or her) own ;)

I then had the idea to see if anyone out there would like to have a go! So I've launched a new competition:

You can read all about it here: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/ppc

You have to be a WAPA subscriber to enter - so tell your friends to subscribe first!

Hopefully, dependent upon reader response, we can run this competition on a regular basis. I'm also willing to accept offers from subscribers who would like to contribute a prize (you'll get plenty of exposure for doing so!).

Enjoy!

Also, in this issue we will be revisiting the Steve Manning writing course - pay close attention if you want to make money with very little effort! (see Marketing Section)

To Your Online Writing Success!

Darren Andrews, Editor.

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[This issue's featured article is from Georgina Stath. Visit http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/writing/g_stath.html to find out the terms for using this article in your own ezine or on your own web site...Ed.]

Not Getting Where You Want As A Writer? Change Your Mind!
by Georgina Stath

Do you really want to be a successful writer? There are more roads to success that you realise...

Being a creative writer has never been easy. From learning the craft, to practicing it, to selling your work.

But that enthusiasm we felt sparked into passion as we got more involved in it and it continues to ignite us through the long and hard road of getting published.

We are ready to make money from our writing. And it stands to reason that we should. We have already perfected our profession. Shouldn’t the money follow?

It doesn’t because being a good writer does not guarantee a publisher will notice you. So as the rejection letters begin piling up you begin to question whether being a writer was actually a good idea or should you have hit yourself over the head.

Being a writer is the most wonderful thing. And there isn’t just one road to success.

If you are submitting your work to publishers and getting nowhere all you have to do is one thing. Change your mind.

Stop and think for a moment. You write. The product is yours.

So why do you need someone to sell it for you? Why do you need to perfect those dreaded query letters just to get noticed?

And why do you have to suffer for your art?

Because the only way you can sell it is through publishers?

Wrong. Very wrong.

Put in the same amount of hard work you are putting in submitting to publishers and actually get somewhere in your life.

The truth is writers have had a gut full of the whole publishing process...

• We can’t write what we want but have to cater to markets
• We have to make further changes when requested by publishers
• The amounts we get paid never justify the work put in

Is it any wonder then that writes are becoming independent?

They realize their product is theirs so they don’t need anyone to sell it for them.

And most of all? They don’t need to suffer anymore.

So they put in all their effort to create their own business and sell that product on the internet.

And know what? They make it.

The internet is an uncut diamond that we can shape into a fine jewel. The audience is wide and it just asks something from you.

Be unique. Me-too’s don’t get anywhere on the net. This is where readers turn for something different. Are you different?

Are you daring? Do you not beat to anyone’s drum but your own?

A business on the net is ideal for you.

I’m not talking about submitting your work to e-publishers. I’m talking about building a website and selling your work straight from there.

Become your own boss because you can. Be the free spirit you always wanted to be. Writers are known for their uniqueness. Don’t mould your style to suite anyone. Unleash your creativity now because the opportunity is out there waiting for you.

Take it and make a difference.

Writers have made their own success stories.

Do you want to make yours?

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Georgina Stath is a creative writer who took matters into her own hands. She runs her own business. She writes what she wants. She keeps all the profits. You can do it too. Just change your mind. Join the ‘Entrepreneur Creative Writer’s Course To Success.’ It’s free and highly informative. Send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@beyond-short-story-writing.com

http://www.beyond-short-story-writing.com
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Editor's Comments and Resources

Georgina - a WAPA subscriber of course! - shares a view in the above article that reflects my own. On this note I'd like to point out something about the name of this ezine and the associated web site: "writers and publishers"...

Yes, the ezine and web site are for writers and for publishers but the hope of that name is for the writer to also be the publisher, a writer and publisher!

Please do keep this in mind whenever you see it!

Now some resources. I can't think of a better package (because quite frankly there isn't one) than "Site Build It!" for starting your own writing business online.

Remember it's a:

• web designer (you need know no html)
• web host (inc. email accounts)
• domain name registrant
• keyword researcher
• search engine submission service
• logo designer
• mailing list server
• e-commerce provider
• affiliate program provider

I highly recommend it. You can find out more by clicking here.

Thanks again for the article Georgina!

Darren Andrews, Editor.

P.S. We'll be hearing more from Georgina in the next issue.

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WORDCRAFT

"A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used."

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes.

(+) Writing Tip - Lie & Lay

To lie means:

1. to tell a fib; e.g. You lied to her.
2. to be in a horizontal position; e.g. Lie down and you'll feel better.

To lay means:

1. to place something down in its correct position; e.g. Lay those bricks in a straight line.
2. to produce eggs; e.g. Our hens lay enough eggs to feed us all

Contributor: Jennifer Stewart. Subscribe to her free weekly Writing Tips: or start your six-part Writing Course now.

(+) Wordhoard

ambage - n. a winding path; v. to travel around.

(+) Computer Scrabble Give Away

Yes, get your free computer scrabble game by visiting http://www.free-cdsoftware.com (Windows platform only)

Please send all Wordcraft contributions here. (do not send attachments or large html emails - they will not be downloaded!)

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"How To Write A Book On Anything In 14 Days or Less... Guaranteed!! A Professional's Guide"

Darren Andrews reviews Steve's affiliate program

[STOP PRESS: Did you know that some WAPA subscribers are making hundreds of dollars per month with this affiliate program? One affiliate has already exceeded $1500 for January and it's only the 10th! - Ed]

Many of you are already affiliates for this unique writing course - some of you, like myself, even own a copy.

You can review (and order) the course from this link.

If you have not done so already, here's the link to become an affiliate. Sign up now - it's free and I'll tell you what to do next!

Step 1: Sign up as an affiliate (a reseller) by filling out this simple form.

Okay, simple wasn't it? ;)

Now, you'll receive an email telling you your ID number and password. Record (or print) these as you will need them.

You will be assigned a referral (or affiliate) link which will be:

http://writeabooknow.com/welcome/writeXXXXnow

where XXXX is replaced with the numerical part of your ID.

This is the link you must advertise and have others purchase the course through in order to be credited with the sale -- you'll get $89.10 per sale that comes through your link.

You do nothing but promote the link - Steve Manning deals with all the shipping, payment processing and customer service. Promote the link and collect your commission!

Step 2: Promoting your affiliate link

You can put your link in your ezine, on your website or even advertise it in an ad or article.

Articles are great as you do not need to pay editors to run them (unlike ads). Of course, your article should be original and useful and *not* a sales letter. However, including the course as a resource or having it on an e-course / website accessible from your byline is quite appropriate!

Hot Tip:

Some of you may be aware of the example I give of the $2100 I received in commission from the placement of one ad in an issue of a writers' ezine of ca. 34,000 subscribers. The ad cost me about $300 so I made $1800 in pure profit.

Here is a pic of those checks.

Now here, only ever seen by Writers' Marketing Toolbox members before, is the exact ad I ran (I've put it in a text box so that you can copy & paste it more easily):

HOT FREE REPORT FOR WRITERONLINE SUBSCRIBERS! Famous Master Writer Teaches You How to Write Your Book in Less Than 14 Days. Guaranteed! Discover How He's Trained Thousands to Write Their Book Faster Than They Ever Thought Possible! "I just wish I had Steve's information when I started. I'd be even more prolific." (Bob Bly, best-selling author, New York). Click below for the FREE report now: <a href=" http://www.writing-and-reading.com ">AOL click</a>

Okay, let's analyze this ad:

First, I mention that there's a free hot report. People want information and so this pulls people into taking a look (there is a free report by the way - no lying!).

With spam filters today you might want to change the title into lowercase with each initial capitalized. You might also want to replace the word 'free' with a synonym such as 'give-away' or 'no-cost'.

It's important throughout to keep the CPL (characters per line) at 65 or less - otherwise you run the risk of having a badly-formatted ad.

Second, I mention the name of the ezine - thus the reader feels like it is aimed at them (which it is) in a more personal way.

Third, I state the authority of the creator of the course to build trust.

Fourth, I state the benefit of the course (you can write a book in 14 days).

Fifth, I include a credible testimonial from Steve's site from a respected author.

Sixth, I make a call to action ('click below..')

Seventh, I provide a link for AOL users who make up a good part of subscribers and may not be bothered to copy & paste the link otherwise.

Note, on this last point, that I've put spaces around the URL. This means that both AOL and non-AOL users can click this line of html (AOL users will click the anchor text, and non-AOL users will click the URL). This saves writing out the non-AOL URL.

Lastly, do not use your affiliate link - use a redirect or cloaked link. Set up a pre-selling domain if you want (such as with SBI!). Here's some info on setting up a redirect if you don't know how.

You should avoid widows and orphans when doing ads - and you'll see (in the above ad) you might want to change the line ending "Ever Thought Possible!" to "Ever Imagined!"; this will not only look better, but save you money as your ad will be one line less in length.

If you want to be the first to get the same ad going in the same ezine then go here and order an ad now.

Or approach your favourite ezine. If you don't want to risk an ad, then write an article. Ads are best for high mark-up products where you can make up the cost of the ad with just a few sales (as you can with Steve's course) though I'd not suggest an ezine ad for a $9.99 ebook unless it sells like hot cakes!

Good affiliates are earning a four-figure income per month in Steve's program, and those who only promote it a little are making a sale or two every month - so sign up now and get promoting!

May You Prosper in 2003!

(+) SBI! Action Guide Give Away

In the last issue I mentioned the amazing Site Build It! system. I highly recommend everyone who wants a good and profitable web site to look at this.

[Once you have this system your keyword research, web design, web hosting, domain name registering, email accounts, logos, e-commerce features, etc. are all provided for you!]

You can read more about it here (link to free download is included on this page).

Do not miss this if you are serious!

(+) Would You Like To Be In the Top 50 Writing Sites?

If you want to be in the "Top 50" then click here now.

Or how about being listed on the "Best Writing Sites and Top Writer-Related Sites"? Get listed by clicking here.

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Georgina Stath has written an article every writer should read. It's the featured article in today's issue so go read it if you have not done so already. Read the ten latest accepted submissions at:
http://www.writers-and-publishers.com

If you want to submit an article, a word of warning: I reject most and give no explanation. Of course, most of them are non-writing-related marketing articles which I clearly state as being inappropriate on the submission page. For the rules and the form to submit your article, go here: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/submit.html

If - and I highly recommend it - you want to earn revenue from the writing course advertised at the bottom of your article page then sign up (free) to do so here:
http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/earnmoney.html

---------TIP

...Get your articles and ezine listed at Zinos! It's popular and will get you good exposure. Click the banner.

---------END TIP

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(+) Do You Own A Writing-Related Site That Makes $1000 or More Per Month?

If so, a new site launching in a few weeks wants to hear from you now! It won't cost you a penny, and will bring you some great exposure! For more information email me and write that you are responding to this announcement.

(+) Writers-and-Publishers.com endorses graphic designer

Writers-and-Publishers.com is officially recommending Barbara Wilson of http://www.elogodesigns.com as graphic designer for its subscribers.

Barbara designs logos, web templates as well as ecovers. You can check her portfolio at her web site where you will also find some great free samples too.

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