There's not an editor, agent, publisher or reader alive who enjoys rejecting someone's work. It's the goal of every professional to find the next best-seller, publishable short story, postable blog. That's their job. They're all hoping the next piece they pick up will be the one.

Fingers crossed it's one of ours.

As the manager of this blog, as a freelance editor and associate editor of Write City Magazine, as…

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What’s the world’s best writing deal? Joining Chicago Writers Association. Only $25.00 per year.

PLEASE NOTE: Last year we moved to a new membership platform and are no longer using PayPal. All memberships were transferred to the new platform. If you had a membership in the…

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Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? Each morning The New York Times posts a new Wordle puzzle on the internet and you have one day to solve it. The answer is a five-letter word and you get six tries. Each guess must be a valid five-letter word. After…

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After this past year of working on a conference I was never quite sure would happen, my blog coffers are dry this week. The conference did happen, it was a most wondrous thing and I'm proud of what we accomplished. We received so much positive feedback - everyone was joyous…

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If you had a chance to attend the fiction panel at Let's Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference you heard three successful authors, Elizabeth Wetmore, Nancy Johnson and Ann Garvin, talk about the realities of writing a best seller. It's a dream come true, right?

But…

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Two long years and two weeks ago we postponed Let's Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference. Then we postponed it again and then again. Finally, this past Saturday, writers gathered for a weekend of craft and conversation and networking and learning and camaraderie and laughs and food and drink...…

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Annabel Candy went to see Ann Patchett speak in 2011 after reading State of Wonder. Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors so when I came across Annabel's article I had to share it.

Incidentally, Ann Patchett blurbed Elizabeth Wetmore's book Valentine. That would be a…

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Welcome to Part II of A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a Book Without Losing Your Mind

If you missed Part I, check it out here.

My debut novel hits shelves TODAY!! Here's what I've been doing the past two months.

8 Weeks Before Launch

• …

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Dear Publisher,

Many thanks for responding to my manuscript query. Even though it took 11 months, two weeks, and three days for your reply to arrive, and even though it was clearly a form email, I’m grateful that your college intern took the time to read my sample pages while…

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Are you ready for an IN-PERSON writers conference? We are!

If writing is your profession or it's something you've always dreamed about, a writers conference is the perfect way to learn, improve your craft, get motivated and meet like-minded people.

Our timing is perfect to welcome you to the…

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