Talking to Readers (Free session!)/Poetry and Prose Market

Thought for the Week: The river may be wide, but it can always be crossed. ~ African proverb  

TALKING TO READERS

I’ve been to book signings that were deadly dull. The author just sits there at a table with books. If no one is at the table perusing a book or making conversation, the author looks hungrily, sometimes desperately, at anyone who enters the room. It’s painful to watch.

I’ve found lots of advice on how to talk to agents or editors, but none on how to talk to readers. Savvy Authors has a free one-hour session on this topic on July 24, 2013. You must be a basic or premium member of Savvy Authors to attend, but basic membership is free, too. I’ve registered to attend. Want to join me? The info is here. 

VIRGINIA QUARTERLY REVIEW is open for submissions until August 1. They consider unpublished short fiction (2,000 – 10,000 words), poetry, and nonfiction. Pays: "For poetry, we pay $200 per poem; for poems longer than 50 lines, the payment is higher. For prose, we generally pay approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length. For investigative reporting, we pay at a higher rate, sometimes including pre-approved travel expenses."