Stuff to Read- and Young National Poetry Champion

From Dean Wesley Smith: wonderful 3-part post by Judith Tarr:
Escape from Stockholm: An Epic Publishing Saga. Read ALL THREE PARTS. Worth it.
http://mizkit.com/escaping-stockholm-part-1/

Shows the real story behind the changes in what publishing has become. I've got friends who still are determined to be a writer by going that traditional publishing route, and I wish them well.

I just don't feel it's a viable path for mid-listers, people who have good genre novels, but not bestsellers, which is what the big trad publishers are focusing on. With Indie and self publishers, a modern writer can at least get the work out to readers while improving the writing and creating a greater volume of work.

But the great thng is, we have choice now. So choose wisely, after doing your homework. This 3-part essay is part of the homework.

*****

My teenage daughter entered the Spoken Word poetry contest put on by the National Forensic League by making a YouTube video of her performing her original poetry-- and won!!!
http://www.nationalforensicleague.org/Spoken-Word

She'll be one of 4 performing at the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. Sometimes, you enter contests and manage to do something so well you win. Cool.