A Call for Papers for My MMLA Panel: A Literary Shelter for Misfit Dolls

Ellen Tsagaris/M/MLA Revised Proposal

A Literary Shelter for Misfit Dolls; Exploring Doll Play

Dolls have existed since the Stone Age and appear often in literature, but the significance of doll play has not been addressed.  “Literary Dolls” are often bedraggled objects that resemble inhabitants of  Rudolph’s Island of Misfit Toys. Yet, children love them because, like them, their dolls are imperfect.  Laura’s doll in Little House in the Big Woods, a handkerchief wrapped corncob, is both an object of pity and a beloved toy. Dicken’s Jenny Wren repairs dolls to find the perfect form her own crippled body denies her.  Papers could address how dolls provide companionship, why children prefer simple dolls or “misfit” dolls, how imaginative children create dolls out of anything, how dolls become ritual objects, etc..

RIP Anne Boleyn

*****************************************************************

                    W R I T I N G   W O R L D

A World of Writing Information - For Writers Around the World

                  http://www.writing-world.com/

Issue 11:10           12,560 subscribers             May 19, 2011
*****************************************************************
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION: See the bottom of this newsletter for
details on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or contact the editors.
*****************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
=================================================================
 
THE EDITOR'S DESK: The Secret of Success, 
by Moira Allen
THE WRITING DESK: Earnings, by Moira Allen
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING 
FEATURE: Tickler Files Increase Your Success, 
by Robert Moskowitz
THE WRITE SITES -- Online Resources for Writers
WRITING CONTESTS WITH NO ENTRY FEES
The Author's Bookshelf

*****************************************************************
Writing.Com is the online community for writers of all interests.
Create your free online portfolio and start writing today!
               ---> http://wwx.Writing.Com/ <---
Become a fan on Facebook: http://facebook.com/WritingCom 
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WritingCom
****************************************************************
WRITERSCOLLEGE.COM has 57 online courses. Prices are low. If you 
can reach our web site, you can take our courses. 
http://www.writerscollege.com/
*****************************************************************
WRITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS. Achieve your dream of becoming a published
author.  Learn the secrets from an experienced pro writer. Train
online or by mail.  Free writing test.
http://www.writingforchildren.com/H0431 
*****************************************************************
You CAN Make a Great Full-Time Living As a Writer!
Once you know the simple secrets of writing for this little-known
lucrative market. You can work from home, be in control of your
schedule and earn an average of $75-$150 an hour.
http://www.thewriterslife.com/a63/full-time-living
*****************************************************************
THOUSANDS OF WRITERS USE FANSTORY.COM FOR:
* Feedback. Get feedback for every poem and story that you write.
* Contests. Over 40 contests are always open and free to enter.
* Rankings. Statistics will show you how your writing is doing.
http://www.fanstory.com/index1.jsp?at=38
*****************************************************************


FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
================================================================

The Secret of Success
---------------------
In the previous issue, I took a little nostalgia trip, looking at
where we were fourteen years ago.  That prompted a couple of
e-mails from readers pointing out the vast difference between where
we were then and where we are now -- in a positive sense.

One reader wrote to tell me that she had suffered a major auto
accident twenty years ago, and lost the ability to work outside the
home.  "Twenty years ago," she points out, "I was convinced I would
never work again."  Thanks to the Internet, she is now a successful
editor.  Another reader wrote to tell me that she'd just found a
new market through our newsletter, and is now earning an extra $100
a week writing for a content provider.  "I will not get rich... but
I will be able to eat a little better because of it," she notes. 
"In addition, the satisfaction of once again earning something,
anything, from my writing... is a sweetness only another writer can
understand."

I often wonder what I would be doing today if there were no
Internet.  Obviously, I would not be doing THIS!  Most of my
"business" is conducted online or, at the very least, promoted
online.  When I self-published my first book, we spent hours
folding flyers and stuffing them into envelopes, not to mention
hundreds of dollars on printing and postage.  When orders did
arrive, I wrapped them up in my little "mailing station" in the
hall.  Now, a website does the work of promoting the book, and
Amazon does the work of shipping it. 

Thanks to the Internet, we can gain clients and customers around
the world.  My first experience with an online newsletter was
Inklings -- working with an editor who lived in Canada, and whom
I'd never met.  Now this newsletter is edited by a writer who lives
in England -- and whom, for years, I'd never met.  

The Internet has opened doors that, twenty years ago, we couldn't
even dream of.  It has opened doors that people thought would
remain forever closed to them, for reasons of disability, of
distance, of discouragement.  But there is one thing that it hasn't
changed -- and that's what happens once we choose to step THROUGH
one of those open doors.

Thousands upon thousands have looked at the opportunities offered
by the Web and thought, "Wow!  Look at all those open doors --
here's my chance!"  Here's my chance to be rich, to be famous, to
be published, to be a success.  But an open door is only that -- a
doorway.  When we step through, we find that it's not the door that
leads to success.  It's what we do on the other side.  

The two writers I mentioned at the beginning of this editorial
aren't successful because they found new doors to step through. 
They are successful because, to put it crudely, they stepped
through those doors and then worked their butts off.  

I get loads of e-mails from writers who want to know the "secret"
of becoming published, of becoming an author, of "getting started,"
and so forth.  Generally I refer them to our "beginner" sections
and suggest that, once they've read the many articles we have
published offering exactly the information they claim to seek, I'd
be happy to try to answer a more "specific" question. I never hear
from them again.  

I never hear from them, I suspect, because they learn to their
dismay that the "secret" of success has never been a secret.  And
it hasn't changed, not in fourteen years or four hundred.  Nor is
it GOING to change, no matter how technology changes in the future.
 It's still dramatically, painfully simple.

Find an open door.  Go through.  Then, work your butt off.  

-- Moira Allen, Editor

(Dawn is coping with a family emergency and will be back with an
editorial "from the newsletter editor" next month.)

*****************************************************************

CHILDREN'S WRITERS 
Read by over 1,000 children's book and magazine editors, this
monthly newsletter can be your own personal source of editors'
wants and needs, market tips, and professional insights.  Get 2
FREE issues to start. http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/AJ934  
 
*****************************************************************

The Writing Desk: Earnings 
=================================================================

How much does the average writer make?
---------------------------------------
Q: I have a question about monthly income for writers. I am
somewhat young -- 23 -- and have decided upon a career as a writer.
My question is, How much can an average writer make (1) writing
articles for magazines and (2) writing books? Given time to
establish myself in the industry, is $1,000 monthly a little too
much to expect? And will having a degree help me in the writing
business?

A: I'm not sure there is such a thing as an "average" writer.  It
depends on your skill, experience, and the subject area that you
might wish to write about.
 
Magazines may pay anything from $25 to $2500 for a 2000-word
article. However, needless to say, it's a lot easier for a new
writer to break into those $25 markets than to break into the $2500
markets.  Your first question might be to consider what you want to
write about, and then research the market potential in your field. 
For example, if you want to write about pets, you're stuck with
about four major magazines that pay up to $500 per feature.  If you
want to write about business, your options are considerably broader
-- but your expertise must also be stronger as well.
 
Rarely does a beginner in the industry start out by writing for the
$1000-per-feature magazines.  Generally you'll find that you're
starting with those that pay $100 for an article.  (You should at
least shoot for that -- you'll soon find that writing 2000 words
for $25 isn't worth the effort.)  Then it's a question of math.  If
you can successfully break into the $100/article market range,
you'll have to sell 10 articles per month to earn $1000.  Generally
you'll have to start with queries, so you'll first have to write 10
queries (at least) per month -- and that's assuming they all get
accepted. If, as is more likely, your acceptance rate on queries is
50% or less, you'll have to write 20 queries or more per month to
get to that rate.  Some people find queries easy to write; others
find them more time-consuming.
 
Let's say that you get ten assignments.  That means you must write
10 articles per month to earn your $1000.  That means, in turn,
that you must be able to write an article every three days --
including research, interviewing, etc. (plus finding time to do all
those queries).  It sounds like you're recently out of college --
imagine writing a term paper every three days and you'll get the
idea!
 
To earn "real" money as a writer, then, you have to try to crack
those higher-paying markets as soon as possible (but you will
usually have to "work up" from some of the lower-paying markets to
get the clips to give you credibility).  If, for example, you can
start selling to $500 markets, you only have to write two articles
per month to get that $1000 -- and that's a lot more reasonable
workload.
 
But -- even if you earn $1000 a month, that's $12,000 a year.  I
don't know where you live, but when you take out taxes etc., it's
pretty darn hard to live on $12,000 a year.  Remember that as a
writer, you're paying for your own medical coverage, social
security, etc.  So there's a difference between earning even
$12,000 a year and earning a living as a freelance writer.
 
Writing books isn't going to improve the odds.  First, writing a
book usually takes approximately a year, counting research and
writing time (assuming we're talking nonfiction).  A novel usually
takes that long as well.  If you're writing fiction, you will have
to complete the novel before you can even begin to market it, as no
publisher or agent will discuss an unfinished novel with a
first-time writer.  If you're writing nonfiction, however, you can
often presell your book before you write it by submitting a solid
proposal to the right publisher.  (Sometimes that can happen very
quickly; I've sold proposals in as little as two weeks.)  So you
might see payment on your nonfiction book within the first year;
you won't see a penny on a novel for two to three years (and
possibly two to three years after you actually write it).
 
How much will you see?  As a first-time writer, chances are that
your advance (for either fiction or nonfiction) will be in the
range of $3000 to $5000.  If you're very lucky, it might be as high
as $10,000, but it will have to be a blockbuster book.  If you
write the next Harry Potter, you'll get more -- but the reason we
know about books like that is because they come along once every
decade or so.  So that's $5000, tops, for a year of work -- and a
year in which you won't be able to do much other writing, because
the book is going to consume at least 80% of your time.  Plus, it
may be the last penny you ever see on that book, as most books
don't do more than earn out their advances -- don't bet the farm on
ongoing royalties.  (I just got a whopping $80 for one of my older
books, for six months of sales.  That's two dinners out for my
husband and myself at a fairly modest restaurant.)
 
Does all this sound depressing?  Unfortunately, the business
prospects for freelance writers ARE depressing -- and I honestly
don't encourage anyone to try to start their first career in this
field.  You can get to a living wage eventually, but it usually
takes several years of hard work to get there.  Since you have to
have something to eat during those years, most people (myself
included) recommend that you have a way of building a financial
cushion before you decide to launch this type of career.
 
I'll get back to the financial issues in a moment, but there's
another reason I don't recommend jumping straight into a career as
a freelance writer, and that's "experience."  This may sound odd,
but it's hard to make it as a writer if all you know how to do is
write. If, however, you explore other areas and career paths, you
can build up some background and expertise that you can later write
about.  As a freelancer, having some experience in the field that
you're writing about can go farther toward selling your queries and
articles than simply having the ability to write (and research)
well.
 
OK, back to the financial issue.  What I recommend is that if
you're serious about writing as a career, find a day-job that
involves writing.  It's often not as "glamorous" as freelancing,
but it will give you loads of excellent experience, in the industry
where you most need to know the ropes, and it will give you a
steady paycheck. It will teach you what works and what doesn't.  It
will give you a chance to find out what interests you most about
writing (maybe it's writing for magazines, maybe it's writing
novels).  It will give you an opportunity to freelance on the side,
and build clips and credentials, without having to worry about
where your next rent check is coming from.  In three to five years,
you'll be able to build (a) a reputation, (b) a nest-egg, and (c)
contacts that can give you information or assignments.
 
Will a degree help you?  That depends on what the degree is in and
what you're trying to do.  A degree in English or journalism can
help you get a job in the publishing industry (e.g., working for a
newspaper, magazine, book publisher, website, etc.).  A degree in a
specific field can often help you get a job within that field --
i.e., if you have a business degree, it might help you get a job in
a business publishing company.  A degree in a specific field can
also help you sell articles within that field; it's a credential.
However, it won't help you outside that field.  However, in
general, a degree of any kind will almost always bring you a higher
salary than no degree.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Moira Allen

****************************************************************

WIN UP TO $500 WRITING A POEM OR SHORT STORY!
Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest. Write a poem, 30 lines
or fewer on any subject and/or write a short story, 5 pages max.,
on any theme, single or double line spacing, neatly hand printed
or typed for a chance to win cash prizes. Visit
http://www.dreamquestone.com/ for details!

*****************************************************************

NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING
=================================================================

Ebooks Leading to Increase in Digital Piracy?
---------------------------------------------
An article in the Daily Telegraph claims that one in eight women
over the age of 35 in Britain have admitted to reading unlicensed
or pirated books on their digital book readers.  If these figures
are true it could be worrying for publishers as they strive to
publish more books in digital format.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/69nr3ao

More Short Stories by Anthony Burgess Discovered
------------------------------------------------
Researchers have discovered over 20 short stories, letters and a
few film scripts written by the author of "A Clockwork Orange," who
died in 1993.  Amongst the works found was Burgess' original script
for the film of "A Clockwork Orange," which was rejected by Stanley
Kubrick.  For more on this story visit: 
http://tinyurl.com/43f66hj

Report to Recommend a Relaxation of UK Copyright Laws
-----------------------------------------------------
A report is being submitted to the UK government to suggest that UK
Copyright Laws be relaxed.  The Hargreaves Report wants the
government to change Intellectual Property Laws to make it legal
for people to parody other's works as they can in the US.
For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/6fpxnt4

*****************************************************************

NEW AGENCY, Best Wishes Literary Management seeks fiction and
nonfiction writers.  No Reading fees.  Visit 
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jjamie663/ or email
bestwishesliterary@yahoo.com

*****************************************************************

WRITING JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
================================================================= 

Chainbooks Seek Chapter Writers
-------------------------------
Chainbooks.com is a social-based website where people from all over
the world can take part in writing a book together, one chapter at
a time. The site will launch in summer 2011, and right now they are
looking for people to be "Starter Chapter" writers.  They would
like to have about 500 first chapters complete before our launch
this summer.  Each Starter Chapter needs to be around 3000 words in
length. The Starter Chapter writers will receive $25 for each
approved chapter plus additional compensation on books that meet
successful sales goals. To find out more visit their website at
http://www.chainbooks.com/ or to get involved in this project send
an email to eapoe@chainbooks.com 

***************************************************************

FEATURE: Tickler Files Increase Your Success
================================================================= 
By Robert Moskowitz

There are many differences between successful and unsuccessful
freelance writers that have nothing to do with their relative
abilities to write. One of the most important is how well they
manage the critical business functions that are essential to
surviving in the writing game. 

As the author of "How To Organize Your Work and Your Life," I've
been interested in "time management" for decades, and I've used my
"Tickler File" to great advantage not only to meet my writing
commitments, but to build and maintain a freelance writing practice
that paid for my two sons' college educations, a couple of homes,
and countless hot dinners.

In today's electronic world, it may surprise you that I advocate
the standard old-fashioned paper "Tickler File." It's a simple
device consisting of 12 file folders labeled "January" through
"December," plus 31 file folders labeled "1" through "31." Into
these folders you place, as they come up in your mind, written
reminders of every task you want to do on a specific date in the
future. On the first of each month, you sort through this month's
folder and distribute your written reminders into the appropriate
locations within the 1-thru-31 dated folders. Each day, you look in
"today's" folder and retrieve your notes and associated paperwork
for each of the tasks you've set for yourself. 

If you've switched to any form of electronic calendaring system,
you can dispense with the paper folders and simply post the same
kind of "tickler" notes to yourself electronically, each one under
the appropriate upcoming date. (It's more difficult to keep
associated documents with these electronic reminders, however, so
you may want to use the physical file folder system, in addition.)

Now let's look at how you apply the power of your "Tickler File"
(TF) to some essential tasks for thriving financially as a
freelancer: 

Prospecting
-----------
You already know to spend a good portion of your time looking for
new sales and new markets. Whether you generate ideas first and
then go looking for appropriate markets, or find new markets first
and then generate suitable ideas, it is essential that you maintain
continuity. And that's where the TF is a big help. Place your ideas
and/or your prospective markets in your TF to make sure none of
them falls through the cracks and dies, unexplored. After each
contact with a prospective market, place a reminder in your TF so
you are certain to follow up in the right way at the right time

Pitching
--------
If only pitching were as easy as making a phone call and spewing a
spiel. But as you probably know, keeping a pitch alive and
nurturing it into an assignment often requires a long, convoluted
series of communications, sometimes with several people, in which
your original idea gets restructured to better meet that market's
needs and preferences. It's easy to lose track of where you are in
the process and your best next step, particularly when you're
juggling multiple pitches to multiple markets all at once. Keeping
your notes on each pitch to each market moving forward in your TF
is the simplest and most reliable way to avoid getting tangled in
your own glib tongue. 

Selling 
-------
Once you've established yourself with a particular market, it's
basic good business practice to keep going back to ask for more
sales. But how often, and what to say each time? Your TF provides
an excellent mechanism for making sure you pitch your best markets
at the most appropriate intervals, and also for keeping track of
your past interactions with each market so you can make the people
there feel well-remembered each time you call or write. 

Billing
-------
It's great to write a story for pay, and it's even better to write
the invoice for it. But I never like to send my invoice in the same
envelope or e-mail with my story, because I don't want to give the
impression that I am done working until my client is satisfied. So
I put a note in my TF to bill for the story a week, or in some
cases a month, into the future. This way, I give the editor enough
time to ask for changes, if he/she wants any, with no risk of my
forgetting to ask for payment.

Collecting
----------
Writing an invoice is fun, but cashing a check is even better. So
I'm careful to put a note in my TF that reminds me whom I've
billed, when, and how much. Usually, I place the reminder about 45
days out. This way, if the billing and payment process goes
normally, I won't bother the editor or publisher unnecessarily for
my payment, and I can simply discard the reminder when it pops up
in my TF. But if there's any unusual delay, my TF makes sure I'm
right on top of the situation quickly enough to keep my cash flow
healthy. 

As you'll see when you try it with these tasks and others, your
"Tickler File" can be a successful freelance writer's best friend. 

   >>--------------------------------------------------<<
 
Copyright 2011 Robert Moskowitz

Robert Moskowitz is a successful author and editor with a knack for
conveying complex and difficult topics in a friendly, down-to-earth
style. He resides in Santa Monica with his wife, a novelist, where
they collaborate on writing stories. In addition to his countless
articles for dozens of popular magazines, his published non-fiction
books include "How To Organize Your Work and Your Life," "Small
Business Computing -- A Guide in Plain English," "Out On Your Own,"
and "Parenting Your Aging Parents." 

For more information on handling the business side of writing
visit: http://www.writing-world.com/rights/index.shtml

****************************************************************

EBOOK SELF-PUBLISHING EXPLAINED
An epublishing revolution is sweeping the industry. We explain what
is happening and show you how to self-publish your own ebooks.
http://www.publishyourownebooks.com/

*****************************************************************

THE WRITE SITES
=================================================================

WriteandPublishYourBook.com
----------------------------
Although this site is aimed at would be self-published authors, it
has articles that are of interest to all writers covering SEO
techniques, article writing, script writing and novels.  It also
has several free ebooks on writing for you to download too. 
http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com/news_portal/

WARNING: This site appears to have good information, but when I
visited, Kaspersky Anti-Virus warned that it was a "dangerous URL."
We're not deleting the reference, but advise readers to visit with
caution.

Writing Forward
---------------
This is an excellent blog on creative and poetry writing.  It has
lots of posts on such topics as creative writing, grammar, poetry,
lyrics as well as useful exercises to help you to develop or polish
your creative or poetry writing skills. 
http://www.writingforward.com/

One Million Monkeys Typing
--------------------------
If you like collaborative writing or are thinking of dipping your
toes in the creative writing genre, then this site might be just
what you were looking for.  You read a story then when you come to
the end of the section you can either continue to read or add your
own section. 
http://www.1000000monkeys.com/#

*****************************************************************

WIN PRIZES AND GET PUBLISHED! Find out how to submit your stories,
poetry, articles and books to hundreds of writing contests in the
US and internationally. Newly updated for 2010, WRITING TO WIN by
Moira Allen is the one-stop resource you need for contests and
contest tips. Visit Writing-World.com's bookstore for details:
http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml

*****************************************************************

WRITING CONTESTS
================================================================= 
This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. Unless 
otherwise indicated, competitions are open to all adult writers. 
For a guide to more than 1000 writing contests throughout the 
world, see Moira Allen's book, "Writing to Win: The Colossal 
Guide to Writing Contests" 
(http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml).

JOURNALSTONE PUBLISHING CONTEST FOR HORROR NOVELS
-------------------------------------------------
DEADLINE: June 1, 2011
GENRE:    Books
DETAILS:  Submit a minimum 75,000 word horror novel.
PRIZE:    $2000 cash advance against royalties, publication and
eligibility for membership of the Horror Writers' Association. 2nd
Prize $500, 3rd Prize $200. All winners will receive publication by
JournalStone.
URL: http://journalstone.com/contest/2000-in-2011-horror-contest/   

HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION
-----------------------------
DEADLINE: June 1, 2011  
GENRE:   Books
OPEN TO: Authors with no published books in the mystery genre
DETAILS: Minimum 60,000 words murder mystery, or mystery novel.
Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the
story, and emphasis is on the solution rather than the details of
the crime.  The story's primary setting is the Southwestern United
States, including at least one of the following states: Arizona,
Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and/or Utah.
PRIZE:  $10,000 advance against royalties and publication by St.
Martin's Press.    
URL: http://www.wordharvest.com/novel_contest.php   

APPALACHIAN HERITAGE WRITERS SYMPOSIUM CONTEST
----------------------------------------------
DEADLINE: June 1, 2011
GENRE: Young Writers
DETAILS: Short Stories or Creative Nonfiction. Any genre. Poetry: 1
poem, up to 30 lines; Essay: maximum 1,500 words; Short Story:
maximum 2,500 words. 
PRIZE:  $75 
URL: http://tinyurl.com/5ruko4o

FRASER INSTITUTE STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST
--------------------------------------
DEADLINE: June 1, 2011
GENRE: Nonfiction
OPEN TO: High School, College and Graduate Students
DETAILS: 1,000 - 1,500 word essay on the topic "Is Capitalism
Dead?" See website for more details. 
PRIZE: C$1,000, 2nd Prize C$500, plus a prize of C$250 for best
high school entry. High school students are also eligible for the
main prizes. Winners published on website, and possibly also in
Fraser Institute periodicals.    
URL: http://tinyurl.com/5t54f2a

ERIC HOFFER AWARD FOR SHORT PROSE
---------------------------------
DEADLINE:  June 30, 2011
GENRE: Short Stories, Creative Nonfiction
DETAILS: One story or essay, to 10,000 words
PRIZE:  $500
URL:  http://www.hofferaward.com/ 
  
L. RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST
------------------------------------------------
DEADLINE: June 30, 2011
GENRE: Short Stories
OPEN TO: Authors with No Published Books: The Contest is open only
to those who have not had professionally published a novel or short
novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short
stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be
payment, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits for online
publication.
DETAILS: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror: All types of science fiction,
fantasy and horror with fantastic elements, are welcome. 17,000
words maximum. 
PRIZE: $1,000 first prize awarded each quarter; one of those
winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Gold Award" grand prize.
Each quarter, 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500
URL: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules  

*****************************************************************

AUTHOR'S BOOKSHELF: Books by Our Readers
=================================================================

Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women, 
by Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko

Patty Ratty and her New Tap Shoes, 
by Marion McKibben

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer (Second Edition), 
by Moira Allen

Find these and more great books at
http://www.writing-world.com/books/index.shtml

Have you just had a book published?  If so, let our readers know: 
just click on the link below to list your book.
http://www.writing-world.com/books/listyours.shtml

*****************************************************************

ADVERTISE in WRITING WORLD or on WRITING-WORLD.COM!  For details 
on how to reach more than 100,000 writers a month with your 
product, service or book title, visit
http://www.writing-world.com/admin1/adrates.shtml

*****************************************************************

Writing World is a publication of Writing-World.com
http://www.writing-world.com/

Editor and Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (editors@writing-world.com) 

Newsletter Editor: DAWN COPEMAN (editorial@writing-world.com) 

Copyright 2011 Moira Allen
Individual articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues archived at
http://www.writing-world.com/newsletter/index.shtml

Writing World is hosted by Aweber.com

*****************************************************************
Subscribers are welcome to re-circulate.





Sutton House, Meads Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
<A HREF="http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LEyszKyMtCwcrMxs7GwMtEa0nJwMjGwcjA==">http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LEyszKyMtCwcrMxs7GwMtEa0nJwMjGwcjA==</A>

Dr. E's Experience in Women's and Kiddie Lit

I.                    Children's Literature

II.                 Women's Studies

Synopsis

I.  Children's Literature

A.    Texts:

1. Alice in Wonderland: Taught one year plus at SIUC Carbondale as main text for writing courses.  Also taught Through the Looking Glass,             and "Jabberwocky."

a. Developed tests, quizzes,

b.      Taught self-authored play "Who Stole the Tarts" for first graders at Saturday Serendipity, Moline.

c. Large library of Alice books and books on Lewis Carroll, film, records, ephemera, memorabilia, used to teach the book and works by Carroll.

d.      Used in connection with Criminal Justice course studying Jack the Ripper; Carroll was for a time considered a suspect in some circles.

2. "Little Red Riding Hood" various versions taught in Honors Composition, Introduction to Literature, Spanish, and World Masterpieces.

a. Some texts in Spanish and Greek Used

b.                        Wide collection memorabilia and ephemera used as teaching tools.

c. Various authors including Grimm, de la Mare, Angela Carter.

3. Chapbooks; various authors.  Including The history of Goody Two Shoes, The History of Dick Whittington and his Cat, The History of Little Fanny [both chapbook and first lithographed paper dolls]

a.  originals in private collection

b.      Other literature from the era.

c.       Charlotte Yonge's "Little Goody Two Shoes" used in dissertation and book The Subversion of Romance in the novels of Barbara Pym.

4. Johnny Gruelle and Raggedy Ann

a. Large collection of the books by Gruelle, including originals, e.g., "Little Sunny Stories."

 b. Large archive of Gruelle material, including original case against Molleye E. Doll Company and Raggedy Ann patent papers.

    c. Large collection of dolls and ephemera, and other memorabilia, attended Raggedy Ann Conference in  Arcola, IL.

a. Large collection memorabilia as well as books about connection between Gruelle and James Whitcomb Riley, creator of Little Orphan Annie.

                                                                                                                                       i.  Original Annie books from thirties and vintage items from Annie the musical as well as comic strips.

                                                                                                                                     ii.      Taught Raggedy Ann in literature, CommUniversity,  Contracts Class.

5.      Kate Greenaway: Alphabets, Birthday Books, Flower books:

a.       Some material antique including dolls and figurines, and books.

6.      Tasha Tudor:  Original Correspondence, research, and books.  Taught in CommUniversity and SIUC as well as Black Hawk College.  Original materials and large library.  Used in dissertation, book, in article on "Dolls in Literature" and for QC Literary Guild lecture.

7.      Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and books by

Rose Wilder Lane

:

a.       Have all books and major biographies

b.     Paper on Laura's work read by proxy at Popular Culture Association convention in New Orleans.

c.       Visited several Little House sites.

d.      Taught as unit at Augustana and Black Hawk.

e.       Taught at CommUniversity

f.        Large collection books, ephemera, dolls

g.       Also taught in connection with Women's Studies courses and classes

8.      Florence K. Upton: Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwog:

a.       Original lithograph from one of the books

b.      Published about in article "Folk Dolls" and unpublished paper on Debussy and "The Golliwog's Cake Walk."  Studied in Culture and Diversity.

c.       Antique "Dutch dolls" and Golliwog ephemera and books, documented and researched.

9.      Joan Walsh Anglund books, ephemera, and friend dolls.  Vintage and documented materials.

10.  Peanuts by Schulz, vintage materials, library, archives, and dolls.  Used in Spanish as Spanish Translations.

11.  Richard Scarry:  Used in Spanish and in Spanish Translation.

12.  Dr. Seuss:  Books, films, ephemera, memorabilia, used in writing and Legal Writing to teach voice and style.

13.  L. Frank Baum original books and Wizard of Oz memorabilia, some signed by actors from film, other dolls, ephemera, will use in German Amer. Heritage Center lecture and display on witchcraft. Used to emphasize lesson on Censorship.

14.  Elizabeth Taylor, Mossy Trotter as well novels for adults in book and dissertation published.

15.  Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin, vintage versions for children, dolls, vintage books, including a rag doll made by Julia Ward Beecher, related to both Stowe and Julia Ward Howe.

16.  Various Authors; American Girls Series; books and dolls used in Diversity and Culture, Multicultural Law  Enforcement, and  Spanish.  Large personal collection.

17.  Louisa May Alcott:  used in book and dissertation, also large collection books and ephemera about Alcott.

18.  Dare Wright: The Lonely Doll Series, bio and other books.

19.  Lois Lenski: various books and stories.

20.  Carolyn Bailey, Miss Hickory.

21.  Rachel Field, Hitty. [part of literary guild lecture and CommUniversity Class.]

22.  Gulliver's Travels, studied in graduate school at Iowa, used in various composition and Culture and Diversity courses, Aesthetics, Democracy and Technology, studied how meant for adults as satire and became children's literature.

23.  Beatrix Potter: books and memorabilia studied in Composition.

24.  Edward Gorey, The Dwindling Party used in Composition and Literature courses.  Also other works, images by Gorey.

25.  Eugene Field, research into his own doll collection and work. I attended Eugene Field School, where Miss  Mayme Bolin, an Augie graduate was principal, and had her own large collection of dolls on display.  I have dolls made for me by teachers there.  Also, dolls belonging to local educators and historical figures like Druscilla McCormick, former superintended Rock Island School District, Martha Schmick of Augustana, Tish Hewitt of John Deere.

26.  Frances Hodgson Burnett, original letter by Burnett, books illustrated by Tudor, research about her own doll collection, The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy..

B.     Non fiction children's literature studied and taught:

1.      The Diary of Anne Frank: [Diary of a Young Girl].Lesson plans for Aesthetics, Democracy and Technology, Multicultural Law Enforcement,

 Freshman Rhetoric., and Honors Composition.

2.      Zlata's Diary, used in Composition I.

3.      Histories  and Biographies of famous people by David R. Collins, Carolyn Meyer,  Subjects Helen Keller, Florence Nightingale, Beatrix Potter, Anne Boleyn. Most part of Scholastic series.  Taught, and used in publication of articles and for lesson plans.  Often used in Culture and Diversity, Ways of Knowing Seminar at Marycrest, Intro. To Literature and Comp I.

4.      Children's biography "Handel, who Knew what he Liked" used as part of lecture on Composer for German American Heritage Center September 22, 2005.  Also, collection lives of composers for children.

C.    Bible Stories and Religious stories for children in various religions, Christian, Islamic, Hebrew.  Also, Greek Myths, Hindu stories, African folk tales and myths for children.  Used in Culture and Diversity and in articles and books published.  Used as part of CommUniversity Courses.

1.      The Nutcracker and Tales of Hoffman used in Chapter on book The History of Metal Dolls and Automata, excerpted in various periodicals on the subject.

2.      Also part of lecture "Living Dolls, Uncanny Stories," German American Heritage Center.

3.      Nutcracker and Tales of Hoffman used in CommUniversity classes 2002, 2003, course called "The Doll as Other."

4.      Published in articles on Folk dolls.

5. Celtic myth explored in article published "The Golden Girls, Modern Celtic Ladies," by House of White Birches, in "The Boudiccan Revolt," paper presented at Augustana Humanities Conference 1987, in paper presented for American Conference of Irish Studies, SIUC 1996, and in my book on Barbara Pym.  Subject taught in various courses including composition, Honors composition, and literature.

D.    Great Books Series, and Horror and Classic fiction and how adapted for children studied and taught, including Dracula, R.L. Stine, Lemony Snickett, anthologies of ghost stories for children, Rudyard Kipling, Charlotte Bronte, and Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Alfred Hitchcock.

a. Jane Eyre, taught in Honors Composition, also wrote about in book and dissertation.  Large collection ephemera about author.

b.      Sylvia Plath:  The Bed Book.

c. Cervantes, Don Quixote de La Mancha adapted for children in books and film, and in Spanish; used in World Masterpieces and Spanish courses.

d.      Study of Classics Illustrated, original vintage collection some in Greek.  Compare to transition of graphic novels or "comics for adults."  Other comic ephemera and memorabilia, large collection.

E.     Courses Taught and special Lectures involving children's literature:

1.      CommUniversity:  The Doll as Other, taught 2002, 2003.

2.      Dolls in Literature, QC Literary Guild 2004.

3.      The History of Dolls, children's books discussed, "Finder's Keepers/Quad Cities Antiques Club and Black Hawk College Faculty June 2004, Asbury United Methodist Women December 2004, Putnam Museum February 2005.

4.      German Doll Making History, German American Heritage Center  September 2001

5.      The History of the Teddy Bear and Nutcrackers, November 2002, included literature, books, etc.

6.      Living Dolls, Uncanny Stories, originally part of promotion for Ballet Quad Cities production of Nutcracker and Cinderella, German American Heritage Center November 2003. Including Coppelia, Pinocchio, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Olde Curiosity Shoppe, etc.

7.      Evaluator for Humanities Iowa and Humanities Illinois involving Ballet and Quad Cities Art for "The Nutcracker."

8.      Feb. 2005 "The Lion in Winter" series readings of  Plath's work and her paper doll collection, some original readings.

9.      1987 Augustana Humanities Festival paper on memento mori, childhood ephemera and artifacts, and dolls.

10.  Attended 1998 Humanities Conference at Black Hawk College, focus on Children's Literature. Use some of books from that conference in  Legal Research, American Business History Courses, and Literature Courses.

11.  CommUniversity 2005 course on Anne Rice and influences on her work; children's literature, artifacts, and dolls figure heavily in her work, particularly The Witching Hour and Belinda.  Also taught in other classes, and published in papers on Rice, and used in Book Club discussion at Bettendorf Library.

 <![

F.     Original Publications:

1.      With Love from Tin Lizzie: A History of Metal Dolls and Automata. Book excerpted in publications of UFDC and Hobby House Press.  Entire book being submitted for publication.

2.      The Subversion of Romance in the Novels of Barbara Pym. Hobby House Press, 1998.

3.      60+ published articles on children's stories and dolls, and how they are related, House of White Birches, Hobby House Press,  Adventures: The Illinois Travel Magazine.

4.      The Midwestern Journal of Victorian Studies: two Articles, "Victorian Christmas Customs" and "Dolls in the lives of Victorian Children."

5.      Book length bibliography in progress on texts involving dolls, toys, figurines, ritual figures and automatons, about 3/4of texts discussed are children's books.

6.     [ Original series, Anastasia the Vampire Child, illustrations and texts by Ellen Tsagaris. Being submitted for publication.

7.      The True Story of Erzebet Bathory; fiction for adolescents, illustrated by original collage by Ellen Tsagaris.

G.    Archives, books, personal collections used in teaching not previously mentioned:  Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, Joan Aiken, Bobbsey Twins series, The Secret Language, myriad story anthologies, Judy Blume, Dr. Doolittle Books, Scholastic Press Books, Tales of Shakespeare for children., 19th century original works, including Kingsley, The Water Babies, many books by Little Golden Books and McLaughlin Brother's printing, Raphael Tuck, Palmer Cox Brownies, Maude Humphrey Bogart, Ellen H. Clapsaddle, Queen Holden, etc..

H.    Collections of nursery rhymes, folk songs, stories around the world, many in Russian, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, including:

1.      Brothers Grimm

2.      Hands Christian Andersen

3.      Lorenzo Carter and various versions of "The Ballad of Frozen Charlotte [large collection and Published Article on antique porcelain dolls named after the ballad.]

4.      Large collection spanning 100 years or more of folk dolls and "story book" dolls illustrating the Fairy Tales and Folk tales.

5.      Fairy lore used in Shakespeare course developed and taught at Kaplan, and in article published  "Teaching Shakespeare the Bard Way."

6.      Karagiozis, the shadow puppet of Greece and Turkey, dating to ancient times. Books and puppets.

7.  Literature and puppets, Punch and Judy.

8.      History of puppets, and various types of puppets and marionettes.

9.      Related to, but not really Children's literature, plays and literature written for dolls and puppets including Disney, Muppets, Japanese Noh plays and Bunraku puppets.  Studied in Teachers' Institute at BHC done by Columbia University, used in various classes.

10.  Puppets used in Indian Folk Tales.

11.  Role of African literature and  masks and figures in folk tales.  Used in Short Fiction, for Joseph Conrad Unit, World Masterpieces, Culture and Diversity, Ways of Knowing Symposium and paper read at Writing Conference, Augustana 2000, and Multicultural Law Enforcement.

12.  Chinese Theater Figures and fairy tales, studied and used in same courses as #11.

13.  Stories of Charles and Mary Lamb re Shakespeare.

I.       Children's magazine and periodical collection including Jack and Jill, The Youth's Companion, St. Nicholas, Highlights, American Girls, Doll Stars, Barbie [also other Barbie publications, collections, literature, films, etc.]

1.      Children's pages from 1800s magazines including Petersen's, Harper's, Godey's, and Paper Doll and Children's pages from McCalls, Good Housekeeping, and Ladies Home Journal.  Used in courses Gender and Society, Ways of Knowing Seminar, and Literature.

2.      <![endif]>Christmas and holiday craft books and patterns from children, some vintage and antique.

3.      <![endif]>Children's magazines on sports, particularly girls' sports and gymnastics, and memorabilia to go with them.

 <![endif]>

J.       <![endif]>Correspondence with authors of children's literature and who write about artifacts of childhood.  These include  Antonia Fraser, Rumer Godden, author of children's classics like The Doll's House, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, Little Plum, Holly and Ivy, and Mary Hillier, excerpt on illustrator Chloe Preston and associate of Pollock's Toy Museum.  Letters used in dissertation and book. Mary Hillier was also a good friend of mine.

K.    <![endif]>Alphabets for children including Victorian Woodcuts, Edward Lear, Kate Greenaway, Tasha Tudor "A is for Annabelle," Richard Scarry, etc. Used in publications and teaching, many in private collection.

L.     <![endif]>Primers, Readers, Textbooks - private library, used in Composition class

1.      <![endif]>Victorian Examples

2.      <![endif]>Dick, Jane, and Sally

3.      <![endif]>McGuffey Readers

4.      <![endif]>Greek Readers for children'

5.      <![endif]>Reader from Stalinist Russia

6.      <![endif]>Spanish texts fro children

7.      <![endif]>Translations of children's classics in various languages

8.      <![endif]>Anime books in Japanese

9.      <![endif]>Japanese children's books dating from Korean War

 <![endif]>

M.   <![endif]>Newbery and Caldecott  winners often used in my classes, including Diversity and Culture and Gender and Society.

N.    <![endif]>Fables and collections in Spanish, French, and English.  Used in Spanish and Literature class.

O.    <![endif]>Legends: 

1.      <![endif]>Ivanhoe and other Sir Walter Scott adapted for children in books and film, used various courses and research, including my book.

2.      <![endif]>Tales of King Arthur, various editions and authors.

3.      <![endif]>Robin Hood.

4.      <![endif]>Authors including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, Russell Hoban, James Thurber, Robert Browning, Christina Rosetti, Charles Kingsley, Howard Pyle, Selma Llagerloff. Isaac Beshevis Singer, E. Nesbit.

 <![endif]>

P.     <![endif]>Science Fictions; Authors include H.G. Wells and Robert A. Heinlein and books for adolescents and young adults.

Q.    <![endif]>Picture books:  large collection, as stated earlier, often used and taught in courses as texts.

1.      <![endif]>Madeline

2.      <![endif]>Babar

3.      <![endif]>Curious George

4.      <![endif]>Maurice Sendak and Where the Wild Things Are: Subject of Graduate Seminar at  U of Iowa/

5.      <![endif]>Ferdinand the Bull

6.      <![endif]>Alfred Noyes: The Highwayman

7.      <![endif]>The King of the Golden River

8.      <![endif]>The Pied Piper of Hamlin

9.      <![endif]>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

 <![endif]>

R.     <![endif]>Anthologies and texts of nursery rhymes and riddles from various languages, especially Greek, French, and Spanish, and anthologies of holiday stories and legends from around the world.

S.     <![endif]>Assorted children's board games and puzzles, many dating over 100 years.

T.     <![endif]>Studies of ancient toys, dolls, and children's pastimes, some published papers on this subject.

U.    <![endif]>Various Books of Instruction for Children and Brownie and Girl Scout Handbook, vintage children's scrapbooks, 19th c to 1960s.

 <![endif]>

II.                <![endif]>Women's Studies:  See, also CV.  Topic of my dissertation and focus in my areas of Modern British Literature, Romantic Poetry and Essays, and Rhetoric was women's studies issues an feminist pedagogy.

A.    <![endif]>Dissertation and Book

B.    <![endif]>Courses taken: Women Writers of the Renaissance with Mary Ellen Lamb; Seminar on Virginia Woolf and Barbara Pym with Dr. Judy Little; Seminar on Hemingway and Gender [paper in defense of Hemingway's' mother] with Dr. John Howell; Research on Shakespeare' Women in Shakespeare, Widows in Chaucer in Troilus and Criseyde Seminar; Published paper on teaching Shakespeare, Gender, Race, Class and Culture project, Independent Study on Feminist Pedagogy with extensive Journal as Final Project; paper on Edith Sitwell in Modern British Poetry with Richard Peterson, paper on Emma Lazarus and taught Lazarus in various courses, Romantic literature with focus on Mary Shelley and George Eliot, papers on authors included in dissertation, studies of Romance writers, classes on 19th Century Novel with Dorothy Parkander,

Studies of Spanish women writers, have taught and written on Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz and others, including Frida Kahlo.  Ways of Knowing Seminar, modern English Drama focus on Lesbian Play wrights, Radclyffe Hall,  and Adrienne Kennedy.

C.    <![endif]>Courses Taught and Developed:

1.      <![endif]>Gender and Society

2.      <![endif]>Aesthetics, Democracy and Technology

3.      <![endif]>Culture and Diversity

4.      <![endif]>Interpersonal Communication

5.      <![endif]>Short Fiction

6.      <![endif]>World Masterpieces

7.      <![endif]>Death Penalty Workshop; unit on women perpetrators and victims

 <![endif]>

D.    <![endif]>Authors taught:  Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Jamaica Kincaid, Anne Rice, Charlotte Bronte, Barbara Pym, Jean Rhys, Margaret Atwood, etc. Honors Composition class developed at SIUC focused Mary Wollstonecraft, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Anne Rice.

E.     <![endif]>Theory Group at SIUC studied Camille Paglia, Julia Kristeva, Helen Cixous, Carolyn Heilbrun, Elaine Showalter, Betty Friedan, Germain Greer, Susan Faludi, and others.  See bibliography of book in Augustana Library.  Also others.

F.     <![endif]>Papers written and presented on Georgia O'Keeffe, Virginia Woolf, Anne Rice, Anne Boleyn, Boudicca, Barbara Pym, and Maeve Binchy at various conferences 1987-2000.

G.    <![endif]>Personal correspondence with women authors and romance authors including Rumer Godden, Barbara Cartland, Madonna Marsden, Elizabeth Jolley, Rosamunde Pilcher, Antonia Fraser, Angela Wells, Maggie Shayne, and Jayne Ann Krentz.

H.    <![endif]>Member Quad Cities Chapter Romance Writers of America.

I.       <![endif]>One year plus taught Louise Erdrich and Love Medicine at SIUC as part of writing program, also multicultural texts including Tillie Olsen, Maya Angelou, Joy Harjo.

J.       <![endif]>Attended talk by Maxine Hong Kingston at Augustana 1988.

K.    <![endif]>Attended discussions by Doris Lessing, Stanford University, 1989.

L.     <![endif]>Taught Sappho unit regularly as part of poetry studies at various colleges.

M.   <![endif]>Significant amount of research for book preparation and some publication in dissertation and book on Anne Boleyn and Sylvia Plath.

N.    <![endif]>Taught and researched Emily Dickinson, wrote original poetry based on Dickinson, Plath, and Sexton, some published.

O.    <![endif]>Participant in Readings on Women's Literature, SIUC.

P.     <![endif]>Conferences:

1.      <![endif]>Lecture German Princesses German American Heritage Center September 04

2.      <![endif]>Maeve Binchy 's Echoes American Conference of Irish Studies Carbondale 1992

3.      <![endif]>Deirdre as Celtic Heroine in the works of Barbara Pym, American Conference of Irish Studies, Carbondale, 1996

4.      <![endif]>Woolf and Rice, Annual Virginia Woolf Conference, 1993, later published in The Virginia Woolf Miscellany, Pace University Press.

5.      <![endif]>The Writings of Anne Boleyn, University of Missouri Columbia Graduate Students' Conference 1994

6.      <![endif]>"He's Not one of them, Michael Curry and the Interpellation of the Self in The Witching Hour," U of Missouri, Columbia, 1994, later published in The Gothic World of Anne Rice, The Popular Press.

Q.    <![endif]>Grant Writing Experience on the Role of , cooking, housework, dolls and doll making in women's lives for NEA and Romance Writers of America.

R.     <![endif]>Some original fiction and poetry published in this area in Straight Ahead, and House of White Birches magazines, 1980s.

S.     <![endif]>Proposed course on Women and Execution for Texas A and M.

T.     <![endif]>Legal and Political:

1.      <![endif]>worked with NOW political action committee as art of steering committee for local judicial election successfully electing second woman judge to 14th Judicial Circuit.

2.      <![endif]>Death with women's issues in Civil  Rights cases, have taught and developed Employment Discrimination Courses, Family Law Course, Sex Discrimination Courses. Member of Organization Women Law Students and Staff at University of Iowa College of Law.

3.      <![endif]>Member Iowa Association Legal Assistants and National Association Legal Assistants, and other legal organizations where women are primarily members.

 <![endif]>

U.    <![endif]>Large collection books, research artifacts on Joan of Arc, Six Wives of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, House of Windsor, Marie Antoinette, Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Boudicca, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, Elizabeth Bathory, lady Jane Grey, Mary, Queen of Scots, Sappho, Queen Louise of Prussia, Queen Amalia of Greece.

V.    <![endif]>Vintage pamphlets including early 19th c cook books, Lydia Pinkham, Women's magazines, pattern books, recipes, "Angel of the House" literature, catalogs, Godey's' prints, diaries, and scrapbooks.

W.  <![endif]>Judy Chicago research and needlework project for Signe Anderson at Augustana 1981-82.

X.    <![endif]>Participant in Women's gymnastics, competitor, judge and coach, high school through college and with American Turners.

 <![endif]>

Strong Post

I have to try that one again, later.  The web page is not coming up, and their newsletter is not translating well.