Archive for July, 2008

Writer’s Best Friend

July 16, 2008

We have found a way to end all excuses about writing – the Alphasmart Neo. A modern day word processor that weights only 2 lbs and is small enough to be stowed in a purse, you can take this little guy anywhere, whip it out and write some pages.

The Neo saves as you type and there’s no pesky distractions aka “internet” to get in the way of writing. If you want the internet on your Alphasmart, get the Dana. This, however, is not advised for Wino Writers or anyone else who has an addiction to Porn, I mean Google. With 3 AA batteries, the Neo works for something like 300 hours. That’s about all the time you need to crank out your next novel.

The cost is $220. Look in Writer’s Digest for a discount coupon. Or, if you’re hard up for cash, buy an older model like the Alphasmart 2000 or 3000 on Ebay (if you do, make sure you get all the cords you need).

This sucker won’t exactly make you look cool, but it is a point of interest and good for chit chat with your coffee shop neighbor or plane mate. Just remember not to tell them that these machines are mainly used in primary schools:)

Gimme a Grand

July 6, 2008

The Shya Scanlon 7-Line Story Contest is back, this time judged by Brian Evenson. The rules are simple: write a story that is seven lines (not necessarily sentences) or less within margins that are 8.5″ or less. Fiction, non-fiction, prose poetry or any other excellence is allowed. The winning story, along with a handful of finalists, will appear in Opium7 which will debut on Oct. 6.

The Deadline: August 15, 2008
The Reward: $1,000, and publication in Opium7.
The Cost: $10 for a single entry; $17.50 for two
How to Submit: Send your story to OpiumPrize@gmail.com (after you’ve paid)
The Odds: We can’t know until all entries are in, but we publish many stories from our contests (from our most recent contest: 10 appear in Opium6, over 30 on OpiumMagazine.com).