RESEARCH: Life after the MFA by Heidi Ruby Miller

RESEARCH

UPDATED JUNE 2016

YOU WROTE A WHOLE BOOK.

CONGRATULATIONS!

NOW WHAT?

LIFE AFTER THE WPF PROGRAM
The following is an outline from a class I teach for the graduating students during their last residency in Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program. I am a WPF alumna and now adjunct faculty and a mentor there.

PURSUITS
1. More education
2. Teaching
3. Organizational memberships
4. Jobs in publishing industry
5. Something else entirely
6. Hybrid of options
7. Publication

1. MORE EDUCATION
A. Online offerings
Poets & Writers - http://www.pw.org/mfa
Online Colleges - http://search.onlinecolleges.com/
NewPages - http://www.newpages.com/creative-writing-programs/
AWP - https://www.awpwriter.org/programs_conferences/guide_writing_programs

B. Local schools

C. Letters of recommendation/references - professors, mentors, peers, and alum

2. TEACHING
A. Online listings
HigherEdJobs - http://www.higheredjobs.com/
Academic Careers - http://www.academiccareers.com/
The University Jobs - http://univjobs.com/

B. Local listings
Craigslist - http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites - Check out listings here carefully!
Newspapers
Word of Mouth
College/University sites

C. Letters of Recommendation/References - professors, mentors, peers, and alum

3. ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
A. Professional organizations
The Authors Guild - http://www.authorsguild.org/
ITW – http://thrillerwriters.org/
RWA – http://www.rwa.org/
HWA – http://horror.org/
MWA – http://mysterywriters.org
SFWA – http://www.sfwa.org/
Pennwriters – http://www.pennwriters.org/

B. Local organizations

C. Seton Hill WPF Alum

4. JOBS IN PUBLISHING INDUSTRY
A. Freelancing
BloggingPro - http://www.bloggingpro.com/jobs/
CraigsList - http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites - Check out listings here carefully!
Duotrope - https://duotrope.com/
Freelancewriting.com - http://www.freelancewriting.com/freelance-writing-jobs.php
Freelance Writing Jobs - http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/category/writing-gigs/
JournalismJobs - http://www.journalismjobs.com/search_results.cfm?JobTypeID=4
LinkedIn Jobs - http://www.linkedin.com/job/home?trk=hb_tab_jobs_top
MediaBistro - http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/default.asp?gdsr=1&jbdr=3
ProBlogger - http://jobs.problogger.net/
Word of mouth

B. Editing
JournalismJobs - http://www.journalismjobs.com/search_results.cfm?JobTypeID=4
LinkedIn Jobs - http://www.linkedin.com/job/home?trk=hb_tab_jobs_top
MediaBistro - http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/default.asp?gdsr=1&jbdr=3
CraigsList - http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites - Check out listings here carefully!
Individual publisher sites
Word of mouth

C. References - professors, mentors, peers, and alum

5. SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY
Maybe your bliss lies outside the writing realm. And, that’s okay. It’s your life, your dreams.

6. HYBRID OF OPTIONS
Most likely you’ll be working in many of these fields, especially the combination of publishing and education.

7. PUBLICATION
A. Agent
AgentQuery.com - http://www.agentquery.com/
Poets & Writers - http://www.pw.org/literary_agents
Query Tracker - http://www.querytracker.net/
Writer's Digest - http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/literary-agent

B. Publisher
Ralan.com - http://www.ralan.com/
ITW - http://thrillerwriters.org/aboutitw/recognized-publishers/
Duotrope - https://duotrope.com/
Dark Markets - http://www.darkmarkets.com/search/label/Book%20Publishers/
Individual sites

C. Self-Publishing
Amazon KDP - https://kdp.amazon.com/kdp/self-publishing/signin
Lulu - http://www.lulu.com/
Lightning Source - https://www.lightningsource.com/
Create Space - https://www.createspace.com
Nook Press - https://www.nookpress.com/
Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/
Xlibris - http://www2.xlibris.com/

GOOD LUCK!

Persist! Audio Encouragement for Writers from Mike Arnzen

As we're heading into NaNoWrimo, I thought I'd share a reading of one my articles in Many Genres, One Craft to help inspire people who are getting started or starting to falter...

If you can't see the embedded player below, you can listen to "Persist! Avoid These Five Defeatist Writing Myths" on Soundcloud.



Never say die! -- Mike Arnzen, http://gorelets.com

MGOC Contributor News: Albert Wendland is New Dog Star Books Author

Many Genres, One Craft contributor and Seton Hill Writing Popular Fiction MFA program director, Albert Wendland, just signed a deal with Dog Star Books for his debut Science Fiction novel The Man Who Loved Alien Landscapes.

This space opera/mystery is scheduled for release in June 2014.

MGOC Contributor News: Patrick Picciarelli's Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos

Many Genres One Craft contributor Patrick Picciarelli's new book "Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos" from Thomas Dunne Books (St. Martin's Press) is getting some favorable reviews and a nice 2-page spread in the New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/real-life-sopranos-exposed-undercover-article-1.1404744

Publisher's Weekly had this to say about the book:
“Billed as a true-crime version of The Sopranos, the story of Russell’s violent life as an undercover cop cum trusted associate of the Genovese crime clan in Newark, N.J., has more plot twists than the acclaimed TV series. In fact, Russell predates Tony Soprano and company by a longshot—he was the subject of an HBO documentary that aired in the late ’80s, and his is a thrill-a-minute tale. Within the first 20 pages, Russell’s taken a bullet to the head, fended off a would-be corpse robber, and stumbled out of an alley to find help. Soon after, he returns to the tough work of weaseling his way back into the arms of the Mafia. Written in a street-savvy style reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and Mario Puzo, the nail-biting narrative moves from one crisis to another as Mikey Ga-Ga—his nom de guerre—infiltrates a profitable crew while rubbing shoulders with capos and bosses, all under intense mob scrutiny. Russell’s bravery and professionalism—along with some crucial surveillance—eventually led to the busts of more than 50 “wiseguys” and public officials. This tell-all page-turner is all the better for being true.”—Publishers Weekly

You can also catch an archived radio interview with Pat regarding the book at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lcs/2013/08/03/the-lcs-hockey-radio-show

MGOC Contributor News: Heidi Ruby Miller in Galaxy's Edge

Many Genres One Craft editor and contributor, Heidi Ruby Miller, has a short fantasy story in the July 2013 issue of Galaxy's Edge magazine, edited by Mike Resnick.

"The Islands of Hope" was originally published in the Fantasist Enterprises anthology Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy.

MGOC Contributor News: Teffanie White in West Texas Living

Many Genres One Craft contributor Teffanie White was featured in West Texas Living for becoming the only certified Hoopnotica instructor between Tucson, AZ and Austin, TX.

Teffanie is also co-founder of p i c t u r e l e s s books and a public school educator.

You can read about her hooping at mywesttexas.com and on the p i c t u r e l e s s books site.

MGOC Contributor News: Cover for Greenshift by Heidi Ruby Miller

To celebrate the cover reveal for Greenshift, the e-book will be temporarily 99 cents at Amazon!





A tale set within the world of Ambasadora.


Mari's rare eye color makes her a pariah within Upper Caste society, which is why she prefers plants to people...except David, the former Armadan captain who shuttles scientists around on a refurbished pleasure cruiser.


But someone else is interested in Mari and her distinctive look--an obsessed psychopath who tortures and murders women for pleasure.


When the killer chooses Mari as his next victim, the soldier inside David comes alive, but it is Mari who must fight for her own life and prove she isn't as fragile as the flowers she nurtures.


Greenshift by Heidi Ruby Miller


Cover Art by Bradley Sharp


Foreword by Dana Marton


Space Opera/Science Fiction Romance paperback coming from Dog Star Books in August 2013

MGOC Contributor News: Cover for The Revelations of Preston Black by Jason Jack Miller

THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK BY JASON JACK MILLER

Coming June 2013 from Raw Dog Screaming Press

Cover Art by Brad Vetter
Preston and Katy face a new darkness....

Sometimes a battle between good and evil doesn't look much like the ones they show in movies. The good guys don't always wear white, and they don’t always walk away with the win.

And sometimes you're better off with the devil you know.

The last time Preston went down to the crossroads, his best friend died and he nearly lost his brother. But Old Scratch doesn't take kindly to fools, especially not those who come knocking at his front door. And before all is said and done, he's going to teach Preston a thing or two about what it really means to sacrifice.

LINKS:
Read the first 100 pages of The Revelations of Preston Black - http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.com/p/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html

Pre-order The Revelations of Preston Black at Raw Dog Screaming Press - http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/books/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html

MGOC Contributor News: Michael Bracken Wins Derringer Award

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Michael Bracken's short story "Getting Out of the Box," published in the crime fiction anthology Crime Square (Vantage Point, 2012) received a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society (SMFS). This is Bracken's second Derringer Award. He received a Derringer Award in 2004 for his story "All My Yesterdays," and his story "Cuts Like a Knife" was short-listed for the award in 2002.

The annual Derringer Awards were established by the SMFS in 1997 to honor excellence in short mystery fiction. The name ³Derringer,² after the palm-sized handgun, was chosen as a metaphor for a short mystery or crime story.

Bracken is the author of several books but is better known as a highly prolific short story writer. The author of almost 1,000 short stories in various genres, he has had one or more short stories published each month for almost 10 consecutive years.

Former president of the SMFS, former vice president of the Private Eye Writers of America, and former vice president of the Mystery Writers of America¹s Southwest Chapter, Bracken is also an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

He received a B.A. in Professional Writing from Baylor University.

For a complete list of winners and nominees in all categories, visit
http://shortmystery.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-smfs-derringer-award-results.html

Crime Square can be ordered from Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Square-Robert-J-Randisi/dp/1936467305

MGOC Editor Event: Heidi Ruby Miller at Frostburg Creative Writing Center

Gerry LeFemina, Michelle Yost, and Nina Forsythe honored Many Genres, One Craft co-editor Heidi Ruby Miller as the guest at their May Coffee with an Author at Frostburg State University's Creative Writing Center. Contributor Jason Jack Miller was also in attendance.

Heidi read from "The Surrender," a flash piece originally published at Every Day Fiction then picked up for the 2008 Best of Every Day Fiction anthology; Ambasadora, her thesis novel from Seton Hill's Writing Popular Fiction program; and "The Islands of Hope," a short story originally published in Fantasist Enterprises' Sails and Sorcery anthology and recently resold to Galaxy's Edge, edited by Mike Resnick.


This July Heidi will be teaching Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror at the Nightsun Writers, four-day literary conference and workshop sponsored by Frostburg State University.

For more information about Nightsun and Frostburg State, please visit them online:
http://www.frostburg.edu/cwcenter/workshops/nightsun-writers-conference/