So this week I ran another Twitter game. (You may remember that last week I did #killaqueryin5words.) This one was #sourcefromhellin5words, and the idea was that we writers would give five-word phrases that would make us want to never interview a source. Like:
- How much will you pay?
- Who else are you interviewing?
- Can I see the article?
- Is the article out yet?
- Sorry, I forgot the interview.
- I’m the foremost expert!
- We’re creating a new paradigm!
- You should mention my book.
- I could talk all day!
What was really cool was that ProfNet and HelpAReporter, the two biggest source-finding services for journalists, got in on the action, so we had a ton of submissions…and also, expert sources who use those services got a lesson in what NOT to do when working with a writer. Not only that, but ProfNet did a post about the contest where they featured their favorite contributions!
As with last week’s game, some tweets were just so AWESOME that I decided to offer prizes to my favorites. And they are:
@anngol: “Oh you’re not from Redbook?” #sourcefromhellin5words [This was hands-down my favorite! The snobby source…ugh.]
@write4income: (In response to everything you ask): “That question is too personal.” #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [Persnickety sources don’t get called back!]
@lilbusgirl: How’s 10pm your time sound? #sourcefromhellin5words [Yeah, because we writers don’t have a life!]
@CaroleeNoury: Answers are in my book. #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [Hint: We journalists need to get quotes straight from the source; we can’t just pull quotes from books.]
@RobinDarling: “I read it on Wikipedia” #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [And you call yourself an expert?]
@danielcasciato: “Get a quote from PR” @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [Yes, we writers LOVE sanitized PR-speak!]
@RAHolloway: “I will need final approval. @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [Now THAT’S good journalism!]
?@rebekah_olsen: It all started in 1965…(when you only need one quick quote about their work) @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [I hope you took a bathroom break before this interview!]
Winning tweeters, I’d love to offer you a free book, course, or checklist from the Renegade Writer Store. Please choose your favorite and email me at [email protected] with your selection! (FYI, I’m out of town because my grandma passed away. 
So please be patient and I’ll send you your book next week for sure. Thanks!)
Thanks so much to everyone who played #sourcefromhellin5words. It was a blast!
On Monday morning I’ll be launching a new Twitter game called #editororgasmin5words. I think you can tell what we’re looking for here! Some examples I’ll have on my Twitter feed include:
- Yes, I’ll write for free! (Yes, we can get snarky in this game!
- I created an extra sidebar.
- I fact-checked all stats.
- Pynchon agreed to an interview.
- Can I file this early?
The game will start Monday at around 8 am ET (New York time) and run all day. (Please wait until then to start posting, and I’ll retweet your contributions!) Just add the hashtag #editororgasmin5words to your post, and feel free to tag me at @lformichelli!
If you want to get announcements when I hold a new Twitter games like these, please join the Renegade Writer email list! You’ll also get a free e-book and checklist for writers, plus my Monday Motivations for Writers emails!
So the other day my husband Eric, who’s the news editor over at BoardGameGeek, told me about a board game publisher that created fun Twitter games like #BoardGameBand, where tweeters would come up with fun mashups of board game titles and band names — like “Frankie Goes to Hollywood Blockbuster” or “Dungeon Petzshop Boys.”
“Why don’t you do that?” Eric said.
Ding ding ding!
Together we came up with the hashtag #killaqueryin5words, and the premise was simple: I wanted writers to offer up five-word phrases that would cause an editor to trash their magazine query.
I launched the game on Monday morning, seeding my feed with such 5-word screw-ups as “I never read your magazine,” “You don’t publish poetry, but…” and “Google says you like chocolate.”
#killaqueryin5words took off! Writers around the web got a good laugh reading hilarious (but sadly common) query snafus. (In fact, contributions are still rolling in!)
Then I had another brainstorm: Why not pick my favorite #killaqueryin5words tweeters and offer prizes?
The #killaqueryin5words Winners
Here are my top picks. If you’re listed as a winner, please choose any e-book from the Renegade Writer Store that you’d like to receive for free (yes, even the $29.99 one!) and email me your choice at [email protected].
Most Prolific
I have to give props to @GiulianoDebra because she contributed more posts than anyone! (I think someone was procrastinating on their work yesterday. ) Congrats, Debra!
Most Creative
Next, I was super impressed that @NewJerseyWriter created the graphic you see at the top of this post just for the game. She used morguefile to find the photo and Canva to create the image. She also gave me permission to use her graphic on the blog. Thank you, and please choose your prize!
Most Insightful
Another winner is @justinrbannon for his insightful tweet about the game: “Perhaps the most concerning thing about #killaqueryin5words is that it’s provided more than one actual tip.”
Most Hilarious (But Sadly True)
Finally, I had trouble choosing just one most awesome #killaqueryin5words tweet, so we have five winners:
1. @danielcasciato: I’m giving you first dibs. #killaqueryin5words @LFormichelli
2. @BretteSember: “you’re probably not interested but…”
3. @sharonnaylorwed: #killaqueryin5words “my writing group loved it!”
4. @RitaMailheau: #killaqueryin5words To Whom It May Concern
5. @BillDavisWords: I’m here in your lobby #killaqueryin5words
These tweets showcase five fatal query flaws:
1. Arrogance.
2. Under-confidence
3. Unprofessionalism
4. Laziness and lack of research, not to mention a stiff writing style!
5. Stalkerishness
Congrats to the five of you…please choose your prize!
One thing I discovered is that Twitter doesn’t seem to save hashtagged tweets for long, so if you want to check out the funny feed, do it now! It’s at https://twitter.com/hashtag/killaqueryin5words
I have a great idea for a new writer Twitter game for next week…stay tuned!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the #killaqueryin5words game. It’s been a blast!
National Poetry Month, is nearing its end, and the royal wedding is just around the corner, so let’s write poems about it. I’ve made some suggestions below, but all forms are welcome. (If you really want to win me over, I suggest attempting my favorite poetic form, the sestina.) Send your poem care of [email protected] and I’ll post what I can tomorrow. (Keep it clean, please. Humor, satire and effusive excitement are welcome, insults are not.)
Additionally, our Twitter followers are eligible to win one of the below Oxford World’s Classics. To enter, tweet:
Take @OUPAcademic’s #royalweddingpoetrychallenge http://oxford.ly/msrv0S
Entries will be accepted all weekend. Winners will be contacted via DM.
* * * * *
ghazal (ghasel; gazal; ghazel) A short lyric poem written in couplets using a single rhyme (aa, ba, ca, da, etc.), sometimes mentioning the poet’s name in the last couplet. The ghazal is an important lyric form in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu poetry, often providing the basis for popular love songs. Its usual subject-matter is amatory, although it has been adapted for religious, political, and other uses. Goethe and other German poets of the early 19th century wrote some imitations of the Persian ghazal, and the form has been adopted by a number of modern American poets, notably Adrienne Rich.
cinquain [sang-kayn] A verse stanza of five lines, more commonly known as a quintain. Examples of such stanzas include the English limerick, the Japanese tanka, and the Spanish quintilla; others include the variant ballad stanza employed intermittently by S. T. Coleridge in his ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ ( 1798 ), and many more varieties with no name.
terza rima [ter-tsă ree-mă] A verse form consisting of a sequence of interlinked tercets rhyming aba bcb cdc ded, etc. Thus the second line of eac
Wanna win a copy of Dreaming Anastasia today?? You know you do! I mean, come on, BABA YAGA is in this book!
This is a Twitter contest. All you gotta do is be following @yabookscental (which you should be doing anyway, people!) and @joypreble (the lovely author) and then tweet:
I'm following @yabookscentral and @joypreble 4 a chance to win Dreaming Anastasia b/c I <3 paranormal mysteries!
So this week I ran another Twitter game. (You may remember that last week I did #killaqueryin5words.) This one was #sourcefromhellin5words, and the idea was that we writers would give five-word phrases that would make us want to never interview a source. Like:
I am I am @asamum