A Writers' Exchange

:You may be looking for The Writers' Exchange, one of the bureaus of the N3F.
A Writers' Exchange is a letterzine edited by Lorraine Bartlett. 
It contains many articles and essays about fandom and writing, letters of comment, and zine reviews.
==Mind the Apostrophe==
Pay attention to the title of this zine. From the editor in issue #2: "Grrrr. Recently I ordered return address labels for Writers' Exchange. Not only did they decide to change the location of the apostrophe, they also doubled the order at no extra charge. So now I have 2,000 address labels I don't care to use."
==Description and Purpose==
From the first issue: 
From the third issue: 
==Summaries==
From an ad in the July 1993 issue of GAZ: "A quarterly letterzine devoted (but not limited) to fannish writers and writing. It's an open dialog between writers, editors, publishers, and interested fans. It. contains letters, reviews, articles and interviews by and with experienced fan (and professional) writers. (Just about anything will be considered asl long as it relates to writing.) "
From an ad in The Monthly in 1995: "A quarterly letterzine devoted (but not limited) to fannish writing, editing, publishing. Includes articles, letters, opinions, reviews. You're invited to share your views on fannish writing/editing/publishing. Issue #1 costs only 32¢ (or a stamp). Issues 2-14 are available at $2 each. SASE for contents."
From an ad in The Monthly in 1996: "A bi-monthly letterzine has changed its focus. While it's made of fannish devotees, we're no longer limited to fannish writing, editing and publishing. Are you hoping to make the jump from amateur to professional writer? Then join our desktop discussions." 
==Fan Reaction==
===1992===
===1994===
==Issue 1==
A Writers' Exchange 1 was published in December 1991 and contains 19 pages.
* Atop the Soapbox, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (3)
* Thoughts on Writing, essay by Barbara Mater (4)
* Building a Story, essay by Sara Arnold (This article originally appeared in Status Report, newsletter of the Star Trek Association of Rochester.) (6)
* Technobabble: Fact or Fiction by Anne C. Malcolm (7)
* Are Your Characters Motivated?, essay by Susan M. Garrett (9)
* Tackle That Block, essay by Kate Nuernberg (This article originally appeared in Kate's Professionals Letterzine, Cold Fish and Stale Chips #7 as "Paperback Writer".) (11)
* Letters of Comment (15)
* On The Tube by Gaylen Reiss (18)
===Issue 1: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 2==
A Writers' Exchange 2 was published in March 1992 and contains 35 pages.
The topic of the month is "Fan Q's - Quality award or popularity contest?"
This issue contains cartoons by Jim McNair.
* Atop the Soapbox, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (3)
* Tackle That Block, cartoon by Jim McNair (4)
* The Elements of a Successful Story, essay by Karen J. Stewart (5) 
* Addressing the Unspeakable, essay by Jean Lorrah (word choice and grammar) (8)
* A Guide to the Good Editor for Neo Writers by Elaine M. Batterby (11)
* The True Depth of Fan Fiction, essay by Susan M. Garrett (12) 
* The Crime of Character Rape, essay by Roberta Rogow (14)
* Handling The Science in Science Fiction, part I, essay by Jeffrey Kasten (15)
* The I-Don't-Believe-It Syndrome, essay ) by Sara Arnold (17)
* Reasonable Doubts..., cartoon by Jim McNair (18)
* Letters of Comment (19)
* The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: reviews of A Matter of Time #2, Vonegran's Veil, and "The Sorrows Below Apollyon" (literary magazine), see those pages (28)
* In the Spotlight: An Interview with Lynda K. Roper by Anne Muscarella (31) 
* On The Tube: Continuity, essay by Doranna Durgin (33)
* Submission Guidelines (35)
 
===Issue 2: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 3==
A Writers' Exchange 3 was published in June 1992 and contains 28 pages.
It contains a cartoon by Jim McNair.
The topic of the month: "Rejection letters: should an editor resort to the dreaded "form letter," or a personal reply complete with a critique?"
From the editorial: 
The editor notes: "I have an unlisted telephone number, so please don't try to find me via directory assistance. You'll only reach my parents, who live on the same street, and won't give out my number anyway. Drop me a postcard if you have a quick question."
*Atop the Soapbox, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (3)
*Addressing the Unspeakable, essay by Jean Lorrah (grammar and more: "Fanzine writers and editors are among the last true lovers of language. You have no idea what a pleasure it is to have a forum to reach people who care.") (4)
* Why Media Writing is Easy -- Why Media Writing is Hard, essay by Cicatrice du Veritas (8)
*A Fan Writer's Reference Shelf by Roberta Rogow (writing resources, non-fannish: "Every trade has its tools, from the simple hammer and nails of the carpenter to the complex computers used by everyone from astronauts to office workers. A writer's tools include word processors/typewriters, paper and disk/diskettes...and other books. If you are serious about writing, you will build up a reference collection of your own, so that you can find specific information in your chosen area at any time, inside or outside of library hours. A writer should have a good standard dictionary handy, as a matter of course; access to a middle-of-the- road encyclopedia like the World Book is useful, too.") ) (9)
*By Any Other Name, essay by Doranna Durgin (about pen names) (10)
*Handling The Science in Science Fiction, part II, essay by Jeffrey Kasten (12)
*Building on Writer's Block, essay by Cicatrice du Veritas (14)
*Analytic Tools for the Intuitive Writer, essay by Colleen Philippi (17)
*Letters of Comment (18) 
* The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: reviews of Enterprising Women: Television Fandom and the Creation of Popular Myth, and Quantum What?, and "Antipoetry and the Corruption of Muse" (a mini literary magazine), see those pages (26) 
* Submission Guidelines (28)
===Issue 3: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 4==
A Writers' Exchange 4 was published in March 1992 and contains 16 pages.
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soapbox, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2)
* In My Opinion, essay by Sara Arnold (about editing and the willingness to be edited) (3) 
* Handling The Science in Science Fiction, part III, essay by Jeffrey Kasten (4)
* Letters of Comment (7)
* The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: review of Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine?, see that page (13)
* Guidelines (15)
* cartoons by Jim McNair-Brown
===Issue 4: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 5==
A Writers' Exchange 5 was published in December 1992 and contains 31 pages.
The topic of the month: "How to give W riters' Exchange a more "fannish" bent" and "Who are your favorite fannish authors (and why)?."
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soap Box, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2) 
* Humor in Fanzines, or Who Was That Fandom I Saw You With?, essay by Charlie Kirby (3)
* Working with the Editor: My Experience with "Vonegran's Veil", essay by Tammy L. Croft (about Vonegran's Veil, see that page) (6)
* Writing... With Children, essay by Anne C. Malcolm (11)
* Show It! Don't Tell!, essay by Sara Arnold (8)
* Whose Characters Are They Anyway?, essay by Roberta Rogow (14)
* Letters of Comment
* So Many Adzines by Susan M. Garrett (info about the seven adzines available) (26)
* The Good The Bad, The Ugly: review Out of Touch, see that page (30)
* Submission Guidelines (31)
===Issue 5: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 6==
A Writers' Exchange 6 was published in February 1993 and contains 16 pages.
The back cover is by Lee Shackleford.
The topic of the month: "Are zine editors really more lenient with artists than writers?" and "Media copyrights vs. literary copyrights."
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soap Box, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2)
* Should Editors "Edit" Art, essay by Charlie Kirby (3)
* Working with the Writers: My Experience with "Vonegran's Veil, essay by Pat Ames (5) 
* Said Bookisms, or "What I Did On My Summer Vacation", essay by E. Michael Whitmore ("About three years ago, I found myself privileged enough (with money nonetheless) to attend a Summer Writer's Workshop on Science Fiction/Fantasy. The class was taught by Nebula Award winner Nancy Kress (author of the novels "An Alien Light" and "Brain Rose"). Every year she invites another author to join her, and that year the guest was James Patrick Kelley.... There were 12 of us in the class and we each had to bring a short story for the two authors, and the rest of the group, to critique.") (6)
* Letters of Comment (9)
* The Good The Bad, The Ugly: review Downloading Aliens #1, see that page (15)
 
===Issue 6: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 7==
A Writers' Exchange 7 was published in September 1993 and contains 18 pages.
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soap Box, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2) 
* Just Who Is Editing My Story?, essay by E. Michael Whitmore (3) 
* A Sign of the Times, essay by Lorraine Bartlett (about poorly written public signs) (5)
* Why I Did Not Write My Novel Over Summer Vacation, essay by Lorraine Bartlett (6) 
* I'm Currently Reading (7)
* Letters of Comment (8)
* Self-Help Books, essay by Lorraine Bartlett (13)
* Neos Tackling Fandom, essay by Lorraine Bartlett (13) 
* Guns and Gunpowder: A Few Facts on Weaponry, part I by Tammy L. Croft (15)
===Issue 7: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 8==
A Writers' Exchange 8 was published in December 1993 and contains 28 pages.
The topic of the month: "What works best for marketing your fanzine? • flyers • word of mouth • conventions • adzines?"
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soap Box, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2)
* Never Call A Zine "More Misadventures", essay by Lorraine Anderson (about her zine, More Misadventures, see that page) (3)
* Walking the Line: An Editor's Nightmare, essay by Cinda Gillilan and Jody Norman (5)
* The Symbiotic Relationship Between Editors and Contributors, survey results by Pat Ames ("At MediaWest 1992, I was on a panel to discuss the symbiotic relationship between editors and contributors. To get a handle on this topic and generate some discussion, I developed this questionnaire (attached) and distributed it during the panel and left the extras to be picked up during the course of the weekend. It was designed as an anonymous questionnaire, and I received seven responses.") (9) 
* Letters of Comment (14) 
* I'm Currently Reading (22)
* Guns and Weaponry, A Few Facts on Weaponry Part II, essay by Tammy L. Croft (23) 
* Just for Fun, filk to the tune: The Chisholm Trail (26) 
* Guidelines (27)
===Issue 8: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
==Issue 9==
A Writers' Exchange 9 was published in March 1994 and contains 16 pages.
The topic of the month: "Problems you've encountered while selling your zines at a convention."
From the editorial: 
* Atop the Soap Box, editorial by Lorraine Bartlett (2) 
* So You Want to Write for Television, essay by Lee Eric Shackleford (3) 
* I'm Currently Reading (6) 
* Letters of Comment (7) 
* Guns and Gunpowder, a Few Facts on Weaponry (Part III), essay by Tammy L. Croft (12)
===Issue 9: Excerpts from Letters of Comment===
 
[...]
I love to write. My only problem is finding good and true editors and proofreaders to work with. I had a fairly decent editor/proofer (she was new to fandom), but when. I was approached by a publisher to write a crossover story (Forever Knight and Highlander) she came unglued. "You changed Nicholas (FK), you can't change him, you can't make him something other that what he is!" (I made him a vampire who couldn't kill anymore.) She was very upset, I explained about alternate universes and how this was my fantasy about the TV fantasy characters. She wouldn't hear of it. It ended her editing and it ultimately ended our relationship. Oh well. So, here I am writing daily and rewriting and looking and hoping to find that editor who will take me under his or her wing and bleed all over my text. I live for it, I want to learn more about this craft. I am not an excellent writer, yet, but I'd like to be one when I grow up. I do consider myself a damn fine storyteller. My problem is too many ideas, not enough time to write them all down! All I really need is that perfect red pencil pusher who will come into my life and change it and change it and change it. How do I find that editor who will make my words shine? I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that one out. Anyone want to volunteer?
Wanted: editors, proofreaders and friends in fandom. Eccentric old lady who writes weird and erotic stuff seeks to meet and maintain relationships with way-cool editors and proofreaders. Must be lively and alive. Must be willing to work long, hard hours and must be fluent in many fandoms. For a great read, after I've rewritten it 27 times, please contact Star (yes, that's my real name) Urioste (pronounced U (like in glue)-ree-oss-tay). I've got the ad all ready, but where do I put it? Surely, there must be some damned fools, I mean really intelligent and competent people out there just looking for me, right?}}
==Issue 10==
A Writers' Exchange 10 was published in June 1994 and contains 20 pages.
The topic of the month: "Researching a story: How do you go about it? Any tips you can offer?"
==References==
Category:1990s
Category:Multimedia Zines