Alumni parent and former Alumni Director at North Yarmouth Academy (NYA) Debora Noone (Brunswick) will have a short story published in Woman’s World magazine. Written under the name Charlotte More, her story, entitled “May I Help You,” will appear in the November 4, 2010 issue (#46) of the weekly magazine.
Noone began writing seriously in 2001 while living in Washington, DC. She has written several novels and novellas, and is currently working with a publisher on two of them. This is the tenth story she has sent to Woman’s World and her first time being published in the magazine. “Women’s World is a tough market to crack – the competition is about 200 plus submissions per week for one slot,” said Noone. “My goal was to submit one a month and always have several stories in the pipeline,” she said. Woman’s World has a total weekly audience of over 7.5 million and is marketed to working women at a median age of 49 (Source: Bauer/MRI Doublebase 2010).
Noone had to learn to write a tight story in 800 words or less and be patient. The November 2 story was first submitted in February 2010, and she waited about six months to hear back from the editor in chief that it was picked up. During the process, she learned not to hold her breath waiting for a response and to keep writing and submitting work so stories were always in the editor pipeline. She feels it’s important to “study the market, learn the craft, and have trusted critique partners who help you edit.”
Why does she prefer writing in the romance genre? “That’s a tricky question,” she said, “because sometimes I don’t – it’s a grind when your ‘muse’ isn’t speaking to you. I have to make myself write every day – even if it is a few sentences. I love writing for the creativity – losing yourself in another world that you create.” She said she’s a romantic at heart and loves “happily-ever-afters.” She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and its Maine Chapter (MERWA). She was the editor of the MERWA newsletter, Mainely Romance, from 2004-2007 and has been the vice president of programming since 2007. She has placed first in various writing contests and was the MERWA Member of the Year in 2008. She is a graduate of Bowdoin College and works for hear ME now!, a Falmouth non-profit that help children and adults with hearing loss learn to listen and speak.
North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational day school serving students in grades five through twelve. NYA is dedicated to fostering integrity, character and intellect in young adults. For more information, please contact NYA at 207-847-5423 or visit our website at www.NYA.org.
