Institute Childrens Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

"Writing Widely, Online and Off!" with Linda Crotta Brennan

Thursday, July l5, l999

MODERATOR is Kristi Holl, Web Editor for the Institute's web site. Kristi is author of more than twenty juvenile novels and has taught writing at the Institute of Children's Literature for l5 years.

Linda Brennan is Linda Crotta Brennan, the New England regional SCBWI Coordinator and has written everything from picture books and fiction/nonfiction for magazines, to material for the educational market and electronic media. Linda teaches writing as an online facilitator for the Kenesaw State University of Georgia.

Names color coded in green are audience members who had questions.

Interviews are scheduled for Thursday evenings: 8 Eastern, 7 Central, 6 Mountain, and 5 Pacific.

MODERATOR: Hello! This is Kristi Holl, your moderator for this evening and the web editor for this site. Tonight we have with us Linda Crotta Brennan. Linda has published in a wide variety of children's markets, including online. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Cricket, Highlights, and Ranger Rick, various educational publications, and she writes columns for the Kids' Page in a bimonthly periodical. Her first picture book, Flannel Kisses, was published by Houghton Mifflin. Its companion book, Marshmallow Kisses, is due out soon. Besides her writing, Ms. Brennan does author visits at schools and, as New England's Regional Coordinator, has given writing workshops at many SCBWI conferences. Welcome, Linda!

Linda Brennan: Hello all! Pleased to be here!

MODERATOR: You have written so widely, as well as teaching in various formats, so I'm wondering how you got started writing. Do you have a degree in journalism or English?

Linda Brennan: I have a degree in Early Childhood education. I began by reading children's literature and getting hooked on the wonderful books. I started writing when I was home raising three children.

MODERATOR: Did you always want to be a writer?

Linda Brennan: No, when I was young, I didn't know that was something you could be. No one I knew had a job like that. If I had known about it, I probably would have wanted to be a writer.

MODERATOR: Me too! Linda, you are New England's regional SCBWI Coordinator; how did you get involved in SCBWI?

Linda Brennan: I found out about SCBWI from a class I took at Brown University. I went to a conference they held near my home and met wonderful folks who eventually got me involved.

MODERATOR: Do you recommend that new writers get involved in SCBWI, or should they learn their craft first and join later?

Linda Brennan: Get involved in SCBWI first. They have lots to offer beginners. You don't have to be published to join.

MODERATOR: What are the requirements for joining?

Linda Brennan: Simply an interest in children's literature. We have librarians and teachers who are members.

Scarlet: Is it expensive?

Linda Brennan: I believe it costs about $50 a year. The benefits are well worth the costs. There's a bimonthly newsletter, conferences, critique groups and publications available to members, as well as awards offered for published work.

MODERATOR: Linda, you've done writing, teaching, and researching online: specifically, what kind of electronic publishing have you done?

Linda Brennan: I have had articles published on CD-ROM and on the Smithsonian Kids Castle web site.

MODERATOR: What do I need to be aware of with electronic rights?

Linda Brennan: According to agents I've spoken to, you should be most concerned with the time factor. You don't want to give away all your electronic rights forever. You want the contract to limit the publication to a certain period of time. That can be more important than how much you're paid for the use of the piece.

MODERATOR: How long a time period?

Linda Brennan: I would say limit it to about six months or a year at most.

James: Do you have an agent? Do I need an agent to protect these rights for me?

Linda Brennan: I used to have an agent but I don't anymore. Most agents won't handle article rights. There is simply not enough money in it for them. They will only deal with book contracts. Even there, I find I'm quite comfortable negotiating on my own now, though I wasn't at first.

MODERATOR: Here's a question that was e-mailed earlier . . . What do I do if I don't have an agent? Can I keep electronic rights?

Linda Brennan: It depends on the contract. Most magazine publishers won't want electronic rights. But some will insist on "all rights" which includes electronic rights too.

Highlights is one of those magazines, but I still say that they are a reputable publication that will get you lots of exposure. Book editors often insist on electronic rights. Try to limit the time when negotiating your contract.

MODERATOR: On a different subject, can you tell us the process you go through when interviewing someone online?

Linda Brennan: I usually begin with general research so I'm familiar with a topic and know which questions to ask. Often the research will lead me to the expert. He or she may have published numerous articles which list the university where he or she works. I track the expert down through the university listings and send an initial message, asking if they would be willing to have me interview them. If they say yes, I post the questions and wait for their reply.

Scarlet: Do you pay them?

Linda Brennan: No, I don't. Most are happy to talk about their area of expertise for free. No one has ever expected to be paid.

Mandi: Do you quote them? Do you get their okay?

Linda Brennan: Yes, I often quote them. I usually ask the expert if they would be willing to read my completed article for accuracy, so they can check any quotes when they do this.

MODERATOR: What are the pluses and minuses of interviewing this way, besides working at your own convenience?

Linda Brennan: I love interviewing this way, because both the interviewee and I can work at our convenience and I have a hard copy of the interview to keep. However, sometimes e-mail gets lost in cyberspace and I'm waiting for a reply to a message they never received.

Annie: Where do you get pictures to go with an article? I have found some online; could I use these?

Linda Brennan: I usually don't provide the pictures for my articles; the art director at the magazine does. Today I sold an article with photos that I took myself, but that's the first time that's happened. However, sometimes you are asked to track down photos for a book or article. You must have permission before you use any picture and there is often a fee involved. The publisher often gives you a budget for purchasing rights to photographs. You can never just take something off the Internet for use without tracking down the source and asking permission.

MODERATOR: CONGRATULATIONS on the sale! You said that you research online. Can you give us a concrete example, perhaps from writing your column?

Linda Brennan: Sure, I've been working on an article on insect migration for the RI Audubon Society. The naturalists there gave me a lead to an expert in the state. She told me about a project that was posted on the net. I tracked the web site down and was able to reach the major players in dragonfly migration research. Since I recognized their names from what the local expert had told me, I knew the information posted was legitimate. That is always a concern with researching online. I've seen some erroneous information out there. I have also begun searches with keywords through some of the general search engines. That often leads me to information posted by universities.

Tim: There are 25 search engines listed in my Internet directory! To be thorough, do I need to use all of them?

Linda Brennan: I don't. I use one or two, but for most of the topics I've researched, the folks involved in the studies all link together. For instance, when I was researching slime mold, the people who studied this strange organism had posted hub sites with lots of other web sites to move to.

MODERATOR: Have you found certain search engines to be most helpful or inclusive?

Linda Brennan: I can't say I'm an expert on this. My husband is my computer guru and I use the ones he recommends, which is Metacrawler.

MODERATOR: Backing up a minute, how can we know what information on the Internet is erroneous? Is it really time consuming to track down the facts?

Linda Brennan: Even with book and magazine information, the rule of thumb is that you should find information in at least three different places before you use it. Be thorough in your research and you'll catch the errors, you know, that information that doesn't jive with what you've read elsewhere. I tend to trust university sites more than general postings, but even then you can hook onto a researcher who's really "out there" as far as his colleagues are concerned. Your best bet is to research widely in books, periodicals and on the net.

Brenker: It seems as if your articles are fairly technical. Do you have a background in the sciences?

Linda Brennan: Nope, I majored in child development which was in the college of home economics way back then, but I've always been interested in science. It just wasn't a girl thing when I was in college.

MODERATOR: Let's look at another angle for a moment . . . There's a lot out now about electronic publishing your own work, selling e-books online, how to market them, etc. Is this just vanity publishing over the Internet?

Linda Brennan: I've visited a few sites and I'm concerned about what's going on right now. One site charged a reading fee and I never trust any publisher, print or electronic, that does that. The other wasn't charging for their books yet, so there would be no way for an author to make any money off the free access of his material. Plus, after it's been published electronically, I don't think a print publisher would want it. I did see well known authors who posted first chapters of their coming books. This "teaser" could actually generate print sales, but you'd better have that print contract in hand first, and know it's okay with your publisher.

MODERATOR: What about http://www.agoodbook.com/ and http://www.books-on-line.com/ and others like those listed at http://www.books-on-line.com/Links.cfm where authors can submit a manuscript or proposal via e-mail?

Linda Brennan: www.agoodbook charges a hefty reading fee, with no guarantee of publication. I don't think www.books-on-line is charging yet, but ultimately no one will pay for bad books. Electronic publishers will have to become as choosy as regular publishers if they want to make their business work.

MODERATOR: Some of those sites sell books as downloads, where you print the book off yourself. Do you think this is the wave of publishing for the future?

Linda Brennan: It might be, but they'll have to iron out the kinks first and make an e-book cozier to take under the covers at night.

MODERATOR: How true!

arleneengler: Isn't that a bit chancy? Can't someone modify your story and publish it as theirs?

Linda Brennan: Yes, I do think there's more risk of plagiarism involved in publishing a work online.

MODERATOR: What about places where you can "showcase" your writing on the Internet for editors to read? Like Writers' Showplace Inc.?

Linda Brennan: I don't know much about these to tell you the truth. I tried to access some the other day, but couldn't get in.

MODERATOR: Just for the viewers' information, this is a place where you have to pay a fee to advertise your work--a query and sample chapter usually--to sell them.

Linda Brennan: Most editors I know are already swamped with submissions. I don't know if they take their leisure time, rare as it is, to check manuscripts on line.

MODERATOR: This site has a Frequently Asked Questions, for anyone who is interested.

Scarlet: Is that Showplace idea a good alternative to having an agent?

Linda Brennan: I don't know. Legitimate agents never charge a fee. They just take a percentage of your sales. So I'd be leery of a place that charges a fee. What's their incentive for selling your work then?

MODERATOR: Just FYI: they do charge a fee and your manuscript is only on their site for eight weeks.

Linda Brennan: Eight weeks is very little time. Most editors take months to make a decision.

Brenker: What is given away when a magazine publisher requires "First Worldwide Rights"?

Linda Brennan: For first worldwide rights, the publisher gets the right to publish your work first anywhere in the world. After they publish it the rights return to you. First North American rights are more common. That means you can publish simultaneously in North America and in Europe, though that's rare.

JenandEm: What kind of fees should we look for as being normal when we are selling our stories or books to publishers?

Linda Brennan: Fee vary widely, depending on the publication. Small magazines pay smaller fees. Generally, the fee is based on the word count. Religious magazines can pay 5 cents a word, whereas I think Highlights and Cricket pay about 25 cents a word. That can increase if you are a regular contributor. I think Boys' Life pays the most, but I don't remember how much right now.

Brenker: There are so many ways to determine word count. Which is the most common one to use?

Linda Brennan: My computer counts all the words, the "a's" and everything. I think that's the one the publishers use too.

MODERATOR: Changing directions now . . . You've published in so many areas of the children's market. How is writing different for the different age groups you publish for?

Linda Brennan: Certain topics are more suitable for certain ages. For instance, dating is a subject for teens and going to kindergarten a subject for preschoolers. My background in child development helps me get a feel for this ages and stages sort of thing. Beyond that, the younger the reader, the more you should rely on action and dialogue, the less on description and interior thoughts. Younger readers should get shorter and simpler sentences too.

Mandi: Do you think it's better to specialize in one area or to write widely like you do?

Linda Brennan: There's pros and cons to both. Writing widely is a good way to hedge your bets. When the market changes and a particular area dries up, you can change with it. However, it can be hard to change gears. And there is something to be said for having a reputation for producing a certain kind of book. You can get name recognition, like Judy Blume or Bruce Coville. I do both, but mostly I freelance--choosing the topics, writing the piece and then trying to sell it. With articles I can often do some of the research, then sell the proposal and then write the article.

Skipper: To become a regular writer for a magazine, is it best to specialize age and subject targets?

Linda Brennan: Probably. I'm a regular contributor to RI Audubon Report and I write the kids' page on natural history topics. I assume magazines are looking for people who will contribute regular articles to a certain age and topic.

MODERATOR: How do you keep track of multiple projects?

Linda Brennan: I can usually balance two very well. When my fiction dries up I go out and do some research for a NF topic. I've done three projects too, switching when I get tired of working on one. Sometimes I've done more and that gets hairy. I don't recommend it!

MODERATOR: I know you've also raised three daughters as well as writing so widely. Mentally, how do you keep from going nuts switching around like that?

Linda Brennan: I had trouble when the children were small. But once they went to school I could schedule some unbroken time every day. I always have a To Do list and know what I want to get accomplished in a given day. I usually work on a section of a chapter or fiction piece first. Then when I've come to the end of my capacity there, I switch to a nonfiction work or marketing business. That can be very time consuming. Before I go to bed, I read up on my current topic or reread my last chapter, so I can sleep on it. I find I have lots of fresh ideas when I awake.

arleneengler: Is it difficult to get started with a specific publication? Do any look for new authors or do they prefer someone who has already published?

Linda Brennan: Credits are a plus, but editors care most about the manuscript at hand. No track record will get a poor piece of writing published and a stellar manuscript will be published regardless of what you've done before. Some magazines are more open to beginners, though. Religious publishers are a good place to start. But most magazines will consider beginners. I sold my first piece to Humpty Dumpty and my second to Highlights.

WasKess: Do you have any suggestions for sending in a manuscript so that it doesn't scream "NOVICE"?

Linda Brennan: Use the proper format. A manuscript must be typed, double-spaced. Your name and address and phone number should appear in the upper left hand corner of the first page. The title should appear 5 inches down the first page. Title and your name should be on the top of every page after that.

MODERATOR: Tell us about your first picture book, Flannel Kisses, and the new book coming out called Marshmallow Kisses. I love those titles! Judging from the reviews, it was very well received.

Linda Brennan: Thanks! These books are basically illustrated poems. Flannel Kisses is about the perfect winter day, and Marshmallow Kisses is about the quintessential summer day. They are geared for the very young reader.

Scarlet: Where did you get the titles?

Linda Brennan: The first title came from something my husband said. Actually the title came first, and it took me years to find the book that went with it. I was always told that rhyming books didn't sell, but the book insisted on being in rhyme. That seemed to work just fine in the end. Marshmallow Kisses was generated from those sticky kisses I got at the end of a summer day. It's dedicated to my three daughters.

MODERATOR: The rhyming certainly worked for the reviewers too! Basically, how is writing books different from writing for magazines?

Linda Brennan: Magazine stories can be more "slight." Books tend to tackle a topic with greater depth. My agent used to say a story for a magazine takes one small incident. A picture book has a history that happened before the story and future that will unfold after it is over. A picture book is a central point in a character's life.

Janet: That's a neat way to look at the differences. Are magazine editors different to work with than book editors?

Linda Brennan: Yes, magazine editors contact you by mail, book editors by phone. Book editors will have a long relationship with you, that covers the years it takes for a book to be published. Beyond that, magazine editors are more conservative. No foul language, no name calling, no violence. Book editors, even picture book editors, will sometimes accept things that magazine editors never would.

MODERATOR: I'm sorry to have to stop here, but our time is up this evening. First, I want to thank Linda for coming and sharing her knowledge and encouragement with us tonight. And thank you for the excellent questions posted tonight, as well as those sent to me earlier in the week. We appreciate your time tonight, Linda!

Linda Brennan: Thank you for having me! It was fun, and the time went so fast!

MODERATOR: Next week, July 22, we're going to do something a bit different. Because we end each interview with many questions still unanswered, for the rest of the summer we have scheduled a moderated "Open Forum" every other Thursday night in this time slot. We will have our first one next week. Come and bring questions on any topic you like: time management, marketing, writers' block, getting ideas, whatever you like. I will be here to answer your questions or point you in the right direction. Then, on July 29, we will hear Dori Butler speak on "Writing for Book Packagers." See you next week for our first moderated Open Forum! Good night, everyone!

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