| mel
boring |
Join us this afternoon
in the AUDITORIUM-Scheduled Events Room for an "Open Forum" with Web
Editor Mel Boring. Mel has published some 25 magazine articles and
stories, as well as eight books for the young readers market. He
taught writing for 18 years, while being home husband and parent to
two of his four children, and doing his own writing. He welcomes
your questions on time management, getting started, writer's block,
marketing, writing rights, writing earnings, or anything else you'd
like to discuss. Bring your QUESTIONS to this open forum-in three
minutes.
|
| mel
boring |
The Tuesday afternoon
"Open Forum" will begin promptly at 4 Atlantic/CANADA, 3 p.m.
Eastern, 2 p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Mountain, and noon Pacific. While
you wait for the "Open Forum" to start, feel free to use your ASK A
QUESTION button RIGHT BETWEEN THE YELLOW "MAP" AND THE RED QUESTION
MARK IN ICHAT to post some questions for the discussion group-two
minutes from now.
|
| mel
boring |
Good afternoon! Welcome
to this Tuesday afternoon's "Open Forum" session. I'm your
moderator, Mel Boring, and the Web Editor for this site. We're back
for an informal time of answering any questions you might like to
ask, on any subject. So feel free to ask what's on your mind--and
I'll tell you what's on mine! First, please read these
announcements, then we'll get started….
|
| mel
boring |
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS:
Send questions you'd like answered or discussed by using your "Ask a
Question" icon/button. (It looks like a thought bubble icon, RIGHT
NEXT TO THE RED QUESTION MARK.) The moderator (me, Mel Boring) will
post the questions one at a time in the chat room and do my best to
answer them. Also note: If you want to make it possible to ask the
longest question you can, first type "/ask" (without the quotation
marks), then leave one space after the end of "ask", then type as
many characters of your question as you can. If your question is not
complete, send the second part next, then if necessary the third,
etc…
|
| mel
boring |
WARNING: If you don't
post anything at all, SOME of you will be bounced off the system in
15 minutes. TO PREVENT THIS, type something (either a question to
the moderator or even a private message) every 15 minutes to stay
active and remain online.
|
| mel
boring |
First, here is the
Tasty Word of the Forum:...
|
| mel
boring |
bonnyclabber\BAHN-knee-clab-ber...
|
| mel
boring |
Anyone know what it
means? Let me know....
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD NEWS from Chris
Weigand: I just wanted to share my latest bible study with you. The
link is: www.s2s4christ.org/ then click on the December's Thoughts
to Ponder. Enjoy. Love and God Bless. May you have a Blessed
Christmas. Chris
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATULATIONS, Chris!
Chris Weigand has been published on the Web MANY
times!
|
| mel
boring |
People asked last week
how they could get to read Vickey Stamps's story, "The Forever
Tree." Vickey sent us this info about it: A person asked how they
could get a copy of the article “The Forever Tree,” in LIFE IN THE
OZARKS Magazine. I sent an e-mail to the owner Alice Chambers
commenting on the overall paper and the question of obtaining
copies. This is a copy of the response: To subscribe, they can email
us at this email address lito@artelco.com or we can call them or
they can call us. For a single issue, it is and they can send a
check. We have a minimum for credit cards (Visa or Master Card).
Glad everyone is enjoying Life In The Ozarks!!! - Alice
Chambers
|
| mel
boring |
That will get you a
copy of Vickey Stamps's Christmas story, folks.
|
| mel
boring |
CS e-mailed to ask: I'm
writing a paper on children's publishing, and I'd like to know of
any big-name authors/books that were rejected numerous times. I've
heard that T. Geisel had many rejections at first, and that A
Wrinkle in Time was rejected many many times. Can you provide any
figures/info?
|
| mel
boring |
CS e-mailed to ask: I'm
writing a paper on children's publishing, and I'd like to know of
any big-name authors/books that were rejected numerous times. I've
heard that T. Geisel had many rejections at first, and that A
Wrinkle in Time was rejected many many times. Can you provide any
figures/info?
|
| mel
boring |
There isn't much
information about famous writers being rejected...
|
| mel
boring |
because, I think, they
don't broadcast their years of rejection...
|
| mel
boring |
or perhaps they have
just forgotten!...
|
| mel
boring |
But here is info about
several famous children's writers and their "rejectionary"
past!...
|
| mel
boring |
Dr. Seuss wrote To
Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, and it was rejected by
EITHER 27 or 29 publishers before he sold it!...
|
| mel
boring |
Madeleine L'Engle, who
wrote A WRINKLE IN TIME also experienced years of rejection before
her huge success...
|
| mel
boring |
CS e-mailed to ask: I'm
writing a paper on children's publishing, and I'd like to know of
any big-name authors/books that were rejected numerous times. I've
heard that T. Geisel had many rejections at first, and that A
Wrinkle in Time was rejected many many times. Can you provide any
figures/info?
|
| mel
boring |
I have been answering
this question that JUST came on!...
|
| mel
boring |
Things are slow and
discombobulated today!...
|
| mel
boring |
So, Dr. Seuss was
rejected 27 or 29 times before his first
acceptance...
|
| mel
boring |
And Madeleine L'Engle
had her share of rejection...
|
| mel
boring |
Joanne Kathleen Rowling
J.K. Rowling ended up unemployed and living in a tiny flat in
Edinburgh, Scotland with her only child,...
|
| mel
boring |
and J.K. Rowling had
been divorced in 1992, and got a grant from the Scottish Arts
Council...
|
| mel
boring |
to finish her first
book, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE...
|
| mel
boring |
During the FOUR YEARS
of writing it,...
|
| mel
boring |
J.K. Rowling pushed her
baby in a buggy to a nearby...
|
| mel
boring |
cafe, because it was
WARMER than her flat!...
|
| mel
boring |
There she wrote the
first HARRY POTTER, and received...
|
| mel
boring |
a advance for
it....
|
| mel
boring |
Then there was Bruce
Coville, who said THIS in our interview with him
recently:...
|
| mel
boring |
"I thought it was silly
that Christopher Robin didn't get to the 100 Aker Wood by doing
somethin glike falling down a rabbit hole....
|
| mel
boring |
But when I was 19 I was
old enough to 'get' the book--and that combined with the fact that
my girlfriend was a fabulous artist,...
|
| mel
boring |
made me think we could
do a book together. And a mere EIGHT YEARS later, we sold our first
book!"
|
| mel
boring |
About the bonnyclabber
Tasty Word of the Forum:...
|
| caq |
Mell, Bonny Clabber sat
in front of me in school!!! Just kidding. That is what happens to my
milk when I forget to put it in the fridge. I put it up with the
cups when I got a cup down yesterday. Got it before it curdled
though. Amost had myself some bonnyclabber there.
|
| mel
boring |
Right you are,
caq!...
|
| t
green |
bonnyclabber- a drink
made of beer and buttermilk ... ie: My mother used to love beer and
buttermilk, until she tried a bonnyclabber.
|
| mel
boring |
Beer and buttermilk
surely DOES make bonnyclabber!...
|
| mel
boring |
It may not be the
tastiest drink in the world, huh?!
|
| george
kulz |
If I got a short story
accepted by Wee Ones and they have first electronic rights, can I
send it somewhere else before it gets published?
|
| mel
boring |
You should check with
WEE ONES, george, but here is my educated guess...
|
| mel
boring |
They will want to be
FIRST anywhere to publish it...
|
| mel
boring |
So I'm thinking they
won't want you to publish it in a hardcopy
magazine...
|
| mel
boring |
And of course you can't
sell it to anyone else to publish on the
Internet,...
|
| mel
boring |
because WW has THOSE
FIRST rights....
|
| mel
boring |
But they MIGHT not care
if it's published in hardcopy first,..
|
| mel
boring |
so will you ask them,
and let us know, george, please?...
|
| mel
boring |
That would be an
INTERESTING answer, because Electronic RIghts are in the pioneer
stage as of yet.
|
| writermom |
Mel my editor at Just For
Mom just told me today that my newest article Building Bridges has
been posted at
www.justformom.com/articles_full_text_page.php?article_id=857
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU for letting
us know, writermom,..
|
| mel
boring |
and
CONGRATULATIONS!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
That is marvelous GOOD
NEWS, and I'm going to go read it right after
forum!...
|
| mel
boring |
Way to WRITE RIGHT,
writermom!
|
| casey |
I just had to share this.
Last week I read my Christmas story from Mistletoe and Madness to a
2nd grade class. Since it was about snowmen I had them draw snowmen
and I provided wiggle eyes, etc. The kids and even the school
librarian loved meeting "a real author." Today I received in the
mail a big brown envelope with letters from each student thanking me
- my first "fan mail."
|
| mel
boring |
That is MARVELOUS,
casey!...
|
| mel
boring |
And that fan mail is
WELL DESERVED!...
|
| mel
boring |
Children's school and
library programs are very SPECIAL, I think,...
|
| mel
boring |
and the kids are so
delighted to meet you, a real, live author!...
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU for sharing
that, it really warms my heart, because I LOVE school and library
programs, but haven't done any for a while.
|
| charweb |
Is there any
article/website on how to write PBs.
|
| charweb |
PB formatting, word
limits and related info.
|
| mel
boring |
Hi, charweb! One of the
BEST Web sites for info about picture books is...
|
| mel
boring |
Harold Underdown's
PURPLE CRAYON....
|
| mel
boring |
Use Purple Crayon as a
search word to find his site,...
|
| mel
boring |
then you can search his
site as well....
|
| mel
boring |
Use "Picture book" as
your search words, charweb,...
|
| mel
boring |
and I KNOW you'll find
lots of picture book info there...
|
| mel
boring |
I also HIGHLY recommend
Harold Underdown's BOOK,..
|
| mel
boring |
THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO
WRITING FOR CHILDREN....
|
| mel
boring |
It has EXCELLENT info
about ALL children's books, especially picture
books....
|
| mel
boring |
I ALSO highly recommend
an OLDER book, THE CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK by Ellen E. M.
Roberts....
|
| mel
boring |
It is a kind of "bible"
about picture books alone, and a GREAT help,
charweb.
|
| mel
boring |
Here is a laugh and a
half about "bonnyclabber"! (-:}
|
| caq |
I think beer and milk
would make anyone clabber, not just bonny.
|
| mel
boring |
LOVL--LAUGH OUT VERY
LOUD!!! Thanks, caq
|
| lisalisa |
Hi, Mel! If I have a
piece under contract at Babybug, is it
|
| lisalisa |
in any danger now that
the editor is leaving and company is
|
| lisalisa |
moving? Will they honor
my contract?
|
| mel
boring |
Hi,
lisalisa!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
NO danger! They will go
on as before, though if another editor replaces...
|
| mel
boring |
the one you sold to,
they will take over the editing and production of the
piece....
|
| mel
boring |
But it will be business
as usual, so don't worry, NO danger....
|
| mel
boring |
At a BOOK publisher,
there might be that problem, but not at a
magazine...
|
| mel
boring |
And especially at the
Cricket Family, which has GOOD integrity.
|
| crabby
j |
Greeting Mel! First
rights can only happen once, so...
|
| crabby
j |
if that publication is
electronic of hardcopy, it is still
|
| crabby
j |
the first
publication...no? My last cotract specifically
|
| crabby
j |
advised me that
"publicaton rights include electronic use."
|
| crabby
j |
AM I uderstanding now
that first rights may be had twice,
|
| crabby
j |
once in e-form and once
in hard form? Seems counterintuitive
|
| mel
boring |
It depends on the
publisher, crabby j....
|
| mel
boring |
For example, IF a
magazine was ONLY online,...
|
| mel
boring |
they would likely not
care if the rights were sold to a hardcopy
magazine....
|
| mel
boring |
But if they have BOTH
online and hardcopy, which I presume the one you are talking about
does, YES, publication rights WOULD include electronic
use....
|
| mel
boring |
The DISTINGUISHMENT
thus far has been that FIRST SERIAL RIGHTS has meant hardcopy
magazines,...
|
| mel
boring |
while FIRST ELECTRONIC
RIGHTS has meant INTERNET publication....
|
| mel
boring |
I would BET that the
magazine you contracted with has BOTH serial and online
publications, crabbyj. Can you give me more info?
|
| mel
boring |
I'm sorry, but the
machinery here is being balky!...
|
| mel
boring |
So it may take some
time for my transmissions to get to you today!...
|
| mel
boring |
High Hopes is asking:
What is the copyright for quoting words of a hymn? I am writing a
fiction story where I would like to quote one verse (around 30
words).
|
| mel
boring |
On the first page or so
of the hymnal it is is, High Hopes,...
|
| mel
boring |
look for the publisher.
Then write them and ask if you can quote the words of a hymn in the
book...
|
| mel
boring |
I'm guessing they will
say YES, AMEN! But do ask...
|
| mel
boring |
Songs are kind of
SPECIAL copyrights, and one wants to be especially carefully about
quoting them.
|
| wordpaintervs |
If one has their works on
their own website, are they then allowed to sell them as first
prints or hardcopies?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, for sure,
wordpaintervs...
|
| mel
boring |
They are your OWN
works, and you own the copyright, so you can sell them, even though
they've been on YOUR Web site.
|
| george
kulz |
Is it also possible to
publish a story in book form after it's been published in a
magazine? Provided all the applicable rights are
upheld?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, it IS,
george....
|
| mel
boring |
IF you didn't sell BOOK
RIGHTS with the story....
|
| mel
boring |
Book Rights are
separate from SERIAL or MAGAZINE Rights....
|
| mel
boring |
A mag like HIGHLIGHTS
buys ALL RIGHTS, and THOSE include not only serial/magazine rights,
but book rights as well....
|
| mel
boring |
But if you don't sell
ALL RIGHTS, or if you sell ONLY SERIAL RIGHTS, you still own the
BOOK RIGHTS....
|
| mel
boring |
Look at your contracts
to see what rights the magazine bought--or ask them,
george.
|
| crabby
j |
Mel..the contract I refer
to is through the Hearst
|
| crabby
j |
Publications umbrella,
specifically the San Francisco
|
| crabby
j |
true sense, cashing the
check constituted acceptance of
|
| crabby
j |
the other contract I just
agreed to (and did not sign in a
|
| crabby
j |
Chronicle; First NA
Seerial Rights, inclu. electronic...
|
| crabby
j |
contract) for a gardening
mag., also specifies that the
|
| crabby
j |
rights inlcude electronic
archival and reproduction in NASR
|
| crabby
j |
I would love to resell a
couple pieces electronically
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, crabby j, that
explains it!...
|
| mel
boring |
Hearst owns EVERYthing,
including a castle in California...
|
| mel
boring |
They have ALL KINDS of
publishing interests, and would be very picky about
rights....
|
| mel
boring |
They would also want
ALL rights, serial, book, and electronic rights to every piece they
purchase, I believe....
|
| mel
boring |
They are a MANY-HEADED
organization, publishing EVERYwhere, in EVERY
medium.
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for the
clarification!
|
| mel
boring |
CK needs to know:
Suppose I have a picture book and sign up with a literary agency in
order to get it published. Can I still freelance for magazines or do
I forfeit all freelance writing oppotunities by signing up for
representation? Is that negotiable in signing up with an
agency?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes you can,
CK,...
|
| mel
boring |
because I don't know
ANY agent who wants to fool with magazine
pieces....
|
| mel
boring |
There just isn't much
money in them, so they leave magazine publishing up to the
author.
|
| caq |
So if you submitted to a
magazine and they bought all rights, they are only talking magazine
publication rights, not book rights if it doesn't specifically say,
including book rights?
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for asking for
clarification, caq!...
|
| mel
boring |
ALL RIGHTS include
EVERYTHING, including Book Rights....
|
| mel
boring |
If the magazine
specifically bought SERIAL RIGHTS, that means JUST magazine
publishing....
|
| mel
boring |
But BOOK RIGHTS are
included in ALL RIGHTS, as are Electronic Rights,
etc....
|
| mel
boring |
Take a close look at
your contract to see what rights are specified,
friend.
|
| wordpaintervs |
space If I have a
collection of works on copyright, can I add more of same style to
the collection already copyrighted...cler as mud? thanks for earlier
answer Mel
|
| mel
boring |
No, you wouldn't,
wordpaintervs....
|
| mel
boring |
The NEW additions would
have copyrights of their own....
|
| mel
boring |
Once a piece or
collection is copyrighted, you can't add to it under the original
copyright.
|
| crabby
j |
maybe I am over-tinking
it? Just would love to have a second
|
| crabby
j |
round of first rights
(though oxymoronic) to market if it's
|
| crabby
j |
oops- I do "tink"
sometimes, but I meant "think"ing ( - :
|
| mel
boring |
Wouldn't we ALL love to
have another round of First Rights! GOOD TINKING, crabby
j!
|
| omalizzie |
What are serial
rights?
|
| mel
boring |
"Serial" refers to
MAGAZINE, omalizzie,...
|
| mel
boring |
the meaning being that
they are "serialized," that is, they come out in a series, month by
month...
|
| mel
boring |
or every two months, or
whatever series. They are therefore
"serialized."...
|
| mel
boring |
Books would not be
"serialized."
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD question,
friend!
|
| dakotalee |
In 1984 I entered a
poetry contest. They said I could publi
|
| dakotalee |
publish it for 10 It was
published do I have first rights
|
| mel
boring |
PROBABLY you DO have
some rights, dakotalee, but NOT First Rights....
|
| mel
boring |
The First Rights were
already used when it was published originally...
|
| mel
boring |
You MIGHT still have
Reprint Rights, and you can find that out from the publisher that
published it.
|
| omalizzie |
When they buy all rights,
do they pay you if its republished
|
| mel
boring |
EXCELLENT question,
omalizzie!...
|
| mel
boring |
HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN
does pay you if it's republished, but not all magazines
do...
|
| mel
boring |
Actually, HIGHLIGHTS
SHARES the payment for reprints with you, 50-50, a NICE
gesture....
|
| mel
boring |
But not all magazines
do that.
|
| mel
boring |
passion needs to find
out: I am trying to write a story for a contest. A Christmas story
up to 20,000 words. How close do I have to come to the 20,000 word
count? Or could it be for instance 5000 words? It is supposed to be
of book content. And has to be in by February 2006. Hope to hear
from you. I am writing the story now. If it’s around 5000 can I
write each story segment as chapters?
|
| mel
boring |
Probably you CAN,
passion, because when they set the LIMIT at 20,000
words,...
|
| mel
boring |
that only means the
HIGHEST number of words...
|
| mel
boring |
They might be pleased
to see fewer words, such as 5000 words like yours,
passion....
|
| mel
boring |
And yes, you CAN write
each story segment as a chapter....
|
| mel
boring |
Actually, I sometimes
think if you could write a story in ONE WORD, a publisher would be
VERY pleased,...
|
| mel
boring |
but of course you
can't--I don't THINK, anyway!...
|
| mel
boring |
Fewer words mean less
editing, and less expense in publishing it.
|
| charweb |
Is there any poetry
competition coming up?
|
| mel
boring |
I don't know, charweb,
but I'll ask people here today....
|
| mel
boring |
Does ANYONE know of a
poetry competition coming up?
|
| mel
boring |
Someone asked me to
present the following again, and I'm always pleased to repeat GOOD
NEWS:...
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD NEWS from Chris
Weigand: I just wanted to share my latest bible study with you. The
link is: www.s2s4christ.org/ then click on the December's Thoughts
to Ponder. Enjoy. Love and God Bless. May you have a Blessed
Christmas. Chris
|
| mel
boring |
WAY to GO again,
Chris!
|
| kswcolorado |
About all rights--can't
you rewrite a piece, same characters
|
| kswcolorado |
and ideas, and have it be
considered a new work that you
|
| kswcolorado |
have rights to, and can
submit to publishers?
|
| mel
boring |
You could, but I heard
one editor recently describe trying to do this
as...
|
| mel
boring |
"trying to sell the
same car twice."....
|
| mel
boring |
In other words,
kswcolorado, they meant it would be a kind of "thin disguise" of the
first story, and they are not in favor of that....
|
| mel
boring |
It also depends on HOW
MUCH you change it...
|
| mel
boring |
but if you're thinking
of only minor changes, like names and such, it's NOT a good idea, my
friend.
|
| charweb |
Is social
security
|
| charweb |
Is SSN must to get
published?
|
| mel
boring |
If I understand right,
do you need to put your SS# on pieces you
submit?...
|
| mel
boring |
NO, you don't, and
shouldn't, charweb....
|
| mel
boring |
When the piece is
contracted and bought, THEN you can send your Social Security
Number--or PHONE IT IN, is safer.
|
| mel
boring |
But DON'T put it on
your manuscripts to submit.
|
| crabby
j |
Mel: wanted to let
everyone know about a really fun contest
|
| crabby
j |
its prizes aren't huge,
but it really gets the writing juice
|
| crabby
j |
and imagination
flowing...it's sponsored by Telltale Press
|
| crabby
j |
(web site of same name).
it has several story beginnings
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU, crabby j!!!
That DOES sound like FUN, even the name, TELLTALE
PRESS!....
|
| mel
boring |
I'm going to look that
up right after!
|
| mel
boring |
Here's the UFL for
Telltale Press:...
|
| crabby
j |
www.telltalepress.net.
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS again MUCH,
crabby j!
|
| mel
boring |
May you be granted a
second set of First Rights for letting us know that!
(-:}
|
| writermom |
thanks again
Mel
|
| mel
boring |
You're WARMLY WELCOME,
writermom!
|
| crabby
j |
to choose from, and you
write the ending. Great fun.
|
| mel
boring |
Whoops! There's the
rest about Telltale Press!
|
| casey |
Wee Ones also pays if
it's republished
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, casey, I didn't
know that!
|
| wordpaintervs |
space...when something is
published free gratus...how would it next be offered for pay or
accepted for pay?
|
| mel
boring |
It depends on what
RIGHTS you gave with it to be published,
wordpaintervs....
|
| mel
boring |
If you gave away All
Rights, then you can't offer it for pay....
|
| mel
boring |
But if they only took
FIRST RIGHTS, you could sell Reprint Rights.
|
| mel
boring |
I am OVERTIME, and I've
simply LOVED it!...
|
| mel
boring |
HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you
ALL!!!....
|
| mel
boring |
This Thursday, our
Christmas gift will be a Guest Chat with...
|
| mel
boring |
Russell Nelson, author
of the YA novel, TEACH ME....
|
| mel
boring |
I hope you can come
Thursday evening!...
|
| mel
boring |
I'll see you next
Tuesday,too, after Christmas!
|
| crabby
j |
Thanks Mel. You are a
patient man. Hope Santa rewards you!
|
| mel
boring |
YOu're so SWEET to say
that, crabby j! And I've already gotten presents!
(-:}
|
| omalizzie |
Merry Christmas
Mel
|
| mel
boring |
Merry Christmas,
omalizzie!
|
| georgy |
Merry Christmas, dear
friend! See you again soon.
|
| mel
boring |
Merry Christmas to you,
too, georgy!
|
| caq |
Could you tell everyone
there is a Christmas Party in Room 1 after the forum. Just good old
fun.
|
| mel
boring |
There is a party in
Room 1 after the forum! GREAT FUN, and THANKS,
caq!...
|
| mel
boring |
I'm sorry I can't come,
but they are moving a HOUSE INTO our neighborhood right now, and I'm
going to watch!
|
| mel
boring |
Bye for now, and HAPPY
PARTYING,
friends!
|
