| janfields |
Okay, I have the
transcript secured so I'm out of here...
|
| janfields |
Join us this afternoon
in the AUDITORIUM-Scheduled Events Room for an "Open Forum" with Web
Editor Jan Fields. I have over 20 years experience in freelance
writing and nearly as much in teaching how to write for freelance
markets. I welcome 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 five minutes.
|
| janfields |
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.
|
| janfields |
Good afternoon! Welcome
to this Tuesday afternoon’s "Open Forum" session. I’m your
moderator, Jan Fields. I’m 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….
|
| janfields |
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.) I will post the questions one at a
time in the chat room and do our 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…
|
| janfields |
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. Many chatters post just a period right in
the chat…it’s fairly unobtrusive.
|
| janfields |
Hi folks, we're here
for another rollicking session of asking
questions...
|
| janfields |
Sometimes known as
"Stump the lady behind the window"
|
| janfields |
Which...well, it isn't
that hard...
|
| janfields |
sad to
say.
|
| janfields |
But I want to start
with a little good news...I love good news.
|
| janfields |
rosehips says: I just
found out I have another short story posted on JustForMom.com. It is
my assignment 2 from the basic course. To check it out go to
JustForMom.com, Articles for Mom, Time Out for Parents, Fiction for
Kids. Seeing my work in print always makes my day.
|
| janfields |
Good going
Rosehips!
|
| janfields |
Now, we just have to
inch you along to publishing that makes you bizillions of
dollars...
|
| janfields |
First, you have to
change your name from Rosehips to Madonna
|
| janfields |
It gets easier after
that.
|
| janfields |
Okay...a nice
definition question...
|
| caq |
What is Chick Lit. I
heard 2 book publishers say they do NOT want to see it and one said
they did?
|
| janfields |
Chick lit began as
"women's literature"
|
| janfields |
The voice tends to be
hip and trendy
|
| janfields |
There is virtually
always some element of romance or relationships.
|
| janfields |
It was the HOT thing in
women's lit for a while...and got royally dissed by
reviewers
|
| janfields |
Then it "trickled down"
to young adult books.
|
| janfields |
The Gossip girls
series, the Clique Series, the New It Girl...
|
| janfields |
Are all chick
lit
|
| janfields |
They feature high
school girls, fashion, relationships, and sassy
voice.
|
| janfields |
Guys...if you ask
questions with the little box at the bottom of your
screen...
|
| janfields |
There is every chance I
won't see it...
|
| janfields |
But if you put it in
the "Ask a Question" feature on the bar..I get it.
|
| janfields |
Chick lit is still hot
in young adult...by the way.
|
| janfields |
And we are going to
have a guest speaker on February 16th who knows tons about chick
lit
|
| janfields |
Lauren
Barnholdt.
|
| janfields |
She's doing a book
about it (and other forms of YA) for Writer's
Digest.
|
| ocean |
when emailing a ms, do I
cut/paste or send attachment?
|
| janfields |
Never send an
attachment unless...
|
| janfields |
The magazine SPECIFIES
that it's okay in the writer's guidelines
|
| janfields |
or you've already been
in contact with the editor and she asked for one.
|
| janfields |
Otherwise, you need to
paste the content into the email.
|
| janfields |
I write my cover
letter...then make a dividing like
*******************
|
| janfields |
And paste in the
manuscript.
|
| janfields |
Then I can make more
lines if I need to add a bibliography or sidebar or
whatever
|
| janfields |
And if you're cutting
out of WORD...don't
|
| janfields |
Save your manuscript as
a text file or rtf file...then cut and paste from
that.
|
| janfields |
Cutting and pasting
from WORD or WORDPERFECT inserts characters that your email can't
read
|
| janfields |
And will look weird on
the receiving end
|
| janfields |
And can sometimes be
totally unreadable.
|
| kimber6 |
What is the difference
between fantasy and High fantasy?
|
| janfields |
High fantasy exists in
a world not like our own...
|
| janfields |
You create every
element of that world...
|
| janfields |
it may have elves or
fairies or dragons...the normal "stuff" of high
fantasy...
|
| janfields |
Or you may make your
own creatures that are very different...
|
| janfields |
it tends to have an
epic feel.
|
| janfields |
Fantasy though is the
whole genre...
|
| janfields |
it includes high
fantasy but also might include contemporary fantasy or urban
fantasy
|
| janfields |
High fantasy is like
LORD OF THE RINGS
|
| janfields |
Contemporary fantasy is
like HARRY POTTER
|
| janfields |
and Urban Fantasy is
like Tithe by Holly Black
|
| janfields |
Urban Fantasy is
grittier, edgy and can get rough.
|
| janfields |
Ladrac says: For a
short article (aprox 500 words) how many book sources do you need
vs. internet sources? I am writing an article about a form of dance
that is found more abundantly on the internet and only lightly
mentioned in books. Do editors frown upon having more internet
sources than book sources? I also have a BFA in Music Dance Theatre-
would that make a difference to the editor if I am writing about a
topic associated my degree?
|
| janfields |
A writer who is an
expert in a subject does have more authority than one who has only
researched it.
|
| janfields |
So, yes, that does make
a difference.
|
| janfields |
And also...different
magazines have different levels of "anal-ness" about
sources...
|
| janfields |
The Hopscotch group is
pretty open to Internet sources...
|
| janfields |
So is Guideposts 4
Kids...they like Internet sources cause they can link to
them.
|
| janfields |
Cricket and Highlights
are both kind of source nazis
|
| janfields |
They want TONS of
sources -- interviews if possible.
|
| janfields |
And they question
EVERYTHING.
|
| janfields |
I had to find
additional sources for a Cricket article, even though I had
interviewed an expert at YALE
|
| janfields |
and had
books.
|
| janfields |
But they didn't pass on
my manuscript...they just made me find more
sources.
|
| janfields |
So...dig as deeply as
you can...and if you're sending to Cricket or
Highlights....
|
| janfields |
I would go ahead and
send highlighted source pages...
|
| janfields |
That impresses
them.
|
| janfields |
omalizzie asks: I was
wondering if you could tell me/us exactly what the definition of a
Read Aloud story is. How do I know if I've written a regular story
or a Read Aloud? What age group(s) are they usually geared
to?
|
| janfields |
I think I sometimes
confuse folks by making up terms.
|
| janfields |
A read aloud is just a
preK story -- magazine or picture book...
|
| janfields |
That is intended to be
presented to the non-reading audience by reading it
aloud.
|
| janfields |
Which...by the
way...brings me to a tip.
|
| janfields |
Don't mail any picture
book or pre-K story out until you've had someone read it to
you.
|
| janfields |
Preferably someone who
doesn't normally read a lot of kid stories...
|
| janfields |
if your story STILL
sounds good coming out of a the person's mouth...then it's good
enough to send.
|
| dell |
Jan, what publishing
credits are you most proud of?
|
| janfields |
Hmmm... a tough
one...my favorite piece I have ever written and sold was an
article...
|
| janfields |
on designing teddy
bears (which I did at the time)...
|
| janfields |
I sold it to Teddy Bear
and Friends...
|
| janfields |
Back in the early
1980s...
|
| janfields |
A lot of the stuff I
wrote and sold back then sort of embarrasses me now
|
| janfields |
Because it ...well, it
sucked a little...
|
| janfields |
But that piece is STILL
good to me today...and I'm proud of that.
|
| janfields |
Outside of that...I
love all my magazine work...though I usually wish I could edit it by
the time I see it in print.
|
| janfields |
I always want to
tinker.
|
| janfields |
I did some story books
once for a toy company...they still suck, actually...but the dolls
are cute.
|
| janfields |
And they gave me the
whole doll line so I think that's kind of cool.
|
| ocean |
what is saving to text
file?
|
| janfields |
It means that you open
your story in your word processor -- Word, Word perfect, Works,
Wordpad, whatever...
|
| janfields |
And you click on
File
|
| janfields |
Then SAVE
AS
|
| janfields |
And you look at the
little drop down "format" line...it will read with the default for
the program...
|
| janfields |
You click on the down
triangle and choose "text file" or "plain text" or
".txt"
|
| janfields |
And then you
save.
|
| janfields |
Then close the
manuscript and open it again...only with the .txt
ending.
|
| janfields |
Copy that and paste it
into your email.
|
| dragonlady |
it's like saving in the
old style before Windows became the norm - back in the good ole days
of DOS (oops, I'm dating myself) and everything was a.txt
file
|
| janfields |
I miss those days
HORRIBLY dragonlady...I loved my dos computer.
|
| janfields |
It looked
so....technical
|
| dawnlee71 |
How do you decide if your
piece is a poem or a picturebook?
|
| dawnlee71 |
Can it be
both?
|
| janfields |
Well, a lot of
picturebooks do rhyme
|
| janfields |
But to be a picture
book, your poem must appeal to a preK child (since that is the MAJOR
consumer of Picture books these days)
|
| janfields |
It must have
action
|
| janfields |
characters
|
| janfields |
A strong sense of
forward motion...we should get the feeling the piece is driving us
toward something
|
| janfields |
You need to have AT
LEAST 13 very different illustration possiblities
|
| janfields |
Not just talking
heads
|
| janfields |
Or pretty scenery so it
helps if your characters are actively doing
something.
|
| janfields |
And editor told me it
must speak to the experience of every small child -- right, I don't
totally understand that either
|
| janfields |
And to sell easily...it
helps if it's JUST LIKE the picture book that sold really well ONLY
TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
|
| bechu |
what's a prek
child?
|
| janfields |
A child under five --
pre-kindergarten
|
| skeet |
children in unrealistic
and funny situations.. publishable?
|
| janfields |
Humor is huge right
now
|
| janfields |
It seems to be infusing
the voice of almost every book that really takes off in
sales
|
| janfields |
And that means editors
WANT it
|
| janfields |
So if you story makes
kids laugh...there is some shot.
|
| janfields |
But sometimes what we
THINK is funny....isn't funny to an editor.
|
| janfields |
I once had a rejection
that said, Sorry, you just aren't funny.
|
| janfields |
Hey...I dang well
am!!
|
| janfields |
Wacky can sell...but it
must be incredibly well written.
|
| janfields |
And it has to hit the
editor exactly right.
|
| janfields |
And it helps if it has
thematic depth too.
|
| janfields |
And it probably helps
if you drive over and wash the editor's car...
|
| janfields |
I dunno
sometimes.
|
| ocean |
would Harry Potter be
high fantasy?
|
| janfields |
Some folks have said
they think it is.
|
| janfields |
Some argue that because
it's contemporary and Harry actually comes out the "real" world and
enters the fantasy
|
| janfields |
That kicks it out of
HIGH fantasy...even though you have clear world building
there.
|
| spotslover2 |
A good example of wacky
that sold and won the Golden Kite is Amy Timberlake's A DIRTY
COWBOY, which is a tall tale.
|
| janfields |
I haven't read that
one...but I love wacky.
|
| omalizzie |
So basically, one just
writes a story and hopes for the best
|
| janfields |
A lot of the time,
yeah.
|
| janfields |
You have to ...at the
core...write because you LOVE writing.
|
| janfields |
Because publishing will
never stop being challenging.
|
| janfields |
The ups are really
really up...but sometimes even they are a bit
lonely
|
| janfields |
Because your family and
friends don't always "get" it.
|
| janfields |
And the downs are very
lonely...because your family and friends don't always get
it.
|
| janfields |
When I told my husband
that an editor called me...
|
| janfields |
to ask me to write an
article...
|
| janfields |
that would pay nearly
|
| janfields |
He said, That's nice,
sweetie, what's for supper?
|
| janfields |
I fixed broccoli...he
hates broccoli
|
| janfields |
Actually I fixed it for
a couple nights
|
| janfields |
In different
dishes
|
| janfields |
Until he promised to
take me out to dinner after my next very good news
|
| writersblock |
I think it was Hemmingway
who said, "Writing is, at it's best, a lonely
life."
|
| spotslover2 |
Mine, who is very
supportive, says that's nice honey, as long as you're having
fun.
|
| janfields |
Awww...though, he'd get
broccoli for that too...I'm a little onery.
|
| omalizzie |
Did he "get it"
then?
|
| janfields |
I dunno...but he's
scared, very scared.
|
| ladrac |
mine says i have to keep
writing until my course is paid for
|
| omalizzie |
Mine keeps telling me he
wants to retire... so keep writing
|
| caq |
Jan can I just mention
something on the line of the picture books an the unrealistic and
funny question? At the conference a question like that was asked.
They said it can't be so unrealistic that it is just absurd,. I
don't know exactly what they meant, but I am assuming it can't be
just plain stupid, I guess. Another thing about the PB is it has to
stand the test of being reread and reread by
parents/guardians/babysitters/etc.. They have to be entertained too
or they won't want to read it.
|
| janfields |
One of the tests for
absurd is whether the story hangs together
|
| janfields |
Or if it's just one
un-expected weird thing after another.
|
| janfields |
For example, Imogene's
Antlers is pretty wacky
|
| janfields |
She wakes up with
antlers...that's just a given
|
| janfields |
But the story makes
sense in relation to waking up with antlers
|
| janfields |
And the ending is a
surprise but totally hangs with the rest
|
| janfields |
And the story feels
right...like a logical plot progression.
|
| caq |
So silly, with
glue.
|
| janfields |
Right...sorry for the
pause
|
| janfields |
I accidentally made the
room disappear.
|
| janfields |
eek
|
| kswcolorado |
Is there a kid market for
sci fi? I know there's YA sci fi in adult mags, but how about for MG
kids?
|
| janfields |
I know Cricket is not
against sci-fi
|
| janfields |
They just don't get
much that they like.
|
| janfields |
And Focus on the Family
Clubhouse actually LIKE Science Fiction
|
| janfields |
Highlights will
consider it, but it's hard to do at their lengths
|
| janfields |
And there's an online
paying market (doesn't pay much) called Story Station that will buy
it...
|
| janfields |
As long as it contains
an adventure element.
|
| iluv2write |
can you please clarify
thematic depth?
|
| janfields |
Thematic depth means
that your story reveals something...
|
| janfields |
It's more than events
coming together but it contains something ...true
|
| janfields |
Sometime bigger than
the story.
|
| janfields |
It isn't usually stated
flat out...but it's something readers can pull out of the
piece
|
| janfields |
Like Imogene's Antlers
is silly fun
|
| janfields |
But thematically is
says something about grace under pressure
|
| janfields |
Imogene's got
it
|
| janfields |
Her mom
doesn't
|
| janfields |
When we read it as the
mom, we don't want to be like that...we want to be cool like
Imogene.
|
| dell |
Funny how dawnlee asked
about poem vs. picture book. Years ago, my picture book STARTED out
as a poem originally called 'The Bedtime Squeeze' Over the years, it
evolved into a full length picture book with a beginning (problem),
middle (humorous attempts to solve the problem, but creating new
problems), end (with a twist).
|
| janfields |
A lot of famous books
actually started out as something smaller.
|
| janfields |
The one that comes to
mind is Findle by Andrew...hmmm Clements...it started in his head as
a picture book
|
| janfields |
And became a
novel
|
| janfields |
I wouldn't be surprised
if a lot of picture books began as poetry.
|
| iluv2write |
what does talking heads
mean?
|
| janfields |
When a book is
basically just a conversation between parent and
child
|
| janfields |
Which, actually, a love
of lovey picture books are...
|
| janfields |
You have to take care
that there is enough progression so that you don't just have
pictures
|
| janfields |
of two people
talking..
|
| janfields |
and
talking
|
| janfields |
and
talking
|
| janfields |
Sometimes this is
handled by a time progression implied in the
dialogue
|
| janfields |
Which lets the
illustrator paint...folks at the breakfast table, looking out the
car window, etc
|
| kimber6 |
I was told my punctuation
is too perfect. Why is that bad?
|
| janfields |
I have no
idea.
|
| janfields |
I try to use correct
punctuation...though sometimes...
|
| janfields |
there are "correct"
uses of comma
|
| janfields |
That can lead to too
many commas on a page
|
| janfields |
And editors do tend to
subscribe to the "less is more"
|
| janfields |
school of
thought.
|
| janfields |
Use what you need for
complete clarity...
|
| janfields |
but don't let the
commas look like your page is covered in fly poop.
|
| caq |
Maybe the editor wanted
something to do?
|
| janfields |
Yeah, we don't want
editors to feel underworked :-)
|
| n.c.
murphy |
Are fairies
popular?
|
| janfields |
Yes and
no
|
| janfields |
Fairies have really
been done to death in so many ways
|
| janfields |
but kids LOVE
them
|
| janfields |
So editors are always
looking for fresh new fairies
|
| janfields |
So if you LIKE fairies,
it really pays...a LOT...to know what fairy fantasy is out
there
|
| janfields |
So you know you're
different and unique
|
| ocean |
where do I find a list of
Newberry winners? or any awards?
|
| janfields |
Newbery...one r...I
know that's weird
|
| janfields |
You can find them by
Googling
|
| janfields |
Just put in the name of
the award you want to know about ...into Google
|
| janfields |
And you'll find tons of
sites where they list the winnners...
|
| janfields |
talk about the
winners...
|
| janfields |
critique the
winners...
|
| janfields |
complain about the
winners...
|
| janfields |
It's a fascinating bit
of research.
|
| janfields |
You can also google
"children's book awards" and get more obsure awards
|
| janfields |
No, you're not dumb...I
love googling Newbery
|
| janfields |
I have found the most
bizarre sites that way...
|
| janfields |
One of my favorites
rated the Newbery winner.
|
| janfields |
So I could have given
you just the ALA site -- the folks who give out the Newbery
awards...
|
| janfields |
but there are a lot
more interesting sites out there.
|
| dragonlady |
so you're saying a book
with biker faeries and tatoos would be cool, right
Jan?
|
| janfields |
Oh, yeah...have you
read Holly Black?
|
| janfields |
Her stuff is so hot
with the kids and she basically would have biker fairies and
tattoos.
|
| ladrac |
what are other important
child/lit awards besides newbery?
|
| janfields |
Well, virtually every
state has book awards
|
| janfields |
And they all drive
sales
|
| janfields |
And the Caldecott Medal
for picture books is big
|
| janfields |
There is a new award
now for early readers...hmmm the Giesel...or something like
that
|
| janfields |
After doctor
seuss
|
| janfields |
The Whitbred in
England...is the award over there
|
| janfields |
Pullman one that once
for a children's book.
|
| janfields |
And there are many
more
|
| freckles |
Are rhyming books hard to
sell?
|
| janfields |
Yes and
no
|
| janfields |
They are very hard to
write
|
| janfields |
Because the meter must
be flawless
|
| janfields |
The story must be
fantastic
|
| janfields |
The rhyme must be
perfect...never forced, never twisting sentences to make a
rhyme.
|
| janfields |
But if you can do all
those things and make a lively book
|
| janfields |
It's not so hard to
sell it...but the writing gymnastics you have to do
|
| janfields |
to write a good rhyming
picture book are way beyond me.
|
| janfields |
Actually the very very
best market for rhyming short stories...
|
| janfields |
Is
Hopscotch.
|
| janfields |
The editor LOVES
rhyming short stoires
|
| janfields |
And will pick them OVER
prose.
|
| janfields |
Both Highlights and
Cricket have run rhyming stories but they are much harder to
sell
|
| janfields |
Because they don't
prefer them...they only take them if they are
fantastic.
|
| janfields |
I'm afraid it's 3pm my
friends.
|
| janfields |
Yeah, this hour flies
by for
me.
|
