| 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 3 Atlantic/CANADA, 2 p.m.
Eastern, 1 p.m. Central, noon Mountain, and 11 am 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 |
Hello Writer
folk
|
| janfields |
And Happy Valentine's
Day
|
| janfields |
I do love chocolate
holidays.
|
| janfields |
Let's jump right
in...with happy talk.
|
| janfields |
High Hopes says: I just
found out a couple of days ago that Boys' Quest want to buy two sets
of riddles that I submitted. Yea!
|
| janfields |
Yeah
|
| janfields |
I love riddles and
puzzles...such fun to do.
|
| janfields |
She's gonna miss some
of her questions...alas.
|
| janfields |
Highhopes asks: What is
the policy if you have something published in a local newspaper? Do
you retain "all rights"?
|
| janfields |
I wanted to talk a
minute about rights...
|
| janfields |
Courts have decided
that you cannot ACCIDENTALLY sign away all
rights...
|
| janfields |
SO, if you do not have
a contract...
|
| janfields |
then the DEFAULT for
rights is "one time use"
|
| janfields |
Now, if you sell to a
newspaper or small magazine...
|
| janfields |
obviously that piece
has now been published once
|
| janfields |
so you can't sell
"first rights" to anyone...but newspapers have pretty small
circulations
|
| janfields |
So you should be able
to sell to most publishers...they aren't going to be
bothered
|
| janfields |
about a previous
newspaper sale.
|
| janfields |
Just tell about it in
the cover letter.
|
| janfields |
CJ says: I have a
question. I asked my instructor about a magazine that requires
copies of your research. I know you send in bibliograhies, but
actual copies from the pages of a book I've researched...this was
the first time I heard that.
|
| janfields |
Some magazines want to
see
|
| janfields |
photocopies of the
pages where you found your research
|
| janfields |
in books, magazines,
and websites
|
| janfields |
Cricket will want to
see that
|
| janfields |
Highlights will want to
see that
|
| janfields |
Cobblestone
will
|
| janfields |
But magazines like
Hopsctoch, Pockets, and smaller mags are usually content with a good
bibliography
|
| janfields |
unless they question
something you say.
|
| janfields |
Personally, I just get
in the habit of photocopying sources and highlighting the
specific
|
| janfields |
info I
use.
|
| janfields |
And I write the source
information (magazine name, issue, etc on the
photocopy)
|
| janfields |
Then I have it if I
need it.
|
| janfields |
Nipper asks about sales
rankings on online booksellers like B&N.
|
| janfields |
If you have a book out
with a commercial publisher...
|
| janfields |
you are better off to
pay ZERO attention to any online sales rankings
|
| janfields |
They are very close to
meaningless.
|
| janfields |
They reflect only sales
with that particular online market..and the sales rankings are
weird
|
| janfields |
because they don't
reflect just your sales but your sales compared to what else is
selling right then.
|
| janfields |
I know some
self-published folks are sort of forced to obsess about
them...
|
| janfields |
but they really aren't
very informational.
|
| janfields |
However, if you DON"T
have a ranking with a specific source...
|
| janfields |
it just means THAT
market hasn't sold a book yet.
|
| monkee |
For the rights - USA or
Canada decision?
|
| janfields |
USA...though actually
most countries protect writers MORE than the US
|
| janfields |
Not
less...
|
| janfields |
I know virtually all
countries are more protective of copyright than the
US.
|
| janfields |
Well, skipping some
third world countries...some don' t have a lot of case law in that
area.
|
| spotslover2 |
I just heard through my
regional SCBWI discussion board that HIGHLIGHTS is specifically
looking for younger non-fiction; no more than 400 words. Check it
out on their website.
|
| janfields |
Highlights is ALWAYS
looking for nonfiction for very young children.
|
| janfields |
They like the
nonfiction to be interactive -- get the kids
moving.
|
| janfields |
And very
focused.
|
| janfields |
They prefer NOT to get
anything about bugs or birds
|
| janfields |
As they get an
incredible amount of bugs and birds.
|
| janfields |
But if you can write
focused, non cute nonfiction for younger kids...Highlights will LOVE
you.
|
| josh
goldfine |
Does anyone have any
thoughts on sports books for children?
|
| janfields |
Publishers are always
looking for GOOD sports books.
|
| janfields |
In nonfiction, they
like to see very specific books -- profiles of
atheletes.
|
| janfields |
Or introductions to the
sport.
|
| janfields |
For fiction, the plot
must be bigger than the sport.
|
| janfields |
And the "sport parts"
must be very authentic.
|
| janfields |
It's not easy to do
unless you are very sports minded yourself.
|
| gracem |
Is there a specific
format for submitting a rebus?
|
| janfields |
A rebus is formatted
just like any submission...
|
| janfields |
Though
usually
|
| janfields |
The concrete nouns that
will be replaced by pictures are underlined.
|
| janfields |
You simply tell the
editor that it's a rebus in the cover letter.
|
| janfields |
Passion asks: When
sending in my mss for a read, if asked for my ss# do I have to give
it to that magazine?
|
|
|
| janfields |
Some magazines that
don't work with a contract...
|
| janfields |
will ask for social
security numbers at the time of submission...
|
| janfields |
this saves THEM time
since they'll need to get the number in order to pay
you...
|
| janfields |
but you won't get
rejected if you send a great piece without the
number.
|
| janfields |
The editor will simply
need to get it after the piece is accepted.
|
| janfields |
The reason editors
sometimes ask for the number at submission...is that writers
are
|
| janfields |
incredibly
forgetful
|
| janfields |
and the editor can end
up accepting a piece, publishing it and then trying to track
down
|
| janfields |
the Social Security
number of the financial department...which adds stress to an
editor's day.
|
| janfields |
So if you DON'T send it
with a submission...be ready to send it promptly when asked
for.
|
| janfields |
rls asks: Thanks for
the explanation about informational stories. When you submit one of
these, do you indicate that in the cover letter or just call it a
fiction story?
|
| janfields |
rls asks: Thanks for
the explanation about informational stories. When you submit one of
these, do you indicate that in the cover letter or just call it a
fiction story?
|
| janfields |
Uh, oh...got a stutter
there.
|
| janfields |
For those who missed my
earlier pontificating..
|
| janfields |
And informational story
marries plot
|
| janfields |
and facts to create a
solid story
|
| janfields |
that also teaches
children something about the world.
|
| janfields |
When I've sold
these...I don't call them anything except fiction
|
| janfields |
But
...
|
| janfields |
for one I sold, I said
something like "Readers will enjoy following Night Eyes on
her
|
| janfields |
nocturnal adventures,
and will learn a bit about possums, too."
|
| janfields |
Thus, stressing it as
an adventure story first
|
| janfields |
and informational
second.
|
| janfields |
Night Eyes sold to
Ladybug.
|
| janfields |
And had the cutest
illustrations...I love the illustrators there.
|
| janfields |
Do you guys look at
magazine illustrations much?
|
| janfields |
I have favorite
magazines based on how much I love what they do with the
illustrations.
|
| janfields |
The Cricket group hires
some of the best and brightest in illustrators.
|
| janfields |
Which is one reason why
I semi-forgive them for buying all rights.
|
| janfields |
I just like the way my
stuff LOOKS when they're done with it.
|
| high
hopes |
What makes a great
cumulative (step) story?
|
| janfields |
Wow, if I knew that FOR
SURE, I would have sold one by now :-)
|
| janfields |
But each piece of the
sentence/story needs to suggest a very different
illustration.
|
| janfields |
And it helps if there
is a surprise at the end.
|
| janfields |
For those who don't
know the term, a cummulative story
|
| janfields |
is one that builds ...
like This is the house that Jack Built...this is the grain that lay
in the house...
|
| janfields |
Only for
Highlights...they are very short...often only a sentence or
two.
|
| janfields |
Did that explain it
well enough, Gladys?
|
| janfields |
Or should I run on
further?
|
| coloradokate |
I just realized that my
cover letters don't mention "fiction" anywhere in them. Am I doomed?
(I do use the word "story," though.)
|
| janfields |
If you say
"story"
|
| janfields |
And the piece reads
like fiction, I wouldn't worry
|
| janfields |
About the only time I
*might* stress "fiction" is if it could be
confused...
|
| janfields |
if it sounds memoir-ish
at all
|
| writersblock |
When Highlights and other
magazines say they don't want bug stories, does that general "bug"
category include spiders?
|
| janfields |
It isn't that they
won't buy bug stories at all (and that does include
spiders)
|
| janfields |
It's just that they get
so many
|
| janfields |
But I sold a story to
Cricket not long ago with carnivorous caterpillars
|
| janfields |
So obviously it's not a
BAN on "bug stories" just that you would have to be very
focused
|
| janfields |
On something unexpect
or unusual
|
| dell |
This month's BABYBUG has
a cute and simple cumulative story about a bunny in a crib. The
author starts with bunny, then the ears, then the fluffy tail,
etc.
|
| janfields |
Great...dell.
|
| janfields |
I was trying to
remember the one I read in Highlights once.
|
| janfields |
The story had a little
boy collecting up stuff
|
| janfields |
And ended with him
having a yard sale
|
| janfields |
All in one
sentence!
|
| eggamy |
Does the writer provide
the drawing for a rebus?
|
| janfields |
Nope...only if you sell
to Wee Ones.
|
| janfields |
They are the ONLY rebus
market that I know of where you provide your own
illustrations.
|
| coloradokate |
What do some magazines
mean when they say "true stories only--no fiction"? Would that be
memoirs? They're not talking about non-fiction.
|
| janfields |
Well, yes, in a way
they mean memoirs...since you're an adult and it's from your
childhood
|
| janfields |
or teen
years
|
| janfields |
but they don't want it
written in a "looking back" style
|
| janfields |
but more of a "I am
that age" style
|
| janfields |
I know Sweet 16 buys
stories like that
|
| janfields |
The stories may have
happened years ago, but you write them as if they just
happened.
|
| janfields |
Maybe last week and you
are that teen.
|
| janfields |
The same holds true for
the religious children's magazines with the same
"rule"
|
| eggamy |
How long does the rebus
run?
|
| janfields |
100 words is most
common
|
| writerx |
Hi Jan- do you have any
tips for 'tightening' writing? I
|
| writerx |
no matter how many times
I reread- it needs tightening..any
|
| janfields |
Well, I write VERY
tight...
|
| janfields |
it's a left over from
journalism school
|
| janfields |
But even I have to cut
words sometimes
|
| janfields |
One way is to start on
the paragraph level...ask the paragraph -- what purpose do you
serve?
|
| janfields |
How does it serve the
plot (in fiction)?
|
| janfields |
How does it serve the
slant/focus in nonfiction?
|
| janfields |
often we let "cool
stuff" creep in that doesn't serve plot or slant.
|
| janfields |
Then I do it sentence
by sentence with the same question.
|
| janfields |
Does the reader NEED to
know this?
|
| janfields |
Will it wreck the
story/article if the reader doesn't know it?
|
| janfields |
What builds on
this?
|
| janfields |
Then I just go through
with the goal of cutting one word from every
sentence.
|
| janfields |
Sometimes you have to
rephrase to do that...and often that will result in cutting more
than one word.
|
| janfields |
For me...cuts are
almost always done to fit word count.
|
| janfields |
But the same process
can result in tighter writing.
|
| janfields |
I look at all
modifiers...adjectives and adverbs -- can I remove
them?
|
| janfields |
Modifiers slow pace and
drag down tension in the sentence.
|
| janfields |
So they REALLY have to
be doing something great to justify that.
|
| janfields |
Sometimes they
are...and I leave them alone.
|
| janfields |
But a lot of times they
just hang in there because that's how I TALK so it's how I
write.
|
| cerridwyn |
How do you package a
submission with original artwork?
|
| janfields |
Never send original
artwork unless you've been asked to
|
| janfields |
For most
publications...submit full-color copies with the
submission
|
| janfields |
Virtually all magazines
have art guidelines
|
| janfields |
That are separate from
writer's guidelines
|
| janfields |
So when you send for
the guidelines...send for both if you also want to do
art.
|
| janfields |
But when you
submit...if you want to do your own art...one full-color copy is all
you need.
|
| janfields |
You don't have to send
ALL the art.
|
| janfields |
If you're sending
photos...again don't send your originals..and
|
| janfields |
some art guidelines
suggest laying a transparency over the surface
|
| janfields |
and then sandwiching
them between cardboard to keep them from cruppling in the
mail.
|
| janfields |
If you don't put the
transparency first...the cardboard might scratch the
surface.
|
| janfields |
Missy said: I was
reading a book called The (Expanded) Freelancer's Rulebook and it
mentioned that when a submission gets accepted the auther should
send in an Invoice. I never heard of that before. I'm still an
unpublished writer and not exactly sure of what that means. Could
you explain?
|
| janfields |
When I started
off...
|
| janfields |
back in the
1980s....
|
| janfields |
I wrote for grown-ups
magazines and they all wanted invoices.
|
| janfields |
So after you sent the
submission, and it was accepted, and you signed the contract (if
there was one)
|
| janfields |
You still had to send
an invoice or they wouldn't pay you.
|
| janfields |
Some grown-up magazines
still do it that way.
|
| janfields |
Children's magazines
generally do not.
|
| janfields |
In my children's
magazine writing...I can't remember the last time I invoiced
anyone.
|
| janfields |
And when I have..it's
usually when payment was lagging...badly.
|
| janfields |
And invoice is a way of
suggesting payment really is due.
|
| janfields |
Now, for what one
it.
|
| janfields |
is
|
| janfields |
It's just a kind of
letterish thing.
|
| janfields |
You put your name at
the top
|
| janfields |
Under it you put
contact information -- address, email, phone
|
| janfields |
Then the
date
|
| janfields |
Then the item they owe
money for
|
| janfields |
Then a remark like
"Amount due:"
|
| janfields |
and the
amount.
|
| janfields |
Then I usually write
"thanks" and sign my name if I'm mailing is.
|
| janfields |
Or just write "thanks"
if it's by email.
|
| janfields |
You sometimes have to
invoice newspapers (it's been my experience that they are BAD for
forgetting that you want to be paid)
|
| high
hopes |
How long should I wait to
contact Cricket about a submission
|
| janfields |
When did you send
it?
|
| janfields |
Ahhh...
|
| janfields |
They should have
responded by now
|
| janfields |
They lost
it.
|
| janfields |
I would resend the
submission along with a "reminder"
|
| janfields |
They have "dealt" with
everything from as long ago as November.
|
| janfields |
So you won't be hearing
from them unless you resend.
|
| janfields |
And I would say
something like, "I sent this sub in November 2005 but I know with
the recent
|
| janfields |
move, things must be
crazy so I'm resubmitting."
|
| janfields |
Did you get a "we
received this" notice in November?
|
| janfields |
It might never have
made it to the first reader then.
|
| janfields |
I might blame holiday
mail...but same concept.
|
| birdi |
Exactly what would one
put in the reminder with the Resubmitted piece?
|
| janfields |
Whenever I'm
resubmitting.
|
| janfields |
I mention that
something is a resubmit.
|
| janfields |
I mention any contact
we might have had -- sometimes they actually lose things they ASKED
for
|
| janfields |
by "they" I mean
editors, in general.
|
| janfields |
And then I say, "for
your convenience, I am enclosing the manuscript
again"
|
| janfields |
And I send another
SASE
|
| janfields |
I would love to have a
Hershey bar for all the SASEs I sent in my life...I could build a
chocolate house
|
| morningswing |
I sent a non-fiction
piece to Kidzone and recieved a form letter back with "may resub in
a year" checked. The editor scratched that out and wrote "six
months." So I sent it back and got the same form back from another
editor, this time it said resub in a year. Should I continue to send
it back?
|
| janfields |
KidZone gets easily
overwhelmed
|
| janfields |
They are a lovely
magazine...but they're a serious "one man band"
|
| janfields |
A lot of magazines are
like that.
|
| janfields |
So CLEARLY the editor
liked your piece.
|
| janfields |
Or she would have just
rejected it.
|
| janfields |
CLEARLY it fits them
editorially and is their kind of piece.
|
| janfields |
BUT she doesn't buy for
the file the way Highlights and the Cricket group
do.
|
| janfields |
So she WANTS it, but
she can't buy it.
|
| janfields |
PERSONALLY, as much as
I love editors...I would try to sell it somewhere
else.
|
| janfields |
And if it doesn't
sell...catch KidZone again in a year.
|
| janfields |
Oh..then I might sit on
it.
|
| janfields |
I have articles in a
folder that no ones wanted but I liked
|
| janfields |
When the time
comes...they'll sell.
|
| janfields |
I am ENDLESSLY
optimistic
|
| janfields |
Or I have a swelled
head..it's hard to tell the difference sometimes.
|
| janfields |
Jomo, yes, Cricket has
the mail forwarded.
|
| janfields |
They are scared that
the new address is going to get overwhelmed.
|
| janfields |
So they are using the
"lag time" to buy some breathing room.
|
| janfields |
Right now...life at
Cricket is messy messy.
|
| janfields |
Okay, before I run out
of time.
|
| janfields |
I really want to invite
folks to try to catch Thursday night's chat with Lauren
Barnholdt
|
| janfields |
Lauren is a junior
agent with Firebrand Literary
|
| janfields |
So if you want to ask
questions about why agents are weird -- she's your
target!
|
| janfields |
She's also writing a
book for Writer's Digest (with the help of Agent Nadia
Cormier)
|
| janfields |
about the process of
writing for teens
|
| janfields |
So she's a great source
on writing for teens
|
| janfields |
He personal specialty
is "chick lit" -- teen girl books.
|
| janfields |
And she's
funny.
|
| janfields |
Which is entertaining
to watch.
|
| janfields |
So, ya
|
| janfields |
all
|
| janfields |
should come if you
can
|
| tolkienlvr |
Jan, just to clarify,
that talk with Lauren will be posted later for those who can't make
it?
|
| janfields |
Oh yes, the transcript
will go online on Friday
|
| janfields |
Sometime in late
morning.
|
| janfields |
Those things are a
bugger to format...but it'll go up.
|
| janfields |
And if you want to get
in on the contest.
|
| janfields |
There is still time to
rush out and post something about the chat on some discussion
board
|
| janfields |
And send me the
link...I'll put you in the contest.
|
| janfields |
Oh, and one of the
author's of the books we're giving away
|
| janfields |
has offered to give the
winner a signed bookplate.
|
| janfields |
So that's
cool
|
| eggamy |
which boards can we
use
|
| janfields |
Any writing board would
be good.
|
| janfields |
Whatever ones you visit
regularly.
|
| janfields |
Right CAQ...you just
make a post about Lauren's chat...and a link to ICL
|
| janfields |
So folks can FIND the
chat
|
| janfields |
then drop me an email
about it
|
| janfields |
And you're in the
contest.
|
| janfields |
Thanks folks for
chatting with me...it was
fun.
|
