| janfields |
March 13, Afternoon
Open Forum begins in two minutes...so be ready with your burning
writing questions! Two Minutes.
|
| janfields |
Welcome to afternoon
open forum...we're just packed with folks today...or not. But I'm
not totally alone so I'm happy. Welcome.
|
| janfields |
Those who are in the
auditorium can see our next guest speaker
|
| janfields |
The lovely Kristy
Dempsy
|
| janfields |
She'll be here in April
to talk about having a successful writing life EVEN WHEN you don't
live in the US.
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| janfields |
Folks have asked me to
get a speaker for that topic.
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| janfields |
Kristy has sold to US
kid magazines.
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| janfields |
Has gotten a US
agent
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| janfields |
And sold two books in
the US...all while living in Brazil
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| janfields |
So she should be a big
help to those wanting more info
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| janfields |
on breaking the US
market while dealing with postage...and the lack of
smooze-ability.
|
| janfields |
So...let's hit my
pre-sent questions.
|
| janfields |
ANGIE: Since I've
always had my comfort level in fiction, nonfiction is kind of
foreign territory for me. However, I feel it's worth tackling. I
read somewhere that 85% of what we wind up reading in our life is
nonfiction. I am working on a piece and wondered how many sources
are considered protocol for 400 words. What is required as far as a
bibliography, etc.? Are there any legitimate and reputable on-line
sources that editors would accept?
|
| janfields |
Basically, the number
of sources you need depends upon a couple things.
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| janfields |
How good your sources
are
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| janfields |
And who you're selling
to.
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| janfields |
For example, if you
were writing an article on a Mill Girl
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| janfields |
And your source is the
diary of the girl
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| janfields |
You could probably just
use that.
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| janfields |
One
source.
|
| janfields |
But once you start
talking about the mills and the pattern of hiring mill girls or the
social ramifications or how long girls were hired in the
mills.etc
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| janfields |
You're going to need
more sources to cover the topic.
|
| janfields |
Because the diary won't
have all you need -- even though it's an EXCELLENT source as it's
primary.
|
| janfields |
Now, if you're writing
a general article about Mill Girls and writing 400
words.
|
| janfields |
You would probably need
three sources.
|
| janfields |
Almost everyone would
like to see three sources unless you have a single primary source
for a very specific topic.
|
| janfields |
But you couldn't
say...just use a book titled _Mill Girls and their Lives_ written in
1998
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| janfields |
That wouldn't be enough
source
|
| janfields |
You COULD though use
_Mill Girls and their Lives_ plus two diaries found as part of
American Memories
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| janfields |
The Library of Congress
website.
|
| janfields |
As for what online
sources can be considered.
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| janfields |
Most of the Smithsonian
museums.
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| janfields |
American Memory -- the
Library of Congress
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| janfields |
The National
Archives.
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| janfields |
Some...Some...university sites
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| janfields |
Some places like
national zoos
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| janfields |
Some places like
historical society websites.
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| janfields |
But if uses university
sites, zoos, or historical society websites...be
careful.
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| janfields |
Many publishers will
want you to be very sure the site is quoting good
sources.
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| janfields |
Even in university,
smaller museums, smaller aquariums/zoos, small historical
societies...bad info can be passed around and quioted as
source.
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| janfields |
So...think big,
prestigious, connected with the government.
|
| coloradokate |
In my writers' group, we
were discussing whether it's possible to "over-revise" something and
sort of kill it, in much the same way that overworking ruins a piece
of visual art. Any thoughts on that?
|
| janfields |
Sure,
totally.
|
| janfields |
I've overrevised the
heck out of stuff before.
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| janfields |
Which is why it's
always good to do revisions with lots of saved
versions.
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| janfields |
So when you find
yourself going somewhere that is killing the piece
|
| janfields |
You can go back to
where "it still worked" and go forward again.
|
| janfields |
When I got my first
agent (okay, my only agent...my ex-agent?)
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| janfields |
He wanted a lot of
revisions of my picture book
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| janfields |
And I was so delighted
that he wanted to rep someone with one freaking picture book that I
went blind or stupid or something
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| janfields |
And I just did
everything he said.
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| janfields |
And the book ended up
dead, flat, and icky.
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| janfields |
And so he had more
suggestions...that I instituted without question
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| janfields |
deader...flatter...ickier.
|
| janfields |
Finally, we were both
getting frustrated
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| janfields |
And someone said...um,
Jan, why are you just doing what he says?
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| janfields |
And I realized I was an
idiot.
|
| janfields |
I went back to the
ORIGINAL version and I thought about what problems he might have
been seeing
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| janfields |
that made him make the
suggestions he did.
|
| janfields |
Then I made TOTALLY
DIFFERENT changes based on what I felt the right fix
was.
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| janfields |
And he loved
it.
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| janfields |
And a lot of editors
said lovely lovely things about it.
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| janfields |
It didn't sell
...bummer...but it went to a lot of acquisition meetings...so it got
out more than I do :-)
|
| janfields |
WeeWillieWinkie: Do you
know anything about Xlibris? The letter I received says that it is a
strategic partner of Random House venture. From what I read in the
letter, it sounds like it may be a vanity press. What is your take
on it?
|
| janfields |
Xlibris is a vanity
press
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| janfields |
And ...well...I hate
xlibris
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| janfields |
Not because they're a
vanity press...
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| janfields |
but because they bought
INKLINGS
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| janfields |
which was a terrific
writer ezine
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| janfields |
And then killed it by
trying to make it nothing but a press promo for
xlibris
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| janfields |
Boo
hiss.
|
| janfields |
I still miss
INKLINGS.
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| janfields |
But as vanity presses
go...they are about normal, not as expensive as
some.
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| janfields |
Still lousy
distribution, few ever get reviewed by top media, no library or
bookstore placement to speak of.
|
| janfields |
You won't sell a lot of
books if you use xlibris but they won't bleed you of as much money
as some either.
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| janfields |
|
| novel to
Carolrhoda books in November and then heard through SCBWI magazine
that the publisher was backed up from last year and might not get
through this years batch for a year. Have you heard anything about
this. Should I write to them to see if they even received it or wait
some more |
|
| janfields |
Carolrhoda suffers from
too little staff for the slush flood
|
| janfields |
But they don't want to
do what so many folks have done and close the gates
completely
|
| janfields |
because they really do
believe that good stuff can appear in the slushpile
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| janfields |
So they closed the door
except for this teeny gap.
|
| janfields |
But they still don't
have the staff to meet the demands of even that
gap.
|
| janfields |
I suspect they're going
to EITHER (1) eventually go totally no unsolicited --
bummer
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| janfields |
or give themselves
"read by" requirements
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| janfields |
Where after a certain
date, they just stuff all the subs in their return envelopes and
send them back.
|
| janfields |
But for right now, they
really are trying.
|
| janfields |
They're lagging...I
would send the thing to other people but not give up on hearing from
Carolrhoda.
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| janfields |
Just remember they're
holding it so you can pull it if it sells
elsewhere.
|
| raji |
Hi all. I've just in from
India and the time is 12 midnight
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| raji |
I've graduated the ICL
course last year and I.....
|
| raji |
want make my submission
to the US market. I wanted to....
|
| raji |
know whether the
submission rules are different for....
|
| janfields |
Raji, next month's
speaker is going to be PERFECT for you since she'll be talking about
dealing with US publishers from outside the market.
|
| janfields |
Basically virtually all
US publishers are open to submissions from outside the
US...
|
| janfields |
Well...actually...some
of the small publishers tend to discourage them.
|
| janfields |
Simply because it's
hard to pay folks...I heard some tiny magazines who find it becomes
a burden.
|
| janfields |
But generally, us
publishers are open.
|
| janfields |
Unfortunately, you're
stuck with the fact that a lot of publishers still don't take email
subs
|
| janfields |
And mail is expensive.
So you have to do what you can.
|
| janfields |
I would try to find
those publishers who do take submissions via the
mail.
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| janfields |
via the
email
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| janfields |
Many market guides will
let you know.
|
| janfields |
Also sometimes you can
hear about them on discussion boards and such.
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| janfields |
And if you can scrounge
an email address from the publisher's website, you can sometimes
email and get permission, since you're outside the US...even though
they don't generally like email subs.
|
| janfields |
We still don't have any
sure system for folks not in the US so I think a lot of if is trial
and error.
|
| janfields |
But Kristy should be a
big help with answers about this stuff.
|
| janfields |
Raji -- Yes, Highlights
will take submissions from authors outside the US...for
sure.
|
| janfields |
But they only take
submissions through the mail.
|
| janfields |
You can route your
submissions through your cousin...Highlights won't
care.
|
| janfields |
You can also, ask the
editor to reply to you (if they are offering an acceptance or
request for revision) via email instead of postage
|
| janfields |
Most editors will do
that once you make the initial contact through the postal
mail.
|
| janfields |
I don't -- right now --
have any plans to get any Highlights/Spider editors...it's kind of
hard to pin editors down. But in December, January, and February I
have a magazine editor and two book editors
scheduled.
|
| coloradokate |
What can I tactfully say
to some members of one of my critique groups who want me to change
my first-person narrator's voice? I've listened, and considered, and
decided not to--so, when I submit more chapters, I don't want them
to think I'm ignoring their earlier critiques, you
know?
|
| janfields |
Well, you can lead your
sub with a note like -- I know some are having trouble with my first
person narrator's voice, but I want to ride it a while longer and
see if I can go somewhere with this...I'm really feeling like I want
to keep working on it.
|
| janfields |
Or you can just ignore
them.
|
| janfields |
In my critique group,
sometimes folks have TOTALLY ignored my suggestions
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| janfields |
And it's worked out
fine.
|
| janfields |
I know I don't get all
bent about it.
|
| janfields |
As long as you're
gracious with the group as a whole, always saying "thanks" always
saying they've given you a lot to think about.
|
| janfields |
No one will feel like
you're just blowing them off.
|
| janfields |
A good group gives you
the room to write YOUR book
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| janfields |
They're just making
suggestions
|
| raji |
But if route thru my
cousin, do I've to give my local addy..
|
| raji |
or my cousin's address?
Wont the payment be a problem?
|
| raji |
Because my mss would be
sent from the US but I'll be..
|
| raji |
sitting in India and have
to receive the payments in India?
|
| raji |
Is it ok give my local
address and ask my cousin to take a..
|
| raji |
printout and post it from
the US?
|
| janfields |
Okay, if you're cousin
is open to sending and receiving mail for you.
|
| janfields |
Then it shouldn't be a
problem. Simply state in your cover letter that you're a writer in
India
|
| janfields |
And put your OWN
address on all correspondance.
|
| janfields |
Only put your cousin's
address on the actual SASE
|
| janfields |
SASE = Self-addressed
Stamped Envelope (there is always someone reading transcript who
wants to know acronyms)
|
| janfields |
The magazine will
either (1) automatically send the check to your home address because
it's on all the correspondance or (2) they will email you and ask
which address you prefer.
|
| janfields |
In either case, it
won't create a payment problem but will let your cousin collect your
responses from editors and send them to you in batches to save you
postage.
|
| janfields |
Again, I highly
recommend asking if the editor will correspond via email for
acceptances and revision requests.
|
| janfields |
It'll be much
cheaper.
|
| janfields |
Contracts and checks,
though, really need to go to you in India so put that on your
correspondence.
|
| janfields |
Wow...I can be just
windy sometimes, can't I?
|
| janfields |
I want to take a moment
to talk about POETRY FRIDAY
|
| janfields |
Thanks to everyone who
has sent poems.
|
| janfields |
A couple folks have
asked how long I'm going to run the contest.
|
| janfields |
Um...well, until I buy
all the prizes.
|
| janfields |
I want to get some cool
poetry books.
|
| janfields |
And...um...well, read
them before you win them.
|
| janfields |
Is that
evil?
|
| janfields |
Probably, but there you
have it.
|
| janfields |
I'll be running all the
poems in the newsletter and then we'll vote for the winner of the
prize package.
|
| janfields |
Plus...I'm going to get
something nifty from the office supply store and I promise I won't
even write with it before the winner wins it.
|
| janfields |
Even if it's really
nifty.
|
| janfields |
Oh, hey, gonewest...I
try always to be truthful.
|
| janfields |
I'll read the books
really gently so the spines don't get icky
wrinkles.
|
| raji |
What's the deadline for
the poetry sub, Jan?
|
| janfields |
Ummm...I don't
know.
|
| janfields |
A couple weeks
anyway.
|
| janfields |
I am having a lot of
fun reading all these poems.
|
| janfields |
The Children's Writer
eNews...the free email newsletter
|
| janfields |
told the
basics.
|
| janfields |
I'm looking for either
haiku, limericks, or odes.
|
| janfields |
Only no one wrote an
ode.
|
| janfields |
How could no one write
an ode?
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| janfields |
Ode to the
mailbox...
|
| janfields |
A poem where you speak
directly to an inanimate thing
|
| janfields |
where it sort of
represents something else.
|
| janfields |
So "Od to a Mailbox"
might represent your frustration at having it cough up rejections
instead of acceptance.
|
| janfields |
Anyway...folks are also
sending general verse.
|
| janfields |
I'm open
really.
|
| janfields |
Don't send "shape
poems" please cause I can't reproduce them in the
newsletter
|
| janfields |
A limerick is usually a
bit silly with a very specific meter and rhyme
|
| janfields |
There once was a writer
named Jan
|
| janfields |
Who wrote without even
one fan
|
| janfields |
She felt so
alone
|
| janfields |
Til one day at
home
|
| janfields |
A stalker leapt out of
the can!
|
| janfields |
That's kind of a weird
limerick
|
| janfields |
Cause it's off the top
of my head
|
| janfields |
But that's generally
the pattern
|
| janfields |
The meter looks a
little off there but that's mostly it.
|
| janfields |
Try not to send your
500 line epic poem about the struggles of writing because that's way
too long for the newsletter
|
| janfields |
But otherwise, I'm
pretty open.
|
| janfields |
At the end, we're going
to let folks vote and if we get a tie for the top
spots
|
| janfields |
I'll ask a group of
poets to pick a winner.
|
| janfields |
This is all kind of
off-the-cuff because I just wanted to have fun with
it.
|
| eggamy |
Thanks Jan for the list
of web sites for themed magaizines.
|
| eggamy |
the theme list are going
to be a help, I have an idea for
|
| eggamy |
Pockets.
|
| janfields |
Hey, terrific
Eggamy
|
| janfields |
I'm glad to here
it...this week's new article, by the way,
|
| janfields |
is going to be about
how to brainstorm up article ideas from theme list
topics
|
| janfields |
It's a cool article --
Karen Robuck wrote it.
|
| gonewest |
Will you do a critque for
our poem?
|
| janfields |
I wasn't planning to
critique any of the poems.
|
| janfields |
Though that does remind
me
|
| janfields |
It's off topic...but
what the heck.
|
| janfields |
I'm going to start a
"poetry workshop" on Kid Magazine Writers
|
| janfields |
And I'm going to get a
small panel of published poets
|
| janfields |
to critique poems sent
in by readers.
|
| janfields |
So...I'll give the
specifics of that in the April Kid Magazine Writers -- but if you
have a poem you want critiqued...you can send it in
|
| janfields |
Though we'll only
choose one a month.
|
| janfields |
But it'll be a way to
talk about different techniques in rhyme, meter, imagery,
etc.
|
| janfields |
Okay, that takes us to
the end of today...thanks for coming and be glad you're not here
with me. I'm back to being a germ infested pitiful
person.
|
| janfields |
*cough
cough*
|
| janfields |
I'll be glad when my
wee girlie stops bringing home viruses from school.
|
| janfields |
I seem to embrace them
all!
|
| janfields |
The next open forum
will be March 23, and it's a night
forum.
|
