| 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 five
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 |
Here, first, is the
Tasty Word of the Forum:...
|
| mel
boring |
soffit\SAW-fit\
noun...
|
| mel
boring |
I'll tell you that it's
a noun because it's a rather unusual word--soft-sounding!
(-:}
|
| mel
boring |
Send me your
definitions!
|
| mel
boring |
And NOW,
CONGRATULATIONS to George Kulz!!!:
|
| george
kulz |
Mel, I wanted to let
everyone know that I'm now an official graduate of ICL!
:-)
|
| mel
boring |
. o O (
CHEERSCHEERSCHEERSCHEERSCHEERSCHEERSCHEERS!!! )
|
| mel
boring |
WayToGo,
George!!!
|
| mel
boring |
AND, gladys1 took the
day off just to be here with us today--A WARM WELCOME,
gladys1!!!
|
| mel
boring |
arnalda/Diana sent us
her GOOD NEWS: Today in the mail, I received my contributor copies
from My Friend magazine. The December '05 issue has my story/article
titled “Saint Thomas and the Log: Two Miracles.”
|
| mel
boring |
HIGH CONGRATULATIONS,
arnalda/Diana!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Your contributor copies
are worth their weight in gold--so hold onto as many as you
can!...
|
| mel
boring |
Send COPIES of the
story/article to editors, instead of the ORIGINAL copies, my
friend....
|
| mel
boring |
I want to send our DEEP
SYMPATHY to arnalda/Diana,...
|
| mel
boring |
because her father so
recently died, and suddenly. Our hearts go out to you, our
friend!!!
|
| dell |
Mel, I've got some good
news this week. I sold an action rhyme to Highlights. It's called
"The Teddy Bear Bounce" and is my first poetry sale to
them!
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATULATIONS, dell,
you VERY SUCCESSFUL picture book publisher!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
We are TICKLED for you
that you sold to HIGHLIGHTS, and I'll be looking for that poem, "The
Teddy Bear Bounce" in my copies!!!
|
| mel
boring |
This GOOD NEWS comes
from Karen McCauley: My story "The Healing Garden" is in the
December issue of CHARACTERS Magazine.
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD NEWS from Gladys
Swedak, too!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Her story, "Losing
Femininity" has been published on LongStoryShort, and is a TRULY
TOUCHING story from her own life....
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATULATIONS,
Gladys!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
You can read the story,
as I did, at:...
|
| mel
boring |
http://www.alongstoryshort.homestead.com/LOSINGFEMININITY.html
|
| mel
boring |
This GOOD NEWS comes
from Karen McCauley: My story "The Healing Garden" is in the
December issue of CHARACTERS Magazine.
|
| mel
boring |
OUR HIGH TENS to you,
Karey McCauley!!!!!!!!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
"The Healing Garden" is
a MARVELOUS title, and I'll bet your story MATCHES that title,
friend!!! CONGRATS!!!
|
| aurora1 |
Thanks everyone,
Karen
|
| aurora1 |
congrats to you,
Gladys!!!
|
| gladys1 |
Mel
thanks
|
| mel
boring |
You are WARMLY WELCOME,
Karen and Gladys--we are ALL VERY PROUD of YOU!!!
|
| mel
boring |
Now to "soffit," that
soft-sounding word:...
|
| caq |
Soffit - the board about
your cupboards and the ceiling. Some people just have space, others
put in a soffit. I have to strip mine of wallpaper in the new
house!!! I have seen enough soffit for a while.
|
| mel
boring |
This person who is JUST
remodeling her new home knows that word!...
|
| mel
boring |
You're right, caq! A
soffit is the boards at the top of your
cupboards,...
|
| mel
boring |
and also the boards
under your eaves outside,...
|
| mel
boring |
and also the underside
of stairways--a real "constructive" word, don't you think?
(-:}
|
| gladys1 |
Mel I have never used a
"a" in the url just www.LongStoryShort.us
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for letting us
know, Gladys!
|
| tolkienlvr |
Mel, if you've worked
with an "assistant editor" at a mag recently and have a relationship
with them, and are submitting a new query, but the mag wants all
query's sent to the big "editor" : ), is there an appropriate way to
let the "assistant editor" know you have submitted again? Or
no?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes,
tolkienlvr....
|
| mel
boring |
What I'd suggest is
that you DO submit to the "big editor" (-:}...
|
| mel
boring |
but ALSO drop the
assistant editor a note to let THAT person know you've made a
submission, too, though not to send the assistant a copy of the
manuscript....
|
| mel
boring |
Just a "thought you'd
like to know" kind of e-mail, tolkienlvr.
|
| obrienj |
Can you submit a draft to
more than one publisher
|
| mel
boring |
Hi,
obrienj!...
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD question! And you
CAN do that, for sure, IF their listings state that they will
consider "simultaneous submissions."...
|
| mel
boring |
It's always polite,
too, to let them know that it IS being submitted to (an)other(s),
obrienj....
|
| mel
boring |
But if a listing says
"no simultaneous submissions," you'll know they want an EXCLUSIVE
look at it.
|
| mel
boring |
t green asks: I just
received a contract for a Devotions Book for Moms. It outlines all
the rights and other stuff, but I'm confused. It looks like they
want all rights exclusively. What do I do now?
|
| www.justformom.com, what I see there for rights they
take is: |
|
| in the form of a
byline. By submission of material, you grant JFM one-time electronic
and archival rights for one year." If that ISN'T the site you meant
by "Moms," please reply, OK |
|
| tolkienlvr |
thanks
mel!
|
| mel
boring |
You are WARMLY WELCOME,
tolkienlvr!
|
| spotslover2 |
You might say caq has had
a surfeit of soffit.
|
| mel
boring |
HA,
LOL!...
|
| caq |
Since the soffit is the
underside of or covering of spaces, etc. I think it should also be
used as a word to describe the underside or subplot in a story. The
soffet of a story.
|
| mel
boring |
EXCELLENT, caq, very
creative!
|
| mel
boring |
bassoonhny asks: Would
you suggest finishing the ICL coursework before submitting a story
for publication or making the attempt before
graduation?
|
| mel
boring |
The BEST guide as to
when to submit is to look to your instructor,
bassoonhny....
|
| mel
boring |
And even ASK your
instructor if they don't mention it....
|
| mel
boring |
As an instructor till
2000, I ALWAYS encouraged my students to send out a story for
publication...
|
| mel
boring |
when THEY felt they
were ready to submit....
|
| mel
boring |
It DOES NOT MATTER if
it's before graduation, bassoonhny,...
|
| mel
boring |
you can STILL submit.
But it's good to ask your instructor about it....
|
| mel
boring |
By the way, bassoonhny
RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT is playing...
|
| mel
boring |
The Nutcracker Suite on
her bassoon in the schools in her community!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
CHEERS FOR YOU,
bassoonhny!!!
|
| mel
boring |
And MERRY CHRISTMAS to
you!
|
| mel
boring |
BR has this musical
question: Over the last 28 years of composing music and writing
lyrics in Southern Gospel Music, I have published about 5 or 6
specific children's songs, and have a few more that have a theme
adaptable for young people. My idea is to write a story, and put the
songs into the story, but not necessarily as a musical. Does that
make any sense? Is there a market for a children's book that would
tell a story, and have songs in the story to enhance
it?
|
| mel
boring |
I would suggest you GO
FOR IT, BR!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Here is
why:...
|
| mel
boring |
If someone had asked
years ago, "What if I wrote a story about a boy who snuck out on
Christmas Eve...
|
| mel
boring |
and went on a train to
the North Pole and met Santa Claus...
|
| mel
boring |
and got a present from
Santa, a bell that no adults could hear....
|
| mel
boring |
I hope as an editor I
would NOT have said NO to that POLAR EXPRESS by Von Alsberg, that
became such a HUGE Christmas hit!...
|
| mel
boring |
So what I'm saying, BR,
is that YOU may have an idea now in your "song-stories" that could
become QUITE successful...
|
| mel
boring |
So GO FOR IT, my
friend!
|
| teriabc |
an agent that i queried
asked for temporary exclucivity
|
| teriabc |
while the material is in
there office. Do you know the
|
| teriabc |
amount of time an answer
usually takes from an agent...
|
| teriabc |
this puts a hold on the
submission process
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for sharing your
experience, teriabc!...
|
| mel
boring |
AGENTS can and DO
usually claim exclusivity...
|
| mel
boring |
because they will be
considering taking you on as a client....
|
| mel
boring |
So they NEED to have
things usually on hold to consider agenting a
writer....
|
| mel
boring |
Usually agents are
REALLY QUICK!...
|
| mel
boring |
I would say a couple of
weeks, to at most a month, would be the amount of time it takes to
hear from an agent...
|
| mel
boring |
If you DON'T by then, I
would feel free to contact them again, teriabc.
|
| bechu |
If you submit a song with
a storey do you provide the music?
|
| mel
boring |
Probably that would be
best, bechu....
|
| mel
boring |
Because the words of
the SONG would have to be tailored to the music, and an editor would
want to see how the WORDS work with the MUSIC,
friend.
|
| casey |
After Gladys let us know
that her story was up on LongStoryShort, I had to check because my
"Christmas Surprise" is there too.
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATULATIONS,
casey!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU for letting
us know, and...
|
| mel
boring |
the FIRST thing I'm
going to do after the forum is go READ your "Christmas
Surprise"!....
|
| mel
boring |
Truly a Merry Christmas
SURPRISE for us friends of yours, casey!!!
|
| mel
boring |
BIG THANKS to John
Prophet for letting us know about this Web Site for FREE poetry
contests:
|
|
|
| mel
boring |
MANY of you have asked
about bona fide poetry contests...
|
| mel
boring |
and the fact that those
John told us about are FREE probably means they're bona fide, since
you won't be asked to buy the book your poem is in!
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS to Michelle
Dyett-Welcome for letting us know about this offer from Echelon
Press, who will accept submissions for ELECTRONIC publication. You
can find out what they offer to publish, plus their guidelines at:
|
|
|
| mel
boring |
I don't know much about
Echelon Press,...
|
| mel
boring |
but they look very
GOOD, and I thought you'
|
| mel
boring |
would want to know
about them.
|
| mel
boring |
Michelle Dyett-Welcome
e-mailed to ask: Where would I find a good example of a writing
resume? I have been unsuccessful in locating one. My regular resume
is not proper to submit for a freelance writing job.
|
| writing resume:
There is a GOOD sample at Harold Underdown's Purple Crayon site, his
OWN: |
|
|
|
| mel
boring |
I already prepared that
answer, because I wanted to make sure to get that URL
right...
|
| mel
boring |
If you have never
visited the Purple Crayon Web Site, there are GOBS OF GOODIES for
children's writers there from our friend, Harold Underdown. I HIGHLY
RECOMMEND that site!
|
| mel
boring |
bassoonhny also asked:
When citing references for a magazine article, do editors prefer
“hard copy" references such as books, magazines, etc., or will Web
sites suffice?
|
| mel
boring |
Oh, bassoonhny, I can
almost HEAR that Nutcracker Suite you're playing even as I answer,
friend!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Editors
PREFER
|
| mel
boring |
books and magazine
articles, for SURE, you got that right!...
|
| mel
boring |
And Web site references
are good, unless ALL your references are just Web
sites....
|
| mel
boring |
In a bibliography of,
say, ten pieces, if two or three are Web sites, that would be
acceptable....
|
| mel
boring |
Because many Web sites
are unreliable and have no names or dates on
them,...
|
| mel
boring |
editors look askance if
ALL of your references are only Web sites,
bassoonhny.
|
| mel
boring |
CC wants to know: With
so many celebrities getting into the field of writing children's
books, what chance does an unknown have to be published? Has this
trend hurt our chances?
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD question,
CC!...
|
| mel
boring |
You have as good a
change competing with the celebrities as you do...
|
| mel
boring |
in competing with
children's writers like Maurice Sendak and Jane Yolen and Sid
Fleischman and Jane Kurtz, CC....
|
| mel
boring |
That is, the
celebrities may sell MORE BOOKS just because of their
names,...
|
| mel
boring |
but if their first book
gets "thumbs-down" reviews, they aren't going to sell as many of the
NEXT one....
|
| mel
boring |
Of ALL the celebrities,
I hear the BEST things about two of them....
|
| mel
boring |
One of them is Paul
McCartney and...
|
| mel
boring |
the other is Henry
Winkler....
|
| mel
boring |
What I hear--AND have
read in Winkler's....
|
| mel
boring |
is that they seem to
REALLY CONNECT with kids....
|
| mel
boring |
But there are some
celebs who may not be around long, like a certain rock singer who
has only one name for herself. (-:}...
|
| mel
boring |
and I don't think
celebs make any MORE competition for us than the really great and
established children's writers.
|
| mel
boring |
RN asks: With folklore
and fairy tales, there are many different varieties of the same
story (e.g. how many Cinderella and Snow Whites are out there?) Is
permission required to be requested if I were to use an obscure
foreign folklore or old fairytale story and rewrite it completely in
a modern setting especially if the folklore or fairytale was read in
a published book of fairy tales say 40/60/100 years
ago?
|
| mel
boring |
No permission needs to
be asked for a Cinderella or Snow White story, RN, as long as it's
not a word-for-word copy of one already published and
copyrighted....
|
| mel
boring |
So you could write
Cinderella in your OWN words, and no copyright
problem....
|
| mel
boring |
If you REWRITE any folk
tale or fairy tale in your OWN words, it doesn't matter when it was
published....
|
| mel
boring |
In fact, there are
take-offs on fairy tales, such as THE THREE PIGS that do NOthing to
violate copyright because they are NEW stories, RN.
|
| aurora1 |
congrats to you,
Casey!!That was a surprise I'll bet
|
| mel
boring |
Hey, a Christmas
Surprise for casey!....
|
| mel
boring |
That in itself sounds
like a GOOD story title, aurora1!!!
|
| mel
boring |
But I think casey told
us last summer that the story was scheduled....
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATS again, casey,
from us ALL!!!
|
| dyett |
what should you do if an
agent takes for ever to get back
|
| dyett |
to you regarding your
book proposal. over the time they stat
|
| dyett |
state.
|
| mel
boring |
dyett, you should
contact them after, at MOST, three months...
|
| mel
boring |
because the GOOD agents
are QUICK, that is a SECRET of their success....
|
| mel
boring |
And a GOOD agent won't
mind your contacting them after 3 months, dyett.
|
| mel
boring |
If they say one month,
then I would contact them at, say, six weeks.
|
| mel
boring |
LK wrote to ask: I have
a couple of stories that I sold to the same magazine over the past
couple of years. I have submitted a couple of stories to them that
were not purchased. My question is: When I submit new
stories/articles to this same magazine, do I continue to remind them
of the articles they have already bought from me?
|
| mel
boring |
No, you don't HAVE to
remind them of our previous stories, LK,...
|
| mel
boring |
but it is a GOOD IDEA
to refresh their memories that way, I think....
|
| mel
boring |
MOST editors have
really prodigious memories, SUPERMEMORY, and can
remember...
|
| mel
boring |
But it woudn't hurt to
remind them that you have been previously published by them,
LK....
|
| mel
boring |
And if there should
come a NEW editor, by all means remind them!
|
| caq |
Speaking of websites.
Just for an example. I wrote a beaver article that included 2
websites. I checked the other week and found one is no longer
available so I found a replacement to fill that slot that had that
info. Make sure they are still active sites evern after first
submissions.
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, THAT is the reason
editors are leery of Web sites, good comment,
caq!!!....
|
| mel
boring |
Web sites can come and
go, so make SURE they're working links when you list them in your
bibliography....
|
| mel
boring |
and keep checking on
them up to your time of publication, to make sure they're still
working.
|
| mel
boring |
If a Web site has an
end-tag of ".org" or ".edu," they probably will be around for a long
time, by the way.
|
| rosez |
Mel, here is a contest I
thought some writers might be inter-
|
| rosez |
ested in. There is no fee
involved but you have to submit online
|
| rosez |
www.lhmint.org/christmas/contest.htm
|
| mel
boring |
A GOOD Christmas Gift
for us, rosez, and THANK YOU!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
That sounds like a
WINNER of a contest!
|
| mel
boring |
caq is asking: Grit
says they purchase "shared rights". What does that mean? What rights
do they share?
|
| mel
boring |
I have to say I have
never heard the term "shared rights," caq....
|
| mel
boring |
but my guess is that
you would be free to submit the piece elsewhere,...
|
| mel
boring |
that GRIT would share
the rights with others....
|
| mel
boring |
When GRIT publishes the
piece, the FIRST Rights are gone, as you know....
|
| mel
boring |
But Reprint Rights
and/or Second Rights could be the ones they are talking about
"sharing."...
|
| mel
boring |
I haven't had a chance
yet, but I will look into that more for next Tuesday,
OK?
|
| dyett |
mel did I miss the answer
about the resume's?
|
| mel
boring |
It will be in the
transcript afterward, dyett, at:...
|
| mel
boring |
http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/ws09/index.shtml
|
| mel
boring |
And THANKS for
asking!@
|
| mel
boring |
MORE about celebrity
authors!:...
|
| crabby
j |
Hi Mel. Also, most celeb
"authors" have professional...
|
| crabby
j |
writers/editors, etc.
working up the book, no?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, they do, and
spotslover2 has more about one of those celebs who
DOES!...
|
| spotslover2 |
Yeah, but Winkler has Lin
Oliver to help him. John Lithgow's are good also.
|
| mel
boring |
You are RIGHT ON ALL
COUNTS, spotslover2!
|
| susan
ralston |
what contest was rosz
referring to?
|
| mel
boring |
It was a contest for
Christmas, susan ralston, and the URL for finding out about it is:
www.lhmint.ort/christmas/contest.htm
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for bring it up
again!
|
| mel
boring |
caq is asking: Grit
says they purchase "shared rights". What does that mean? What rights
do they share?
|
| mel
boring |
WHOOPS, already
answered that, for now!
|
| mel
boring |
caq also asked: If a
magazine wants clips and/or written samples, could they sometimes
have an interest in the sample? In other words, isn't that a good
way to advertise yourself to them?
|
| mel
boring |
YES, that's a GOOD
possiblity, caq, if it's a topic they cover in
nonfiction,...
|
| mel
boring |
or if it is RELATED to
the kind of thing they publish....
|
| mel
boring |
It could "score points
with them" for you!
|
| mel
boring |
High Hopes asked: Do
you need to give a title to a puzzle or maze when you submit
it?
|
| mel
boring |
No, you don't have to,
High Hopes, but I would suggest that you DO...
|
| mel
boring |
The reason is that a
title will make the puzzle of maze seem
"complete."...
|
| mel
boring |
What will likely happen
is that the editor will end up titling it
themselves,...
|
| mel
boring |
but YOUR title will
"give them something to go on," maybe a theme.
|
| mel
boring |
High Hopes asked too:
The ICL website writers guidelines state an article should be
850-1200 words. Do you accept shorter articles?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, in fact we HAVE
HAD articles that were closer to 800 words, and used them, High
Hopes.
|
| mel
boring |
RS followed up with
this question: Mel, last week you clearly explained how one might
expect an "average" or "good" book to make initially and then by the
month. I'd like to know, if a books is average, how many months
would it be likely to sustain this level of sales?
|
| mel
boring |
Probably for a few
years anyway, RS...
|
| mel
boring |
The rule of thumb USED
to be that a book that good would last about five years on the
shelves...
|
| mel
boring |
But things move more
swiftly nowadays....
|
| mel
boring |
But if your book was an
average or good success, it would be around at least 2 or 3
years...
|
| mel
boring |
Here's a statistic. The
"critter books" in a series that I've been part
of...
|
| mel
boring |
have lasted TEN YEARS
now, rather unusual....
|
| mel
boring |
But it is because the
ILLUSTRATIONS are SO STRIKING, I think, that they have "lived so
long."...'
|
| mel
boring |
But generally, if a
book gets off to good sales, it will last several years, though the
sales MIGHT taper off some over that time.
|
| gladys1 |
Mel what is the name of
your critter books
|
| mel
boring |
Oh-oh, you'd think I
had brought that on, but I wasn't meaning to,
gladys1...
|
| mel
boring |
One is called
CATERPILLARS, BUGS AND BUTTERFLIES...
|
| mel
boring |
and they are from
NorthWord Press, which is a way to find them at, say,
Amazon.com.
|
| mel
boring |
Here is a final word I
just HAVE to pass on, from vettemom:...
|
| vettemom |
The best gift we can give
our loved ones this holiday is....
|
| vettemom |
a written word from the
heart.
|
| vettemom |
try it this year, you
will be glad you did
|
| mel
boring |
AMEN and AWOMEN,
vettemom!!! THANKS for that, my friend!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
BYE for
now!...
|
| mel
boring |
THIS Thursday evening,
we have as Chat Guests:....
|
| mel
boring |
Linda Lowery and Rick
Keep,...
|
| mel
boring |
a wife and husband
WRITER and ILLUSTRATOR TEAM....
|
| mel
boring |
They are TERRIFIC! I
had such FUN with them in practice Monday....
|
| mel
boring |
You will LIKE chatting
with them, I guarantee. "See you" Thursday
evening?...
|
| mel
boring |
A Blessed Christmas
time to you in these days just
ahead!!!
|
