| 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 |
First, before all, caq
e-mailed me to suggest...
|
| mel
boring |
what MIGHT be a cause
of your not being able...
|
| mel
boring |
to USE all the
functions of this chat room....
|
| mel
boring |
The reason MAY be that
you have a FIREWALL installed...
|
| mel
boring |
either on your computer
operating system, or...
|
| mel
boring |
as part of your
anti-virus program....
|
| mel
boring |
There is really not
much that can be done about it,...
|
| mel
boring |
but it may help just to
understand it....
|
| mel
boring |
I am in the process of
talking to our INternet guru,...
|
| mel
boring |
Frank Ball, to see what
MIGHT be done about it. More later....
|
| mel
boring |
Also, last week I
answered a question from lisalisa,...
|
| mel
boring |
and promised to follow
up. Her question was:...
|
| mel
boring |
Cricket seems to be
more literary than what I write. I mean more folk tales, legends,
and historical pieces. There is a discrepancy in Appleseeds
guidelines. Online they say they are strictly nonfiction. Is that
true? I got a note from Daniel Lee saying that anyway. Daniel Lee is
at U*S* Kids.
|
| mel
boring |
lisalisa, I see NOthing
on the AppleSeeds web site that says "strictly nonfiction." But they
DO talk about nonfiction only, without mentioning fiction. [Is
Daniel Lee wanting you to submit to HIM, rather than
AppleSeeds?]...
|
| mel
boring |
AND Have YOU seen ANY
fiction stories in any of their sample issues?
|
| mel
boring |
I have not seen any of
their recent sample issues, and I'd appreciate your letting me know,
please!
|
| mel
boring |
Here is some GOOD NEWS
of publishing:...
|
| mel
boring |
Cheryl Whiting sent
this GOOD NEWS: NATURE
|
| a letter on my
submission (sent in February!!!) They're going to publish my article
in the near future! It was actually a sidebar piece I submitted as
part of another story that |
|
| on instead of the
original manuscript. The letter arrived |
|
| ICL Diploma - how
about that for a coincidence? I'm really |
|
| and my teacher,
Rita Ritchie(she's positively wonderful!). I plan to stay in touch
and keep up with the online chats as much as I can. I have four
stories now in the mail, with another one going out this week. I
can't thank everyone at the Institute enough for all the support and
encouragement I received to get this far. Everyone has been just
terrific |
|
| mel
boring |
HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS,
Chery, from ALL of us!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
NATURE FRIEND is a WELL
established and respected magazine...
|
| mel
boring |
and having your byline
in that magazine will "profit" you in other submissions to other
magazines!
|
| mel
boring |
Here is some news from
WWW, who asked last week...
|
| mel
boring |
where to find original
source materials for nonfiction. WWW emmed me with this
result:...
|
| mel
boring |
WWW sends us this NEWS
for Mainers: I found out that there is a state-wide online card
catalog system that includes all the universities and colleges in
Maine. I have been able to find everything that I
needed.
|
| mel
boring |
OOPS! Are people in
Maine called "Mainers," Mel asked sheepishly--baaaa!
(-:}...
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, WWW, for
letting us know about Maine....
|
| mel
boring |
My GUESS is that OTHER
states also have the same setup.
|
| mel
boring |
Here is more news that
could PROFIT you as a writer, from spotslover2:...
|
| mel
boring |
spotslover2 sent us
this wonderful NEWS: The SCBWI has just put out a downloadable
House-by-House Listing of Editorial Book Credits for children's
publishers, showing what books each has published. Only SCBWI
members can download it: go to: http://www.scbwi.org/members.htm
|
|
|
| Editorial
Credits |
|
| mel
boring |
I'm sorry the list
isn't available to nonmembers of SCBWI,...
|
| mel
boring |
BUT that is definitely
a benefit of joining SCBWI, and I encourage you to do
so....
|
| mel
boring |
By the by, you SCBWI
members will have to login at that site.
|
| loretta |
Mel, Carolyn Yoder asked
for a revision to an article I wrote. It has been 10 weeks now. I
have another article that I want to submit to her. Should I e-mail
or send it via mial addressed to her. Help please?
Loretta
|
| mel
boring |
Hi, loretta. I would
wait until the revision is dealt with before...
|
| mel
boring |
submitting anything
new....
|
| mel
boring |
But you CAN e-mail
Carolyn (whom I know is a NICE and patient
editor!)...
|
| mel
boring |
and ASK her if you may
send the new article, loretta....
|
| mel
boring |
And let US know how it
comes out, OK?
|
| mel
boring |
Here's ANOTHER state
with an online card catalogue:...
|
| mbvoelker |
Delaware has the same
sort of online card catalog, but actually getting the books on ILL
is not gauranteed. In fact I've been waiting over a year for one and
have about given up on ever seeing it.
|
| mel
boring |
WWW: Will YOU please
let us know later how the online system in MAINE works, and if it's
efficient?
|
| mel
boring |
Here's a P.S. from
spotslover2, that if you want to download...
|
| mel
boring |
the SCBWI Books
Published list I mentioned, FIRST go to
www.scbwi.org...
|
| mel
boring |
and there click on
"Publications" to take you to the download--THANKS
spots!
|
| mel
boring |
Here's a follow-up to a
discussion we had about poetry contests
recently:...
|
| delima-e |
I helped foil another
poetry contest rip off, they won't be
|
| delima-e |
doing that through the
local paper anymore
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD for you, delima-e!
That's one less outlet they'll have to carry on their
scam!
|
| gladys1 |
Mel jsut to let you know
that the website in 2005 Books Market for Annick Press is no longer
in use.
|
| gladys1 |
Annick Press in Toronto
Canada
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for letting us
know, gladys1!
|
| mel
boring |
Chitty has these GREAT
questions about the discussion boards in Writer's Retreat: There are
4 icons next to each message,one is message not read,the other is
delete and rewrite. When you get these next to your message like I
did, what does it mean?
|
| mel
boring |
I wanted to answer this
question here, about our discussion boards at Writer's
Retreat,...
|
| mel
boring |
which I HOPE you've
been able to go to....
|
| mel
boring |
There are actually FIVE
symbols that might appear beside each...
|
| mel
boring |
message in Writer's
Retreat, Chitty....
|
| mel
boring |
One is an EYELASH,
which means the message hasn't been read yet....
|
| mel
boring |
a second is a GARBAGE
CAN for deleting a message,...
|
| mel
boring |
a third is a PEN, where
you can modify/change the message....
|
| mel
boring |
And two last ones are
circles, one with a dot, the other with a line through
it...
|
| mel
boring |
The circle DOT means
that you've read through a "thread,"...
|
| mel
boring |
which is ALL the
messages on a particular topic...
|
| mel
boring |
The circle LINE is how
you can mark the thread UNREAD. THANKS for asking,
Chitty!
|
| mel
boring |
JS needs to know: I am
going to interview a few kids for a children's book I plan to write,
and I am wondering about releases that I need to have them sign. Is
there a standard release? I won't use their names in the story. To
protect them and myself, isn't it important to have them sign one?
Any idea on where I can find a template release?
|
| mel
boring |
If you DON'T use their
names, and you DON'T use pictures of them, JS,...
|
| mel
boring |
then you need NO
release....
|
| mel
boring |
However, if YOU feel
more comfortable having a release,...
|
| mel
boring |
then you can get
one....
|
| mel
boring |
There is no standard
release that I know of...
|
| mel
boring |
I would suggest this
wording:...
|
| mel
boring |
I give my permission
for _______ (author's) interview with me...
|
| mel
boring |
to be used in writing
the book, ____________ (title of book)....
|
| mel
boring |
Then have a signature
line for them to sign,...
|
| mel
boring |
and a line for the date
they signed it. This is all you need to do, if you want to,
JS.
|
| loretta |
If the protocol is to
wait, then I will wait. Is 10 weeks average for a 1st revision.
Carolyn is very nice and I met Marileta Robinson and Kim Griswell at
a Highlights conference in BoydsMill as well as Larry Rosler they
are all fantastic. What a great conference!
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for the
follow-up, loretta!...
|
| mel
boring |
There is no "average"
for revisions, though, so that part is
unanswerable....
|
| mel
boring |
If YOU feel 10 weeks is
long enough, then I'd suggest e-mailing Carolyn--she IS
nice....
|
| mel
boring |
Just ask her gently if
you can send another article.
|
| grandy1983 |
How can I make the scenes
in my middle-grade novel "Presto Chango" more focused? I just got my
assignment 2 back and my instructor said the scenes are strong and
funny but some are underdeveloped. How can I tell if the scenes are
strong enough for nt story?
|
| mel
boring |
You can FOCUS the
scenes, grandy1983,...
|
| mel
boring |
by doing two things:
FIRST: make sure there is a CLEAR beginning and a clear ENDING to
each scene....
|
| mel
boring |
That is, they should be
CRISP. Think of scenes in a film:...
|
| mel
boring |
They begin with
definiteness--no guessing, and most of the time the beginning is
OUTstanding in some way....
|
| mel
boring |
The end of a scene
should also be clear and crisp, perhaps with a punchline if the last
line is dialogue....
|
| mel
boring |
And that is the SECOND
way to FOCUS scenes, via the DIALOGUE...
|
| mel
boring |
Revise the dialogue
until it is CRISP, too, and as much LIKE real talk as can
be,...
|
| mel
boring |
without being
undecipherable.
|
| grandy1983 |
In my story, I have to
show readers how Preston transforms Ms. Murdoch into her old self
again, and throughout the story, I had him struggle through various
scenes until he reached the climax. The question is, how could I
show Preston changing Ms. Murdoch back into her old
self?
|
| mel
boring |
SIMILARLY to the way
you've shown the transformations throughout the story,
grandy1983....
|
| mel
boring |
And you can "ride on
that." That is...
|
| mel
boring |
having already SHOWN
transformations, some things in the climax transformation won't NEED
to be shown....
|
| mel
boring |
What I mean is this: If
a story has shown Superman stepping into a phone booth to change
from reporter to Superman,...
|
| mel
boring |
that won't NEED to be
shown next time he does it, or at least not in as much
detail.
|
| mel
boring |
By the way, grandy1983,
CONTINUED GOOD FORTUNE to this book we've been privileged to
follow!
|
| mel
boring |
spotslover2 wanted to
tell us that SARAH NIELSEN, Associate Editor at Margaret
McElderry...
|
| mel
boring |
is now SARAH SEVIER.
She must've gotten married, right, spots?
|
| gladys1 |
MEl I may have miss led
you with the Annick Press, Iti s the submission e-mail that is no
longer in use not the website url
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for that
clarification, gladys1!
|
| gladys1 |
Mel I may have mis led
you. It is the submission e-mail address that is no longer in use
not the URL
|
| mel
boring |
About those permissions
we talked about...
|
| delima-e |
wouldn't you have to ask
the parents if the kids are under18
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, that would be
needful, and THANKS, delima-e!
|
| mel
boring |
KS would like to know:
When you are asked for 2 clips, what if you only have one? Also, do
you need to send a photocopy of it in print or just a hard copy off
your computer? Would poetry.com count as a clip?
|
| mel
boring |
Just send one, then,
KS, if that's all there are....
|
| mel
boring |
Editors are savvy, they
will understand,...
|
| mel
boring |
and it WON'T count
against you if you only have one....
|
| mel
boring |
Also, send either a
copy made by computer or a copy machine,KS....
|
| mel
boring |
DON'T send the
original; you'll need it later for more copies....
|
| mel
boring |
And no, I wouldn't
suggest using World Poetry.com as a clip....
|
| mel
boring |
You probably read what
was said earlier about keeping...
|
| mel
boring |
them from advertising
in a newspaper. They are not legit, and editors will know
that.
|
| grandy1983 |
So, should I cut out the
scene where Mrs. Horsch comes home and tells Preston she must leave
at the last minute due to an emergency? Should I open up the first
scene with Ms. Murdoch?
|
| mel
boring |
YES, to BOTH questions,
grandy1983!...
|
| mel
boring |
You're on a GOOD
track!
|
| loretta |
Mel, In my YA novel I
have reached the point where all hope seems lost, the belly of the
whale, so to speak and suddenly I am stuck. Is there a technique you
can suggest in plotting that might help me get through the fog in my
brain?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, JUMP IMMEDIATELY
to the scene AFTER the one you're stuck on,
loretta....
|
| mel
boring |
That can "jump start"
your writing brain ahead,...
|
| mel
boring |
and then you can go
back and do/redo the scene you're now STUCK on!...
|
| mel
boring |
Leap ahead, and fall
back--like Daylight Savings Time!...
|
| mel
boring |
It will turn on lights
for you in your plotting, friend.
|
| mel
boring |
Here's more from
spotslover2 about that editor at McElderry:...
|
| spotslover2 |
Right and
promoted!
|
| mel
boring |
She was MARRIED and
PROMOTED both!
|
| loretta |
Mel, I am curious if you
are writing a novel that requires research wether it is historical
or medical or scientific do you submit a bibliography even though it
is fictional?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, you WOULD,
loretta, nowadays....
|
| mel
boring |
because editors are
very concerned about facts, even in fiction....
|
| mel
boring |
So they want to know
your sources, to see if they are reliable or not.
|
| mel
boring |
KS would also like to
know: I have an article I got published, non-payment, of course, in
a Canadian Truckers magazine. Does this count as my
clip?
|
| mel
boring |
YES, for SURE, KS! You
BET! ANY publication ANYwhere that is in a legitimate
magazine...
|
| mel
boring |
or other pubishing
organ, or on the Internet, should be used as a
credit...
|
| mel
boring |
CREDIT to you, KS! Go
for it!
|
| mel
boring |
Krikit and Betty Boop
want to know how to present a story we co-authored to
|
| and she lives in
the States, writes Krikit. What should our covering letter/query
letter say? |
|
|
|
|
|
| mel
boring |
Just say that you wrote
it together, co-wrote it, Krikit....
|
| mel
boring |
You MIGHT want to tell
the editor, if appropriate, HOW you co-wrote....
|
| mel
boring |
For example, in a book
I've co-written of ten chapters, EACH of us wrote FIVE as our
"own."...
|
| mel
boring |
Keep the cover/query
letter SHORT, of course,...
|
| mel
boring |
and tell them those
details ONLY if it won't belabor the letter.
|
| mel
boring |
cup has just
"telegraphed" me that a book which might help you,
grandy1983,...
|
| mel
boring |
is about Beginngs and
Middles. It is by Nancy Kress. I'll try to go on another brower here
and find the title--THANKS, cup!
|
| grandy1983 |
Could I use the name of a
specific department store in my story? i.e. Dillard,s J. C. Penney,
etc? Or should I make up a name?
|
| mel
boring |
Better to make up a
name, grandy1983. But if you WANT to use those famous
names,...
|
| mel
boring |
you could write
headquarters and ask them for permission.
|
| loretta |
I am considering writing
a nonfiction piece for a set fee. Is there a way to find out how
much money other nonfiction books have made in profits so that I can
make a decision as to wether writing for a flat fee is worth all
that work with no royalties?
|
| mel
boring |
ONLY if you know people
who have written nonfiction pieces, loretta....
|
| mel
boring |
You won't find out from
editors, usually. But you CAN ask another writer, and that is your
best bet.
|
| mel
boring |
KK asks via e-mail: I
am constantly revising and hoping to send out. I wondered what is
the best thing one can do in such a position: go to a professional
editor before submitting to a publisher? Or edit as best you can and
send out? Or find an agent?
|
| mel
boring |
I understand, KK, it's
a time of anxst for ALL of us children's writers, believe
me!...
|
| mel
boring |
You CAN go with a
freelance editor, but it will cost money, and take more
TIME...
|
| mel
boring |
My suggestion is that
you go ahead and send it out....
|
| mel
boring |
In that submission
process, it WILL be "edited." That is...
|
| mel
boring |
you might be rejected,
and that will tell you SOMEthing....
|
| mel
boring |
But you might also
receive an occasional personal note from an editor, and that is
MARVELOUS!...
|
| mel
boring |
If you haven't
published yet, you will have a difficult time getting an
agent,...
|
| mel
boring |
so go ahead, submit it,
KK~
|
| mel
boring |
Here is the title of
the book cup kindly recommended:...
|
| mel
boring |
Beginnings, Middles
& Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Nancy
Kress,...
|
| mel
boring |
and it is available at
amazon.com, I see.
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS again, cup, and
I hope that helps, grandy1983!
|
| mel
boring |
LM needs to find out: I
have submitted a 1000-word article to a farming magazine for adults
and children, which they have accepted (12/03), but not published
(or paid yet). Can I (legally, ethically)change/reduce the article
to 800 words and send it to another magazine (a children's
magazine), that pays on acceptance? If so, how much would I have to
change it? Can I just simplify it or do I need to change the whole
format?
|
| mel
boring |
Here is the best answer
I am able to give without seeing the article, LM, which I cannot
do....
|
| mel
boring |
IF the second article
is a different article than the first, then you
CAN....
|
| mel
boring |
But if you only make
minor changes, like names, places and such, it WON'T be considered a
DIFFERENT article....
|
| mel
boring |
I have known writers
who wanted to increase the income for one piece by changing
it,...
|
| mel
boring |
but in the end, the
changes were NOT significant;...
|
| mel
boring |
it was basically the
same article/story, with only "cosmetics" done on
it....
|
| mel
boring |
If you want to change
an ADULT article to one for CHILDREN, it needs to be VERY
changed.
|
| grandy1983 |
Okay, I will do that, and
that is, write to the corporate headquarters of one of those
department stores. Do other writers use names of real places, too?
Or is it just not done very often?
|
| mel
boring |
They do, grandy1983, at
their own risk and worry....
|
| mel
boring |
You will find it has
been done...
|
| mel
boring |
But the safest way they
have done it is to ask permission.
|
| mel
boring |
g_logger wants to ask:
What is meant when someone says: "Compensation is in the form of a
byline?"
|
| mel
boring |
Hi, g_logger! What it
means is that there is no payment in money,...
|
| mel
boring |
but your name will be
in the byline as the author...
|
| mel
boring |
And THAT is "no small
sum," because it will give you a publishing credit you can use in
later submissions!...
|
| mel
boring |
I'd take it if offered,
g_logger!
|
| mel
boring |
BT asks this question
about resubmitting: A few months ago I submitted an article to
NATURE FRIEND. They just sent it back saying to resubmit with
pictures. But I have revised the article in the meantime so can I
send the revised version back to them with the
pictures?
|
| mel
boring |
YES, by all means, send
them the REVISED version, BT!..
|
| mel
boring |
It can only do you
GOOD, and the editor will notice, and be impressed!
|
| mel
boring |
WWW needs to know: How
do you list unpublished letters in bibliographies? Is there any
books around to use as examples?
|
| mel
boring |
There are books, and
one of them may be a BIG dictionary, WWW....
|
| mel
boring |
Sometimes in the back
of a BIG dictionary,...
|
| mel
boring |
they will give an
example of a bibliography with ALL kinds of
examples...
|
| mel
boring |
But if you don't find
examples, you can do it this way:..
|
| mel
boring |
List the AUTHOR first
(the person who wrote the letter), last name first and first name
last,...
|
| mel
boring |
then put something
like:...
|
| mel
boring |
"Letter to _____ ______
on ______ __, 18__...
|
| mel
boring |
Those blanks are for
the letter receiver's name, and the last blanks for the
date....
|
| mel
boring |
But you have a safety
net, WWW, because different editors do...
|
| mel
boring |
bibliographies
differently, so the EDITOR will "put it in the proper order" if
yours is not quite right.
|
| mel
boring |
It's time to end, and I
still have LOTS of questions....
|
| mel
boring |
LOOK FOR THEM in next
Monday's announcement about Tuesday's Open
Forum....
|
| mel
boring |
This Thursday evening,
Joanne Mattern will be our Chat Guest,...
|
| mel
boring |
about educational
publishing. See you there, Thursday?...
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| mel
boring |
I hope to see you back
here next Tuesday, too! THANKS for
coming!
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