Open Forum, April 8, 2003

Tue Apr 08 15:00:22 2003

Event end time:

Tue Apr 08 16:05:01 2003

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.

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

I have several questions pre-submitted, and I see you are already coming in with yours--THANK YOU!

george kulz

When publishing a non-fiction article on a topic related to

george kulz

field of work, do you list qualifications? i.e. degrees etc.

mel boring

Hi george! Yes, if you are submitting or publishing a nonfiction article on a subject related to your field of work, you DO list your qualifications....

mel boring

For example, my undergraduate degree is in psychology with a math minor,...

mel boring

so if I should submit an article in ANY way related to psychology, I would list that undergrad degree....

mel boring

It lets an editor know the background from which you write about THAT particular article's topic.

soradina

Do you recommend mutiple submissions of the same article to different magazines at the same time?

mel boring

Yes and no, soradina. (-:} But let me explain....

mel boring

If you are just starting out, I would suggest NOT submitting the same article to different magazines at the same time....

mel boring

Here is what I would do, instead. Submit it to your one BEST choice of magazine, and set a time, saying that your material is time-related....

mel boring

Then when that magazine answers, send it to the next magazine. THAT's the explanation of my "No" answer to your question....

mel boring

The explanation of my "Yes" answer is that I NOW would submit an article multiply, to six magazines at once, simply because I've come to feel that this is good "salespersonship" for me....

mel boring

I would NOT multiply submit and include magazines I have ALREADY worked with, however, because I feel obligated to them, knowing their editors, and something about how they operate....

mel boring

But my feeling, after 33 years in the business, is that a car salesperson, for instance, would not let you take a car you were interested in and drive it for a week, a month, or a year....

mel boring

SO THAT is why I multiply submit. YOU must develop your own philosophy, and that is why I suggest, when beginning, ONLY to submit to ONE magazine at a time.

silverdove

Mel, do you think ICL could ever have a conference so we can get together and discuss?

mel boring

VERY interesting question, silverdove, as you always seem to come up with!...

mel boring

No, I don't think ICL would ever have a writers conference because they are not set up for one....

mel boring

Though the building you see in their ad picture is big (and used to be a boys' boarding school), it is equipped for the business of teaching by correspondence, but not for conferences....

mel boring

However, I have never seen a writers conference proposed, and I certainly WILL inquire about the possiblility. THANKS for asking, silverdove!

mel boring

Here is a question related to the one we just talked about, submitting to magazines one at a time,...

mel boring

I am a new student at ICL and my professor has suggested that I submit my first story to be published. Is it permissible to submit the same work to several different publishers at once, or only one at a time?

mel boring

I would suggest to ANY student to submit to only one publisher at a time....

mel boring

Then after you have "learned the ropes" of publishing, consider simultaneous submissions, but only after some experience in the field.

silverdove

But Mel........we could rent a lodge or something..........

silverdove

no excuses.... Mel.... come on.

mel boring

You are right, silverdove, we could rent a lodge. But I STILL must ask my superiors in ICL about the idea--and I will, I promise. Then I can let you know from there, OK?

mel boring

I want to pass on to you a valuable tip that silverdove found out at a conference, and passed on to me....

mel boring

I thought I would pass this information onto you after going on a SCBWI retreat. It was a regional event and my first time to attend. The Copyright issue came up during a session about All Rights with Magazine. The question was presented to Lou Waryncia, Editorial Director of Cobblestone Publishing. He said that yes their contracts state All Rights BUT.... with his company they allow the writers of published articles to request to use their writing(s) to use in a book as well. Im not sure if all magazines operate under this same clause but at least it does for Cobblestone....

mel boring

So at least at COBBLESTONE Magazine, you can request Book Rights back when they have published your ARTICLE, and they will reassign the Book Rights to you! THANKS, silverdove!

pilarb

Mel, I've written two articles on the same topic. One is a "you are there" type of scenario that I've already submitted to Nature Friends and the other is a typical article that I am ready to submit to GP4kids. They share the same info, but each is written totally differently. Is that a no-no?

mel boring

No, that is not a no-no, pilarb! (-:}....

mel boring

If ALL the two articles share is the same facts, and they are different in their writing, they are two different articles....

mel boring

Also, I can see that the two magazines (Nature Friends and GP4Kids) are two different magazines. So I would say, submit the two articles.

rightwriter

I am a new student. They say write what you know.

mel boring

That's a VERY dependable rule of thumb, rightwriter....

mel boring

Because what you know already gives you "research inside your head" already....

mel boring

You can use those facts of what you already know to write an article (or a story)....

mel boring

WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW is also an easier way to begin writing, since it doesn't involve deeper, further research....

mel boring

Then, after you've made a beginning at writing, you can research OUTside your head, writing what you DON'T know, that is, about subjects you need to do research for before you can write about them. THANKS for a GOOD question, rightwriter!

mel boring

Here is some helpful info sent to me by Margie Hillenbrand, concerning what were talking about on a recent Guest Interview with Betty Erickson, about how to get hold of educational books....

mel boring

When I was getting my teaching degree (30 years ago, sorry!) the SUNY schools I went to that offered elementary education degrees had sample reading textbooks and other textbooks in a library available to students and student teachers. At the time, it was a great resource. I don't remember if they were in the main library or in a separate space. I also know that in our city you can get a library card to university libraries even if you aren't a student but they charge a fee.

mel boring

THANK YOU, Margie! I'm sure that at least a FEW colleges and universities in YOUR state would have educational texts they would let you read at the library, or even check out. Look, for example, for some of Betty Erickson's Early Reader books.

mel boring

There is a question from casper that only PART of came in. If casper could re-submit the entire question, I would love to see and answer it!

taggy

How do you get info on photos 4 articles?

mel boring

taggy, I have interpolated the question some, because the beginning was clipped off. So this is what I think you meant....

mel boring

I would suggest, as a start in getting photos for articles, to go to the site of the Library of Congress....

mel boring

I suggest that because they have the MOST photos of ANY source, AND because they are generally the least expensive, taggy....

mel boring

I'm going to look up the URL of the Library of Congress on my other browser, and will post it here as SOON as I can get it--and THANKS for asking, taggy!

mel boring

Here is the URL for the Library of Congress's Photo Catalogue:...

mel boring

http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html

mel boring

Here is ANOTHER URL for the Library of Congress's Photo Browser:...

mel boring

http://www.loc.gov/resdev/browse/a.html

mel boring

I am ESPECIALLY grateful to you for asking, taggy, because I've had these in the back of my files to send to you ALL! (-:}

mel boring

GOOD, here comes casper's question now:...

casper

I've written 8 articles for a newspaper

casper

they edited it and published it without my input

casper

on the editting

casper

i asked if they could write a correction on a couple article

casper

they said "no"..

casper

was it fair of me to stop writing for them?

mel boring

A newspaper does what it WANTS to, usually, casper....

mel boring

Because of the time urgency of newpapers--the DAILY deadlines instead of weekly or monthly--they HAVE to work quickly....

mel boring

So ANY newspaper will be pushed by time to go ahead and edit what they use, rather than having the luxury of time to ask you first....

mel boring

Here is what I'd suggest if you write for them again:...

mel boring

TELL them in a cover letter that you DO NOT want them to publish it without letting you proofread it first....

mel boring

They may simply not have time to let you read it first, casper,...

mel boring

so they may NOT print it under those conditions....

mel boring

I need to ask you, too, were the corrections having to do with FACTS they were wrong about, or just changes you would like to have made? THAT could make a difference, too....

mel boring

It's not a matter of whether or not it would be FAIR of you to stop writing for them, but...

mel boring

if you WANT to write for them under that condition of being given no chance to proofread. If they say they DON'T have time to give you proofreading opportunity, then if you decide not to write for them any more, it's not a question of fairness, but just that you can't write for them under THOSE conditions....

mel boring

I should say also that MAGAZINES often DON'T give you the opportunity to proofread....

mel boring

may send you a proofsheet of the article or story as it will appear in the magazine....

mel boring

But unless there is some URGENTLY WRONG FACT in the material, and you let them know RIGHT AWAY, you won't get much chance to change things.

cup

Mel, could you put the Lib. of Congress URL in newsletter?

mel boring

Yes, cup, and THANKS! I was thinking I would put BOTH those Library of Congress URL's in this Friday's Friday Update. (And it WILL be a FRIDAY update this Friday, rather than a SATURDAY or even SUNDAY update! (-:})

mel boring

I have to tell you something to explain SOME of the delays on my part in answering your questions here on Open Forum, so YOU'll know too....

mel boring

Sometimes when there is a question being sent IN by you, and I try to POST one that is already in the "box," there is a delay until the new question comes in....

mel boring

So here with taggy's good follow-up question about photos, I haven't been able to post it yet. So if I'm delayed in POSTING, I hope you'll understand. I'll try taggy's good question again....

taggy

so do you just recommend they use suchnsuch photo?

mel boring

What you can do, taggy, is to find the photo(s) on the Library of Congress site that YOU would like them to use....

mel boring

You can then make a good-enough copy of the photo on the LOC site, and SEND that copy to the magazine of the photo(s) you'd like to use....

mel boring

The way to copy it (that works for me, anyway), is to go to the LOC Photo Browser site, and make the right clicks to get up the picture you're intereste in....

mel boring

It MIGHT be just a "thumbnail" photo--very small, or it may be slightly larger. BUT, it will give a magazine editor an idea of what the picture is like. On my Microsoft Explorer browser,...

mel boring

I click "FILE," then "PRINT" (on the drop-down menu), and my printer prints out the image at the Library of Congress site that was on the screen....

mel boring

Then you can send the printed out hardcopy to the editor, OR send the image in an e-mail, if the magazine uses e-mail for submitting....

mel boring

PLEASE let me know, taggy, if I HAVEN'T given you enough info about this!

rightwriter

Am I the only one, but do other writers have off days?

mel boring

EXCELLENT question, rightwriter, for ALL of us!...

mel boring

NO, you are NOT the only writer to have off-days! There is at LEAST one other, and that's ME!...

mel boring

There are some days when I, Mel Boring, simply canNOT write, no matter what....

mel boring

Right now, I am working on the ReReReRevision of a middle-grade novel I've been writing for nearly 30 years, and TODAY I could not work on it, for whatEVER reason....

mel boring

I am also working on the ReRevision of my nonfiction book, which is due May 31. There are some days I cannot write on that one EITHER. What to do?...

mel boring

I simply turn to SOMEthing I CAN do, and that might be ONLY READING a good book for children....

mel boring

And I have found out in the long run of writing for children for 33 years, that when I have HAD off-days, taking that time "off" to do simply whatEVER I could has NOT hurt me or my writing in the long run either.

mel boring

Here's another of those delays when I've clicked on a question already in the box to answer.

pilarb

Mel, is it customery for the author to provide the photos for a nonfiction children's book or do the publishers usually take up that responsibility?

mel boring

Yes, pilarb, it IS customary for the author to provide photos for nonfiction books in Advance + Royalty contracts....

mel boring

In books that are not in Advance + Royalty contracts (such as Work-for-Hire books), the PUBLISHER will usually get the photos....

mel boring

ONLY recently have I seen publishers offer any kind of contract payment for getting photos, and only in the most recent nonfiction book contract that I've gotten....

mel boring

They provided to pay for photos I must get for the book. That is not a fortune, because photos can be expensive, but at least it's SOMEthing!...

mel boring

And I think the trend in the future will BE for publishers to provide a photo budget in the contract like that, pilarb.

silverdove

Mel, If I took my own photos for say a magazine article...

silverdove

do I need to do anything about copyrights?

mel boring

No, NOT if you took them yourself, EXCEPT, if there are any PEOPLE in the photos, you would need to get THOSE PEOPLE'S permission to use their picture....

mel boring

But this is no big problem, usually. What you do is just type out a simple form like,...

mel boring

"I give Jan ____ permission to use the photo with me in it to submit to ______ Magazine. Signature _________ Date ______" That's all.

mel boring

casper has just given us more info about the changes she wanted to make in the newspaper article....

casper

it was quotes that were changed and added

mel boring

IF it was quotes that were CHANGED, then you have a very VALID reason to ask for changes, casper, OR to quit writing for that newspaper, period. Accurate quotes are a matter that EVERY newspaper should want to be careful about. If your local newspaper is NOT careful about them, they you have every reason to quit writing for them!

mel boring

There are many more questions, but no more time. Tell you what, I will answer any questions you submitted that didn't get answered in our NEXT Monday's announcement about Open Forum, OK?

mel boring

THANK YOU for coming to day, I'll see you next Tuesday!