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.

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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.

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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.

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I have two announcements to make concerning writer's opportunities, and the lack thereof....

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Here is one about Rayve Publishers in CA:...

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I received back my ms. 'Tyler Turtle Finds A New home,' I sent it to Rayve Publishers in California. Just to pass on the information for all interested: they are at full production for this year & will NOT be accepting any more ms. for printing. They loved the ms., but 'it doesn't fill current needs', and they are 'at full printing' capacity now.

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The other announcement was forwarded nicely to me by Mary Rosenblum, and is about Disney/Hyperion Publishers....

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Subject: Fw: Disney Books Hyperion Books for Children, Contest

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Disney Books Hyperion Books for Children,

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Contest....

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Here is the site to find OUT about this contest:...

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http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/hyperionbooks/contest.html

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Hyperion Books for Children and Jump at the Sun are proud to announce the second annual New Worlds First Novel Award (formerly New Voices, New Worlds).

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The award is given annually to the winner(s) of a competition...

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for a work of contemporary or historical fiction set in the United States that reflects the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of our country....

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The prize is a book contract on the publisher's standard form, covering world rights,...

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including but not limited to hardcover, paperback, e-book and audio book....

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Editions with an advance against royalties of and a cash prize.

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There at the site I gave you, you can see the winners of this contest in 2002....

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I'll give you the Disney/Hyperion URL again:...

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http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/hyperionbooks/contest.html

heart

OK, how can I find an author group in my area?

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VERY important question, heart! One BEST way is to go to the site of...

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the Society of Children's Book Writers (SCBW), ...

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and they have regional and state organizations listed there....

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You can find the Regional Advisor for your area,...

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e-mail him or her, and ask about groups....

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The SCBWI is ENORMOUSLY helpful to ALL children's writers, and I think you can find out the info withOUT joining SCBWI....

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FYI, the last time I paid it, it cost a year to join SCBWI, but less if you're not a publishee. (-:} So there IS at least ONE advantage to NOT being published! (-:}...

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I can't lay my typing fingers on the URL of SCBWI right now, but maybe someone could message it to me, please?

toni

dumb question

toni

does Rowling get per book?

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NO SUCH THING as a "dumb question," toni!...

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In fact THIS question is of HUGE interest to me and other children's writers....

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I can't answer it, and I don't THINK you can find out accurately....

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But if you asked for a guess, I would guess that, with the response to Rowling's FIRST Harry Potter book,...

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they gave her six figures--at least a million dollars....

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Since there have been more HARRY POTTER successes since then, I'm sure Rowling and her agent have been able to...

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get the contract up to--again, I'm just making a fun guess--at LEAST five million dollars. What do you others think? Or MAYBE someone KNOWS more accurately....

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Anyway, toni, you asked a very SMART question we'd ALL like to know the answer to!

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THANK YOU, toni, for letting me know that the cost of JOINING SCBWI if you're not published is

grandy1983

How do I know if my middle-grade novel is completely...

grandy1983

...polished and the best it can be?

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A couple of good ways to find out, grandy1983....

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First, if you can get a person who knows children's books to read it and give you an honest opinion, that's a PLUS....

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Secondly, if you could find a critique group for children's books...

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they would be marvelous helps with their comments....

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Here is a THIRD way that I have not talked about yet....

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About six months ago, I heard about a girl who is 15, lives in British Columbia, and will critique your manuscript....

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I had her critique a ms of mine, and she gave me an HONEST and a STUDIED and qualified opinion....

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Here's the deal, before I try to find her URL for you:...

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She charges, IF I remember right, if your novel is pretty good as it is, and doesn't need much work....

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If it SEEMS to need work (which MY novel did), she will tell you first, and if you want it critiqued, her fee is

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I would NOT mention this service to you if I didn't think it was excellent....

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I have to find her URL, or her e-mail, if you're interested, so message me back if you are, OK?

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Here is what sounds like informed info from silverdove about J.K. Rowling's latest book fee:...

silverdove

I heard a little snipit that she was starting with pay....

silverdove

of mil for the latest book

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Thanks, silverdove, I was being very conservative in my guess,...

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and YOUR number sounds VERY reasonable, for what?, Rowling's FIFTH? book now.

vijaya

1st time here, is this the right place to ask ques of Mel?

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YES, it IS, vijaya--and WELCOME to you, friend!!!

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Message to mrsmouse: I only got the LAST part of your question, could you send the other part, please?

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Another GOOD word about the SCBWI fee:...

casey

SCBWI website is wwww.scbwi.org. I think their membership fee has been raised to

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THANK you, casey! They must've raised it since I paid it last year.

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Oh, mrsmouse, sorry, I DO have your whole question!

mrsmouse

Do you know of a definitive guide to different book genre?

mrsmouse

By genre I mean mystery, romance, etc. Thank you.

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There are several STRONG organizations for romance writers, msrmouse....

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And though I don't know their URL's and haven't seen any of their guides,...

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here's what I'd suggest. Go on-line and use the search words "Romance Novels,"...

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and that should lead you to SOMEthing like Romance Writers of America (my guess at a name)....

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There at the site of one of the romance writers' groups, you should find SOME kind of market guide, or be linked to one....

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You can also find a guide for mysteries by using the searchwords "Mystery Writers" the same way....

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In fact, I THINK there is an organization called Mystery Writers of America. Good luck, mrsmouse, and THANKS for a fresh question!

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For those of you who joined us after we started, this is an "Open Forum" session where you are free to ask any writing and publishing questions you have, and your moderator (Mel Boring) will do his best to answer them--the sky isn't even the limit!

silverdove

What do you do if you suspect someone from a critique....

silverdove

group has taken your story and reworked it for themselves?

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That's a tragedy, silverdove, and it doesn't speak well of the confidences of the group....

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My own tact would first to be to talk with THAT ONE person alone, in a nonthreatening situation,...

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and ask them. If they say no, but you still suspect they have, I would simply leave the group....

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The WHOLE essence of a writers' critique group is confidence....

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If that confidence is broken, then I don't think it can be fixed....

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If someone is dishonest enough to be pirating my ideas in a group, ...

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then it is very questionable that they can be HONEST in their critiques. WISDOM to you, silverdove, and we wish you that in a very touchy situation!

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There's a time lag today, and I'm sorry, but I hope you'll bear with us.

patrickr

several weeks ago, I came to the chat room and said that I

patrickr

feared an editor stealing my article idea. He asked for my

patrickr

sources. Earlier this week I see the latest issue of the

patrickr

magazine contains my article idea. What can I do? (END)

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I'm sorry that happened to an obviously honest writer like you, patrickr....

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You COULD, if you have your notes, and can establish a date by which they were finished,...

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sue the editor, but the chances of winning would be small, because a magazine usually has a powerful cache of lawyers....

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What I would do, patrickr, is to write the editor and tell him what you've told us....

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Maybe the editor wouldn't respond at all, but maybe they would. And it MAY be that they had another article scheduled that was similar to yours....

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Still, I'm not sure that you would get anywhere, friend....

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My best suggestion is simply NOT to submit to them anymore, period.

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Here is an EXCELLENT suggestion from dianna:...

dianna

I have had the local librarian read my stories to the children at the libray to get feedback before submitting

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That would be a GREAT way to find out about the quality of your writing,...

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from TWO authorities: a librarian and children!

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Speaking of the young ms critiquer I menioned, grandy1983 has asked for a contact...

grandy1983

Oh, yes! I want her URL and contact information!

grandy1983

That would MAKE my day, Mel!

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Here is the information I've copied out of my address book, and I may have to interpret it some:...

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Tiffany@polar7.com

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Here first name is TIFFANY...

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and her last name is: Tjosvold

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You can get her URL by e-mailing her and asking, I'm sure....

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Tiffany's father is a children's writer, and has helped her...

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set up her critique business. I HIGHLY recommend it. She is a VERY WELL READ teen!

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THANKS, mrsmouse for the SCBWI URL!:...

mrsmouse

The URL for SCBWI is www.scbwi.org

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I just saved it so I won't lose it again!

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mrsmouse: Here is ANOTHER wonderful suggestion from silverdove for you about genre guides:...

silverdove

Maybe check with Mary Rosenblum for mrsmouse???

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Mary Rosenblum is the web editor of our sister site for adult writers, the Long Ridge Writers site....

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Mary Rosenblum's e-mail addy is:...

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maryrsn@comcast.net

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And I KNOW Mary would love for you to ask her about genre guides, mrsmouse....

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Speaking of Long Ridge Writers, we have arranged a ...

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JOINT CHAT with the Long Ridge Writers group--are you interested?...

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I AM! So Mary and I have set a date of July 16, a Wednesday, in the evening....

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I'm thinking we would have the joint chat at about 7PM Central--which would be 5PM on the West Coast and 9PM in the East. Let me know how you like the idea, and what time YOU would like it to be....

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Mary and I will try to schedule it at the most optimal time.

boris

I'm interested in the URL of the 15yr old who critiques

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Thanks for asking, boris, because I wanted to give TIFFANY TJOSVOLD's address again:...

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Tiffany@polar7.com

silverdove

How is the currency division handled Mel w/her in England?

silverdove

All the talk about her coming from Welfare.... she has a....

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Again about J.K. Rowling, whose life story is a real "rags to riches" story....

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silverdove, I'm thinking her contract (with SCHOLASTIC) was "American" and would simply translate into the pounds and shillings of the British monetary system...

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And I'm guessing she got a WHOPPING advance, and prolly a BIGGER royalty percentage than most writers get.

writerx

what would be the average contract price for a 1st ch novel?

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ANOTHER good contract question....

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At the present time, fiction receiving higher advances than nonfiction, writerx,...

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I would say you could expect about for a first novel from a well established publisher....

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Of course, there are publishers all up and down the scale....

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Some would offer no advance, but a royalty just the same....

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And probably there are a few publishers who would want you to do it work-for-hire....

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It wan't long ago (ten years or so ago) that I heard about a well established children's writer--but no J.K. Rowling--who got five figures, or at least ,000 advance for a novel.

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Here is a good question I'll just post for patrickr to answer, but ONLY if wants to:...

dianna

who is the publisher patrickr had this problem with?

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I'm thinking dianna is thinking it would help us to know (and avoid) this publisher, but I'd understand if patrickr doesn't want to say.

heart

does Rowling have a websight or way to contact her

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I don't THINK you'd be able to contact her, heart....

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But I ALWAYS want to tell the story about her, how SHE CONTACTED a girl dying of a rare blood disease in a New England state....

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and READ the girl what what done of the book just out over the PHONE. I believe J.K. is a very CARING person....

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At the SCHOLASTIC (search word) site, heart, I THINK you could find OUT about J.K. Rowling, anyway.

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Here's an even later word on SCBWI dues: ...

boris

I joined SCBWI in May and it was for Associate member

mrsmouse

Do you know of a definitive guide to book genre? Thanks!

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This is an EXCELLENT question, but I do not KNOW of one, mrsmouse. If anyone does, could you let us know?

mrsmouse

Thank you, Mel.

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You're WARMLY WELCOME!

hayley

Would using the skills of fiction be acceptable?

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I'm thinking hayley meant using the skills of fiction in nonfiction....

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and YES, by ALL MEANS, it WOULD be more than acceptable...

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A GOOD nonfiction article has all the drama of fiction, I believe....

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and there is room for strong characterization in nonfiction, too.

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I'm afraid we're out of time, folks....

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THANKS for coming! There are MANY leftover questions, and I will answer some of them in my next week's invitation to the Open Forum. Bye for now!