| 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 |
I have a few questions
in the hopper, and I've started, just started,...
|
| mel
boring |
catching up with the
e-mail in my OTHER e-mail account....
|
| mel
boring |
Some of the e-mails go
way back to late March!...
|
| mel
boring |
I hope you can forgive
me, but I WILL get to them all....
|
| mel
boring |
And there may have been
questions that I missed that were sent this
time,...
|
| mel
boring |
but I will get to them,
I promise!
|
| mel
boring |
LR asks this question:
My article,"A Naturalist's Notebook," is to appear in the Jul/Aug
issue of Kid Zone Magazine. I have yet to receive a contract. Is
that the norm in the writing world?
|
| mel
boring |
First of all, THANKS
for the GOOD NEWS, LR!...
|
| mel
boring |
CONGRATULATIONS on
publishing in KID ZONE!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, your not having a
contract yet MAY mean that they don't send them....
|
| mel
boring |
You'd have to ask them
about it, if you never do get it....
|
| mel
boring |
But to be this late in
sending you the contract for a Jul/Aug article is not
unusual....
|
| mel
boring |
AND, I must sheepishly
say that I UNDERSTAND the lateness of contracts!
(-:}...
|
| mel
boring |
Those of you who have
published articles on our ICL site will know that I am often late
with those, too!
|
| t
green |
Mel, I know that you were
having problems with the e-mails and changed your e-mail address
several times. I have 3 different addy's for you. What is the ONE we
should use?
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for asking, t
green, because that will help....
|
| mel
boring |
The ONE address you
should always use is:
webeditor@institutechildrenslit.com
|
| mel
boring |
The one from which the
weekly newsletters come, unfortunately, was set up special to avoid
viruses....
|
| mel
boring |
And I know it's most
natural to reply to that. But I would much prefer if you could
use:...
|
| mel
boring |
webeditor@institutechildrenslit.com
ONLY....
|
| mel
boring |
One complication is
that I now receive an average of 100 junk mails a
day,...
|
| mel
boring |
and I have to deal with
those, because sometimes, SOME of them appear to maybe come from
you....
|
| mel
boring |
especially ones with no
Subject Line....
|
| mel
boring |
So, though I don't open
those that say things like: "Earn an hour from
home!",...
|
| mel
boring |
I do open each one that
has no subject line because I don't want to miss any from
YOU....
|
| mel
boring |
SO, always include a
Subject Line, and DO USE
webeditor@institutechildrenslit.com
|
| mel
boring |
I haven't had a chance
to check the Yahoo address we also set up to fight viruses in MANY
months, so I hope you aren't using the Yahoo
address!
|
| mel
boring |
LR asks this question,
too: My question is regarding a Picture book manuscript that I sent
out on Oct 23rd to CarolRhoda. They say their turn around time is
4-6 months. It is beyond 7 months now. Should I
inquire?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, LR, you should
inquire, since they state the 4-6 months....
|
| mel
boring |
And they won't mind
just an inquiry post card asking....
|
| mel
boring |
And you might want to
make it easiest for them by...
|
| mel
boring |
printing on the
backside: "We received your manuscript with a ____ and another
___...
|
| mel
boring |
then another line for
the date. Below the first line, you can print "Yes" and then "No"
beneath the second one....
|
| mel
boring |
That way, they can just
check one line, date it, and return it to you.
|
| nkk |
Do u know when
Highlight's contest results will be out?
|
| mel
boring |
I can't remember for
sure, nkk, but I THINK it will be June or July. If anyone knows for
sure, let me know and I'll pass it on.
|
| nkk |
Who is the editor for age
6-9 fiction for Highlights?
|
| mel
boring |
I would send it to
Marileta Robinson, nkk....
|
| mel
boring |
She handles a lot of
things, would get it to the right editor if she, Marileta, isn't
handling it.
|
| mel
boring |
Here is a comment about
a question asked last Thursday when Harold Underdown was with
us,...
|
| mel
boring |
that I wanted to come
back to. Harold was asked if it was taboo to write about
watermelons, and we answered not in connection with African
Americans....
|
| roh |
I wrote a story about
visiting the watermelon patch with my grandpa. I was told it was
stereotypical. Is that now taboo even though it is an age of
muticultural and African-American experiences.
|
| mel
boring |
This was roh's comment
last Thursday evening, and I just wanted to add...
|
| mel
boring |
that if this WAS the
experience of African Americans, editors would probably NOT publish
it....
|
| mel
boring |
BUT, even if it WERE
Black Americans, the story could be told about caucasians, or
Hispanics, or any other ethnicity, EXCEPT with African
Americans,...
|
| mel
boring |
and it might sell if it
DID NOT use African Americans in the story.
|
| spotslover2 |
Highlights contest
results are due in June, but when is the question?
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, spotslover2!
Yes, when IS the question you're prolly chewing your fingernails
over!...
|
| mel
boring |
I would COUNT ON June
30, then you won't be disappointed. (-:}
|
| craig |
why can't we send you
private messages during a forum after you said we
could?
|
| mel
boring |
You can't send private
messages to anyone who is backstage, craig, which I am now, and
Harold U was last Thursday evening....
|
| mel
boring |
You CAN send private
messages to EACH OTHER, however. For a private message, Craig, why
don't you mail me at
webeditor@institutechildrenslit.com?
|
| mel
boring |
I'll look forward to
hearing from you, friend!
|
| spotslover2 |
Dutton didn't take my ms.
but gave advice and said I could send other stuff. Hopscotch took
the time to write a personal note on their form letter. So that seem
positive to me.
|
| mel
boring |
YES, spotslover2, those
are BOTH very promising--CONGRATULATIONS!!!...
|
| mel
boring |
Editors
SELDO
|
| mel
boring |
SELDOM have/take the
time...
|
| mel
boring |
to write any personal
notes, so TREASURE yours, friend!...
|
| mel
boring |
And also, I would
suggest submitting something to HOPSCOTCH very
soon!
|
| nkk |
...rejected. How do I
find out why it got rejected?
|
| mel
boring |
This is the tail-end of
a question, but it still makes sense....
|
| mel
boring |
There is no way to find
out WHY we are rejected, nkk, beyond what the rejection slip might
say....
|
| mel
boring |
The editors just don't
have the time to explain. So it's just best to get it submitted
again.
|
| tkat_2 |
that was the link that
got the virus last time
|
| mel
boring |
Does this refer to my
e-mail address I just gave, tkat_2?...
|
| mel
boring |
I hope not. My e-mails
from there are "fumigated" several times now...
|
| mel
boring |
through the
watchdogging of our web mail site. If you DID receive a virus from
there, PLEASE let me know!
|
| mel
boring |
Could you e-mail me and
let me know more please, tkat_2?...
|
| mel
boring |
If you e-mail ME, you
won't receive a virus. But I want to understand, so please let me
know.
|
| t
green |
Mel, Highlights doesn't
say a specific date in June... just June 2004
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, t green. More
waiting, the name of the game for us freelance
writers!
|
| melodiekate |
What is the proper way to
submit using a pen name?
|
| mel
boring |
You put your REAL name
at the top left corner of your manuscript,
melodiekate,...
|
| mel
boring |
and then UNDER the
TITLE, put "By (with your pen name)."
|
| mel
boring |
RCMBKT asked a long
time ago: Could you briefly explain what non-exclusive rights are? I
have a possible sale of an article with pictures, and they want all
rights to the photos. I am thinking if I can sell
|
| use the photos
over and over, but I can still use the photos elsewhere with a
different article. Is that correct? |
|
| mel
boring |
Non-Exclusive Rights
mean that a piece can be published withOUT removing any rights from
you....
|
| mel
boring |
BUT, if a mag uses
Non-Exclusive Rights FIRST, then that cancels your First
Rights....
|
| mel
boring |
Buying Non-Exclusive
Rights is something magazines do without paying much for a
piece....
|
| mel
boring |
I have never heard of a
writer SELLING a magazine Non-Exclusive Rights
|
| mel
boring |
however,
RCMBKT....
|
| mel
boring |
USUALLY, magazines buy
ALL rights to photos because it is so difficult if they reprint it
to get those rights....
|
| mel
boring |
I don't think you'll
have much success selling them Non-Exclusive Rights on PHOTOS,
though, but you can TRY.
|
| mel
boring |
If you DO sell the
magazine Non-Exclusive Rights to the photos,...
|
| mel
boring |
yes, they CAN use them
over and over....
|
| mel
boring |
And yes, if you DO
manage to sell them N-E Rights, you CAN use the photos again
yourself.
|
| mbvoelker |
A comment. Rejection
doesn't always mean that something is wrong. My most unusual
rejection came because the editor had just published a book on that
topic and intended to use clips from her book to cover that topic.
But she commented that my piece was quite good.
|
| mel
boring |
Absolutely right,
mbvoelker, thanks!....
|
| mel
boring |
If you were to write an
absolutely perfect article about Ronald Reagan right
now,...
|
| mel
boring |
and submitted it,
probably many mags would reject it because they have an article
about Reagan scheduled already....
|
| mel
boring |
And if a mag has
published an article about any PARTICULAR subject, they're not going
to buy another right away....
|
| mel
boring |
Also, magazines
SOMEtimes just may not purchase ANYthing for a
while,...
|
| mel
boring |
if they have a very
stocked-up "freezer" and are having "a budget
moment."...
|
| mel
boring |
So there can be MANY
reasons for rejection--so PLEASE don't always blame
yourSELF!
|
| t
green |
Mel, I'm more than
interested in the Highlights contest... I've got THREE stories
entered!
|
| mel
boring |
WOW, CONGRATULATIONS t
green!!!
|
| tkat_2 |
no need it was when
several of us got warnings re our software. I haven't gotten any
viruses lately.
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, tkat_2! The
virus thing has been more than troublesome....
|
| mel
boring |
but right now (fingers
crossed), it seems to have "let up."
|
| shemaiahjane |
What are some good books
on creating conflict?
|
| mel
boring |
I don't know of any ONE
book that as a whole is about conflict,
shemaiahjane....
|
| mel
boring |
BUT any good book about
writing SHOULD have a section about conflict....
|
| mel
boring |
One of the best, of
late, that I've been reading and recommend highly
is...
|
| mel
boring |
Jane Yolen's TAKE
JOY....
|
| mel
boring |
James Cross Giblin also
has an excellent book, I THINK called WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG
PEOPLE.
|
| mel
boring |
If ANY of YOU know of a
book that is totally about conflict, let me know and I'll pass it
on!
|
| mel
boring |
JW's question is from
long ago: I'm currently teaching "Writing for Children" (for adults)
at Elizabethtown College. Last week, one of my students asked if
there is a "rule" about using name of character and tags - should it
be "John said," or "said John" or can they be mixed? My response was
what I had been taught - state the name first, then the tag. Any
thoughts? Also, I know editors prefer "said" as a tag, but my
students wondered what others might be acceptable - (My answer was
words that give meaning to the way something was said - "yelled,"
"asked," "exclaimed" - but to avoid such things as "sighed,"
"smiled," etc. as tags.) What's your thinking about
|
|
|
|
|
| mel
boring |
I'm sorry to be so late
in answering, JW, but it IS a GOOD question!...
|
| mel
boring |
Many writers of old
ALWAYS wrote "John said," as you said, to identify the speaker more
quickly....
|
| mel
boring |
Once I surveyed the
books of MANY best-selling children's writers to find out JUST this
thing....
|
| mel
boring |
What I found, after
looking at the writing of Lois Lowry, Lewis Sachar, and MANY
others,...
|
| mel
boring |
is that they were JUST
as liable to say "said John" as "John said."...
|
| mel
boring |
So I think that "rule"
is way old, and isn't followed any more....
|
| mel
boring |
Also, "said" is MUCH
the preferred tag because of the fact that children don't notice
"said."..
|
| mel
boring |
They tend to skip right
over it, rather assuming it, so it HELPS to keep them
reading....
|
| mel
boring |
If you use a tag like
"interjected," children are going to have to stop and puzzle it
out,...
|
| mel
boring |
and it may stop up
their reading....
|
| mel
boring |
However, a tag that
gives meaning to how it is being said, as you
noted,...
|
| mel
boring |
is also very
acceptable. The "yelled" and "asked" work, because they do
that....
|
| mel
boring |
But you can't really
"sigh" words, or "laugh" them....
|
| mel
boring |
Keep in mind that you
want to provide smooth flow to keep kids
reading....
|
| mel
boring |
I once heard Sid
Fleischman (a children's writer hero of mine!) give a whole speech
about...
|
| mel
boring |
"Said Substitutes." And
what Sid was saying was that many writers try to avoid "said," but
that kids don't even stop to notice it's there--just read over
it.
|
| barney
fife |
I sent a manuscript out
in Feb. I hadn't heard anything so I
|
| barney
fife |
sent a letter last month
with no reply. Can i send it out no
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, barney, but first
write a letter to the publisher who holds the
manuscript...
|
| mel
boring |
tellling them you do
intend to submit it elsewheres....
|
| mel
boring |
And send that letter in
some form of postal registration that lets you know when they
receive it.
|
| spotslover2 |
Is it imperative to put
your SS number on a ms? I worry about identity
theft.
|
| mel
boring |
Almost NObody I know
puts their SS# on a manuscript anymore, spotslover2, because of the
theft thing....
|
| mel
boring |
AND a publisher doesn't
NEED it till they buy your story or article,...
|
| mel
boring |
so you can PHONE it
into them when that time comes.
|
| rosehips |
How far into the program
to most people start submitting?
|
| mel
boring |
I assume you mean the
ICL correspondence course program, rosehips....
|
| mel
boring |
As a former instructor,
I can say that RARELY did I recommend a student send their first
assignment out....
|
| mel
boring |
and it wasn't until
about the third assignment that most of the students even considered
submitting....
|
| mel
boring |
There were times when I
suggested a student submit a particular
assignment,...
|
| mel
boring |
and there were times
when a student asked me. THAT, I think, is the best
way....
|
| mel
boring |
If your instructor says
submit, it's time to submit. If YOU feel you want to, ask your
instructor about submitting a particular story or
article....
|
| mel
boring |
They except to hear you
ask, so go ahead. And they will give you their best
advice.
|
| tkat_2 |
in regard to conflict,
try William Noble's Conflict, Action, and Suspense
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU, tkat_2, I'm
going to do that mySELF!
|
| nkk |
is Highlights currently
"overstocked" because of the contest
|
| mel
boring |
I don't THINK so, nkk,
because the topic assigned for the contest would yield many stories,
but too focused to publish too many of.
|
| loretta |
Mel, I sent an article to
Highlights with an expert review that was emailed to me. The expert
then sent a much more professional looking letter should I forward
that to Highlights even though they say the same
thing?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, I would forward
that letter, loretta, and be sure to identify to HIGHLIGHTS exactly
the title of your article and WHEN you submitted it, so they can put
it with your article.
|
| mel
boring |
I could pack more
punch, loretta!
|
| spotslover2 |
Is All About Kids still
publishing? Phone is disconnected.
|
| mel
boring |
I don't know,
spotslover2, but if anyone here does, can you help us
out?
|
| red2 |
Hi Mel! Is there anything
I can do to find out information on my picture book ms. Concordia
says 6 mo response time - it has been nearly a year. I've sent two
inquiry letters and an email - all with no
response.
|
| mel
boring |
I would PHONE them,
red2....
|
| mel
boring |
Of course you'll reach
the receptionist (if you suffer your way through the numbers
code)...
|
| mel
boring |
but that receptionist
WILL know where the manuscript is, and be able to tell
you....
|
| mel
boring |
If you DON'T get
through by phone, I would try an inquiry letter that requires them
to sign for it, so at least you'll know they received
it.
|
| lisalisa |
Does Highlights notify
writers if they want to use their
|
| lisalisa |
story, even if it's not
the winner? They say they consider
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, they WOULD notify
you, lisalisa....
|
| mel
boring |
And my educated guess
is that they will use numerous of the non-winning
submissions.
|
| mel
boring |
WHOOPS, more to the
question--sorry, lisalisa!...
|
| lisalisa |
all entries for
publication, but do they decide the others
|
| lisalisa |
at the same time as the
winner, is what I'm asking.
|
| mel
boring |
I wouldn't THINK they
would decide on the others at the same time,...
|
| mel
boring |
because there wouldn't
be the time pressure to decide about them....
|
| mel
boring |
They could just take
time to consider the other, non-winning entries.
|
| mel
boring |
Oh, GOOD, MORE info
about the HIGHLIGHTS contest:...
|
| spotslover2 |
Highlights said they'd
publish about 20 mss.
|
| spotslover2 |
Highlights said they'd
send the others back with annoucement
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, spotslover2, we
know they WILL decide on ther other 19, and let you know right
away....
|
| mel
boring |
spotslover2, do you
work for HIGHLIGHTS? (-:} THANKS for the info!
|
| mel
boring |
And you've answered the
question that the response time WILL BE the same for the winner as
well as the other 19.
|
| loretta |
McElderry has had my PB
manuscript for 8 months. Shoud I follow up? Is that a good sign or
could it mean nothing at all?
|
| mel
boring |
Eight months is really
not conclusive, loretta. A YEAR would be more
conclusive....
|
| mel
boring |
But publishers really
are overworked and shortstaffed, so...
|
| mel
boring |
it's not uncommon for
them to hold a manuscript for 8 months....
|
| mel
boring |
At the end of whatever
McElderry might say is their response time, I would write and
inquire of them, loretta.
|
| mel
boring |
The time is OVERUP
already! THANK YOU for being here, and I'll look forward to seeing
you next Tuesday!
|
| lisalisa |
Thanks,
Mel!
|
| mel
boring |
You're WARMLY WELCOME,
lisalisa@
|