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Mary Rosenblum
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Hello all.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Welcome to our Friday After
Hours Forum
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Mary Rosenblum
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We haven't had an Open
Question night for some time now. So here's your chance to ask any question
at all.
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Mary Rosenblum
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KC has had trouble getting
onto the site today so she emailed me a couple of questions. I'll start
with those.
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Mary Rosenblum
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She asked how much input a
writer has on their art, either cover art or inside art.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That really depends on where
you publish.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you publish with a big NY
publisher, you have very little if any input. The artist may ask a question
or two about the scene that gets chosen for the cover
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Mary Rosenblum
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but it's the marketing
department that mostly runs the show there. It can be VERY frustrating if
you don't like your cover.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I have been enormously lucky
that most of my covers have been good.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you publish with small
press, the editors are usually quite open to your input about covers.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Do understand that some things
make a cover bad, no matter how much you might like the scene.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If the print is hard to read
that's not good! A busy, bright or dark cover can make it very difficult to
see the title and author name at a distance.
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info
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If an author has short stories
they want to put into a book and has only general requests of this one
first, that one before this one, are publishers usually okay with that?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Do you mean the order in which
the stories occur in the collection, info?
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info
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yes
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Mary Rosenblum
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That depends on you and the
editor. The editor may see a theme or chronology that will connect the
stories and give them continuity.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That editor may want to create
a 'dramatic arc' by putting low key stories first and a powerfully dramatic
story near the end.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But it's certainly
discussable. I've never worked with an editor who wasn't open to discussion.
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info
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That's pretty much why I ask. A
couple of the shorts reference others.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Editors are pretty savvy about
how fiction and nonfiction work best. I suspect you'll find that you're
pretty much in agreement with which story goes where.
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sundale
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how differnet do things need to
be to avoid copyright problems? (I.E. alien races)
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Mary Rosenblum
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You have to be pretty
specific, sundale. After all, fantasy stories are full of elves and orcs
and the orcs at least really are JRR's creation.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But if you, say, want to us
Legolas as the main character of your novel and he's recognizably the
Legolas from the Tolkien trilogy, the estate is probably going to get a
lawyer after you.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But if you have a talking
German shepherd named Legolas, not a problem.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you have a tough PI named
Legolas no problem.
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Mary Rosenblum
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It's not the name that's the
issue, it's the character.
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cherley
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What if you have something like
a reference page, like a picture of a valuable you're writing about?
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can do that. Picture pages
like that do cost extra and you need to consider the eventual cover price
of your book. But if you need a map or a photo for reference, it can be
added.
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sundale
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what I'm lookin at is I have a
race that has 6 few tails, is a little taller, has different fur color (in
some cases), and VERY differnet abilities than something already publshed.
Is that differnet enough?
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Mary Rosenblum
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If your character is different
than the published character you're fine. If a reader will instantly assume
this is the published character, you are not fine.
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rae
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Are all our characters copyright
protected?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Absolutely!
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Mary Rosenblum
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I just received a request from
a writer friend to use one of my characters in her novel. She will send me
a formal contract that spells out the limits of that use.
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cherley
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oops stamp, valuable stamp
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Mary Rosenblum
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Oh yeah, cherley. If you
notice, books on stamps and that sort contain lots of pictures. But
realize...picture pages are expensive to include.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Remember...if your book costs
50 bucks to buy, it might be hard to sell many.
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rae
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What do you think of mixing in a
story? For example 1st person and 3rd person in the same story? Especiall
in a novel.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can do it, rae, but just
because it's possible to do doesn't mean it will work in your story.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That kind of split tends to
jar the heck out of readers. But it can work if you, say, have a diary
interspersed with real-time action or if you use a narrative third along
with first person.
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Mary Rosenblum
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NOT easy to do well.
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sss1208
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what do you do when you do not
understand if the mag wants email or snail submissions?
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'd send either a snail mail
or email request for writers guidelines, sss. They might have a more
instructive copy in house that they'll send you. Include a SASE if you're
sending a snail mail query. Use a business size envelope.
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cherley
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What about redoing Fairy Tales,
like wicked. That seems like so much fun to write about the underdog.
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Mary Rosenblum
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They're in the public domaine,
cherley. Copyright is not eternal. :-)
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triliteral
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If you're quoting lines from a
song in a manuscript will you run into copyright problems?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yeah, you will, tri. The music
companies are hyper touchy about copyright because of all the file sharing
issues right now. You can quote a VERY few lines...like two or three, I
think....but after that, you have to get permission from the label that
owns the song.
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sss1208
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no, I didn't make myself clear,
I received guidelines, but I can 't tell for sure, if they want it by email
or snailmail or query before ms
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Mary Rosenblum
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Boy, those are LOUSY
submission guidelines! I hope they're more professional with the contract
and publication! You can either make your best guess or try somewhere else,
sss.
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pook
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I have a Word question about
tabs-when I try to indent for a para it goes to the end of the line.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You just need to set your tab
stops, pook. Click on your help icon in Word...the question mark...and
select Tabs from the index. It'll tell you how.
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charie'
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Where do you find info on what
might be public domain or about to be?
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Mary Rosenblum
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I don't know that there's a
single website, charie. You can google that title and find out when it was
last published. As I recall, copyright is something like the author's life
plus 40 years but it can be renewed.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Conan Doyle has renewed the
copyright on Sherlock Holmes and you cannot use that character without
their permission.
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paulab
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Is writing as a 1st person in a
story considered writing a narrative? I hope that makes sense...
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Mary Rosenblum
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It sure does, Paul. Narrative
means' told'. Someone tells a story, you don't write it descriptively so
that readers feel as if they're seeing the action.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can have the author tell
what is going on in third person.... Jane grabbed the rake and then she
went racing after Tom...
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Mary Rosenblum
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Or you can have a character
tell the story (first person)
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Mary Rosenblum
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Of you can have the author
tell the story using 'I" as in a personal narrative..... I winced as
Jane grabbed the rake and went racing after Tom...
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sundale
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in my sci-fi book, I mention
current shows (like Star Trek), sometimes with a specific reference (like
an episode name). Is this a problem?
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Mary Rosenblum
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It shouldn't be as long as you
don't slander the series...but I really would not use a specific episode
name. Readers who didn't see it will feel that you didn't write the story
for them, and in ten years, it's going to seem VERY dated.
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str8shooter
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Am I throwing away potential
sales when my work is displayed on a public web site?
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Mary Rosenblum
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That is an EXCELLENT question,
shooter, and the Tuesday forum is all about internet publishing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yes, you are throwing away
sales.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Who is going to pay you for
something that people can get for free? Even when you take work down, it's
archived all over the internet.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Editors won't try to sell
something people can get for free and when you publicly display your work,
you have used your First Rights.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Now you can only sell second
rights
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Mary Rosenblum
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Let me give you an example: I
may sell my SF story to Asimov's for say, 600$
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Mary Rosenblum
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When I sell second rights on
that story, I might get 150$ tops from an anthology and usually it's going
to be 25 – 50$ from the smaller mags .
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paulab
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In reference to Shooters
question, does that also apply to poetry as well?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yep.
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Mary Rosenblum
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And novels!
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Mary Rosenblum
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I got fan mail from a young
woman who told me about her fantasy novel. She was publishing it on her
website. She was dismayed when I told her that would cost her a sale later.
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cherley
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Does that apply to critique
sites?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Not as long as they are not
public sites...that is, they are passworded.
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sundale
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I assume you also lose first
rights if you post the story, even an unedited version, on a blog like
through myspace
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Mary Rosenblum
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Oh, you bet!
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sss1208
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how about submissions to
internet sites, like chicken soup
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Mary Rosenblum
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There are lots of ezines out
there. Some pay, many do not. But if your work is published in an Ezine
like Flashquake (which does pay) or Long Story Short (which does not) then
you have used your first rights.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But if you publish in a small
press magazine on paper, you have also used your first rights. There's
nothing wrong with publishing online!
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Mary Rosenblum
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Just don't post your work up
there frivolously.
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rae
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How many time should I rework a
chapter? So far I have rewritten chapter one 6 times. Is there a time to
say enough?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Ah, the 'revise forever' cycle
can really get you, rae. But yeah, you do have to call it quits sometime.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I figure that when all I do is
change words...this one is better than that one...it's time to quit.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Do a final polishing run where
that's just what you do...nitpick to get the perfect word...then QUIT. Send
it off.
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triliteral
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What is the best way to go about
finding an agent to represent your work. Do you have any do and don't tips?
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Mary Rosenblum
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The best way, tri, is to find
agents who handle the same genre you're writing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I recommend that ALL novice
writers use only agents who are members of AAR: The Association of Authors Representatives.
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Mary Rosenblum
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This is the professional
organization of agents, they have a code of ethics they must abide by.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can find contact
information and a great FAQ page on their website.
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Mary Rosenblum
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http://www.aar-online.org/index.html
Association of Authors' Representative homepage
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Mary Rosenblum
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Scam agents abound and they
can cost you a lot of money, like thousands of dollars, and ruin your dream
of publishing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Always check any agent or
publisher on either the Preditors and Editors website or at www.sfwa.org 's Writers Beware page.
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Mary Rosenblum
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http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
preditors and editors
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str8shooter
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Then contests entries requiring
unpublished stories won't be allowed as original work either if on a
website?
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Mary Rosenblum
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That probably depends on the
contest, shooter, but yes, it may well. Many contests plan on making money
from an anthology of the winners. If the work is available elsewhere for
free, who's going to buy it?
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paulab
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I once heard that poetry does
not have any value, is that true?
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Mary Rosenblum
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It doesn't pay a lot, Paul. I
don't know any poets who actually make a living wage by writing poetry. :-)
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charie'
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If you are soliciting a
critique, is there some way to ensure your work doesn't get passed around,
ruining your 1st rights?
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Mary Rosenblum
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As long as someone doesn't
post it on a public website, you're fine, Charie.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Handing work around for
critical comment doesn't violate your first rights.
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Mary Rosenblum
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And putting portions of a
story or novel up online won't hurt you either. Just not the whole thing,
please!
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sundale
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what's the differnece between
multiple submissions, and simultanious submisions? and does one of them
mean I can't submit the same story to another publisher untill I get an
answer?
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Mary Rosenblum
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They're usually considered to
be the same thing, sundale.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Generally, if you're selling
first rights, most publishers want to be the only editor considering the
work.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That's because when they send
you a 'yes' they have usually already reserved space for it in a particular
issue. And if you tell 'em it's sold elsewhere
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Mary Rosenblum
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they now have to find
something the same length to fill that space. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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BUT...many small press editors
are realists and know they're a: slow to respond and b: they're not paying,
so they're not competing for pro manuscripts. So
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Mary Rosenblum
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they often allow simultaneous
submissions.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'm only looking for reprint
rights for the LR website and I buy nonexclusive rights (means you can
publish it elsewhere while it's on the site here) so I don't care how many places
you've submitted something!
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Mary Rosenblum
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KC had another question: An
editor can and will retitle your work. What if you really object?
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Mary Rosenblum
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You and the editor will have
to work it out. Depends on how strongly the editor feels about it.
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cherley
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I sent a story off to a place
that said they'd notify the writer if it was accepted or rejected. I didn't
hear anything and contacted them back and they said the letters went out..
But I sent to 3 of their anthologies and it happened the same each time. Is
there something I should do different.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, either send it somewhere
else next time, or assume they're not going to notify you and just query
after a certain time.
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info
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If you and the editor are
butting heads over the title, can you retract your story from that
editor/publisher?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, you could, but that's
pretty drastic, info. Are you so sure someone else will buy the book? Not
to mention you have now burned your bridges with this editor and the
publisher may get difficult
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Mary Rosenblum
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over breach of contract, if
your contract doesn't give you the right to determine the title absolutely.
So you could end up having to return any advance money you might have
gotten.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you are going to want the
book exactly as you have written it, it's better to self publish.
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Mary Rosenblum
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The editor's job is to make it
better and if that editor does his/her job well, you're going to get asked
to make changes.
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gail
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I've always thought multiple
submissions meant they would accept more than one story or article at a
time. Was I assuming wrong when I did this? I never did hear back. :( (I do
understand the distinction from simultaneous, which I haven't done.)
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, the semantics are pretty
loose in this business, but multiple submissions usually means simultaneous
submissions. You can always send in more than one piece at a time. I don't
advise doing so however.
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charie'
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If you didn't like the editor's
choice of title for 1st printing, can you change it back for reprints?
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Mary Rosenblum
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I doubt an editor will quibble
over a title unless he/she feels that YOUR title is a kiss of death. You
really wouldn't want ot change the title later on
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Mary Rosenblum
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if the book was selling well.
How will new readers find you if their friends sent them to look for The
Riven Door and the book is now called Elfspell?
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amyb
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When it says cover
letter/manuscript is that either / or?
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amyb
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What is the difference btwn
cover letter and query?
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Mary Rosenblum
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They probably mean cover
letter AND manuscript, amyb.
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Mary Rosenblum
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A query letter tells the
editor what you have to offer...an article on growing oriental lilies, dog
training, something like that.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You say to the editor 'do you
want an article on growing oriental lilies?" If the editor says yes,
you send it to her, if she says no, you try something else with her next
time.
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Mary Rosenblum
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A cover letter accompanies the
complete manuscript...usually how fiction is submitted.
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Mary Rosenblum
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It simply says, 'here is my
story, this is what I have published, thanks for reading this'.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you have personal expertise
that pertains to the story mention it. But they're pretty short and sweet.
Don't forget that thank you for reading this, and a nice 'I really enjoy
your magazine' is not a bad idea either.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Catch more flies with honey
than vinegar, after all!
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paulab
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If you use an actual persons
name in your story line do you need to seek permission from that person?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Not if you don't slander that
person. :-)
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sss1208
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what if you have an article that
could turn into a series on the same subject. do you query the editor with
that info
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Mary Rosenblum
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Sure, you can offer, sss.
Always offer. Maybe the editor hadn't thought of that and likes the idea.
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Mary Rosenblum
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The first NF query I sent off,
the editor asked me to write a monthly column for him. :-)
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rae
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I have made up a town for my
story, should I use a real state, or should I create one?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Rae if you're writing
realistic fiction...say a mystery or romance...use a real state. If you
make one up, readers assume this is fantasy.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can make up the
town...nobody except maybe google knows all the towns in the country!
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charie'
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Why don't you advise sending in
multiple stories to the same place?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, charie, the edtor has
three stories from you. She reads the first one. Wow, nice. Maybe I'll buy
it. She reads the second...oh, this is even better! She reads the
third...this is the BEST!
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Mary Rosenblum
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So she buiys the third.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You send her one story. Wow,
this is good. She buys it.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You send her the second story.
Wow, this is even better than the first. She buys it.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You send her the third story.
Wow, this is super! She buys it.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Do the math. :-)
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charie'
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Aha. You would be competing
against your own work.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yep.
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sundale
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I have a novella that's just
about wolves. No fantasy or anything special, just wolves dealing with
human hunters. What genre or type of story should I submit it under?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Mainstream. You see animal POV
books from time to time. The Incredible Journey...a cat and two dogs who
returned to their home all way across country...was a NY Times bestseller.
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paulab
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How many rejection letters would
a writer receive on average before they start to develop a complex?
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Mary Rosenblum
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That is going to be different
for every writer out there. How stubborn are you? How driven? How hungry to
succeed? How thick is your skull? Will it take all that pounding on the
door before the door falls down for you? :-)
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sundale
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do you HAVE to write on a regimen,
or can you keep your own style if it works well for you?
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Mary Rosenblum
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It must work is really the
only RULE in writing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, you all have brought me
some great questions tonight !
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paulab
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Thank you, I am very persistent
and relentless!
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Mary Rosenblum
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Then you probably have what it
takes to get published, Paul. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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Don't forget my prompt is
still open for submissions through Thursday evening.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You'll find the prompt and the
submission guidelines (which you MUST follow) in this week's newsletter.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Click on writing craft, then
newsletter and you're there.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'll post the transcript in
the usual place: Writing Craft: Forum Transcript.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Join me Sunday right here for
our Sunday casual chat.
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Mary Rosenblum
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We just party. It's a lot of
fun.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Great place to meet other
writers.
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