Tatiana Claudy is a freelance writer and photographer. She is a regular contributor to FellowScript Canadian newsletter. Her byline has appeared in Creation Illustrated, Learning Through History, The Upper Room, and Writers' Journal magazines, Spirit-Led Writer e-magazine, and Writing-World.com Web site.

 

 

 

"Writer's Journey Around the World": 7 Steps to Global Writing

 

by Tatiana Claudy

 

     Mr. Fogg bet £20,000 that he would go around the world in 80 days (Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne). Regardless of dangers that he met during his journey, Mr. Fogg had reached his destination. Writing for international markets, you can make your "journeys" faster. If you follow suggested steps, you will avoid dangers of falling into traps - common mistakes - and, finally, reach your destination - to break into foreign periodicals. 

 

1. Find Markets

     Many reference books and Web sites list international markets:

 

Reference Books

Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2008 (UK) by Jacqueline Wilson

The Australian Writer’s Marketplace 2007/08

The Canadian Writer's Market by Sandra Tooze

The Writer's and Photographer's Guide to Global Markets by Michael Sedge

Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2008 (UK) by Alexander McCall Smith

Writer's Market UK 2008 by Michael Cady

 

Web sites

The AA Independent Press Guide

www.rimbaud.org.uk/aaipg.html

 

AllYouCanRead.com

www.allyoucanread.com

 

Canadian Magazines

www.magomania.com

 

Online Magazines

www.onlinenewspapers.com/magazines

 

UK250.co.uk

www.uk250.co.uk/Magazine/Magazine2.htm

 

Web Wombat

www.webwombat.com.au/magazines/index.htm

 

2. Sell International Rights

    After selling "First North American Serial Rights," you have other "geographic" first rights, for example, "First Asian Serial  Rights," "First Australian Serial Rights," and "First European Serial Rights." Regretfully, if you accepted a work-for-hire assignment, you have lost all these rights.

     If a publisher insists on "First International Rights," offer them to him only in English, and you will be able to sell the same article in other languages. Selling to local periodicals, define geographic limits of granted rights. Likewise specify what electronic rights you wish to sell.  

     "Whenever possible, opt to sell "non-exclusive" or "one-time" rights," said publisher of Writing-World.com Web site Moira Allen, "this will leave you free to resell the same material . . . throughout the world."

 

3. Query First

     If an editor accepts query letters, query him via e-mail or mail before submitting your manuscript. There are two advantages of this procedure: editors usually respond faster to query letters, and you will save money on postage. Though some editors require hard-copy submissions, they may allow e-mail queries.

     You can learn about international postage rates, for instance, on Postal Explorer Web site (at http://pe.usps.gov/ ).

 

4. Sell Reprints

     Global markets give you more opportunities for selling reprints if you rewrite your articles with a country or publication slant. "Inserting quotes or information from the periodical's home country . . . tells the editor that you are tuned to his readership," advised former foreign correspondent Michael Sedge.

     Free translation service is available, for example, at www.freetranslation.com  or www.translation2.paralink.com   .

 

5. Submit Simultaneously

      Editors like their periodicals to differ from the others. By selling your manuscripts to non-competing and non-overlapping markets, you can submit simultaneously (and provide a steady cash flow). To learn whether simultaneous submissions are allowed, study publications guidelines (be sure that you have updated ones). If you cannot find this information then write to an editor.

 

6. Use Correct Words

       The prime goal of writing is clear communication with readers, and you can achieve it by using correct words. If you mention in your manuscript, for example, words subway, apartment, and sidewalk, people in UK may be confused - they call these things tube, flat, and pavement.

        There is also difference in spelling, e.g., colour, grey, theatre (UK) and color, gray, theater (US). You may check correct usage and spelling in the British-American and American-British dictionary (at www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/dict.html).

      Mentioning in your article dollars, indicate which ones. Many countries (e.g., Belize, Jamaica, Namibia, and Taiwan) call their local currency "a dollar." Similar situation is with words "dinar," "franc," and "peso." For clarification, you may use a currencies table at fx.sauder.ubc.ca/currency_table.html .

     Remember, that many countries use metric system. Find out on US Metric Association Web site (at http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html ) how to adjust your material for your international readers.

 

7. Keep Your Readers in Mind

     Europeans is an educated audience - do not oversimplify your writing for them. However, writing about American traditions, give explanation. For example, Europeans may be unfamiliar with celebrating Mother's Day, because in many countries people celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th. When they celebrate the same holiday, it may be called differently (e.g., "Pussy-Willow Sunday" in Russia instead of "Palm Sunday").

     Dates and time are other areas for international readers' confusion. For more help, read the article "A summary of the international standard date and time notation" by Markus Kuhn (at www.cl.cam.ac.uk/%7Emgk25/iso-time.html).

     Due to cultural and religious traditions, many common topics for European markets are inappropriate for Asian ones (e.g., women's fashion for Middle East periodicals). Learn about culture of a country you want to write for.

 

     Mr. Fogg moved fast to arrive to his destination. Put these tips into practice, and you will reach your destination - getting published internationally. "Have a bias toward action," encouraged Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister of India), "let's see something happen now."

 

 

Writers' Publications

Printed

 

FellowScript Christian newsletter (Canada)

www.inscribe.org/FellowScript-guidelines.htm

 

Mslexia magazine for women who write (UK)

www.mslexia.co.uk/menu/submit.html

 

The New Writer magazine (UK)
www.thenewwriter.com/guidelines.htm

Writers’ News magazine (UK)

www.writersnews.co.uk/main/subguides.asp

 

 

 

Online

 

 

EU Writer newsletter
www.worldwidefreelance.com

Worldwide Freelance Writer newsletter and Web site

www.worldwidefreelance.com

 

WritingAustralia.com e-Zine

www.writingaustralia.com/submissions.html