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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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I hope you've had a great
week. It has flown by for me, that's for sure.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. We're talking about breaking in,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out in November)
, more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions
you have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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Breaking in is the toughest
part of everyone's career.
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mary rosenblum
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That's not to say you won't
have tough times after you start selling, but when you're writing your
heart...
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mary rosenblum
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out and collecting rejection
after rejection it becomes a real test of faith...or of butt headed
stubbornness in the face of reason...you choose!
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mary rosenblum
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So I wanted to talk a bit
about that process and how it works...and answer any questions you have
about submissions, etc.
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mary rosenblum
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The way you break into either
fiction or nonfiction is you write a lot and you either query editors over
and over and over or you submit fiction over and over and over...
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mary rosenblum
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and you deal with the
rejections as best you can, write more, submit more, deal with rejections
more...and then do it all over again.
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mary rosenblum
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There is no other way to get
there.
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mary rosenblum
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Some people are lucky and sell
something right away and others have to pound their heads against the wall
for much longer before it finally falls down.
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mary rosenblum
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What you do not want to do is
to write one thing or come up with one good nonfiction idea...
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mary rosenblum
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and send that to everybody you
can dig out of the market lists and then decide you're not good enough.
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mary rosenblum
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Pardon me while I roll my
eyes! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But I do know people who have
done that.
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mary rosenblum
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Let's look at fiction and
nonfiction separately here.
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mary rosenblum
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You have one purpose to your
average editor...you are there to sell books or issues of the anthology...
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mary rosenblum
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and the editor's reputation
(which matters to that editor!) depends on your doing that well.
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dfitz
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I fear that if I get an
acceptance for non-fiction that I won't be able to meet deadline and/or
word count.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, those are very real
issues...deadlines especially. But can you hold a day job? Can you show up
at your desk on time M - F or whatever your schedule is?
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mary rosenblum
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What's different about a
publishing deadline?
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mary rosenblum
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I you can hold a job, you can
meet publishing deadlines. Just think of them as your job.
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mary rosenblum
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It's when people think of the
writing as a hobby that they let other things get in the way. :-) That's
mindset.
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mary rosenblum
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As to word counts, that's a
matter of craft.
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mary rosenblum
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Nobody can meet word counts
easily when they start (she says thinking of her LR students who struggle
to meet those early short word counts!)
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mary rosenblum
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Learning to say what you need
to say is a matter of craft, like learning to do good dialogue or use vivid
verbs instead of 'was', 'went' etc.
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mary rosenblum
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The more you write, the better
you'll get at writing stronger articles in fewer words.
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megger
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Mary, I sent a query off to a
local publication a little less than 2 weeks ago. How long before I can
move on to someone else?
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mary rosenblum
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That's pretty soon, megger,
you don't know what's going on at that house. I figure a month, and
usually, I've heard back at about a month. Nonfiction editors are pretty
professional about that...
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mary rosenblum
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unless you send in a totally
inappropriate query letter. Then some editors simply won't answer.
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mary rosenblum
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But I suspect you all are far
above that level!
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ladybird39pm
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how do I get my question all
together to you Mary at one tim
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mary rosenblum
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Ladybird, type /ask in your
regular send bar...not the ask a question bar...and then type your
question.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. We're talking about breaking in,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out in November)
, more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions
you have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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cherley
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It's the waiting that gets to
me.
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mary rosenblum
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But you know, it's part of the
business, and at this point, when I send something off, I just put it out
of my mind. It's GONE until I get a response back.
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mary rosenblum
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It wasn't like that at first,
of course, especially when you're waiting for those very first sales.
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mary rosenblum
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But the best way to take your
mind off of it is to start a new project right away.
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mary rosenblum
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That helps if it comes back
with a no thanks, too... you have that new project you're excited
about...and surely IT will sell.
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mary rosenblum
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The reason you want to write a
lot and send out a lot in fiction is that as I said...your value to an
editor...
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mary rosenblum
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is selling copies. And editors
are sympathetic people. They want hopeful writers to succeed if they have
promise...
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mary rosenblum
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but they won't put their jobs
on the line to give you that break. So you have to show editors in
fiction...
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mary rosenblum
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that you will write lots, you
will 'stay the course' and establish a name and then they're more likely to
slip you into a strong...
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mary rosenblum
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magazine issue or include you
in that anthology.
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mary rosenblum
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We're talking short fiction
here.
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mary rosenblum
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In the land of novels it's all
about what you give them to read. Is it going to sell? Will it be hot?
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mary rosenblum
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They'll buy it.
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writermom
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if you are a beginning writer or
maybe a little past it how much querying and submittal do you recommend
mailing out
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mary rosenblum
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Every bit of good work you
have, writer.
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mary rosenblum
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The more people see your name,
the more they buy magazines or subscribe to ezines because you have a piece
there...
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mary rosenblum
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and they write letters to the
editor saying they love your work.
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mary rosenblum
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Mailing out half done
unrevised stuff won't help you.
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mary rosenblum
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But when it's done and you
think it's good...
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mary rosenblum
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I recommend that you make a
list of five markets you can send this to or query for NF.
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mary rosenblum
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Rank them from biggest market
to freebies if you're going to submit to freebies.
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mary rosenblum
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If you get a 'no thanks' check
that market off, address the envelope to the next one, stick it in, add
that SASE and a new cover letter and send it off.
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mary rosenblum
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The SAME day it came back if
possible.
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megger
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How short?
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mary rosenblum
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What's that, megger?
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dfitz
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Are you suggesting that you
write the non-fiction article before querying the editor?
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mary rosenblum
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No, I was talking about
fiction.
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mary rosenblum
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For NF, gather your
information and do your interview, then make a list of magazines that might
want a piece using this stuff.
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mary rosenblum
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Every query will be different,
slanted to THAT magazine, so you'll write a new query letter each time...
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mary rosenblum
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but otherwise do the same
thing. Get the first 'no thanks' back, write up the new query letter, or
better yet, have it written, stamp it, mail it.
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megger
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The short fiction you mentioned
earlier.
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mary rosenblum
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I'm sorry, Megger, I'm not
sure what exactly you want to know. Aplogies. Want to try one more time?
:-)
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charie'
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Someone suggested a journal with
Title, Where Sent To, Date Sent and Expected Response is handy to have.
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mary rosenblum
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I have one, Charie. I started
it right after I finished Clarion. Now it is a VERY cool overview of my
entire career.
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mary rosenblum
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I still record the date I sent
a piece out, the postage, the reply date, and the nature of the reply.
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mary rosenblum
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That's a great way to learn
response times for various editors.
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mary rosenblum
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Do the same thing with
NR...date out, date back, comments if any, postage.
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megger
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Okay, let's try this again. You
were talking about "staying the course" and writing a lot,
showing editors you've got the stuff. Then you said you were talking about
short fiction. I was wondering how short.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, now I get it! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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I mean short fiction as
opposed to novels or NF, megger. No particular length...below 60,000 words
anyway.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. We're talking about breaking in,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out in November)
, more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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reggiek
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If I want to write in many
different areas, should I use pen names? And how to I tell the editor that?
Do I just use the pen name and worry about my real name for payment?
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mary rosenblum
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No need, reggie unless readers
would be appalled to know you write, say, erotica, if they're reading your
Christian Fiction.
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mary rosenblum
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The more people who know your
name the more readers you have.
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dwkav
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I just sent out my first short
story. I expect a rejection, but it makes me feel like a "real
writer" nonetheless. Like I'm not just playing around here. It's a
good feeling.
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mary rosenblum
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That's the right way to feel.
And remember when you get rejections, I still get rejections. My name is
worth quite a bit to SF editors, I get great critical reviews...
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mary rosenblum
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but sometimes an editor says
'I don't want this story, it doesn't work for me'...and I send it somewhere
else.
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reggiek
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I want to write for children,
adults, business, and yes, possibly some risque stuff... ;-)
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mary rosenblum
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I'd certainly use a pen name
for something like erotica because it might affect your sales in children
and some adult fiction arenas, but that's about all you need.
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mary rosenblum
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Jane Yolen, a very prolific YA
author writes dark fantasy, SF, mainstream, and nonfiction.
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mary rosenblum
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All under her own name.
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cherley
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Should you submit to freebies?
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writermom
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I've heard writers say that your
writing is worth something and that you shouldn't market to freebies yet
most of my work has been posted on ezines that don't pay
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, and no, writer.
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mary rosenblum
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I would not send my work out to
a freebie until I had exhausted all the for pay markets I could find.
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mary rosenblum
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Then, why not?
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mary rosenblum
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The reality is that you are
going to be a better writer next year than you are now, and an even better
writer the year after, and so on...
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mary rosenblum
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so you may not come back to
these early stories and sell them.
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mary rosenblum
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Now if you think the idea is
REALLY powerful, don't publish it with a freebie.
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mary rosenblum
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Instead, hold onto it.
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mary rosenblum
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Keep an eye out for a new
market...an anthology, a new magazine...
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mary rosenblum
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and then go back and REVISE
IT.
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mary rosenblum
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That new market might not open
up for a year or two and you'll be a better writer then.
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mary rosenblum
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But if it's just a nice story,
not something that really wakes you up at night, then by all means...
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mary rosenblum
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publish with a free ezine.
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mary rosenblum
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You're gaining readers and
name recognition and you can cite that publication in your next cover
letter.
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cherley
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The good thing about freebies is
that they get back to you pretty quickly. LOL
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mary rosenblum
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They do indeed. :-)
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cherley
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I sent a story to a magazine.
They said if I rewrote it with a different POV they'd consider it. I did
and resubmitted it and it's been five months and I haven't heard anything
back. Should I forget about it and send it somewhere else?
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mary rosenblum
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I'd query the editor first,
cherley.
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mary rosenblum
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You revised to his/her
specifications so you deserve a response from the editor...either yes or
no.
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mary rosenblum
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What sometimes happens is that
the editor hangs onto your story until a really strong issue...
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mary rosenblum
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comes along where a 'new name'
won't weaken it.
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megger
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When you're asked for clips (or
samples), how many do you send? How long are they?
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mary rosenblum
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You really only need one or
two, megger. Choose the clips that are most like the piece your querying
about. If it's an article for a dog mag, for example...
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mary rosenblum
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and you have published a piece
on German Shepherd Rescue, send that one.
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pamedison
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What goes on a cover letter when
you send a NF story?
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mary rosenblum
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A cover letter is just
information for the editor, no matter what you're sending pam.
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mary rosenblum
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If you've written this after
the editor replied to your query, you remind that editor that she asked for
this.
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mary rosenblum
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If it's either a fiction story
or a NF personal narrative piece, you just tell the editor you think it
suits the magazine, you really enjoy the magazine, and thank that editor
for his/her time and attention.
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mary rosenblum
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If you have publishing
credits, you mention them, if you have none, you say nothing about
publishing credits.
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charie'
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When you do a query letter how
do you let them know which name is the pen name and which is the one for
the pay check?
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mary rosenblum
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You will use your real name in
the query letter, charie. And on the contract!!! The pen name only goes on
the MS under the title.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors DO know what that
means. :-)
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carla
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i don't have the story was just
a scene can i tell theeditor
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mary rosenblum
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Carla, want to try typing your
question in the regular send bar? Start with /ask and then type the whole
question.
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foxx
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how do you handle 300 - 800 word
pieces?
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mary rosenblum
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They're short shorts, foxx.
You just handle them like any other manuscripts.
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mary rosenblum
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Always read the writers
guidelines for those details.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. We're talking about breaking in,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out in November)
, more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions
you have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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reggiek
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What if your publishing credits
is just one?
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mary rosenblum
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That's a whole lot better than
none! :-) But remember...everybody starts with none. Even Stephen King.
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sallyk
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What do you think of blogging
for writers?
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mary rosenblum
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It's fine. Just don't let it
eat all your writing time and energy. If your blog becomes very popular and
proliferates like mad...
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mary rosenblum
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you have a great platform for
advertising your writing.
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info
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How do you find out about new
markets that may be opening up? By conventions?
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mary rosenblum
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The online writers markets and
market lists tend to reflect new and transient markets better than the
paper market lists...
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mary rosenblum
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and joining the professional
organization for your genre as an associate member usually gets you the
association newsletter...
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mary rosenblum
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and some of those have good
market news. MWA doesn't. Theirs is awful, but I"m not about to
complain, or I'll get stuck doing it!
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mary rosenblum
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SFWA usually has a good market
section, depending on who's doing it.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't know about HWA.
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mary rosenblum
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RWA is open to unpublished
members and EVERY aspiring romance writer should belong. They are the top
professional organization out there in terms of offerings for novices.
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megger
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Do all genres have professional
organizations? Is there a good listing of them?
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mary rosenblum
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The genres do. There's a
freelancers organization but they want your tax return to prove that you
make your living in NF before you can join. It's not open to novices.
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mary rosenblum
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The National Writers Union
covers everybody...fiction and non. I think their membership is pretty
open.
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mary rosenblum
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National Writers Union
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reggiek
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What I mean is, do I say that I
have had one article published, or do I wait until I can say 3, 5, 10, 100?
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mary rosenblum
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If you have ANYTHING
published, say so, even if it was in a freebie ezine, reggie.
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mary rosenblum
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It means your work was better
than a lot of others and somebody thought you write well enough to publish!
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mary rosenblum
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And editors don't know every
publication out there.
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mary rosenblum
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They won't KNOW it was a
freebie ezine if you don't SAY so!
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robastor
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I know this is a dumb question.
:-) Is the Writer's Guidelines a publication? I see this often in listings
and I find I need to know.
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mary rosenblum
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Every publisher makes it
available to writers for the asking.
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mary rosenblum
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usually you'll find them on
the publisher's website...
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mary rosenblum
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but if they have no website,
you can write to the editorial offices and request a copy. Include a
business sized (no.10) envelope, stamped and self addressed.
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mary rosenblum
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They tell you exactly what the
publisher wants and exactly how to submit. Always follow them.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. We're talking about breaking in,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out in November)
, more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions
you have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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carla
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i recently sent a 1000 word
flash fiction to an editor.. editor sent it back wanting rest of story ...
was a scene only and don't have the rest of the story... can i tell the
editor this or will that look bad for future opportunities
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mary rosenblum
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Well, carla you hooked that
editor, congratulations! YOu can do one of two things here...three things
actually. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Send a nice note back and tell
the editor it was a scene only, thank him/her for the comments. You can
either promise to write the whole story and send it later, or leave it with
a 'thank you'.
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mary rosenblum
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It's up to you. But if you can
come up with a story to fit the scene you have an editor who liked the
scene. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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If you write the whole story
and send it later, remind the editor that he/she liked the scene and asked
for the story and tell editor that this is the story.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors deal with hundreds of
submissions. They forget what they told you. Always remind 'em.
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cherley
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So can you use the freebie you
published as a clip?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure. Published is a clip.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors know all the big
markets, they know this is a tiny fringe market and probably a free one if
they've never heard of it...
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mary rosenblum
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but it still says some editor
thought you were good.
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reggiek
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What about poetry? Is it taken
seriously in the F/NF world? Should I mention publication?
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mary rosenblum
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I wouldn't. Not only is it not
taken seriously, most of the 'poetry markets' out there are actually scams
designed to get submitting authors to buy expensive books...
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mary rosenblum
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so they're kind of laughed at.
Fiction editors know nothing about poetry, generally, and a good poet is
not a good fiction or NF writer, most of the time...
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mary rosenblum
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so don't include it.
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reggiek
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And what about newspaper
editorials?
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mary rosenblum
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I would include that, reggie. Believe
me, If you make the Op Ed page of the NYTimes that is a very nice clip.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, they do publish some
ranting maniacs, but generally they pick well written submissions.
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megger
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A follow-up on clips. Would you
send an entire article? "Clip" to me means just a small piece.
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mary rosenblum
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It originally meant waht it
says...an article clipped from a magazine or paper. I would send a
photocopy of the actual article.
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mary rosenblum
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They want to see if you can
really write...that's why you send it. It's a writing test...the names of
the publications tell...
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mary rosenblum
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the editor how 'high' you are
in the markets.
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mary rosenblum
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If you have been published in
many places in NF, pick the largest circulation mags to mention and then
the ones most like the one you're querying.
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mary rosenblum
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I would include just a couple
of clips that are similar to the article you've proposed.
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cherley
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What if you published online.
Just run off a copy of it?
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mary rosenblum
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You can send a copy or include
a link if it's still available. The editor can visit the site and read it.
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cherley
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Is a clip the whole article?
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charie'
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Is there a size limit on clips?
5 pages? 3? 1?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, there isn't but be
realistic! I had a student who sent a copy of every professional journal
article he had ever written to an editor. It was a STUFFED 10 x 12
envelope! No editor is going to even skim that much stuff.
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mary rosenblum
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The editor is going to spend a
few minutes getting a feel for the quality of your prose.
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mary rosenblum
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Two or three brief articles or
one feature article are plenty.
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cherley
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On the clips, If they ask for a
clip and you don't have one, should you skip that magazine? Lots of
questions tonight.
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lorib
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I've heard that if you don't
have any clips and the guidelines ask for them, that you should send them
some samples of your writings
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mary rosenblum
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No, don't skip that magazine
cherley! IF you have a piece that you're certain is just right for that
mag...
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mary rosenblum
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send in the query.
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mary rosenblum
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You can...I would...just
include the ms of the article as your 'writing sample'.
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mary rosenblum
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If the editor throws it out
because you included it ,what have you lost? A buck or so in postage?
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mary rosenblum
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One of my students did an
experiment and instead of querying NF editors as the guidelines said (she
had no clips)...
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mary rosenblum
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she just sent the article in
and baldly said that as she had no clips...here it was.
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mary rosenblum
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About half of the editors
accepted this and commented on it, the other half rejected it unread.
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mary rosenblum
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Now she didn't even query.
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mary rosenblum
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But why not? What have you got
to lose?
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cherley
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So they're not expecting the
actual printed article, just a copy of it.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, they're expecting a
photocopy of the published article.
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mary rosenblum
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Hey, if I have an article
published in a tony travel mag that costs 4.50 per copy, I"m NOT going
to buy 50 copies just so I can ...
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mary rosenblum
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send out original pages for my
clips!
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mary rosenblum
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I'll photocopy that page thank
you very much.
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info
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Off the subject a bit but, I was
just asked about if there are any writing conventions and such in my area.
There is any that seems to come to Iowa. Do you have any suggestions for
this potention future writer other than this chat room?
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mary rosenblum
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Info, check Shawguides.com.
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mary rosenblum
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the conferences and
conventions usually take place in reasonably sized cities.
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sailor
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If the mag says they want a tear
sheet, that means original pages, not copies, right?
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, gosh, Sailor, I can't
remember what tear sheet means right now. I haven't written extensively in
the NF freelance universe for too many years. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But you're probably fine with
a photocopy of a published ariticle no matter what they ask for.
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mary rosenblum
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The editor ONLY needs to know
that you have actually published...what they probably are asking for...
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mary rosenblum
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is something with a masthead
...in case someone wants to mock up a 'published' article with a publishing
program. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Just make sure your photocopy
includes the page header.
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reggiek
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When you are submitting a short
article, why would they want to read samples when they can just read the
actual article you are querying about?
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mary rosenblum
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They really don't want to read
anything from you, reggie, except the query. The sample is just to prove
you can write.
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mary rosenblum
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Most NF is handed out as an
assignment.
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mary rosenblum
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Once you have had a few
queries accepted and turned in good copy, you'll get calls from the editor
asking for particular articles.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll still pitch articles
when you get great ideas, but you'll get a lot of assignment work, too.
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mary rosenblum
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That's only when you're
querying a brand new market where you haven't sold yet.
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dfitz
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Mary, I have some articles that
I wrote for my own ezine. Can I use these as clips?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure, why not?
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mary rosenblum
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If you don't have anything
else.
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info
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My son's friend says thank you
for the information.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, about the cons, info? What
does he write?
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reggiek
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For books, do you think that you
HAVE to have an agent when you are unpublished?
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mary rosenblum
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No, not at all.
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on what you write and
where you intend to publish.
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info
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sf
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mary rosenblum
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Oh ,goodness! Tell him to buy
a copy of Asimov's magazine..the cons advertise in the back of the
magazine.
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mary rosenblum
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Reggie...what do you write?
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reggiek
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YA fiction
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mary rosenblum
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Okay...if you want to publish
with the big 'traditional' ie New York, publishers you WILL need an
agent...
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mary rosenblum
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unless you are writing YA SF
or fantasy and submit to Tor Books. They'll take unagented work. Nobody
else.
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mary rosenblum
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If you want to go through a
small press house, you don't need an agent. The distribution is much
smaller and so is the...
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mary rosenblum
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return unless you are very
lucky, but you avoid the agent process and it's less competitive.
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reggiek
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So, I have to query agents with
a couple of chapters to represent me?
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mary rosenblum
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Every agent has writers
guidelines that tell you want he/she wants to see from you.
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mary rosenblum
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Often that is only a query.
Sometimes it is a synopsis and chapters. You will find out what...
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mary rosenblum
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that agent wants when you find
his/her contact info.
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mary rosenblum
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I suggest you visit the
Association of Authors Representatives...the agents professional
organization...
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mary rosenblum
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and read their FAQ page.
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mary rosenblum
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That's an education about how
to select an agent. They have contact info on the website...
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mary rosenblum
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and you can find it in the
Writers Digest Novel and Short Story Writers Market, too.
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mary rosenblum
|
Association of Authors
Representatives Webpage
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reggiek
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Should I write the whole book
first, or just a few chapters?
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mary rosenblum
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Write the whole book first,
reggie. I can sell on proposal because I have proved (after 8 novels) that
I can turn in the book I promise on deadline.
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mary rosenblum
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You can't say that.
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mary rosenblum
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You HAVE to have the whole
book as a novice before an agent or editor will even look at it.
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mary rosenblum
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for every 100 people who START
a novel, not that many finish it.
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mary rosenblum
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The main thing with breaking
in, is write a lot, query a lot, send it out, send it out...
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mary rosenblum
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and send each query or story
out to ALL the markets available before you file it.
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mary rosenblum
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As a new writer, you are
casting about for the editor who says 'wow, this person has a voice. I like
it'...
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mary rosenblum
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and that editor will help you.
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mary rosenblum
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And you don't know which
editor that is, so you have to try, try, try again, again...
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mary rosenblum
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That is the ONLY way to do it.
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mary rosenblum
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You can be lucky and find that
editor on the first cast...or you can find it after countless rejections...
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mary rosenblum
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but if you only try one market
or you only write one story...or only query one time..not gonna happen.
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mary rosenblum
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The more GOOD stories and
queries you have floating about, the sooner you'll break in.
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reggiek
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Thank you so much for all the
info you have given us. So nice to have a "live" person to ask...
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mary rosenblum
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Well, you know Reggie, it is
very tough getting started in this biz. I remember that start quite well,
thanks...
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mary rosenblum
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and you generally don't
realize how things work until after you fumble your way inside.
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mary rosenblum
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I'm just trying to give you
all a bit of a glimpse of what is really going on, so that it's not quite
the blind struggle I went through!
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mary rosenblum
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Because it's pretty much the
same route for everyone.
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reggiek
|
So much of this seems like
well-guarded secrets.
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mary rosenblum
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It's not well guarded...you
just don't know whom to ask is all. :-)
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ltsonya
|
that's one i thing that really
drew me into LR - you teach us how to get published and not just how to write.
i took plenty of fiction writing classes in college and even though my
prose was fine they never taught me how to break in (and didn't even touch
on nonfiction!)
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mary rosenblum
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Well, the truth is that many
people who teach writing (outside of LR) are not published. They can't
really help you there. Oh maybe they...
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mary rosenblum
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published in a lit mag or two,
but they're not professional writers. YOu really don't understand the
business until you make your living in that arena.
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charie'
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Remember to use real stamps on
the SASE not a metered sticker. They sometimes have a post by date.
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mary rosenblum
|
Yes, although the new
'automatic post offices' do print stamps that are good anytime.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, this has been fun.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember...write a lot, send
it out and keep sending it out until you run out of markets.
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mary rosenblum
|
You ARE going to get a lot of
rejections.
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mary rosenblum
|
That' s just part of breaking
in. Collect them proudly.
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mary rosenblum
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Thanks for coming all! Join us
Sunday for our casual chat.
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mary rosenblum
|
Good place to gripe about
rejections! :-) Or get help with a plot or talk about food. (We seem to do
that a lot!)
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mary rosenblum
|
See you all then! Have a great
weekend!
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