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mary rosenblum
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Hello all!
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mary rosenblum
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I hope you had a good weekend,
and I missed you Friday night!
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mary rosenblum
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Hardware troubles, alas.
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. This is
an open question session…ask anything you like! 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, or use the
ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar
won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question to reach
me.
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christopher dale
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you STILL got mouse pad issues?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, on my laptop, yeah,
because I haven't bought a mouse, yet...
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mary rosenblum
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I'm at home on my regular
computer, Chris.
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mary rosenblum
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I was in Seattle at a
conference on Friday.
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wingedwarrior24
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I seem to be learning more from
the forums then the lesson's, will this change?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, you're actually learning
more than you realize from the lessons, winged...
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mary rosenblum
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because you are WRITING.
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mary rosenblum
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But I intentionally shape the
Forums to 'fill in the gaps' in what can be accomplished in the course...
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mary rosenblum
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of the assignments.
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mary rosenblum
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That was my whole purpose in
doing this...to create the extended course for those who want to take the
time.
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wingedwarrior24
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how is your wizard story coming
along?
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mary rosenblum
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It's in the research stages,
winged..
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mary rosenblum
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actually, if you'd like an
insight into how at least one writer works...
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mary rosenblum
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i'm using synesthesia to link
real world to magic...
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mary rosenblum
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and as I research the
condition, my plot and characters are changing...
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mary rosenblum
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which is a good reason to do
some if not all of your research ahead of time.
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mary rosenblum
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Synesthesia, by the way...
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mary rosenblum
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is when your senses are 'cross
wired'.
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mary rosenblum
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You may taste color or smell
words...
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mary rosenblum
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that's a crude representation,
but gives you a general idea.
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geezer
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describe how you taste color
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have to read the
literature, geezer...you can search it online...
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mary rosenblum
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it's an interesting and
complex area of brain confusion.
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patchworkcat
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Tell us a little bit about the
conference, please.
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mary rosenblum
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I will.
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mary rosenblum
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Because conferences are much
more important than most new writers realize..
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mary rosenblum
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and since they are fairly
expensive to attend, many simply don't go.
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mary rosenblum
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And it's worthwhile, even a
small one such as the one I attended...
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mary rosenblum
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where very few NY publishers
attended...
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mary rosenblum
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Tor Books had a contingent
there, as did Del Rey, but quite a few regional small press...
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telcontar
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What's the difference between a
conference and a convention?
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mary rosenblum
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Mostly genre terminology.
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mary rosenblum
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The SF conventions are
attended by fans as well as writers, aspiring writers, editors and agents.
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mary rosenblum
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writers conferences tend to
have programming that is of interest only to writers,aspiring writers,
editors, and agents.
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mary rosenblum
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Both are good for new
writers...
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mary rosenblum
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because it allows you time to
network with people inside the field...
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mary rosenblum
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and you are MUCh more likely
for example to get an agent...
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mary rosenblum
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or... much more importantly...
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mary rosenblum
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to get an invitation from an
editor to send him or her a ms directly...
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mary rosenblum
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even if the house has an Agent
Only policy...
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mary rosenblum
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if you talk to those editors
and writers who know those editors.
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mary rosenblum
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And writers as a whole are
VERY willing to talk to new writers.
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mary rosenblum
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Nearly all of us will steer
newbies to the right editor, the right anthology...
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mary rosenblum
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an agent...we were ALL there
once and we remember it mostly.
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mary rosenblum
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And you can do conferences
cheaply.
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mary rosenblum
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Share a hotel room with two or
three other people...
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mary rosenblum
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and most of the conferences
and conventions provide some sort of hospitality room with free food and
beverages...
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mary rosenblum
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when I first started, had two
kids, and was DEAD broke...
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mary rosenblum
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I still managed to do some and
didn't need to spend a lot of money...
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mary rosenblum
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and airfare cost more then
than it does now.
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wingedwarrior24
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why not have profiles for us?
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mary rosenblum
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What kind of profiels, winged?
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. This is
an open question session…ask anything you like! 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, or use the
ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar
won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question to reach
me.
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wingedwarrior24
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profiles for these rooms
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mary rosenblum
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YOu mean finding roomates? I
don't have the free time to do that, winged, you all will have to work that
out for yourselves, alas.
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bookworm4fun
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when outlining a book, is there
a specific outline format you recommend? Is it OK to outline after the
fact, ie: do the chapter first and the outline later to keep the facts
straight?
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mary rosenblum
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Hang on...I've got a pertinent
con comment I'll post first...
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speckledorf
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The con I'm going to this summer
has a special price for volunteers also. Not only do I go at a lower price,
I get to be more involved in the operation of the con. Win win situation:-)
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, that is very true. EVERY
conference or convention needs volunteers and it's a great way to get to
meet pros. ANd get in more cheaply.
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mary rosenblum
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Okay, as to your question
bookworm...
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mary rosenblum
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For fiction, few if any
editors or agents will want an outline, so you are doing an outline for
yourself.
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mary rosenblum
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And that will depend entirely
on how you work.
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mary rosenblum
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I know writers who start with
page one and just write until they finish the draft...
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mary rosenblum
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with no planning at all.
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mary rosenblum
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I know writers who outline
every chapter...and stick to it.
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mary rosenblum
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I know people in between.
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mary rosenblum
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For nonfiction, you WILL
submit a chapter outline to the agent or publisher..
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mary rosenblum
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along with the table of
contents...
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mary rosenblum
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but THAT you do after you
write the book...
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pmersi
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Is a "workshop"
different from a conference?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, pmerci, it is.
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mary rosenblum
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A workshop usually means that
you participate in something...
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mary rosenblum
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for example, I was the pro for
two workshops last weekend.
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mary rosenblum
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In one, everybody wrote a
synopsis for their novel and we worked on making them a really saleable
synopsis...
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mary rosenblum
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so it was very hands
on...writing, reading, and rewriting.
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mary rosenblum
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Then I was on a workshop where
another pro and myself critiqued ms from the participants...
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mary rosenblum
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We had received the ms prior
to the workshop.
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mary rosenblum
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Those are pretty standard
types of workshops.
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mary rosenblum
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You also have panels where you
get to listen to four or five pros discuss a topic, and you get to ask
questions.
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christopher dale
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While writing my novbel, I used
an outline (A living doc subject to change at any/all times), a timeline
and a character reference. This helped me keep everything straight. I used
my storyboard to help outline each individual chapter and then
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christopher dale
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storyboard that indivual chapter
from the outline. This gave me a good feel for where I needed action and
other points...
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mary rosenblum
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I find rough outlines to be
very useful and to reduce the need for major rewriting,
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mary rosenblum
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but they really do stifle some
writers. Do what works for you.
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tory
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Interesting view on outlining at
a con. I just attended. Author said to do outline before writing because it
will point up weak areas so you can strengthen as you go. This was for
novels, though, not shorts.
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mary rosenblum
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It really has reduced the
major rewrites on my work, tory.
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mary rosenblum
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I personally think that it's
worth learning how to do. You'll get a stronger, more cohesive dramatic
arc...
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mary rosenblum
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BUT if you can't, you can't.
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mary rosenblum
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And that is the purpose of the
'summary' assignments in the LR course...
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mary rosenblum
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it is to teach students how to
look at something as a whole BEFORE they write it.
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wingedwarrior24
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has any student of lrwg ever
become a bestseller?
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mary rosenblum
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Dunno, winged...I don't have
the database of students in front of me.
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mary rosenblum
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There are many thousands of
graduates! LOL
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wingedwarrior24
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can you give me a descrpition
what part two of the lessons hold?
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mary rosenblum
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Winged, you'll do longer and
longer pieces, either fiction or nf your choice...
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mary rosenblum
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and you'll do some summaries,
where you need to decide what you are doing before you write the piece...
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mary rosenblum
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which allows you and your
instructor to work on structure and saves you a LOT of rewriting.
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lil-duv
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is outlining going to be a
lesson in the novel course?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, lil...
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mary rosenblum
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you will turn your novel idea
into a plot summary...
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mary rosenblum
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not a chapter by chapter
thing, but one that shows the dramatic arc clearly.
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pmersi
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I find that outlining helps in
keeping the "Scene and sequal
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pmersi
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intact
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mary rosenblum
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I personally think some kind
of summary our outline gives you a stronger story.
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bookworm4fun
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this may sound like a dumb
question, but how does an outlined differ from a synopsis? Just more
detail?
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mary rosenblum
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This is a case of semantics...
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mary rosenblum
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but the way I'm using the
terms is just that, book.
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mary rosenblum
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I call a summary a description
of the plot shape...what happens first, next, where does the climax come
in, how do we resolve this...
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mary rosenblum
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And it can be anything from a
couple of pages to ten or fifteen...
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mary rosenblum
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depending on what you plan to
use it for.
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mary rosenblum
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And I call an outline
something that is much more detailed and moves from chapter to chapter...
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mary rosenblum
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Chapter one...this happens
then than, chapter two...that happens then this...
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mary rosenblum
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that sort of thing.
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mary rosenblum
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But there is no absolute
definition of either 'summary' or 'outline'.
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wingedwarrior24
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any idea when your mystery novel
is comin out and will you notify us when your anthology story comes out?
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mary rosenblum
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winged, you can always go to
my website and find out what is coming out as well as where I will be in
terms of conferences and the like...
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mary rosenblum
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www.maryrosenblum.com
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mary rosenblum
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I did have a couple of
questions for last Friday..
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mary rosenblum
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Terry asked if one would ever
use an overseas agent to market a book while trying to sell it in this
country.
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mary rosenblum
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Of course.
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mary rosenblum
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I sell my work all over the
planet. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...your US agent will
handle that.
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mary rosenblum
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My agent farms my stuff out to
various european agents...
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mary rosenblum
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she has one in France, one in
the UK, one who handles the rest of Europe...
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mary rosenblum
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It will be almost impossible
for you to be sure you're getting a reliable foreign agent...
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mary rosenblum
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unless you get a direct
referral from another writer...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you're using an agent
in this country, as I said, that agent will have her own connections.
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mary rosenblum
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Terry also asked how much he
should change co-workers if he wants to use them in his novel...
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mary rosenblum
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would it be okay if they
recognized themselves.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, the issue is the usual
one...if it's not libelous, there is no legal repercussion.
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mary rosenblum
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I am very uncomfortable about
putting any real person into my fiction, even when that person ASKS to be
included...
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mary rosenblum
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and that does happen from time
to time. (I don't do it).
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mary rosenblum
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I simply feel that it is an
invasion of privacy to make a person recognizably part of your story...
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mary rosenblum
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but people do it all the time.
If your co workers don't mind, do it.
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mary rosenblum
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If they DO mind you can STILL
do it, just don't libel 'em.
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mary rosenblum
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I also had a lot of submission
questions that are good basic questions.
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mary rosenblum
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This is a Canadian writer, who
wanted to know about return of the ms and International REply Coupons..
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mary rosenblum
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which are the BANE of our
existence as writers when we submit to foreign markets.
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mary rosenblum
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These days, there is no onus
at all on sending a 'disposable' ms.
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mary rosenblum
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I always do.
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mary rosenblum
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I am not going to send out a
dogeared ms that some edtior has returned with coffee stains on it!
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mary rosenblum
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So why pay postage for
something I"mi going to recycle!
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mary rosenblum
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You can simply write
DISPOSABLE MS on your first page...
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mary rosenblum
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and include a regular business
sized envelope for the rejection or acceptance.
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mary rosenblum
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Usually printing is cheaper
than postage.
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mary rosenblum
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Never use italic on a ms,
unless the writers guidelines specifically TELL you to do so.
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mary rosenblum
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And read electronic submission
guidelines carefully.
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mary rosenblum
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Some are VERY specific.
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mary rosenblum
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Underline means italic in the
publishing world.
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mary rosenblum
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It's a hangover from the
typewriter days, but there it is.
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mary rosenblum
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Don't justify the right
margin..
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mary rosenblum
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that means your right margin
should look ragged...
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mary rosenblum
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it messes up kearning when
they do the page layout and book design.
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mary rosenblum
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Your last name, title keyword,
and page number shouold be on every page after page one...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you can't make your
computer leave it off of page one...don't sweat it.
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mary rosenblum
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I always number page one.
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mary rosenblum
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I'm too lazy to set up my
template to leave it out! LOL
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mary rosenblum
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your page number...top right
or top left...
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mary rosenblum
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should look like this:
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mary rosenblum
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rosenblum/tracker/#
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mary rosenblum
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That's if the title of my
story had the word 'Tracker' in it.
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mary rosenblum
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Your by line is the name you
want to see on the published piece...
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mary rosenblum
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whether it is real or made up
and it goes under the title, with 'by' in front of it!
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mary rosenblum
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Your REAL name, address, and
phone number goes in the upper left hand corner...
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mary rosenblum
|
approximate word count goes on
the right, across the page from your name..
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mary rosenblum
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and yes, you can use your
computer word count.
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mary rosenblum
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if the editor cares he/she
will recalculate.
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mary rosenblum
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And yes, books will tell you
not to do so.
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mary rosenblum
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Don't worry about it.
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mary rosenblum
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Some writers guidelines will
still tell you to put your SS# on the ms.
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mary rosenblum
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DO NOT DO THAT
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mary rosenblum
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Once upon a time, yes, you
COULD use it as an ID number...
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mary rosenblum
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but in this age of identity
theft...you have no idea who will see that ms.
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jr souza jr
|
Was one of them when will it
stop raining in NE
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mary rosenblum
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Never, jr...didn't you hear
the news? LOL
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wingedwarrior24
|
any idea if shakspears family
still gets royalties?
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mary rosenblum
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That's public domaine, winged.
:-) Historians aren't even sure if shakespeare even WROTE all those plays!
:-)
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christopher dale
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if you use a pen name, do you
use the pen name there or your real one?
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mary rosenblum
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The publisher writes the check
to the name on that upper left hand corner, chris...
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mary rosenblum
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will your bank cash a check to
your pen name? :-) (Actually mine will...)
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bengalrose
|
Mary, how did you keep your
spirits up when you were new to writing and had not yet sold a ms?
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mary rosenblum
|
What an excellent question,
bengal!
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mary rosenblum
|
I couldn't keep my spirits up
all the time...nobody can!
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mary rosenblum
|
You want to sell so much, you
try and try, and some days it just seems like you're wasting your life...
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mary rosenblum
|
and you want to crawl into a
hole or become a plumber...
|
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mary rosenblum
|
and the difference between
those who end up in the trade and those who quit...
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mary rosenblum
|
is that we kept writing even
when we felt MISERABLE and wanted to quit...
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mary rosenblum
|
we simply couldn't do it.
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bengalrose
|
So far my writing career feels
like those Capital One commercials. No. No. No. LOL!
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mary rosenblum
|
They all do at first,
bengal...
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mary rosenblum
|
and you ask yourself...should
I quit now?...
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mary rosenblum
|
and those who simply can't
bring themselves to do it, who can't NOT write...
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mary rosenblum
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make it.
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mary rosenblum
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It's not a pleasant process at
times, believe me.
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tory
|
Books will tell us NOT to rely
on computer word count? Is that an inaccurate feature?
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mary rosenblum
|
Yes it is inaccuate, tory...
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mary rosenblum
|
but not so inaccurate that it
really matters...
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mary rosenblum
|
an editor knows how long 2000
words is by eye.
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mary rosenblum
|
Believe me, when I get that
ten page '1000 word' assignment I laugh, even when that 1000 words is
neatly typed on the first page.
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wingedwarrior24
|
are there markets out there for
the begginer?
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mary rosenblum
|
All markets are for beginners,
winged.
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mary rosenblum
|
Your only requirement to sell
to any magazine is to write a dynamite story that the editor wants to buy.
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mary rosenblum
|
You are not BORN with that
ability.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
You get there through
practice, practice, practice...
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mary rosenblum
|
and by paying attention to
what you read...
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mary rosenblum
|
figuring out how writers do
what you like or do not like...
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mary rosenblum
|
so that you can make use of
those techniques and avoid those pitfalls.
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mary rosenblum
|
And mostly you write. And
write. And write.
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babbles
|
do you do a word count before
adding name/title/# or does it matter?
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mary rosenblum
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doesn't matter babbles...
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mary rosenblum
|
I've never had an editor
quibble over my word counts.
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mary rosenblum
|
When I print out the final
draft, I do a word count, type it at the top, and away it goes.
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mary rosenblum
|
Do round up appropriately.
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mary rosenblum
|
If I'm submitting a
novella...say 23,000 words..
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll round to 500.
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mary rosenblum
|
23,400
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mary rosenblum
|
or 24,000
|
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mary rosenblum
|
if it's above 23500
|
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mary rosenblum
|
If I"m subbing a 2000
word story...
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll round to hundred...
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mary rosenblum
|
sorry..fifty.
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mary rosenblum
|
2340
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mary rosenblum
|
2400
|
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mary rosenblum
|
And...shhh...don't tell
anybody...
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mary rosenblum
|
but if I'm a few words over
the limit...
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mary rosenblum
|
say the limit is 2500 words...
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mary rosenblum
|
and my story is 2700...
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll just put 2500 on the top.
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mary rosenblum
|
You can't stretch that TOO
far...
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mary rosenblum
|
as I said, a 10 page 1000 word
story fools nobody.
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mary rosenblum
|
But you can do that within
reason.
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mary rosenblum
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If the editor likes your
story, she won't care about the extra words...
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mary rosenblum
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and it keeps you from getting
rejected out of an overstacked slush pile for an improper word couint...
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. This is
an open question session…ask anything you like! 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, or use the
ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar
won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question to reach
me.
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wingedwarrior24
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I read an article about a writer
who recieved help from the FBI, any comment on that?
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mary rosenblum
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He probably asked the FBI for
help.
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mary rosenblum
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I've asked for and received
info from the DEQ, Sheriffs departments, police, county public agencies...
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mary rosenblum
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It can be a bit trickier post
911 to prove you ARE a legit writer.,.
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mary rosenblum
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but you can get input from
nearly anyone.
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coach
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Mary-as to winged's beginner
market question- www.scbeginnings.com is a print magazine that specializes
in NEW writers! Writer's Digest has listed them as one of the top 10
markets for fiction and they have received good critical reviews. They
print QUALITY from new writers- but they enjoy getting new voices.
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mary rosenblum
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There are a lot like this,
coach...and yes, they are much easier to get into...
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mary rosenblum
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you won't be competing with
me, Scott Card, or any other pros in the trade...
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...you have a limited
audience.
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mary rosenblum
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If all you want is to see your
work in print...it's a great place to go.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...if you want to build a
career as a writer, you really need to try the top markets before...
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mary rosenblum
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you send your work to small
and relatively unknownm markets.
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mary rosenblum
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SAme thing with book
publishing.
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mary rosenblum
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If you simply want to see your
book in print...go to iUniverse.
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mary rosenblum
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If you want to build a career
as a mystery, SF, or what have you writer, start knocking on New York's
doors!
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mary rosenblum
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New York meaning the
traditional publishers who are all based in NYC.
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mary rosenblum
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Hi, moe...
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mary rosenblum
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I saw your question in the
aud...
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mary rosenblum
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Nonfiction...
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mary rosenblum
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if you have something really
perfect for a big circulation mag...
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mary rosenblum
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you CAN sell to them without
clips...
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mary rosenblum
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otherwise it's very easy to
build a career...
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mary rosenblum
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the small circulation NF
mags...and there are THOUSANDS out there...
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mary rosenblum
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really are hungry for stuff...
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mary rosenblum
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sell there, and then you have
clips...
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mary rosenblum
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and you can now query larger
mags and get serious editor attention.
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mary rosenblum
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You move up the ladder as you
get better at writing to slant...
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mary rosenblum
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and connecting with editors.
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babbles
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So many of them don't accept
unsolicited ms without agent. It's hard to hang there but I'm determined
to.
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mary rosenblum
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That's a reason to do
conferences babbles.
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mary rosenblum
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If the editor says, 'send your
ms to me', you don't need to get an agent yet...
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mary rosenblum
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even if the policy of the
publisher is 'no unagented ms'.
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mary rosenblum
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You send it directly to that
editor.
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mary rosenblum
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it is no longer 'unsolicited'.
The editor asked to see it.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. This is
an open question session…ask anything you like! 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, or use the ask a
question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question to reach me.
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margieh
|
What do you recommend on a
business card for (new) writers?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, I would make it look
professional, margieh.
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mary rosenblum
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On mine, I have my name, my
email and URL, and my PO address, not my home address...
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mary rosenblum
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I have SFWA and MWA because I
belong to them...
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mary rosenblum
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and my title as LR Web Editor
and the LR URL.
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mary rosenblum
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It's very plain, not
cutesy.,..
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mary rosenblum
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no rockets, no dragons...just
a business card.
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bengalrose
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Recently my wife and I have
started hanging out at Starbucks with our laptops so we can write without
the concerns of the house...got to do those dishes...better vacuum the
floor...time to clean the litter boxes. Since we started spending an hour
each night having a coffee and writing we have both done WAY more writing.
I've been averaging 400 words a night.
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mary rosenblum
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Great way to do it, bengal!
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mary rosenblum
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Libraries often have public
meeting space, and if its empty you can use it, too.
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coach
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right- I just meant as a
stepping stone towards building credits- there are places that relish new
voices.
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mary rosenblum
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WEll, coach, i'ts not a good
stepping stone...those 'newbie' mags.
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mary rosenblum
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The big editors know they aren't
very competitive, so they don't help you much.
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mary rosenblum
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AGain...they're fine, but do
try to sell those stories to the top markets first and work your way 'down'
the list to the little markets.
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bengalrose
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OooooooH that's so cool! I want
to be able to have a business card with SFWA on it :-)
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mary rosenblum
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YOu just have to sell three
stories to major markets, bengal, or one novel!
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babbles
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such as O, Family Circle, Field
and Stream? Are those big markets?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, those are the top
markets...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you want to interest an
edtior there as an unpublished new writer...
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mary rosenblum
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you MUST do your homework and
figure out what that magazine needs that only YOU can provide. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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A 'usual' article about
suriving housework or something will not...
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mary rosenblum
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convince that editor to give
you an entry...
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mary rosenblum
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but for example, a LR student
who had never published, sold an article to Newsweek.
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mary rosenblum
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You can't get bigger!
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patchworkcat
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What would you do if you wrote a
how-to article, but didn't have any resources whatsoever for getting photos
taken to help explain the text of the article? Would you try to market it
anyway?
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mary rosenblum
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Photos are not necessary.
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mary rosenblum
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If the mag wants the article,
they'll send a photographer to you.
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mary rosenblum
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A friend of mine sold an
article to an east coast mag on folk art mailboxes...
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mary rosenblum
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and they sent the photographer
to work with her...Vashon Island off the WA coast outside Seattle.
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wingedwarrior24
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summers coming up, any idea when
the course will be ready?
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mary rosenblum
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I haven't heard a specific
date, winged, but I haven't heard that it WON"T be ready sometime this
summer. :-)
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jr souza jr
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I seem to remember you
mentioning an e-book release, how is that going, how is it different than
your usual publishing experiance is this something also handled by your
agent? SHould we (as writers) consider this is a viable, maybe easier
market to get in to?
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mary rosenblum
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Not mine, jr...at least not
before this weekend.
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mary rosenblum
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I did get approached by TWO
small press houses that have very good reputations..
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mary rosenblum
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Fairwood Press and Scorpio
about bringing out my SF that has gone out of print.
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mary rosenblum
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And I am very interested in
trying one wiht Scorpio...a digital (ebook) press...just to see how it
flies.
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mary rosenblum
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I'll be including three
novelettes that created the characters...
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mary rosenblum
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who are the main characters in
Drylands...so readers will be able to read those before they read the
novel..they'll all be together.
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babbles
|
What about Bird in Bloom Mary,
I'm considering sending some pics that I took of a Cardinal.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't know anything about
them, babbles, sorry.
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mary rosenblum
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If you have photos, DO include
them or offer them with your query.
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mary rosenblum
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Jeff Colburn, a freelance
photographer..
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mary rosenblum
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has an excellent article on
the site that tells you how to do it.
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mary rosenblum
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http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/rx/wc02/colburn.shtml
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mary rosenblum
|
Writing Craft:
Nonfiction...Photographs, the way to increase sales of your articles
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patchworkcat
|
Hey, MY name is in Drylands! LOL
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mary rosenblum
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That's right. LOL...
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mary rosenblum
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See? There ARE no unused names
and eventually you WILL run into someone with that character's name!
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budro
|
will the novel course be worth
college credits
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mary rosenblum
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dunno, budro...I'm just
writing it! But I assume they'll get accredation for it.
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wingedwarrior24
|
win any doggie awards?
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mary rosenblum
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Not this last weekend,
winged...was wearing my writer hat.
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budro
|
also I need advice about how to
market studies. Not to many magazines avalible where I live. Mexico.
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mary rosenblum
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You can market worldwide,
budro. Postage can be a pain..and taxes...that's all.
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mary rosenblum
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I have students in Asia and
Europe...selling to US markets.
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wingedwarrior24
|
do you think it wise to have a
story idea for the nivel course and will the instructor help with building
scenesand plot?
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mary rosenblum
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The way the course is designed
to work winged, is that you begin with a couple of ideas...
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mary rosenblum
|
choose the one you like best,
create the characters for it...
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mary rosenblum
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build the plot, and begin
crafting scenes and chapters.
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mary rosenblum
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It really isn't going to work
well if you want to use, say, a novel you're half way done with.
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mary rosenblum
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Even if you HAVE a novel in
progress, I'd begin with a new idea...
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mary rosenblum
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you'll learn more that way and
you can apply that knowlege to novels you write later, and apply the craft
you learn...
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mary rosenblum
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to the novel you have in
progress.
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owlybear
|
If you send in a ms and they
accept it. will they send you a contract first. I think you said they will,
but just double checking...
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mary rosenblum
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Well, MOST do, but Fantasy and
SF Magazine has the most delightful policy...
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mary rosenblum
|
of sending you a check and a
copy of the contract and a letter that says...
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mary rosenblum
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if you cash the check, you are
agreeing to the contract. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But yes, most publishers will
send you the contract...not all.
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mary rosenblum
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The small press and ezine
markets are really sloppy about contracts...
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mary rosenblum
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You will sometimes get a
check.
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mary rosenblum
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Period.
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writermom
|
Hey I like that policy, I got an
acceptance via email from ParentLife saying they would send me a contract
and after I signed the contract and mailed it back to them in 4-6 weeks
they would send me the check
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writermom
|
that was three weeks ago and I
have yet to recieve the contract to sign
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mary rosenblum
|
That happens. Publishing works
in its own timeframe.
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babbles
|
Are Ranger Rick and Highlights
for Children considered big markets for children mags? Know of any others.
Anyone?
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mary rosenblum
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They are top markets, babbles.
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mary rosenblum
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You can look in Childrens'
Writers Market.
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mary rosenblum
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LR sells one in the
bookstore...
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mary rosenblum
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and WD has one, also.
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mary rosenblum
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That may be in your library.
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mary rosenblum
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LR has a book market list for
kids, and also a magazine market list for kids.
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mary rosenblum
|
Children's Writer Guilde to
2005...
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mary rosenblum
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is the LR guide...has a lot of
articles on the craft in it, too.
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margieh
|
The more they pay, the bigger
the market or is that not necc. true?
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mary rosenblum
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Yep, pretty much so, margieh.
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mary rosenblum
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Big circulation mags pay big
money.
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mary rosenblum
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Relatively speaking.
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jr souza jr
|
What is a reasonable amount of
time to let an accepted story/article sit in a market that pays on
publication? I see this as a problem when you submit a topical/timely
article that may bring in a check in another market but it is being held
hostage by a market that accepted it.
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mary rosenblum
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That is soemthing you have to
think about when you sign the contract, jr.
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mary rosenblum
|
If there is no 'publish by'
date in the contract, they have forever.
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mary rosenblum
|
If you don't WANT to give them
forever, you'll have to add a 'publish by' date.
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mary rosenblum
|
But realize that most mags
have a 6 month lead time...
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mary rosenblum
|
that means that right now, the
magazines are already filled through say, September...
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mary rosenblum
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and they won't want to change
that layout.
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babbles
|
I sent for guidelines and a
sample mag for a coloring book publisher and have yet to hear from them
that almost 3 months ago. Had to send a check for a small amount for the
sample copy. any thoughts?
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mary rosenblum
|
If the check has been
cancelled, I'd sure complain.
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mary rosenblum
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But you should find out.
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mary rosenblum
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I didn't get a subscription,
but when I checked, found that they had never cashed the check...lost in
the mail.
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lil-duv
|
so is that lead time for all,
eg: christmas story should be queried by July?
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mary rosenblum
|
mostly so, lil, yes.
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mary rosenblum
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And editors do buy for
inventory.
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mary rosenblum
|
if you send in a great
Christmas piece in November...
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mary rosenblum
|
they can't use it THIS
Christmas, but they'll buy for next Christmas.
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mary rosenblum
|
Putting a magazine together is
an art...
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mary rosenblum
|
it's not a matter of sticking
everything they bought this month between the covers!
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mary rosenblum
|
Editors choose a theme and
they coordinate their articles and stories to reflect that theme or
topic...
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mary rosenblum
|
which is why they DO buy for
inventory.
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mary rosenblum
|
They need to have way more
potential pieces than they actually include for each issue...
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mary rosenblum
|
and the nonfic mags tend to
choose their 'themes' way in advance...
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mary rosenblum
|
so as you send in queries,
they know if they might be able to use that piece in say, November's
issue..
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mary rosenblum
|
and if so, they'll ask to see
it.
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mary rosenblum
|
Some mags will publish their
'topics' list online, but most do not.
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lil-duv
|
so a weekly publisher, like WW
would give more chances at print?
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mary rosenblum
|
Of course! do the math!
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mary rosenblum
|
Fifty two times... is probably
greater than twelve times!
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budro
|
Any way to find out what themes
they are working on
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mary rosenblum
|
check for a website for the
mag...
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mary rosenblum
|
and sometimes they'll offer to
send you a list if you mail or email...
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mary rosenblum
|
a few children's markets do
that, and some anthology series do that.
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mary rosenblum
|
Always look at the magazine
website if you can find one.
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, this has been a fun
Oregon hour.
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mary rosenblum
|
Glad to be back at my home
computer!
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mary rosenblum
|
With a mouse! LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll post the transcript of
this forum in the usual place...
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mary rosenblum
|
Writing Craft: Forum
Transcripts.
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owlybear
|
Thanks Mary. My mind is clearer
now. Justiceis Served will be in the mail in the morning to Hitchcock. :-)
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mary rosenblum
|
Oh, good, owly! good luck
there!
|
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mary rosenblum
|
They take about four months to
get back to you, most of the time.
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mary rosenblum
|
See you all on the website!
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mary rosenblum
|
Do join us at the casual
chats, weekday mornings, and Sunday evenings!
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|
mary rosenblum
|
They're great places to meet
other writers.
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speckledorf
|
Have fun with the rain...
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mary rosenblum
|
It has been hail for the last
ten minutes, speck!
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mary rosenblum
|
How fun. :-}
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mary rosenblum
|
Bye all!
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