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Inklings Issue 4.20
================================================================
i n k l i n g s
Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net
Issue 4.20 * Over 40,000 subscribers! * Sept.30, 1998
================================================================
<http://www.inkspot.com/inklings/issues/ink0420.html>
This issue features an article by Rachel Stassen-Berger about
how to turn rejections into sales, and advice about reprinting
and web publishing by Mark Fowler (ASK THE LAWYER).
This issue sponsored in part by:
================================================================
XLIBRIS BRINGS YOU PUBLISHING ON DEMAND
If you are an author discouraged by the odds of corporate
publishing, there is now a new alternative for getting your work
in print. Xlibris on-demand electronic publishing provides a
reliable and cost-effective method to get published quickly.
Thanks to the efficiencies of today's digital publishing and
Internet technology, you can be in print in only weeks with as
many or as few copies as you want (even one!). Get published now,
in the high quality trade paperback or hardback edition your work
deserves.
We're so sure you will be pleased with the quality of Xlibris books
that we want to send you a sample copy of a finished volume,
with absolutely no obligation on your part.
Just call Xlibris 1-888-7XLIBRIS and mention this advertisement.
Xlibris. The power to publish.
http://www.xlibris.com
================================================================
ISSN 1205-6413. Copyright 1995-1998 Debbie Ridpath Ohi. See end
of issue for copyright/contact info. http://www.inkspot.com
================================================================
CONTENTS THIS ISSUE:
From The Editor's Desk
Fresh Ink and Market Information
Ask The Lawyer
Turning Rejections Into Sales
Writers' Classifieds
================================================================
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:
=======================
I'd like to welcome Bianca Thomas, Tony King, and Shane Stacks to
Inkspot. Bianca and Tony will be helping me maintain the website.
Bianca is a freelance journalist in South Africa who publishes a
magazine for writers called WRITE! (see her website at
http://www.icon.co.za/~bmt/writemag.htm for details). Tony is a
writer and web developer who works in Calgary, Alberta (see
http://www.imaginegroup.com/ for info about his web development
company). Shane (from Arkansas) is a part-time student, web
developer, writer, and Air Force servicemember who will be
helping me with editorial research as well as other tasks. You
can see his webpage at http://www.concentric.net/~staxx. Thanks
again to all those who applied for the positions at Inkspot!
I went to Toronto's Word On The Street literary festival this
past weekend (http://www.sympatico.ca/wots/)...lots of
interesting booths, and I collected some freebies which I will
include with one of this issue's prize giveaways.
Congratulations to Ken Jenks (ASK THE ELECTRONIC PUBLISHER), who
is the proud father of a new baby daughter! :-)
Thanks to Taletha Hudson for mentioning Inkspot in her column for
the West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
I included an incorrect URL for one of the classifieds in the
last issue...apologies! WORGAN is an idea organizer with name
generation and submission tracking capabilities. The correct URL
is http://knowledge.bizhosting.com/.
Congratulations to Jeff Steele (Utah), whose name was randomly
drawn to win a copy of IF YOU CAN TALK, YOU CAN WRITE by Joel
Saltzman.
And finally, if any of you attend writers' conventions, I would
HUGELY appreciate it if you could take a few Inkspot brochures
for the flyer tables at those events. Please send email to
editor@inkspot.com with "need Inkspot flyers" in the subject
header and let me know (1) the name of the convention, (2) date
of convention, (3) how many flyers you'd be willing to take, (4)
an address so I can mail you the flyers (along with a classy
Pomegranate bookmark in thanks!).
FRESH INK
=========
BOOK PRIZE GIVEAWAY: ELEMENTS OF STYLE FOR SCREENWRITERS
--------------------------------------------------------
By Paul Argentini (Lone Eagle Publishing Company, 1998). Three
copies of this screenwriting reference book will be given away.
The ELEMENTS OF STYLE FOR SCREENWRITERS is a compact and
succinctly-written self-teaching sourcebook and guide to
formatting for screenwriters.
Three names will be randomly drawn to win copies of this book. To
enter, send email to giveaway@inkspot.com with your name and
email address with "screenwriting" in the subject header. By
entering, you agree to let Inkspot and Inklings publish your name
and email address if you win. Deadline: Sunday, Oct.11, 1998.
More info about the contest and book (including ordering info)
at:
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/giveaway.html
If you wish to contact Inkspot to volunteer a writing-related
giveaway book or product, please send email to editor@inkspot.com
with "book for giveaway" in the subject header.
New Inkspot chat environment & Inkspot Writers' Community Center
----------------------------------------------------------------
Feedback from test users on this text-based virtual learning
environment has been excellent, and I will start having formal
chats/lectures soon, as well as adding free promotional
opportunities for authors. Details will be posted in the URL
below.
http://www.inkspot.com/chat/
Community Writers' Association
-------------------------------
Membership free, but website offers free access to job board,
market listings, chat, links, other resources.
http://www.communitywriters.org/
Free Writers' Classifieds
-------------------------
Categories include: markets, events, writers for hire, promotion,
services. These classifieds now offer a paid section as well
for those who want to keep their ads permanently at the top.
http://www.inkspot.com/classifieds/
A+ Research and Writing
-----------------------
Geared towards high school and college students.
http://www.ipl.org/teen/aplus/
Resources for Writing Instructors
---------------------------------
Maintained by Nancy Stegall of the DeVry Institute of Technology.
http://www.devry-phx.edu/lrnresrc/dowsc/instres.htm
Preditors and Editors
---------------------
Guide to publishers and publishing services. A ton of useful info
here. Includes a "warnings" page about business or people that
have generated complaints from writers.
http://www.sfwa.org/prededitors/
Gebbie Press
------------
Media directory. Provides links to hundreds of dailies, weeklies,
TV and radio stations, and magazines. U.S. focus.
http://www.gebbieinc.com/index2.htm
The Writer's Place
------------------
Database of submission guidelines to nearly 500 markets.
http://www.awoc.com/Guidelines.cfm
Cat Writers Association 1999 writers' contest
---------------------------------------------
The nonprofit Cat Writers Association hosts an annual competition
for writers, artists and photographers, with medallions and cash
prizes awarded in dozens of categories. For info, please send a
SASE #10 to Gina Spadafori, CWA Contest Chair, 5714 Folsom Blvd.,
No. 211, Sacramento, CA 95819. Rules and entry info mailed after
May 1/99. Deadline: Aug. 1/99.
** Please send suggestions for Fresh Ink to freshink@inkspot.com
================================================================
MARKET INFORMATION
==================
Please get current, detailed guidelines before submitting to
publications if possible. Don't submit to email addresses unless
specifically stated. Include a SASE for surface mail replies.
More market info at: http://www.inkspot.com/market/.
==-----------------------------------------------------==
"FNASR" = First North American Serial Rights, "SASE" =
self-addressed, stamped envelope, "simsubs" = simultaneous
submissions, "mss" = manuscript, "RT" = response time, "GL" =
guidelines, "wds" = words, "cc" = contributor's copy,
"IWGL" = Inkspot Writer's Guideline Library.
Markets Editor: Sal Towse (ST), towse@inkspot.com.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TRAVELER'S SOUL
-----------------------------------------
Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. P.O. Box 69774. Los
Angeles, CA. U.S.A. 90069. Attention: Steve Zikman. Story
collection: 101 stories. NEEDS: Actively seeking inspirational
travel stories, poems, quotations, anecdotes and other material.
Whether it's a local jaunt or a trip far from home, if you have
a true travel story that opens the heart and rekindles the
spirit on the topics of Getting There, A Matter of Perspective,
Love and Romance, Connecting with People and Places, The
Hospitality of Strangers, On Children, On Healing, On the Wings
of Destiny, Giving Back, Living Your Dream, Overcoming Obstacles,
and It's All in the Attitude. You may also submit stories which
you have read somewhere else--say in a book, magazine,
newspaper, or newsletter (just include the name of the author and
the publication). Up to 1600 wds. Double-spaced, in English, and
preferably on an IBM compatible 3.5" disc. E-mail submission
PREFERRED. PAY: On publication. Rights and compensation are
negotiated on an individual basis. By way of reference, on other
"Chicken Soup" titles, writers have been paid up to $USD200-300
for each story actually published. RT: Could easily be 6 mos. or
more. "We have a very long process of reviewing the stories... so
we ask for patience :)" (ST)
E-mail: zik@earthling.net
2000% CRACKED WHEAT: LAUGHS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
-------------------------------------------
2000% Cracked Wheat: Laughs For The New Millennium. Coteau Books.
#401, 2206 Dewdney Ave. Regina SK, Canada S4T 1H3. (306)777-0170
FAX:(306)522-5152 Managing Editor: Nik Burton. Western Canadian
humour anthology; publ. Fall, 1999. DEADLINE: Postmarked Oct. 31,
1998! NEEDS: If you live in one of the three prairie provinces,
and you've got something funny to say, we want to hear from you.
Short stories, excerpts from longer works, essays, and other
funny prose; poetry from rhyming slang to biting free verse;
comedic dialogue; any other written words; or visual humour (in
black and white only) aimed at the funny bone are welcome. Pieces
don't have to be either "prairie humour" or specifically about
the millennium. Pieces may have appeared in journals or
magazines, but must not have previously been published in books
of any kind. Up to 7500 wds for any one piece. Max # of
submissions from any one author: 5. NO E-MAIL SUBMISSIONS. SASE.
PAY: On publication. Depends on genre and length. $25-$200.
One-time rights. RT: Completed by Mar. 1999. TIP: Obviously there
will be few spaces for 7,500 wd short stories, so shorter pieces
might have better odds. (ST)
URL: http://coteau.unibase.com/
GL: http://coteau.unibase.com/submisn.htm
E-mail: coteau@coteau.unibase.com (only for queries)
THE MELIC REVIEW
----------------
The Melic Review. 8831 Willowwood Way, Jessup MD 20794. Editor:
Jamie Wasserman & al. On-line literary poetry and fiction review.
Freq:seasonal. 900 hits/mo. NEEDS: Poetry and short fiction with
no limits to size or topic. No genre work please (SF, horror,
romance, etc.) With few exceptions, we do not accept previously
published material or simultaneous submissions. We ask to be
notified if the work has appeared elsewhere. We do not accept
material that appears ANYWHERE else on the web. (Note: this does
not include bbs, forums, workshops, &c;) PAY: On publication. $5
per poem/essay/story Deadline for the Winter issue is November
27, 1998. RT: 3 mos. TIP: To get a better idea of what we want,
read CE Chaffin's essay Modulations at:
http://www.geocities.com/~melicreview/modulation.htm. (ST)
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~melicreview/
GL: http://www.geocities.com/~melicreview/submission.htm
E-mail: melicreview@geocities.com
MYRTH
-----
Myrth. Myrthy Publications. P.O. Box 55383. Houston, TX 77255.
Editors: Nathan Pflueger, Rachel Kanzer, Liz Nettles. Print humor
magazine. Audience: Literate YA to Adult. Quarterly. First issue:
Feb. 1999. NEEDS: Short stories to 3500 wds, previously
unpublished. No electronic submissions. All genres accepted;
primary emphasis is humor. SASE. No queries necessary. PAY:
$0.01/wd on publication. FNASR. 1 copy. RT: Now, up to 60 days,
future 30 days. Tips: "We are looking for the literate
authorship of any and all genres, providing the primary emphasis
is humor. Our humor? Avoid the 'jokey' populist cliched writing.
Short stories in the spirit of P.G. Wodehouse, Max Shulman,
Woody Allen using clever wordplay. Make us laugh at the
absurdities or thrill us with multiple meanings, which attribute
to the reader literacy and some measure of intelligence. We
thrive on perfect spelling, professional presentations and, dare
we say, decent grammar. Sophistication is welcome, pure porn is
not." (ST)
GL: http://expage.com/page/myrth2
E-mail: myrth@eudoramail.com
MARKET UPDATES FROM SAL:
SPECULATIVE FICTION & BEYOND, the E-zine, has closed...no plans
to bring it back at a later date. TOMORROWSF (Algis Budrys,
Editor/Publisher) is no longer buying fiction. We "will refuse to
accept mail that is plainly intended to be a manuscript
submission." Still buying nonfiction, cartoons, poetry. New
contact information for JUGGERNAUT, Issue 4.11/May 27,
(http://www.implosion-mag.com/juggernaut.html, 1998): The address
for Alex S. Johnson, assignment editor, music editorial coverage,
has changed from drkbuddy@aol.com to zombi4@aol.com. All other
editorial coverage and business matters should be addressed to
juggernaut@implosion-mag.com.
Please send market news to Sal Towse, towse@inkspot.com.
=================================================================
Ask The Experts
---------------
*** Please put "inklings question" in the subject header. ***
Judith Bowen (ROMANCE WRITER) JudithBowen@poboxes.com
David Breeden (POET) drpoetry@ktc.com
Charles Deemer (SCREENWRITER) cdeemer@teleport.com
Mark Fowler (LAWYER) askthelawyer@inkspot.com
Susan Graham (AGENT) slgraham@mindspring.com
Carol Henson (BOOK DOCTOR) bookdoc@Prodigy.net
Ken Jenks (ELECTRONIC PUBLISHER) MindsEye@tale.com
Michelle Sagara (SF/FANTASY WRITER) Michelle.Sagara@sff.net
Lee Wardlaw (CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER) lwardlaw@gte.net
Marcia Yudkin (FREELANCE WRITER) send to yudkin@inkspot.com
Columnists may be unable to reply privately to every message,
but will answer selected questions in future issues of Inklings.
Please keep your question BRIEF and send it to *one* columnist.
=================================================================
ASK THE LAWYER
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Mark Fowler <askthelawyer@inkspot.com>
Am I "publishing" my stories by putting them on the web?
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. I've posted my stories on my website at the same time as
submitting them to various publications. One of them wants to
buy a story, but wishes to have "first publication rights." By
putting my stories on the web, have I published them?
A. Yes and no. Presumably what your editor really cares about
is being the first to distribute your story to the periodical
market. In all likelihood, the fact that you have displayed the
story on your own personal website would not materially diminish
the value of that right. On the other hand, the display of your
work on a website is arguably a publication under the Copyright
Act ("offering to distribute copies . . . of a work to a group
for further distribution . . . or display"). And these days, the
display of a work at a popular website such as Slate or Salon
could indeed diminish the value of the exclusive rights your
publisher is bargaining for. Accordingly, to be entirely upfront
about the matter, you may want to disclose to your editor that
you've previously posted the story on your site and that you of
course assume that is not a problem.
Reprinting an article
---------------------
Q. If you have interviewed someone for an article that was
printed in an uncopyrighted local newspaper, and you want to
resell the article somewhere, do you have to get permission from
the person you interviewed to reuse their quotes? Do you have to
get the permission from the paper if the byline was yours?
A. First, the local newspaper is almost certainly "copyrighted."
The fact that a work fails to display a copyright notice (e.g.,
Copyright 1998 by The New York Times, Inc.) does not mean that
the work is not copyright protected. Similarly, there is no
requirement that a publisher register his or her work with the
Copyright Office in order to secure copyright protection. (There
are, however, important benefits that accrue from registration.)
Assuming you were not an employee of the newspaper, under U.S.
law, whether you need the newspaper's permission to resell the
article depends on whether you have a written agreement
concerning the article. In the absence of such an agreement, a
periodical presumptively receives only non-exclusive publication
rights. The question of whether you need the interviewee's
permission to resell the article is more interesting. Assuming
that you made no promises to the interviewee concerning where the
article would appear, you probably do not need to go back to him
or her for further permission. A lawsuit brought by the
singer-actress Cher against Forum Magazine illustrates this
point. Even though Cher thought that the interview would appear
in Us magazine, the court found that the reporter made no
promises to her in that regard and so the reporter was free to
sell the article elsewhere, including to a periodical that has a
reputation for sexual explicitness. (Nevertheless, Forum got
itself into hot water by falsely claiming that Cher had told them
things she would not tell rival magazines.) Tim Hardin's advice
to lovers is equally applicable to writers, "Don't make promises
you can't keep."
==------------------------------------------------==
This column is by Mark A. Fowler of Satterlee Stephens Burke &
Burke LLP (http://www.ssbb.com).
PLEASE NOTE:
This column is intended solely to provide general information
about matters of concern to writers, not specific legal services
or advice. On some issues, there are significant differences
between the laws of the United States and the laws of Canada (and
significant variations from state to state or from province to
province.) If legal assistance is required, the reader should
consult an experienced attorney who can review and assess all of
the facts and circumstances relevant to the reader's situation.
Copyright (c) 1998 Mark A. Fowler.
================================================================
TURNING REJECTIONS INTO SALES
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger <rachel@reporters.net>
All writers dread receiving rejections, but the smart ones learn
from the rejections they receive.
Not all rejections are created equal. Many offer clues to how and
what to resubmit and how to turn those rejections into
assignments.
What does 'no' really mean?
---------------------------
John R.L. Rizza queried Money Magazine, a $2 a word market, three
times before he received an acceptance. With each rejection he
figured out how to how to better target his queries.
His first query was refused with a generic 'no', a form letter
wishing him better luck elsewhere.
A standard 'no', a rejection with no explanation given, generally
means one of the following: (1) the magazine is not currently
accepting work from freelancers, (2) the publication has recently
run a story like the one you propose, (3) your query was
inappropriate or just not up to snuff, or (4) you don't have the
experience to back up what you proposed.
If you do get one of those rejections, take the time to figure
out why your work was rejected. A quick phone call to the
editorial department of the publication should answer these
questions.
Turning the 'no' into a 'yes'
-----------------------------
Rather than taking the standard rejection as the final word on
his chances at Money, Rizza sat down and re-read several issues
of the magazine. He noticed the articles, unlike his first query,
used a lot of statistics and numbers. So he wrote another query
-- this time better targeted to the magazine.
"I decided to query them on an article about how insurance
companies are now targeting women for life insurance. I had all
of my statistics in the query, i.e. 43% of women professionals
earn over $87,000, and a bunch of others," he said. He got back a
personal note from an editor, saying that they liked the idea but
were not ready to assign the story yet.
That second rejection told him that he had done something right.
Like his second query, it was a targeted letter, written
specifically to him. He knew he had correctly researched the
magazine's needs. Rather than wait until the editor was ready to
assign a story about women and life insurance, he decided to try
again. He queried Money again -- this time with two consumer-
related ideas, both backed up with statistics and expert
opinions. Rizza now has a commission to write for his target
magazine.
Keys: rank and personalization
------------------------------
Now look at your stack of rejections again. Who are they from?
Any rejection that is signed -- not stamped -- by someone above
the rank of editorial assistant should be taken as a good sign,
especially at a large magazine. It means that your query or
proposal was filtered up to an editor's desk.
Next, you should note if your rejections are personalized. Do
they mention the title of your queries or a reason for their
rejection? Again, this gives you a good portent for your future
queries.
Susan Koenig recently received such a personalized rejection from
SELF magazine. The letter, signed by an assistant editor, said:
"Thank you for sending us your story proposal on 'How to Be a
Risk Taker' which Ellie McGrath passed on to me. It's a good idea
-- unfortunately, it's so good that we already have a very
similar story in the works."
That might not be much to go on but Koenig, who has learned how
to read rejections, was encouraged. She quickly sent another
query to the magazine about a similar subject and in a similar
style. To her the rejection was "like turning down a date with
someone you really want to go out with."
Several years ago, Koenig sent a children's story to an editor
and he sent back a "two page, single-spaced typewritten letter
giving me suggestions to make it publishable," Koenig said. "I
chose to ignore that clear sign and let it languish. I'm not sure
we get too many opportunities like that in a lifetime, so I'm not
going to waste any more."
You shouldn't either -- as a writer you know you have to steel
your spirits against rejections but you also have to know how to
use them. So go out there and get rejected!
FURTHER RESOURCES:
It should also make you feel better to know that you are not
alone. Part of the writing life is dealing with rejection. If you
find yourself feeling down, take a peek at these sites:
Mary Soon Lee's Mailbox Blues --
http://almond.srv.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/awm/mary-html/mb.html
Dana Nourie's Rejection Blues --
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3405/rejects.html
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Helpful Information to New Writers --
http://www.mzbfm.com/why.html
==-----------------------------------------==
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger (rachel@reporters.net) has been
published in, and rejected by, national publications. She has
written for Natural Living Today, Minnesota Law & Politics, The
Chicago Tribune and other publications. She also co-owns the
Writers' Guidelines Database (http://mav.net/guidelines) and is a
web guru for the Freelance Success newsletter
(http://freelancesuccess.com).
Copyright (c) 1998 by Rachel Stassen-Berger.
================================================================
W R I T E R S ' C L A S S I F I E D S
=================================================================
Book Promotion empowers authors to self market their books Online
Charles Kessler 888-680-3223 http://www.bookpromotion.com
=================================================================
FREELANCE SUCCESS newsletter gives nonfiction writers the tools
they need to earn a fulltime living. Detailed market information
for pros and those who aspire to be, plus online writing classes.
SASE to 801 NE 70th St., Box IK, Miami, FL 33138.
E-mail: freelance-success@usa.net http://www.freelancesuccess.com
=================================================================
WORGAN: idea organizer. Win95 shareware with name generation and
submission tracking. http://knowledge.bizhosting.com/
=================================================================
1998 Stephen J. Cannell Online Writing Seminar! Oct 24th
Includes materials, a live Q & A session with Emmy-winning
producer/bestselling author Stephen J. Cannell and downloadable
teleplay pilots of The A-Team, The Rockford Files, Wiseguy.
$55.00 Visa, MC or money order. www.writerswrite.com/seminar/
=================================================================
The Writer's Nook - free online workshop and resource for writers.
http://www.twnn.com (also thewritersnook.com and writersnook.com)
=================================================================
CLASSIFIED RATES: US$20/line/issue. Min. 2 lines, max. 5 lines,
where a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation.
Pay for a 5-issue run and get an extra issue free. All contracts
must be prepaid. Write to classifieds@inkspot.com.
=================================================================
EDITOR: Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
ASSISTANT EDITORS RESEARCH/EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Fox, Chris Donner Tina Kennedy, Shane Stacks
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR WEB ADMINISTRATORS
Bryan Fullerton Tony King, Bianca Thomas
BUSINESS MANAGER Jeff Ridpath
COPY EDITORS/ Gail Heinsohn <intrepidrider@taconic.net>
PROOFREADERS: Cathy Rutland <copyeditor@inkspot.com>
SALES & ADVERTISING: sales@inkspot.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:
Moira Allen, Judith Bowen, David Breeden, Charles Deemer, Mark
Fowler, Susan Graham, Carol Henson, Ken Jenks, Tina Kennedy,
Michelle Sagara, Sal Towse, Lee Wardlaw, Marcia Yudkin
Full masthead info at http://www.inkspot.com/admin/contact.html
Thanks to Samurai Consulting for hosting the Inklings mailing
list. More info: http://www.samurai.com or bryanf@samurai.com
=================================================================
Inklings is a free biweekly newsletter for writers.
Subscribers are welcome to recirculate or reprint Inklings for
nonprofit use as long as the appropriate credit is given and the
ENTIRE text of the newsletter is included (including credits and
information at the end of each issue). Others should contact me
at editor@inkspot.com. All articles copyrighted by their
authors.
Back issues and other information available at:
http://www.inkspot.com/inklings/
Inklings is part of INKSPOT, a web resource for writers:
http://www.inkspot.com/
Autoresponder info (send any email to the following addresses)
------------------
info@inkspot.com - Info about Inkspot and Inklings
adminfaq@inkspot.com - How to subscribe, unsubscribe, etc.
guidelines@inkspot.com - Writers' guidelines, payment info.
SNAILMAIL: 55 McCaul St., Box 123, Toronto, ON Canada M5T 2W7
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