Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Inklings Issue 4.13
================================================================
i n k l i n g s
Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net
Issue 4.13 Jun.24, 1998
================================================================
<http://www.inkspot.com/inklings/issues/ink0413.html>
* Over 36,000 subscribers! *
This issue features tips on breaking into the sf short story
market (ASK THE SF AUTHOR, by Michelle Sagara), advice about
mentioning trademarked items and forwarded copyright material
(ASK THE LAWYER, by Mark Fowler), book highlight of THE WRITER'S
WEB, and a profile of award-winning children's author Hazel
Hutchins.
This issue sponsored in part by:
================================================================
THE WRITER'S SOFTWARE COMPANION: multimedia software by Writer's
Digest's Nancy Kress. Uses advanced learning tech. and total
immersion to bypass years of trial-and-error, dramatically
accelerating a writer's progress. http://www.novalearn.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
Book Highlight: The Writer's Web
Ask the SF Author
Ask the Lawyer
Author Profile: Hazel Hutchins
Writers' Classifieds
================================================================
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:
=======================
I created the Inkspot Writers' Guidelines Library back in
January. The Library is a free, searchable mSQL database of
submission guidelines for paying magazines and ezines. Ideally,
publishers enter and maintain submission guidelines themselves,
but so far only about 140 publishers have entered their
guidelines in the database. After investing a fair amount of
money and time into researching and creating the database in
hopes of producing a useful resource for writers, I confess I'm a
bit discouraged.
So...I'm asking for volunteers! I need folks who are willing to
pick one paying publication (preferably a relatively high-paying
market) and enter the guidelines into the database. Every six
months, you'll verify that these guidelines are still up-to-date.
Any help would be *greatly* appreciated. For more details, please
email jobs@inkspot.com. See the Library at:
http://www.inkspot.com/cgi-bin/guidelines/guide.cgi
Congratulations to the following prizewinners:
Robert Cheshire wins THE WEEKEND NOVELIST WRITES A MYSTERY
Darrell Ray wins HOW TO SELL MORE THAN 75% OF YOUR
FREELANCE WRITING
Tracy Widner wins THE TRAVEL WRITER'S HANDBOOK
FRESH INK
=========
BOOK PRIZE GIVEAWAY: DIRECTORY OF WRITER'S GUIDELINES
-----------------------------------------------------
THE AMERICAN DIRECTORY OF WRITER'S GUIDELINES: What Editors Want,
What Editors Buy. Compiled and edited by John C. Mutchler (1997,
Quill Driver Books). Contains more than 450 submission guidelines
from magazine and book publishers. For ordering info, call
1-800-497-4909.
One name will be randomly drawn to win this book. To enter, send
email giveaway@inkspot.com with your name and email address with
"guidelines" in the subject header. By entering, you agree to let
Inkspot and Inklings publish your name and email address if you
win. Deadline: July 3. More info about the contest and books 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.
Garbl's Writing Resources On-Line
---------------------------------
An annotated directory of useful web sites focusing on
grammar and style, reference sources, wordplay.
http://pw1.netcom.com/~garbl1/writing.html
Eponym: International Names
---------------------------
A ton of name lists, links, and resources.
http://student-www.uchicago.edu/users/smhawkin/names/
Also see http://www.dfcreations.com/
Telecommuting Job Opportunities For Writers
-------------------------------------------
Part of a larger job listing database.
http://www.tjobs.com/writers.htm
Other writing-related job banks can be found at:
http://www.inkspot.com/market/jobs.html
The Poetry Society
------------------
News, reviews, tips, advice, links. UK focus.
http://www.poetrysoc.com/
Guide to Grammar and Writing
----------------------------
Rich source of grammar and style info. Quizzes, advice
column, links to related sites.
http://cctc.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar.htm
Rejection Blues
---------------
Getting depressed by rejections? Check this page out for
inspiration. Maintained by Dana Nourie.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3405/rejects.html
Literary Marketplace
--------------------
Online directory of the publishing industry. Being offered
free-of-charge for a trial period.
http://lmp.bookwire.com/
The Academy of American Poets FAQ
---------------------------------
Answers questions such as, "How can I get my poems published?",
"How can I tell if a poetry contest or publishing offer is a
scam?", "Should I use a subsidy/vanity press?"
http://www.poets.org/faqfrmst.htm
Grammar For Journalists
-----------------------
Lecture notes from a course by Kellee Weinhold at the University
of Oregon. Site also includes related links, and interactive
quizzes.
http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/~kelleew/j101/index.html
The Masked Writer
-----------------
Tips/links for sf/fantasy writers.
http://bon.net/jellyn/
Editor Ink
----------
Publishing and market news, writing contests, changes to
Inkspot. Updated several times a week.
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/intro.html
** 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).
If you are a paying market and wish to add your listing to
Inkspot/Inklings, request a form from mktform@inkspot.com.
Check out the *INKSPOT WRITERS' GUIDELINES LIBRARY* at:
http://www.inkspot.com/cgi-bin/guidelines/guide.cgi
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLE SOUL
--------------------------------
P.O. Box 1959 Dept. EM Fairfield, Iowa 52556 Fax: 515-472-7288.
E-Mail: chickensoup@lisco.com "Do you have a true story, article
or anecdote about your own life or someone else's that would
uplift, inspire, or entertain single people? If so, we invite you
to be a part of our exciting new book, Chicken Soup for the
Single Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the
Spirits of Single People." Planned topics include: On Love, On
Friendship, Special Moments, Overcoming Obstacles, Single Again,
Single and Happy, Single Parenting, (divorced or widowed),
Letting Go, On Dating, Finding Your Mate, Completions. "We are
looking for true stories 1200 words or less based on events or
incidents that will make readers laugh, cry, or sigh. Stories
should be written from a positive viewpoint, and should be
universal and non-controversial. The point of the story should be
evident without preaching. Please do not submit essays,
reminisces, tributes, commentaries, philosophical or biographical
pieces. We have enclosed a few samples of Chicken Soup stories
already published. We also recommend that you refer to other
Chicken Soup for the Soul books to understand the Chicken Soup
genre. Please feel free to submit more than one story, whether
original or one of your personal favorites collected over the
years from magazines, newspapers, or other sources. We pay
minimum $300 per original story for one-time rights, and $50 to
the first contributor of a previously published item. Our first
deadline is July 31, 1998 (the earlier, the better). Final
deadline is October 31, 1998. Please mail your stories to Chicken
Soup for the Single Soul, P.O. Box 1959, Dept. EM, Fairfield, IA
52556; or fax them to (515) 472-7288; or e-mail to
chickensoup@lisco.com (but send only one way, please). Please put
your full name, address, and phone number on your story, not just
your cover letter. You will receive an initial response within
three months. Publication is planned for October 1999." Also
accepting stories for future editions of Chicken Soup for the
Woman's Soul III and Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul. These
same guidelines apply." Email submissions ok.
E-Mail: chickensoup@lisco.com
FEED MAGAZINE
-------------
FEED Magazine, 225 Lafayette, Suite 606, New York, NY 10012.
(212)343-3510 FAX:(212)343-0475. Sam Lipsyte, Senior Editor. Hip,
irreverent on-line magazine covering current events and issues.
Daily. Circ: 80,000 readers/mo. PAYMENT: On delivery. $150-$1,500.
RIGHTS: On-line rights purchased. LENGTH: 500-2,000 wds. E-mail
queries preferred. Send brief proposal (300-500 words in length)
and list of previously published works. No mss. 75% of articles
are freelance written. LOOKING FOR: Essays and reported pieces on
technology, culture, and politics. TIP: "We want smart and
irreverent, cautiously optimistic or wildly pessimistic, and
media savvy writers. This magazine is on-line only so know the
web." (ST)
URL: http://www.feedmag.com
GL: Available via e-mail
E-mail: lipsyte@feedmag.com
COMPUTER BITS
-------------
Computer Bits PO Box 329, Forest Grove, OR 97116-0329 (503)
359-9107 Editor: Paul Heinlein. Est: 1991 Focus is primarily on
practical, how-to computing information, with lesser emphasis
given to consumer information, trends, news, and the computing
life. Coverage includes regular columns and feature articles.
Freq: Monthly. Size: 8.5x11. 96pp. Circ:40K/Portland OR and
35K/Phoenix AZ. Audience: Computer users (home and business) and
administrators. BUYS: First North American print rights and rights
to publish the article online as part of archives. PAYMENT: On
publication, $75-$100. If the article runs in a second print
edition, an additional $25. LOOKING FOR: Feature articles
typically run 1600-2000 words and fall into one of four
categories (i) How-to -- giving your readers information
necessary to accomplish some computing task; (ii) Introductory --
giving your readers an introduction to a new technology or
resource; (iii) Round-up -- giving your readers a survey of the
hardware or software available in a given category; (iv)
Whimsical -- giving your readers a humorous or light-hearted look
at the life and culture of computer users. "We tend to shy away
from product reviews. For an idea of topics we've addressed
recently, please visit our archives and survey the articles we've
published in the past 10 - 12 months
<http://www.computerbits.com/archives.htm>." Queries preferred.
E-mail preferred. RT: "Typically one or two working days, though
it occasionally stretches to 4 - 7 days." TIPS: "I'm typically
not in the market for columns or multi-part articles. Requests
received between the 20th and last day of the month will usually
receive the quickest response. Articles providing useful
information beat those with good rhetoric every time. I have a
mild bias toward writers coming from Oregon, S Washington, and
Arizona." (ST)
URL: http://www.computerbits.com/
GL: http://www.computerbits.com/aboutus/authors.htm
Author GL: http://www.computerbits.com/support/guidelines.html
E-mail: editor@computerbits.com
TEMP STAFF
----------
Temp Staff, Messinger Publications, 1046 Seneca Street, Fountain
Hill, PA USA 18015-4129. Ph: 610/317-2045, Fax: 610/317-2045.
Senior Editor: A.F. Messinger. Monthly magazine for temporary and
contract/leased employees. "The tone of the publication is
personable and warm, affirmative, and motivational. Articles will
cover personal success stories, tips for improving skills, and
suggestions for finding the 'right' agency or temp position.
There will also be a directory of temporary and contract
employment agencies. Publication will begin with the September
1998 issue." Circ.20K. Typical reader: "This magazine is targeted
to the employee who enjoys the ongoing challenges involved in
short-term employment. The reader is independent,
self-sufficient, confident in her/his abilities, highly
personable, and prefers variety and change above the predictable."
Pays on publication, 11-20c/wd. Additional pay for photos. Buys
FNASR. Simsubs and reprints ok if informed. Unsolicited subs ok.
Encourages new/unpublished writers. Editorial lead time: 3
months. Seasonal lead time: 3 months. For sample copy send SASE.
RT: 2-4 wks. Publishes mss approx. 1-3 mos. after acceptance.
Email submissions ok. Photos preferred. NON-FICTION: 500-2,000
wds. No fiction. Poetry: query before submitting. Fillers should
be no more than 300 words (50-100 preferred). LOOKING FOR:
Seeking "articles from across the US with at least one in each
issue focusing on international temps. Biographical and interview
style articles can be on temps working for one agency, multiple
agencies, or contracting independently. Also looking for articles
on skill improvement, interviewing, temp job searching, and
unusual temp positions. Will accept an occasional temp agency
profile but only if they are doing something unusual or getting
exceptional ratings from temps. Fillers should be anecdotal in
nature (pays extra when accompanied by cartoon style
illustrations). Stories written by actual temps encouraged." NOT
LOOKING FOR: "How to start your own temp agency. Anything that is
advertising (hidden or obvious) in nature. Gripes, complaints, or
horror stories that do not include positive suggestions to assist
others in avoiding bad situations." OTHER TIPS: "Temp Staff is
looking for upbeat, informative, and helpful stories about real
temps in real temp situations." (IWGL)
Email: afmessin@enter.net
SFWEEKLY.COM
------------
SFWEEKLY.COM, New Times Inc./SF Weekly, 185 Berry St Suite 3800,
San Francisco, CA USA 94107. Online Editor: Steve Boland. "Web
site of San Francisco's news and arts weekly, SF Weekly.
sfweekly.com publishes features not found in the print edition of
SF Weekly, covering Web, San Francisco, and pop culture."
Circ.150K page views/month. Est.1997. Typical reader: "Young,
urban". Pays on publication. "Base rate of $150 for 8-1,200
words. Higher fees negotiable." Buys FNASR. No simsubs or
reprints. Encourages new/unpublished writers. Send SASE for
guidelines. Publishes mss 1-3 months after acceptance. Email
submissions ok, query by email or surface mail. Columns open to
freelancers: News/feature stories only. NON-FICTION WORD LENGTH:
8-1,200 word min. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: "Just smart,
interesting, and topical. First priority is given to stories
involving Web and/or San Francisco culture. We're also interested
in media, pop culture, and anything else that might be of
interest to online readers." "Please contact by e-mail, not
phone." (IWGL)
URL: http://www.sfweekly.com
Email: sboland@ep.newtimes.com
MURDEROUS INTENT MYSTERY MAGAZINE
---------------------------------
Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine, Madison Publishing Company, PO
Box 5947, Vancouver, WA USA 98668-5947. Ph: (360) 695-9004.
Editor: Ms. Margo Power. Quarterly print magazine. "A magazine of
mystery and suspense in the cozy/softboiled venue. Regular
columns, interviews, minisynopsis corner, 10 to 12 pieces of
short fiction per issue." Circ.5K. Est.1995. Typical reader: "All
ages from twenties to senior citizens who enjoy reading our type
of stories." Pays on acceptance. "$10 per article or short story.
$15-$20 for interviews." Buys FNASR. Simsubs ok if informed. No
reprints. Unsolicited subs ok. Encourages new/unpublished
writers. Editorial lead: 3-6 mos. Seasonal lead: 6-9 mos. No
email submission. No queries necessary; send complete mss. WORD
LENGTHS: Non-fiction: 1000-2000. Fiction: 250-5000, prefer
2000-4000. NOT looking for: "True crime, or anything not directly
related to our genre." OTHER TIPS: "We cater to mystery readers
as well as writers and often run applicable columns and articles
as they relate to the genre. We also have an annual contest."
(IWGL)
URL: http://www.teleport.com/~madison/mimm.htm
GL: http://www.teleport.com/~madison/mpc007.htm
MARKETS UPDATE FROM SAL TOWSE:
Weird Tales (formerly WORLDS OF FANTASY AND HORROR, before that,
Weird Tales), 123 Crooked Lane, King of Prussia, PA 19406-2570.
Editor: George Scithers. Quarterly magazine of fantasy and horror
fiction. Scithers says Weird Tales is "currently overstocked, but
that problem will be pretty much taken care of by the end of
1998. Try other markets until then, and resume sending us stuff
on 1 January 1999."
================================================================
BOOK HIGHLIGHT: THE WRITERS' WEB
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
_The Writers' Web: The Writers' Guide to the Digital Net_
by Brian Howard (Abacus, 1997) $29.95US/$39.95 Can with CD-ROM
Guide to writers' resources on the Internet. Topics include:
Internet primer, writers' services, finding an agent, virtual
reference shelf, writers' groups, workshops, writing communities,
software, online literature. I especially enjoyed the discussion
of the Web's impact on writers, as well as the tips/interviews
from editors and writers on how they use the Net. The CD-ROM
that comes with the book has an HTML file with links to *all* the
websites mentioned in the book, as well as a number of freeware
and shareware programs for writers.
================================================================
Ask The Experts
---------------
*** Please put "inklings question" in the subject header. ***
Judith Bowen (ROMANCE WRITER) jbowen@max-net.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
Bob Sablatura (JOURNALIST) bob.sablatura@reporters.net
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 SF/FANTASY AUTHOR
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michelle Sagara <Michelle.Sagara@sff.net>
Breaking into the SF short story market
---------------------------------------
Q: I have written several SF short stories. I have one ready for
publication. My writing instructor tells me that I should submit
it for possible publication. Where should a new writer send a
manuscript?
A: This is probably the question I get asked most frequently, and
it's probably the question that is least easily answered blind.
The best thing to do is to actually research the available
markets for SF -- go to the library, or the nearest store, and
take a look at the magazines that are publishing in the genre
that you're writing in. Reading through a few issues of each
will give you a clear(er) idea of what the editors of the
magazine in question are looking for.
Failing that, you might want to look at the SF CHRONICLE, a
magazine that publishes a market report of various short story
and novel-length publishers with relevant submission information.
I'd suggest, however, that you still take a look at what's
actually being published.
After you do that, you'll have a list of magazines (each magazine
usually lists a submission address, and often lists an address
where you might send a SASE for submission guidelines if you're
unclear about them).
Being a new writer isn't a particular disadvantage, unless you do
something silly like sending a high fantasy story to ANALOG,
which we'll assume for the sake of argument you would never do.
With that in mind, pop into the web site http://www.inkspot.com
and make -sure- you format your short story in acceptable
manuscript format. Then, following the standard procedure of
including a SASE, send it out. (Inkspot will also have a lot of
SF writer resources and market tip links that you'll find
invaluable as a way of learning the ins and outs of what probably
seems like a huge and incomprehensible business).
I realize that this is probably not as helpful as it could be --
but the amount of time it would take to actually maintain a
current markets listing for auto-response is more than this
particular writer is capable of at this time.
Good luck!
==-----------------------------------------------------==
Michelle Sagara is the author of The Sundered novel series (Del
Rey) the Hunter Series (DAW, under her married name Michelle
West), as well as many short stories. Her third West novel,
_Broken Crown_ was recently released from DAW and the sequel,
_Uncrowned King_, will be released in August.
Copyright (c) 1998 Michelle Sagara.
================================================================
ASK THE LAWYER
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Mark Fowler <askthelawyer@inkspot.com>
Permission to mention trademarked items?
----------------------------------------
Q. Do I have to secure permission in order to mention that my
characters eat at McDonald's, or use Windows 95 software, or have
a Budweiser at the bar, or blow their nose with a Kleenex?
A. No. Under U.S. law, you do not ordinarily need the permission
of a trademark owner to use a mark in an editorial work of
fiction or non-fiction. But you should not use the trademark in
a way that suggests to your readers that the trademark owner
endorses your work or has some affiliation with you or your
publisher. Similarly, you should seek legal advice before using
someone else's trademark in a commercial (rather than an
editorial context) such as in an advertisement, on a promotional
piece, or even on a book jacket or magazine cover. Also keep in
mind that if you disparage a branded product (even in a work of
fiction) -- without solid facts to back up your unflattering
statements -- you may run the risk of a defamation or trade libel
claim. Finally, while I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, if you
treat a trademark as a generic term (e.g., if you write 'coke'
instead of 'Coke'), you may receive a letter from a curmudgeonly
trademark attorney asking you to capitalize the mark in the
future.
Legal to forward a humorous story?
----------------------------------
Q. What copyright laws apply to e-mail messages? Is it legal to
forward a humorous story, for instance, to a group of people by
e-mail? And can I use that story and publish it in book format?
A. Although there are some visionaries who believe that the
Internet should be a brave new medium where expression is
completely unfettered, that is not the way the law looks at it.
When you copy someone else's e-mail message -- or any other form
of original expression -- the original author's copyright is
implicated. Such copying is sometimes excused by the doctrine of
'fair use'. 'Fair use' is a limited privilege to reproduce the
expression of others for such purposes as criticism, comment,
news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. In
determining whether the defense of 'fair use' is available, the
law takes into account a variety of factors, including: (1) the
purpose and character of the use, (2) the nature of the
copyrighted work, (3) the amount and quality of the material
taken, and (4) the effect that the taking has upon the market for
copyright owner's work. There are no hard and fast rules as to
when a particular use is fair; each case is decided on its own
facts. But there are some obvious common sense principles. If
you are copying the source work for a commercial purpose, it is
less likely to be deemed 'fair', particularly if it diminishes
the market for the original work. Also if you copy a lot of the
original work, you are far more likely to infringe the copyright
than if you copy a little. Posting copyrighted materials on a
website where they are continually available is more likely to
infringe the copyright than is embodying the same material in a
private e-mail message. (By the way, the cartoonist Gary Larson
recently issued a public plea asking fans to stop posting his Far
Side cartoons on the web without permission.) For writers, it is
not a bad idea to keep a variation of the Golden Rule in mind:
copy from others only so much as you would have them copy from
you.
==------------------------------------------------==
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.
================================================================
CHILDREN'S AUTHOR PROFILE: HAZEL HUTCHINS
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
Hazel Hutchins is an award-winning Canadian author of picture
books and pre-teen novels which have been published in Canada,
U.S., and Britain and have been translated into French, Spanish
and Mandarin.
You can find out more about Hazel and her books at:
http://www.inkspot.com/author/hutchins/
First sale
----------
Hazel had been writing and selling adult short stories for
several years when she decided to write a child's picture book.
On her second attempt at selling the story, she found herself in
contact with Annick Press. They told her that although they were
swamped with picture books, they were planning on publishing a
line of children's novels for ages 8-11. Impressed with her
writing, Annick Press asked Hazel if she'd be interested. Hazel
said yes. "I have long had a rule - if the door opens a crack,
jump in with two feet." Although she had never written for that
particular age group, she felt confident she could do it. A few
months later, THE THREE AND MANY WISHES OF JASON REID was
finished. Once Annick Press was acquainted with her pre-teen
novel work, Hazel found they were more open to reading and
accepting her picture books.
Writing picture books vs. "grown-up" books
------------------------------------------
Some people have the opinion that writing children's books is far
easier than writing for adults. To these people, Hazel responds:
"It is far, far harder to write 500 words of a picture book than
it is to write 500 words in a 'grown-up' book. In the picture
book all the character, plot, humour, setting, tone, and the
layers of underlying meaning have to exist within those 500
words. To me, it is a lot like writing poetry. A lot to say in a
very small space, and not one word wasted." She does say that
adult books take much longer to write, however. "Writing a
quality picture book is, to me, about equivalent to writing a
quality adult short story."
Beginning writers' mistakes
---------------------------
When trying to break into the picture books market, Hazel said
that writers tend to make the same kind of mistakes: Seeing the
world through an adult's instead of child's eyes, not letting the
child protagonist solve the problem, and trying to impart a
simplistic moral in a simplistic manner.
Process of creating and submitting a picture book
-------------------------------------------------
According to Hazel, these steps are:
LOOK FOR NEW IDEAS. "There are so many picture books out there
already...originality is very important." Keep a notebook.
"If I'm actively looking for an idea, I sit down and make lists
of things little kids do and say and how they see the world,
hoping to jog a great idea out of my jumbled up grey matter.
(That's my brain, Poirot style, not my greying hair!!!!)"
WORK ON MORE THAN ONE IDEA AT A TIME. Hazel tries to keep three
separate notebooks. "I do this because picture books are so short
that if I just work on one it becomes so concentrated that
sometimes I don't give the idea the proper time to grow and
become all it can be. If I work back and forth from one story to
another, however, laying the story not under construction aside
gently for a bit of rest and relaxation in between, when I go
back to it things are fresh and I can see it more critically and
develop it more to its potential. Also, when I do finish I end up
with three stories instead of just one!"
WHILE WRITING THE BOOK, THINK VISUALLY. Hazel doesn't plan out
the pictures, but is aware that the artist will need to be able
to find at least ten strong images in the book. "Often the images
that the artist draws are not the images I originally had in mind
(they are usually far better because she is so good visually and
I'm not!!!), but they will be related." Sometimes she will make
illustration suggestions, but she generally tries to give artist
free rein, "because that way she can bring her own wonderful
ideas to the work."
REVISE. "I rewrite it a million times. I read it to kids if I get
a chance. I never ask them if they 'like it', I just watch their
faces and their body language and talk about it a bit to see if
they understand it all. I try to feel the pacing and adjust it,
lengthening or shortening or using repetition as necessary."
SUBMIT MSS, THEN REVISE AGAIN. When Hazel feels the story is as
polished as she can possibly make it, she submits it to a
publisher. If it is accepted, she is sent copies of the
illustrator's roughs for comment. "I go through them carefully
and think a lot before I say anything. During this time I may
also hear from the editor requesting fine-tuning on some aspects
of the text."
Some final advice
-----------------
"Please remember that of all the picture books I write, only one
out of every three or four actually sells. If at first you don't
succeed - write more! write better! Keep sending them out!"
Copyright (c) 1998 Debbie Ridpath Ohi
================================================================
W R I T E R S ' C L A S S I F I E D S
================================================================
WRITERS NEEDED!! FREE Report, make $30-$50 a hour and MORE from
home! The Best program available. Call NOW! (800)552-9709
=================================================================
Make your own trade paperbacks by hand. Hand-binding presses,
computer-printable covers, info at http://www.lava.net/gigabooks
=================================================================
UNIQUE POWERFUL FREE BOOK PROMOTION. Free Gallery of Authors'
Voices. Authors speak,fans listen. http://fregalry.interspeed.net
=================================================================
PUBLISHING ON-DEMAND. Distribution via major booksellers.
Royalties from 20% to 40%. http://www.UPUBLISH.com/inklings.htm
=================================================================
Book Promotion empowers authors to self market their books Online
Charles Kessler 888-680-3223 http://www.bookpromotion.com
=================================================================
Character naming made easier! Use your computer to help you find
first and last names! Search by origin, letters, & more. Download
now only $29.95 Mac/Win 95 http://www.dfcreations.com/cns.html
=================================================================
CLASSIFIED RATES: US$20/line/issue. Min. 2 lines, max. 5 lines,
where a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation.
All contracts must be prepaid. Write to classifieds@inkspot.com
=================================================================
EDITOR: Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
ASSISTANT EDITORS EDITORIAL/ADMIN/WEBSTUFF ASSISTANTS
Rand Bellavia, Fox Tina Kennedy, Scott Snyder, Chris Donner
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR BUSINESS MANAGER LIBRARIAN
Bryan Fullerton Jeff Ridpath Noah Chinn
COPY EDITORS/ Gail Heinsohn <intrepidrider@taconic.net>
PROOFREADERS: Cathy Rutland <copyeditor@inkspot.com>
SALES & ADVERTISING: MediaGlue <sales@inkspot.com>
(CLASSIFIEDS: classifieds@inkspot.com)
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:
Moira Allen, Judith Bowen, David Breeden, Charles Deemer, Mark
Fowler, Susan Graham, Paula Guran, Carol Henson, Ken Jenks, Tina
Kennedy, Bob Sablatura, Michelle Sagara, Sal Towse, Lee Wardlaw,
Marcia Yudkin
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
(preferred) or Inkspot, POB 1325, North Tonawanda, NY, USA
14120-9325. For packages, please contact me first.
================================================================
To unsubscribe from Inklings, email majordomo@samurai.com with
"unsubscribe inklings <your email address>" in the message body.
================================================================
