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Inklings Issue 5.09
================================================================
i n k l i n g s
Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net
http://www.inkspot.com
Issue 5.9 * Over 45,000 subscribers! * Apr.28, 1999
================================================================
<http://www.inkspot.com/inklings/issues/ink0509.html>
This issue features tips from Marcia Yudkin (ASK THE FREELANCE
WRITER), an interview with author Bill Crider, and advice
about writing email queries from Sheri Wallace.
This issue sponsored by:
=================================================================
SOFTWARE AND CASH GIVEAWAYS for writers: over the next two weeks
Writer Online will give away $1000 in software and cash prizes,
as well as free writer's software to ALL subscribers. The
WRITER'S SOFTWARE COMPANION, SOFTWARE DREAMPACK FOR WRITERS,
WORDWRIGHT and more. http://www.novalearn.com/sites/ink.htm
=================================================================
***50 GREAT WRITING CLASSES*** - Naomi Epel, author of the
_Observation Deck: A Toolkit for Writers_ and _Writers Dreaming_:
"I thought Judith's essay writing class notes were incredible!
Very clear and focusing. I thought the class brilliant."
WCU Course Catalog - http://www.writersclub.com/wcu/catalog.cfm
================================================================
STORYCRAFT WRITER'S SOFTWARE -- Since 1994, the most beloved
fiction-writing program in the world (fabulous endorsements).
Turns ideas into COMPLETE novels/screenplays/plays/short stories!
Have it mailed or download it in minutes. Secure online ordering.
http://www.storycraft-soft.com. 1-800-97STORY (1-800-977-8679).
================================================================
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 Freelance Writer
Author Highlight: Bill Crider
Five Easy Steps To Email Query Success
Writers' Classifieds
================================================================
POLICY: We will never sell or give away the Inklings subscriber
list for any reason. See http://www.inkspot.com/nospam.html
================================================================
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:
=======================
Thanks to _Writer's Digest magazine_ (and Teresa Bell Kindred)
for listing Inkspot as one of the best websites for writers in
its May issue (p28).
I will be expanding and revamping Inkspot over the next months
and welcome any suggestions. What do you wish to see added? What
needs improving? Please send your comments and ideas to
feedback@inkspot.com.
For those of you who aren't familiar with my website, there are
now several regular columns available online, in addition to
articles, interviews, and resource links. These columns include:
FREELANCING 101 - by Moira Allen
Monthly column on a number of freelancing writing topics.
http://www.inkspot.com/moira/
CHILDREN'S WRITERS MARKETPLACE - by Margaret Shauers
Market news for those who write for the juvenile market.
http://www.inkspot.com/childmkt/
EDITOR INK - my semi-daily column
Industry news, site updates, tips (current topic is PROMOTING
YOUR WRITING: MAKING YOUR OWN WEBSITE), reader feedback,
occasional comic strip.
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/intro.html
ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING Q&A; - by Karen Wiesner
See description in Fresh Ink.
Congratulations to Jennifer Myer, whose name was randomly
drawn to win a copy of WRITING LIFE STORIES by Bill Roorbach.
================================================================
FRESH INK
=========
BOOK PRIZE GIVEAWAY: WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
---------------------------------------------
By Sherry Garland. Writer's Digest Books, 1998. Craft and
business of writing for the young adult market. Deadline: May 9.
For more info about the book and how to enter, see:
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/giveaway.html
Electronic Publishing Q&A;
-------------------------
Karen Wiesner (author of ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING: THE DEFINITIVE
GUIDE, published by Petals of Life in July) answers your
e-publishing questions. Send questions to karenw@inkspot.com.
http://www.inkspot.com/epublish/karen/
Synergy Online
--------------
Creative writing support group for people who write science
fiction and fantasy. (DRO)
http://www.synergy-online.org/
Litline
-------
Resource links to "all things literary on the web". (DRO)
http://www.litline.org/
WriteNet
--------
Resource for K-12 teachers and writers. Teaching techniques,
resources for teachers, email list, networking opportunities.
(DRO)
http://www.twc.org/forums/
Literary Agent News
-------------------
"Hot Literary Agents and Agent News", regularly updated,
maintained by Todd James Pierce. (DRO)
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/9082/literaryagent.html
Fiction Writer's Resource
-------------------------
Tied in with the previous site, but I felt compelled to also list
this separately. Lots of useful info here. (DRO)
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/9082/writersresources.html
WESTAF Literary Links
---------------------
Collection of essential online resources for the emerging- to
mid-career working writer. (DRO)
http://www.westaf.org/literary/index.html
Fresh Ink editors: (TK=Tony King) (DRO=Debbie Ridpath Ohi)
(GH=Gail Heinsohn)
** Please send suggestions for Fresh Ink to freshink@inkspot.com
================================================================
FREELANCE SUCCESS newsletter gives nonfiction writers the tools
to earn a fulltime living. Detailed market info and online
writing classes. SASE to 801 NE 70th St., Miami, FL 33138, email
freelance-success@usa.net or see http://www.freelancesuccess.com
================================================================
Advertise in this space! Email sales@inkspot.com for info.
================================================================
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/bt/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). Research assistants:
Shane Stacks (SS), Margaret Shauers (MS).
CATS
----
Cats Magazine. Primedia Special Interests, 2 Park Ave. 11th
Floor, New York, NY 10016. Fax: (212) 545-3561. Managing Editor:
Christine Ford. National monthly magazine for the cat enthusiast.
CIRC: 130K. NEEDS: Articles dealing with almost any subject
related to cats, including but not limited to the joys of cat
ownership, cat-specific information, new products for cats, and
cat health. GL: Submit one page query with article outline and a
brief explanation of why article would be of interest to _Cats_.
Also state why you are qualified to write it, and include contact
info and clips. Queries may be made via fax, postal mail, or
email (postal mail preferred). If email, attach file in either
Word 6.0, Text, or RTF Format [Note: If query is accepted, be
prepared to submit actual article electronically, either on disk
or via email in above mentioned formats on a PC or Mac 3.5"
disk]. _Cats_ normally has a six month lead time. RIGHTS: "We buy
the first NA print right for a period of 6 months after the
on sale date of the issue it appears in. We buy the non-exclusive
right to reproduce or distribute the article online or any other
similar medium." PAYS: $25-$500/article. Pays on acceptance. TIP:
Don't ask for a copy of the magazine or guidelines. "Instead,
pick up a copy of the mag at Barnes and Noble or Borders and read
it to get an idea of what we are looking for." (SS)
URL: http://www.catsmag.com/
GL: http://www.catsmag.com/writeguide.html
E-mail: info@catsmag.com
DOG AND KENNEL
--------------
Dog And Kennel Magazine. Pet Business Inc., 7-L Dundas Circle,
Greensboro, NC 27407. Phone: (336) 292-4047. Fax: (336)
292-4272. Executive Editor: Rita Davis. "Your source for
entertaining, informative and authoritative information about
dogs." CIRC: 100K. FREQ: Bi-monthly. NEEDS: Breed profiles,
health articles, working dogs, and celebrity interviews(!). GL:
Query or submit via postal mail, include cover letter and SASE.
Multiple submissions okay, simsubs not, previously published
material accepted only if exceptional. RIGHTS: **Normally
requests all rights (but will negotiate). PAYS: $0.10/wd. RT: Six
weeks to three months. TIP: "Our articles have to be
authoritative, therefore we tend to work with writers we know we
can rely on as knowledgeable and thorough." [INKLINGS NOTE: This
market will soon be electronic as well as print; the electronic
version will be non-paying, but will only request First
Electronic Rights. For more info contact Karen McCullough,
Director of Electronic Media.] (SS)
URL: http://www.dogandkennel.com/
E-Mail: petbus@nr.infi.net
WOLVERHAMPTON WILDLIFE GROUP
----------------------------
Wolverhampton Wildlife Group. 19 Whitmore House. Lowe Street.
Wolverhampton WV6 0PN U.K. Tel: 01902 654642. Editor: Kevin
Heath. The Wolverhampton Wildlife Group is interested in wildlife
and conservation issues not only in Wolverhampton but also around
the world. WWG is currently looking for nature and environmental
features to publish on their web site. CIRC: 1500 hits/wk to
index page. NEEDS: All features must be biased towards wildlife
and its issues. If you have a feature you would like to submit,
e-mail a few sentences describing your feature. If they like
the description they will invite you to submit the article which
must be in the body of an e-mail and not as an attachment.
Photographs must be submitted in a .jpg format. They will not
open ANY attached files except for .jpgs. Being invited to submit
an article does not mean it has been accepted. Current subject
areas of interest: Community action, British endangered species,
illegal logging, eco-tourism. They will accept work from anywhere
in the world but they are aiming for the European market. However
if your stories have an international aspect, e.g. endangered
species, then they might be interested. Articles should be ~ 1K
wds in length. You are more likely to be successful if you can
provide at least 1 photograph to go with your story. PAY: OP.
FBSR: Up to 125 Euro for First British Serial Rights. You must
agree to refrain from selling the article to other web sites
until 3 months after publication. SBSR: Submit a list of
previously published articles together with a 1-line description
of the article. Pays up to 50 Euro for each article accepted.
Audio features by negotiation. RT: 4 wks. TIP "The best tip is
for me to suggest that writers do not send completed articles on
spec but to send a short description of the feature they wish to
do. E-mails should be sent to the editor at
info@wolverhamptonwildlife.freeseerve.co.uk." (ST)
URL: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/k.heath/wildlife/
GL: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/k.heath/wildlife/feat.htm
E-mail: info@wolverhamptonwildlife.freeserve.co.uk
TERRA INCOGNITA
-------------------------------------------
Terra Incognita. 52 Windermere Avenue #3, Lansdowne PA 19050-1812.
Editor: Mr. Jan Berrien Berends. Full-sized, 64pp, quarterly
science-fiction magazine. Publishes a broad range of science-fiction
stories and poetry and non-fiction articles and includes an extensive
section of reviews of written science fiction works. Common theme:
Earth, both today and in the future. What will our Earth be like in
five years? five hundred? five billion? What sorts of technologies are
likely to arise, and what might be their personal, social, and
ecological impacts ÷ both positive and negative? Will we humans march
nobly into the future, or do we face apocalypse at every turn? And how
will our social systems evolve and change? CIRC: ~1K subscribers.
~1500 bookstore sales. NEEDS: Science-fiction short stories up to
15,000 wds. No sword & sorcery, high fantasy, horror, alternative
history, formula sf, space opera. Should be Earth-based. Here's some
of the stuff we like: cybertechnology, apocalypse and post-apocalypse
settings, sociological extrapolations and alternative social systems,
gender and race issues, biotechnology, information technology, human
evolution, alien visitors, ecological disasters or triumphs,
oceanography and the settlement of the ocean, non-Western cultures in
the future, the natural and applied sciences; just make it fit our
theme. NO electronic or simultaneous submissions. NON-FICTION: Query
first! We do not accept unsolicited submissions. (1) Book and story
reviews. We like both in-depth, critical essays and sharp, short
reviews. We try to publish several diverging reviews of the same book
together, so that our readers can find differing perspectives in one
place. We're not interested in reviews of any media other than print.
(2)Science-fiction-related essays and articles. Remember: the best way
to avoid an instant "No" is to make sure that your idea relates to our
theme. Right now, we'd really like to see skillfully written articles
exploring the social-science (sociology, anthropology, politics, etc.)
aspect of the genre. (3) Science articles. Intelligently written and
well-researched science articles are most welcome ÷ especially if they
explore the potential impacts (positive or negative or, preferably,
both) of new technologies or the possible nature of science and
technology in the future. We are also very interested in articles
which discuss the philosophy of science. Some areas of science which
we find intriguing are: biology, neurobiology, and cognitive science;
cybertechnology; computers and other information technologies;
experimental physics. Please! Don't get too technical. We'd never ask
you to sacrifice truth or complexity, but do try to make your articles
accessible to readers with all levels of technical knowledge. POETRY:
_Terra Incognita_ is a forum for Earth-based fiction, and all poetry
must therefore be set on Earth. Abstract poetry is acceptable, but
must be recognizably Earth based. We want speculative poetry with not
only good, creative ideas, but also beautiful language. We like words
that hold our attention as much as the subject does. All styles and
lengths accepted. PAY: FNASR. OP. $0.03/wd for stories and articles.
$5-$25 for book reviews. $5 flat fee for poetry and cartoons. First
Reproduction Rights and Advertising and Promotion Rights for artwork.
Flexible scale for artwork based on the size of the piece. All
contributors receive two extra copies of the issue in which their
contribution appears. All rights revert to the author upon
publication. RT: 3-4 mos. We will always explain why rejected
manuscripts don't work for us. SAMPLE COPY: Send five dollars (six
from outside the US), and we'll get a current copy in the mail. We
encourage writers to email or send us an SASE for current guidelines.
The web site is actually woefully out of date. It's a good place to
see samples from issue one, but we feel that getting the print
magazine published is worth more of our limited time. We hope to
update the web site sometime this summer, but in the meantime, contact
with us is the best method: e-mail or snail mail. TIPS: One of the
biggest problems we see that gets a story instantly rejected is that
the story doesn't belong in TI. By that I mean, stories that aren't
Earth-based sf. For all our shouting about it, we still get a few
manuscripts a week set in outer space or overrun with unicorns. When
it comes to the actual stories, we see a lot of pieces that aren't
stories. A strong, character-driven plot is what holds reader
interest. This doesn't mean we're not interested in beautiful writing.
In fact, we have a reputation for publishing some of the most
stylistically adept science fiction out there. But at the center of
each piece, something must happen, and it must happen to characters,
characters who act in response to that something. Perhaps that's
something of an oversimplification, but it's an interesting litmus
test we sometimes recommend writers apply to their work. (ST)
URL: http://www.voicenet.com/~incognit/index.html
GL: http://www.voicenet.com/~incognit/submissions/index.html
E-mail: terraincognita@writeme.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
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) lee@inkspot.com
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 FREELANCE WRITER
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Marcia Yudkin <yudkin@inkspot.com>
How do I query a newspaper editor?
----------------------------------
Q: Is there a good query method for newspaper editors?
A: Most newspaper editors prefer to be called -- or at least
don't mind being called. This stands in marked contrast to
magazine editors, and has to do with the different pace of
newspapers and magazines. If you do call, be prepared with a
clear, BRIEF spiel about what you want to do and what your
experience is, so that you can either leave it on the editor's
voice mail with your telephone number, or talk to the editor
live. Brevity is all-important! The editor may then ask you to
fax over clips or a formal query letter. In my experience,
newspaper editors don't respond to written queries as well as
magazine editors, and phone approaches do work with them.
How do I protect my intellectual property?
------------------------------------------
Q: On several occasions, I've sent queries to editors, received a
written or telephoned rejection of my story idea, then seen my
idea in print in the publication a few weeks or months later. My
question: How do I protect my intellectual property? Is it
appropriate to send queries to editors with return receipts from
the US post office, in order to document the date and source on
which the editor received a story idea? Is this a standard
professional practice, or would it insult the editor and
publication? Is there some other standard procedure for writers
to protect their ideas and proposals?
A: I know that this is a common concern among beginning writers,
and I can tell you that the chance that your idea was "stolen" is
so infinitesimal as to not be worth worrying about. First, there
is no such thing as ownership of ideas -- it is not possible to
protect ideas per se, only the specific way you have expressed an
idea in writing. Second, the editor has probably received dozens
of queries that were the same as yours. Until you're in the
editor's chair, it's hard to understand how commonly many people
send in the very same idea. There are additional reasons why
"idea theft" is unlikely to happen, but this should be enough, I
hope, to convince you to spend your energy writing irresistible
query letters, lots and lots of them, and not worrying about
accusing people of something they have not done and which would
be impossible to prevent even if you had the best lawyers
available.
How do I get syndicated?
------------------------
Q: I write a column for a weekly newspaper, circulation around
25,000 - so it's not a large paper, but I'm wondering how writers
get into the syndication network and I would go about seeking
syndication?
A: Be prepared to be very, very persistent. One fellow I spoke
with for my book _Writing Articles About The World Around You_
made 300 (!) phone calls before he found a non-local taker for
his column on career issues. Hunt down the Annual Syndicate Guide
published by _Editor & Publisher_ magazine, which lists
syndicates and syndicated columns, and get started calling or
sending samples of your column around. Good luck!
Should a beginning writer query or write first?
-----------------------------------------------
Q: As a fledgling writer, I have read a number of freelance
writing books lately. Most of the experts seem to agree that
writers should query first and then write the article, rather
than write the article and then attempt to market the finished
piece. Isn't this a risky business for the beginner? Wouldn't it
be a better strategy (for the inexperienced) to write the great
article first, and then patiently attempt to market it?
A: Actually, it's much riskier to write the piece and not have
any specific market in mind. What you think is a great article
might not fit any market at all, because it might be the wrong
length, the wrong focus, the wrong emphasis, the wrong writing
style or terminology, etc., for any particular magazine or
newspaper. When you write a query, you set up the opportunity
for the publication to respond to your idea and then tell you
exactly what length, what emphasis, etc. you should use to write
it. This is the safest and easiest way to get started as a
freelance writer.
==--------------------------------------------==
Marcia Yudkin is a freelance writer who has published hundreds of
magazine articles in markets ranging from the _New York Times_ to
_Cosmopolitan_, and is the author of nine non-fiction books. Get
e-mailed copies of Marcia Yudkin's Freelance Writing FAQ by
sending e-mail to: FL@yudkin.com. Other writing-related articles
available at http://www.jobshow.com/careeradv.html under "Advice
for Writers." Her most recent book is WRITING ARTICLES ABOUT THE
WORLD AROUND YOU (Writers Digest Books).
Copyright (c) 1999 Marcia Yudkin.
=================================================================
AUTHOR HIGHLIGHT: BILL CRIDER
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
An award-winning Texas writer, Bill Crider has been writing for
as long as he can remember. He has published hundreds of
articles, book reviews, non-fiction pieces, and nearly fifty
books and short stories. You can find a list of his books at:
http://www.inkspot.com/inklings/articles/crider.html
First sale
----------
Bill made his first sale through a contact he made through his
writer's group. "One of the women in the group brought her
husband because she couldn't drive at night," Bill says.
"After he found out I liked mystery novels, he told me that he
managed a moving company and all the drivers were reading Nick
Carter books, which he described as 'James Bond for truck
drivers.' He said he thought we could write one. Well, to make a
very long story short, we did. And we actually sold it. The rest,
as they say, is history."
Bill says that co-writing his first book was fairly simple. "My
co-author (Jack Davis) did a rough (very rough) chapter, and I
did the final draft. We went straight through the book like that.
I had fun doing it, since it was my first book. And since Jack
did most of the plotting, I didn't have to worry about that part.
I'm sure other writing partnerships are more complicated. We were
just goofing around and having fun. I never expected to sell the
book."
Other genres
------------
After writing a few mysteries, Bill branched out to horror and
westerns. "I wanted to do the westerns because I'd always enjoyed
reading them, and I grew up loving western movies. I was also a
big fan of horror novels, so I wanted to try my hand at those as
well. And since I'd loved reading so much as a kid, I wanted to
give children's books a try. I was lucky enough to get published
in all those areas, and it's been a lot of fun doing different
things."
Novels vs short stories
-----------------------
Bill had written and sold several novels before trying his hand
at short stories. "Stories are a lot of fun to write, but they're
not easy. Sometimes they take quite a while. With a novel, you
have the space to do a lot of things. You have to do most of the
same things in a story, but in a lot less space."
The Internet
------------
When asked how the Internet has affected his writing process,
Bill replied, "As a writer, I'm an expert at avoidance. The
Internet has certainly proved to be invaluable in helping me
avoid doing actual work. It's also great for research. In a
couple of cases it's been a tremendous help to me. I love the
'net."
Bill uses many resources on the Internet. "There are many sources
for all kinds of things that would interest mystery writers:
forensics, ballistics, crime scene investigation, just about
anything you can think of."
Writing habits
--------------
Since he has a day job (Chair of the Division of English and
Fine Arts at a local community college), Bill writes in the
evenings. "I set goals, usually a specific number of pages per
day. When I was writing on a typewriter, I'd stop at the bottom
of the page when I reached my goal, even if I was in the middle
of a sentence. Drove my wife crazy. Now that I've switched to a
computer, I'll finish the sentence. No rituals, but I do like to
listen to music when I write, usually something from the 1950s
(Elvis, doo-wop, R&B;, just about anything)."
A self-professed "outine-hater", Bill prefers shorter outlines.
"I've done fairly detailed outlines (up to thirty or forty
pages), but I prefer shorter ones. The shorter the better. About
five pages is certainly enough for me to work with. And I've
started more than one book with no outline at all." His shorter
outlines generally consist of about one paragraph, and are about
the major characters in the novel. "I don't do extensive notes on
their backgrounds, which means that I sometimes find myself
scrambling to re-read earlier books when I bring a character back
for another appearance."
Bill doesn't get writer's block. "I do get lazy, however, so
sometimes I don't get as much work done as I should. And I'm
great at avoidance, as I mentioned. I can play Free Cell on the
computer for hours. But when the time comes, I always get the
work done."
Current projects
----------------
Bill Crider currently has a two-book contract with St. Martin's
for novels about Sheriff Dan Rhodes. "I'm working on the first of
those right now. It's about robberies from cemeteries. And
there's a ghost in it, too."
Advice to beginning writers
---------------------------
"Just write what pleases you. I've always written about the
things I know best: small towns and the people in them. Not the
kind of book that's likely to land me on the bestseller list, but
it's fun to write them. Don't worry about analyzing the market
and the audience. Just write the book you want to write."
Copyright (c) 1999 Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
================================================================
FIVE EASY STEPS TO EMAIL QUERY SUCCESS
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Sheri Wallace <sheriwallace@surfree.com>
After making the decision to be a stay-at-home mom, I decided it
was time to build my freelance career. Although I have over 10
years experience in corporate writing, I didn't have any
freelance clips. Rather than writing for guidelines via
traditional mail, waiting for them to arrive, and then sending
the query and waiting for a response, I decided to take the
faster approach of working online.
I surfed the writer's sites looking for guidelines and developed
several queries. I then submitted them via email, in some cases
receiving responses the same day. Within one month, I had
gathered 12-15 clips, all from paid publications. I now send out
several queries each week and submit as many articles, all
without spending a dime for postage. I don't even have to print
the articles out, saving paper, because the submission process is
also via email.
How can you start taking advantage of the growing number of
publications that accept email queries? I have developed 5 easy
steps for developing and submitting email queries which will
assist you in your quest.
Spend more time online
----------------------
Join a writer's email list and look at each market listing. Start
an email collection of markets that accept e-queries and surf for
writer's sites that post new market listings. Writer's Market
lists markets that accept e-queries, and there are more and more
markets that post their guidelines on the web. Often, editors
looking for freelancers or technical writers will post help
wanted notices on the Internet and usually these listings list an
email address for replies.
Develop an online resume
------------------------
Editors that accept e-queries often
will access your site and view clips and other resume information
if you provide them with the URL. Having an online resume is
also a convenient way to avoid having to cut and paste several
clips into the body of an email.
Research submission policies
----------------------------
Always inquire about the email and attachment policies of the
magazine. Sometimes these are included in the guidelines, so wait
to receive them before asking. You don't want to wait a couple
of months to receive an answer to a query that was deleted
because the editor doesn't accept e-queries.
Get feedback
------------
Set up a sample query and send it to several friends to evaluate.
The format of the query should be easily readable in different
email formats and also not have any HTML formatting. Make sure
that your email is set to plain text and try to avoid attachments
unless the editor specifically requests or authorizes them.
Set a daily or weekly goal
--------------------------
Finally, take advantage of the technology and push yourself to
maximize the number of queries you do every week. Set daily or
weekly goals. Remember that you are saving time and postage by
sending email queries and therefore making more money. It is
gratifying to see the quick turnaround that is possible using
email, and remember, the technology is here to stay, so it will
certainly be even more popular in the years to come.
==-----------------------------------------==
Sheri Wallace lives in Tucson, AZ with her husband and basset
hound. She enjoys writing about family and parenting topics as
well as investing and other business topics. She is a staff
writer for _From House to Home_ and _InvestEd Magazine_. She can
be reached at SheriWallace@surfree.com.
Copyright (c) 1999 Sheri Wallace.
=================================================================
INKSPOT WRITERS COMMUNITY CENTER UPDATE (IWCC) by Shane Stacks
http://www.inkspot.com/ss/iwcc/
--Next IWCC Help Session--
Sat., May 1st, 12 NOON PDT / 11 AM CDT (Inkspot Classroom).
I'll be available for any and all IWCC needs, large or small!
IWCC NOTABLES:
- CHAT REPORT: April 17th's IWCC ORIENTATION TOUR was a lot of
fun, and we managed to learn a thing or two while we were at it!
Thanks to those who took the time to participate!!!
- AUTO FILES:
Chat transcripts now available on autoresponders! To access,
either send a blank email to iwccauto@inkspot.com, or visit
http://www.inkspot.com/ss/iwcc/transcripts.html
- A REMINDER:
There doesn't have to be a scheduled chat for you to show up,
have some fun, and participate in our writing community... we're
open 24/7, so come on in and be welcome!
MISCELLANY: Up-to-date IWCC info and help can ALWAYS be found at
http://www.inkspot.com/ss/iwcc/, or contact Shane Stacks
directly: staxx@inkspot.com. The IWCC is generously supported by
the kind folks at MOOkti (http://noisey.oise.utoronto.ca:9996/).
=================================================================
W R I T E R S ' C L A S S I F I E D S
=================================================================
WEBSTORE FOR WRITERS includes the popular "Writers' Software
Store". Ready to be a Master? See http://www.MasterFreelancer.com
=================================================================
Thick skin wearing thin? Agented Bookdoc will help whip your mss
into publishable shape. REASONABLE rates. L.Grant@prodigy.net
=================================================================
A contest EVERY month for a CASH prize at The Writers' Hangout.
Membership is free! Simply submit your work to one of our 14
genres, along with a cool password for access to the Members'
Section, and that's it! Members are automatically eligible for
all contests! http://www.writershangout.com
=================================================================
ABC Editing: Successful, published writers perform Effective,
affordable editing! See http://www.abcediting.com
=================================================================
Get Published! New, affordable way to market your writing online.
Visit Manuscript Depot http://www.manuscriptdepot.com/
=================================================================
Learn from the pros at Writers Write University! Online writing
classes available now. http://www.writerswrite.com/wwu/
=================================================================
FREE. Enjoy a weekly fix of crisp, original, short humor.
http://www.virtualabsurdity.com or info@virtualabsurdity.com
=================================================================
WRITERS' CHAT EVENTS: Announce your chat for free in Inkspot!
Add your own chat listing (please read guidelines first).
http://www.inkspot.com/classifieds/chats.html
=================================================================
== How to advertise in Inkspot or Inklings ===
=================================================================
Reach over 45,000 people for as little as $30/issue. For full
details, write to the autoresponder ratecard@inkspot.com or see:
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/ratecard.html
=================================================================
EDITOR: Debbie Ridpath Ohi <editor@inkspot.com>
ASSISTANT EDITORS RESEARCH/EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Fox, Chris Donner Shane Stacks, Margaret Shauers
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR WEB ADMINISTRATORS
Bryan Fullerton Tony King, Bianca Thomas, Shane Stacks
MARKETS EDITOR FRESH INK CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Sal Towse Tony King, Gail Heinsohn
COPY EDITORS/ Gail Heinsohn <intrepidrider@taconic.net>
PROOFREADER:
SALES & ADVERTISING: sales@inkspot.com
BUSINESS PARTNER: Jeff Ridpath
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:
Moira Allen, Judith Bowen, David Breeden, Charles Deemer, Mark
Fowler, Susan Graham, Carol Henson, Ken Jenks, 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
=================================================================
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Subscribers are welcome to recirculate or reprint Inklings for
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ENTIRE text of the newsletter is included (including credits and
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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
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adminfaq@inkspot.com - How to subscribe, unsubscribe, etc.
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