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mary rosenblum
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Hello all.
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mary rosenblum
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Welcome to our Friday After
Hours.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I've published seven novels
(number eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and
will do my best to answer any questions you have. We're talking about
markets, tonight. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on
the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question
mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into
the regular send bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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If you missed my interview
with Judith Glad, last night, I recommend it.
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mary rosenblum
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She is an epublisher and
talked very knowlegibly about the emerging ebook market and the people who
are beginning to buy electronic books.
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mary rosenblum
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With the increase in ipod and
PDA devices like the Palm Pilot, more and more people find ebooks easy to
use.
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mary rosenblum
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I personally think that this
sector of the market will grow enormously over the next ten years.
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mary rosenblum
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So tonight, let's talk about
markets.
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mary rosenblum
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That can be the most daunting
part of breaking into print.
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mary rosenblum
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Where do you find markets,
which markets should you send your work to, and what is best for you?
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mary rosenblum
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The fiction and nonfiction
markets are a bit different in terms of how new writers typically break in.
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mary rosenblum
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It is pretty difficult to
break into the very top nonfiction markets without publication clips...
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mary rosenblum
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while lack of publication
doesn't hamper you nearly as much in fiction, where a good story matters
more than whether you have published before.
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mary rosenblum
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In nonfiction, you'll find it
easier, for the most part, to start with midsized or smaller markets unless
you have something that really appeals to a top market editor and is pretty
unique.
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mary rosenblum
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As you gain clips, you move
'up' on the market ladder.
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mary rosenblum
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You have proved you can do a
professional job and do it on deadline.
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xana
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Are there any reputable agents
who will take on the marketing search for you for a fee?
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mary rosenblum
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Not for short fiction and
magazine nonfiction, Xana.
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mary rosenblum
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Not enough money to pay the
agent.
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mary rosenblum
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That is, of course, why you
have an agent for book length works.
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mary rosenblum
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That IS their job and it's why
you pay them 15% of your gross.
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mary rosenblum
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But the agents really work
only with the big NY houses and Hollywood.
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mary rosenblum
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Because that's where the money
is.
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mary rosenblum
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If you can't sell to the big
houses or you decide you'd rather start with the small press/ebook
markets...
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mary rosenblum
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you handle that on your own.
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mary rosenblum
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I did get some email questions
from people who can't attend tonight.
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mary rosenblum
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Here's our first: How do you
get articles into magazines like Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping,
Women's World?
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mary rosenblum
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You simply read their writers
guidelines and submit your query or manuscript according to their guidelines.
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mary rosenblum
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Now one thing to realize about
the NF markets.
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mary rosenblum
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Most of the feature articles
are assigned to familiar writers by the editor six months to a year in
advance.
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mary rosenblum
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So it is not easy to sell a
feature length article as a new writer.
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mary rosenblum
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But most magazines have
various departments and columns and they are filled in with what gets
offered by regulars and new writers alike.
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mary rosenblum
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So you are much more likely to
sell a short piece to one of these departments or columns than you are to
sell a feature piece.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...once you have written a
couple of satisfactory pieces for that editor, he or she will probably...
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mary rosenblum
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call you or email you and ask
you to write more pieces for them...they'll assign you topics.
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mary rosenblum
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Several of my students started
receiving assignments from magazines after only a couple of publications in
that magazine.
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ltsonya
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what if in those columns and
departments there's no byline? are those then mostly likely written by
staff?
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mary rosenblum
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No, not necessarily. Usually
the guidelines will tell you what they want to see...
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mary rosenblum
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but often, bylines are only
given for feature pieces.
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mary rosenblum
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Guidelines will often include
'by line given' meaning you will have a byline for that article.
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robastor
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What is a byline?
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mary rosenblum
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The by M. J. Author under the
title of the piece, rob.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I've published seven novels
(number eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and
will do my best to answer any questions you have. We're talking about
markets, tonight. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on
the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question
mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into
the regular send bar if that works better for you..
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ltsonya
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how long is it normal to wait
for a query reply? (i have one that said 1 month but it's been almost 2)
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mary rosenblum
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Double the listed time is
pretty typical, ltsonya, for a lot of publications.
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mary rosenblum
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Now I have noticed that
editors do not always respond to unsuitable or unprofessional queries.
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mary rosenblum
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I suspect their feeling is
that they don't want to encourage somebody who hasn't bothered to do their
homework.
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mary rosenblum
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But if you write a
professional query and you're offering something suitable to the magazine,
you should hear back.
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ltsonya
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my query was OK'ed by an LR
instructor =)
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mary rosenblum
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I would think that anyone
taking the LR course would be sending off a suitable query. :-)
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belledove
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What is a query reply?
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mary rosenblum
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A query letter, belle, is a
letter asking the editor if he/she would like to see a piece of a
particular length on a particular topic.
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mary rosenblum
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If the editor wants it, he/she
writes back and says, yes, I do. They'll usually give you a specific word
count, too.
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mary rosenblum
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Then you write and send the
article. Or send it, if you've already written it for a LR assignment, say.
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mary rosenblum
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Will it help to send clippings
from previous articles about me and my artwork if I want to try to get an
article published about painting and selling again after 25 years of
"retirement" while I went back to school and found a more stable
income and profession? I'm writing an article titled, "Long Way to
Hope," with a focus on my award-winner painting that I did in 1980
titled, "Search for Hope."
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mary rosenblum
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This is another question I
received.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, it probably would help.
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mary rosenblum
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It tells the editor that you
had a bit of notoriety at the time and will lend this article 'legitimacy'
to the readers.
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mary rosenblum
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Any time you have personal
experience or credentials that support the topic you're writing about,
mention it.
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ashton
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When it is not stated among the
guidelines whether to query or not, is it okay to email them and ask? I had
to do that once and I didn't know if they were standing back and shaking
their heads at me. Ha!
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mary rosenblum
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Ha, if it does not
specifically say 'query' then send the complete mss!!!
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mary rosenblum
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A query will never be as good
as the complete piece in terms of selling your work.
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mary rosenblum
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So if you don't have to query,
don't query.
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mary rosenblum
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It is very hard to represent
the real strengths of your piece as a quick blurb in a query when you are a
novice.
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mary rosenblum
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Only query if the guidelines
require it.
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mary rosenblum
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A student of mine tried
sending the complete piece all the time, even when the market required a
query.
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mary rosenblum
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She told me that about half
the time they'd send it back because it wasn't a query, but the other half
of the time, the editor read it anyway.
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mary rosenblum
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Myself, I suggest that if you
have no publishing clips, you just send the entire piece.
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mary rosenblum
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The worst that can happen is
that you'll get rejected.
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belledove
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What is a publishing clip?
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mary rosenblum
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Clip comes from the pre-xeros
days when you 'clipped out' an article you had written and sent in the
actual piece.
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mary rosenblum
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Now you send in a copy. But
it's essentially samples of published work. So the editor can satisfy
herself that you CAN write well.
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mary rosenblum
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In fiction, you just mention
where you were published. The fictional universe is small enough that the
editor can check.
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xana
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If your publishing clips are
very old, should you explain that you were doing something else for 20
years?
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mary rosenblum
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Of course!
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mary rosenblum
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Nonfiction isn't about
popularity or name recognition as it is about professional competence.
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ltsonya
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so if you write a dog article
and it works for Dog Fancy, even though they want queries with writing
samples, it'd be OK to send the manuscript instead?
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mary rosenblum
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If you have no publishing
clips, why not try it, ltsonya? They may be tough about that and reject it
unread. That's the only risk. It's only a rejection, not a visit from the
police!
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mary rosenblum
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The big market magazines that
have a high profile and get a lot of unsuitable queries and submission from
beginners may be less open to that, but it only costs you postage.
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mary rosenblum
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Do realize that getting
rejected does not get written down in some big book that all editors look
in. Editors reject people all the time and buy from them tomorrow.
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mary rosenblum
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If you're a bad writer or send
them in appropriate stuff, THEN they'll remember you and it will hurt
you...
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mary rosenblum
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but if you send them stuff
that the could use and they just don't want it, it's not any kind of black
mark against you.
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robastor
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Sending a complete MS for first
time NF won't get you black balled by that publisher, will it?
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mary rosenblum
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No. Publishers need quality
reliable writers too much to do that, rob. But if they send you snippy
letter and say don't do that again, then don't.
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tolkienlvr
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Mary - when an editor or agent
says "send me three chapters and a synopsis" does that always
mean ch 1,2,3 or can it be Ch 1,2,7. What's the general expectation?
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mary rosenblum
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Tolkien, I have only heard one
editor ever say he wanted random chapters. Most want 1,2,3 because the
start of a novel is critical..
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mary rosenblum
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and that editor wants to know
if you have hooked readers.
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mary rosenblum
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think of it this way,
tolkien...
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mary rosenblum
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If you hook that editor by
chapter three and he's dying to know what comes next...he'll ask for the
whole book.
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mary rosenblum
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And generally it takes about
three chapters to really engage your reader.
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megger
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Mary, how short a time frame
does simultaneous submission mean? Weeks, months?
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mary rosenblum
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It means until you hear back
from the first market, meg.
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mary rosenblum
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When you get a 'yes' from a
publisher, that publisher has already assigned your story...usually...to a
particular issue. Or your article.
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mary rosenblum
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So if you then say 'sorry I
sold it'...they now have to find a replacement of the same length.
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mary rosenblum
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They do NOT like that.
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mary rosenblum
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It's unfair to the writer when
they're slow in responding.
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mary rosenblum
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Lots of writers violate that
no sim sub rule. :-) Up to you.
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ashton
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This is a question from bigbill:
" I am currently writing a story over 3600 words and counting. Is this
a long short story, or a short novel? What kind of market would be
interested in it?"
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geezer
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From Big bill I have written one
long story already (7000) words, and currently working on another that will
be just as long. What market takes stories this long? Should I suggest
serializing to shorten each publication?"
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mary rosenblum
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Actually bill, 3600 words is a
pretty short story. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Short stories generally are
accepted as anything up to 8000 words.
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mary rosenblum
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But not all magazines will
take stories that long.
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mary rosenblum
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Some cut them off at 5000 or
less.
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mary rosenblum
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Others, like Asimov's Ellery
Queen, and Analog will take 10,000 word stories.
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mary rosenblum
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Or longer.
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mary rosenblum
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It IS harder to sell a 7000
word story as an unpublished writer.
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mary rosenblum
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It will have to be very good,
since it will take up space that an editor could fill with two shorter
stories from a pro.
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mary rosenblum
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But most of my short stories
were 5000 - 10,000 words long even when I was just breaking in, so it can
be done.
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mary rosenblum
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A few magazines do serialize
very long stories...Analog serializes novels...but it's usually for a well
established author.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have to read the
guidelines and see who takes what.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I've published seven novels
(number eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and
will do my best to answer any questions you have. We're talking about
markets, tonight. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on
the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question
mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into
the regular send bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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There is no one place to find
a list of ALL markets out there.
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mary rosenblum
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You can google various online
market lists, you can use LR's Best of the Magazine Markets or Writers
Digest's Novel and Short story markets.
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mary rosenblum
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If you write mostly in one
genre, try to join the professional association for that genre as an
associate member...
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mary rosenblum
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so that you get their
newsletter. Many of them have a good market section. (MWA does not. Don't
waste your money!)
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mary rosenblum
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Check the website here under
New Market Updates.
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mary rosenblum
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I post new markets that I hear
about there.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll hear about new markets
at writers conferences.
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mary rosenblum
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Often a new magazine or ezine
will show up at a conference and do a small party or open house...
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mary rosenblum
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to gain subscribers and alert
writers that they are out there.
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sardis
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so if I am interested in writing
in the epic fantasy genre (and assuming I have the talent for it), how
should I go about getting published with TOR or TSR? (should I be trying to
get many short stories published with lesser publishing houses or go for full
length novels?)
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mary rosenblum
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For Tor (my current publisher)
write a very good epic fantasy.
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mary rosenblum
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That's all they really care
about. If you have short fiction sales, fine.
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mary rosenblum
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If you don't it won't hurt
you.
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mary rosenblum
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Wizards of the Coast (TSR) is
mostly invitation only to pro authors...
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mary rosenblum
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they do have some contest
stuff for new writers, but watch your contracts.
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mary rosenblum
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They have offered some deals
that have earned them some censure among the speculative fiction universe.
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geezer
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Do you have to be invited to be
in an antholoy?
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mary rosenblum
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Sometimes, not always.
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mary rosenblum
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Anthologies work this way.
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mary rosenblum
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The editor gets a promise to
write from a core of well established authors. She uses those names to sell
the anthology to a publisher. Then the rest of the slots...
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mary rosenblum
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are opened up to general
submissions.
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mary rosenblum
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Some anthology editors work
only by invitation and word of mouth, others will advertise the anthology
somewhere in the market lists.
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ltsonya
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do you think it's easier to get
feedback on your writing (craft, characters, etc) by writing short stories
first just because you'll be finished faster as opposed to novels?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes!!! AND it will make you a
better novelist. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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You must write much more
tightly and powerfully in short fiction than in novel form.
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mary rosenblum
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If you get good at short
fiction, you'll write a much stronger novel, prose wise.
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mary rosenblum
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And if you write 30 short
stories in say a year and a half, you can try lots of different things...
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mary rosenblum
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and try lots of different
editors.
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mary rosenblum
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If you get a few sales and
some excellent reviews in the magazines, that will really help you sell
your novel later.
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xana
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Mary, i have an idea i want to
try: writing short stories using the characters from the novel i'm working
on
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mary rosenblum
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Every SF novel I've published
uses characters that were developed first in short stories, Xana. It's an
excellent way to go.
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mary rosenblum
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In two of the novels, the
first chapters are an actual short story that has already been published.
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ltsonya
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what about writing short stories
off of your novel (stories than can stand alone)? did that help you draw
readers in for your novels? and is it a good way to really 'see' your
world?
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mary rosenblum
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It does indeed draw readers to
your novel, sonya.
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mary rosenblum
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If they liked that short
story, they'll go buy the novel if it's the same universe and characters.
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sardis
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so, does the fact that my mentor
for this course is Nancy Berberick (a published author with TSR) hold any
weight when submitting my work to other publishing houses?
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mary rosenblum
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Sardis, your mentor is not
going to hold any weight. It's your writing that is going to matter, not
whom you work with.
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beirdd
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Mary, if you want to mention it,
I have two anthologies in progress right now. Not spec-fic, though.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, cool, beirdd! I don't know
if I've put those up on the New Markets list or not? I think I did post one
you have open. Want to send me the URL for the website and I'll put it in
here.
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sardis
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I guess I ment more so as far as
whether or not your initial submissions get read or not...not for whether
or not your work gets published.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, it won't hurt to mention
it sardis. I always tell students of mine who are submitting to an editor I
know to use my name. :-)
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geezer
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For Scoob: time management could
use a little help, any suggestions when you've got a 1yr and a 2wk old in
the home?"
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, it's SO tough, scoob. My
kids were 3 and 6 when I started writing full time. I wrote at night a LOT
. Until I fell asleep at the keyboard.
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mary rosenblum
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And during nap time.
Religiously.
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mary rosenblum
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Nap time was ONLY for writing,
so was after bedtime.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have more time later,
don't worry.
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mary rosenblum
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(School was SO wonderful! LOL)
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sardis
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Does it often happen that one
takes a short story they've published and expand on it to later have it
published as a novel?
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mary rosenblum
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A short story isn't usually
large enough to become a full novel, sardis, but it can become the start of
one or part of one.
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mary rosenblum
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Stone Garden and my
forthcoming novel Horizons both begin with a short story that was published
and simply continue on beyond the end of that short story.
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beirdd
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http://www.wolfmont.com
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mary rosenblum
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Thanks Beirdd!
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mary rosenblum
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What kinds of stories are you
looking for for the anthology?
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beirdd
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One is for
crime/mystery/suspense that are centered around the winter holidays of
Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa... or Saturnalia, if you wish.
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mary rosenblum
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I remember that one! I think I
did post it. :-)
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beirdd
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The proceeds of that one are
charitable and are going to Toys for Tots.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, super!
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beirdd
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The other is for essays, true
stories, poetry, etc., about life in the southern Appalachians. The details
are on the web site.
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mary rosenblum
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Cool!
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paminnapa
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Say your're in a small anthology
how do you get reviews from that? Do you send it to someplace?
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mary rosenblum
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Good question, Pam!
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mary rosenblum
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Never be afraid to send your
own book or an anthology with your story in it to reviewers.
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mary rosenblum
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The publisher usually does it,
but if they don't, who will?
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mary rosenblum
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And nominate your own books or
an anthology for awards if you can.
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mary rosenblum
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Anyone can submit their story
or novel for the Edgars, for example. (Big mystery award).
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ltsonya
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what kinds of reviewers who you
send them to? are should i say, who?
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mary rosenblum
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You have to do some homework,
sonya, and notice where books of this genre get reviewed.
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mary rosenblum
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Big newspapers are great.
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mary rosenblum
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Denver Post, NY Times, and the
like.
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mary rosenblum
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Many big papers will not
review paperbacks, alas, but many do.
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mary rosenblum
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Online, various reviewers have
various clienteles.
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beirdd
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Midwest Book Review is a great
place for just about any genre.
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mary rosenblum
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Kirkus reviews most books, but
nearly every book publisher submits there.
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mary rosenblum
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Library Journal is a BIG one.
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mary rosenblum
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I think that's just hardcover,
but I might be wrong.
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ltsonya
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and then you just find the
department within the newspaper to send it to?
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mary rosenblum
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Send it to the book review
editor.
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mary rosenblum
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The editor hands it out to
specific reviewers...
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mary rosenblum
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or if you can contact a
reviewer for that paper, try subbing it directly to that person.
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mary rosenblum
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(If you think she/he will like
it!)
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queenbee
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What about the so called
literary journals that offer awards to particpants who win with their prize
winning stories?
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mary rosenblum
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Some prizes really matter. The
Pushcart, a Hugo, an Edgar.
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mary rosenblum
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Others don't.
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on how 'high profile'
they are.
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mary rosenblum
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If you're going to publish
with small press and promote your own book, take the time to search for
reviewers..
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mary rosenblum
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and pay attention to what each
reviewer likes and reviews.
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mary rosenblum
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You want to send your book to
reviewer who review this type of work.
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mary rosenblum
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Use the internet and library
archives to look at national newspapers for their book review sections.
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mary rosenblum
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Big magazines and papers get
WAY more books than they can review, so each reviewer writes up his/her
favorite few.
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mary rosenblum
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So you back up those big
reviewers with smaller reviewers.
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mary rosenblum
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IROSF is an ezine that reviews
SF.
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mary rosenblum
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A lot of SF readers read it.
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paminnapa
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how do people get quotes from
other authors? Do they send a copy of their book/story on to them..?
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mary rosenblum
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yes.
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mary rosenblum
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Got a favorite author? If you
can find that author's address, write that person a nice letter , tell her
how much you love her work...
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mary rosenblum
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and that you're a new writer
with a new book. As if she'll blurb it.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll get a yes or a no. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Most of us are very willing to
blurb for new writers. We were there. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But it should be in your
genre...so that readers who like her books will buy yours on her
recommendation. Unless you know Stephen King, that is.
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ltsonya
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the one thing i've noticed about
writing short stories from a novel is to keep in mind that they have to
have their own story arc and not just some interesting scene or moment in
the backstory. it took me awhile to figure out why they weren't working!
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, you really can't lift a
short story intact from a novel, but you can use the characters from the
novel and give them new adventures.
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queenbee
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So how do you weed through who
to really send your story to
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mary rosenblum
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The main thing is to make sure
that your story really fits the market...or the article in NF>
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mary rosenblum
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Every editor will tell you the
biggest reason for rejection is that the piece is inappropriate.
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mary rosenblum
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Not EVERY fantasy story should
go to F&SF.
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mary rosenblum
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Not EVERY SF story should go
to Analog.
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mary rosenblum
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Not EVERY mystery story should
go to Ellery Queen.
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mary rosenblum
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Then start at the top in
fiction...the best pay...and work your way down to the freebies...the mags
that pay only in copies.
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mary rosenblum
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They're not great markets, but
if you've exhausted all others, hey, it's name recognition.
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mary rosenblum
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Tbni
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mary rosenblum
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Think of it as PR.
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ltsonya
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so we can write you nice letters
if they're in the story's in your genre? =)
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mary rosenblum
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If you have a book in my
genre. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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AND if I have time. Sometimes
I just don't. But I do a number every year.
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charie'
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What's Tbni?
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mary rosenblum
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It's called a typo. :-)
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geezer
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You are a novice writer and have
just completed your first book. Can you walk us through all the steps we
need to make this a best seller? :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Ah, geeze, if you could MAKE a
book a best seller, don't you think we'd all HAVE best sellers?
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mary rosenblum
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Best sellers occur entirely by
the luck of the market.
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mary rosenblum
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Of course every author AFTER
the fact will tell you that he/she knew just how to make it happen...
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mary rosenblum
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but not one of those people
said that BEFORE the book took off. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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All you can do is write the
most powerful story you can.
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mary rosenblum
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If it happens to be the right
story in the right time it'll take off.
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mary rosenblum
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If not, it won't be a best
seller.
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mary rosenblum
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There is NO way to make a
Harry Potter phenomenon happen.
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mary rosenblum
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Believe me, people have been
trying very hard for decades.
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mary rosenblum
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A lot of the publishing
phenomenon is really based on luck.
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mary rosenblum
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That can be very hard to
swallow and you either learn to live with it or go do something else.
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mary rosenblum
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Quite a few writers have been
very soured by that reality and HAVE gone to do other things.
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mary rosenblum
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It's not a fair universe, some
real dreck will get published while your book that really is better, may be
making the rounds earning rejections.
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mary rosenblum
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Don't let it eat at you.
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ashton
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Every story, be it a short story
or a novel, will get better and better each time you sit to write, right?
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mary rosenblum
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It will if you're trying to
get better, ash.
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mary rosenblum
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If you keep looking at other
work, thinking 'now how did that writer make that happen'...
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mary rosenblum
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if you are forever not quite
satisfied with what you have, you always want to make it better next time..
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mary rosenblum
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you WILL do that.
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mary rosenblum
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Now that does not mean you
should never finish anything! LOL
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mary rosenblum
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But always aim to make the
next story better than this one, even if you like this one, even if this
one has sold.
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foxx
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Is self publishing too broad a
subject for tonite or for another forum?
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mary rosenblum
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Not at all...although we're
getting close to the end of our Oregon hour.
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mary rosenblum
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I'll do another complete forum
on that one, if you'd like.
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mary rosenblum
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Self publishing is a great way
to publish niche work..
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mary rosenblum
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that has a limited audience.
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mary rosenblum
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Or if you have contacts that
will allow you to market that work to a lot of interested readers yourself.
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mary rosenblum
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It is VERY unlikely to make
you a best selling author.
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mary rosenblum
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And it's not likely to earn
you attention in the professional writing world.
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mary rosenblum
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Its usefulness to you as a
writer depends on what you want to accomplish with your book.
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mary rosenblum
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I send my memoir students
there all the time.
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ashton
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I disect the books I read and do
just that. I like to see how they did it and made it work. What consituted
chapter length for them...what made each chapter like it was...how did it
flow and keep you wanting to read...
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mary rosenblum
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That's the way to do it, Ash.
(And it shows, by the way).
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xana
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If your book should happen to
get good reviews, will your publisher be likely to spend on advertising?
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mary rosenblum
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If you get good reviews AND IT
SELLS WELL, then your publisher will do more promotion next time, xana.
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mary rosenblum
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The publishing world turns on
sales figures.
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mary rosenblum
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Small press is less sensitive
to sales numbers than the corporate, bottom-line driven NY houses.
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mary rosenblum
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Promotion is generally in
place long before the book comes out, although it it seems to be really
taking off...
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mary rosenblum
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they'll add more.
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paminnapa
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Ok Im getting ahead of
myself.....so you have some good quotes from reviewers and such...then you
submit a novel would you add those to the coverletter
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mary rosenblum
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Now generally, you send out
review copies after the book is in the publishing process. Very few writers
are willing to do reviews before the book is sold.
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mary rosenblum
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Reviews are only useful right
as your book hits the shelves.
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mary rosenblum
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If it comes out months before,
readers forget!
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mary rosenblum
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Publishers will ask for book
jacket blurbs in advance, but Tor only started sending out review copies of
Horizon, due out in November, this summer.
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mary rosenblum
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Reviewers write their reviews
based on the release date of the novel.
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paminnapa
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my mistake I meant...say I get a
good review on a story say in an anthology...when trying to get an agent
would I put that in....
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mary rosenblum
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oh, absolutely!
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mary rosenblum
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Save every good review you
get! I have a file full. :-) They're very useful in selling future work,
PR, what have you.
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beirdd
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how do you feel about
promotional materials such as bookmarks, postcards, flyers, etc.? Just
curious.
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mary rosenblum
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Generally they really do not
influence sales. Now that said, I did make up some bookmarks to take to
World Con because I'll have a lot of fan exposure...
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mary rosenblum
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and I won't have the book yet.
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mary rosenblum
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But normally it really doesn't
pay. I know a lot of people who spent a lot of money that way. Didn't
really increase sales enough to pay for itself.
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xana
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What percentage of reviewers are
reviewing their friends' books?
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mary rosenblum
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Reviewers don't do
that...legitimate ones! The ones on amazon.com, sure! Most of those glowing
reviews are buddies.
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mary rosenblum
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But the ones who write for big
papers and magazines have a professional reputation.
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mary rosenblum
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If they tell readers a lousy
book is great, their reputation suffers.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, next Friday, I'll talk
about Self Publishing. When it's for you, when it is not, how do you do it,
and the like.
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mary rosenblum
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ah, I realized I have two
email questions left. Hang on.
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mary rosenblum
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Is there a market for a
fictional short story illustrated with paintings that might be a children's
or young adult inspirational story about a seagull named Cassie? Where
would I start with something like that?
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mary rosenblum
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You can get an agent and try
it with the illustrated childrens book market, but publishers HATE it when
you combine art and prose.
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mary rosenblum
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They like to match the prose
with one of their regular artists. But you CAN do it. It's just very hard.
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mary rosenblum
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I wrote "From Paints to
Petals" about renovating and creating a garden using my artistic
skills...where do I begin go to publish it?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, this is clearly an
article that will appeal to gardeners.
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mary rosenblum
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So here, you'd look at a lot
of garden magazines. Which magazines include this kind of piece?
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mary rosenblum
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Some will be nothing more than
plant reviews for serious collectors, other magazines will be about
creating pretty gardens.
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mary rosenblum
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The latter is a better choice.
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