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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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I hope you all had a very nice
Thanksgiving....those of you down here in the US at least.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'm having a hard time getting
my head around the fact that the holiday season is beginning.
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Mary Rosenblum
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This is one of our open
question nights.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you have a question you've
wanted to ask and just haven't gotten it up here...now's the time. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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No question is too simple.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Mary Rosenblum
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For those of you who attended
my chat with Sheri Gormley, talking about writing series novels and Virtual
Tales
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'll be having lunch with her
tomorrow. I wanted to find out more about Virtual Tales and their serial
marketing plans.
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geezer
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p. 240 of the novel course: what
is the tracking mode and where is it?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Tracking is a mode you can
select with microsoft Word.
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Mary Rosenblum
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It shows any changes you make
on the manuscript.
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Mary Rosenblum
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When I work on student
assignments sent to me via email, for example...
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Mary Rosenblum
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I use tracking so that my
student can see the changes I've made on the manuscript.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If the student wants to leave
it the way I changed it, you simply click on 'accept change' and the
changed text becomes permanent.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you want to keep it the way
you had it, you choose 'reject change' and it goes back to how you had it.
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Mary Rosenblum
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In Word, you find it by
clicking on 'Tools' at the very top of your page.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Under 'Tools' you click on
'Track Changes'. That turns it on.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Click on it again to turn
'tracking' off.
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red 1
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Do editors (or the slush pile
"engineers" who select what goes forward to the editor) keep a
log of submissions to prevent writers resubmitting previously rejected
work?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yes, they certainly do, red.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That's why it's important, if
an editor suggests changes, to make it clear when you resubmit that
manuscript that you are doing so...
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Mary Rosenblum
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because the editor requested
some changes. That keeps someone in the mail room from returning your
manuscript
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Mary Rosenblum
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with a nice note telling you
that they don't take resubmissions.
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tory
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Do you use the tracking mode on
your own MS, Mary? Pros and cons of it? Must changes be accepted/rejected
within the session of use, or at a later time?
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Mary Rosenblum
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The changes can be accepted or
rejected whenever you want, tory.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Personally, I think it's only
useful in critiques. I never use it on my own manuscripts.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If I want to change something,
I change it. I might read that section later and decide I don't like the
change and then I'll change it again.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I do suggest that if you are
going to make a BIG change
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Mary Rosenblum
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such as to remove a character
or introduce a major new plot element
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Mary Rosenblum
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that you save the original
version before you make that huge change.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you alter two hundred pages
of manuscript and then realize you were barking up the wrong tree and you
were better off with the original version
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Mary Rosenblum
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you still HAVE that original
version.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I back up all my active files
on a CD once a week, so if I suddenly decide I want the version I worked on
two weeks ago...I have it. :-)
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attybern
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What is your opinion of self
publishing vs publishing houses
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well it entirely depends on
what you want from publishing, attybern.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you want a career as a
writer, you want to see reviews of your book in big papers and magazines
and get invited to conferences, this is not the way to go.
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Mary Rosenblum
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If you want to publish your
family memoir, or a book with a strong niche market (zookeepers), then it's
probably your best option.
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Mary Rosenblum
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The problem with publishing
work for the general public is that self publishing is awash with very
poorly written, unedited work, and the reading public and reviewers
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Mary Rosenblum
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know it. So saying your book
is 'self published' has a negative connotation until proven otherwise.
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Mary Rosenblum
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That said, a friend of mine
has published several books herself -- books of humor for dairy goat owners
-- and she has made several
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Mary Rosenblum
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thousand dollars on each book.
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megbelle
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What is the best way to organize
my portfolio?
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megbelle
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I write for my school newspaper
and want to arrange articles
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, find a way that makes
sense to you, meg.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can organize them by
topic...that's probably simplest.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Or by season.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Any time you''re setting up a
file system, ask yourself how YOU will look for things.
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chatty lady
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Do you know any book self pub. being
picked up by a pub.?
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Mary Rosenblum
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No, chatty. You'll find a lot
of urban myths about it. But in order to interest NY you'd have to sell
about 10,000 copies in a year.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Then they'd be more interested
in your next book, not this one.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Most people who self publish
sell under 100 copies in a year. Well under 100.
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megbelle
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Should I include the article or
the whole paper?
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Mary Rosenblum
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It simply depends on what you
might be looking for, meg.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Will you be looking for, say,
articles on girls' soccer?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Then you might label the file
'girls sports' or 'girls soccer' depending on how many articles you have.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I'd just save the article. The
whole paper will take up a huge amount of space, believe me.
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Mary Rosenblum
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I long ago started cutting
articles out of magazines. I get a LOT of science mags and I don' t have that much storage
space.
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tory
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If you enter a contest and win
money with a MS that has never been in the hands of your agent, does your
agent still earn a percentage?
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Mary Rosenblum
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That depends on you and your
agent and your contract, Tory.
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Mary Rosenblum
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My agent would not expect any
money from a contest win.
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Mary Rosenblum
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She doesn't make any money
from my short fiction sales...nor does she handle my short fiction.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But conceivably you could be
expected to do that.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Unlikely, but it could happen.
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sailor
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The deputy editor (#2 on the
mast head) at a mag accepted my submission and invited me to send future
pieces of that type directly to him. Now the mast head shows him as the
publisher. Is it unusual for an editor to become a publisher? Is he still
useful to me as a contact?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Huh, interesting, sailor. No,
it's not that unusual in the small press world, it IS unusual in the larger
presses where the publishing house is a big corporation.
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Mary Rosenblum
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And it depends entirely on how
the system is structured, but I"d certainly send the next piece to
him.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Patrick Swenson is the
publisher of Talebones. He is also an editor of Talebones.
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Mary Rosenblum
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This man is very probably still
editing. If he is not, he'll pass your submission on to the appropriate
person and you'll hear from him or her.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Don't worry. He's not going to
throw it away. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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'Publisher' is the one with
the checkbook.
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Mary Rosenblum
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'Editor' is the one who puts
the magazine or book together.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But in small press, they often
blur.
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Mary Rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor This is an open question
night…anything goes! I've published eight novels, more than 60 short
stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you have. 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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What? Nobody has any
questions? :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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Atty, type /ask add a space,
then type your question.
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Mary Rosenblum
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They it'll come up here to the
stage and show up in the transcript.
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attybern
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I have a book on bankruptcy that
I wrote and was in the process of self publishing, but now wonder if I
should submit to a publishing house for consideration?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Good question, atty!
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, this is a hot topic
these days. I'd say that if you have good credentials...that is, you have
professional credentials in the finance universe
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Mary Rosenblum
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then you should try the big
nonfiction publishers first. Their distribution is much better than what
you can do with self publishing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Lacking impressive credentials
-- say you're simply writing from hard earned experience -- I'd go with the
self publish route.
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speckledorf
|
Farm mentioned Celestine
Prophecy as a book that started out self published and was picked up by a
major publisher. I checked and he sold 100,000 copies of it in a year out
of the trunk of his car before it was picked up. So...if you work at it
really hard, it might happen.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Yes, but that's not work.
That's the 'brass ring' factor that is true for all of publishing.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Some books simply proliferate.
Rowling did not write the first 'wizard school' book, nor is it probably
the best. But it connected...right time, right book.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You can drive all over the
country with a trunk full of books and fail to make decent sales. And can
you do that?
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Mary Rosenblum
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You have to give serious
thought as to how much time and money you can put into promotion if there
is no guarantee of any real return.
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Mary Rosenblum
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It's easy to hear about
something like that Celestine P. thing and think 'anyone can do that, so I
can too', but why hasn't it happened way more often?
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Mary Rosenblum
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That 'brass ring' factor is
real. If you get it, appreciate it!
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tory
|
This seems so silly a thing, but
I have read opposing instructions. If using Tin=mes New Roman font (which
is, I believe a proportional font), do you know if we should use one space
or two after a period? I know in the larger fonts it is one, but in TNR one
looks very odd and is, I think, hard to read.
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Mary Rosenblum
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What I have heard, tory, is
that it's only one space fater a period. You know what? I am HARDWIRED to
space twice and will do so forever. You know what else? It's not ever going
to cost you a sale. Don't worry.
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forest elf
|
Hi Mary! I did something dumb.
Should I be worried? After my brother begged to read my novel (the one
being published) I went ahead and sent it to him via email as an
attachment. My brother is a poor student and ended up pawning his laptop.
He left my novel (and all his other stuff on it). He may lose his computer
because he doesn't have the money to redeem it. I do NOT like the idea of
my novel ending up in the hands of a stranger.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Ouch, forest. Did you smack
your brother one upside the head?
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Mary Rosenblum
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You're kind of up the creek
and this is a consideration any time you send a copy of your novel to
someone.
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Mary Rosenblum
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It's /ask atty. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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You're not legally at risk,
elf.
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Mary Rosenblum
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You own the copyright. Is the
person who finds it likely to do anything with it?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Probably not.
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Mary Rosenblum
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But it is something to think about,
next time you send someone an entire manuscript as an efile. YOu don't want
it up on the internet in twelve places.
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attybern
|
I presume that the brass ring
factor does not occur very often for if it did, we would all be as rich as
Rowling?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Exactly atty and we all, everyone
of us, hope that we grab that brass ring with our next novel. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
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Nobody has yet made it happen
on purpose. It's like getting struck by lightning and just about as likely,
sigh.
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charie'
|
When I put ellipses to indicate
hesitation my courier font crowds them together instead of spacing them? Is
there a way around this?
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Mary Rosenblum
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No. Word processors are
autocratic beasties and don't negotiate well. :-) But don't worry
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Mary Rosenblum
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the editor recognizes your
intent and they'll be using a publishing program that follows house stylesheet
anyway.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Either that or you'll get an
editor who hates elipses and simply gets rid of 'em all.
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charie'
|
So if I only put two dots, it's
okay?
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Mary Rosenblum
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Nah, use three. If you use
two, the editor will have to add the third for the typesetter.
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red 1
|
Do editors sometimes reject
material because they are looking for a writer with consistent submissions
to build a fan base for their mag? If so, how many subs in what period
would catch their attention (assuming you write well, of course) I
understand good material is rejected all the time along with the dredge
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Mary Rosenblum
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Well, it kind of works the
other way, red.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
An editor may buy a story from
you that isn't quite as strong as he/she wants because that editor has seen
regular
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Mary Rosenblum
|
submissions from you. The
editor sees you getting better, knows you'll break into pro pretty soon
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Mary Rosenblum
|
and really wants to be the one
who 'discovers you'. Loyalty is a big factor.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Gardner Dozois got to see all
my SF first because he bought my first stories for Asimov's.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
So he got the pick.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
If editors see you often
enough to recognize your name and remember what you wrote, you'll make an
impression.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
They'll watch you and as you
get better, they'll be more likely to buy your story than one of comparable
quality from someone they have never seen before.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Numbers? I'd say six to twelve
a year.
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Mary Rosenblum
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Submissions I mean.
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attybern
|
What do you mean by credentials?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
A big publisher will want you
to be an 'expert' on bankruptcy before they'll publish you.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
A strong professional
reputation (you write the finance column for The New York Time or The
Economist) will make readers want to buy your book.
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attybern
|
Does my 13 years in the business
count?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Absolutely!
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Mary Rosenblum
|
I'd certainly pitch your book
to NY before you self publish.
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Mary Rosenblum
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The money for nonfiction is
VERY VERY good. Much better than for fiction.
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Mary Rosenblum
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By all means try that route
first. Take a look at what is on the shelf on bankruptcy right now. (Visit
Barnes and Noble)
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Mary Rosenblum
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and then see if you can pitch
a book that will provide something these other books don't.
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red 1
|
That's the angle I meant to ask.
I kinda worded it backwards. :)
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Yeah, that's how you break in.
Some editor realizes you're serious and gives you a hand up.
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charie'
|
To digress - We must all keep
going out into the storm (writing) to attract the lightning. :-)
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh yeah, charie! That
blockbuster lightning can't strike you if you don't have a book out there!
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sailor
|
A member of my critique group
has written a mystery novel that is also humorous - an unusual combination.
Our critique group thinks it's good, and chapter one won 1st place in a
local writing contest. She's just started querying agents and publishers.
Any idea on good prospects for mystery/humor combination?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh gosh, the mystery universe
loves humor. It's generally in the cozy category, but a number of humorous
series have done very well.
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forest elf
|
If a publisher has a different
set of guidelines for published writers and not published writers; I am
guessing a person with a contract with a publisher, but the book is not yet
on shelves, would fall under not published. Right?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Depends, forest.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Do you mean contests?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
A book publisher considers you
published if you have signed a contract.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
But some contests consider you
unpublished even if you have sold work, but it has not yet been printed or
posted online.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
You need to read the contest
rules carefully.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Sailor, you might have your
friend try Berkely Prime Crime.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
They have done a number of
humorous mystery series in the cozy universe.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
She'll have to get an agent
for them, though.
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Mary Rosenblum
|
And the agent will surely have
his or her own ideas of where to send the book.
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gskearney
|
Sorry, Charie' I'd rather run
around naked in the bank trying to attract money. Lightning hurts. --gk
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Mary Rosenblum
|
A blockbuster lightning
doesn't hurt much, gary. :-)
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red 1
|
You do that, and you might find
the lightening of a taser! LOL :)
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Very likely. But it's a great
image isn't it?
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charie'
|
If your book does make it BIG,
do you get paid to go on the talk shows?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, if you're the Next Big THing,
you can have your publicist do whatever, charie. :-)
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sailor
|
The local newspaper (small
weekly pub) is looking for a reporter. I'm fairly new to the area, but
friends who have lived here a long time tell me the husband/wife
publisher/editor team are miserable people, very difficult to work for and
I should avoid them. The ad says the applicant myst be able to work all
hours, including evenings when necessary. My gut tells me to pass on this,
but would "newspaper reporter" impress editors at magazines?
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Yeah, sailor, as a NF writer,
it's going to be a good clip. But not good enough to be worth it if the job
is awful. BUT...just
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Mary Rosenblum
|
because other people don't
like this team, maybe you'll have no trouble getting along with 'em.
|
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Mary Rosenblum
|
Try it. Quit if it's a lousy
job.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Why not?
|
|
gskearney
|
Yeah, there's the start of a
story. Man running naked through a bank to jumpstart his literary career.
Any pub is good pub. --gk
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|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That's certainly true.
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|
sailor
|
A short stint as a reporter
could be seen as a negative, but then I wouldn't have to mention it to a mag
edtior.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Yeah, you don't have to admit
you only worked there one week. :-)
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I'd say that for a NF
freelancer, it's a good job.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
If the working conditions
aren't too awful.
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|
forest elf
|
Mary, I wrote four articles
(paid) for a local weekly paper when I lived in California. My name was
listed as one of their staff reporters. I was only listed for about three
months. Should I use that when submitting articles?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Of course, elf. It won't
impress fiction editors a whole lot....lots of NF writers can't write
fiction. But it does mean you can write a complete sentence. :-) And it
will be a valid clip for NF submissions.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Well, we're almost out of
time. Any last questions?
|
|
sailor
|
One of the requirements for the
reporter job is "Must be able to write in complete sentences." I
think they are having trouble finding someone with good language skills.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I'm chuckling. That has the
ring of frustration, for sure.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
You might find out that you
get along just fine with 'em.
|
|
attybern
|
Yes, do I submit my NF
manuscript or the printed version of the bankruptcy book?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
If you've already self
published it, atty, that might be a problem.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
If you haven't marketed it
yet...if it's not for sale in public places...I'd submit the bound version
to agents.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
But make it clear that the
book is not for public sale.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I hope you'll all join me
Sunday evening for our casual get together.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
We get together right here,
same time, to talk about whatever.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
They're fun evenings.
|
|
speckledorf
|
See you Sunday...have a good
weekend:--)
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
You all have a good weekend,
too!
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Don't shop too hard!
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
We might even have snow by
then!
|
|
charie'
|
What is next Tuesday's topic?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
New Trends in Publishing, Charie.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Looking at all the various new
forms of publishing.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
See you Sunday.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I'll post the transscripts in
the usual place.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Surviving and Thriving: Forum
Transcripts
|
