Advice From The Pros

Permission to Publish Releases

2010-12-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

Research sources abound for writers.

Historical societies have oral tape recordings, diaries, documents, photograph collections, journals, business records, books, artifacts, etc.
Many State historical societies have newspapers on microfilm that you can borrow through inter-library loan to read. (Be sure the library you have them sent to has a microfilm reader that you can use.)
Universities have thesis papers on file that can provide excellent material.
The Clerk and Recorders office in county courthouses hold many records

school district records
county commissioner journals
births, deaths, and others

Your congressman or representative can be invaluable resources. If you state your needs clearly when writing for help their staff can often provide information about things you've never heard of that pertain to your project.

They can get documents from the Library of Congress for you.

Newspapers will sometimes let you research their morgue (files of old newspapers)
State Bureaus, government offices and businesses can provide statistics and out-of-print material.
The old minutes books in community organizations hold fascinating material.
Old-timers are treasure chests of information.

For example -- Over a period of several years I sent a series of thirty-minute blank tape cassettes to a gentleman who once lived in the area that I was researching. With each tape I included a card asking him to tell me about something I wanted to know more about. Within a week or two he’d return a cassette tape, recorded with everything he could recollect about the topic. Through this method I collected information I would never have been able to find any other way.

Bear in mind that many publishers require documentation of published resources, and most certainly will requre permission release forms for using material from oral tape recordings.

Securing documentation and release forms
Use laws or copyright laws apply to just about everything. Photographs, videofilmed images, digital images, music, written words, spoken words, electronic words, etc. Never overlook getting signed releases as soon as possible, and always have a release before you use the material.

Don't try to ignore copyrights, Get releases to use any copyrighted material.
Get written releases for:

all images
from people you film
to film on public lands
to film on private property.

Get written releases to use oral tape recordings, whether from interviews, electronic downloads, or from professional voices you hire for the video.

Oral Tape Release Form should include:

Dates of oral tape recordings and number and length of tapes:__________________________
Any Restrictions:________________
Date of agreement, interviewers name and address.

Photographic Image Release Form should include:

Received From: Signature(s) of Owner(s):

(address)______ ____________________
Date of Release: ________________________

You also should sign and date your signature on the form.

It can be worded: Assign numbers for each negative. (for example: - fill in the blanks)

“I hereby give and grant to _____________________, as a donation, without restrictions, for such scholarly, educational and other purposes as he/she shall determine, the tape recordings and their contents listed below.

Negatives on file: #_______________ #_____________

#_____________ #________________ #____________

The owner(s) of the photographs, or the person(s) you tape record may not wish to give you such an all-inclusive permission.

Donors of photographs or oral tape recordings may stipulate certain conditions.

Example: Special Conditions: (Sign only if applicable to your pictures.) Pictures may, on occasion, be used in mussums or other educational programs, but the negavites (you)__________ make cannot be donated to a historical depository.

Substitute, or add words until both of you are satisfied. No matter what the condition is, be sure the both you and the donor date and sign for the special conditions, also.

“I hereby give permission to [you]__________________________ to use the photographic negatives from my photographs that he/she has made. I understand these photographic copy negatives he/she has made becomes his/hers and use will be at his/her discretion. I understand that I waive all title and rights so far as I possess them to these negatives he/she has and to any future photographs he/she produces or has made from them.”

Narrator: ______________________

“I hereby give and grant to _____________________, as a donation, without restrictions, for such scholarly, educational and other purposes as he/she shall determine, the tape recordings and their contents listed below

7-1, Freelance and Security

2010-10-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

© 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Shortly after I switched from being a newspaper stringer and began selling to magazines the topic of freelance writing and security came under discussing in Market Chat, an online group of professional writers.

The sage advice given then by Phyllis Cambria is still the way things are in the writing business. Phyllis was then in about the same stage of her writing career as I back then. Check out Phyllis' websites to discover how she succeeded.

Let's Sit Down and Talk
(c) 2001 -- Phyllis Cambria

First thing I'd say is NOT to give up your retirement savings. If you have to start digging into your savings for any degree of safety, then freelancing full-time is probably not your best choice. Remember, most of us are only a few paychecks away from living on the streets.

Keep in mind that old saying: Most people don't plan to fail they simply fail to plan.

Remember too that even if you write and sell an article today, there's a strong possibility you might not see that money for four to six months down the road, after it's published. Many markets pay on publication, not acceptance. Even then, a lot of them don't pay until 30 days later.

Think about benefits too, what we used to call in the insurance industry, the hidden paycheck. If you currently have health, disability, retirement, etc. benefits, that could easily be adding $3,000-$6,000 a year in benefits to your paycheck that you don't see as cash, but would cost you a lot of money if you had to pay for them yourself.

I've been freelancing for a little over a year, I have regular monthly assignments, I have a book coming out this month that I was given an advance on, I also work doing consulting, etc. In many ways, I am a success ... except financially. If I didn't have my husband's paycheck to help back us, I'd be living in a shelter!

Yes, there are people who make a decent living freelancing, but most of them were smart enough to have enough jobs that they HAD to quit work just to keep up with them. The smarter ones, even with the regular accounts, also prospect for new assignments every day.

I know someone who had regular assignments with three big companies that paid him VERY well. He stopped taking other assignments because he was working regularly and didn't think he needed the extra work. Unfortunately, all three clients cancelled their contracts within two days citing business reversals.

He spent three months trying to get new clients and eventually almost lost his house. He wound up going back to work at a day job -- not a writing one -- that he hates, but needed.

This is just my own personal advice. :) But, think long and hard about this one, friend.

Phyllis Cambria

Co-author with Patty Sachs of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Throwing a Great Party, http://www.partyplansplus.com/
Miami Wedding Party Examiner, http://tinyurl.com/yde3x38, and Wedding Décor Ideas & Videos, http://tinyurl.com/3yxt4gt
END

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

Next, 7-2 Infringement and Plagiarizing: http://tinyurl.com/2amdvnf

10-8 So You Want To Be a Literary Writer

2010-09-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

So You Want To Be a Literary Writer?
© Peggy Duffy

Do not ever send a submission to a lit mag without first checking the guidelines. Not only do editors change yearly for some (college-affiliated, student-edited), but most have specific reading periods and will return submissions unread at other times.

A few pay well -- by that I mean $1000 or $500 or even $250 for a story. Many pay a few cents a word, or a token $10 or $15. All should send contributors' copies of the issue you're in, and this can range from 1 copy. Generally it's 2 or 3, but occasionally more. Most will publish a bio.

Go through the guidelines. More accept nonfiction than you think, but some only about books or authors. Publications which immediately come to mind which take essays are The Sun, http://www.thesunmagazine.org/ (longer, more developed essays; a well-paying, highly respected market), Creative Nonfiction, http://www.creativenonfiction.org/, and Fourth Genre, http://msupress.msu.edu/journals/fg/

But I cannot overstress the idea that you do need to read the guidelines. The majority of these publications are very specific about length, as well as submission period. Some put out theme issues regularly, some on an occasional basis. Some specify only subjects they'll take; others specify subjects that are taboo.

Be forewarned, response time to these literary journals is extremely slow -- I'm talking months and months and months and even a year in some cases. For that reason, most do accept simultaneous submissions.

Read what you submit to. Most these pubs are accessible online and the majority post a story, essay, poem, or a few of each, to give you an idea of their preferred style. About twice a year or so, I make my way over to Borders, order a large latte, and park myself in a chair beside the lit magazine rack and make my way through, taking notes as I go.

Subscribe to any email newsletters: WritersWeekly, http://www.writersweekly.com/, send a blank e-mail to: webmaster@writersweekly.com. FundsforWriters, http://www.fundsforwriters.com/, and Page One, http://www.pageonelit.com/ come to mind, which both list contest information and markets. You can subscribe to The Chronicle put out by AWP, http://www.awpwriter.org/magazine/, which has a good list of calls for submissions at the end without becoming a full AWP member. I wouldn't subscribe only for that, though.

I have had some success with Calls for Submissions in Poets and Writers, http://www.pw.org/, as well.

Literary Journals also advertise in other literary journals, not necessarily calls for submissions, but their next issues. Look them up online.

Marketing for literary journals can be a time-consuming affair.
END

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

6-6 e-Zines By The Dozen

2010-08-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

(shared by Roger Popen)

3:AM Magazine, http://www.3ammagazine.com/index.html

42 Opus, http://www.42opus.com/

Angigonish Review, http://www.antigonishreview.com/

Amarillo Bay, http://www.amarillobay.org/welcome.htm

An+I+Hesis Common, http://www.antithesiscommon.com/home.htm

Angler Press, http://angler.donavanhall.net/

Appolo's Lyre, http://apollos-lyre.tripod.com/

Banyan Review, http://www.banyanreview.com/

Big Ugly, http://www.biguglyreview.com/welcome.html

Blackbird, http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v5n2/index.htm

Blip, http://blipmagazine.net/

Boston Literary Magazine, http://www.bostonliterarymagazine.com/

Carve Magazine, http://www.carvezine.com/

Cezzane's Carrot, http://www.cezannescarrot.org/

Cimmaron Review, http://cimarronreview.okstate.edu/index.html

Cynic Magazine, http://cynicmag.com/

Eclectica Magazine, http://www.eclectica.org/

Elimae, http://www.elimae.com/

Everyday Fiction, http://everydayfiction.com/

Exsquisite Corpse, http://www.corpse.org/

Failbetter.com, http://www.failbetter.com/index.html

Frigg, A Magazine of Fiction and Poetry, http://www.friggmagazine.com/

Journal of Microliterature, http://www.microliterature.org/

Ken Again, http://kenagain.freeservers.com/

Laughter Loaf, http://molyworld.net/laughterloaf/indexa.htm

Limestone Magazine, http://www.limestonemag.net/

Long Story Short, http://www.alongstoryshort.net/index.html

Memory Archive, http://www.memoryarchive.org/en/MemoryArchive

Nerve, http://www.nerve.com/

Noo Journal, http://www.noojournal.com/

Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette, http://pittsburghflashfictiongazette.com/

Poor Mojo's Almanac(k), http://www.poormojo.org/

Raving Dove, http://ravingdove.org/index

Rumble Magazine, http://rumble.sy2.com/

Skyline Magazine, http://www.skylinemagazines.com/index.html

Slow Trains, http://www.slowtrains.com/index.shtml

SmokeLong Weekly, http://www.smokelong.com/home.asp

Southern Cross Review, http://www.southerncrossreview.org/

Stickman Review, http://www.stickmanreview.com/

Story Glossia, http://www.storyglossia.com/front.html (rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/.)

storySouth, http://www.storysouth.com/guidelines.html

The Adirondack Review, http://adirondackreview.homestead.com/

The Aroostook Review, http://aroostookreview.umfk.maine.edu/

The Barcelona Review, http://www.barcelonareview.com/

The Binnacle, http://www.umm.maine.edu/binnacle/

The Better Drink, http://thebetterdrink.com/

The Café Irreal, http://cafeirreal.alicewhittenburg.com/index.htm

The Cynic Online Magazine, http://www.cynicmag.com/

The Dead Mule, http://www.deadmule.com/

The Hamilton Stone Review, http://www.hamiltonstone.org/hsr.html

The Lives You Touch (Chap book), http://tinyurl.com/yfxvlbd

ThePedestalMagazine.com, http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com/

The River Journal, http://www.riverjournal.com/vivvo/

theroseandthethornezine,com, http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/

TQR, http://www.tqrstories.com/

Underground Voices, http://www.undergroundvoices.com/

VerbSap, http://www.verbsap.com/#fiction

Webdelsol.com, http://webdelsol.com/f-subs.htm

Weird Year, http://www.weirdyear.com/

Wild Violet, http://www.wildviolet.net/about.html

Word Riot, http://www.wordriot.org/

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next, Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

7-1 Freelance and Security

2010-08-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Let's Sit Down and Talk (c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

First off, do NOT give up your retirement savings, or dip into them!

Dipping into your savings for safety is akin to an electrician unbuckling his safety belt when he's suspended to replace an electrical transformer. Don't do it!

If you aren't already bringing in sufficient steady cash from freelancing that you're tempted to dig into your savings, then freelancing full-time is probably not your best choice.

Remember that the majority of freelance writers are only a few paychecks away from living on the streets.

As one professional writer says, "Keep in mind that old saying: Most people don't plan to fail they simply fail to plan."

Even if you write and sell an article or story today the odds are you won't see that money for four to six months; not until after it's published. Many magazines and e-zines pay on publication, rather than on acceptance. And even then, many of them don't pay until 30 days later.

When you're laying out your freelance writer business plan, be sure to factor in benefits such as medical, dental, eyeglasses and disability insurance, and, monthly deposits to a retirement fund; those perks that are commonly called the hidden paycheck.

They could easily be adding $6,000-$10,000 or even $15,000 a year in benefits to your current day-job paycheck, that you don't see as cash, but will cost you a lot of money when you're paying for them yourself.

Writers who've been freelancing for a year or more and have contracts for regular monthly assignments, and possibly have a book or two coming out soon for which they've been given an advance, and maybe even have income from critiquing or tutoring on the side, can in many ways claim to be successful freelancers ~~ except financially.

If they didn't have a spouse's income to back them up, they might be forced to live in a shelter.

Most professional freelance writers know writers who DO make a decent living freelancing; but most financially solvent freelance writers were smart enough to have enough writing jobs that made it mandatory to quit work just to keep up with them.

The smartest ones, even with regular accounts, schedule time to continuously prospect for new assignments.

More than one freelance writer has succumbed to the temptation to stop taking additional assignments, because he or she was writing regularly and didn't think the extra work was necessary.

The reality is, even VERY well paying clients can suddenly cancel their contracts, citing business reversals, leaving the freelance writer out on a limb.

When that happens, most freelancers spend three to six months trying to get new clients. Some do lose their house, and many more wind up returning to work at a day job ~~ not a writing gig ~~ and hating that reality.

Think long and hard, plan carefully and have a contingency plan in place, before striking out on your own.

Don't burn your bridges behind you just because you WANT to be a full-time freelance writer.
END

Next: 7-2, Infringement and Plagiarizing: http://tinyurl.com/2amdvnf

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

4-2 Grammar Tutor Online

2010-08-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

This excellent material comes from Web School, Pick Your Lessons Online, http://webschool.wash.k12.ut.us/

Daily Language, http://webschool.wash.k12.ut.us/language/lessons/ provides detailed answers to fifty grammar questions:

Sentences and Their Parts, http://tinyurl.com/2774uc6

Simple Subjects, http://tinyurl.com/25gpqqx

Simple Predicates, http://tinyurl.com/2das69w

Four Kinds of Sentences, http://tinyurl.com/2ehdu5j

Sentences, Fragments, and Run-ons, http://tinyurl.com/2vl7yoe

Contractions, http://tinyurl.com/2me8hg

Each of the following are included:
Using Compounds
Suffixes
Synonym Scramble
Antonyms
Antonym Scramble
Similes
Idioms
Present, Past, and Future Tenses
Using the Present Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Fact and Fiction
Factual and Persuasive Paragraphs
Prefixes
More Prefixes
Parts of a Book
Using the Dictionary
Using a Thesaurus
Using the Library
Abbreviations
Spelling Verbs
Irregular Verbs
The Verb Be
Words That Describe
Adjectives That Compare
Precise Adjectives
Action Verbs
Linking Verbs
Adverbs
Avoiding Double Negatives
Singular and Plural Nouns
Noun - Verb Agreement #1
Noun - Verb Agreement #2
Noun - Verb Agreement #3
Pronoun-Verb Agreement
More Pronoun-Verb Agreement
Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives
Possessive Nouns
Using More and Most
Using Accept and Except
Using Affect and Effect
Using Sit, Set, Sat
Using Their, There, and They're.

Now you have no excuse for messing up by using improper grammar when good grammar is demanded. ;0)

Next: 4-3, Improving the Query Letter: http://tinyurl.com/36hcc9t

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

7-5 Publications That Renig on Payment

2010-07-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009 by Mona Leeson Vanek

This is probably most relevant for those who write for magazines and such. Writers Weekly has a forum that tracks non-payers. http://www.writersweekly.com/whispers_and_warnings.php. Angela Hoy, owner\publisher of Writers Weekly keeps the site up-to-date.
END

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

Next: Chapter 15 - The Many Facets of Freelancing: http://tinyurl.com/36v758m

10-3 Publishing and Book Manuscript Format

2010-07-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

If you aren't sure how to format your manuscript William Shunn's site shows and explains how: http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html

Cover page format of the manuscript of your novel
UPPER LEFT OF COVER PAGE:

first and last name
address
phone home
phone work
email
[skip space]
100,000 words (round down to next whole number)

UPPER RIGHT OF COVER PAGE (including the agent/agency, is a good reference.)

name of agent/agency
address
phone work
email

CENTERED ON THE COVER PAGE:

TITLE
[skip space]
A [genre] novel (for example, A mystery novel)
[skip space]
by YOUR NAME

OR, if you have a pen name - by YOUR pen name. If you're already published in one genre and are now slipping over into another genre, it reinforces that point, which you should have already made in your query.

Extensive guidelines for preparing a wide variety of manuscripts can be found at The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University, http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/583/01/. Use the links to find some of the best writing instructions you'll find on the web!

Good guides for formatting e-mail submissions can be found at flashquake,
http://www.flashquake.org/prepnotes.html.
END

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-4, More Useful Links to Markets: http://tinyurl.com/2c9hvlo

8-1 Negotiate Your Contract

2010-07-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Writers! Dig in Your Heels! Negotiate!
(c)2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

BOOM! Hey, got your attention, did I? Look at the small print in that contract! Now, before you sign it!

Do you see those little words, 'electronic rights in all medium known and unknown'? Or perhaps there are other far-reaching clauses? Do you have any idea what rights you're signing away?

The time to negotiate rights is before signing the contract.

Today most major magazines enter into contractual agreements with authors taking all the rights the writer will let them have, with clauses covering audiotape, microfilm, microfiche, CD-ROM, and broad electronic rights like database.

Many magazines have electronic versions and print versions. Some offers say, "Buys one-time
serial rights, including the right to reprint in the magazine for 50% of the original price."

Today's contracts at major as well as small-circulation magazines include the words 'and for electronic rights in all media known and unknown.'

Freelance writers may still strike everything beyond use in a single print edition by insisting on 'First North American Serial Print Rights Only -- all electronic rights excluded,' or ask for more money.

A writer has to negotiate these rights.

Rule 1: a contract is ALWAYS negotiable and the publishers almost always start with the most in-their-favor contract they think they can get away with. Many of them actually have two "standard" contracts, one they send to new unagented authors and another, more reasonable one they send to agents or to authors who obviously know the ropes.

Rule 2: the more rights you license, the more a publisher pays.

When you receive a contract you're not prepared to accept, write back and thank them for sending the contract and that you'll have your attorney look it over and get back to them ASAP.

Now they're on notice that you're not accepting ridiculous terms. Since it's always legal to act as your own attorney, and you ARE going to be looking the contract offer over very carefully, you're not lying.

Publishers generally are more receptive to a request to change their contract than they are to accepting another different contract. They feel that they're winning some and losing some, rather than losing their entire contract and having yours replace it.

Make the changes to their contract by highlighting the unacceptable sections and inserting notes. Or, or send a separate letter that references each section by number, with your suggested changes keyed to them.

If an offer lower than you like is made to you by an editor on the telephone don't be bashful about replying, "Well, I had in mind xxxx amount," upping the ante to reflect what you think your work is worth.

Even with successful negotiating, freelancers are too often finding themselves inadequately protected. For instance, when a writer negotiates electronic rights it's important to try to set time limits and to only sell one-time rights with archive-able reading option. ASJA advises writers to spell this out very clearly.

If you see one vicious clause, that boils down to 'rights of the purchaser to secure copyright as proprietor', or in other words, gives the publisher the copyright, always excise it. Also, the state where disputed issues will be heard is another important item.

Know what rights you are selling to the first publisher

Become familiar with rights, their terms and what they mean.
Ask the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) if you don't know, or do a search on the web and do your homework before you sign over to the publisher any rights you want to retain.

Don't presume that marking your manuscript with only specific rights, such as 'first periodical' or 'first North American Serial' reserves any rights to yourself. Make sure the information is in your contract.

Don't be afraid to negotiate every contract with vigor. Remember that asking about rights and kill fees marks you as a professional. Ask the editor to send you a contract reflecting the price, rights and conditions you discuss. Show that you value your work.

When the editor of a magazine says, "We can't change the contract," what is meant is "We won't change it for you."

After your article has been accepted and is scheduled for publication, make sure you have a copy of the final agreement executed in writing before the publication date.

If the publishing company delays until your accepted article is already in the pipeline, your position becomes stronger as the publishing date nears. Replacing it will be more difficult, and you have the editor's written or verbal agreement to purchase.

Be sure to contact the accepting editor periodically, jogging them that the contract hasn't been executed. Until it is, the manuscript remains yours to sell. On occasion, instead of signing a contract I objected to, I have provided my own contract which the publisher then executed before going to press.

There are, however, still many publications that don't use contracts.

According to US law, if there has been no discussion of rights, one-time rights or first rights are assumed. This is currently true for paper-print publications, but electronic rights are still, legally, far from being clear and are being influenced by many factors.

The Credit Union magazine guidelines provide insights: http://www.creditunionbusiness.com/writers-guidelines.html

Contract help is available from the following

American Society of Journalists and Authors, http://www.asja.org/ Join ASJA Contracts Watch -- a free electronic newsletter is available from the Contracts Committee of the ASJA
Authors Guild, http://www.authorsguild.org/
The Authors Registry, http://www.authorsregistry.org/
Text and Academic Authors http://www.taaonline.net/
Writer's Union (Canada) http://www.writersunion.ca/

END

Chapter 15 - The Many Facets of Freelancing: http://tinyurl.com/36v758m

Next: 8-2, Collecting What's Due You: http://tinyurl.com/2cw8fnm

4-1 Active Voice or Passive Voice

2010-07-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Contributed by Edita A. Petrick

As you decide whether to use active voice or passive voice in your writing, Edita A. Petrick shares an easy way to distinguish between which you're using. Edita says, "I found this simple (below) for passive writing and voice very useful."

In simple terms, PASSIVE style presents character's action as: *** he was running, he was thinking, she is wondering, etc.

This style of writing gives the reader an undesirable degree of freedom to DOUBT everything the character does. This translates into doubting the writer's presentation.

With this style, the reader's automatic response is: WAS he...really? IS she...really? (running, thinking, wondering)

The reader is skeptical -- and free to question the writer's intent. So the writer is giving away his control over his character's action.

In ACTIVE style, the character's action is given: *** he ran, he thought, she wondered/she wonders.

The reader has only one response/reaction -- and that's the one the writer wants him to have: WHY did he run...? Why did he think that...? Why did she wonder...?"

That's precisely WHAT the writer wants to do - engage reader's curiosity (not doubt.) When the reader asks "WHY" -- (because if "was" is absent from his style, the reader won't have the freedom to use it to fling it back at the writer - Was he now, really?) -- he's ENGAGED in the story, participating, and will read on...and on, and on. WHY -- is that key word that the writer wants his readership to ask, not "WHY" is what drives the novel, its characters' through action and their motives.

To learn more, The Capital Community College Foundation sponsors The Guide to Writing and Grammar: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/. Links will take you to whatever you want to know.
END

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

Next, 4-2, Grammar Tutor Online: http://tinyurl.com/2dgv38y

7-3 What About Taxes

2010-07-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Fear Not The IRS
(c) 1998 Mona Vanek

*Note, Changes continue to be made regarding writer's income taxes. Always review the most recent tax laws.

Federal publications: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/index.html
Forms, etc. are here: http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.

In 1998, tax time awaited a group of us professional writers, as it does every year poised like an opposing ball team ready to intercept our plays. So a dozen of us joined forces and enlisted Len Goldberg, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to coach us.

While tax laws are always changing, some things remain constant and I'll share what we learned in a week-long online forum as Len answered our tax questions.

Whether you're a beginning writer or a well established one, incorporated or not, doesn't make a difference. Assuming writers have a "trade or business" from writing, a writer is the business and the internal revenue code requires reporting all income relating to that trade or business.

If we're operating as a sole proprietorship we normally report income and expenses on Schedule C. Business income includes gross income of less than $500 derived from any source, and net income of less than $400 from a Schedule C sole proprietorship business.

If we report freelance writing income as personal (Form 1040) individual income rather than as Schedule C Business Income we'll receive IRS notices, because they'll be confused.

Play by the rules, but play smart. Don't overlook reporting any expenses associated with earning that income. The intent of any business is to make money - ie: earning income that is more than expenses.

Instead of thinking you're giving the IRS "extra" income by reporting smaller fees we receive, remember that we are also "giving" the IRS extra income by "not" reporting all the expenses of earning those small fees.
The IRS) is always concerned that someone is using filing as a sole proprietor to write off hobby expenses.
They expect writers to do everything they can to prove it is a business
There is a rule that if a writer has a loss in 3 out of 5 years in a business the IRS could consider the writer's work to be a hobby and not a business.

Coach suggested that writers do the things that a business does:

Have business cards
Have a separate bank account
Register the business as a DBA (get the forms at a county courthouse or city hall)
Have signed contracts with clients

Using a web page to sell or publish, is another form of advertising and another indication of business motivation. It's also a legitimate business expense. If the IRS claims we have a hobby, we want to show through facts and circumstances that they are wrong. Many freelance writers incur losses in many years.

Some of our team worried about being on the bench, so to speak, while occupied writing a book, leaves them showing losses for 10 years.

In that case, our coach said that having excellent documentation can be critical.

It's essential to have good facts and circumstances to support our intentions. He calmed our jitters by saying that the IRS is pretty easy to work with if you're not trying to pull the wool over their eyes. They tell you in advance what the question is, what they're looking for, and what records they require. So, why a writer took certain deductions is important.

There is a 3 year statute of limitations from the date of filing so the IRS can go back 3 years in the payer's tax records.

Keep all records for 3 years.
Penalties result from not keeping adequate records and for disregarding rules and regulations.

The advantage to writing as a business is that it is easier to claim a loss if expenses outweigh income.

Whether one writes and sells as an avocation -- a hobby, according to the IRS -- or as a business (justified by the criteria outlined) a writer must assume hobby or business income is taxable in the eyes of the IRS.

Like us writers, our coach was wary about giving out Social Security (SS) numbers.

Since our name is the name of the business, instead of using our social security number as the tax ID number, get a SS-4 Form (available from the IRS) to request a taxpayer ID number.

It's easy to get and handy to have, especially if a writer ever does business with another federal or state agency.

When you make over $600 from one client the client sends you an earnings statement at the end of the year, and reports it to the IRS.
Get Employer Identification Number (EIN) by filling out an application for form SS-4, and substitute that for your SSN.
Give the publisher this taxpayer ID number.

Using an EIN may have subtle, far-reaching advantages of which I'm not aware, besides using it as a way to shield your SSN.

Our coach advised that we play honestly. We don't need to know if our income was reported on a 1099 Form or not. Smaller publications don't necessarily ask for a SS or tax ID number, or send a tax statement to a writer.

If we're not a corporation, there is a "de-minimus" rule that only payments made to the writer in excess of $600 need be reported to the writer and to the IRS on a 1099 Form.

Not receiving a 1099 from a publisher doesn't absolve the writer from reporting his\her total earnings. It's better to report all the income recorded in a business checking account from writing during the year.

Playing by the rules also means keeping copies of all the queries sent and all the rejections received to prove that we're working at being a freelancer, even if we're not making a major profit yet. It's also good for analyzing our game plan to make a profit from writing.

As long as we are earning year to year, there's no reason to show a profit motive, but keeping good records is a wise business practice.

If a writer is in a non-tax situation and is audited by the IRS, good records prove their motive is making money, not using writing as a tax dodge so,

Print hard copies of e-mail queries, manuscripts and rejections or assignments
Get telephone rejections confirmed in writing
Save copies of tapes with voice mail editor rejections of our proposals
Keep assignment letters from publishers

These are black and white issues in the law.

The writer's game takes us into complex grey areas.

For example: If the writer's conference we attend in New York, or the trip to Manhattan to meet with other writers and also to do some sight-seeing, has an agenda, is organized, documented, and is not sightseeing oriented, both are deductible. If we write an essay about it but the essay never sells, save the manuscript and the rejection slips, just as for any other writing.

Our writer-team members may not realize that preparing a tax form is an art form, but Goldberg told us that hiring a professional tax expert may save time and money and also reduce the likelihood of an audit.

At a minimum, writers want to meet with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for an hour just to understand what is deductible, what kind of records should be kept, etc., he counseled.

While we writers report what is ordinary and necessary to our business, it's not only where to put figures but how to put them that requires expert knowledge to get it right to the writer's best advantage.

Advising clients and helping them communicate with the preparer, is part of a tax expert's job.

Schedule C is essential, but there are also depreciation forms, fixed assets accounting, royalty forms, and others.
Self-employment tax, assuming they have income on Schedule C.
FICA (Social Security for self employed) is reported on Schedule SE and represents roughly 13% of net income.

Our coach cautioned writers to always consult a tax expert before a freelance writer and their spouse incorporate their business under Subchapter S of the tax code. It can complicate life and tax reporting.

Special plays were laid out by our coach, like reinvesting our writing income into our business, by paying legitimate business expenses that are deductible; these result in our having less taxable income.

For example, lets say we need money for training, etc., or we must loan money to our business from our personal checking. That's one example of why having a separate checking account for the business may make record keeping easier.
Royalty payments, just like other business income, goes on Schedule C, but attach a note that the income is a royalty. Make copies of the royalty form and the checks, and attach them, too.
When "paid in complimentary copies" as income (Example: I write reviews of CD-ROM programs and receive free CD-ROMs and manuals. OR: I edit a regional history for a historical society and they give me a copy of the $75 first edition) if reported, use wholesale value.
If money is earned in December but not received until the following January, the income should not be include the income in this year's taxes even though the 1099 says it was earned. It's called constructive receipt -- if a writer receives the check the following January and it need not be report in the current year's tax. It goes in the next year's tax report.

The IRS wants its money and requires taxpayers to pay either through payroll deductions or estimated taxes.

As a business, estimated taxes must cover 90% of liability, based on last year's income. If the ultimate tax liability BEFORE withholding and estimated taxes is below $500 a writer need not pay any estimates during the year. If not, they are required to make estimated payments on a quarterly basis.

For example, if our tax liabilities for 1998 amounted to $2000 and we had no withholding we had to have made sure that we made four equal estimates of $450 each.

Coach said most people have no clue what their tax liability is going to be so the IRS allows some "safe harbor" rules to avoid being assessed interest and penalties for underpayment of estimated taxes.

One rule is to pay 100% of the previous year's tax via four estimates (net of any withholding.)

For example, lets say our 1997 tax liability before withholding and estimate was $5000 and we have $1000 withheld from W-2 income. In that case, to avoid any underpayment penalties we should have made estimates of $1000 each quarter -- the $5000 liability from 1997 less the $1000 we expect to be withheld in 1997 and the resulting amount divided by four.

Another exception is to annualize income. In other words if we have wild swings in income we can pay 90% of what our liability would have been for that quarter.

Believe me, this computation is complex and time consuming and most taxpayers shy away from that computation.

Using a record keeping system (like QuickBooks) allows a writer to split checks into multiple categories when necessary.

Example: I work as a freelance editor for a magazine and have expenses (long distance calls, copying, mailing, etc.) which the magazine reimburses me for, including my expenses and fee on the same check. I want the reimbursed expenses not to end up looking like income. I make up a category for reimbursable expenses and record them there.

It's proper to report the income "gross" in the income section of schedule C on the 1040 tax return.

For instance, that's also how to report $10 paid by a charitable organization for writing a press release. Also report the deductions to offset that income separately in the expense portion of Schedule C on the 1040.

Q. If the IRS determines my writing is an avocation, am I then not allowed to claim any expenses I incurred, such as the separate bank account, business cards, postage, etc.?

LG: Line 21,

"Other Income, can be used. Put our net amount on line 21. (Example -- if we have received $1,000 but the net after expenses is $300, put $300 on the line) and write a notation to tell them the difference is expenses to the hobby.

"The IRS provides various tax forms as an outline for tax reporting. We CAN add attachments to our tax return for anything necessary that isn't provided for in forms.

"Say we and our spouse file jointly and tax payments covers 90% of the joint tax liability. Even if the income from our business exceeds $500 annually, if our spouses' withholdings combined with yours are large enough to cover any tax liability and thus we receive a refund, we have no obligation to pay any estimated taxes.

"What we are doing in that case is giving the IRS an interest free loan that will be refunded via the overpayment.

"If we are getting large refunds year after year we should consider adjusting our withholding accordingly. Some people love getting a large refund, but we are giving uncle Sam an interest free loan and we aren't even able to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom."

Q. I am writing a book so I've been writing fewer articles this year. Can my expenses be carried over to another year when I will make more?

LG:

"This is a complex situation. In general we report the expenses associated with the book in the year incurred. However we can use the income forecasting method whereby we allocate the expenses over the number of years we expect the book to sell."

For example, if we incur $5000 worth of expenses this year and want to use the income forecasting method and expect the book to be sold over 2 years, we would offset $2500 of these expenses from prior years against the income earned from the book.

Goldberg advised staying away from this method because once used, a writer must use it from then on for books. He wasn't an expert in that area, though, and advise us to seek someone who specializes in that field.

Goldberg provided many answers to vexing tax questions of concern to writers.

Using the knowledge gained from his answers makes it easier to approach a tax expert with the right information for tax preparation or to do taxes without incurring writer's block.
End

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

Next: 7-4, Formatting your manuscript in .pdf: http://tinyurl.com/2467wfw

5-8 Newspaper Contracts

2010-07-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009 Mona Leeson Vanek

Newspaper contracts differ from others. Try to always strike out an indemnify and hold harmless clause. And anything that about the author paying for any complaint or claim relating to materials made by third party at any time, and holding the publication harmless against damages, liabilities, costs, expenses, etc. You can say you've already warranted the material as being original, not previously published, not infringing on others' copyrights, etc., so I if someone sued the paper for what you wrote, well they'd chosen to publish it. Try to insert, 'to the best of my knowledge' for above representations and warranties.

Try to negotiate out a 'renewing rights' clause. If this is the first time you've sold to the newspaper, tell them you are striking it out as irrelevant since you don't have previous works published by them.

Grant the paper first rights (preferably for 30 days) and subsequent rights if the contract asks, because most contracts include it. Be sure the wording includes "nonexclusive." The paper is probably just protecting its butt because really, all they want to do is publish the piece on their web edition.

If the contract states 'moral right' and\or 'rights of identification of authorship' ask what is meant. A newspaper contract will usually have a clause giving them the right to edit. If you don't like what/how they edit, then stop submitting. Newspapers don't have the time to give authors the right to approve edits.

Tax indemnification is standard, since you will be 1099 as an independent contractor.

It's unlikely you can use an alternative contract to the one drawn up by their legal department and they already know what they are allowed to strike or insert if requested. A whole new contract would require a whole new legal review, which just won't happen.
END

Chapter 12 - Other Writing Opportunities: http://tinyurl.com/35w2nju

Next: Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

7-4 Formatting Your Manuscript In .pdf

2010-07-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009, Mona Leeson Vanek

When you format your manuscript it's often wise to save it as a pdf file. If you want a free version of a software to do that you may want to look into Open Office (an open source word processing program), which converts to .pdf.

PDFredirect 2 is also a free software program, and is available here: http://tinyurl.com/cd7nqy

There are also .pdf converters that you may want to try. Search .pdf converters online to learn more. And beware that some options, such as GhostScript have had serious bugs.

Tip, Bugzilla, http://bugs.ghostscript.com/ is a good website where you can track issues with software.

Some authors claim that laying out a book in Word is never recommended (most publishers use either Quark or InDesign), but you really have to make sure your layout is correct in Word.

You can save as a PDF from any recent version of Word. The PDF option is an option when printing, not when saving. Look for the PDF menu at the bottom of the PRINT box. Most versions offer a number of PDF options. If you're on a Mac, you can save any document from any application as a PDF from the print box.

Aaron Shepard's book, Perfect Pages, talks about book layout using Word.
END

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

Next: 7-5, Publications That Renig on Payment: http://tinyurl.com/24eqoa2

4-5 Writers and Networking

2010-07-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009 Jamie Proctor

Jamie Proctor, who teaches writing in Kentucky shared these tips about the importance of networking with other writers.

Go out of the way to engage writers, all writers, in conversations.
Take writing classes whenever possible.
Submit to the same editors over and over, particularly when a personal note is received.* Let all friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances know you're a writer -- you never know who knows a pro!
Join online groups, and be active in them.
Join local writer's groups. Start your own if you can't find one anywhere. A good place to find one is at the library -- just ask a librarian.
Attend conventions in the genre of your interest. They're out there -- just run a Google search for, say, mystery convention, or romance convention. And, then talk to the writers, attending the writing workshops, striking up conversations with workshop participants and coordinators. At a convention, your mouth is your best friend. At science fiction conventions, chicks have an edge, too, if you don't mind flirting a little. :) you don't have to look like Carmen Electra for that to work!)
When meeting a writer, try to start a friendship. It's surprising how many writers have close friendships with several other writers!
Writers are genuinely friendly and interested in other people, but be selective about who you befriend. Don't mess with people who don't take writing seriously; it's a waste of time. (I don't mean drop long standing friendships, either! This category includes, but is not limited to

The guy who wants you to read his stuff, but can't take criticism.
The person who takes writing classes, but never gets around to writing.
The person who is afraid to submit -- these folks are redeemable, however, if you have patience and don't mind your own writing taking a hit for a while. Jamie Proctor

END

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

Next: 4-6, The 'Rights' You Market: http://tinyurl.com/28ey4x7

1-12 How to double-space e-mail

2010-07-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

Greg Gunther, Co-Administrator on Internet Writing Workshop, http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/, shared this tip on how to create manuscripts so you can email them in double-spaced format, as required by some media. For instance, Christian Science Monitor specifies double-spaced for manuscripts submitted via email or snailmail. Greg is always willing to share tips on getting the most from your computer programs. Contact him at: pvgreg@cox.net.

Open the file in Word.
Click File, Page Setup. Set the left margin to 1 inch, and the right margin to 2.5 inches. (This will set the text line to be 5 inches long.)
Select the text, excluding the title.
Click Format, Font. In the Font name pane, scroll down to the Courier New font, and select it. Make the Size as 12. Click Ok. (Courier New font at 12 point size creates all characters at 0.1 inches width. That way, in the 5 inch space, each line will be 50 characters, max.)
Click anywhere on page to get rid of the selection and show the file's text normally. Manually put the cursor at the beginning of each line and press the Enter key twice to add a blank line. Do that for all lines except the title.
Click File, Save As. In the resulting screen, down at the bottom, click the downward facing triangle at the right end of the Save As Type: line. Scroll down until you see MS-DOS Text with Line Breaks (*.txt). Click that line. Click the Save button. (I prefer to add MS-DOS to the filename of the new files it's creating.)
Close Word.
Open the .txt file you just saved. Review the file to make sure all your lines have formatted double-spaced. Correct as needed.
Select, copy, and paste it into your email. Send it to yourself as a test. It ought to be exactly what you want.

So long as you have not saved it during any of these intermediate steps, your original .doc file will remain as before.

END

Chapter 3 - The e-World and e-Zine Publishing, http://tinyurl.com/2c6g33q

Next: Chapter 4 - Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars http://tinyurl.com/2v6ej46

8-3 Purposeful Pitching - How To Get The Most Out Of Writers Conferences

2010-07-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

(c) 2009, Mona Leeson Vanek

Going to a writer's conference? Looking for the perfect person to advance your book (career)? Next to writing the manuscript, researching agents and editors is an author's most important task.

Gather brochures well in advance.
Check where and when editors and/or agents will be available.
Check how many interviews each offers.
Gauge your odds of snagging one.

Publisher's Weekly (in libraries and online) prides itself on being the 'bible' of the industry.

Tip PublishersWeekly.com, http://www.publishersweekly.com/ is one site every writer should bookmark and visit often, and explore thoroughly. You can keep up with industry news by subscribing to PW Daily for Booksellers from Publishers Weekly. Another source is: Editor and Publisher: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/index.jsp

Also, search in the book jackets at bookstores. Ask store managers if they can tell you what agent represented which books. Network with other writers in writers groups, especially online where you can reach a wide variety of writers and tap their vast pool of information.

Create a folder for each publisher's representative and agent you'll see at the conference. Create a file about the agent's:

Career or professional goals.
How their career is progressing.
Where they fit into the publishing house's hierarchy.

Tip: Study photos. It's always easier meeting someone whose face is familiar.

Write to the agency and ask:

Which authors the agency has represented.
What genres the agency handles.
Which genres the agent specializes in.
Which authors the agent has represented.
The number of titles represented a year.
Ask for a sample of their standard contract.

Request a copy of their submission guidelines, and follow it to the letter.

Write to the publishing house and ask the same questions, substituting "publisher" in place of "agency" and "editor" in place of "agent." Also ask:

For the publisher's press releases or media packet.
For current and back booklists.
For catalogues.
Get a copy of the publishing house's guidelines (study every detail.)

Be courteous and thank them for their time. Enclose an SASE.

When you've zeroed in on a good possibility, and feel that your book is a perfect fit, a. with a publishing house and with their editor's interests; b. with an agency and with their agent, apply for a meeting.

Your professionalism sells you as much as your words. Your personality, appearance and your courtesy are important factors in this unique interview process. The confidence you demonstrate in your work, yourself and your abilities, shines through your enthusiasm for your manuscript.

Tip: Ask the conference chairman or publicist for the correct pronunciation of the editor or agent's name if you're in doubt.

Your interview will be a business meeting. Dress appropriately, but don't be afraid to be yourself. Publicity tours are always foremost in editors and agents' minds. They're looking for good writers who are public-oriented and memorable. Always be sure that you don't smell as though you've been marinated in your perfume or aftershave lotion.

Arrive ten minutes early. Wait quietly outside until the writer before you exits, then walk in, introduce yourself and shake hands. Wait for the editor\agent to ask you to be seated. In a friendly, professional voice, begin your sales pitch by giving information about yourself. Don't spend more than four minutes recounting your writing background and accomplishments. Remember to smile.

Be enthusiastic, positive, and informative as you quickly move on to the description of the book you're pitching. Show the editor:

That you know your story.
That you know what s/he wants.
That you have the story s/he is going to want.
That you can deliver a manuscript s/he'll be happy with.

It's crucial to project the impression that you'll be cooperative to work with, through all the changes that you'll be asked to complete.

Carrying an index card to refer to is useful and can boost your confidence (if you feel more comfortable reading from it, do so). Beforehand, jot these pertinent things you should mention:

Working title of your book.
One or two sentences that tell the plot summary

a.) conflict
b.) type of novel (i.e. romance, historical, mystery, etc.)
c.) the word count.

Two minutes should be plenty of time to cover this information.

Tip: When you're trying to figure out how to write that succinct "grabber" for an agent or editor visit a bookstores and study blurbs on best-seller book jackets. Make a habit of studying the one-line descriptions of this year's published titles.

Mastering this step of concisely stating your novel's focus may help you create the one-liner that excites the right agent for you.

Leave time to discuss what makes your book different from other books. Example:

Your theme.
The defining characteristics and occupations of your main characters.
Internal and external conflicts.

Editors and agents often ask for more information, and ask that you query by letter. They'll tell you if they're interested, or that your material is not suited for their house (or agency.)

Before leaving when time's up, say thanks and offer your business card. No matter what the outcome of your interview, you've had the opportunity to discuss something you love with a kindred soul.

That's the essence of purposeful pitching.
End

Next, 8-4, PR is PR: http://tinyurl.com/2dv2g39

Chapter 16 - Education and Reference: http://tinyurl.com/36maz9e

8-4 PR is PR

2010-06-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Carol Cassara explained PR (public relations) in a copyrighted interview several years ago. Recently, Rebeca Shiller shared her insights into agency PR.

(c) November, 2002, Carol Cassara, ccassara@aol.com.

"While I've never said that PR is the world's most important, exquisite job and that only a chosen few can do it, I do believe it is only civilized to respect the time and effort each of us puts into what PR professionals do for a living and the level of expertise we have attained.

"Public relations is a single aspect of the promotional mix - --that also includes advertising and sales collateral . . . both are more sales-oriented than PR. PR is the art (and it is definitely an art) of obtaining positive media coverage for a client's product or service.

"It's more than spewing out news releases. It's looking for the nexus between what your client offers and what the media need. And when done well, it's more strategic than you can imagine.

"Perhaps because I went to journalism school, and because I've seen college graduates come into PR with a simplistic view and be ill-prepared to serve clients, (and because as a corporate PR exec and a nonprofit exec, I hired PR consultants) I'd like folks who aspire to this work to know that you don't just read a few news releases and figure it out -- and bank all that easy money. (PR firms pay lower than just about any consulting firm and non-profits have notoriously low budgets.)

"I would suggest to them what I suggest to any entry level PR person - take some news writing courses at a local Journalism school and understand what reporters and editors are looking for. Understand what "news" is and how to identify it, because "news" is not the sales benefits of your product or service, and a news release is not a brochure that describes those things in glowing terms. PR is not sales.

"If you learn how to practice PR, you'll be more effective for your client, which of course you WANT to be -- because you are taking your client's money for a service rendered and your client has a right to professional service for their investment.

"In PR, we write the following kinds of things:

News releases (AP style, not all hyped up with glowing sales terms, but instead, much as a journalist might write news)
Contributed feature articles (but only to local weeklies that don't have much staff and appreciate getting them, and to a standard of excellence that editors compliment our firm on)
Op-eds (clients who have a position on an issue often use their PR firm to ghost write in the appropriate format...and then they have to be "pitched")
Fact sheets or backgrounders (the basics of a project or company that helps a reporter put the news in context)
Pitch letter (or email, or fax) (presents why you think the news you are sending is important, why the reporter should cover it.)

"Positive news coverage is important to clients because it is thought to have the cachet of a "third party endorsement"--unlike advertising or sales collateral.

"During my career, I've had many clients who don't have real "news", but believe that reporters should be just dying to write marketing hype about their product/service, because after all, that product or service is just wonderful! Or, who are horrified when a reporter doesn't write about them in glowing terms. In those cases, I always recommend the client consider advertising instead--where you can control the message entirely.

"There's also a specialty called "crisis PR", which is helping your client respond when they've either gotten in trouble or are getting bad press for some other reason. Think about the Red Cross PR crisis around September 11, or the commonly used case study of the Tylenol poisonings. I've done quite a bit of work with crisis clients over the years, and the skill set there differs significantly . . . but that's a story for another time. End"

Rebeca Schiller, http://www.rebecaschiller.com/, a former PR agency professional, has this to say about PR

"PR is good for only one thing - to alert the public of new products, policies in a straightforward, no nonsense manner."

She talks about how humiliating it was, when she worked for a PR agency to have to "embarrass myself for the thousandth time when I had to pitch a story that no one, not even the CEO's grandmother, gave one flying $#@!"

Performed without integrity, she says PR is " the most miserable profession on the planet; a non profession with agency principals whose heads deserve to be on the chopping block."

Today, as online editor for an art magazine, she sits on the other side of the desk and makes

"a special effort to circumnavigate around PR people, get the news straight from the source, and produce something worthwhile."

Each perspective will help you better understand the role PR plays in a writer's career.

Sandra Beckwith, a recovering publicist who has written two publicity books and uses workshops and other tools to teach how to generate publicity says, "Why pay a pricey consultant when you can do it yourself?" She offers a free book publicity e-zine, http://www.buildbookbuzz.com./ Also visit Sandra's blog, http://buildbuzz.blogspot.com/.
End

Chapter 17 - Organizations and Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/35mr8f2

Next: Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

1-4 Let Clip and Save = Efficient Writing

2010-06-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

You can easily minimize Internet research time and maximize writing time. All you need do is Toggle between programs, clip and save and paste, and file methodically, and quickly retrieve data as needed. Here's how to Clip and Save and Paste your research.

Copy material on the Internet and paste it into your file-message
Copy and Paste are actions done when you Right mouse button, and select from the drop down list by moving your pointer to the one you want and clicking the Left button.

1.) Start your e-mail program

Send it to the taskbar by clicking your mouse on the [-] sign at the top right hand corner of your screen.

2.) Open your Internet browser program.

To move back and forth between these two programs as you copy and save research material, Toggle will mean to click on the e-mail icon in your task bar.

Until you close your e-mail program, Toggle will return you to the open message you left.

3.) With your Internet browser open (on top)

Toggle e-mail.

Press "ctrl n" (ie: press both keys simultaneously) to create a file-message. Later, it will become a mailbox folder.

Type your research project name into the To: line. This identifies the project.

Use the Subject: line to elaborate on message contents.

4.) Toggle. The "http" line at the top of your browser screen is the URL (what got you to this web page, either because you typed it there, or you clicked on it's link somewhere.)

Click mouse pointer on URL to highlight it.
Right click (opens the drop-down list.)

Select Copy from the drop down list This places an invisible copy on your (invisible) Clipboard, ready to be pasted wherever you want it.

4.) To save what you just copied,

Toggle the e-mail icon

Right click mouse pointer inside the new message

Select Paste from the drop down list. Anything you copy can be pasted where you want to save it.
*Every time you insert material into your file-message, press "ctrl s" to save all that you've collected in case the power goes off unexpectedly shutting the computer down, or some other computer crash happens.

When you close your e-mail file-message the message goes into your OUT mailbox (or Draft, or whichever folder (mailbox), depending on your e-mail program. The message remains there, ready to be reopened and added to. If using your word processor, save the named document after each insertion by pressing "ctrl s".

5.) Toggle, and on the web page, look for the Site Map.

Not all web pages will have a site map, but it's very useful. It's often a link on the Home page, usually either near the top of the page or near the bottom. If you don't see it, try pressing ctrl f to open your computer's Find function, where you type 'Site Map.' Also, ctrl End will quickly get you to the bottom of the page, where you may find who owns the site.

6.) Locate the web page owner's name, and highlight (by holding down left mouse key while scrolling) and Right click. Choose "copy". Finding the owner often takes persistent searching, and not all sites list the owner. Sometimes it's a corporation. Check also in "About Us" and "Contact Us" (where you might also find the president or CEO's name), or in the Copyright information, which is also usually at the page bottom.

7.) Toggle, and in file-message, Right click and "paste" the owner's name.

8.) Toggle, and find out how to contact the web page owner. Save the contact information in your e-mail message. Include an e-mail address and a phone number (if available) in case you need to get in touch at some later date. Even if you aren't sure you have the right e-mail address, someone will generally reply to your e-mail.

Some editors only require citing your source URL, however many editors expect you to obtain permission to cite material from a web site.

If there's a contact's link, often the address will be automatically inserted into a new message in your e-mail program. Copy and save it. Other times, an on-line reply form will open. Save a copy of the web page URL in your file-message in case you want to use that form later.

When you send a message via an on-line form, it disappears, so when you contact a web site owner using the online form, before sending (or submitting) ALWAYS create a copy of the message you type (ctrl a inside of the online message box to highlight all, and then ctrl c to copy.) Paste (ctrl v) your copy into your file-message.)

9.) As you explore the links on the web page and highlight, copy and save the snippets you'll use later when you flesh out your article or story, remember to also save the URL from every new page you gather data from.

Also check for a "last updated" note. Many pages were last updated years ago, and few say when, but if you find a recent update note it's a much more valuable resource. More and more editors will accept only recently published online citations.

When finished, the important information you need to cite your facts will be readily available when needed -- in the e-mail folder (mailbox) you create to store them.

10.) Close the file-message. It's now ready to Transfer.

11.) If you haven't attempted to create new mailboxes, the process is similar to saving word document files, and your e-mail program Help file will walk you through it. (*See Step 3.)

While you're searching online, you may find information for a different article. Save it into a new e-mail message message.

Control key functions:
In many software programs, keyboarding is supported. In other words, when you press a combination of the control (ctrl) key simultaneously with another key a function is available:
Ctrl while rolling your mouse over a line (or picture) highlights it.
ctrl c = COPY, whatever is highlighted
ctrl v = PASTE, whatever you have copied
ctrl f = SEARCH, opens a box with a line where you type the number, symbol, letter, word or words you want to find quickly
ctrl a = HIGHLIGHTS, the entire open file. Highlighted material can then be copied, deleted or moved to somewhere else within the document.
If you accidentally delete something (and you will!) ctrl v should paste it back! IF ctrl v does not, then use ctrl z.
ctrl z = UNDO, last typing (ie: like if you've deleted something and decide you want it back, pressing ctrl z will return it to wherever it was.)
ctrl o = OPENS, Offers you a box showing all the files in your computer from which you can choose the one you want to open.)
ctrl p = PRINT, the file (message) that is currently open.
ctrl s = SAVES, the current message, and keeps it open so you can continue typing into it.
ctrl w = CLOSE, messages, mailboxes, documents, and some programs, such as Internet Explorer, etc.
ctrl e = SEND, messages. (Send is immediate IF you are connected on-line, otherwise you'll get a 'can't send' message.)
ctrl d = DUMP, messages into your trash mailbox.
ctrl l = OPEN ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl k = COPY, highlighted message sender's ADDRESS INTO ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl 6 = will start a spell-check on words in the open message. (you chose what you want to do about them and cancel out of the spell-checker at anytime.)
ctrl works with home and end keys, too. They are useful ways to speed moving around in the open file and can save you lots of time.
ctrl tab = toggle between open pages.
ctrl p = print and save this so you can refer to it anytime!
ctrl q = QUITS, a program (exits the program and the message will be gone, gone, gone, as in erased and gone forever! It's as final as putting your mouse pointer on the little "x" in the top corner to EXIT. DO NOT QUIT or EXIT documents you've written without first using ctrl s to save, or ctrl w to close and save the current message you're typing, or ctrl e to send it.
End

Next: 1-5, 1-6, Let Retrieving Misplaced Data = Efficient Writing, http://tinyurl.com/23oth76

Chapter 1: Chapter 1 - Ideas - http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

5-7 Travel Writing

2010-06-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Get started by learning about this huge and widely varied genre by visiting Travel Writing Net: http://www.travelwriting.net//. Check all the links.

Talking Travel With Roy Lowey, http://www.ttrn.com/, may just have the most useful links for travel writers, as well as travelers. Begin your thorough exploration by clicking the entire list of links at the top of the National Association of Travel Journalists Association, http://www.natja.org/. Select Travel World Magazine, http://www.travelworldmagazine.com/. Keep exploring and learning all you can. You'll be able to search for many excellent articles. Scroll down and click on Site Map.

Durant Imboden's Writing.Org site, http://travelwritten.com/, "A travel writer's guide to self-publishing on the Web," is good. Scroll his Articles Index to find Travel Writing, and read his article: http://www.writing.org/html/a_travel_writing_1.htm.

Lorry Pattons' Travel tips 'n' Tales, http://lorrypatton.com/ Browse, check out links, and especially the Terms of Use Copyright link at the bottom of the page. (TIP: Press Trips, when they appear, will be found under News, which is separated by topics. Sometimes none are listed.)

Check out Scott American Corporation at, http://www.scottamerican.com/. For free information, click the GoGo for travelers, and be zipped to, http://www.gogoinfo.com/ where you'll find a wealth of information. Click Site Map and surf the results, and grow your travel writing knowledge exponentially!

For example, at Cathay Pacific Airways, by surfing the links you can learn about baggage, in-flight health, airports, lounges, aviation logistics, and antenna farms, etc. Let each spark ideas to topic spoke.

Check Destinations at each airline to learn which cities to focus on when getting ideas for in-flight magazines. Don't skip Travel Publications. Check each publication for submission guidelines.

*NOTE: Travel Publicity Leads is for travel writers with some experience, not beginners or students. The services offered should not be used until you have developed experience in the niche of travel writing. Study how other writers looking for press trips or press kits use the listing service.

Travel Press Kits
BootsnAll Press Kit is an excellent example of what may be included in a press kit:
http://press.bootsnall.com/.

Many companies, locations, media, etc., offer press kits. Get started by typing "travel press kit" into www.dogpile.com. The search will return different results, depending on what new information has reached the Internet. For example, I found links to: http://www.roadandtravel.com/company/marketing/presskit.htm;
http://www.wildernesstravel.com/ (search press kit).

Expect to find unexpected perks as you build your databases. For example, at http://www.alaskatia.org/, the official Alaskan Vacation Planner, although the site didn't look impressive, when I scrolled I found a link to a calendar of events, and at the very bottom, two excellent resource links, the Industry Glossary, and the Site map.

Travel guides
Do lots of homework online by checking the multitude of online travel guides for destinations, accommodations, etc. Pamela Lanier hosts several websites you can link to from her interesting site: http://www.pamelalanier.com/. Roll your mouse over her site carefully so you don't miss any links.

Lanier Travel Guides, http://www.travelguides.com/ is one example. On the http://www.lanierbb.com/ page, Check the destinations link to find thumbnail sketches of destinations. It offers a site map where you can select from their database of destination information. Great for gathering data and generating dozens of ideas to topic spoke! ALWAYS check her Site Map on each page.

Travel writers association
International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, http://www.ifwtwa.org/.You can spend days surfing this site and not get to all of the information you can glean, free!

Graduated memberships are available. The online application(s) give the fee(s). Memberships include newsletter, Press Pass, that lists press trips, conferences, markets, etc. Click Magazine, to view it online. Spend some time exploring this excellent site, because you don't know what freebies you'll find unless you do!

Locate Chambers of Commerce at: http://www.2chambers.com/

Currency exchange calculators:
XE.com, http://www.xe.com/
Yahoo Finance, http://tinyurl.com/4oqxy
X-rates.com, http://www.x-rates.com// provides rates of exchange and alphabetical list of countries.

Travel Library: http://www.travel-library.com/. Personal travelogues and worldwide travel and tourism information. Has important link to Airline Ticket Consolidators. The travelogues listed in the Library sometimes contain links to personal home pages. People put their travel stories online in the Travel-Library and include their personal web sites for a variety of reasons. Almost none of these writers are making any money from writing their travelogue. HOWEVER, with persistent surfing, you can also locate interesting sites such as places for working and volunteering. Maybe you'll discover someone interesting, and write a profile article.

TravelWritingNet, http://www.travelwriting.net/, is devoted soley to showcase the best in high-quality travel writing from unpublished writers. It may be right for you when you're stepping into the speciality field. Payment consists of having the satisfaction of getting your stories published where others can enjoy them.

Other information sites and press packets
Check out state websites, too. For example, see Montana information here: http://travel.state.mt.us/ (TIP: Click Search and Help near bottom page to get a VERY comprehensive alphabetical list of what's in Montana! (quick link: http://travel.state.mt.us/searchhelp/siteindex/.) Sign up for a newsletter, if you're interested in state that has a certain mystique popular with readers.

InterNetAdventures.net has recently launched a new Web site for journalists and editors researching adventure travel stories in the Rocky Mountain states, http://www.internetadventures.net/ The site offers journalists complete online press kits for adventure travel companies. Go to:. *For information, email, info@internetadventures.net.

Travel Writers Exchange also has good information, http://www.travel-writers-exchange.com/
Airline websites can lead to a wealth of travel information, too. For example, from Delta Airlines site map at, http://www.delta.com/help/site_map/. I located Frommers, an excellent international itinerary guide resource: http://www.frommers.com/.

FreeTrip(R) (Freetrip.com, Inc.) http://www.freetrip.com/ has a quick and dirty calculator for best route between two points-- and, importantly, gives you approximate driving time. It allows you to constrain the trip to or away from certain highways if all you're looking for are the text descriptions of how to get somewhere.

Centers for Disease and Control, Traveler's Health, http://www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.htm, provides international travelers with current information on disease outbreaks and health issues. Includes information on recommended vaccinations, and links to CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program for sanitation inspections on international cruise ships.

Travel writing isn't only about making trips or visiting destinations; let topic spoking lead your writing in many directions. This venue can be challenging, but the rewards are many. Give traveling a try, if you have a strong constitution and itchy feet.
End

Chapter 12, Other Writing Opportunities: http://tinyurl.com/35w2nju

Next: 5-8, Newspaper Contracts: http://tinyurl.com/2b3kkax

9-8 Promoting Your Book

2010-06-21T22:58:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Promotion is 85% of becoming a successful author. Unless your book sells, whether self-published or through a publishing house, promotion is the number one key to sales. You must be involved and be able to generate sales on a broad scale. Besides being a benchmark of your success, sales of your book pay the bills.

But sales don't happen without promotion.

Whether your books is the product of a publishing house or if you self-publish it, promotion is largely up to you. Your promotional efforts are integral to becoming a successful author. Your job includes discovering or generating ways to spread the word about your new book. And time quickly runs out, and yours is quickly bumped from the new book list.

One opportunity not to be ignored is The Habitual Reader, http://www.habitualreader.com/, 00an online fiction book club that features reader profiles, book reviews, and favorite community bookstores. Along with a wealth of information, it offers free promotion of your book(s). Here is your chance to "shamelessly self-promote your masterpiece." If you're published, click "Authors."

Charlotte Cook, President of Habitual Reader and Komenar Publishing suggests,

"If an author wants to have substantial impact on our site, he or she should use the other offerings as well, such as Reviews and Profiles. We are also looking for some original editorials. Each of these offers participants in the site an opportunity to be featured and showcased. And those authors who send us more readers ... not just other authors ... help the site become successful for all of us."

Also, take advantage of the excellent help you'll find by visiting, http://www.komenarpublishing.com/home.htm (featured in Shelf Awareness.) I especially recommend that you click "About Us," and scroll down to Charlotte Cook and click "See some examples."

Two books belong on your reference shelf:

The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't, by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors, by Steve Weber.

Each provides a wealth of information and ideas on how to market and publicize your book, especially Weber's book, which also includes an entire section on blog tours and social networking.

Book promotion is increasingly the burden of the author, rather than the publisher, so regularly search online for news articles that address the issue. Search dilligently to find opportunities to promote your book.

Arrange book signings at local book stores; smaller stores generally yield better results than large chain book outlets like Barnes and Noble, etc.

Join or monitor writers discussion lists, too. And read, Advice From The Pros, What About Distribution and Publicists?, http://tinyurl.com/2dw2teo.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-9, Trade Book Publishing Agreement: http://tinyurl.com/2eq4myf

5-5 Screenwriters Online Resources

2010-06-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Drew's Script-O-Rama Index of movie scripts available on the Internet:
http://www.script-o-rama.com/

Simply Scripts, Screenplays, transcripts, and partial scripts of old, current and soon to be released movies:
http://www.simplyscripts.com/

Movie-Page.com: Scripts, Large archive of movie screenplays in plain text or PDF format:
www.movie-page.com/movie_scripts.htm.

Full Sail University. Awesome Scripts and Screenplays. Read dozens of film scripts online:
http://www.awesomefilm.com/

Weekly Script, Movie and television screenplays and transcripts, listed alphabetically:
http://www.weeklyscript.com/

Screenplays-Online.de. Read over a hundred scripts online or join a screenplay-related discussion group:
http://www.screenplays-online.de/

The Scriptwriters Network, founded in 1986, is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization created by writers for writers and industry professionals:
http://www.scriptwritersnetwork.org/

TV Film Rights.Com. A world marketplace community for TV and film rights;
http://www.tvfilmrights.com/

The Hollywood Script Readers' Digest, a division of Alliance Diversified Ltd. Showcases synopses of unproduced screenplays and TV series proposals:
http://www.screenscripts.com/

Colin's Movie Monologue Page. Multitude of movie monologues:
www.whysanity.net/monos
End

Chapter 12 - Other Writing Opportunities: http://tinyurl.com/35w2nju

Next: 5-6, Medical Writing:(under construction)

9-3 Audio Book Publishing

2010-06-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

The audio book industry is on a fast track ~~ with over a billion dollars in sales annually. Over 40 million audio books were sold last year alone, according to Spoken Books Publishing, http://www.spokenbookspublishing.com/

Words come alive and fictional characters quickly become real.
How-to-information becomes understandable.
Sightless people can enjoy books again.

The reasons go on and on, and profits to authors soar.

Read summaries from publishers that specialize in audio books, at Spoken Books Publishing, http://spokenbookspublishing.com/faq.htm, and also study at Publishing Central, http://tinyurl.com/5elkqp, and at Green Leaf Book Group LCC, http://www.greenleafbookgroup.com/.

Also, type (Tip -- fast method, copy\paste) audiobookpublishing into http://www.dogpile.com/ and http://www.msn.com/ to get many sites to check out.

The importance of new developments in the industry must always be considered.

As I write this, a major concern with electronic publishing is being tied to a format which can only be read by proprietary hardware or software.

Keep an eye on this by checking news reports. Ie. Adobe, Kindle, Mobipocket, iPad. etc. (Today, 07/21/10, Amazon.com is offering a free download of Kindle to your PC, http://tinyurl.com/2ep4pcx. I have no idea how long this offer will last, but you can check on it at Amazon.com.)

In ten years time, all of them could be past history, or if they are available they won't use the same format. Nor is it likely that today's devices will still work that long into the future: they break down, they get dropped, they get lost.

Where does that leave readers who have bought books in these formats?
Or writers whose work has been published in these formats?
Do similar fates befall audio books, too?

Experienced professional writers keep abreast of the market place, because the book marketplace is changing lightening fast.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-6, Book Publicity and Marketing?: http://tinyurl.com/3aj2nrw

7-2 Infringement and Plagiarizing

2010-06-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Dealing With Plagiarizing
(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Many things have changed since litigation was initiated because of plagiarism issues in electronic databases, and writers still await settlement awards. Read the latest update on that Copyright Class Action lawsuit here: http://www.copyrightclassaction.com/. Publishers and writers now negotiate contracts that avoid plagiarism issues, but they still occur. Writers are encouraged to contact the perpetrator every time someone uses their work without authorization, whether in print or online.

In today's electronic marketplace, plagiarism and copyright infringement may be better understood, but they're still serious problems for ALL writers. When negotiating a magazine's contract, freelancers may prefer to strike everything beyond use in a single print edition. Negotiating for all they're worth, they wrestle with clauses covering audiotape, microfilm, microfiche, CD-ROM, and broad electronic rights like database. They'll try for time limits, and excise one vicious clause that boils down to 'rights of the purchaser to secure copyright as proprietor', or in other words, giving their copyright over to the publisher.

However, even with successful negotiating, freelancers too often end up finding themselves inadequately protected.

Say you don't write for on-line publication; that doesn't necessarily mean that your words aren't going to be on-line. Freelancers say one problem is that print publishers don't always own the rights they've sublicensed, but realistically nearly every publisher obtains at least non-exclusive electronics rights for some period of time; whether the author limits archiving or allows archiving their writing ad infinum.

Expect to find that copyright infringement spans all countries and many continents, but laws differ. For example, Canadian law allows copyright cases to be heard in small claims courts. Copyright infringement in the United States is decided in federal courts, although suits charging breach of contract may be heard in small claims or other state courts.

Plagiarism by an individual, in some cases such as in educational use, has a slightly different connotation from the use of your works without permission by a concern or company. The need to consult an attorney who specializes in intellectual rights cannot be over-emphasized.

At home, or at the library, you can use the capabilities of spider searches on the World Wide Web, to routinely track down plagiarizers and infringers. If a publisher has exceeded the terms of its license the writer's contract is breached, and the writer may also still charge others in the chain of plagiarizing with copyright infringement. A publisher's indemnification doesn't let the others off the hook. Each time a violation is found, writers need to take aggressive action.

Immediately ask Internet Service Providers (ISP) to remove the offending Web sites alleged to have illegally post your copyrighted works. Be prepared to prove you are owner of the copyright. The subject of on-line copyright infringement is complex and serious.

Five organizations in the writer's favor are, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Inc.(ASJA), http://www.asja.org/, The Authors Guild, http://www.authorsguild.org//, The Authors Registry, http://www.authorsregistry.org/works.htm, the Text and Academic Authors Association, http://www.taaonline.net/, and the National Writers Union, (NWU), http://www.nwu.org/.

Send information and scuttlebutt to American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA): Contracts Committee, ASJA, 1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. ph: 212-997-0947. Visit their searchable archive of ASJA Contracts Watch at http://www.asja.org/cw/cw.php. Contact info is on the web page. Read the other valuable information and tips on freelance contracts, electronic rights and copyright. Subscribe to get e-mail announcements.

Study posts at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, search 'writer beware', http://www.sfwa.org/tag/writer-beware/

Only vigilance will protect you from copyright infringement. Don't let plagiarists and copyright infringers steal your material!! Be concerned. Stand up for the rights of ALL writers!!
End

Chapter 14 - Tending to Business: http://tinyurl.com/32rr8a5

Next: 7-3, What About Taxes : http://tinyurl.com/25ssc52

6-3 Character traits

2010-06-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson VanekBegin learning about character traits and their importance from the book many professional writers recommend, The Writer's Guide to Character Traits, Linda N. Edelstein. Edelstein talks about common traits such as, being dependable, creative, ambitious, charismatic, curious, etc. As your character first begins to evolve, step back and make a list of this person's character traits.Practice this technique by writing a short vignette that tells a story about a character, using one set of characteristics. For instance, show a "responsible" character's deeds in your story. Then write another vignette, using a different set of characteristics. Make a habit of this exercise while you're writing.Study online at Suite101, http://tinyurl.com/lsk5mr.When you want to expand your understanding, type character traits into a search engine, such as http://www.dogpile.com/, and follow links to continue your studies about character traits and their importance in a story.
END

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-4, Show Versus Tell Issues: http://tinyurl.com/298dogs

6-2 All About Names

2010-06-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Exploring names and their meanings for your characters can not only be fascinating, but very enlightening. Names bear more thought an consideration than many writers realize.

BabyNamer.com, http://www.babynamer.com/ is fast, efficient and very useful for finding names, their origins and definitions, nicknames, etc.. Click a letter of the alphabet at the top to generate girl\boy lists alphabetically. Click color button, pink or blue to get names by gender. Click name. Panel on right gives clickable options that return information about Name Page, Name Sakes, Similar and Drawbacks, each requiring only a mouse click to bring information lightening fast!

Behind The Name, the etymology and history of first names, http://www.behindthename.com/, is a terrific resource that lets you check popularity, related names, name day, name ratings, etc., arranged by nationality, mythology, biblical, and many more options. You'll like the Alphabetical Navigator in a box at the left.

Kabalarian's site is an invaluable and fascinating site that concerns names, Kabalarians Philosophy, http://www.kabalarians.com/. Although time ran out before I was ever able to download alphabetical name list, by using the Search box near top right of page, typing in a name, and then checking What Does My Name Mean?, I gleaned some information. Kalabarian Philosophy Electronic Newsletter, The Newsline, contains a vast amount of information about names.

Find the top 100 names in any given year at Social Security Online, http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/. You can also search a name to discover the year(s) it was most popular.

After you've studied at these sites, you'll be much better equipped when naming your characters, and you'll probably visit repeatedly.
End

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-3, Character Traits: http://tinyurl.com/2cmgumc

4-4 Adventuring Your Road To Successful Writing and Marketing

2010-06-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Use the Internet to minimize the time spent locating magazines to study, find archived articles, obtain free sample copies, locate writer's guidelines, and query editors. Other important information, such as magazine publishers, publishers' representatives, and award-winning stories that help you blueprint your stories and articles to a magazine's template reduce guesswork.

Explore each web site

For example, by following links at About.com:Doll Collecting, I discovered there are fifteen magazines for dolls! http://tinyurl.com/5ts485, and more here, http://tinyurl.com/5pht6t, (Both websites belong to the New York Times http://www.nytco.com/. See a list of New York Times web sites, http://www.nytimes.com/. New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login required (which is free)

IMPORTANT -- Take time to learn about companies you hope to write for. For example, you'll see New York Times web sites listed at the bottom of the home page.) About.com is owned by New York Times. In the permission I received from them to include information and links, they also said, "Please be advised that linking to an article on The New York Times is free of charge and does not require permission. You do, however have to use the Publisher's URL which will take your readers back to The New York Times web site in which they have to be a member, or become a member. Membership is free of charge and only takes a minute to complete. For further information on linking, please see the URL below: http://www.nytimes.com/membercenter/faq/linking.html. If you wish to post an article onto your site (your URL would then host the material), then permission is needed and copyright fees apply."

Time Inc. has a portfolio of 21 U.S. magazines and more than 25 U.S. Web sites. Take time to learn more here, http://www.timeinc.com/aboutus/index.php.

Site Map
The Site Map displays the links on the web page, providing information quickly. Not all web pages have one, but you'll either find it at the top or the bottom of the page.

MAGHOUND, http://www.maghound.com/home.ep. When I clicked a magazine there, the resulting page offered View All Magazines. Hovering a mouse over each magazine's cover page displays its specialty. Maghound.com belongs to Time Inc., which publishes more than 115 magazines, including 22 in the U.S., which are read nearly 250 million times worldwide on a monthly basis, 26 US web sites, 48 worldwide web sites.

Web page search funtion
Take advantage of a web page's search function, because theirs often locates magazines missed by your favorite search engine. Mamma.com is a top Meta Search Engine, found at, http://www.mamma.com//. The search function at Starting Point, http://www.stpt.com/ brings links to magazines to read. Starting Point (TM) Magazines http://www.stpt.com/ is one of the best databases to search any topic and the magazines catering to it. It doesn't cover guides, but is a very good place to start when you're studying magazine content. Read reviews to get inside the magazine's readers minds.

NBC Internet (NBCi), http://tinyurl.com/6d2m8s will search many of the publications on the web for subjects or keywords, including magazines.

Explore the Internet Public Library, and also use their search utility: http://www.ipl.org/. With diligence, you find goodies like: http://www.ipl.org/div/serials/

Moira Allen's Website for writers, Writing-World.com, http://www.writing-world.com/, offers many links to various markets and writers' sites.

Visit Kirk LaPointe's J-Home has a very comprehensive list of links to magazines, http://www.kirklapointe.com/.

The American Journalism Review site, http://ajr.org/ affords links to the 50 largest circulation magazines in the states and the 25 largest circulation magazines in Canada. However, not every large circulation magazine has a link because many do not have web pages. Use News Sources at the top of the page and then select from the drop down list to get categorized lists.

Specialties
Specialties galore exist, such as Family Tree Magazine, devoted to family and genealogy, http://www.familytreemagazine.com/magazine/.

Greeting card magazine, Greetings.etc., is the industry's leading magazine, http://www.greetingsmagazine.com/greetings/index.shtml.

Provided by the Weider History Group, the world's largest publisher of history magazines, TheHistoryNet.com is excellent, and will also show you the picture of the day: http://www.historynet.com/.

Women magazines URL links and much much more are at, http://femina.cybergrrl.com/ under Media and Publications. If you write for or about women you'll want to check out, http://www.ivillage.com/magazinesites/.

If writing trade articles interests you, locate FreeTradeMagazines -- an excellent trade magazines resource, http://www.freetrademagazines.com/. Click on a listed magazine to get a page with more magazines in that topic. Study and compare to learn each magazine's style, content, publication dates, etc. (Tip: If making money from your writing-related website interests you, on the home page at the top, click the "Affiliate" button for full details.

Click on a listed magazine to get a page with more magazines in that topic. Study and compare to learn each magazine's style, content, publication dates, etc.

Magazine databases
Some magazine databases have links to magazine guidelines or contact information.
Databases of magazines, (writers guidelines for many magazines are also linked)
Writers Write, http://www.writerswrite.com/paying/
Writers Weekly, http://www.writersweekly.com/markets/
Snafu.de, http://home.snafu.de/gadfly/a-c.htm
Writing For DOLLARS, http://www.writingfordollars.com/.
Ark Royal Magazines, http://www.100-free-magazines.com/.
Magamall.com, http://www.magamall.com/.
Magatopia.com, http://www.magatopia.com/
ABZY News Links, http://www.abyznewslinks.com/.

Sample Magazines to study
At magazine seller sites click on the magazine cover. Some offer a blurb about the focus of the magazine. Many magazines offer free trials. It's fine to order magazines, but don't feel obligated to subscribe. Unless you are truly interested, and want the subscription, immediately write cancel on the statement when it arrives and return it the same day, or very soon afterwards.

Archives
While reading magazines online, check the magazine's archives, where stories are often categorized by month or year, or by alphabetized listing of archived articles.

Archives are very useful to learn what the editor wants, how magazine focus changes over several years, and topics that have been published. If the same topic is covered periodically, it's an opportunity for you to target the magazine with an article on previously covered topics ~~ at a later date!

Writers guidelines
At magazine seller sites, choose the name of any magazine and copy-paste or type it into your search engine to locate the home page of the magazine, where you'll often find a link to writer's guidelines.

If guides aren't on the home page, check at their About Us and\or Contact Us to request them. You can also contact a magazines' advertising department and ask for their media kit (and your editor will never have to know.) Study the media kit and editorial calendar to learn about the behind the scenes operation of magazines.

Guidelines for many magazines are at: http://www.writersdigest.com/. Hover your mouse over Get Published to locate the drop down and get Hot Markets, where you'll find The Writer's Digest Top 100. Each magazine title you click will take you to that magazine's writers guidelines.

How much can you learn from one magazine? SeedQuest contains an online and prints publications list. Begin at the homepage, http://www.seedquest.com/. I don't remember ever surfing so many links from one web page that led me to a wider variety of topics! Nearly every line of type is a link! It's an awesome resource to spark topic ideas. Exploring leads to great story ideas.

For example,

start by clicking 'seed biotechnologies
scroll to a link to Seed Technology Center at UC Davis and click their link
then use the Google search on the resulting page
from there you can surf on over to CooksGarden -- and spark endless writing possibilities!

Although eHarlequin, http://www.eharlequin.com/, publishes romance, their website is a treasure of helpful information. You'll find the Site Map near the bottom of the home page, from which you can jump to the blog, http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=35&chapter=0, which offers Read, Talk, Write, along with much more.

Also, find much more by clicking Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ.

If you explore the site you'll find articles on writing a synopsis, publishing glossary, what proofreader's marks mean, etc.

By diligently exploring the Internet to find magazines, editors, spark ideas, and guidelines you'll pave your road to successful writing and marketing.
End

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

Next: 4-5, Writers and Networking: >http://tinyurl.com/2b2q22n

6-1 Strong Fictional Characters

2010-06-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

"Do you need to study strong female fictional characters? Have you related to those in books such as the Taming of the Shrew; Jane Eyre; Anne of Green Gables? At The Back Fence, http://www.likesbooks.com/102.html, you'll find a long, interesting and very thorough essay on heroines in classic fiction and modern romance with detailed descriptions, many links, and relevant quotations from discussed books." ~~ Alan Girling

End

Chapter 6 - Permissions and Writer Beware: http://tinyurl.com/3a9yfby

Next, 6-2, All About Names: http://tinyurl.com/32vyakh

3-5 Quoting Quotes

2010-06-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Quoted in REFERENCE, page [xxx.]

However, be careful in assuming fair use in ANY case, especially if you're getting paid for the project.

Anthony Robbins was successfully sued over the use of a couple of TWO-WORD phrases. There is no word count limit that determines fair use, and if you're getting paid to write the book, it's a "commercial purpose."

There's an excellent article about this on Ivan Hoffman's website at, http://www.ivanhoffman.com/fair3.html. Ivan's entire site http://www.ivanhoffman.com/ has many, many useful articles. He is an attorney who specializes in copyright and intellectual property law. There are two previous articles on other aspects of fair use, as well.

Keep in mind that Hoffman's articles are not intended as legal advice and are not legal advice. The articles are intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information and are not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.
End

Chapter 5 - Copyrights, Previously Published Works,and Using Quotations: http://tinyurl.com/38t4xpd

Next: Chapter 6 - Permissions and Writer Beware: http://tinyurl.com/3a9yfby

9-6 What About Distribution and Publicists?

2010-06-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Distribution has always been one of the major reasons for not self-publishing your book. So what can you do to help turn that around?

Diane Diekman, author of two books she self-published, A Farm in the Hidewood; My South Dakota Home (ISBN 0-9708201-0-0) and Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born (ISBM 0-9708201-1-9), says boxes of them remain because she had no distribution system. However, since the University of Illinois Press, which has worldwide distribution, published her third book, "Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story (ISBN is 978-0-252-03248-6.)

U of I Press sent 17,000 catalogs around the world, made numerous contacts for reviews, and a blurb in the Faron Young book jacket promotes her earlier books. And now, Diane makes good use of her website, http://dianediekman.com/, where links publicize her first two books, plus Faron Young, Marty Robbins (Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins, her book in progress) and a link to her Newsletter and Blog.

Still, Diane said that hiring a publicist would have been helpful. A publicist would have set up book tours and radio interviews and other events for her. Many publishers do not set up events, or pay for them. And if you self-publish a publicist may be able to help. You must also ensure that bookstores will allow you to bring in your book if you are able to schedule a book signing, and be sure that sufficient copies are at the event.

Developing your platform is extremely important. Speak at every opportunity. Network with professional writers. Start a newsletter as soon as you finish writing your book. Be creative and grow your subscriber list. Network with other newsletter-owners and ask them to offer reprints of yours to their distribution list, if possible.

Diane started a weekly Faron Young email newsletter more than two years before publication of her book, after she'd finished writing her manuscript. By the time her book was on book shelves, her subscriber list had grown from 40 to almost 400, and another newsletter with a 20,000-person distribution reprints hers.

Distribution and platforms are critical, however not every professional agrees on the importance of platforms. Begin by reading the following post, http://tinyurl.com/crh6ae, at Michael Hyatt's website. Then scroll to the bottom of the post and check out the articles linked there:

7 Ways To Build Your Online Platform From Scratch, http://tinyurl.com/ybqdvqq

Then, you should know enough to begin your strategy for success.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-7 What an Agent Expects to See: http://tinyurl.com/26cvlhr

2-5 Grammar Resources

2010-06-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Where do you go for answers to grammar questions?

The following websites can help

PainintheEnglish.com, a grammar forum for the gray areas of the English language offers excellent help, http://painintheenglish.com/.

The University of Chicago Writing Program, http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/resources/grammar.htm.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has an excellent handout here, http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/passivevoice.html.

Find answers to grammar questions at Capital Community College Foundation sponsors The Guide to Writing and Grammar: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/. Click Index to get links to whatever you want to know about.
End

Chapter 4 - Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars http://tinyurl.com/2v6ej46

Next: Chapter 5 - Copyrights, Previously Published Works,and Using Quotations: http://tinyurl.com/38t4xpd

9-9 Trade Book Publishing Agreement

2010-06-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

CopyLaw.com, http://www.copylaw.com/ is a great site to study and learn about trade book publishing. Visit About Us and acquaint yourelf with owner, Lloyd Jassin. Read the Articles, explore the Forms, and don't miss Visit Our Blog, http://www.copylaw.org/ and become a regular follower.
then become a regular follower.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next, Chapter 19 - Research and Libraries: http://tinyurl.com/3x2h4uq

9-2 About That Agent

2010-06-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

You'll find many answers to your questions about agents by visiting The Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR), http://aaronline.org/. AAR's site explains the organization and tells what to expect from a reputable agent. Before you begin your search for an agent to represent you, explore the wealth of information offered to learn such things as etiquette, what questions to ask an agent, etc.

You'll also find very good links to help you understand many aspects of writing at Dan Perez' web site, http://www.sff.net/people/dan.perez/advice.htm, including an article on what to look for in an agent.

Many agents prefer cover letters that demonstrate your writing ability to query letters. Sound assured and be very clear. If they enhance the focus of your manuscript, it’s okay to include clips (your previously published material).

Your query should clearly ask, "Do you want to see my book proposal about [ xxx…]?”.

When you receive an affirmative response, send the proposal with a cover letter saying, "Here is the proposal you requested for, “working book title.”

Just because an agent asks for exclusivity on your proposal doesn't mean she necessarily thinks it’s saleable. It only means she doesn't want to waste her time looking at it if someone else is also looking at it. Agents get as high as 300+ queries a week.

On Natalie R. Collins' web site, http://www.nataliercollins.com/, scroll to the bottom where you'll find Agent link. The agents listed have a verifiable track record of legitimate sales. It's updated about every three months. Each agent is researched before being added. No additions are made without her approval. TIP: The Agent page will give you instructions on how to download the list that's grown to large to display on a web page.

Collins says,

"I will not claim every agent on there is good, because I have heard of some writers having HORRIBLE experiences with A-list agents, but it's a good place to start. One big plus, you will not find scam artist agents on this listing."

Collins is the author of Wives and Sisters, and Behind Closed Doors, from St. Martin's Press. Find Suspense Fiction Behind the Zion Curtain here: www.nataliercollins.com/weblog.

You should never be shy of asking questions about the agent's background and way of working.

Ask:

About the agent's background in publishing, Hollywood or the law.
Which clients and/or types of books the agent represents.
Which publishers the agent works with regularly.
Does the agent visit New York (if he or she doesn't work there).
How will you be expected to pay the agent (is he or she asking any reading or editorial fees beyond the commission?)
Whether the agent will forward publishers' rejection letters (if any) to you upon their receipt
Whether you'll be consulted on all deals that go through on your behalf (you must be!)
To what extent the agent is experienced and aggressive in selling subsidiary rights (or engaging co-agents to do it for him or her) and negotiating points on your contract.

When a publisher accepts your proposal, you should always be able to get a list from the agent of where she submitted it and copies of rejection letters.

Alternative to having an agent
For some books, you’ll do well by dealing directly with a publisher. Do your homework to find an appropriate publisher who accepts manuscripts from writers. Then query the publisher’s Acquisitions Editor.

When requested by the AE, send your formal proposal. Be sure to follow the publishing house’s template if you get one. It will include an overview of other competing books on the market, with publisher, author, ISBN, etc., and a few paragraphs that detail how your book is better, or adds value not found in those already available.

When dealing directly with a publishing house, be sure to have your Intellectual Properties Attorney review and explain the contract details so you clearly understand them. After the publisher makes you an offer, it’s legitimate to get an agent to represent you.

Above all, make sure you have a sense that the agent likes and understands your work and knows the market (the specific editors and houses) for it. If your genre is a newer area for the agent, that's not necessarily a bad thing (it may make you the agency's "star client" in that genre), but just be sure the agent knows who the right editors will be. And be certain that the person seems like someone you could work happily with. Your agent doesn't have to become your closest pal, but he or she does need to be someone you can trust, respect, and feel comfortable with.

One last point: it's diplomatic to reserve these questions for your interview or discussion with the agent, after the agent calls or writes to express interest in representing you. Agents can more comfortably discuss them over the phone with you than in writing (either by email or by letter). Don't put them in your query letter or you'll probably alienate the person.

Also, check out QueryTracer, http://www.querytracker.net/.

Contracts resulting from an agent's efforts
Look at a contract as a business proposition, not just as an opportunity to publish books. Your agent might help you get the best contract, but you will want your Intellectual Property Attorney on board, too.

Novelists, Inc., keeps its members connected, communicating, and well informed while striving to better the status of fiction writers: http://www.ninc.com/. This fine web site has excellent articles. Use tabs at the top to locate. One article, written by Laura Resnick about negotiating a book contract, has some relevance to magazine contracts.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-3 Audio Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/28qz3rx

10-4 More Useful Links to Markets

2010-06-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

LitLine, A Website for the Independent Literary Community, http://www.litline.org/links/onlinejournals.html

Poets and Writers, http://www.pw.org/. (Click Magazines and scroll to Classifieds at bottom of that page.)

Towse's, http://tinyurl.com/2dfo43n

Poetry Publishers Who Accept email Submissions, http://newark.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/pbonline.html. Compiled continually by Louie Crew

NewPages.com, http://www.newpages.com/npguides/litmags.htm

Literary Magazines, Every Writer's Resource, http://tinyurl.com/aoxvpa

Millikin University of Haiku, Directory of haiku magazines, http://old.millikin.edu/haiku/magazines.html
End

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-5, Use Wi-Fi Legally: http://tinyurl.com/2ca84d3

3-4 Interviewing to Write Profiles

2010-06-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

John Palcewski has enjoyed a long and eclectic career as a newspaper reporter, music/drama critic, magazine editor, UPI photojournalist, fine arts photographer, poet, and fiction author. Writing a personality profile on Miles Davis launched him on his professional writing career, and he says profiles have always been his favorite thing. "I regard writing profiles as a "kind of journalistic/psychoanalytical process," Palcewski says, "I try to get to know the person as much as possible."

He studies his subject, and gets to know them through research in the library, as well as through their personal friends and family. He advises using the Internet and various search engines to gather everything that has been written about the person.

Note same or similar biographical elements appearing in various sources and also note elements that you can personally relate to.

Don't rely on just taking notes, be sure to also keep a record of the URL where you found each piece of data as you might never locate the source again. Remember, technology is not fail safe -- don't find yourself relying on the Internet without taking valuable notes. Both are important.

Interview as many of the subject's friends and relatives as you can and ask each to describe the subject in 25 words or less (the length of a good newspaper lead!). Gather input as well from the subjects'colleagues, especially those who are critical of him/her.

After you've assembled a nice big pile, very slowly and carefully read it over several times.

"Then sit down and start writing out a list of questions. These questions should flow naturally from the material you've already assembled. Compose questions relating to the contradictory things you've read, and also about other biographical episodes.

"Then arrange for an interview. There is a lot of debate about location, whether it should be on his/her turf, or in a neutral place. Much of it depends on to what extent the subject wants to cooperate. But it's essential to get as much time as possible, and ideally arrange in advance some follow-up meetings or telephone calls.

"Start the interview with thanking the subject for granting the interview, and make it emphatic! And then begin your questions with all the positive things the subject has been involved with, allow him/her to revisit pleasant experiences.

"As you are conducting the interview, it's essential to make the subject know that you are truly INTERESTED in what he/she is saying. That means sitting on the edge of your chair, leaning forward just a bit, and keeping eye contact. People know when you are receptive, or when you are just going through the motions.

"The fact that you have spent the time doing your homework will soon become apparent to the subject, and body language that reinforces your interest will create the best possible climate.

"If there are controversial questions, like a history of drug use or other negative things, save them for the very end. The whole idea is to fashion the interview in such a way that the subject naturally starts revealing personal things. And it will happen only if a feeling of trust has been established.

"If the subject objects to certain questions, you can say, well, look. I'm a journalist, and I'm sorry to be so intrusive, but readers ARE curious about these things. Another way to frame difficult questions is to say: "Many people would say that..." followed by either silence or "What would YOU say to them?"

"I usually use a tape recorder for two reasons. One, you have something that is "proof" beyond question of what was said. Two, you must spend a lot of time transcribing the tape. This gives you further time saturating yourself with the subject. The idea here is to "master" the material. Doing so not only brings a fuller understanding of the subject, but it also makes the writing easier."

A favorite aphorism of John's is: "Master the content; form will rise to meet you."

Other professional writers offered these tips

If the subject can't talk when you contact them, find a specific time frame that suits both your schedules, and allow set the date to set aside time to be interviewed. It will less pressured and they'll feel more in control.
Letting the person take the lead is essential to having a good laid back interview.
If you are interviewing by phone, start to wrap up the interview before the person gets tired and is ready to quit. Often the interviewee comes forward with good information at this point--many Interviewees have specific things they want included. Or, make sure you ask, "Is there anything else you would like to add?"
Be prepared. Make a list of questions and them hone them down. Don't have too many, and allow room for spontaneous conversation.
Do research before you go. If there are things from other articles or promotional material you want to use, be sure to ask if it's correct. You'd be surprised how many times you'll be told, "no, actually...."
If possible, interview the person in a place where they feel most comfortable, and don't forget to build rapport and identify with them.
Most people, particularly older/retired individuals, are often quite humble; they don't see anything spectacular or unusual about their lives. Chatting a bit before the interview often helps you to identify a theme-focus if you're interviewing them cold.

Freelance writer, Holly Michael, who also writes profiles says,

"What works best for me is to create a comfortable environment. I let them choose the place, their home works great.

"Then I begin by just chatting and finding a familiar ground. Maybe we have children the same age or we both eat too much chocolate or something like that. Usually if you can find a common thing, a person will open up more.

"To me it isn't about asking all the right questions, but more about drawing lots of goodies out of them. I probably break all the rules of interviewing ... I don't make any lists of questions UNLESS I am interviewing over the phone -- it's best to have a list ready when phoning."

Find out about their involvements and interests i.e. member of Rotary Club, quilter, retired Air Force, Vietnam vet, mother, La Leche, etc., church. This gives you not only different aspects to investigate or ask about, but sometimes it gives insight into what kind of person they are. It also opens more markets for a profile article.

Kim Pawlak, who wrote 'Notables,' a textbook author profile advised requesting the author's curriculum vitae or resume. It contains the statistics, numbers of books published, awards, success of the books, etc. In addition to researching documented material, she also talked to professors in the subject's field who shed light on the author.

Karen Blue, freelance writer who retired to Mexico where she wrote extensively about the benefits to single women who relocated there, says

Take notes about body language. (Chewing fingers, blowing smoke rings, etc.) to make your profile more personal.
Always have a general idea about where the interview is going, but encourage them to go off on a tangent if it seems more interesting than the stock questions you had prepared.
Take pictures, you'll forget after a while what some interviewees looked like. And have a backup recorder and batteries.

So, do not be intimidated about interviewing. With all the right tools on hand, you too can become a profiler.
End

Chapter 5 - Copyrights, Previously Published Works,and Using Quotations: http://tinyurl.com/38t4xpd

Next, 3-5, Quoting Quotes: http://tinyurl.com/39s6fsr

3-7 Let Writing Careers and Writers and Artists Glossary Terms Enhance Your Vocabulary

2010-06-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Put more writer's savy into your vocabulary today with a glossary of the terms used in your profession. It's very frustrating when someone tells you something and you misunderstand, or can't comprehend, the terms they're using. Don't be caught unaware. You'll be more savy after a visit to the glossary of terms that pertain to literature, writing, art, graphic design, and technology at WriteDesignonline, http://www.writedesignonline.com/resources/glossary.html. Bookmark it now.

For example, an advance isn't moving a chess piece, clip isn't how you trim your nails, galley isn't the sailboat's kitchen, imprint isn't pushing your palms into plaster of paris, and pasteup isn't gluing objects.A good many words have different meanings for editors and publishers than the way you've always understood them.There's an excellent recently updated glossary of writing careers here in John Hewitt's, PoeWar archives, http://www.poewar.com/archives/2005/03/04/glossary-of-writing-careers/
End

Chapter 8 - Newsgroups, Forums and Reference Desks: http://tinyurl.com/36guoob

Next: Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

10-6 Writing Software

2010-06-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

It goes without saying that a writer's job is easier when they are comfortable and satisfied with their writing software program(s)! But, sadly, that's not always the case and increasing numbers of writers are switching the software they use for writing, despite editor's preference for manuscripts written in MS-Word.

OpenOffice.org http://www.openoffice.org/ is an open source program like Mozilla and Firefox. It's free. Anything you do in OpenOffice can be saved in Microsoft Office format. Anything in MS Office format can be opened with OpenOffice. OpenOffice has a word processor, a spread sheet, a power point, and other gadgets. It's far more stable and saves with far less file space demand than anything offered by Microsoft. It's intuitive but also has a great help file.

Note: Always be sure to READ THE TERMS.

Gary Presley explained OpenOffice to me,

"Download a free copy of OpenOffice. And when you do, make a contribution because it's superb software. If you appreciated the open source community's efforts to make a product like Firefox available, you'll dance with joy after using OpenOffice; you can save work in a variety of formats, and it opens MS stuff with a click of the mouse.

"You'll also notice fewer crashes, minimal hang-ups, and that saved OO works take up much less space than similar MS documents. I had material that comprised about a quarter of a meg when saved in OpenOffice, but the editor wanted it in Word. I saved a Word copy, and it was over a meg in size. We use OpenOffice at our house to substitute for Word (my stuff) or Powerpoint (for my wife's teaching needs), and we'll never go back. And, the thesaurus (a writer's best friend) in OpenOffice also outshines the one in Word.

"It takes only a few seconds to set up a separate folder and save your writing there in Word format. In fact, you can save or open documents in a dozen formats via a pull down menu after you click "Save As."

"Nearly every editor I've worked with wants manuscripts in Word or Plain Text, but the simplicity and reliability of OpenOffice is so solid that I don't mind making a copy in Word for those editors "behind the curve."

Give it a try and if you find you like it, it may save you the money of buying MSWord or MSOffice.

Another option is available if you don't have MS-Word. You can create Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents online at ThinkFree.com, http://www.thinkfree.com/. Read the Terms here, http://www.thinkfree.com/views/html/etc/popup_terms.html.
End

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-7 Blog Income Tips: (currently being revised)

10-5 Use Wi-Fi Legally

2010-06-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Staying on the safe side of the law is never foolish no matter what anyone claims so it makes good sense to know Wi-Fi laws, and abide by them. History is often our best teacher, and you won't go wrong by following Debra Littlejohn Shinder advice, because it's still relevant.

A June, 2007 news item, by Sara Bonisteel, reported the arrest and conviction of a man piggybacking on a cafe's Wi-Fi, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276720,00.html. That resulted in my decision to add the following information, provided by Debra Littlejohn Shinder, MCSE, MVP, editor of WXPNews and author of "Scene of the Cybercrime (Syngress Publishing)."

(c) 2009 Debra Littlejohn Shinder

"There are a number of different issues involved in connecting to an open wireless network or opening up your own wireless network to the public. Some are contractual issues and others involve criminal laws.

"First, let's look at the contractual issues. In the case of consumer ISP accounts, most providers prohibit in their terms of service (ToS) agreements allowing anyone outside of your household to use your Internet bandwidth. Thus someone else connecting to your network could cause you to have your Internet service terminated either temporarily or permanently. So while running a "freenet" or a wireless network that's intentionally open to the public may seem like a generous thing to do, but it could have serious consequences if you don't have the permission of your ISP.

"Even if your ISP permits you to share your bandwidth, be careful about doing so. A computer connecting to your network can deliberately or inadvertently spread viruses, worms, Trojans, rootkits, etc. throughout your network or serve as a conduit for an attack if he/she connects to web sites that run malicious controls or applets. These could result in loss of data, network downtime and even corruption of your system files to the point of having to reinstall your operating system and applications.

"Also be aware of how your service is billed. Although most ISPs these days provide "unlimited" service for a set fee, some DSL and T-1 providers DO still charge by the megabyte so that a rogue wireless computer on the network can put the you over the threshold for the next level of service and cost you more money.

"Many people are sharing their networks without even knowing they're doing it because the default setting on their WAP or router is for the network to be open. Be sure to check your device's settings and if you don't want to or aren't permitted to run an open network, enable encryption.

"From the other end (using someone else's wireless connection), it's important to understand that this is illegal under the criminal laws of most states in the U.S. if you don't have the network owner's permission. Just because the other person or company left their network open (unencrypted), that doesn't mean you have consent to use it, just as the fact that your neighbor leaves his front door unlocked doesn't give you permission to enter his house without his permission. Laws differ in different jurisdictions and unauthorized access is a felony in many areas. Be sure you know what the laws are where you are.

"Some people, companies and public entities do set up free wireless networks that they invite anyone to use. You should be careful, though, when taking advantage of such freebies. A freenet operated by a municipality or other government entity or a legitimate company is relatively safe (although connecting to any public wireless network poses some security risks). But connecting to a freenet set up by an individual you don't know can result in all sorts of trouble.

"Some bad guys are deliberately setting up open wireless networks and naming them something like "FREENET" to encourage people to connect, then accessing the info on those computers and using it for identity theft. Never, ever connect to a random wireless network with a computer that has any kind of financial or personal information on it (and be aware that if, for example, you've entered things like your banking password or your credit card info into a web browser, it may very well be cached (saved) on the hard drive)."
End

DEBRA LITTLEJOHN SHINDER is a Microsoft MVP specializing in enterprise security and CEO of TACteam (Trainers, Authors and Consultants). A former police officer/criminal justice instructor, she has written or contributed to over 20 books and hundreds of articles for print and online publications.

Remember, when you buy a Wi-Fi equipped device it's your responsibility to find out what you can and can't legally do with that device, just as it would be if you were buying any other piece of electronics. There are alternatives to illegal piggybacking -- and some form of Internet access is available at most universities and libraries.
End

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-6: Writing Software: http://tinyurl.com/28wlh6u

10-1 Sold Again

2010-06-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Yahoo! An editor has offered to purchase your article. Today, most major magazines enter into contractual agreements with authors and take all the rights the writer will let them get by with. Before you sign the contract is the time to negotiate rights.

Don't be afraid to negotiate every contract. with vigor. _Know_ what rights you are selling to the first publisher.*(see sidebar on rights negotiating.) Make sure you have the final agreement in writing before the article is published.

There are, however, still many publications that don't use contracts. According to US law, if there has been no discussion of rights, one time rights or first rights are assumed. This is currently true for paper-print publications, but electronic rights are still, legally, far from being clear and are being influenced by many factors.

Don't chance giving electronic rights to the publisher free by not discussing them just as soon as the editor offers to publish your article. Also, limiting the duration of electronic rights influences reprint marketability.

Whoopee! Your article has been published! You've banked the money and basked in the glow of success. Now what?

To be on safe ground, as soon as your article is published write (or e-mail) the publisher asking him to reassign remaining rights to you. Then you're ready to market again, or sell reprints. Many magazines are happy to publish a reprint if it has had a limited distribution or has been published in a totally different market area (ie. sports magazine versus a nature magazine.)

Go back to your original marketing plan, the one you researched and planned before you sold the article. It's time to start marketing reprints to the remaining markets on your spreadsheet. Searching out markets that take reprints is an especially good way to turn small-potatoes" writing into steady income. It's not unusual for reprints to bring higher fees than first rights generated. These are called second publication rights or one-time rights.

Opportunities exist in other areas, too, for selling reprints. Regional magazines are one type of publication. For example, parenting publications and rural electric co-op magazines are regionals. Regionals will often be happy to reprint articles that other regional publications have already published because, as far as their readers will ever see, it's a first run. Marketing reprints is a potential way to make money from regional magazines, without the work of more writing.

Another good aspect is, once you can tell an editor that x, y, and z regional magazines have already printed it, they are much more likely to buy it from you for their magazine. Articles that have been published in larger magazines are attractive, too, because they have already been honed and polished.

So don't bother reslanting and remarketing for the regionals. Just happily resell your published work in its original form. And don't overlook other genre niches, like trade magazines.

How do you query for a reprint?
First Example:

"Please consider the following articles for reprint in XYZ Magazine. "The (name of published article)" was originally published in (name of original publication) on (Date of publication). One time rights were sold."

Note: Be sure to include all previous publications of the article, not just the original publisher\date.

Second example:

"I am offering to (name of magazine you're offering it to) an article I wrote on (subject of the published article). It appears in the (Date of publication) issue of (name of original publication). (Include URL of web site if applicable). I own the reprint rights to this article. (Or, if the publisher owns them, say "please contact xxxxx magazine for reprint rights. I have copied the article into this e-mail. You'll find it below. My articles have appeared in x x x x x x x and others,

"I look forward to hearing from you. Please contact me before publication to guarantee regional exclusivity."

Third example:

"Please consider purchasing one-time print rights for the following story, (name of story) *Note: One-time rights have been previously sold to (name of other publication that has already bought the rights), but so far it hasn't shown up in print."

Selling reprints brings in money you can bank and lets you bask in the glow of success -- over and over.
End

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-2, Selling Reprints: http://tinyurl.com/32ku724

9-4 E-Book Publishing and e-book Readers

2010-06-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

To reach the largest possible audience you can publish in more than one format. Some people like to print out e-books; PDF would obviously work best for them. Some people love reading books in LIT format on their Pocket PC phone; they can take a dozen (or a hundred) books with them anywhere in their pocket; it's especially great when traveling. The Microsoft Reader software is available for Windows or Windows Mobile at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/ and it also has a text-to-speech package so the books can be easily accessed by the blind.

You can create LIT files with the ReaderWorks software at http://www.overdrive.com/readerworks/software/standard.asp

Advantages are that e-books go on forever, apparently. They can remain available and continue to sell, sometimes once a month, sometimes zero for several months, and occasionally as many as 50 a month. Author's get royalties (often not much but some) and someone is reading their work.

Another valuable advantage recently was demonstrated when Natalie Roberts, http://www.nataliercollins.com/ replublished her out-of-print book on Kindle.

October 16, 2010, Natalie wrote,

"I'm excited to announce that I have one new book, and two other books now available in Kindle!

"Sister Wife, which has been out of print for quite some time, is now available on Amazon. Twisted Sister, the sequel to Sister Wife, is also there in Kindle format. There is also a hardback version, for those who don't want an electronic read. And The Fourth World, a brand new book from me, is available as well, on Kindle. And the bestselling Wives and Sisters is also available in Kindle format."

Roberts is giving away two free Kindles, with two ways to win

Become a fan on her Facebook page (and stay there until the contest is over)
Buy SisterWife, Twisted Sister, or The Fourth World, and review them on Amazon. Send her a copy of the review for proof to be entered to win.

e-Books are reviewed by ForeWord Reviews, http://www.forewordreviews.com/. Contact Jennifer Szunko, Director of Clarion Review Services, jennifer@forewordreviews.com. They offer book reviews anytime, anywhere and anyone can Download their new iPhone App, http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foreword-reviews/id360257054.

However, while you're mulling your options, read Liz Castro's: EPUB Straight to the Point, http://tinyurl.com/2br2b2f posted at The Book Designer, http://www.thebookdesigner.com/.

Before you considering e-book publishing, try first to get an agent to handle your work. Then try to sell your manuscript directly to a publisher. After both of those efforts fail, choose (carefully) an e-book publisher.

However, every few months new developments must be considered. News reports abound that Amazon.com plans to stop offering e-books in Microsoft Reader or Adobe e-formats and will offer e-books only in Kindle or Mobipocket formats. Amazon owns the Kindle and Mobipocket.

A major problem with electronic publishing has surfaced recently -- it can be tied to a format which can only be read by proprietary hardware or software. Only one of the formats mentioned --- Adobe --- is an open format which can be read without buying special hardware or software, and that is not one which Amazon is going to offer.

"In ten years time, it is very likely neither Kindle nor Mobipocket will be available, or if they are available will use the same format. Nor is it likely that today's devices will still work that long into the future: they break down, they get dropped, they get lost. Where does that leave readers who have bought books in these formats? Or writers whose work has been published in these formats?"

It is imperative to keep abreast of the rapid changes taking place in the marketplace.

In July 2010, Newsweek published this article by Isia Jasiewicz, http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/30/who-needs-a-publisher.html.

Aug. 4, 2010, Spiegel Online International published an interesting interview with the (German) CEO of Random House as to the future of print and e-books and the publishing industry, Part 1, http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,709760,00.html; Part 2, http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,709760-2,00.html; Part 3, http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,709760-3,00.html.

It's difficult to keep abreast of the rapid changes in the publishing industry, but it's imperative for every writer who wants to succeed.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-5, Book Publicity and Marketing: http://tinyurl.com/3aj2nrw

9-5 Book Publicity and Marketing

2010-06-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

As you've noticed, I include information provided by several successful professional writers that elaborate on these two essential parts of becoming successful to growing your career.

Ally E. Peltier, experienced editor, writer, publishing consultant and owner of http://www.ambitiousenterprises.com/, shares this advice for new authors.

"It is critical to show prospective publishers that,

"a) they understand they will be working hard to publicize and market their own books;
"b) they have already begun working to establish a foundation for such an effort by building an effective platform;
c) they are smart, professional, and as enthusiastic about the business side of being an author as they are about the creative craft of writing."

But what if you've self published your book? You'll be using the Internet in as many creative ways as you can to publicize and promote it! In today's publishing world when editors come across a self-published book's title a few times online, they type the title into a search engine to check whether or not it's being widely touted. In today's publishing arena it pays to have your book reviewed or commented on favorably, in print and online, as many places as possible.

TIP: Midwest Book Review, http://www.midwestbookreview.com/index.html, provides exceptionally well organized information. Don't miss Book Publicity and Marketing link to, http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/pub_mkt.htm.

Reviews posted to that site apparently are widely distributed in bulletins sent to libraries and numerous other possible book buyers. Get your literate friend or aunt to become a reviewer and plug your book there. The reviews are very short, and the reviewers aren't paid, but don't miss this opportunity to make it possible for editors read reviews of your book(s).

If you have a book or more on Amazon, and haven't checked recently, Amazon has introduced a new area: author pages. You can have a bio, photo, it lists your books, and not only that you can also have a blog and ... Oh I forget. Anyway it's an excellent promotional item.

At The Bauu Institute Press, http://www.bauuinstitute.com/, among the wealth of information and resources for authors you'll find The Free Press Release Sites for Book Marketing and Author Promotion, http://tinyurl.com/244u9pf. It's a collection of press release sites where you can submit your announcement, all for free.

Search the web and you'll locate an astounding number of websites to get the word out, but beware that you do not entangle yourself with spurious sites, else you may harm your reputation. You'll also find addresses of newspaper, magazines and periodicals that print book reviews. Take every advantage to spread the word about your book as quickly as possible, and continue promoting it until the last copy is sold -- no matter who is doing the marketing!

With the advent of social networking, the world of publishing changed rapidly. If you're new to social networking (or even if you're not), check out Debra Littlejohn Shinder's article, "10 Ways to Stay Out of Trouble when you Post to Social Networking Sites" on the TechRepublic site at http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=851.

Debra is highly respected for her virtual-crime fighting expertise. Her titles include MVP/Security, Editor, WXPnews (http://www.wxpnews.com/), http://www.debshinder.com/, and Tech Blog: http://deb-tech.spaces.live.com/.

On the bookshelf, "Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom" is the first comprehensive book written for a wide audience about the Web 2.0 social networking revolution, www.throwingsheep.com/.

Authors Matthew Fraser and Soumitra Dutta wrote, "The generation entering the workforce today - and entering boardrooms everywhere - is fully engaged with social networking and its uses. Rather than feeling threatened and paranoid, today's business leaders need to understand this phenomenon, accept that it won't go away, and embrace its power in the world of business."

Give serious thought to how you use this powerful new medium. Although social networking is increasing at phenominal speed in the business world and vastly enhancing the work-a-day world, it warrants the time to learn about its many uses.

Another recent development for pubicizing your book is Amazon's induction of a new area, author pages. If you have a book or more on Amazon ou can have a bio, photo, it lists your books, you can have a blog, and other goodies. Check it this excellent promotional item.
Learn more at Wikipedia.org, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network. Be sure to read, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogging.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-6, What About Distribution and Publicists? http://tinyurl.com/2dw2teo

2-4 Electronic Publishing

2010-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Vanek

Electronic submission requirements differ with each e-zine, but a few general rules (and some experience) will help you master writing for them. Get e-zine guides, or query the editor of an e-zine, electronically.Go to the magazine's website online and read the magazine. Read the archived (back) issues, too. Save a few into your word processor to dissect and study. Run your grammar check and word count on them. Use Find function to search out repeated words and buzz words -- those colorful ones editors love.

If the magazine's website doesn't offer writers guidelines, find the editor's e-mail address (on the e-zine site) and send an e-mail asking for guidelines. By following them to the letter you'll learn how the editor wants your story submitted.You can locate other e-zine guidelines using http://www.dogpile.com/ Search e-zine writers guidelines.

Some editors will say what goes in bold, never to use italics, etc. Some want the story sent in the body of a regular e-mail, no italics or bold of any kind. Straight text all the way.
Other magazines want the story sent as an RTF attachment to an e-mail.
Pay close attention and follow the guidelines to the letter.Write your e-query letters and e-articles in your word processor where it's easy to edit and polish them until they're impressive.

Single space your story, double space between paragraphs.Remember that nothing on the web is underscored except a web link (URL). Those are the only things in your manuscript that should ever be underscored.

Let the editor know you envision certain words emphasized; you can use an asterisk (*) before a word. The editor will decide whether to print it bold or italic.

Generally, if it's a title, or something you want underlined, here's one way to show that: _Kids Master E-Zine Writing Quickly_. (*see Chapter 10 to learn more about HTML)

If you are uncertain about how the editor wants your article submitted, e-mail the editor and ask. Editors never mind answering those kinds of questions.

When you're writing your e-query, don't think like a writer; think like an editor. Explain your idea completely, so the editor knows what he or she is getting. As you write your e-query, have a strong visual image in mind of the article already published.

What is its title?
Does it have a blurb?
On the e-zine cover, will there be cover lines announcing its appearance inside?
Is a sidebar included at the end?

In general, readers of online e-zines tend to scan while reading so keep to your point, use short sentences, and be brief.These simple steps will get your writing from your word processor into your e-mail program. (*Refer to Control Key Function for keyboarding instructions.)

Open the file.
Save file\SaveAs.
In the drop down box that lets you choose how to save your file, select Rich text format (or ASCII text.)
Close the file and then reopen it.
Use your Right mouse button and choose Copy to save a copy to your clipboard.
If you want your work saved in a different format, before closing your word processor file, use SaveAs again and select your usual file style.

When it says 'this file exists shall I overwrite it?' Answer Yes. That replaces the .rft file. It's not a bad idea to save both files, so if you want both, answer No to keep both file formats.

Next, close your word processor.
Open your e-mail program and open a new message.
In the body, use Right mouse button to paste your query into the e-mail message.
Address your query to the editor.

Before you click Send, read the message carefully.

Correct anything that needs it. WYSIWEG! (what you see is what editor gets.)

Tip: Before you click the Send button, to ensure that your face isn't going to be as red as a Valentine Heart, have at least a good outline of the article you plan to write handy.

Faster than you can zip up your backpack, the editor might reply, asking for more information, or maybe even for the whole article if he\she thinks it's already written.Editors are too busy to fiddle around with half baked cookies.

All you'll get is a bad reputation by offering something you can't produce in a timely manner.

If your idea is only an idea, say so in your query.
If the editor is interested he may ask you to write it, and may even give you tips on what he wants in it.
Your published story will get wide exposure.
Other editors may see it and contact you to write for them, too.
Sometimes your online story can still be submit elsewhere.

Be aware though, publishers that buy your story generally want exclusive 'rights'. Some editors won't let you send it to anyone else for 90 days, others ask for a year. Each one differs, according to their editorial policy.

Writing for e-zines if fun and can be profitable, but *never, ever send off a story that you've had published to another magazine without _first_asking the original publisher for permission!
End

Chapter 4 - Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars http://tinyurl.com/2v6ej46

Next: 2-5, Grammar Resources: http://tinyurl.com/37dr24k

6-4 Show Versus Tell Issues

2010-06-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

(c) Mona Leeson Vanek

There are many ways of managing show versus tell issues. The more you can collect, the more options you can choose from. Two writers on Internet Workshop Writing list, Edita and Laura, shared these insights.

Edita A. Petrick provided an excellent explanation and included vivid examples. She says, "In real life, "show" comes through what we say to one another. The words we use and the tone of voice in which these are delivered. The same holds for fiction. A fictional character is best "characterized/shown" by what he/she says, how they say it and in what circumstances.

"Description (or tell) is then used to enhance the already established the mood/atmosphere that was set through the dialogue. It's perfectly all right to "tell" from the pov-character's view the results of any given scene that is set via dialogue. And then there is an opportunity to go into "internalization" of what the character feels and thinks ("show" the reader) about the visual effects of the conversation.

"Attitudes and word-choices often reveal ages, sex, economic situation and education of characters without the writer having to lapse into physical description. It's the "words" the writer gives his characters to speak that reveal who and what he is, far more than any descriptive verbiage that features in long expository passages.

"Show" your characters with what they say, how they say it and choose the words that carry the "tone and tune" of the message."

Study Edita's excellent examples, derived from a couple traveling in a car. (Then improve your show vs tell techniques by accepting her challenge.)

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Again?" he asked.
--------------------------------------
The single word of the male gives you insight into the type of man he is. Not very compassionate or solicitous. He is fixed on driving and what he responds with shows that he has little sympathy for his female companion. The single-word also suggests harsh tone of voice - it's how it would come out in real life. He is not concerned with her discomfort or wants to know its nature. He just feels inconvenienced and annoyed. Not the kind of man you'd like to have as a marriage partner, now, is he? But consider how the scene would evolve if the woman was indeed married to this hard-edged, unsympathetic and cold man?

Now, what does it tell you about the man if the dialogue went like this:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

He glanced at her. "Are you all right, honey?"
-----------------------------------------------------------
He is compassionate and his first reactive thought is for her well-being. But he's also calm, level-headed and would be able to deal with anything that springs up as a conflict with competence - he cares for his female companion and worries about her welfare but a hint of problem he perceives does not rattle him...he's ready to deal with anything that comes up.

What does it tell you if it goes like this:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.He groaned. "Jesus, that's the third time in fifteen minutes. What's the matter with you for God's sake?"
----------------------------------------------------------
The man is a jittery, over-reactive character, easily spooked and with overblown imagination that's rooted in negative thoughts. His pity is first for himself and then for others. He's selfish. No matter how little the problem at the onset, he already sees it looming as something insurmountable. He "imagines" disasters every step of the way and fears them - he is insecure and doesn't trust himself to be able to deal with complications. His overblown imagination works against him. You'd not want to have this man accompany you to any emergency hospital reception. They'd have to attend him first...

Now, what does it tell you about this man's character:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

He was silent for a long time then asked, "Could it wait until we get to the Bakersfield exit?"
-------------------------------------------------------------
The man is a cool, calculating cookie. He is driven by logic and purpose. Nothing else. His characteristics would most likely drive his choice of profession -- he will always put his career ahead of his family if he has any.

Now, guess from the following dialogue responses what kind of character the male driver is, how old he is and what could be his profession, what's his primary concern, and who he is:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Aw, come on, you gonna make me late for the game and the coach will bench me."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"You do this to me all the time, just when I find my spot in the left hand lane."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Sure thing, sweetheart, but you're leaving your cell phone and your credit cards in the car."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Well, what do you know? I have bladder problems too. We'll make it into a loving couple outing."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"As you wish, madam."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"Sure but you know we're already late for the meeting."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.

"No problem. We can do this all night long."
-------------------------------------------------
From each of these replies, you could write a paragraph-long sketch of the man's character, profession, his relationship/relativity to the female passenger and even guess at his appearance. Readers relate to situations that such words/replies establish and many tend to fill in their own physical perceptions of the character. That's why I said it's almost immaterial to go into long physical description of any given person.

A teenager is not going to reply to me: "As you wish, madam." So I, as a reader will have long established my physical (visual) image of any man who actually says that. And it works in writer's favor if he lets his reader make-up the physical characteristics of any character because that will bring that character that much closer to the reader. Everyone knows at least one sarcastic bastard who'll say "No problem. We can do this all night long." And everyone will have in their work background a colleague who'll be accommodating" but will immediately seek to lay the blame for running late on you, absolving HIM of any faults.

"Show" is far more "in" the dialogue than in any metaphorical/comparative way of describing what your characters feel or what they're like. And when you continue the established dialogue-set characterizations into that protagonist's internal thoughts and opinions, then you're very solid in making that character come alive for the reader.

Descriptive and expository should be reserved for "vistas" -- and those things that the reader needs to "experience" through the characters' eyes. For example if your character is "overwhelmed" upon his arrival at some busy airport (it's his first time there) then you "show" such state of being overwhelmed by describing what MAKES HIM overwhelmed - describing imagery and action of bustling crowds, etc. And then you round it off by having him say or do something that will confirm his overwhelmed state of mind.

Hope this sheds some light on that cyclical debate of 'show versus tell' -- best regards, Edita. (Author of "Cold Scheme" and "The Cracked Shadow.")

Laura also made an important point. She says, "Like learning a big vocabulary - one should cultivate a big collection of "possible effects" by paying attention to how other authors get their effects.

"The only way to really learn how and when to show vs tell is to gather up your own "personal favorite" writers - preferably a wide and varied collection - and really study how their stories operate. Pay attention to indirect references that convey mood or suggest information. Watch for metaphors, setting, the reactions of characters, odd speech patterns, "tone of voice", non sequiturs, repetition, contrast/juxtaposition, etc. Pay attention to how the actions of the characters - and the verbs used to describe those actions themselves reveal a great deal about what's really going on.

"Take note of anything unexpected that makes you see what's 'really' going on. Try to track down every way the author has of revealing information. These sorts of clues and hints are almost always better than clunky devices like his face turning red or her breath coming out in gasps. Most direct ways of "showing" emotion - that is, describing what a person supposedly looks like while they are experiencing emotion - always strike me as sounding very cliché.

"Also do not neglect the other senses. If you want your character to be seen as sour, it might be appropriate to drag in a sour taste or nasty smell, or a contrasting opposite. Laura is currently working on a trilogy of fantasy novels.

Also, you'll find one of the best brief dissertations on "point of view" at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_view_(literature).
End

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-5, Song Lyrics, Fair Use and Trademarks: http://tinyurl.com/2bpb9oz

9-1 "Plussing" Your Novel

2010-06-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

When I first saw the word "plussing" in regard to writing I hadn't a clue to its meaning. So I quickly typed "plussing" into http://www.dogpile.com/, my favorite search engine. LOL! I discovered a lot, but none of it seemed relevant to writing.

Then, a writer friend explained to me that book doctors use the term. "Plussing," as well as pruning, is taken into consideration as they edit a writer's work, especially in the following two areas. Scene setting is often woefully inadequate or entirely missing from the manuscript. And staging, or moving the story forward while omitting descriptions of the physical movements called for, or using unclear or impossible actions.

Because writers are "seeing" both the words on the manuscript page as well as a visual picture of the story in their minds, authors especially have trouble writing those two areas well. Both require plussing the manuscript. As you write, you'll avoid the need to fill in missing details only if you don't omit them in the first place.
End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: About That Agent: http://tinyurl.com/2wqyscf

8-2 Collecting What's Due You

2010-06-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

*NOTE: The following material is for educational use only and may not be used for any other purpose and may not be published in any format due to the nature of releases I've secured.

Collecting What's Due You
(c) 2003 by Eugene Mallay

This is a common problem in all work-for-hire fields, not just writing. In my experience it comes down to recognizing that getting angry at the publication isn't likely to get you your money any sooner and only serves as a distraction / irritation for you personally. I suggest the following:

Write a short, professional letter / email acknowledging their situation, expressing appreciation for their being upfront but dismay at their inability to adhere to their contract.
Note that you are a professional and that your writing fees represent your livelihood. Hence, this will affect your own cash flow. However, "in consideration of your situation", agree to provide an additional 30-day period for them to make payment. Make this statement formally, though – not in a "whining" manner.
Ask for their confirmation, in writing, that payment will be provided within this time frame and that no further extensions will be required.
Express your hope that you will be able to work with them again in the future.

The point of the above is to establish a positive, professional, and business-like relationship that will hopefully keep you from the very bottom of their payables list. If you get too aggressive too early, they'll simply write you off as a lost cause and you'll fall to the bottom of their payables. Acting too understanding and 'soft', however, tells them that they can delay your payment while they deal with "more pressing" payables.

Negotiate whatever payment period seems reasonable and do-able (maybe 30 days isn't achievable for them). Whatever. But make it clear through your tone that your flexibility is limited to them delivering on these renewed terms.

Ultimately, you may choose to never do business with them again. However, you never know where editors may end up in the future. Keeping a business-like tone throughout can pay dividends down the road.

Last comment -- even if you hate the business side of writing, you should put solid effort into it. While you may categorize yourself as a "writer", you are in the "business of writing". If you really don't want to deal with the business side, hire someone to handle that for you (or set up a 'co-op'-type arrangement with a few other writers wherein you hire an administrative person to handle the business side for all of you). To my mind, putting all that creativity and effort into your writing then seeing it undervalued or wasted due to a lack of a strong business aspect is a shame.

Cheers, Eugene Mallay

Also, read Jeffrey Zeldman's 2002 article, Getting Paid, that addresses the difficulty of collecting what's due you, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/gettingpaid/.
END

Chapter 15 - The Many Facets of Freelancing: http://tinyurl.com/36v758m

Next, Chapter 16 - Education and Reference: http://tinyurl.com/36maz9e

9-7 What an Agent Expects to See

2010-06-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

What an Agent Expects to See

This information came from an excellent writer's conference I attended. At the time, Gary Brozek was Senior Editor at Plume, a Penquin and Putnam imprint. Before that he was an editor with Ballantine.

He'd worked with New York Times best-selling authors Jeff Shaara (God and Generals) and Arnold Palmer (A Golfers Life). His acquisitions included Philip Gerard's Secret Soldiers, and David Payne's Adventures Upon Return. Brozek was also the paperback editor for Roy Jenkins' Churchill, Thomas Kelly's The Rackets, and Chuck Kinder's Honeymooners, among many others.

Brozek explained that at some point in a publisher's acquisition process authors are expected to provide what's in the Title Information Sheet so getting a jump-start on it should be an author's first step before sending proposals out.

He gave the following tips to maximize your chances and control your destiny in publishing, because keeping abreast of what's being published will help you understand who and what the competition is.

Online:

Read the book releases at Amazon.com
Read the best seller lists in major newspapers
Read Publisher's Weekly, especially noting which titles and authors are being handled by various agents, editors and publishing houses.

Other strategies:

Be very strategic in how you select your agent, editor and publishing house!
Recognize the trailblazers now by keeping abreast of current events.

Bozek's exercise for authors, called the Title Information Sheet. Use it for your model sales pitch to agents. Work all nine into your cover letter:

Author and Title
Brief author bio. Include your clips and information about your speaking engagements, readings, etc. (Start now. Speak at every opportunity you can rustle up and read your work to the public every time you get a chance.)
Also, always state that you are at work on a novel.
Have you been previously published? (Start now to publish anything you can, from letters-to-the-editor, newsletters, articles, promotional, etc. Write pro bono, if you have to. Publishing credits are a tremendous plus. If possible, have them include a byline or bio that says you are at work on a novel.)
Write a 1-2 paragraph description of your book.
Write a 'keynote' (i.e. a one line sentence that helps people understand what your book is. Examples: "In the tradition of [comparison author example -- Mitchner] this is a book about [subject.]" or "For people who love [comparison author] this book is about [subject].
Selling points (listed in 2-4 bullets. (Example, what appeals are going to make this book sell?)
If you have connections that will help sell this book. (Example, your flying associations, pet lovers associations, etc.)
Competitive titles [similar to yours] and where they did [xxx] my book will do [xxx] that they didn't do.
Link your web page to Amazon, if possible, and put up excerpts from your book manuscript, then mention the URL in your cover letter to agent.

End

Chapter 18 - Book Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/38d98qf

Next: 9-8, Promoting Your Book: http://tinyurl.com/25yux95

6-4 Show Versus Tell Issues

2010-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Show Versus Tell Issues

There are many ways of managing show versus tell issues. The more you can collect, the more options you can choose from. Two writers on Internet Workshop Writing list, Edita and Laura, shared these insights.

Edita A. Petrick provided an excellent explanation and included vivid examples. She says, "In real life, "show" comes through what we say to one another. The words we use and the tone of voice in which these are delivered. The same holds for fiction. A fictional character is best "characterized/shown" by what he/she says, how they say it and in what circumstances. Description (or tell) is then used to enhance the already established the mood/atmosphere that was set through the dialogue. It's perfectly all right to "tell" from the pov-character's view the results of any given scene that is set via dialogue. And then there is an opportunity to go into "internalization" of what the character feels and thinks ("show" the reader) about the visual effects of the conversation.

"Attitudes and word-choices often reveal ages, sex, economic situation and education of characters without the writer having to lapse into physical description. It's the "words" the writer gives his characters to speak that reveal who and what he is, far more than any descriptive verbiage that features in long expository passages.

"Show" your characters with what they say, how they say it and choose the words that carry the "tone and tune" of the message."

Study Edita's excellent examples, derived from a couple traveling in a car. (Then improve your show vs tell techniques by accepting her challenge.)

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Again?" he asked.
--------------------------------------
The single word of the male gives you insight into the type of man he is. Not very compassionate or solicitous. He is fixed on driving and what he responds with shows that he has little sympathy for his female companion. The single-word also suggests harsh tone of voice - it's how it would come out in real life. He is not concerned with her discomfort or wants to know its nature. He just feels inconvenienced and annoyed. Not the kind of man you'd like to have as a marriage partner, now, is he? But consider how the scene would evolve if the woman was indeed married to this hard-edged, unsympathetic and cold man?

Now, what does it tell you about the man if the dialogue went like this:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
He glanced at her. "Are you all right, honey?"
-----------------------------------------------------------
He is compassionate and his first reactive thought is for her well-being. But he's also calm, level-headed and would be able to deal with anything that springs up as a conflict with competence - he cares for his female companion and worries about her welfare but a hint of problem he perceives does not rattle him...he's ready to deal with anything that comes up.

What does it tell you if it goes like this:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
He groaned. "Jesus, that's the third time in fifteen minutes. What's the matter with you for God's sake?"
-----------------------------------------------------------
The man is a jittery, over-reactive character, easily spooked and with overblown imagination that's rooted in negative thoughts. His pity is first for himself and then for others. He's selfish. No matter how little the problem at the onset, he already sees it looming as something insurmountable. He "imagines" disasters every step of the way and fears them - he is insecure and doesn't trust himself to be able to deal with complications. His overblown imagination works against him. You'd not want to have this man accompany you to any emergency hospital reception. They'd have to attend him first.

Now, what does it tell you about this man's character:

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
He was silent for a long time then asked, "Could it wait until we get to the Bakersfield exit?"
-------------------------------------------------------------
The man is a cool, calculating cookie. He is driven by logic and purpose. Nothing else. His characteristics would most likely drive his choice of profession -- he will always put his career ahead of his family if he has any.

Now, guess from the following dialogue responses what kind of character the male driver is, how old he is and what could be his profession, what's his primary concern, and who he is:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Aw, come on, you gonna make me late for the game and the coach will bench me."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"You do this to me all the time, just when I find my spot in the left hand lane."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Sure thing, sweetheart, but you're leaving your cell phone and your credit cards in the car."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Well, what do you know? I have bladder problems too. We'll make it into a loving couple outing."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Yes, ma'am."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"As you wish, madam."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"Sure but you know we're already late for the meeting."

"Take the next exit. I need to go to washroom," she said.
"No problem. We can do this all night long."
-------------------------------------------------
From each of these replies, you could write a paragraph-long sketch of the man's character, profession, his relationship/relativity to the female passenger and even guess at his appearance. Readers relate to situations that such words/replies establish and many tend to fill in their own physical perceptions of the character. That's why I said it's almost immaterial to go into long physical description of any given person.

A teenager is not going to reply to me: "As you wish, madam." So I, as a reader will have long established my physical (visual) image of any man who actually says that. And it works in writer's favor if he lets his reader make-up the physical characteristics of any character because that will bring that character that much closer to the reader. Everyone knows at least one sarcastic bastard who'll say "No problem. We can do this all night long." And everyone will have in their work background a colleague who'll be accommodating" but will immediately seek to lay the blame for running late on you, absolving HIM of any faults.

"Show" is far more "in" the dialogue than in any metaphorical/comparative way of describing what your characters feel or what they're like. And when you continue the established dialogue-set characterizations into that protagonist's internal thoughts and opinions, then you're very solid in making that character come alive for the reader.

Descriptive and expository should be reserved for "vistas" -- and those things that the reader needs to "experience" through the characters' eyes. For example if your character is "overwhelmed" upon his arrival at some busy airport (it's his first time there) then you "show" such state of being overwhelmed by describing what MAKES HIM overwhelmed - describing imagery and action of bustling crowds, etc. And then you round it off by having him say or do something that will confirm his overwhelmed state of mind.

Hope this sheds some light on that cyclical debate of 'show versus tell' -- best regards, Edita. (Author of "Cold Scheme" and "The Cracked Shadow.")

Laura, another professional writer, also made an important point. She says, "Like learning a big vocabulary - one should cultivate a big collection of "possible effects" by paying attention to how other authors get their effects.

"The only way to really learn how and when to show vs tell is to gather up your own "personal favorite" writers - preferably a wide and varied collection - and really study how their stories operate. Pay attention to indirect references that convey mood or suggest information. Watch for metaphors, setting, the reactions of characters, odd speech patterns, "tone of voice", non sequiturs, repetition, contrast/juxtaposition, etc. Pay attention to how the actions of the characters - and the verbs used to describe those actions themselves reveal a great deal about what's really going on.

"Take note of anything unexpected that makes you see what's 'really' going on. Try to track down every way the author has of revealing information. These sorts of clues and hints are almost always better than clunky devices like his face turning red or her breath coming out in gasps. Most direct ways of "showing" emotion - that is, describing what a person supposedly looks like while they are experiencing emotion - always strike me as sounding very cliché.

"Also do not neglect the other senses. If you want your character to be seen as sour, it might be appropriate to drag in a sour taste or nasty smell, or a contrasting opposite. Laura is currently working on a trilogy of fantasy novels.

Also, you'll find one of the best brief dissertations on "point of view" at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_view_(literature.
End

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-5, Song Lyrics, Fair Use and Trademarks: http://tinyurl.com/2bpb9oz

1-11 Other Uses For "Mailbox" Information

2010-06-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

You can also use the system of creating Mailboxes (described in Handout -- Efficient Writing Steps 2, 3 & 4) to simplify other tasks related to your work, such as saving copies of e-query letters, e-assignments from editors (or rejections), and e-contracts, and recording payment, invoices, writing expenses, and a time sheet.

At income tax time, compiling your figures will be easier when they're organized!

Using computer-based software, devise a digital system that works for you. Do each step. Also, after publication, you may file scanned copies when you register your copyrights. Copyrights become Intellectual Property, which also can, and should be, included in your will. Original copyright documents belong in your safety deposit box, the same as real property titles.

In your hardcopy files, also store photocopies of your published articles. These are your "clips" that editors ask for. Think of clips as evidence that you are professional. A substantial file of clips helps when you're negotiating for higher fees for your writing. You can always scan a copy if an editor wants it via e-mail.
End

Chapter 1, http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

Next, How to Double-space e-mail: http://tinyurl.com/39stcnq

6-1 Strong Fictional Characters

2010-06-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

(c) Mona Leeson Vanek

This advice is shared by Alan Girling, Freelance Writer.

"Do you need to study strong female fictional characters? Have you related to those in books such as the Taming of the Shrew; Jane Eyre; Anne of Green Gables? At All About Romance - At The Back Fence, http://www.likesbooks.com/102.html, you'll find a long, interesting and very thorough essay on heroines in classic fiction and modern romance with detailed descriptions, many links, and relevant quotations from discussed books." ~~ Alan Girling
End

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-2, All About Names: http://tinyurl.com/32vyakh

6-5 Song Lyrics, Fair Use & Trademarks

2010-06-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Song lyrics are not quotable without direct permission from the copyright holder, and even then you often have to pay for the use. To avoid a possible problem, you need to go to the rights manager of that particular song. Don't use *any* song lyrics without permission. They *will* sue. No sane publisher will let you do it, either.

Publishers have tight rules for songs. Small press publishers refuse to publish stories that include ANY song lyrics due to the cost of obtaining permission and rights.

When you quote lyrics "blah, blah, blah," and then the rest of whatever you're writing. Then make a note at the end and ALWAYS include the publisher:

written by xxxxxx
originally performed by xxxxxx
published by xxxxxx, Inc.

Fair use is pretty restrictive and does not apply to many published materials, including music lyrics and poetry. There's no real definition of fair use for anything--it's what the court says it is, and the plaintiffs have better lawyers than you do.

Don't use Mickey Mouse as a character in your story, either. Disney is famous for prosecuting people, even the ones who don't have any money. Some fanfic is okay, but some is not, and they'll get you if you use the wrong character. Avoid trouble by being very very careful to not infringe copyrights or trademarks!
End

Chapter 13 - Genre Writing and Writing for Children: http://tinyurl.com/3x33osl

Next: 6-6 e-Zines By The Dozen, http://tinyurl.com/32lag6w

5-4 Photographs

2010-06-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

Advice For Shooting Writers
(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Is a picture worth a thousand words? If it's bought with your manuscript it could be -- and often pictures are worth more! Picture-shooting writers who know and meet art editors' needs rack up sales -- and pocket more money.

Art editor's preferences aren't unfathomable. I quizzed editors at The Growing Edge, Marlin, Harper's Magazine, Highways, BackHome, Kalmbach Publishing Company and POLICE.

Image quality is undeniably their number one priority. They want outstandingly good pictures.
What makes a good photograph?
Focused photos -- 35 mm focus must be laser-sharp to retain its quality when enlarged 1200 percent. The dominant image must fill most of the frame to minimize the blowup necessity.
Good composition. Compose your shot to keep the main subject the focus and to avoid extraneous objects in the frame.
Don't over or under expose. Lighting is crucial to the overall effect. Bracket where possible.
Try for both horizontals and verticals. Magazine cover photos are shot vertically with plenty of space at the top for the magazine's logo.

Each art editor does things differently. Keep them happy. Study the magazine's guidelines frequently and do it their way. State the availability of photographs in your query letter asking:

How many images do they want or do they prefer a list (called a catalog by editors).
Editors want a comprehensive selection, preferring as broad a selection to choose from as they can get. Twenty or more are relatively acceptable, but don't hesitate to ask the editor if less will be okay.
Most editors today want digital submissions, but how do they want them sent? What size? What resolution? Do they want them sent on CDs? Some editors still prefer color transparencies, or negatives, or color or black-and-white prints, or contact sheets.

For the latter, since a loupe doesn't really do a slide justice, a few prints along with the slides can give a little better feel for the composition. Never send duplicates unless asked to.

All editors want captions, credits and releases (when applicable) for every image submitted.

What editors expect with photo images
Specifics for submission include making sure that every image, no matter how it's sent, has -- at the very least -- your name. Contact information is also a must. Otherwise, return can't be guaranteed. Digital images, photos and slides supplied by someone other than the manuscript author should be clearly identified for photo credit.

Words of description (area, species, etc) written on the border around the slide can be of great help. Even when brief captions are written on each image, all transparencies should be numbered and accompanied by typewritten pages of extended captions identifying each subject keyed to the numbered slides.

How to ship images safely

Protect CDs you send by placing them in a Jewel case.
Never write directly on a photograph or negative. Put each photograph into a archival sleeve, and label the sleeve.
Insert negatives into pocketed sheets (or sleeves) made only of archival-quality material.
Package slide images the same as negatives.

When shipping, all photos or slides in their sleeves should be packaged between two pieces of stiff (not corrugated) cardboard cut the same size as the photograph or slide sheets. Secure them with two or more crisscrossed rubber-bands, lengthwise and crosswise. Enclose in a sturdy envelope or box.

Send them by insured mail or certify the envelope and get a return receipt. It's more expensive, but that way you have the name of someone who signed for them.

SAE plus sufficient funds to return your photographs. Normally, all photos and slides will be returned after publication when possible.
If you don't give the editor sufficient postage for their safe return, your photos are not likely to be returned at the magazine's expense.
Remember, if your material isn't used, the magazine has no reason to treat you like a helpful contributor.
Always put more postage on than you think will be requred. Spending a few extra cents is preferable to losing your photographs.

Your social security number must be included somewhere, unless you are certain the editor has it. Payment will be issued to the first name on the slide (stock agency or photographer) unless other payment arrangements are specified.

Photos can increase your income anywhere from $1 to $1,000 or more depending on many variables, such as number of photos used, subject, exclusivity, etc.

Today's potential to illustrate manuscripts with pictures is greater than and ever. Shooting writers can increase their success rate and their income by producing what the art editor wants, or by collaborating with photographers who shoot for writers. Digital cameras that produce high resolution images are a shooting writer's boon, for editors who accept digital images.
End

Chapter 11 - Greeting Card Business: http://tinyurl.com/3xta55u

Next: 5-5, Screenwriters Online Resources: http://tinyurl.com/2ck4psp

5-2 Expedient Word Processor Functions

2010-06-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Using language inappropriate to the grade level used by the magazine
Exceeding word limits for submissions
Redundancy
Misspelled words
Spacing

Many word processors have functions you can easily use to make sure you're not committing those editor-turnoffs. Each magazine adheres to fairly rigid word counts, a specific reading-grade level, uses similar numbers of sentences and paragraphs, and never exceeds its fog index, or language usage.

Run grammar check
This useful function should NEVER be omitted. It points out grammar errors, providing you with options to consider. Although it's not consistently accurate, it will highlight many potential pitfalls. More importantly, many grammar check functions also tell the reading-grade level, the number of sentences and paragraphs, and the fog index. Using grammar check on your manuscript and paying attention to each of these language-use indicators can boost your sales success rate.

Tip: To determine the reading grade level and fog index of the magazine you're going to submit to, type into your word processor two or more articles from the section in the latest issues where you envision your story. Run your grammar checker on the stories. If your language usage and reading-grade level vary greatly from theirs, it's time to rewrite again before posting your manuscript.

Don't exceed the magazine's word limits
It's also the grammar check function in some word-processing programs that gives you a word count accurate enough to let you write "Approximately xxxx words" in the upper right hand corner of your manuscript. If you use Word Perfect 6.0, load the file containing your draft manuscript, then click on File. When the menu pops down, click on Document Information. It will count the words for you (and show you just about every particular you EVER wanted to know about your draft.)

Word Perfect 7.0 users go to File, from the drop down menu choose Document, then go to Properties where you'll find the number of characters, the number of paragraphs, the number of words, and a lot of other information. In Word you simply select "word count" under the Tools menu.

Lotus Word Pro users need only choose Edit to locate the word count function, but will also get a word count from using grammar checker. They won't agree. Take the larger of the two, or split the difference to get a fair "approximate" count that will satisfy the editor when he's deciding whether to accept or reject your manuscript. Most newer word processor programs have "answer wizards" which actually answer simple, typed questions like "how do I count words?"

Run Find
The 'Find' function (Windows generally activates find funtion when you press the ctrl and f keys simultaneously) in your word processor. Find is a simple, powerful and extremely useful tool that can zero right in on culprits that dim the sparkle of your manuscript. You'll be amazed at how many times repetition of words like 'I,' 'she' or 'and' show up. Check for each one and keep a tally. If you've used any word excessively, once you've discerned it, you'll be able to rewrite with more verve. Just as a gem cutter brings sparkle from a dull-looking stone, you'll bring excellence to your story.

Spell-check
Probably no single thing turns an editor off quicker than misspelled words. NEVER skip this word processor function. By highlighting culprits, then offering choices, it easily lets you correct every misspelled word. However, never blindly rely on it for accuracy -- keep your dictionary handy for anything that seems suspicious to you.

Changing two spaces to one
The number of spaces following a period can annoy an editor, too. The standard form for printed manuscripts is to leave two blank spaces after a period. But most online publications want writers to use one space after a period.

After your manuscript if written, go to your word processor's search and replace function. In the search or find section, put . In the replace field, type . Hit to search your document for two spaces and convert them to a single space.

When you're certain that your manuscript is perfect and ready to send off to a publisher who is eager to receive it, STOP! Always use these functions and you can be confident that you'll please the editor, improve your writing, and boost your sales.

Also, to improve your story, put the following words above the start of your story. Then use your Searh\Find function to find them. Write out as many of them as possible: "is" "was" "were" "have" "has" "had" "be" "being" "been".

For e-mail submissions
Transferring your story from Word to E-mail

Write your story in Word (or your word processor)
Use Times New Roman 12 font, or Courier 12 font
Single space lines
Don't indent paragraphs, but put two lines between paragraphs
Save the file in RICH TEXT format or in ASCII format
Don't close the file yet
Right mouse click and Select all, to highlight the entire story, and Copy
You now have a copy on your clipboard
Now, you can change the format you want it saved the file in a different format. Save file and close it.
Next, open a new message in your e-mail program. Place your cursor into the body of the message.
Right click and Paste

You've created a clean copy to send to the editor that will transmit without trailing = or spaces.

If you are querying the editor, you might wish to insert something, after the salutation, like the following and place it ahead your story. (Hit Enter a couple of times to create space.)

In the Subject line put: Offer: (Title of article)
In the body, begin with the publisher's address (publication title, department), a salutation, just like in regular mail. Then just say that you're offering, "title", an article about "blah, blah" for their (whatever department it's for, or magazine it's for)
Then Right click and Paste your manuscript
Follow by short, pertinent credentials, (ie: I've been published in xxxx, or website) and state whether clips are available
Close by saying. "Thank your for your time. I look forward to your reply."

Last, include your signature file (NOT A LENGTHY ONE).

Example:
Mona Leeson Vanek, Freelance Writer
mtscribbler@air-pipe.com
Ph: xxx xxx xxxx
Montana Scribbler, http://montanascribbler09.blogspot.com/

Author,"Behind These Mountains," vol. 1, 2 & 3. Twenty year newspaper correspondent and photo-journalist. Published in several media, including Mother Earth News, Writer's Digest, FreelanceSuccess.com, EMS Magazine, Montana Magazine, Trailer Life, and contributor to Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul(TM). Creator\Producer: 28 minute history docu-drama,"Aunt Lena, Cabinet National Forest's Unsung Heroine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End

Chapter 10 - Manuscript Preparation: http://tinyurl.com/3xvzuze

Next, Chapter 11 - Greeting Card Business: http://tinyurl.com/3xta55u

5-3 Model Release

2010-06-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

When a signed release is required to publish photographs taken of people you can be prepared. Here's an example of the release form I've carried with me, and used successfully when opportunities for photo-stories came my way. You can also buy release forms at office supplies stores.

MODEL RELEASE

In consideration for value received, I hereby authorize the photographer, __________________________________________, and or parties designated by the photographer (including clients, purchasers, agencies, and periodicals or other printed matter and their editors) to use photograph in conjunction with my name (or fictitious name) for sale to or reproduction in any medium the photographer or his designees see fit for purposes of advertising, display, audiovisual, exhibition, or editorial use.

I, ___________________________________________, affirm that I am more than (circle one) [18] [21] years of age.

Signature:______________________________________________

Date:______________________________

MINOR MODEL RELEASE

I, ____________________________, the legal parent or guardian of

________________________________, a minor, in consideration for value received, assign to

__________________________________ its customers and representatives, the exclusive right to copy and reproduce for the purpose of illustration, advertising, and publication in any manner whatsoever any photograph of said minor in its possession.

Signed:____________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________

Witness:___________________________________________

Date:________________________________

5-1 Essay Cover Letters

2010-06-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Vanek

When offering an essay to a newspaper or magazine editor, begin the cover letter (even in e-mail) with a paragraph or a combination of paragraphs from your essay. An example from a cover letter written by Julia Rosen, a well-known Canadian Freelance Writer, demonstrates her successful technique:

"So begins my essay, 'A Farewell to Begonias.' This (x-word) piece traces the history of my love affair with plants, tells how I came to be in possession of this particular example of horticulture mastery, and takes the reader on a journey from spring to fall of that fateful year, showing how my love of plants reflected my love of life."

Follow that with your background in essay writing. Paste your essay after your closing signare. If the editor isn't interested s/he'll know before diving into the whole essay. If s/he is, she'll read on. And you may have made a sale. If you have all the elements that ooze professionalism, the rest is hit and miss. What one editor loves, another will hate.

eHow,com offers a good article on writing essay cover letters, http://tinyurl.com/22vlf6n
How to Write a Cover Letter for an Essay Submission, by Contributor, Jennifer L. Potts.
End

Chapter 10 - Manuscript Preparation: http://tinyurl.com/3xvzuze

Next: 5-2, Expedient Word Processor Functions: http://tinyurl.com/2ao7faw

4-6 The 'Rights' You Market

2010-06-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

When you 'sell' rights to magazines, or book publishers, or online media, film, radio, tv, etc., you don't actually sell rights -- you license rights. That is, unless you do give up your copyright by selling it. Otherwise, you license rights.

You may want to license "First publication rights only", "Electronic publication rights for thirty days only", "Unlimited archival rights", "One-time print use only -- all rights reserved", or any other of the many intellectual rights you own to a manuscript. Learn all you can before you're offered a contract for "rights" you're marketing.

At Writing-World.com you'll find a wealth of helpful articles. To learn about 'rights' before you sell them, click on The Business of Writing link at top of the page: http://www.writing-world.com/ to get to, http://www.writing-world.com/rights/index.shtml where you should study until you're satisfied that you understand the business side of writing.
End

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

Next: Chapter 10 - Manuscript Preparation: http://tinyurl.com/3xvzuze

10-2 Selling Reprints + Finding Reprint Markets

2010-06-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Moira Allen is the editor of Writing-World.com, http://www.writing-world.com/ and the author of more than 300 published articles. You'll find good initial information about selling reprints at Moira Allen's site: http://www.writing-world.com/freelance/reprints.shtml. Her books on writing include Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer and The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals. (See use terms on her site.)

You'll can locate publications that buy reprints with an online search by typing the following, (complete with + and quotations marks), "publications" + "sell reprints".

Happy reselling!
END

Chapter 21 - Polish, Sell, and Enjoy Rewards!: http://tinyurl.com/38et5xn

Next: 10-3, Publishing and Book Manuscript Format: http://tinyurl.com/2dumo9g

4-3 Improving The Query Letter

2010-06-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

© 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

The following example is an actual critique between two professional writers.

QUERY LETTER WRITER sent the query letter she was planning to send to a magazine editor to her peer to be critiqued. HER PEER gave her opinion (critique) of what should be done to improve it -- before QUERY LETTER WRITER, sent it to the editor.

Study it and see how a query letter can be improved.

THE QUERY LETTER with (\\\\) inserted improvements suggested by PEER

Dear MAG. EDITOR,

I would like to propose a 700-word article that would include interesting facts about the carapace box turtle indigenous to the southeastern region of the United States.

\\\\Yawn! Sorry, fell asleep. :) Seriously, in the first place you say you would like to propose. Well, actually you ARE proposing. Find a hook. Maybe start with a quote. Something COMPELLING.

Hang on a sec. Okay, decided to read this through and then come back and do a line-by-line.

How about starting it with something like:

"Just as I know that the daffodils are going to poke through the frozen dirt after the last frost has gone, I know that Boomer is going to show up in my garden in the spring," retiree Bob Mitchell tells a fascinated eleven-year-old Jimmy Browne.

The story would center around a box turtle that was marked with a dot of nail polish years ago. This turtle returns yearly to the same house where a kind retired man feeds and waters him.

\\\\\ How about, "Boomer is a carapace box turtle that's been visiting 74-year-old Detroit native Bob Mitchell for the last nine years. Easily identifiable because of a spot of nail polish painted on his back, my 700-word story relates the relationship of this turtle and his companion-keeper. Intermingled in the story Bob tells Jimmy, important facts about how these indigenous reptiles survive the hard elements of a Michigan winter and live a long life are taught."

\\\\ (I made that up, but you get the idea. Make it positive and engaging, not passive.)

The story would go further into detail about the environment that has enabled this turtle to live a long life as well as other important facts relating to the carapace box turtle. I would write the article as if Bob, the turtle's sometimes caretaker, is visiting with and relating this story to my eleven-year-old son.

\\\\ See my comments above.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

\\\\ Wait a second. What about your past writing credits? Name the publications, and state your relationship with Bob and Jimmy. Explain how you did your research on the turtle. Are these facts or are these just things that Bob tells your son? You want to have provable resources. \\\\ Actually, you're trying to do a lot in 700 words. Are you sure it's possible to get all that in that space?

\\\\ Also, in the last line, make a positive statement consider this, "I look forward to working with you on this story for Boy's Life. You can reach me at (100) 333-2345 or by e-mail at xys@yaolw.com to discuss this assignment further."

Do you see how a query can be more than you envisioned in your first draft?

Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, and polish, tweak, and polish, before you send out a query to an editor.

You'll also find excellent advice here if you download BirdersWorld.com writers guidelines .pdf files and study them, http://tinyurl.com/2g3xbcc
End

Chapter 9 - Querying and Related Issues: http://tinyurl.com/349p8ej

Next: 4-4, The Internet - Your Road To Successful Writing and Marketing: http://tinyurl.com/29e5n5q

2-1 How To Be Your Editor's Favorite Freelancer

2010-06-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

There's no secret, really. It alls boils down to one precept: editors are people, too. People with jobs. And as a freelance writer, what you do is part of their job. Editors have bosses, deadlines and deliverables. An editor's boss does not care WHO is or is not delivering on time. The editor's boss will hold the editor personally responsible for any and all failures of production. Your's included.

To become an editor's favorite freelancer:

1. Turn in assignments early. One day is good; two is better. As it creeps closer to deadline, editors begin to wonder, how is my freelancer doing? I wonder if she conducted her interviews yet? Do you suppose she got all those people to return her calls? I wonder how long her story is?

By deadline day your editor is a nervous wreck unless he or she was wise enough to give you a false deadline. Put your editor out of his misery, turn the story in early.

2. Stay in touch.

When my staff reporter is doing a story, I can walk out to the newsroom floor anytime I want, grab him by the collar and bark, "Pieper, how's that story coming?" When I do that (this is my favorite part) he HAS to answer.

I like my freelancers to be proactive about communication. This is especially important when you are new to the editor, if you have ever let her down in the past, if the story is particularly long and complex, or if the deadline was longer than one production cycle. But editors are busy, too.

Personally, I hate freelancers who need me to spend lots of time telling them what great writers they are. All I want is a quick status. A brief email will do. Like this:

"Hi. Thanks for the assignment. This morning I called the school district and left a message for the superintendent to call me."
"Hi. Just wanted to let you know the school superintendent called me back. I got the interview. The story looks like it might be as long as 1500 words. Have a nice day."
"Hi. Had a great interview with the superintendent yesterday. He thinks I should interview the district CFO. I have an appointment later today."
"Hi. The CFO was full of useful information. He has a color chart. Would you like to use it for art?"
"Hi. I know this is early, but my story is all done. I will drop by later today with the chart. Have a nice day."

The editor has some idea of what he wants from this article.

3. Read the editor's mind.

Seriously. He may -- or he may not -- share that with you. If he does not, you can coax it out of him with a few questions:

What's my deadline
How long should the story be
Do you want art
Is there anyone in particular you want me to interview
Do you have any background on this that you'd like to share?

If he answers all that, you will have read his mind.

4. Don't deliver surprises.

Editors hate surprises. A good editor is, by definition, a control freak. Turn in the story you promised at approximately the length you promised by deadline or sooner. If something happens midway that will change the focus, scope, length or timing of the article, tell the editor as soon as possible and negotiate a new focus, length or deadline.

Last week one of my favorite freelancers called me 5 minutes before deadline to say she did not get the story. Had done nothing on it, in fact. No interviews, nothing. She knew, and I knew, and she knew I knew that she knew days ago that she was going to be late. Still, she waited until 5 minutes before deadline to tell me. So I had 5 minutes to find a 15 inch story to plug into the giant hole she left on my front page.

Hey, thanks Robyn! You know that series you were going to do on the VFW? Nevermind.

That's it. Four steps. Do them consistently, and --assuming you have also done your best on the article itself -- you can win a priority spot on any editor's rolodex.###

NOTE: All of the above applies only to ethical editors. Unscrupulous editors (and there are many) are low-lying snake in the grass rodents who deserve to be trampled.

My apologies to rodents everywhere ~~ KP
End
Chapter 4 - Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars http://tinyurl.com/2v6ej46

Next: 2-2, Tools for Writing Online: http://tinyurl.com/2bbstta

3-1 Copyright Infringement + Abstracts

2010-06-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

Copyright Infringement or Downright Plagiarism -- What You Should Do
(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Someone online is offering your work for sale without your permission. So what should you do about it, if anything?

Lee Farren, a freelance journalist makes her living by creating stories and photographs and selling them. She has this to say, "They are my intellectual property, and are protected by U.S. and international copyright law. When someone republishes my story without permission I am injured in two ways--first, I'm not paid for the use of my property and second, its value is decreased when I offer it to additional markets."

"My experience so far has been that reputable publishers do pay when they realize what happened. Businesses and nonprofits have taken the stories down when asked. Most of what I've encountered is ignorance--people with a good cause reproducing my stories because they are about people with the same good cause.

"The folks running the websites are amateurs when it comes to publication--I think they feel a small nagging doubt, but really don't know how copyright works. So I have taken it upon myself to educate them.

"I've been asked for permission a few times, and I've always granted it. I don't think it hurts me to have a story reprinted on a website for true believers--depending on what they believe in, of course. From commercial publications or websites, though, I want payment."

Lee also reported that after she'd contacted them, the Associated Press paid her double what she'd earned from the original publication of her work. She said, "I asked if I could write for them instead -- I mean, three stories, they must like my work."

Using http://www.msn.com/ (also http://www.dogpile.com/ and other search engines), search your name. Check relevant URLs. Contact the owner of the website. When contacted, a site owner must, by law, remove your material at your request.

Also, search a unique string of words from each story and check the returns. Copyright enforcement is part of your job as a freelancer.

Follow Lee's example. She says, "Many writers don't mind a link to the original story -- that's like lending your copy of the newspaper to a friend. And many sites at the publications archive the material after a week or a month so that it is only available to subscribers after that. However, I did find an entire story, complete with "Lee Farren, Freelance Writer" included in a post to a list ... I'll email them, too. I think it constitutes publication -- it was certainly public enough for me to find it!"

I'm unfamiliar with abstracts and royalties for abstracts, but while browsing the web, I also learned interesting things about my out-of-print Montana regional history books: one reports 4-8th grade reading level for Volume 1. US prices for used volumes are more than double the publishers initial 1986 and 1992 prices. And, international prices triple US prices for used volumes! Some old books age extremely well.
End

Chapter 5 - Copyrights, Previously Published Works,and Using Quotations: http://tinyurl.com/38t4xpd

Next: 3-3, Critiquing How-To: http://tinyurl.com/29p5usy

3-6 Words to Pages + Book Lengths

2010-06-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

The boundaries of word count to published story or book fluctuate. Every writer can cite examples that violate the following word ranges. However, below are the word counts a writing group member recently came up with, derived from the number of times the question about story and book lengths was asked by writers, from various articles and conferences, discussions with agents, agent blogs, and those self-help books that all writer's love.

In general:
Flash Fiction, 1 - 500 words
Short Shorts, 501 - 2,000 words
Short Story, 2001 - 20,000 words
Novella, 20,001 - 50,000 words
Novel, 50,000 - 150,000 words (For first-time novelist, best to be 60,000 -90,0000.)
Big novel - over 100,000 words (a significant investment by the publisher)
Epic Novel - 150K+ (Think "Lord of the Rings", "Gone With The Wind", etc.)

Manuscript page count is relatively unimportant, since it is word count that seems to drive the whole process. If you're using courier new font, divide each of the above by 250 to get the number of double-spaced pages you would submit. Actual publication pages will vary depending upon how the book is typeset.

Words to pages = book size
Each publisher usually has a formula for determining the number of words per manuscript page and how that translates into words per printed page for that particular publisher's template(s), but a given formula won't necessarily be accurate in relation to books published by a different publisher.

One set of writer's guidelines I received from a publisher gave the following approximations of how many words = how many pages:

30,000 words = 107 typed pages, 104 printed pages
40,000 words = 142 typed pages, 139 printed pages
50,000 words = 178 typed pages, 174 printed pages
60,000 words = 213 typed pages, 208 printed pages
70,000 words = 248 typed pages, 243 printed pages

The variation from publisher to publisher, and even from book to book within the same publishing house, depends on several factors:

Book format (the same exact book in hardback and paperback rarely have the same number of pages.)
Book dimensions (an "oversized" paperback or "softcover" can get more words on a page, given the same font size, than a "pocket book" or standard paperback-font size. Publishers also use a smaller font size as the page count for a popular book increases.
Text formatting. Bullet lists and tables use fewer words than continuous paragraphs of text. Also, whether there are photos, drawings, etc., inline in the text.

Title page, dedication page (optional), preface, contents, acknowledgments, and section title pages (optional) count as part of manuscript length.

None of the above figures should be taken as hard and fast rules, but rather as rough guides.
End

Advice FromThe Pros: http://writerinsidertips.blogspot.com/

Chapter 8 - Newsgroups, Forums and Reference Desks: http://tinyurl.com/36guoob

Next: 3-7, Let Writing Careers and Writers and Artists Glossary Terms Enhance Your Vocabulary:
http://tinyurl.com/24xpowt

3-3 Critiquing How-To

2010-06-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Critiquing is to meant to help us learn more about what works, and what doesn't work in writing.

It's not always easy - but, with a bit of care you can critique writing.

Basically, critiquing involves the following:

Paying attention to what you like do and what you don't like about the writing -- not about the topic or the style of writing.
Are you bored?
Interested?
Does the writing flow smoothly, or does the reader stumble?
If it was hard to read, why?
Were the sentences poorly constructed?
Was the plot unclear?
What might have worked better?
If you didn't like something, identify clearly what you didn't like. Write notes to prompt your comments.

Remember to critique the story, not the author or the topic.
Examples:

Sometimes I simply note how many times a particular word is used -- such as "I" "would" "had", etc.
Pay attention to tense shifts, ("were" and "is" are different tenses)
Discern the "theme focus statement" because it tells me what the story is about. I like it to appear fairly soon, so I'm not left to wonder what the point of the article or story is.
In fiction, I'll watch for clues, hints of what's to come, and I love twist endings!
Phrasing your points.

If you make a point gently - the author is more likely to listen. Try to be diplomatic. (On the other hand, don't be so gentle you fail to make your point.)

Remember to mention the story's good points.
State your impressions.

If several critiques make a point, the more seriously the author should take it.

The key to being a good critic is to be an intelligent reader. The advantage of critiquing (beyond returning the favor to the people you hope will critique your own stories) is to help us learn more about what works, and what doesn't work, in writing.

Never take the attitude "How dare you say that about my work?" Critiques are meant to improve writing -- not to criticize the author.

Receiving critiques is hard - it's not fun to have people point out problems in our carefully crafted work. Expect that sometimes people miss the point, and that not everyone likes everything. However, if more than one reader (or listener) misses the point, there's a strong likelihood that the point isn't well made. And if several people don't like the work, think carefully about the content and about where your readership will be. Think "market potential"

How you deal with critiques is your business - you can ignore them, or take them seriously. Don't argue over points; arguing has the potential to create hurt feelings. If you attack a critique, you discourage people from critiquing again. Remember that this person is spending valuable time trying to help you with your writing.

It is not productive to try to justify your work or to explain it. Your story must stand on its own once you offer it.
If something needs to be clarified, then change the story to make it clearer.
Remember, you won't get the opportunity to explain the story once you mail it to an editor, or after it's been published.

If you do have questions about a critique, if you'd like more information, then feel free to ask. Your intent should be to explore this point further, not to challenge it. Discuss the fine points of someone's advice in detail ONLY if you feel the subject matter is relevant to writing in general.

If you choose to ignore a critique, you do so at your own risk. Maybe the critique was wrong; maybe not. The critique may be off target, but still show some deficiency in the story.

Examples of crits that are helpful to writers
Suggesting places to tweak or strengthen a story\article:

Overall, this is an interesting piece with a great deal of potential but I think the quotes are overabundant and they overwhelm the details. (Suggestions of places for improvement should be included.)
This is beautiful, but I think you need to tweak it more. I hear what you want me to hear, but it isn't coming across clearly. My perception is that you want me to see [xxx] but in some ways you [xxx] (be specific -- refer to your notation.)

Pointing out things readers might also want to know:

This is really a good idea and very informative. Why not add some personal anecdotes to go along with each point? (Give anecdote example, or tell where quotes can be obtained that will be pertinent to the article.)
I love the gentle way you go back and forth between [x person] and [xx person]. My only suggestion is this -- as I read your piece I wondered a bit about [xxx]. Maybe you could gently give the reader a bit more details in this area.

First reaction crits:

As soon as I read the title of this piece, my first impulse was [xxx].
Something's wrong (state where -- here's where your notes will help you pinpoint the place for the author to rework.) 1. It doesn't read smoothly; 2. I just couldn't figure out [xxx].

Market suggestion crits:

This article would work well as a [xxx]. But to be a [xxx] I think it needs to be a little [xxx] with more [xxx].
This reads well and fits with what I see in [xxx] magazines and books on [xxx] topic.

Beginnings and endings:

I'm not a fan of sentences ending in: "of" or "from". I would rearrange them. (This sort of crit is sometimes applicable to sentence beginnings: "but" "however", [xxx].)

Grammar and other errors:

This was out of my area of understanding, but I didn't notice any errors in grammar. It read smoothly and seemed fine -- Or I heard [xxx -- a specific error -- see your notes] and that didn't sound right to me.
[xxx] sentence is way too long and needs to be broken up.

A really tough comment to make -- but a very helpful one for the writer to know (often applicable to romance writing or personal essays):

Something is missing here, some vital key, and it may be something too private for you to put down on paper. As a reader, I do want to know more about the narrator and those parts of her life that do not directly concern the other person involved, but shape the narrators interaction with that person. (or -- I would like to know a lot more about the narrator and [xxx].)

There are many critiquing services and groups online. The best interactive critiquing is enjoyed by members of Internet Writing Workshop, http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/index.shtml.

Search, howto critique at, http://www.dogpile.com/ and http://www.msn.com/.

Be as kind to other writers.
End

Chapter, 2: Careers and Marketing, >http://tinyurl.com/332rlsw

Next: 3-4, Interviewing to Write Profiles: >http://tinyurl.com/35ecn6p

2-2 Tools for Writing Online

2010-06-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

*NOTE: The following material is for educational use only and may not be used for any other purpose and may not be published in any format due to the nature of releases I've secured from website owners.

(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Writer's Toolbox: 35 Best Tools For Writing Online, by Paul Glazowski, was published on MASHABLE.com on December 13, 2008 http://mashable.com/2008/12/13/writers-toolbox/. Nicely organized, Glazowski's list of resources provides links to many tools, some of which are free. You'll find WordProcessing, Blogging, Microblogging, Jotting Ideas, Social Networking, Jobs and Employment Resources, Book Fairs/Shows, iPhone Apps, and under Other Resources, much more helpful information.
End

Advice FromThe Pros: http://writerinsidertips.blogspot.com/

Chapter 4 - Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars http://tinyurl.com/2v6ej46

Next: 2-3, Make Tiny URLs: http://tinyurl.com/27xvwfy

3-2 Publishing Letters

2010-06-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

US Copyrights spell out the laws governing letters, old and recent in, http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf *(See Chapter 5.)

For instance, WWII letters would fall under "Works Originally Created Before January 1, 1978, But Not Published or Registered by That Date." (see pg. 5 and 6 of the pdf). The actual legal text can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/25rj37p. Legally, these letters are copyrighted for 70 years after the author's death, so you would have to get permission from the letter writer (or more likely, the letter writer's heirs--if they can be found.)
End

Chapter 5 - Copyrights, Previously Published Works,and Using Quotations: http://tinyurl.com/38t4xpd

Next: 3-3, Critiquing How-To: >http://tinyurl.com/3ywx8xm

2-3 Making Tiny URLs

2010-06-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

First, open your Internet browser and go to http://tinyurl.com/. Add it to your Favorites.

Then, when you need to convert a long webpage address into a shortened URL, put your mouse on the line at the top of your screen (the http: of the webpage on your screen.)

Right click to highlight the URL.
Select Copy to put a copy of the URL on your (invisible) clipboard.
Go to Favorites and open Tiny URL. (http://tinyurl.com/.)

On TinyURL.com, paste a copy of the long webpage address into the box.

Click on "Make tinyURL." (If your browser asks permission to access the site, allow it.)

You'll get the new shortened URL link that you can Copy and Paste that URL into the message where you want to share it with someone, but don't use punctuation marks or it won't work.
End

Advice FromThe Pros: http://writerinsidertips.blogspot.com/

Chapter 4, Writers Guidelines and Magazine Calendars (under construction)

Advice FromThe Pros: >http://writerinsidertips.blogspot.com/

Next: 2-4, Electronic Publishing:

1-10 Write What You Know? Ha!, by Bob Freiday

2010-05-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

You won't go wrong by subscribing to WritersWeekly (http://www.writersweekly.com/) and you'll get great articles like the one in this handout.

Disclaimer: A requirement to reprint the article below from WritersWeekly is "reprinted in it's entirety" as it appeared on that site. This handout is not intended to be a plug for Bob Freiday's book. The choice of whether to have it in your bookcase is yours to make. YOU are the judge, and YOU decide whether to accept offers for products or instructions, FREE or FOR A PRICE, that you encounter on any web-resource you find through use of this course material.

Write What You Know?! Ha!
By Bob Freiday

Excerpted from 10 Golden Rules of Freelance Writing and How I Broke Them - available in paperback and ebook formats.

This article may be freely reprinted/redistributed as long as the entire article and bio are included.

Write what I know? Yeah, sure! I'm going to write about running a high-speed slitter in a plastics factory? I'm going to write about operating a gigantic vacuum metallizer? I'm going to write about blowing up three cars in two years while running around the state as a rock-n-roll advertising salesman? I'm going to write about baking bagels in a small bakery?

I'll tell you this much-- I sure didn't know much about Credit and Collections before writing over 40 articles about that. I sure didn't know much about Corporate and Industrial Security before writing around 50 stories about that. I sure didn't know much about Warehousing, Logistics, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), Robotics, Just-In-Time (JIT) Distribution and JIT Manufacturing and things of that nature before publishing probably another hundred stories about those topics, as well.

I mean-- really! What kind of stupid writing rule is that? "Write What You Know." Give me a break! You write what editors want, and you write about what you want to learn about!

I often read something fascinating in the paper, or see it on the news, or read about it in a trade publication-- then pursue an article about it so I can interview the experts, learn about the topic more deeply, and then write a fascinating article. Thats half the pleasure to be gained by being a freelance writer: the non-stop, ongoing education you get on a gazillion different topics. I don't think I've ever written an article wherein I didn't learn something new. That's the fun of it! Writers know a little bit about a lot of different topics, wherein the average professional knows a lot about a single topic, or two or three.

Don't write about what you know-- write about what you want to learn more about. That's what real writers do. They don't write about picking daisies in their back yard, or weeding their gardens. Really. They write about fascinating topics they want to learn about-- and usually with the assignment already in the bag.

Writers write about all kinds of things. Yes-- some writers do write only about what they know, but their opportunities for getting published are rather limited, as are their incomes, I would bet.

But, as a general rule, don't ever believe you must "write about what you know" in order to make a living as a writer.

Contrarily, 90% or more of my 500+ articles were written about subjects I knew little or nothing about before digging in and researching, interviewing, then writing the articles. [I should also note that (Phew! Please!!) few, if any, of my 200 or so published erotic stories had anything whatsoever to do with my personal experiences!]

Yes-- doctors write papers on medical topics. Lawyers write essays about law. But professional writers-- those who aspire to make their livings at it-- write about whatever it is that the market (or the editor) is hungry for. What does the editor want? That's what I'm going to write about. Right? Make sense?

"Write what you know." I genuinely cringe when I hear that crazy rule. It's so untrue. I had an editor call me up one day. "Bob-- I just read about this fantastic robot they built and are testing at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals, down in Research Triangle Park (NC). It sounds fascinating, and I'd like you to look into it and interview the guy who designed it and the guy who's running the project. I have their names and phone numbers for you, but I haven't contacted them and they have no idea you'll be calling. Let's make it a Close-Up," he said to me, meaning it would be a $550 story.

Take a guess: Did I say, "Sorry, Buddy. I don't know anything about robots or robotics. I guess you'll have to give the assignment to somebody else?"

Good guess. That would be just plain stupid. Again-- I knew absolutely nothing about robots or robotics. Zilch! But my editor knew I was a smart guy and a good interviewer and a darned-good writer. So he called me up and gave me the assignment, obviously not caring very much about whether or not I knew anything about robotics.

You write about what editors would like you to write about. You write about what you know will help you crack a specific market. You write about what you think might enhance your resume. You write about subjects that interest you, because you look forward to doing the research, interviewing experts or big shots in that particular field, and learning more about the topic.

As far as being intimidated about writing articles on subjects you know nothing about-- forget about it! Never be intimidated. You can learn from simple research at your local library (and now so easily online), and you especially can learn from your interviewees. Yes, you've got to do enough research on the topic to be able to come up with a list of intelligent questions to ask the interviewees, but that's about it. Most of your knowledge on a subject will come from interviewing experts-- or at least that's been the case with me. You get a general, overall knowledge from your research, but a more in-depth, detailed knowledge and understanding (not to mention a better context) from your interviews with the experts.

I was amazed, when I first began working with high-level people at relatively large companies around the country, at how eager many of them were to help me learn more about their particular industry. People solidly entrenched in a specific industry or business or discipline are often very gung-ho about it, and eager to explain it or teach it to "newbies."

The flip side to that is that, once you've published one or two or three articles about a specific topic-- run with it! Become "the expert" that all the editors will want to turn to when an opportunity for a story on that topic pops up.

Over a period of years and hundreds of articles, I somehow found myself an "expert" in many, many different topics, simply because I'd researched them, interviewed the real experts, and written quite a few articles about those topics.

You learn by osmosis. Surround yourself in corporate and industrial and computer security stories and research and experts and interviews long enough-- and POOF! You're suddenly the expert. It happens without you ever realizing it's happening.

"Write what you know" is a useless, deceiving rule. The more it's promulgated, the more damage it does to the self-confidence of aspiring writers. So let's kill this rule once and for all!

Bob Freiday has been a business journalist and writer for more than 15 years and has published over 750 articles in more than 50 publications. He was a Contributing Editor at Inbound Logistics Magazine (Thomas Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.) and a Field Editor for Prentice-Hall's Bureau of Business Practice and Simon & Schuster's Business & Professional Publishing division. He also is past Executive Editor of the Velvet Specials and The Best of Velvet (Eton-Vanity Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.). Originally from New Jersey, he now resides and works out of Ft. Myers, FL.
Bob's ~~new~~ book, 10 Golden Rules of Freelance Writing and How I Broke Them is available in paperback and ebook formats at the link above
End

Bob Freiday died in 2004 and the link to a free aptitude test on writing children's stories for testing yourself was lost to me. However, I found a test offered online, but I can't say that it won't obligate you. Try it at your own risk: http://www.breakintoprint.com/T5964/aptitude_test.htm.

I found it also at the Longridge Writers Group site, http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/aptitude_test.htm.

Apparently the aptitude test was about writing for children. If that is your interest, run online searches and you may find one.
###

Next: 1-11, Other Uses For "Mailbox" Information: http://tinyurl.com/3akkb4w

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-9 Treasure Hunting For Markets

2010-05-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Object: Analyzing Markets: Becoming Super Familiar With a Magazine's Format and Style.

Use this form to help you build your marketing base. Print out copies and use them as you study magazines. Type a copy of a story into your word processor from a magazine that you want to sell to (or paste one from online source.)

Run a word count on it.
Count the number of lines.
Count the number of paragraphs.
Run grammar check and see what grade level it's written in.
How many two or three syllable words are used?

Try to make your own article the exact size and format.

Vary sentence lengths just like the magazine does.
Vary paragraph lengths just like the magazine does.
Discover the 'pattern' the editor likes!
Make your article fit that pattern as exactly as you can.

In other words, blueprint the layout of yours to match theirs.

FIND:
1. The pattern used. Viewpoint person:

"I" or "we" = 1st
"You" = 2nd
"He," "she," "they" = 3rd

2. Kind of lead:

Anecdote (A)
Quote (Q)
Provocative Statement (PS)
Question (QU)
Summation (S)
Straight Declarative Summation (SDS)
Statistical (ST)

3. Find and identify the theme focus statement: It states the THEME the article intends to prove. It's generally located immediately after the lead.

4. Count the number of Anecdotes and Quotes. List them:

5. Who are the "authorities? What kinds of quotes are used? Note how many, also. List them:

General (G)
Specific (S)

6. Count the negative phrases, How many include don't, none, not, or similar words or thoughts?

7. Find and list "Information" and "Exposition." Put down the ratio: "I"/ "E"

"I" = information (where to, costs, etc).
"E" = explanation (paragraphs such as background and explanation.

Count them and compare the total number of paragraphs in the article to get an idea of how much I/E the magazine prefers.

8. Rank the magazines "jargon" = Formal (F); Informal (I); Flamboyant (FL)

9. Rate sentence structure - # of LIC and # of BC:

Long, packed with Information, Complex in terms of ratios per article (LIC)
Brief and Conversational (BC)
Number the ration (ie: 20LIC/50B

10. Define the ending:

Recap (R) Recap can be thought of as TMI, an acronym for Techniques of Military Instruction. Essentially it means "Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em."
Full Circle (FC) Full circle- relates with a sentence back to the beginning sentence.
Progression (P). Progression explains everything, every term, every procedure, fully, clearly, offering frequent examples and using words of progression; i.e.: "first", "second", "now", "next", "finally" to stitch the parts together.

11. Rank the magazine by ratios of the number of:

How-To (HT)
Inspirational (I)
Expose (E)
or ( ) any other acronym that defines kinds of feature articles major emphasis and number of magazine articles and stories used.
(Humor, is a good example of "kinds of emphasis".)
Don't skip regular feature columns, fiction and poetry.
List the number of cartoons, too.

12. Count the advertisements: How many?

List the major companies that advertise:

Analyze what audience they're after:

Age (A)
Income (I)
Education level (E)
Marital status (M)
Occupations (O)

Target your idea to their interests.

13. NAME the editor.

Define his/her style - using the criteria from the above "treasure hunt" guess:

age
marital status
income, $
educational level
personality traits

Form a mental picture of the editor. Get "friendly" with it and "comfortable" with keeping in touch with THIS SPECIFIC PERSON.

14. MAGAZINE NAME by **** (That stands for "Four Star" Magazine:

**** 4.

*** 3.

** 2.

* 1.

Rank your magazines as you complete reviewing and studying them, filling in a slip like this for each, until you know each market you INTEND to make friends with the editor of!!

!! EDITORS LOVE WRITER FRIENDS!!

TIP: When you're ready to search for markets, give duotrope' digest a try: http://www.duotrope.com/
End

Chapter 2 - Careers and Marketing, http://tinyurl.com/286848e

Next, 1-10 Write What You Know? Ha!, by Bob Freiday: http://tinyurl.com/2gxetrx

1-8 Let One Idea = Endless Writing

2010-05-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 by Mona Vanek

Writers who successfully grow their business begin by mastering essential steps. This series of Insider Tips will show you proven steps to success.

Say you've just seen, learned or experienced something for the first time. Wow! You want to write about it! You're going to make money! But wait -- if you want your writing to pay off big for you, there are steps to follow before you sit down and write.

Your "point of view" turns your material into many stories. The best brief discussion of POV can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_view_(literature).

Most topics have too much potential for one market. You need to "topic spoke" your experience or idea into twenty or so topic ideas. How many ways can you think of to slant your idea? Some writers call this exercise brainstorming or mind mapping.

Using a a large sheet of paper (or legal-size tablet) for this step. Write the idea in the center and circle it.

Then, like a wagon wheel, draw a few lines out from the circle around your first idea.
At the ends of each "spoke" write something about the central topic.

Circle each of those ideas. Then pick one circle and draw lines out from it.
At the ends of those lines, write all the ideas that comes to mind when you think of what was in the circle you spoked from.

Keep going until you're drained of ideas. Force as many different articles ideas out of it as possible. Apply how-to, why, what, when, and where possibilities.

For example, a story on road killed deer could be topic spoked to the following separate idea-circles:

A general piece on animals in the road
How insurance companies rank road-kills
Which states have the highest deer road-kill rates
How to safely avoid hitting an animal in the road
Why animals jump in front of vehicles
Is the auto industry doing anything to prevent this phenomenon? (ie: different head lights, sound-emitting devices, reflectors, etc.?)

Using other slants, you might write about:

How to handle hitting an animal when your kids are in the car
How to explain a road-killed pet to a child.

Think parenting publications
General magazines
Men's magazines
Children's magazines
Religious magazines
Handouts

Near each spoke, jot down as many different TYPES of magazines as you can.

Think of your topic from many points of view. By each idea, make notations of potential market categories for them. (Check categories in Writers Markets.)

Rearch and read everything you can find on your topics. Set up file folders for each one and put every scrap of information you find into the folders. Then, don't limit yourself. Keep your topic spoked idea files growing. Nothing you learn will be wasted.

You'll use and reuse your research as you spoke out different articles from each research project you pursue, and find yourself writing endlessly.

Check into the Java application, Free Mind (a free software download) which allows you to make mind maps very easily: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.

For more options,scroll to the the Alternatives Link to get here: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page#Alternatives_to_using_FreeMind.

Now you're equipped to let ideas lead to endless writing.

End

Next, 1-9 Treasure Hunting For Markets: http://tinyurl.com/23dqt4b

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-3 Let Toggle = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

It's bound to happen sooner or later -- an editor requires the URLs and contacts of sites you visited while researching an article for an assignment. You panic, and rummage through an untidy pile of papers, frantically scrabbling to find sloppy notations. Naive writers rely on re-visiting a web page. There are many reasons why you can have difficulty accessing a web page again.

You can avoid that pitfall, and become more productive by mastering a few steps that help you work smart: Toggle, Save, File Methodically, and Quickly retrieve Misplaced Data.

The following instructions are for computer-based e-mail. They explain how to use your computer-based e-mail program to improve your writing efficiency.

Computer-based e-mail lets you:

Minimize research time
Maximize writing time
Store project-related information and documents
Retrieve misplaced data.

It's similar to using word processing software, but with added capabilities accessible within the computer-based e-mail program. It allows you to e-mail what you've written, create filing "cabinets" with folders, each individually alphabetically arranged and indexed, and transfer material into files. A touchpad tap or a mouse click instantly sorts file contents by name, date, subject, etc. Plus, a good computer-based e-mail program includes a powerful search engine that will locate misplaced or related data within seconds!

All you need do is toggle between your Internet Browser and your E-mail program, clip and save, and then file methodically.

Begin first with mastering how to "toggle" between programs. (*Also explained in Insider tip Multi-task, Week 1-2.)

Open your e-mail software program. Notice how that puts an Icon into the taskbar. Taskbar-icons let you switch between programs without closing them.

Create a new e-mail message -- referred to here as "file-message"

Move your pointer to the "-" sign in the top right hand corner of the e-mail program
Click it. That sends the e-mail program to the taskbar

Open your Internet browser. Its icon also appears in the taskbar when the browser is open on the screen.

Move your pointer to the e-mail icon in the task bar.
Click it. That returns the e-mail program to the screen, on top of the Browser.

Icons will also be in the taskbar if you click the "_" sign in the top right corner of open programs.

Practice moving from one program to the other and back again by clicking their icons in the taskbar.

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

Next: 1-4 Let Clip and Save = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/2dlte72

1-4 Let Clip and Save = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T19:03:00.000-07:00

(c) Mona Leeson Vanek

This is not advice about software programs used to organize big writing projects such as novels. To learn about what's used for big writing projects, like novels, many writers rely on software programs. Explore them here, http://www.literatureandlatte.com/links.html. Read more about each program by checking them out at http://www.wikipedia.org./

However, for articles and such, you can easily minimize Internet research time and maximize writing time. All you need do is toggle between programs, clip and save, file methodically, and quickly retrieve data as needed. Here's how to Clip & Save your research.

Copy material on the Internet and paste it into your file-message.

Copy and Paste are actions done when you Right mouse button, and select from the drop down list by moving your pointer to the one you want and clicking the Left button.

1.) Start your e-mail program and send it to the taskbar by clicking your mouse on the "-" sign at the top right hand corner of your screen. Open your Internet browser program. To move back and forth between these two programs as you copy and save research material.

Toggle will mean to click on the e-mail icon in your task bar.
Until you close your e-mail program, Toggle will return you to the open message you left.

2.) With your Internet browser open (on top), Toggle e-mail.

Press "ctrl n" to create a file-message. Later, it will become a mailbox folder.
Type your research project name into the To: line. This identifies the project.
Use the Subject: line to elaborate on message contents.

3.) Toggle. The "http" line at the top of your browser screen is the URL (what got you to this web page, either because you typed it there, or you clicked on it's link somewhere.)

Click mouse pointer on URL to highlight it.
Right click (opens the drop-down list.
Click "Copy." This places an invisible copy on your Clipboard, ready to be pasted wherever you want it.

4.) To save what you just copied

Toggle the e-mail icon
Right click mouse pointer inside the new message, and then click "Paste" from the drop down list. Anything you copy can be pasted where you want to save it.

Every time you insert material into your file-message, press "ctrl s" to save all that you've collected, in case the power goes off unexpectedly shutting the computer down, or some other computer crash happens. (When you close your e-mail file-message it goes into your OUT mailbox (or Draft, or whichever folder (mailbox), depending on your e-mail program, where it remains, ready to be reopened and added to. If using your word processor, save the named document after each insertion.)

5.) Toggle, and on the web page, look for the Site Map.

Not all web pages will have a site map, but it's very useful. It's often a link on the Home page, usually either near the top of the page or near the bottom. If you don't see it, try pressing ctrl f to open your computer's Find function, where you type 'Site Map.' Also, ctrl End will quickly get you to the bottom of the page, where you may find who owns the site.

6.) Locate the web page owner's name, and highlight (by holding down left mouse key while scrolling) and Right click. Choose "copy". Finding the owner often takes persistent searching, and not all sites list the owner. Sometimes it's a corporation. Check also in "About Us" and "Contact Us" (where you might also find the president or CEO's name), or in the Copyright information, which is also usually at the page bottom.

7.) Toggle, and in file-message, Right click and "paste" the owner's name.

8.) Toggle, and find out how to contact the web page owner. Save the contact information in your e-mail message. Include an e-mail address and a phone number (if available) in case you need to get in touch at some later date. Even if you aren't sure you have the right e-mail address, someone will generally reply to your e-mail.

Some editors only require citing your source URL, however many editors expect you to obtain permission to cite material from a web site.

If there's a contact's link, often the address will be automatically inserted into a new message in your e-mail program. Copy and save it. Other times, an on-line reply form will open. Save a copy of the web page URL in your file-message in case you want to use that form later.

When you send a message via an on-line form, it disappears, so when you contact a web site owner using the online form, before sending (or submitting) ALWAYS create a copy of the message you type ("ctrl a" inside of the online message box to highlight all, and then "ctrl c" to copy.) Paste ("ctrl v") your copy into your file-message.)

9.) As you explore the links on the web page and highlight, copy and save the snippets you'll use later when you flesh out your article or story, remember to also save the URL from every new page you gather data from.

Also check for a "last updated" note. Many pages were last updated years ago, and few say when, but if you find a recent update note it's a much more valuable resource. More and more editors will accept only recently published online citations.

When finished, the important information you need to cite your facts will be readily available when needed -- in the e-mail folder (mailbox) you create to store them.

10.) Close the file-message. It's now ready to Transfer.

11.) If you haven't attempted to create new mailboxes, the process is similar to saving word document files, and your e-mail program Help file will walk you through it. (*See Step 3.)

While you're searching online, you may find information for a different article. Save it into a new e-mail message message.

CONTROL KEY FUNCTIONS:
In many software programs, keyboarding is supported. In other words, when you press a combination of the control (ctrl) key simultaneously with another key a function is available:

Ctrl while rolling your mouse over a line (or picture) highlights it.
ctrl c = COPY, whatever is highlighted
ctrl v = PASTE, whatever you have copied.
ctrl f = SEARCH, opens a box with a line where you type the number, symbol, letter, word or words you want to find quickly.
ctrl a = HIGHLIGHTS, the entire open file. Highlighted material can then be copied, deleted or moved to somewhere else within the document.

If you accidentally delete something (and you will!) ctrl v should paste it back! IF ctrl v does not, then use ctrl z.

ctrl z = UNDO, last typing (ie: like if you've deleted something and decide you want it back, pressing ctrl z will return it to wherever it was.)
ctrl o = OPENS, Offers you a box showing all the files in your computer from which you can choose the one you want to open.)
ctrl p = PRINT, the file (message) that is currently open.
ctrl s = SAVES, the current message, and keeps it open so you can continue typing into it.
ctrl w = CLOSE, messages, mailboxes, documents, and some programs, such as Internet Explorer, etc.
ctrl e = SEND, messages. (Send is immediate IF you are connected on-line, otherwise you'll get a 'can't send' message.)
ctrl d = DUMP, messages into your trash mailbox.
ctrl l = OPEN ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl k = COPY, highlighted message sender's ADDRESS INTO ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl 6 = will start a spell-check on words in the open message. (you chose what you want to do about them and cancel out of the spell-checker at anytime.)
ctrl works with home and end keys, too. They are useful ways to speed moving around in the open file and can save you lots of time.
ctrl tab = toggle between open pages.
ctrl p = print and save this so you can refer to it anytime!
ctrl q = QUITS, a program (exits the program and the message will be gone, gone, gone, as in erased and gone forever! It's as final as putting your mouse pointer on the little "x" in the top corner to EXIT.

DO NOT QUIT or EXIT documents you've written without first using ctrl s to save, or ctrl w to close and save the current message you're typing, or ctrl e to send it.

Next: 1-5 Let Filing Methodically = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/2dtx7cp

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-5 Let Filing Methodically = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T19:01:00.001-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Create "filing cabinets" and folders
Consult your e-mail "help" for instructions on creating mailboxes.

I'll share with you how my program creates mailboxes, but you'll need to consult your software help files to learn how yours works.

I Toggle the e-mail icon to bring the open file-message to the screen.

Naming my project
I type the research project name into the message To: line. This identifies the project.
I use the message Subject: line to elaborate on message content.

Since many folders can be needed, I use the Transfer option in my e-mail to Create a Folder (mailbox) by first putting my pointer on Transfer

Left mouse button opens a drop down list.
Choose New
Type the name
Check Make Folder so it becomes a mailbox folder, which allows a nested mailbox to contain messages.

Check OK

Next, I type a name in the new box that opens (which creates a nested folder.)

Check OK again

The open message-file transfers into it. The name in the message Too: line identifies it from other message-files I later store there also.

I'm subject-specific when labeling my filing system. For example, my mailbox, AAINHOLDING (a folder) in which I created another folder, CURRENT RESEARCH, and in that, many sub-folders such as, Iron Sculpture, Medical Mishaps, Publishing Scams, Ideas 2010, Digital cameras.

This process, referred to as "nesting folders", should be limited; don't nest folders more than two or three deep. Note my use of capital letters for folders and lower case for files. I use the TO: line of each message in the files to identify the file-message contents. Some files contain many file-messages while other files have only one. ie: AAINHOLDING\CURRENT RESEARCH\Ideas 2010 (a file) contains Sister Things, ER-Code Yellow, Rejections Are Good, etc.

It's great to have many Mailboxes, each storing ideas waiting to be developed. Think of your Mailboxes and labels as your file cabinet, or library.

Transfer each file-message into the "mailbox" you prepared for filing. Later you can transfer or copy the messages to your word processor with the hyperlinks intact.

You'll devise your own particular way of naming folders and files in both your e-mail program and your word processor program. Don't panic if you think you've made a mistake. Changing a file or folder name is easy.

Consult your e-mail software program help file to learn how to display a complete list of the mailboxes you've created.

You can rename by Right clicking the folder or file you want to change, then select Rename, and type the new name.

**** Be careful! DO NOT accidently click Delete.

Delete in e-mail programs is not reversible!
The folder does not go to your Recycle Bin.
Delete destroys the file!

Re-opening a stored draft (unsent message) brings the file-message onto the screen, ready to be added to if needed.

Increase your efficieny:

Master nested mailboxes, folders, filing and indexing the contents your projects.
Copy and paste directly from a "file-message" when you want to use the material in a manuscript you're composing.
Highlight the message contents and copy and paste them into a word document for a duplicate.

Next: Insider tip: 1-6 Let Retrieving Misplaced Data = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/23oth76

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-6 Let Retrieving Misplaced Data = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Retrieving forgotten file names
Take the time to learn the search functions in your computer because Search functions save hours of frustration, and allow you to retrieve misplaced and related pertinent information quickly.

You will never regret the time spent learning, and by doing so you will increase your efficiency and output considerably.

Operating system search option locates keywords in word documents, and e-mail software search option sifts through e-mail files lightening fast. Each returns a list of files containing the precise word or words you enter into the Search.

Most searches will operate in the background while you continue writing, if you're pressed for time.

Because operating systems vary widely, and so do e-mail software programs, you will need to read your program's help files to learn how to use your search functions.

About software programs essential to writers
Internet browser: A software program enabling users to navigate the Internet.

Web-based e-mail: e-mail messages are stored in equipment owned by an Internet service provider, but is not stored in your computer unless you copy it into a file in your computer.

E-mail software program: Let's you download your e-mail messages from equipment owned by an Internet service provider, into a file folder in your computer, and you choose to either save or delete messages from your computer.

Alternative methods for web-based e-mail:

Save material as a draft message, which makes it is easy to access anywhere on any computer, and backup as both word documents and messages to minimize any loss due to both online-site and computer failure.
When doing research, open two web based email accounts, e.g. one Hotmail and one in another, such as a Gmail or Qmail account. Send the mail to both email accounts (e.g. you have the Hotmail open and send it to yourself, and put your other account address in the CC line). It is very unlikely with this double system that you will ever lose data. To be extra safe, use three instead of two accounts. Some people won't like it because you give away part of the control, and some people will use three accounts to be extra safe.
Word processor documents work just as well as a computer-based e-mail file-message.
See http://www.carbonite.com/ for another option.
It's possible to use Microsoft with Gmail. You'll find instructions here: http://tinyurl.com/5zhggn.

End

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

Next: 1-7 Let Right Mouse Button and\or Ctrl Key = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/28ftla3

1-7 Let Mouse Button and\or Ctrl Key = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

I think of my computer mouse and the ctrl -- which stands for "control" -- key on my keyboard to magic genies, ready to do my bidding!

Like the touchpad on most portable computers, the mouse has a right button and a left button. Each performs what's known as a command function. By taking full advantage of the ctrl key and\or the right mouse button, I give commands that improve my writing efficiency tremendously.

Computer operating systems commonly support a command function that provides pretty much the same command functions as the right mouse button. Windows 95 and all later versions command the ctrl key -- sending a genie into action when the ctrl key is pressed simultaneously with another key -- similar to the way pressing the right mouse button works.

Consult your operating system and software help files to see if there is a command function to help you work more efficiently. Eudora Pro, my prefered e-mail program, also supports ctrl key function.

Using the command fuctions (below) and the right mouse button method allows me to use both hands interchangeably, to double my flexibility.

Here are the commands operated by the ctrl key:
Ctrl while rolling your mouse over a line (or picture) highlights it.

ctrl c = COPY, whatever is highlighted
ctrl v = PASTE, whatever you have copied.
ctrl f = SEARCH, opens a box with a line where you type the number, symbol, letter, word or words you want to find quickly.
ctrl a = HIGHLIGHTS, the entire open file. Highlighted material can then be copied, deleted or moved to somewhere else within the document.

If you accidentally delete something (and you will!) ctrl v will paste back the copy that was deleted! IF ctrl v does not, then use ctrl z, which undoes the previous action.

ctrl z = UNDO, last typing (ie: like if you've deleted something and decide you want it back, pressing ctrl z will return it to its previous place.)
ctrl o = OPENS, Offers you a box showing all the files in your computer from which you can choose the one you want to open.)
ctrl p = PRINT, the file (message) that is currently open.
ctrl s = SAVES, the current message, and keeps it open so you can continue typing into it.
ctrl q = QUITS, a program (exits the program and the message will be gone, gone, gone, as in erased and gone forever! It's as final as putting your mouse pointer on the little "x" in the top corner to EXIT.

DO NOT QUIT or EXIT documents you've written without first using ctrl s to save, or ctrl w to close and save the current message you're typing, or ctrl e to send it.

ctrl w = CLOSE, messages, mailboxes, documents, and some programs, such as Internet Explorer, etc.
ctrl e = SEND, messages. (Send is immediate IF you are connected on-line, otherwise you'll get a 'can't send' message.)
ctrl d = DUMP, messages into your trash mailbox.
ctrl l = OPEN ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl k = COPY, highlighted message sender's ADDRESS INTO ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl 6 = will start a spell-check on words in the open message. (you chose what you want to do about them and cancel out of the spell-checker at anytime.)
ctrl works with your 'home', 'PgUp', 'PgDn', and 'end' keys, too. They are useful ways to speed moving around in the open file and can save you lots of time.
Ctrl tab = toggle between open pages.
Ctrl p, to print and save this so you can refer to it anytime!

End

Next: 1-8, Let One Idea = Endless Writing: http://tinyurl.com/29ukqp8

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-2 Let Multi-tasking = Efficient Writing

2010-05-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Access The World And Write Your Way To $$$
(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Multi-tasking Results in Efficient Writing

Using the power of your computer makes it possible to do two or more things simultaneously, or in closely related incremental steps.

*Caution: Install security software on your computer if you don't already have it, and configure it to the level of protection you want.

Open your e-mail program and create a new message
Open your Internet browser program
Open your word processor program and create a new file document
Connect to your dialup, cable or satellite network.

If you are using a Windows operating system, near the bottom of your screen you'll see a bar with the names or icons of the three programs, E-mail, Browser and Word Processor ~~ that's the 'taskbar'. (*On some operating systems you can configure the taskbar to reside along the top of the screen, or the side of the screen, instead of at the bottom of the screen.)

Now you are ready to Multi-Task, or in other words, switch between the programs you've opened ~~ while you are connected to the whole wide world!

By clicking the "-" in the box at the left of the red "X" in the top right corner of your screen, you can send that program to the taskbar without closing it. Anytime you want to return to using it, just click its name in the taskbar. Send all running programs to the taskbar anytime and return them to your desktop, as you need them, just by clicking on their name.

Practice this until you are familiar with using Multi-tasking. You'll find it very useful as you compose your stories or articles in your word processor, and then move them to e-mail to send.

TIP: Set up your word processor AND your e-mail programs to automatically spell check, so when you misspell a word, you can right click the word and select the correct spelling from the list displayed by the computer program and make the correction with a tap of your finger!
End

Next 1-3 Let Toggle = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/22tb57x

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-1 Daily Warmups

2010-05-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Access The World And Write Your Way To $$$
(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Flexing Your Creative Brain Cells

Just like exercising your muscles, flexing your brain cells should be a daily affair. One ten-minute exercise ensures that your brain will create strong visual images and present you with story ideas. Within a month, your brain will become better conditioned for creative writing and you'll see a remarkable improvement.

On one half of a sheet of paper, list 10 nouns.
On the other half, write the name of an occupation.
Below it, list 15 verbs used in that occupation.
Create a sentence using one of the nouns and one of the verbs.
When you've created 10 sentences, use them to make a vignette, a scene, or a little story.

You'll be amazed at what your well-conditioned brain creates.
End

Chapter 1 - Ideas and Basic Information- http://tinyurl.com/27fzovn

Next: 1-2, Let Multi-Tasking = Efficient Writing, http://tinyurl.com/29vrxkv