| janfields |
FRIDAY NIGHT OPEN FORUM
begins in five minutes -- it's open topic so all writing questions
are valid. What would you like to know? Join us in the Auditorium in
five minutes.
|
| janfields |
FRIDAY NIGHT OPEN FORUM
with webeditor Jan Fields begins in two minutes. I'm looking forward
to chatting with you -- in two minutes.
|
| janfields |
WELCOME to FRIDAY NIGHT
OPEN FORUM. All writing questions are allowed so put your typing
fingers on and let me know what you want to know...first though, let
me post a little help with how to ask questions...
|
| janfields |
If you want to ask a
question and be sure it has a chance to be posted, you'll need to
use either the "ask a question" button on the bar across the middle
of your screen. OR type /ask...then space once and type your
question. That passes the question to me and I can post it for
answer. If you type the question in the bar at the bottom of your
screen, I may not see it.
|
| janfields |
I know that's kind of
long.
|
| janfields |
But the key is to
preface any question with /ask
|
| janfields |
That's slash followed
by ask
|
| janfields |
That sends the question
directly to me so I can que it for transcript.
|
| janfields |
I try to watch for
questioned posted and port them over, but sometimes I
miss.
|
| janfields |
Okay...I've already got
questions (yay) so I'm going to jump right in.
|
| monkee |
How do you query markets
to sell reprints?
|
| janfields |
First, it helps to know
if a magazine buys reprints.
|
| janfields |
A lot of the big,
higher paying magazines don't
|
| janfields |
But a lot of the
parenting magazines do
|
| janfields |
And many web magazines
do.
|
| janfields |
Once you know that they
do, you just pitch the piece like you would any article or
story.
|
| janfields |
But you mention at the
end of the letter, that you're offering the article or story as "a
reprint"
|
| janfields |
And tell the
publication that ran it the first time.
|
| janfields |
It wouldn't be a
"repitch" because it's the first time you've ever pitched that piece
to that magazine
|
| janfields |
So it's fresh for
them.
|
| janfields |
And they don't mind
that it's at the end.
|
| janfields |
Usually any information
about right will go at the end of a query or cover.
|
| janfields |
The only thing they
really want to know is if their target audience has already read the
piece.
|
| janfields |
So if you sold the
article to say...Miami Parents (which I just made
up)
|
| janfields |
It wouldn't do to then
pitch it to Dade County parents because there would be too much
overlap in readership
|
| janfields |
The second magazine
wouldn't want it
|
| janfields |
But you could
try...South Carolina parents...or some other totally separate
readership magazine.
|
| monkee |
Is there such a thing as
second reprint rights, etc.?
|
| janfields |
A reprint is just a
reprint...it means...hey, y'all aren't the first folks to reprint
this.
|
| janfields |
Now, technically,
you're supposed to tell them who has had the piece
before.
|
| janfields |
So obviously if that
means you're making a big ol' long list
|
| janfields |
That's going to make
the article or story a LOT less appealing.
|
| janfields |
But for people who take
reprints...having had it run in a couple non competing
magazines
|
| janfields |
is really no big
deal.
|
| janfields |
Religious magazines are
another group that will sometimes take reprints.
|
| janfields |
And sometimes
educational.
|
| janfields |
But the number of
markets taking reprints is getting much smaller
|
| janfields |
Magazines are
requesting more and more rights.
|
| janfields |
I actually do know
folks who've sold the same basic article up to six
times.
|
| janfields |
But they sometimes get
around it by "tailoring" the piece to the new market...making some
changes to it.
|
| janfields |
Then you simply have to
say something like: "I've written about Florida travel for ..." and
list all the markets.
|
| janfields |
That makes it sound
like you're just well published
|
| janfields |
rather than making it
sound like you're trying to sell them something really old and
dusty.
|
| janfields |
And odds are the piece
will need some freshening up by the second reprint
anyway.
|
| janfields |
If you add material or
add research or rewrite...it's not a reprint.
|
| janfields |
It is a derivative
work, but it's not a reprint
|
| janfields |
By you do have to have
made substantive changes...not just changing a charater name from
Ralph to George (for example)...that wouldn't be enough to get you
out of being a reprint.
|
| janfields |
So...did that pretty
much cover reprint for you?
|
| monkee |
Do any of the students of
ICL and faculty ever meet -- do you have
conferences?
|
| janfields |
Actually no...sad to
say.
|
| janfields |
I think it's because
the whole conference thing is so well covered.
|
| janfields |
And a lot of ICL
instructors DO speak at conferences...just not conferences by
ICL.
|
| janfields |
I've run into other
instructors at writing retreats and at conferences.
|
| janfields |
I've known of some who
spoke at Highlights's workshops.
|
| janfields |
But with SCBWI doing
conferences, and Highlights, and sometimes
colleges.
|
| janfields |
I guess ICL didn't feel
like we need more conferences.
|
| janfields |
And ICL instructors are
scattered all over the US and beyond.
|
| janfields |
But it surely would be
fun.
|
| janfields |
It would be fun for
students to meet too...but again...I've got students in South
America
|
| janfields |
Canada
(lots)
|
| janfields |
Central
America
|
| janfields |
India
|
| janfields |
Hmmm...Spain...I know I
have Spain
|
| janfields |
And all over the
US
|
| janfields |
So it would be hard to
pick a spot for the conference where enough students could afford
the trip.
|
| soradina |
How many students does
each ICL instructor have?
|
| janfields |
It actually depends on
the instructor
|
| janfields |
We don't have a
"preset" required amount.
|
| janfields |
I have a couple
hundred, myself, but I treach several courses.
|
| janfields |
teach...not
treach.
|
| janfields |
And you have to
remember that only a couple submit anything at any one
time
|
| janfields |
So I'm never ever
overwhelmed with a kazillion student files.
|
| janfields |
I always have lots of
time to spend with each student's work.
|
| janfields |
I can honestly say I've
never felt rushed and I never keep a students assignment more than a
couple days.
|
| janfields |
The institute works
very hard to make sure we never feel swamped
|
| janfields |
because they don't want
us rushing to get done.
|
| janfields |
Student pay a lot for
this, and the institute is really serious about instructors giving
each student the time and attention needed.
|
| janfields |
I always try to think
about what I would like to get from an instructor if I were a
student and give that much and more.
|
| soradina |
Jan please tell us what
you do to analyze a story to see if
|
| soradina |
it meets the guidelines
that the magazine editor is looking
|
| soradina |
for
|
| janfields |
My experience has been
that editors are way vague about what they are looking
for.
|
| janfields |
Take Highlights for
example.
|
| janfields |
They tell you they
don't take violence
|
| janfields |
or anything that
glorifies crime.
|
| janfields |
But they don't tell you
that means no name calling
|
| janfields |
And no kids playing
pirate
|
| janfields |
So some things I pick
up by reading the magazine
|
| janfields |
And by being rejected a
lot.
|
| janfields |
I've been writing for
magazines for a long time...since the mid 80s
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| janfields |
So although I've sold a
lot, I've gotten rejected hundreds of times too.
|
| janfields |
And thankfully, many
(if not most) of those rejections told me why.
|
| janfields |
So I built up a store
of knowledge about the magazines.
|
| janfields |
Plus, I read
voraciously on the discussion boards, mailing lists, newsletters,
market guides.
|
| janfields |
All the info adds up to
give me a clear picture of what the magazine wants.
|
| janfields |
And I've begun to
develop "instincts" that are hard to explain but where I think
something "sounds" like a given magazine.
|
| janfields |
But in the first
years...I scored a lot less often.
|
| janfields |
But even though
rejection really stinks...it's also telling you things (except when
it's just frustrating you within an inch of your
life)
|
| janfields |
So, I try to break down
my story into "element"
|
| janfields |
For example...I am
sending off a story with these elements:
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| janfields |
a
mystery
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| janfields |
two boy
characters
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| janfields |
An adult who thinks all
boys are looking for trouble and prone to steal.
|
| janfields |
A Southern summer
setting.
|
| janfields |
Now, with those
elements, I can eliminate certain things.
|
| janfields |
Some magazines won't
want summer stories simply because they go on summer
hiatus.
|
| janfields |
Some magazines won't
want boy main characters.
|
| janfields |
Some magazines won't
like that the adult is wrong...really really wrong and the kids are
the ones who are respectful and honest.
|
| janfields |
So I eliminate those
magazines...even if I know they like mysteries.
|
| janfields |
I also have length as
an issue...I cut the story really short to try to make a sale to one
magazine...but it didn't work short.
|
| janfields |
So I needed a magazine
that would accept over 1200 words.
|
| janfields |
So, the key is to be
able to list every single thing you can think of about your
story.
|
| janfields |
setting
|
| janfields |
time
period
|
| janfields |
character
|
| janfields |
conflict
|
| janfields |
length
|
| janfields |
ages of all
characters
|
| janfields |
tone
|
| janfields |
And then think about
what you know from reading magazines -- which magazines have you
NEVER seen boy characters?
|
| janfields |
Or a small town
setting>
|
| janfields |
Or boy
characters
|
| janfields |
etc.
|
| author2006 |
/how do mag publishers
monitor if your story was a hit?
|
| janfields |
If you generated reader
mail...especially positive reader mail...they love
you.
|
| janfields |
If the editor (and the
other editors) just really liked it...that counts for a
lot.
|
| janfields |
If parents wrote in to
complain about the story...that loses points.
|
| janfields |
But a lot of times,
magazines just don't know.
|
| janfields |
Though it's surprising
how many times a story does generate reader mail.
|
| janfields |
I have actually gotten
"fan letters" from magazine work.
|
| janfields |
And once I got an
"anti-fan" letter from magazine work.
|
| janfields |
The older your
readership, actually, the more likely a story/article is to generate
fan/reader mail.
|
| jitterbug |
If you take a 2nd course
can you request the same instructor
|
| janfields |
You sure can, if that
instructor teaches the second course.
|
| janfields |
Again, the Institute
won't add you if the instructor already has a full load for that
course...but most of the time, they'll try to fit you
i
|
| janfields |
in
|
| janfields |
I am not actually sure
when this next question came in...it may have been around a
while.
|
| janfields |
But I'll try it
anyway.
|
| jitterbug |
What would be a good mag
to send a manuscript on trips to?
|
| janfields |
If I wanted to do a
piece on travel, I would send it to a regional
magazine.
|
| janfields |
They use a lot of
travel
|
| janfields |
And they often get very
few submissions relative to the "world" of
magazines.
|
| janfields |
Also, airline magazines
buy travel pieces, but almost all upscale yuppie
travel.
|
| janfields |
Normal people travel
tends to be regionals.
|
| janfields |
And travel with kids is
HUGELY popular with regional parenting magazines.
|
| janfields |
Which you can find a
wonderful list of all the websites for parenting magazines
at
|
| janfields |
http://www.parentingpublications.org
|
| janfields |
Many (if not most) have
writers guidelines on the site.
|
| janfields |
The link for the
parenting magazine web links is actually buried in the middle of the
front page text
|
| janfields |
on the parenting
publications of america site.
|
| janfields |
I just saw that the
other day and thought...wow, a goldmine.
|
| coloradokate |
As a follow-up to
jitterbug's question about instructors for graduate courses: is it
possible to get on a waiting list for a particular
instructor?
|
| janfields |
I actually don't
know
|
| janfields |
I know the Institute
tends to resist that kind of thing
|
| janfields |
because if you make
folks wait, they might think up all the reasons why they shouldn't
take the course
|
| janfields |
Including
fear
|
| janfields |
So the Institute tries
to match you to an instructor right away and get you going while
you've got some forward momentum.
|
| janfields |
But if you really
really wanted a specific instructor...you might be able to get them
to ask the instructor
|
| janfields |
But none of us have
waiting lists
|
| janfields |
I know I
don't
|
| janfields |
Of course...there could
be a reason for that.
|
| janfields |
[Jan blinks away a
paranoid fog]
|
| janfields |
Soooooo...that's all
the questions in my que...anyone wanna ask
something?
|
| janfields |
Did anyone read the
enews today -- didja like it?
|
| janfields |
Not that I'm begging
for positive reinforcement.
|
| janfields |
much.
|
| soradina |
When you get a rejection
what is the first thing you do?
|
| janfields |
Well, first I feel the
fog of gloom
|
| janfields |
The one that makes you
feel like your writing sucks.
|
| janfields |
But that usually passes
after the first handful of M&Ms
|
| janfields |
Then I read the
manuscript and see if I can figure out why it was rejected --
assuming the letter didn't just tell me.
|
| janfields |
If I see a flaw that I
missed before mailing it (which happens more often than I like
admitting) I fix it.
|
| janfields |
Then I choose the next
market
|
| janfields |
And decide I'll send it
there.
|
| janfields |
Then I leave it on my
desk for a week while I get up the energy to submit
it.
|
| janfields |
I recommend y'all skip
that step.
|
| janfields |
Then I mail it back
out.
|
| soradina |
I read your e-news today
and I liked your article on
|
| soradina |
plotting
novels
|
| janfields |
Awww...thank
you/.
|
| janfields |
I mean, yeah, I begged
for a compliment but still...thank you.
|
| janfields |
Actualy I get a lot of
nice email about the eNews.
|
| janfields |
But still...I'm
delicate and insecure :-)
|
| cathie |
I'm confused about
biblios and sources. Isn't a bibliography a list of sources? Why
would someone say to not put page #s in the biblio: to add them to
the source notes?
|
| janfields |
Hmmm...I usually put
the page numbers in everything.
|
| janfields |
Now...for some (very
very few) nonfiction pieces
|
| janfields |
when I've had literally
dozens of sources
|
| janfields |
I have had to tell
exactly what page/specific source each fact came
from.
|
| janfields |
So if I used...say a
magazine article
|
| janfields |
and one fact came from
one page
|
| janfields |
and another from
another
|
| janfields |
I would be sourcing
them separately for the fact checker.
|
| janfields |
But that's incredibly
rare...and I've never had to do it for kid's
magazines.
|
| janfields |
Though there was a
kid's nonfiction book project that I almost took on
|
| janfields |
That would have
required it.
|
| janfields |
But otherwise, if I'm
only using ten pages out a big honking book, I put that right in my
bibliography
|
| janfields |
But if I'm asked to do
specific source notes
|
| janfields |
they will source fact
by fact to specific pages.
|
| janfields |
Again, I haven't had to
do that much.
|
| janfields |
And only when I'm going
to get paid a lot.
|
| janfields |
Cause that's a
pain.
|
| coloradokate |
I liked the "Thicker
Skin" article... it made me think of Jane Yolen's TAKE JOY, which
I've only just dipped into.
|
| janfields |
Oh wow...even a kinda
sorta comparison to TAKE JOY makes me really giddy.
|
| janfields |
I love that
book.
|
| janfields |
I highly recommend it
to everyone.
|
| janfields |
Thanks
|
| soradina |
When you cite your
interviewer in an article what is the
|
| soradina |
proper way to give
credit. Do you include their position
|
| soradina |
and where they
work?
|
| janfields |
I give the person's
name
|
| janfields |
Their
credentials...which is likely to include their position and where
they work
|
| janfields |
but might
not.
|
| janfields |
Though really, usually
does.
|
| janfields |
I also have to give the
publisher enough info so they can contact that
source
|
| janfields |
So phone number and
email address are vital...unless the person doesn't have one or the
other.
|
| janfields |
Mailing address is less
important...though general location is often
needful.
|
| janfields |
So, if I'm interviewing
a pediatrician, say, for an article on eczema in
kids
|
| janfields |
I need to tell that
he's a pediatrican and hopefully that he has a specialty in skin or
allergy conditions
|
| janfields |
Or
both.
|
| janfields |
But the editor really
doesn't care what group he practices with
|
| janfields |
Though she'll want his
contact info for contacting.
|
| janfields |
Did that make sense,
sort of?
|
| janfields |
If you have to
err...err on the side of giving too much
information.
|
| janfields |
I've never had an
editor say...gosh, Jan, you give us way too much info in your
bibliographies.
|
| hazelnut |
What do you write more
of, fiction or nonfiction?
|
| janfields |
I write more
nonfiction.
|
| janfields |
But for kids, I write
more fiction.
|
| janfields |
These days, a lot of my
writing is about writing.
|
| janfields |
So I crank out a huge
amount of nonfiction on writing
|
| janfields |
But not a lot on kid's
nonfiction topics.
|
| janfields |
Though I'm researching
for an article for Highlights on a specific explorer I just learned
about.
|
| janfields |
I tend to do kid
nonfiction only when a topic really grabs me
|
| janfields |
I'm actually the same
way about fiction...but fiction plot ideas just grab me more often
than nonfiction topics.
|
| janfields |
I get ASKED to do a lot
of writing articles though so I don't have to be
grabbed.
|
| janfields |
Just poked once in a
while.
|
| janfields |
Okay...we're coming
down to the wire.
|
| janfields |
I wanted to remind
y'all that we're having ANOTHER open forum this coming
Tuesday
|
| janfields |
Which is probably
really doofy timing with the fourth of July this
week
|
| janfields |
But I'll be delighted
if y'all want to come and ask more questions for
that.
|
| janfields |
And I want to thank you
so much for asking questions
tonight.
|