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Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine - a FR*E*E monthly ezine for writing parents. ******************************************************************* You are receiving this e-zine because you subscribed through e-mail. Unsubscribe information is below. ******************************************************************* TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. WELCOME NOTES 2. QUOTES FOR THE MONTH 3. EDITOR'S ARTICLE: INTERVIEW WITH JULIAN BLOCK by Dawn Colclasure 4. CONTEST CORNER 5. ADVERTISEMENTS 6. GUEST ARTICLE: DO??™S AND DON??™TS OF GETTING ALONG WITH EDITORS by Suzan L. Wiener 7. BOOK EXCERPT: WHAT FISH DON??™T WANT YOU TO KNOW by Frank P. Baron 8. MARKETS 9. INDUSTRY INTERVIEW 10. BOOK GIVEAWAY 11. WHAT??™S UP WITH THE BOOK??™S WRITERS 12. BOOK NEWS 13. SITES SITED 14. FREEBIE CORNER 15. WRITING PARENT TIPS FOR MARCH 16. FORUM NEWS 17. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 18. UNSUBSCRIBE INSTRUCTIONS ******************************************************************* Welcome Notes Hello, Everyone! Welcome to another issue of the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine! You??™ll find lots of great contests in the ???Contest Corner,??? a link to Agent Query in the ???Sites Sited??? section (a site I quickly became addicted to!), a book excerpt from FRANK BARON??™S book (you??™ll find Frank??™s essay in Volume One of BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents) and a GREAT interview with Gwen Gades, founder and publisher of Dragon Moon Press! But THAT??™S NOT ALL! With the approach of Tax Day (April 15th), Americans in the U.S. are gearing up for the job of filing their tax returns. What does Tax Day mean for a writer? Plenty. As Julian Block, a world-renowned tax expert, will tell you, there??™s quite a few tips and tricks to follow as far as being a paid writer is concerned. Julian took time from his busy schedule to answer my questions about taxes for writers and what you need to do NOW to get ready for Tax Day. Enjoy reading my interview with him and P-L-E-A-S-E do yourself a favor and order his guide! This book is amazing and it really offered some good advice on taxes. You??™ll also find Suzan Wiener??™s very helpful article, ???Do??™s and Don??™ts of Getting Along With Editors.??? Becoming an editor has introduced me to a world of frustrations with writers who don??™t follow guidelines, send rude E-mails (often to the wrong editor!) and somehow disappear after making a submission. Any writer who follows the ???do??™s and don??™ts??? in this article will help me and a lot of other editors breathe a huge sigh of relief. AND THE WINNER IS ... In the last issue, you got the chance to win a FREE COPY of my book, 365 TIPS FOR WRITERS: Inspiration, Writing Prompts and Beat The Block Tips to Turbo Charge Your Creativity! The winner of this contest is SHAUNNA PRIVRATSKY! Way to go Shaunna, my good friend and fellow Filbert author! Your free copy will be mailed pronto! As always, feel free to E-mail me anytime at BurningMidnightOil@hotmail.com with comments, suggestions or just to plain chat. Enjoy this issue! Hugs, Dawn Colclasure Editor and Publisher http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ ******************************************************************* Quotes for the Month "The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax."??”Albert Einstein "They said I live in a wonderful country and should pay my taxes with a smile! I tried that but they insisted on CASH!!"??”Mel Narvey "Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss."??”Robert A. Heinlein "Nothing in life is certain except death and taxes."??”Benjamin Franklin "There will always be death and taxes; however, death doesn't get worse every year."??”Unknown "The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."??”Mark Twain "Few of us ever test our powers of deduction, except when filling out an income tax form.''??”Laurence J. Peter, author ******************************************************************* EDITOR??™S ARTICLE Interview with Julian Block Copyright ?“ 2005 by: Dawn Colclasure Editor??™s Note: Tax Day is right around the corner! But before you fill out your 1040 or Schedule SE, check out what Julian Block has to say about taxes and writers. I recently had the opportunity to interview Julian by phone, who graciously provided me with a copy of his new tax guide (which is an amazing book!!). His answers to the most common questions I??™ve seen writers ask really are an eye-opener. ABOUT JULIAN: Julian Block is a nationally recognized attorney. Block has been singled out by the New York Times as a "leading tax professional" and by the Wall Street Journal as "an accomplished writer on taxes." He is frequently quoted by these and other publications such as Business Week, Money, and U.S. News & World Report. Block is well known for his ability to translate complicated tax laws into plain English and for the concise, entertaining g way he alerts readers of his nationally syndicated column, The Tax Adviser, to simple, perfectly legal, tax-saving strategies. His many books have been praised as: "one of the best personal-finance books" (Money); "one of the best tax books, an excellent source of information" (New York Times); "easily the best guide available" (Forbes); and "a triumph of simplicity that tackles the complex world of taxes and communicates to readers in clear, everyday language" (National Association of Enrolled Agents). He has written hundreds of articles for such magazines as AARP Modern Maturity, Bloomberg Personal Finance, Consumer Reports, Financial Planning, Money, Mutual Funds, Parade, Playboy, Reader's Digest, Vogue, and Woman's Day, as well as many trade and professional publications. In addition to writing and practicing law in Larchmont, N. Y., he conducts programs on tax planning for major corporations and professional associations and is a frequent guest on television and radio shows, including Today on NBC and Wall Street Journal Reports. Bryant Gumbel complimented him as "a frequent guest, whose insights are always great fare and with a talent for simplifying the complications of tax work." He holds an accounting degree from Roosevelt University, a law degree from DePaul University, and a master of laws degree in taxation from New York University Graduate Law School, and is a member, and former officer, of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a national organization of nonfiction writers. Formerly, Block was with the Internal Revenue Service as a special agent (criminal investigator) and as an attorney. He has taught tax planning at such schools as Adelphi University (for a course held on a commuter train), Long Island University, Mercy College, New York University, Pace University, and The New School, and, from 1987 to 1998, was the tax expert for Prodigy, the on-line service. Address: 3 Washington Square, #1-G, Larchmont, NY 10538-2032. Telephone and fax numbers: (914) 834-3227. E-mail: julianblock@yahoo.com. Q: Good morning, Julian. I was hoping we could discuss tax guidelines for authors of books, mistakes writers make when filing their taxes and some things writers may not know about filing their taxes. A: I think that something that freelance writers should know is that there??™s lots of free help available from the Internal Revenue Service. For example, freelance writers can call an 800 number: 800 t-a-x f??“o-r-m to get free copies of IRS publications. Now one publication that writers should get is publication 910, which is titled ???Guide to free tax services.??? Within publication 910 is a summary description of various IRS publications that can be of help for freelance writers. For example, in publication 587, there??™s discussion for rules for home office deductions and also a discussion of deductions for computers that are used for business reasons. Q: And would this be helpful to someone who has never filed taxes before? A: Yes, it is helpful for someone who??™s never filed taxes before to obtain and look at the IRS publications. These publications will help freelance writers whether they are doing their returns themselves or if they hire paid professionals to complete their returns. The IRS publications will help freelance writers to better assess the quality of work that is done for them by paid professionals. Q: Are writers better off in hiring a professional to do their taxes? A: Whether a writer should hire somebody to prepare his or her return depends upon the complexity of the return. If it is a relatively simple return, a writer, with the help of tax software, might well be able to do the return by himself or herself without hiring a tax professional. Q: I was hoping we could talk for a minute about your guide, TAX TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS, ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS, 2004. What made you decide to write this guide? And what's one major role you hope it plays in helping readers? A: I decided to write my guide because I know from my contacts with other writers that most of them are unfamiliar with the steps that they can take to save on income taxes. Most of them think about taxes only on April 15th of each year when they have to submit their income tax returns. Instead, what they should do is to think about taxes throughout the year. They should familiarize themselves with perfectly legal maneuvers that they can imply to save on taxes for this year and get a head start for next year and my guide I believe helps writers to do just that. Q: I have noticed some people taking steps to ensure their filing time is as painless and orderly as possible. For example, by storing their invoices and receipts in file folders. I understand this as part of keeping taxes in mind throughout the year but what are some other things they can do to help make their filing day a little easier? A: It is correct to say that keeping good records throughout the year will help to save taxes when returns are prepared and submitted. There are other steps that can be taken during the year to save on taxes. For example, when a writer takes a trip for business reasons, the writer should remember to immediately record what kind of expenses have been incurred. Also, as another example, suppose that it will be more advantageous to deduct an expense during 2005 than to deduct the expense during 2006. In that case, what needs to be done is to make sure that the payment is made before the close of (the) 2005 period. If, for example, the payment is made with a check, the check should be put in the mail before the end of (the) 2005 period then it will count as (a) deduction for (the) 2005 period. It makes no difference that the check does not reach the recipient until (the) 2006 period. Similar way, when the payment is made with a credit card, the payment counts as a deduction for 2005 as soon as the writer signs the credit card invoice. It makes no difference that the bill from the credit card company does not come until sometime in January of 2006 period. Q: So what you're saying is, if a writer is due payment in 2005 period and they don't get the check until, say, January of 2006, it still counts towards 2005? A: Well, let me try to clear that up. What I mean is this: Most freelance writers, just the same as most other kinds of taxpayers, are what is known as ???cash basis taxpayers.??? The term ???cash basis taxpayers??? means that you count a payment as income when you receive it and you count a payment as a deductible expense when you make the payment. So if a publisher sends you a payment in December of 2005 and the payment does not reach you until January of 2006, that payment counts as reportable income to the writer for 2006, not as income for 2005. Q: OK, I understand that now. Thank you for clarifying. Another question I have is, I have noticed some people filing their taxes as early as January. What benefits are there in filing taxes before April 15th? A: The advantage to filing as early as possible is simply this: If you are entitled to receive a refund, that means you will receive the refund sooner. On the other hand, suppose you know that there will be a balance due when you file your return. In that case, you might as well wait until April 15th to submit the tax return along with the payment for the balance due. Also, if you are experiencing difficulty in completing your tax return, you can easily obtain an automatic extension to file until August 15th. Now in my guide, I discuss in detail how to obtain an extension period. That discussion begins at page 31 of my guide. Q: Great. I didn't know you could get such an extension until August. Another thing I was hoping to ask you about: I noticed some confusion among writers about what sort of "income level" they should meet in order to understand whether or not they should file taxes. I know of one writer, for example, who files taxes for the year even if all she makes is $1. Now I've discussed this with many tax professionals and the consensus was that if you make a minimum of $400, it means you need to file taxes for that year. What are your thoughts on this? A: All right, what you were told is basically correct. Let me explain: If you are a writer ??“ that is, you have self employment income from being a writer ??“ you do have to file a return if what is called your ???net self employment income??? is more than $400.00. When it is more than $400.00, as a writer you become liable for self employment taxes. This is true even if your income level is so low that you are not liable for income taxes. So I mean that writers need to distinguish between self employment taxes and income taxes when it comes to the question of whether a tax return has to be submitted. Q: So if a writer made, say, $393 in a tax year, then they would still need to file? A: If a writer receives payments for articles and so forth, the payments and the offsetting expenses are listed on Schedule C of 1040. If the net profit is more than $400.00, then there is liability for self employment taxes. The IRS schedule for self employment taxes has to be filled out. That is Schedule SE. So it could happen that an income tax return has to be filed just because there is liability for self employment taxes even though there is no liability for income taxes. Q: Ah, I see. Thank you for explaining this. Can you please share with me some common mistakes writers make with their taxes or when they file their return? A: There are lots of mistakes that writers make when they prepare their returns. In my guide, I discuss some of those mistakes at pages 6 to 10. Also, I discuss what to do when writers have already filed their returns and later discover that they have made mistakes. In my guide, starting at page 35, I discuss how to file corrected returns. Also, in my guide, at page 25, I discuss payments at the end of the year. Q: That's great, Julian. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Do you have any extra advice for writers and authors of books as far as taxes are concerned? A: For many, if not most, writers, it would be a good idea to take adult education courses on income taxes and other aspects of personal finance. These courses are usually inexpensive and can be helpful for writers. I myself have often taught adult education courses on income tax tips for writers. *** Check out Julian Block??™s helpful guide: TAX TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS, 2004! TAX TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS ???Most freelancers lose more than necessary to the tax collectors. They can learn how to lower their taxes to the legal minimum with the help of Julian Block, a nationally syndicated columnist and a member, and former officer, of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a national organization of freelance writers. TAX TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS is a year-round guide designed to help them with the decisions that determine the numbers they enter on their returns next tax season.??? *** Dawn Colclasure edits and publishes the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine, which is a product of her book: BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents (Booklocker). She is also a poetry editor for Skyline E-Magazine, contributing writer to the newspaper SIGNews and a staff writer for the Web site, The Shadowlands. She??™s been published both on and off the Web, in magazines such as Mothering and American Fitness, and Web sites such as Absolute Write, Writing Etc. and Writing World. Visit her on the Web at http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ . ******************************************************************* CONTEST CORNER 2005 Poetry Prize $1,000 Honorarium and Publication Final Judge: Marilyn Hacker POSTMARK DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2005 Reading Fee: $15 (includes a one-year subscription) All entries considered for publication. Send no more than four poems per entry. All entries considered anonymously. Previously published works and works forthcoming elsewhere cannot be considered. Simultaneous submissions okay, but fee is non-refundable. Multiple entries okay, as long as a separate reading fee is included with each entry. Cover letter must include name, address, phone number, and titles. Entrant??™s name should appear ONLY in the cover letter. If desired, include self-addressed stamped envelope for notification. Manuscripts will not be returned. Make checks payable to Indiana Review. Each fee entitles entrant to a one-year subscription, an extension of a current subscription, or a gift subscription. Please indicate your choice and enclose complete address information for subscriptions. Overseas addresses, please add $12 for postage ($7 for addresses in Canada). SEND ENTRIES TO: Poetry Prize Indiana Review Ballantine Hall 465 1020 E. Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405-7103 2005 "1/2 K" Prize for Short-Shorts/Prose Poetry Final Judge: Mark Jarman $1,000 Honorarium and Publication Postmark Deadline: June 10, 2005 Reading Fee: $15 (includes a one-year subscription) All entries considered for publication. Send no more than three pieces, 500 words maximum per piece. All entries considered anonymously. Previously published works and works forthcoming elsewhere cannot be considered. Simultaneous submissions okay, but fee is non-refundable. Multiple entries okay, as long as a separate reading fee is included with each entry. Cover letter must include name, address, phone number, and titles. Entrant??™s name should appear ONLY in the cover letter. If desired, include self-addressed stamped envelope for notification. Manuscripts will not be returned. Make checks payable to Indiana Review. Each fee entitles entrant to a one-year subscription, an extension of a current subscription, or a gift subscription. Please indicate your choice and enclose complete address information for subscriptions. Overseas addresses, please add $12 for postage ($7 for addresses in Canada). Send entries to: ????? K??™ Prize, Indiana Review, Ballantine Hall 465, 1020 E. Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN, 47405-7103 ********************* Fire By Nite Awards for Christian Fiction - Seeks short fiction stories with Christian themes. Over $1,000 in prizes plus opportunity for publication. $15 entry fee. See www.firebynite.com for details. Fire By Nite?„? is a publication showcasing the best in new Christian short stories, with book reviews, perspectives, and interviews both readers and writers of Christian Fiction will enjoy. Issues are published quarterly in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Included in each issue are stories winning the ??Fire By Nite Fiction Award?„? The ??Fire By Nite Fiction Award?„? is for stories written from a Christian worldview. Contests run quarterly, awarding over $1,000 in prizes plus the opportunity for publication. Our current contest ends Mar. 31st. The next contest will run April 1 - June 30th. ********************* Opportunity for new and amateur writers of new short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy No entry fee Entrants retain all rights * All awards are adjudicated by professional writers only * Prizes every three months: $1,000, $750 and $500 * Annual Grand Prize: $4,000 additional! Don' delay! Visit the following website for more information: www.writersofthefuture.com or contact the Contest Coordinator: Ria Rutten, Contest Coordinator c/o L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest PO Box 1630 Los Angles, CA 90078 email: contests@authorservicesinc.com ********************* TOM HOWARD/JOHN H. REID SHORT STORY CONTEST Prizes of $1,000, $500, $250 will be awarded, plus four Publication Royalty Awards of $150 and three Encouragement Awards of $75 each. Winning entries will be published. Submit any type of short story, essay or other work of prose, up to 8,000 words. You may submit work that has been published or won prizes elsewhere, as long as you own the anthology and online publication rights. $10 entry fee, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: March 31. Judge: Tom Howard. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: Tom Howard Short Story Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. More information: http://www.winningwriters.com/tomstory.htm WERGLE FLOMP POETRY CONTEST - NO FEE Prizes of $1,190, $169, $60 and 5 honorable mentions of $38 each. No fee to enter. A humor contest with a special twist. Submit one poem online at http://www.winningwriters.com/contestflomp.htm . Judge: Jendi Reiter. Deadline: April 1. WAR POETRY CONTEST Prizes of $1,500, $500, $250 and 10 honorable mentions of $75 each. Submit 1-3 original, unpublished poems on the theme of war, up to 500 lines in all. $12 entry fee, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: May 31. Judge: Jendi Reiter. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: War Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. More information: http://www.winningwriters.com/annualcontest.htm MARGARET REID POETRY CONTEST FOR TRADITIONAL VERSE Prizes of $1,000, $400, $200, plus four Encouragement Awards of $100 each. Winning entries will be published. Submit poems in traditional verse forms, such as sonnets and haiku. You may submit work that has been published or won prizes elsewhere, as long as you own the anthology and online publication rights. Entry fee is $5 for every 25 lines, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: June 30. Judge: John H. Reid. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. More information: http://www.winningwriters.com/margaret.htm TOM HOWARD/JOHN H. REID POETRY CONTEST Prizes of $1,000, $400, $200, plus four Encouragement Awards of $100 each. Winning entries will be published. Submit poems in any style or genre. You may submit work that has been published or won prizes elsewhere, as long as you own the anthology and online publication rights. Entry fee is $5 for every 25 lines, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: September 30. Judge: Tom Howard. Submit online or mail to: Winning Writers Attn: Tom Howard Poetry Contest 351 Pleasant Street PMB 222 Northampton, MA 01060. More information: http://www.winningwriters.com/tompoetry.htm ********************* Whiskey Island Magazine announces its annual Poetry/Fiction Contest, awarding prizes of $300, $200, and $100 to the top finalists in each category. The entry fee is $10; all entries considered for publication. Send 3-5 poems or one story of no more than 5,000 words to: Whiskey Island Magazine, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115. see also: www.csuohio.edu/whiskey_island/ DEADLINE: March 31, 2005. ********************* AuthorMania.com Writing and Poetry Contests ~~Writing Contest Rules~~ One Prize: $1,000 Contest Begins: April 12, 2004 Postmark Deadline: March 31, 2005 Winner will be announced by May 31, 2005 Entry Fee: $20 Rules: ?· Short story, any topic (no adult, hate, or racist), no more than 5,000 words. No previously published works. Include title, author's name, full address, phone, and email address. ?· Manuscripts must be in English, and typed. No handwritten submissions or email submissions will be accepted. ?· Manuscripts without the proper entry fee will not be accepted. Please do not mail original manuscripts! ?· Manuscripts will not be returned. Contest is open to US residents only. ?· You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry must each be accompanied by a $20 fee, and mailed separately. Send manuscript entries and entry fee to: Cindy Thomas C/O AuthorMania.com Writing Contest 1210 Co Rd 707 Buna, Tx 77612 *Please make checks and money orders payable to Cindy Thomas.* *As stated on AuthorMania.com: The contest must draw at least 50 paid entries in order to award the $1000 prize. In the event that the contest does not draw enough entries to award the $1000 prize, the amount it does draw will be awarded to the winner. Once enough entries are received to award the $1000 prize, this notice will be removed from AuthorMania.com.* ~~Poetry Contest Rules~~ One Prize: $400 Contest Begins: April 12, 2004 Postmark Deadline: March 31, 2005 Winner will be announced by May 31, 2005 Entry Fee: $20 Rules: ?· Poems and poetry, any length, any topic (no adult, hate, or racist), no word limit. ?· No previously published works. Include title, author's name, full address, phone, and email address. ?· Manuscripts must be in English, and typed. No handwritten submissions or email submissions will be accepted. ?· Manuscripts without the proper entry fee will not be accepted. Please do not mail original manuscripts! ?· Manuscripts will not be returned. Contest is open to US residents only. ?· You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry must each be accompanied by a $20 fee, and mailed separately. Send manuscript entries and entry fee to: Cindy Thomas C/O AuthorMania.com Poetry Contest 1210 Co Rd 707 Buna, Tx 77612 *Please make checks and money orders payable to Cindy Thomas.* *As stated on AuthorMania.com: The contest must draw at least 20 paid entries in order to award the $400 prize. In the event that the contest does not draw enough entries to award the $400 prize, the amount it does draw will be awarded to the winner. Once enough entries are received to award the $400 prize, this notice will be removed from AuthorMania.com. If we get enough entries over the $400 prize amount, we will award a second place prize. A second place prize will only be awarded if enough paid entries are received to cover another prize amount, and we have no idea what, if any, amount that will be until we receive or do not receive said entries. * For more details, go to: http://www.authormania.com/ ********************* EDITOR??™S NOTE: Glimmer Train Press, Inc., is holding contests as well. To read all about them, click here: http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html ******************************************************************* ADVERTISEMENTS No ads this month. ******************************************************************* GUEST ARTICLE Do??™s And Don??™ts Of Getting Along With Editors By Suzan L. Wiener Have you started off on the wrong foot with an editor and been rejected and sorry ever since? Well, here are ways to avoid having that happen to you. It??™s not too hard to follow. l. Don??™t call an editor by their first name. Whenever writing or addressing an editor in person, don??™t call them by their first name, until they say it??™s fine to do so. They may not appreciate your being familiar with them like that. It can put them off with you and your writing. Also, they won??™t tell you why they??™re annoyed at you either. 2. Don??™t call an editor on the phone. The only time it??™s all right to call an editor on the phone is when they extend an invitation to do so. Editors are quite busy and you might think it??™s an innocent call, but they might see it as being an annoyance - which is something you want to avoid. 3. Don??™t inundate an editor with multiple submissions. Even though we, as writers, want to get acceptances and think it??™s a good idea to submit several pieces at once, it isn??™t. Sending in one submission and waiting for a reply regarding it, is a much better idea and then you can submit another piece. The editor will appreciate it. Of course, if the magazine guidelines state they don't oppose multiple submissions, then it's fine to do that. 4. Don??™t visit their office. Unless the editor invites you to visit their office, then t will be fine, but only if you make an appointment with them first, preferably by writing them a letter or emailing them. And, once you get that first appointment, don't think that you can just 'drop in' anytime. Calling isn??™t recommended either. 5. Do make sure you work is geared to what they want. Sending them a wonderful submission won??™t be accepted if it isn??™t geared to what they want. Take the time to buy copies of their publication and thoroughly read their writer's guidelines. It will be well-worth the investment. If you can??™t afford to do that, check out the library or ask your writer friends if they have that particular magazine. 6. Don??™t send an article topic they have already accepted. Checking back issues will help you not to make this mistake. The editor will remember that you wasted his/her time an not look upon you or your work favorably. 7. Do visit their office in appropriate attire. When you visit an editor??™s office, make sure not to wear shorts and a t-shirt or sandals. Wear professional clothing, minimum jewelry, and a drop of perfume or cologne. You want to make a good impression. 8. Don??™t discuss with another editor why one editor treated you badly. They could know the first editor quite well and word will get back. Remember, editors are people, too, and want to be treated with respect, as you would want to be treated. 9. Don't email an editor with numerous requests as to the status of your submission. If you do that, it will be a turn-off. If the editor was going to accept your manuscript, it might get a rejection just because you bothered them too much. Remember, patience is a virtue. l0. Do thank an editor after they have accepted your submission. Editors are people, too, and they would love to see a thank you that you appreciate their acceptance of your work. Of course, don't be too gushy as it will sound phony. If you follow the above, you should get that acceptance you??™ve been craving. You??™ll be happy you did. ABOUT SUZAN: Suzan L. Wiener has had numerous writing articles, poems, short stories and fillers published in many national publications and online Web sites, such as Canadian Writer's Journal, Mocha Memoirs, Writing Etc., T-zero, Poetry Press among others. She won first place in a contest for NEB Publishing. ******************************************************************* BOOK EXCERPT From the book: WHAT FISH DON??™T WANT YOU TO KNOW: An Insider??™s Guide to Freshwater Fishing By: Frank P. Baron Ragged Mountain Press, August, 2003 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0071417141/qid=1094316307/sr= 1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-8514335-9353764?v=glance&s=books Not-So-Tall-Tale: The Billy Goat In my middle and late teens I discovered girls. For a time, their appeal even outstripped that of a brown trout. When I was about seventeen, a friend and I would often hitchhike for a few days at a time in "cottage country" a hundred or so miles to the north. We did it for the sense of adventure. (The fact that we found a girls' camp once or twice might have had a bit to do with it, too.) We slept wherever darkness found us: at the sides of roads, in fields, even in graveyards once or twice. I loved not knowing where I'd be unrolling my sleeping bag from one night to the next We traveled lightly, without a tent, and with very little money, but I did often pack a fishing rod and some gear. One morning, we spent most of our last dollar on toast and coffee at a roadside diner-general store-bait shop-gas station. It was situated where two lakes met on a small, two-lane highway. We were glumly discussing the necessity of heading home when my friend suggested I catch some fish to trade for supplies. We approached the owner with the idea, and he was amenable. He told us of a dam about 5 miles down a dirt side road that was a popular spot for catching brook trout (also called speckled trout or specs in our neck of the woods). Our last 25 cents went into his pocket to pay for a dozen worms. There was little traffic and we had to walk the whole way, but when we found the dam we knew the owner hadn't fibbed. It was popular. There were about twenty people fishing there, pretty much evenly split between fishing directly below the dam and about 50 yards away, in a large pool that eventually emptied into a lake. My friend didn't fish, and, in any event, we only had the one outfit. He said he'd cheer me on, which meant he found a shady spot and napped. The area below the dam was too crowded, so I made my way down to the large pool and joined the people there. An hour passed and I was fishless, as were the others. The below-dam crowd seemed to being doing just as poorly. I kept turning my attention to the 50 yards of water that separated the two groups of anglers. It was a stretch of boulder-strewn rapids, with lots of churning whitewater between and around the boulders. No one was fishing there. It looked dangerous. After another hour of fruitless fishing, I decided that it didn't look that dangerous. I was young, fit, reasonably agile, and not overly bright. So I carefully made my way from shore, hopping from boulder to boulder. Along the way I found what I'd hoped I would. Every third or fourth rock I landed on was large enough to create a small pocket of relatively quiet water behind it. I dunked my worm into one such pocket and seconds later had a nice 12-inch brookie. The next hour or so was as much fun as I'd ever had. And I probably used up a decent portion of my lifetime supply of luck, too. Like a sure-footed billy goat, I dashed from rock to rock, back to shore to deposit a fish with my friend, and back to the rapids again. Every pocket I tried had a fish in it. I only had to use a portion of a worm. The fish were used to reacting quickly as the current sped food past them. They would hit immediately. The legal limit was generous back then (the late 1960's). I was allowed 15 specs, or 10 pounds plus 1 fish. In fairly short order, I had a dozen specs from 10 to 13 inches. And not a single one of the other fishermen, who all watched my success, followed suit. I remarked on this to my friend as we headed back to the main road. He said "yeah, they must be nuts," and laughed like a loon. The storekeeper was as good as his word. We traded ten of the specs for bread, peanut butter, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and cigarettes. (Did I mention I wasn't overly bright back then?) He also promised a breakfast on the house the next morning. We cooked the remaining two fish over a campfire that evening. And they would have been good too, if they hadn't kept falling into the fire as we tried to prop them up on sticks. We had to settle for charred-on-the-outside-sushi-on-the-inside. But, all in all, it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Copyright ?© 2004 by Ragged Mountain Press. A McGraw-Hill Company ISBN 0-07-141714-1 ******************************************************************* MARKETS The following are market information for PAYING MARKETS. (Editor's Note: It has been confirmed that this is a paying market.) Name: California Literary Review Address: Print or Electronic?: Electronic Web Site: www.calitreview.com Guidelines online?: no Description: Insightful, irreverent book reviews, thought provoking essays, and interviews with talented authors. Audience: Book lovers Types of material published: reviews, essays, interviews Current needs: reviews, essays, interviews Departments easiest for new writers to break into: Rates: Rights: Tips for Querying Writers: Contact (name of editor and E-mail and/or address info): guidelines@calitreview.com ******************* Name: H. F. Gibbard Address: P.O. Box 171 Eastlake, Colorado 80614-0171 Print or Electronic?: electronic Web Site: http://www.kenomazine.com Guidelines online?: http://www.kenomazine.com/guidelines.htm Description: Speculative fiction and myth Audience: People who like science fiction, fantasy, horror stories with a mythic emphasis Types of material published: poetry, artwork, MIDI music files, short stories 1000-7500 words Current needs: see above Departments easiest for new writers to break into: poetry, short stories Rates: $5 per poem; $10 per short story Rights: first electronic rights worldwide Tips for Querying Writers: query for reprints; otherwise, just submit. Read the guidelines first! Contact (name of editor and E-mail and/or address info): H.F. Gibbard editor@kenomazine.com ******************************************************************* INDUSTRY INTERVIEW This month we get to know Gwen Gades, founder and publisher of Dragon Moon Press (http://www.dragonmoonpress.com/intro.html). ???Dragon Moon Press publishes talented authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction. We also publish the 2003 Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year Finalist "The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy". We welcome submission from new authors.??? Despite her busy schedule, Gwen took some time to answer my questions for readers. Q: What are your experiences in book publishing? A: I've been in the book publishing industry for more than 10 years now. I started out by attending the Banff Center for the Arts Publishing Workshop, then jumped in with both feet. I started Dragon Moon Press almost 11 years ago, but I've also worked in an independent bookstore, managed a national chain bookstore, was the lead book buyer for a national store chain (they were Canada's 4th largest bookseller -a Sam's Club/Costco type store), left to build up the short run printing industry in Canada, and then, after the birth of my son, took a step back and now work as a textbook buyer for a local college as well as continue to run Dragon Moon. Q: What can you tell us about Dragon Moon Press? A: DMP is a traditional small press. Our one difference is that we actually acknowledge up-front the need for author support. We will publish 6-8 books this year, with two launching at WesterCon 58, which will be here in Calgary (www.calgaryin2005.org). Next year is shaping up to give us even more titles. We publish in trade paperback, and do some electronic versions as well. Q: As your name indicates, one might assume dragons are a part of your titles/stories. Is this true? A: Some, but definitely not all. When hunting for a name for the company, I settled on two elements that define the genres... dragons for me are the hallmark of fantasy, the moon represents space... thus Dragon Moon. They worked. Kathleen Nelson's books have dragons, as does Michael Mennenga's... but pretty much all the others don't in any real way. Q: You state in your submission guidelines that prospective authors should include a marketing plan with their queries. What advice do you have for querying writers who have never put together a marketing plan before? A: Think about what you can do to support the book. A book will never sell without the joint efforts of the publisher and the author. Any publisher that tells you differently hasn't looked at the marketplace too hard. According to a Reid poll, more than half of book purchases are made based on author recognition, so an author needs to start building that recognition. It doesn't mean necessarily out there selling the book (although we appreciate the help), but rather selling yourself as an author. Things to think and research: building a website and keeping it active, attending conventions, schools, libraries--it's up to the creative imagination of the author. Authors need to think of themselves as self-employed Q: Does being published by your company increase the chances for an author to be published by your company again? A: For sure. We look at a number of factors including sales, our relationship, and the actual book. We are moving on to our third Tee Morris title this summer, plus he's part of three other books (editor or contributor). We've done three Kathleen Nelson stories, and we will be launching two Tony Ruggerio's in upcoming months. Q: Do you only publish Canadian writers? A: Absolutely not. Actually, until this year, we had only published one Canadian. The rest are from around the world. We usually stay with authors more or less North American based, as that's where our strongest distribution networks are, but Phillipa Balantine is out of New Zealand, and her book, CHASING THE BARD, will be releasing shortly. Q: Do you prefer series over stand-alone novels? A: Stand-alone is my preference. A series is difficult for a small publisher... do you commit to the entire series up front? What happens if it doesn't sell? I would rather start with a stand-alone, work on building the author??™s profile, and then launch a series. That's not to say I haven't signed up a series or two... or a two book deal. I have. I would just prefer stand-alones to start. I get really scared when I read a query that starts out "this is book one of a 22 novel series" or worse yet "this is book 2 of a .... book series". Leaves me to wonder what's wrong with book one? Q: What types of novels will win the hearts Dragon Moon Press editors? A: Depends on who our initial reader is. I like commercial stuff, nothing too esoteric, but I really dislike reading manuscripts that are unbalanced character-wise. I don't mind a little light humour, but since my mind doesn't go that way, I miss a lot of it. I can't stand trying to get through manuscripts that are full of holes, spelling errors and factual flaws (whether to actual history, science, or to the made up world). I like my fiction to still adhere to strict rules of logic. Drives me nuts when characters do something out of character. On the other hand, one of my submissions editors likes more feminine- driven stories (I could care less as long as it's a good story). I tend to not like witches, vampires or urban fantasy but in the end I've bought them all if it makes good business sense. Q: Could you please name some DMP titles which show these factors? A: DAUGHTER OF DRAGONS/THE DRAGON REBORN is very feminine-based, with a light touch of humour and dragons (a plus). MOREVI is our most intricately-plotted novel to date. Lots of action and fight scenes. Would have been rejected if it had landed on the desk of my submissions editor, and not mine. Publishing is like that, though. It's very much about personal taste. As a publisher who seriously wants to grow the business, though, I first and foremost have to treat it like a business. So I have been known to purchase books without having read the entire manuscript (OK, if I'm being honest, I've bought a couple without reading ANY of it) because it makes business sense for one reason or another. I trust my editors. THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING FANTASY and THE FANTASY WRITER??™S COMPANION are our nonfiction line. OK, it's not a big line, but it's been lots of fun to produce. This also would not likely have made it past our initial readers as it is outside our normal publishing platform. But I'm glad we signed it up. It's been great. So great, that our series is getting a third volume tentatively called WRITING FANTASY: THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FANTASY. Q: Is it common for submitting writers to get their submissions misplaced/overlooked/forgotten during the course of a busy day? In the event a querying writer hasn't heard from any DMP staff after waiting the required time following submission, what's the best way for them to follow-up? A: Oh, that is so possible. I've got so much paper in my office, it's beyond scary. And sometimes we think we've responded, and we haven't. We're fallible. Now that we've gone to electronic submissions it's a little easier to track, but it still happens. Best thing to do is contact us by email??just a short "checking on the status" email and we will eventually get back to you. It might take a few weeks for me to find it in our system (I've got readers all over the world, plus, I work full time, have a young child, a great and supportive husband who occasionally likes to see me, a house to run and a life to try and keep balanced. While I would love for Dragon Moon to be my only job, it's not, and thus it takes a while to get things done.) Submissions also take second or third place to actually getting out books that are already under contract. I get hundreds of emails a day (a lot of which is sp*am), and do my best, but sometimes, things do fall through the cracks. Q: There's a lot of discussion going on that fantasy is a tough genre to break into and that a lot of publishers aren't publishing sci-fi/fantasy titles anymore. What is your response to this as far as prospective authors are concerned? A: All fiction is a tough field. Publishing is a tough field. Publishers don't make money. We do it because we love it. All of that means that it's extremely difficult to get published. For you authors out there??keep trying, keep writing. Keep submitting, and to different publishers. The best thing you can do, though, is make sure you submit the best book you can. If you can afford it, pay a professional editor to take you through the editorial stage (you will still likely go through it with a publisher but it will more than likely get you further along the process). Read submission guidelines very, very carefully and if your book doesn't look to fit that publisher's need, find another to submit to. Look closely at what you want to do as an author; are your desires in line with the publishers? Do you bring extra value in any way? What really makes YOU stand out from the other authors out there, what makes your BOOK stand out? You have to be objective about this. You've probably not written the best book the publisher has ever read (publisher's tend to be voracious readers, when we have time), but maybe it could be. There are many ways you can increase your chances of getting published. Join good, solid writing groups. Talk to other authors. Prepare yourself, take the job seriously, and contribute to the success of your book. Q: What are common mistakes submitting authors make? A: Oh gosh, there are so many. Number one is not reading and FOLLOWING guidelines. I get all sorts of submissions in genres I don't publish. I get people who don't seem to want to take no for an answer. Who, when submitting by mail, send me a SASE with American stamps on it. I live and work in Canada. We are not just another state, we are another country. My post office doesn't accept U.S. postage, so I have a big pile of it at home. Good if I ever need to send a SASE I guess. Don't suppose one of you reader's would like to buy it all off me, eh? Q: Do you pay royalties? If so, please state your royalty payment plan. A: We have an above average royalty schedule, but it will vary depending on the situation. Q: How about advances? A: I heartily disagree with the advance system. It's one of the big reasons that publishing is in such dire straights. 80% of books do not earn out their advances, meaning that publishers didn't sell enough books for royalties to equal what they paid out in advance to the author. Do you think the publisher will do another book by that author? Less than likely. I have paid a token advance at the request of one of my authors??something to do with his speaking at cons and wanting to be able to compare himself to a big name author who refuses advances. It's key that authors realise this is a business, and that business needs dictate the actions of publishers. Sometimes the needs of the business and the needs of the author can conflict. It's important to treat the publishing relationship as you would any other business relationship. We struggle every day to survive to the next book, hoping that we will find something that just takes off and pulls us to the next level. Until that day, we get up each morning and put in our time to get the next book on the bookshelf. Q: Any last tips or words of advice to writers considering submitting to your company? A: Read my guidelines. Carefully. Please. http://www.dragonmoonpress.com/submissionguidelines.htm ******************************************************************* BOOK GIVEAWAY Wanna score a FREE BOOK?? How about an EBOOK?? LIANA METAL, who is interviewed in Volume One, is offering her Ebook, BEDTIME STORIES, to the first THREE readers who contact me! Here is the info on the book: Would you like to read original stories to your kids? Or are you an everlasting kid? Six great stories are waiting for you, illustrated with colored real-life photographs and graphics. The first three readers who will contact the Editor of this newsletter at BurningMidnightOil@hotmail.com will receive a free copy of BEDTIME STORIES by Liana Metal. (Liana Metal has been writing stories for kids for many years as well as articles and ebooks , both fiction and nonfiction. You can contact her at lianamet20@yahoo.co.uk). How to win? Simple! The FIRST THREE readers to E-mail me will receive their free copy of this cute little Ebook! E-mail me at: BurningMidnightOil@hotmail.com Good luck! ******************************************************************* WHAT'S UP WITH THE BOOK'S WRITERS? In our last issue, you read all about how JIM VINES, who is interviewed in Volume One, has a short film out on iFilm! Guess what? Now you can vote for it on that site! Check out his hilarious movie, THAT DARN BILL, at: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2533663?htv=12 and please consider voting for it! Also, check out Jim (and company??™s) site at http://www.kingvictor.com/ ****************************** I recently got this E-mail from SARA WEBB QUEST, who is interviewed in Volume One: When a friend died a few years back, my dear husband Jason said, "There are, maybe, one-hundred people you meet in a lifetime who impact your life forever." Wendy Dunn is definitely one of those people for me. I met her several years ago at Suite University, the online school we both worked at. She always had a kind word or action to offer. As it turns out, she was also an amazing Tudor-Fiction romance author whose novel DEAR HEART, HOW LIKE YOU THIS won two prestigious awards. Recently, Wendy allowed me an interview with her. Her wise words flowed from a sincere passion for her novel's characters. Here is the interview, "Wendy J. Dunn's Dear Heart:" http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/professional_writing/114645 ******************************************************************* BOOK NEWS What's the latest with the first volume of BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents? SHANNON PELLETIER SWANSON, who is interviewed in Volume One, recently wrote to let me know she??™s entered the book into a book cover contest. I PROMISE to keep you posted on if the book wins or not. Go, Shannon! Go, book! ******************************************************************* FREEBIE CORNER Get a FREE copy of the Ebook, Writing Success SECRETS: http://www.writinghelptools.com/secrets1.html Register at sourceaid.com and check out the free ???Bibliography Creator & Citation Guide???: http://www.sourceaid.com/ Free writing workshops for seniors: http://www.seniorswriting.com/ Free Downloads Center has free tools for writers here: http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Search/writing_s10.html Check out Gymnast, the free .TXT to .PDF converter for Windows: http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm ******************************************************************* SITES SITED The following are interesting, helpful sites that I??™d like to pass on. Agent Query: http://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx Google Fight: http://www.googlefight.com/ All Freelance Work: http://www.allfreelancework.com/ Pirate Soul: http://www.piratesoul.com/ Bandwidthmoms.com: http://www.bandwidthmoms.com/index_flash.htm AuthorsLawyer.com: http://authorslawyer.com/ ******************************************************************* WRITING PARENT TIPS FOR MARCH: Tip: Celebrate the approach of Spring by creating Spring theme stories, poems and singalongs with your kids. Ask your kids to write mini-books on what they like about Spring. Tip: Try writing outdoors or on a patio for a pleasant change of scenery. Tip: If your kids don??™t cooperate in letting you have time to write, set up a contest with an egg timer: The child who doesn??™t interrupt you during that time gets a reward or prize, like a favorite meal for dinner or extra book to read at bedtime. If none interrupt then each get a reward or prize. ******************************************************************* FORUM NEWS The Absolute Write Water Cooler, where we have a private room for readers (and writers!) of the book and subscribers has changed location. You can find our new digs at: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php? You will need to register to join in on the fun. The password to our private room is: multitask No forum quote this month. WANNA SUBMIT TO THIS E-ZINE?? I am always open to submissions for the E-zine!! Feel free to submit any of the following: 1. An article. Any style and length. Articles must relate to writing, being a writing parent or successful business/marketing ideas. If the article is a reprint, you must own the reprint rights. 2. Tips for writing parents. 3. Advertising info, a freebie link, fan mail or, if you are included in the book, news and updates on what??™s going on in your writing life! I prefer to use free reprinted articles whenever possible but I do offer payment, as well. Payment is only allotted to article submissions. You may choose any one of the following for compensation: -->$5, paid in the form of a money order, on publication, for articles of 200-500 words. -->$10, on publication, for articles 501-2000 words. -->A complimentary copy of the book, BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents (available in September, 2004). Book will be sent once your article is published. ******************************************************************* You are subscribed to this E-zine because you requested a subscription or signed yourself up on your own. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to: 59308-unsubscribe@zinester.com _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ |
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