Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Getting Quotations

A non-fiction writer often need to find experts to quote in their articles. So how does a new writer get quotes? If I'm writing an article for instance on ear infections, do I call my own doctor and get his\her quote so I have a professional? Do I call the University and talk to the medical staff?

When approaching experts you want to make them as comfortable as possible.
  • Tell them who you are
  • Where you got their name
  • What you are doing

Outline the questions you want answered. Ask them if they have any other comments, and be sure to thank them for their time. You should also ask for their titles and association \ organization name so you'll be able to credit them properly.
Megasources for finding experts to quote

Websites where you can get in touch with experts to quote:
Ryerson University: http://www.ryerson.ca/home.html.

Typing Find experts in the search box brought a page full of resource links. The Faculty Experts link brings you here, http://www.ryerson.ca/news/facultyexperts/

Finding Answers, by Ryerson University Emeritus Professor, Dean Tudor, http://www.pathcom.com/~dtudor/megasources.htm, provides online resources to an enormous variety of pertinent topics, as well as links to publications.

American Society of Association Executives ("ASAE"), http://www.asaenet.org/main/ may bring a "Oh, no sorry ..." message, but don't be dismayed. Click on the provided search to be whisked to, http://www.asaecenter.org/search/results.cfm.

Click Publications and Resources (top tab.) It will take you to directories of associations, including those that are online. Very useful for contacting sources for articles.

The Yearbook of Experts is available at ExpertClick.com, http://www.expertclick.com/. Want to find a topic to write about? Click Find Experts (provides experts by topic) then select your topic. You can also search by Participant, and Geography. Ideas are limitless! Read About Us, http://www.expertclick.com/19-1238. Site Map brings opportunities to choose your preference to Join.

ProfNet, which you're bound to read about, is a source -- for professionals only. It enables journalists to ask a group of academic, business contacts and other experts for comments on virtually any subject. ProfNet does not welcome queries from amatuers or students, http://www1.profnet.com./
A Journalist's Guide at Robert Niles.com site is a great place that will help writers and non-writers alike to find information and data (such as US Census), http://nilesonline.com/data/
Statistics can sometimes tell you as much as your human sources. Start at RobertNiles.com, http://nilesonline.com/stats/. Be sure to scroll down to Finding Data on the Internet.
Use this resource to search out published works, Online Books Page, http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/. Tip: When you're searching for an author remember that spaces don't count in two-name surnames, like "Van [xx]. Example: Vanek will appear AFTER all those two-word names.
Xpress Press News Service hosts a e-mail free service, Press Query, for reporters looking for public relations professionals, information officers, authors and expert sources, http://www.xpresspress.com/. Click For Journalists and Subscribe (it's free.) Queries are sent within a few hours of receipt during business hours (9 - 6 EST). Follow the directions at the site to send your request.
Ask An Expert Sources offers useful, catergorized links, http://www.cln.org/int_expert.html.
One of the newer resources is HARO (Help A Reporter Out), http://www.helpareporter.com/. Read about it at ragan.com, http://tinyurl.com/6yw5bo. And scroll to the bottom for useful, current links.
Rebeca, a member of Internet Writing Workshop, http://www.internetwritingworkshop.com/, explained, 
"It's a tool for publicists to get in touch with reporters who have specific story queries. But if you're a freelance writer who needs sources for a story, you can post your query and be flooded by publicists' emails. HARO operates in the same way as PROFNET, but it's more user-friendly."
Now, get started ~~ develop your topic and get expert quotes!

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



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Europe Magazine Online Seeking Writers

Alevtina Altenhof, Editor of Europe Magazine Online, http://www.europemagazineonline.com/, is currently searching for writers. Please check our website  for further information, or contact us via editor@europemagazineonline.com.

The magazine is "compiled for everyone interested in the diversity and uniqueness of the European continent," Altenhod said.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Tax Stories Wanted

Tout your ire about income taxes and submit your story to One Forty Fiction, http://www.onefortyfiction.com/submit-your-own, an e-Zine currently accepting stories 140 characters or shorter.

Theme: Tax Man coming up - April 1-14. Access submission tips here, http://www.onefortyfiction.com/about.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Small Publishers

Milkweed Press publishes some children's books, http://www.milkweed.org/content/blogcategory/40/72/.

Also, the resource book finder at PBS is a great detective tool for finding publishers as well as books, http://www.pbs.org/parents/bookfinder/.



Thursday, March 24, 2011

Book Contracts And How They Affect Your Pocketbook

Ever wonder whether the book contract deal you're contemplating is good, so-so, or stinks?
Nine Must-Have Clauses for Digital Rights Contracts, By Michael Stackpole provides some good advice: http://tinyurl.com/4krt6eg. (Originally published at: http://www.michaelastackpole.com/.)

 Dollars and Deadlines is a helpful blog by one of the main voices in advice for freelance writers, written by Kelly James-Enger. Don't miss Clauses to Avoid,
http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/03/5-contract-clauses-to-watch-for-and.html.

Monday, March 21, 2011

e-Publishing Success

Wayne Scheer is a member of Internet Writer Workshop who I've come to admire. I first congratulated Wayne in 2005, when Cynic Magazine, http://www.cynicmag.com/ accepted "Something Snapped" for their Feb. 2005 issue. Although the story was pro bono, the editor respond quickly (10 days), Wayne said, "... and seem to share my own, slightly warped, sense of humor."

Wayne shared more 2005 success: "Off the Road," in The Pedestal Magazine; 3rd place in Humor Press, http://humorpress.com/; and 1st and 2nd place wins in Novel Advice, http://www.noveladvice.com./

During the five years I've known Wayne virtually, the frequency of his publications, and the variety fascinated me. He is the most prolific and persistent published writer I know. I began keeping track of his publications, especially of the publications that paid.

When I asked if I could tout his persistence on my Web site Wayne said, "No objections, but I'm hardly writing my way to money. I'm happy to sell a story for $5 or $10."

When I replied, "Satisfaction is a wonderful reward, and should be honored more than we worship $$$!" Wayne said, "I agree. Obviously, I don't write for the money."

A typical writer, he prefers writing to record keeping. "I have records of most of the stuff I've published on scattered sheets of paper."

Although the following lists only the publications I've noted, you'll see that his persistence is admirable.
2006:
e-Zines:
1. The Better Drink, http://thebetterdrink.com/, (pays $50 for fiction, $40 and $35 for various first-person accounts and $100 for a feature nonfiction article on wine or inspiring people)
2. Skive Ebook, http://www.skivemagazine.com/ (split $2 per purchased copy proceeds.)
3. A Flasher's Dozen, (a print journal; paid $15 for stories under 1000 words.)

Academic journals:
4.The Binnacle,University of Maine's Literary Magazine, http://www.umm.maine.edu/binnacle/.
5.The Aroostook Review, University of Maine, http://aroostookreview.umfk.maine.edu/.
6 Southwestern Michigan Review (print)

Online Journals:
7. Dana Literary Society, http://www.danaliterary.org/.
8. Eclectica, http://www.eclectica.org/.
9. Skive Magazine (which is selling their PDF version and sharing the royalties with its authors.)
10. Cezanne's Carrot, http://www.cezannescarrot.org/.

2007:
11. Moving Day (don't know publication.)
12. A Long Story Short, http://www.alongstoryshort.net/SAYINGGOODBYETOUNCLELESTER.html. (Wayne learned about this one when he received fan mail!)

2008:
13. Dead Mule, http://www.deadmule.com/.
14. Muzzle Flash)
15. Big Pulp (1 cent a word)
16. The Painted Door, Winter Issue.
17. Feel the Word, http://www.feeltheword.net/magazine/2008/01/31/growing-up-wayne-scheer/.
18. Pen Pricks, http://www.grimgraffiti.com/pen_pricks_microfiction.html, (55 words)
19. Mojo's Almanac(k), http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Fiction.
20. Shakespeare's Monkey Review, http://shakespearesmonkeys.com/.
21. Literary Cottage, http://www.literarycottage.com/.
22, Flash Me Magazine, http://www.wingedhalo.com/flashme.html published a few of his stories, and then asked permission to include him in a book on flash fiction.
23. Notre Dame Magazine, http://magazine.nd.edu/ held his story a year and then paid handsomely to publish it in a Spring Issue.
24. Toasted Cheese Literary Journal, http://www.toasted-cheese.com/.
25. Bent Pin Quarterly, (gone now.)
26. The Painted Door, "The Outing of Polonius "Pete" Popoutsky."
27. Flashquake, http://www.flashquake.org/.
28. March Family issue of Shakespeare's Monkey Review, a print journal.
29. Nothing But Red, (to be anthologized in paperback and 3-Book versions. Profits to benefit Equality Now, an International organization dedicated to fighting violence against women.)
30. Cynic Magazine\April issue, http://cynicmagazine.com/.

Once, when I asked Wayne for his secret to publishing he explained, "I keep work circulating all the time."
2009:
31. Pear Noir, http://pearnoir.com/thumbscrews.htm, Revealing Moments.
32. Camroc Press Review, The Morning After.
33. Fiction at Work, http://fictionatwork.com/dss1.aspx, Meat Hooks and Rice Paper, and Office Routine.
34. Poor Mojo's Almanac(k), http://www.poormojo.org/, A Change of Heart,
35. Long Story Short, http://www.alongstoryshort.net/drinkswithfriends.html, Drinks with Friends
36. Everyday Fiction, http://www.everydayfiction.com/, Stripped of Innocence, which Wayne says is, a departure from my usual "realistic" fare."

Five months elapsed before I caught up with Wayne again and learned his publication record remained consistently high.
37. Chicago Pulp Stories, http://www.pulpstories.org/, ( a print magazine), Starting Over.
38. Awkward Press (for their latest anthology), Zen and the Art of House Painting. With the possibility it might become a short film.
39. Golden Visions Magazine, http://www.goldenvisionsmagazine.biz/, (pays) Cloning Clark.
40. Fiction at Work, http://fictionatwork.com/Issue70.aspx, A Fool Proof Plan.
42. Everyday Fiction, http://www.everydayfiction.com/renewal-by-wayne-scheer/#comments, Renewal. Of this story Wayne confided, "One of my favorite old stories. ... I don't know how many times I've revised this story, but I'd still like to take it back and rewrite the opening sentence. Ugggghhh!"
43. Ken*Again, http://kenagain.freeservers.com/PROSE.HTML#scheer, An Orderly Life.
44. Poor Mojo's Almanac, http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Rant, Nature Lessons.
45. Apollo's Lyre, Magic, a nonfiction essay.
46. Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette, http://pittsburghflashfictiongazette.com/2010/06/24/new-flash-fiction-by-wayne-scheer//, The Photograph.
47. Sentinel Literary Quarterly, http://www.sentinelpoetry.org.uk/slq/3.4.july2010/fiction/wayne-scheer.html, Stepping Out.
48. Romance Flash, Past Lives.
49. Journal of Microliterature, http://www.microliterature.org/, Chandra's Room, a flash fiction.
50. Everyday Fiction, http://everydayfiction.com/, When in Rome.
51. Long Story Short, A Secret, a flash fiction.
52. Skive Magazine, a print monthly out of Australia, heir November Americana issue, At the Hop.
53. Long Story Short, http://www.alongstoryshort.net/, Father and Son for their Father's Day issue in June (2011).
54. Everyday Fiction, http://everydayfiction.com/, Not the Jealous Type, for a future issue.
55. Cynic Magazine, http://cynicmag.com/, accepted two stories., One Man's Priority, scheduled for publication November 16, and No Secrets, January 16, 2011.

Wayne's publishing successes in 2011 continues to be so numerous I simply haven't kept abreast. You'll find some of them at the following:
"You the Man, Brad," in Long Story Short. March issue; http://www.alongstoryshort.net/; No Secrets,"at Cynic Magazine, http://cynicmag.com/feature.aspx?articleid=3693; When One Thing Leads to Another, Shine Journal, http://www.theshinejournal.com/mrwaynescheer.htm; The Complexity of Love and Haunted by Jack Kerouac's Ghost will appear in a future issue of The Camel Saloon, http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/.

As you see, Wayne is not only a prolific writer, he is varied as well. Revealing Moments, a collection of flash stories by Wayne Scheer, can be downloaded at http://www.pearnoir.com/thumbscrews.htm. House Painting, became a film adapted from a short story by Wayne Scheer, and can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/18491827.

Since I began e-corresponding with Wayne Scheer, every e-book publishing success story is an encouraging example.

Read about Karen McQuestion's at A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, An Interview With Karen McQuestion, http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/04/interview-with-karen-mcquestion.html.

You'll find a comprehensive self-publishing article called The Rise of Self-Publishing, by Virginia Heffernan, a NYT's columnist who writes, The Medium. in her April 26th article, which also contains links to April Hamilton's Indie Author Guide, as well as to Indie Reader, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/magazine/02FOB-medium-t.html.

Be persistent and persevere and you, too, can become a success.


Analyze Your Writing Voice

Do you ever wonder if you write like a professional author? Analyze a sample of your writing at I Write Like, http://iwl.me/.

The analyzer says I write like Lewis Carroll. Do I? I dunno. Maybe. I'm not familiar with Carroll. Will an agent or editor you approach care if you write like an already published author? Some will and some won't, so don't worry about it. Develop your voice and your writing style and e-Publish yourself!

Friday, March 18, 2011

At American Society of Business Publication Editors blog (ASBPE, http://asbpenational.wordpress.com/) Author Ally E. Peltier offers excellent advice for book authors in her five-part series, 5 Tips for Repurposing Content For a Book, http://tinyurl.com/4wehrgu.

ASBPE blog is a Don't Miss site for authors.

Enjoy Montana history at its most intimate, sometimes barbaric, oftimes amazing, and always fascinating in Behind These Mountains, http://www.behindthesemountains.com/.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The e-World and e-Zine Publishing

If you're looking for paying markets Media New Group publication might slip under your radar, and although payment may be minimal, editors have accepted reprints. Media New Group lists many publications, organized by states at http://tinyurl.com/4ap5u9p. Las Cruces Sun-News is a Media New Group publication. No submission guidelines that I could find, but NEWS team contacts are listed here, http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-contact_us.

More: Chapter 3 - The e-World and e-Zine Publishing - http://tinyurl.com/358evxl.
Access The World and Writer Your Way To $$$, http://writersresourcesonline.blogspot.com/
Ultimate Internet Writers Directory, http://writersinternetdirectory.blogspot.com/

Enjoy Montana history at its most intimate, sometimes barbaric, oftimes amazing, and always fascinating in Behind These Mountains, http://www.behindthesemountains.com/.


Libraries, e-Books and Publishers

If you've never given any thought to the financial aspect of getting an e-Book from your library, now is a good time to tap into some of the behind-the-scenes dialogue that will affect your access to e-Books through libraries in the future.

Begin with this Publisher's Weekly article, The Happy Reader Equation: A Librarian on HarperCollins's E-Book Pricing Model, By Christopher Platt, and then follow the subject as it progresses, http://tinyurl.com/4hrjqrk.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Google

Google, who acquired the rights to all out-of-print books in a class action settlement a while back, has now entered the e-book publishing marketplace, http://books.google.com/ebooks. Scroll about halfway down the home page to locate free books. Seven pages of books provide a wide selection of classics you may have read in print.

Since my books, Behind These Mountains, vol. 1, 2 and 3 are out-of-print Google also was awarded the right to digitize them and make them available to the public. I don't know whether the details of the settlement also gave them permission to e-publish the books and offer them free to the public as they have with these classics. However, I have republished the series, so the 2nd Edition is now in-print. Digital copies can be read online at http://www.behindthesemountains.com/.

The good news is, the e-books Google publishes can be read on just about any electronic device you own, http://books.google.com/help/ebooks/overview.html.

Since my books are regional history books about the sparsely populated area of the Cabinet Mountains where the Clark Fork River flows in northwestern Montana I'd be surprised if Google ever would have digitized and make them available. But the books are no longer in the out-of-print category.

Starte enjoying them today at http://www.behindthesemountains.com/.



From e-Book Manuscript to Publication

Some days being supportive to other writers leads to exceptionally useful writing information. I often send my congratulations to a Yahoo published on my favorite writing list, the Internet Writing Workshop list (http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/, http://internetwritingworkshop.blogspot.com/.) I make it a practice, in addition to reading the stories online at a web site the author includes, to also check the websites the author includes with their signature.

Virginia Winter's Yahoo is a prime example. While checking out a signature link contained  in Virginia Winter's Yahoo, http://www.writewordsinc.com/, I discovered Write Words Inc. There, my curiosity took me to the Site Map, which led me to Submission Guidelines, where I scrolled down to THE RULES, http://www.writewordsinc.com/sugu.html, and discovered great detailed information about the e-book publishing process --- what, how and why -- for manuscript preparation and what happens in the publishing process. ie: galleys, .pdfs and such. Helpful information.

Since Virginia hadn't included a link to her story, I searched the publication she included, and was able to enjoy her story, too. Virginia Winter's Homicide in Haliburton, is here at Pine Tree Mysteries, http://tinyurl.com/4ko37b7.

Virginia Winters' The Facepainter Murders is available at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.writewordsinc.com/.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Writing Tips

Saturday is always a good day to share ideas, and encourage each other. You won't go wrong by paying a visit to StoryADay.org, http://storyaday.org/insanely-productive/ where you can read "How to Become an Insanely Productive Writer!"

Children Who Write Also Publish

Many children are excellent writers and there are markets that publish their manuscripts. The following resources help jump start a youngsters's writing career.


KidPub, Books and stories for kids, by kids since 1995, http://www.kidpub.com/. Free membership required. Visit the FAQ to learn about this wonderful site for children who write, http://www.kidpub.com/faq. Frequent contests have valuable awards.


Kid Writers Club, http://www.kidwritersclub.com/. You'll need to create your User ID and your password and register to log in.


FundsForWriters offers a WRITING KID newsletter. Scroll down to read the issue on the page here, http://www.fundsforwriters.com/writingkid.htm. Scrolling through the page brings links to a wealth of writing contests and information. Alternately, use the following links to locate the newsletter.


Find the current newsletter online at, www.fundsforwriters.com/writingkid.htm. Read the archived editions at, http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?writingkid.


PBS Kids Go! holds writing contests for grades K-3 at, http://pbskids.org/writerscontest/contest.php.


Visit the site and click on Writers Contest Guide (the little red book toward the upper right corner) to get a great step-by-step 15-ge Contest Writing Guide (in PDF that you can print), http://tinyurl.com/5r9kllt. Originally created by Maine Public Broadcasting Network for the Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest.


Smories.com, http://www.smories.com/, runs a contest for original stores for kids read by kids, The Smory that gets the most views in the month wins $300.
  • 2nd place = $250.
  • 3rd place = $200.
  • 4th place = $150.
  • 5th place = $100.
Fiction for ages 3-8. Written in English. No longer than 700 words Poetry and rhyme is accepted. Submissions to smories.com are currently on hold. Go to, http://www.smories.com/mailinglist/ to join their mailinglist and they'll let you know when submissions reopen. Check their site to read past winning stories, and you'll also be able to learn about the authors and read other stories they've published.

Carus/CricketPublisher Cricket, http://www.cricketmag.com/ also publishes children's stories in many magazines. For guidelines to each magazine scroll down the sitemap, here, http://www.cricketmag.com/11-Sitemap to find the link for submission guidelines.

Coblestone and Cricket, http://www.cobblestonepub.com/, (scroll to find the sitemap), http://www.cobblestonepub.com/sitemap.html, where you'll find links that lead to sample articles from a wealth of magazines geared to children of various age groups.

You can quickly find thirty five magazines, and learn what each is interested in here, http://www.cobblestonepub.com/magazines.html.

If you have or know of children who write, encourage them, and use this information to help them also publish their writing. Share this information with all teachers and anyone you know that interacts with youngsters. Our nation will always need writers.