FROM MY MAIL:

From a reader who is looking for some pre-publication editing assistance: I'm looking for an editor in Sacramento, California. I have a children's book written up in raw form but truly know when I get some help to get it off the ground it will be a seller. Title: "The Divorce Fairy". I've talked to a lot of mfcc and they want to use my idea but I have not given permission because I want the book published first. Please e-mail me if you are interested. Thank you. Laurie Mendoza ldmendoza2003@aol.com

Pockets, P.O. Box 34004, Nashville TN 37203-0004: Lynn Gilliam, Assistant Editor. This nondenominational religious publication uses fiction of 750 to 1600 words for children 6 to 12, plus occasional 2-part stories to 2500 words. They have a new feature--a story for 5-8 year olds, 650 words max. Wants stories about someone you would like to know. This one of the few markets that uses some 1st person viewpoint stories. They also use nonfiction, 600-1500 words. Target reading age is 5-11. Occasional two-part stories are used & can be up to 2500 words. Pay .12 word up on acceptance for 1st or reprint (on one-time published mspts.) rights. They have monthly theme lists. They use puzzles and pay $20-$50 each. They have an annual contest. They use New Revised Standard Bible. Email: pockets@upperroom.org. Website (guidelines given here): http://www.upperroom.org.

The following came too late for last month's column, but I think the information is still of interest. From the Authors Guild:

Ziff Davis Media Inc. recently sent a new master contract to its regular freelance writers who were told to sign by the end of the month or forfeit the chance for future assignments. Among a number of poor terms is the demand that writers forfeit all rights to their previous work for Ziff Davis without a penny of compensation. Retroactive grabs for a wide range of electronic and print rights are nothing new. Ziff Davis is just the latest in a long line of publishers, including the New York Times, that have and continue to demand that creators hand over rights to past work in order to do business with them in the future. As always, we strongly recommend against signing over rights to previously published stories without compensation. It's always bad business, but it's particularly bad now. Why? Because it may diminish your claims in the ongoing class action copyright infringement case against the databases and publishers, The Authors Guild, American Society of Journalists and Authors, and National Writers Union have joined forces as plaintiffs in that suit brought on behalf of thousands of freelance writers who did not sell the electronic rights to their stories. The suit seeks compensation for electronic infringement and has been in mediation seeking a settlement for more than a year now. How much might your claim be diminished if you sign a contract like the Ziff Davis deal relinquishing electronic rights to prior works for the publisher? Even if you have not registered, but have dozens or hundreds of stories that have been infringed over the years, you may lose a significant amount of money if you sign a deal like the one Ziff Davis is trying to force upon freelancers. We will argue that such recent agreements should not be honored because they constitute an end run intended to decrease publishers' payouts in the case. But it is impossible to say whether we will win the argument, so resistance to these bad contracts is imperative -- and in your financial best interest. We know many editors are sympathetic to the plight of freelancers when it comes to contracts. If you've received a contract with one of these retroactive rights grants, please take a minute to tell your editor, and remember, contracts are negotiable. If you have a contract in which the language is unclear, and so find yourself unsure whether it contains a retroactive rights clause, the Guild's Contracts Department will be happy to help.

I heard from an old marketing friend of mine the other day. Kathy Ptacek's "GilaQueen's Guide to Markets" now is totally email. This newsletter is primarily aimed at writers for adults, but she does have some children's market news at times, and she occasionally has a children's issue. I'll let you know when that happens, for sure, but if you write for adults, check GilaQueen out at http://GilaQueen.us/. Kathy has samples at the site.

Bible Advocate, Box 33677, Denver CO 80233: Roy A. Marrs, Editor. This Church of God (Seventh Day) publication uses some stories for older teens, 500 to 1000 words. $10 to $25 per printed pages on publication for one-time rights. I can no longer connect to the website I had listed for them..

Faith Kidz, 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs CO 80918: Karen Athen, Editorial Assistant. This Christian book publisher uses early readers, picture books and chapter books. They want "in your face" Christian content. Payment varies. Query only to www.cookministries.com/proposals.

No payment here but Prehistoric Times uses articles about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals. I'm not sure how child oriented they are. Prehistoric Times, 145 Bayline Circle, Folsom CA 95630: Mike Fredericks, Editor. email: pretimes@aol.com. Website: www.prehistorictimes.com.

Dotti Enderle has an e-book that was illustrated by Candace Hardy. It's called "Because I Said So" and is available at www.writers-exchange.com. All of her royalties on this goes to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Sarah Ng is contracted to do a mathematics workbook for primary 3 students in Singapore. The title is "Get Smart in Math".

Glynis Belak is now the market columnist for Fellowscript magazine, based in Western Canada (Inscribe Christian Writer's Fellowship.) http://www.inscribe.org/index.htm. (This site has a market links!)

CHECK OUT my classes for children's short story writers:

http://universalclass.com/arts/creativewriting/classes/2371.htm

and http://universalclass.com/arts/creativewriting/classes/3499.htm

Georgia wrote in response to Brittany's letter last month: Margaret,

I read in your column Brittany wrote a book on Jonah and wants to publish it. I attended a PB seminar last summer for Cook Publishing and they were begging for a humorous version of this story. Kind of a teaching spoof sort of thing or something that 7-year-olds would relate to. I saw the same publisher this spring and she was still interested. I know because my story is 90% done and she reviewed it at the seminar and gave it a thumbs up. Hope this helps Brittany............

Check the Children's Author's Bootcamp  home page or Jon's ezine for information about the latest Boot Camps! There's one coming up in Chicago September 13-14!

A few months ago Georgia wrote, asking for Colorado writers in the Denver area to email if they were interested in a group. She did get one started and this is what she writes: If you are referring to the group I started, yes--we need members. It meets in the Westminister area and is for children's writers only. Jill and I are wanting fantasy writers but with a strong emphasis on Christianity. We prefer those that write for middle or YA ages. The group is limited to no more than ten members to avoid overkill. We will exchange market idea, do crits, and continue to grow by reviewing writing hints and books for this genre. (Note to Georgia from Margaret: Jill emailed, letting me know she was delighted to have given you a call as a result of that column!)

Georgia would be interested in starting an auxiliary group for children's writers in the areas of Broomfield, Arvada, and Westminister. Or, if there is interest, prospective members could become part of the newly forming SCWBI crit group.

You can reach Georgia at cccpines@yahoo.com.

Georgia also suggests that we have a regular section in the column for various writers to send in information about writer's groups--either those specifically for children's writers or larger groups that include children's writers. Georgia belongs to SCWBI, Fiction Writers of America, Colorado Writers Fellowship and several on line groups. I'm sure she'd share information.

I (Margaret) personally belong to the Authors Guild and to Kansas Authors Club. I have information about other smaller groups in some areas of Kansas. If anyone is interested in more specific information, I'll be glad to share it in the column or at least put you in touch with someone in your area who can help you join a group.

Does anyone have information on Crinkles magazine? Came across the name and address, but know nothing about it.

And is this still published? Badgerland Sports for Youth, P O BOX 45050, MADISON WI 53744: Vesna Vuynovich Kovach, Editor. This magazine is for young athletes, their parents, coaches and fans. Children are pre-school through high school. They want features of interest to kids, parents, coaches and fans. Likes local personality profiles. Uses 500-1000 words and pays .10 on publication for 1^st rights. . They do use photos and art work: $25 for 1^st photo printed, $10 for additional. They use reprint rights. Website: http://www.ericksonpublishing.com. Email: editor@ericksonpublishing.com. (Note: in going to this site, I find they do have publications, but the Sports for Youth one is not listed! Most listed are for parents in NE Wisconsin).

Note to letter writers: Thank you for your emails. I read them all and I try to answer as many varied questions as possible. I also have a backlog so it can take time. If I don't use your letter in the column within two months, it's for one of the following reasons. (A.) I've answered a very similar question in the past. (B.) I no longer publish letters where I must do more than very minor grammar and spelling corrections. This includes the many letters I get where no capitalization is used. Editing letters takes too much time—and such letters hardly indicate a serious commitment to writing. Believe me, editors never take poorly constructed writing seriously! (C.) I do not critique writing and no longer respond to emails requesting such services.

Hi, Geary. I haven't self-published so I really have no experience in this line. What I need is easily done with Microsoft Word. I also know that Quark and the other large software packages are usually too expensive for individual writers. READERS! Please give opinions on this. I'm sure Geary isn't the only reader who is looking into this type software.

Margaret

Amy

Hi, Amy.

Get a copy of Writer's Digest's Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market directory. Editors' names are listed with their publishing firms. A great deal more information is listed, as well--including information on whether publishers read manuscripts from writers who don't have agents. Writer's Digest also publishes a book that lists agents.

The book world is large and complex. No one writer in the book area has information on the up-to-date needs of editorial houses other than their own. Each writer must do this themselves.

Best of luck with your book!

Margaret

Lynne

Dear Lynne:

I hope you'll think the advice is helpful. Basically, it's the same as I gave Amy. Look (either through Writer's Digest or another publisher) for how-to books on marketing. (I've listed one from another publisher in answer to another letter in this column, but the Writer's Digest books are excellent, too.) There are books available on the topic of promotion, too.

Your enthusiasm for promoting your book, by the way, will go a long way in interesting an editor in publishing it. Good luck!

Margaret

Gail

Hi, Gail:

It can seem overwhelming when you first start marketing.

One comment I do have is that a 12-page book probably is too short to interest a commercial publisher. Can you balance it out to a more traditional length?

You should send submissions in manuscript format. If you wish you can also prepare a "dummy" book to give an editor an idea about the way you visualize it.

You will have to make up your own mind about trustworthy publishers. As I advised other writers here, study the directories. Also send for their catalogs (or look them up online) and ask for their guidelines. Typically, the larger ones are very solid, but not all of them read unsolicited material. Look at the number of years they've been publishing, for one thing.

One of the best books I've seen about writing for children is "How to Write a Children's Book and Get It Published" by Barbara Seuling. The older copy I have was published by Charles Scribner's Sons. See if you can get a copy through interlibrary loan or even order one used from Amazon.com, half.com, ebay or another of the online used book sites.

Best of luck!

Margaret

Dear Lisa:

I agree about simultaneous submission to MOST book publishers. It isn't usually okay in the magazine world (even when they indicate they review them). And on book publishers, I'd read guidelines closely. But publishers tend to take much more time responding so, for the most, it is okay.

And which editor is it who likes crayon, etc? Almost everyone I know would probably throw them in the trash! I don't have this particular special. I'd advise that if you want to submit to this person, use crayon and markers. For everyone else, present a professional manuscript.

(NOTE: Lisa later wrote that it's one of the editors at Girls' Life.)

Margaret

JULY TIP: What else but Independence Day? Stories can incorporate fact as well as fun. Come up with an unusual slant and do a historical article. Crafts woven around this (any) holiday tend to sell well if they are innovative and different. I would think an alternative to fire cracker story or article would go great (many towns are banning them for personal use).