Writer Advice

In 1996, I entered a writing contest sponsored by a literary agency in Florida; I’d found their ad in a magazine. First prize was $1,000 and an agency contract. I knew my manuscript wasn’t up to professional standards; but I had heard that literary agencies will sometimes take clients they feel have potential and will work with them to improve their work and represent them. I felt it was worth a try for any potential feedback.

I received a letter from them stating they had received my submission and had entered it in their contest. In the next paragraph they told me they liked the story and felt it was something they’d like to represent if it was brought up to their standards. Now I should have known something was fishy. If the story didn’t meet marketing standards, why would it be allowed to continue on in a contest it had no chance of winning?

The letter went on to offer me a professional critique in which they’d mark corrections on the manuscript and send a detailed analysis of the work along with it. Basically it would give me a good look at my strengths and weaknesses. The charge for the service was $65. I had done a lot of research into the publishing field. I knew that literary agencies make their money in sales commissions on the works they represent; but I didn’t know any professional authors in the fiction field and was unsure of what I was doing wrong. This was the first offer of help I’d received and after reading some of the rather nasty rejection letters I’d received it seemed like my only hope to improve. My husband and I decided that this service would be worth it simply because it would point to areas I needed to study.

The next paragraph assured me that whether I chose to accept their offer or not my manuscript was still in the competition. When the analysis finally arrived, only the critique was inside along with a contract and a sheet of testimonials from their clients, which listed them only by their initials. I had to read all the way through the critique to the last page to discover that they were now offering to retype the manuscript for $575 and to represent me. If I paid the entire sum, they could have it finished for me in five weeks. If I couldn’t pay the entire sum I could make payments of $175 down and $40 a month afterward. The manuscript would be retyped and when the final payment was received they’d forward it to me.

I was furious! What good does a critique do me without the marked up manuscript it was referring to? I had the story on disc but they’d written on their copy and referred to it in the critique so even looking at it on screen wouldn’t make much sense. I turned them down on their offer. Then I received another letter offering to do it for $400 with a down payment of $100 and monthly payments of $30 but no manuscript copy. They assured me that I’d make the money back on the commission after they sold it.

Let’s look at the commission for a moment; Camelot’s Revenge was approx. 10,866 words in length. Most magazines pay anywhere between a ½-cent and .05 cents per word for fiction stories. At ½-cent, I’d make $54.33 and at .05 cents $543.30 minus the agency’s 10% commission equals $48.90 or $488.97. Don’t forget state and federal taxes also have to come out of those figures! Far less than I paid them, especially if you factor in the original $65, of course there is always the possibility that they could resell it.

Let’s look at the salability of Camelot’s Revenge. I couldn’t have made this judgment in 1996, but in 2001 with a book published, I can look back at that manuscript and see that even with the grammar corrections it was not a salable manuscript. There were holes in the story and parts that could have been explored further to make the work more interesting. The story was simply too broad to try to tell in so few words. I expanded it into a novel; it now stands at approx. 80,000 words. It has a lot better chance of being sold now.

I turned down the agency’s offer and threatened to sue them if they didn’t return Camelot’s Revenge to me. They returned it claiming that I hadn’t asked for it back. In the US, no special licensing is required anyone can set up shop and call themselves a literary agent. Many of these businesses exist on the fees they charge desperate writers and don’t really represent their work to anyone. Based on the condition of Camelot’s Revenge, I believe this agency was one of those and I’m glad I didn’t fall for it.

The moral of the story is: if they ask you for money, they aren’t a real literary agency. When I marketed my first novel Stasis to literary agencies, one of them I queried turned the manuscript over to their publisher and sought no compensation when my co-author and I signed the publisher’s contract.

Addendum:

The Association of Author Representatives (AAR) doesn’t allow member agencies to charge author fees. http://www.aar-online.org/

Agent Research & Evaluation: This site will run an agency for free and give you an evaluation. I ran the agency listed in my article and they haven't made an independent sale since this site started recording in 1981.

http://www.agentresearch.com/agent_ver.html

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CO-AUTHOR AGREEMENTS--Kelly Steed

Writing, put quite simply, is a business whether you work for a magazine or out of your own home. As a writer you’ll be expected to sign a contract with a literary agency, should you go that route, and finally a publisher; but don’t forget about signing one between you and your co-author(s). I’ve worked with many co-authors over the years mostly on fan fic. Many projects didn’t come to fruition because of problems between us, and some that did, have left behind deep regrets. Never assume because this person is a friend or relative they’re just as committed to the project as you are, talk is cheap. In the U.S. verbal contracts are binding, but if the two embattled artists were alone when the agreement was made, in a court of law, it becomes a matter of your word against theirs. A paper trial is always the best policy.

Get a copy of a standard co-author agreement, read through it and decide what modifications you feel should be made to fit your particular project. I for one don’t believe the adage “One size fits all.” There is an example of a writer’s agreement in Kirsch’s Handbook of Publishing Law by Jonathan Kirsch on pages 256-259. My advice is to have an attorney draw-up the agreement so that everything is legal and there aren’t any loopholes through which a shirker can escape. A document like this wouldn’t take long to create so the cost should be minimal. The future headaches the contract will stave-off make it well worth the cost!

In my opinion if you have a co-author, the writing of the work and publicity should be a 50/50 proposition. The way to ensure this is to keep detailed records of what each contributed and both sign off after each joint working session basically listing what was supposed to be done and confirming what was actually done. The other option is for the author with expertise in a certain area or carrying the greater workload receive a higher percentage of all monies earned either in perpetuity or until a specified amount has been paid. One author should, however, be designated by contract as the business contact to avoid confusion. If one party consistently does not live up to the contractual obligations, then all rights to the work should revert to the other author(s) automatically. I’d send that person a notification of the termination of their rights by certified mail.

Make sure the agreement includes a clause covering sequels to the work. If the partnership goes through on the first novel, then one author moves onto another project, while the other decides to continue the story, the co-author should only receive 15-20% of the royalties if they do no work on the sequel. Without a clause of this type your co-author will be legally entitled to half the royalties regardless of the fact that they contributed nothing new. Co-author agreements are the prenuptial agreements of the writing world and are the best way to ensure that you aren’t taken advantage of.

Ask the Lawyer: Writing Together; Writing Sub Rosa By Amy Cook

http://www.writersdigest.com/articles/cook_writing_together.asp

"Collaboration Agreements in the Publishing Industry" by Lloyd J. Jassin

http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/collaboration_agreements.htm

Sample Collaboration Agreement can be found online at Adler and Robin Books, Inc.: http://www.adlerbooks.com/collab.html

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THE LOOK--Kelly Steed

Noah Wylie, who plays the character Dr. John Carter on NBC’s top-rated drama series ER, had been working as a waiter when he landed a role in the popular series. Even though his name and image appeared in the opening credits and he was contracted to do a second season, people kept asking him when he was going to get a real job. He’s not alone. Artists in all fields come under this type of scrutiny and prejudice, most especially writers.

I was working as a substitute teacher in two Michigan school districts when I feel ill with severe depression. I’d always had depression just never knew what it was until it went full blown under the strain and stress of starting my career under my parents’ roof and pressure from my family over my marriage. It very quickly became clear to me that I couldn’t continue teaching; but I still wanted to work. My husband suggested that I write books. This was something that I’d always wanted to do so I embarked on a new career.

Don’t expect all the people in your life to be supportive of your dream.

My mother told friends I faking being ill and that I was playing at being an author. I was just lazy and didn’t want to work. Certain friends also tended to look down their noses at me. Basically if I didn’t leave the house everyday and go to a 9 to 5 job, I was a shirker with a college degree. I’ve got news for them; I work on average 7 days a week 12 to 15 hours a day including holidays, rarely do I work 8 or less. Before I got the contract for Stasis, people acted like I had all the time in the world to do whatever they wanted. It was like they thought I sat home and watched soaps all day. That gets annoying real quick! You can’t be nice; it doesn’t work. You have to be firm with them, tell them you have to work, or they’ll walk all over you. I learned that the hard way nearly landing in a hospital from all the stress. In order to spare my sanity, I ended up having to cut some of the clueless out of my life altogether. That’s when my career started moving forward.

Don’t expect the people you meet to be supportive or your dreams either.

In most cases, you’ll experience the phenomenon; I call “The Look.” It usually occurs when someone asks, “What you do for a living?” You respond, “I’m writing a novel.” or “I’m an aspiring author.” or something in that vein. “The Look” is really a combination of reactions all melded in a few quick seconds that can cut the unwary to the quick. “The Look” differs slightly with each person but you’ll always know it when you see it. It can be a double take, an accusation of laziness, a prudish frown, jealousy, the pain of unrequited dreams or an expression similar to “my don’t we think a lot of ourselves.” They may or may not make verbal comments but their eyes say exactly what they are thinking. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is meant to discourage those they level it on. Not all people behave in this manner; but I have found that people born in the 1930’s and 1940’s are particularly bad about it.

It’s hard getting someone in the industry to consider the work of an unknown and that “Look” gets harder to deal with if you’ve received three rejection letters the previous month compounded by the drama of “family” and “friends.” You have to adopt an, “I’ll show you attitude!” Keep writing and honing the skills needed for your craft. Since I got the contract for Stasis, I’ve had a number of other submissions accepted for publication. I believe it is because I had more confidence in my ability and because the naysayers had been silenced.

If the Lookers are people you know, rather than a stranger spoken to in passing, keep a continually updated record of their current address so that your publisher can send them a pre-publication notice of when your book is coming out. I did and watched the leopards change their spots. Now the cynics are falling all over me, like it was all their idea that I write novels, and boy do they want to share in that spotlight! All have to have their coffee table book to show people that they know a real live author. Well, I’m still an unknown; but suddenly, in their eyes, I’m Stephen King! I just let the hollow praise pass in one ear and right out the other, while sharpening my pencil against the grindstone.

As Mark Twain once remarked, "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

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ADVERTISING COPY FOR ONLINE BOOKSTORES--Kelly Steed

Don't rely on your publisher to send advertising copy to online bookstores. If your book is listed with nothing but a picture of the cover, send in additional content to bookstore websites.

Amazon.com: Directions: Go to the book's page. Scroll down to the box that starts out with a column entitled Publishers and Authors. Click the Publishers Guide. Look at the Menu Bar on the side of the page. Click the Content Form to submit the additional text. Send in your editorial reviews (professional reviews), book description, From the Publisher (send a short synopsis or come on), From The Author (some details about the work), Author Bios, Excerpt. http://www.amazon.com

Amazon UK: On the main books page below the box that has the Publisher and Authors Guide there is a directory of all stores. Under the International Sites, click the United Kingdom then go to the books page and run a search for your title. Scroll down the page to the Comment on this title and click I am the author. That will take to the menu for the content form. Canada seems to get their info from the US and France picked up content for me from the UK.

Barnes & Noble.com: They have a specific way that they want your content submitted. Go to the following link and read the instructions: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/help/pub_submit_content.asp Email your content to Titles@bn.com. They also have an are called Meet the Writers. Send a request for consideration to writers@book.com. Note: These are for author pages. B & N can't honor every request.

Books A Million.com: In the menu bar at the bottom of the page, click For Publishers. Under Submitting Items Related To Books you find the Additional Content link. That will explain how they wanted it submitted. This site also allows an author to submit their photo. http://www.booksamillion.com Content Corrections can be submitted here content@booksamillion.com with "Correction" in the subject line.

For other bookstores that didn't list any specific guidelines, I just emailed them the back cover copy.

Addendum:

Something else an author needs to watch out for is the subjects their books are classified under on these bookstore websites. Stasis was classed under Science Fiction, Fiction-Science Fiction, Fiction, and Science Fiction-General at Amazon.com. The subjects can be found at the bottom of your book's page. On Books-A-Million, the subjects are listed at the bottom of your novels page as well. They only had it listed under Fiction and Science Fiction-General. On Barnes and Noble you'll have to do a Keyword Search and see if your novel's title comes up. When I searched Cryonics, Stasis didn't come up. Stasis is a hard science fiction novel about cryonics. I emailed the stores and asked them to add Stasis to that subject search. Remember readers have to be able to locate your books in order to buy them!

Sales Ranks:

What do Amazon.com sales rankings mean? by Steve Rhodes http://www.murdermustadvertise.com/FAQ/Amazon.html

and Foner Books Surfing the Amazon Log: What Amazon Sales Ranks Mean by Morris Rosenthal

http://www.fonerbooks.com/surfing.htm

Because of the competitiveness of the bus they never disclose exact sales figures. My assumption is that this same type of system would apply to Barnes & Noble too!

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MY WRITING MANTRA--Kelly Steed

This article idea came from the Question of the Month column I responded to in the Write What You Know eZine http://www.writewhatyouknow.com. The question was, “What conditions must you set in place on your journey to becoming a successful writer?”

These conditions have developed overtime; but I’d never really written them down until I responded to that question. I believe that every writer must have a writing mantra to follow if they want to be successful.

1. My work comes first before everyone and everything else.

2. Anyone who harasses me about my dream of becoming an author, gets cut out of my life altogether or shoved to the fringes. This includes family members. In the immortal words of Twisted Sister, “We’re not gonna take it anymore!”

3. I “do without,” meaning I sacrifice fun times and buying toys in order to put that money toward research materials, office equipment etc. so that I can keep the wheels turning.

4. I commit massive amounts of time to my work putting in hours everyday even on holidays. The hours I put in vary day-to-day but I’m always sure to complete one to two tasks along with keeping up with my email.

5. I strive to produce 500 words a day toward the completion of my main project.

Do I think that my life will always be governed by these rules?

No, I believe that all except number 2 will change overtime as I get more experience and have more earning potential. When I first placed these conditions on myself, they were irrefutably set in stone and I wouldn’t budge because it takes that level of commitment to make it in this business.

I encourage authors to develop their own writing mantra and to stick to it as rigidly possible, especially in your novice period, because it’s a valuable tool to keep a writer on task.

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EDITING YOUR MANUSCRIPT AFTER THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED--Kelly Steed

In an ideal world a publisher’s editors should evaluate the manuscript upon submission and have the author correct it before the contract is even signed. However, this isn’t an ideal world often the manuscript is read and accepted by the publisher before their editors look at it.

All publishers I’ve ever dealt with have clauses in their contracts that state, if an author is unable to bring the manuscript up to an acceptable level, the publisher has a right to charge the author for the work done by their editors. This is a scary clause because it is vague as to how much has to be wrong with the manuscript before that happens. To my mind, there should be a substantial amount of rewriting required to warrant such an action. The charge for such editing services can range from $500 and up.

If the publisher only provides vague information as to what is wrong with the manuscript, ask for clarification. If you’re still provided with no specifics (i.e. a marked-up copy), the best way to protect yourself is to write a report detailing the corrections you made and send it along with the corrected manuscript. Make sure you read through the entire manuscript! Don’t forget to save a read only copy on a CD so that the date of completion is recorded. Publishers also have the option to cancel your contract for any reason; so don’t give them an easy out.

In your report, list grammatical corrections by page and paragraph number along with the old sentence or copy followed by its correction. If you don’t have Word Program or something comparable to it, get a copy of Webster’s Standard Style Manual a.k.a. Merriam-Webster. This is the manual used by the New York houses. If the publisher sights spelling errors, make sure that you document cases where historical spellings are being used. In my novel Camelot’s Revenge, most of the story takes place in Dutchess County, New York. The modern American spelling is duchess; but the county formed in the 17^th Century never changed with the times. Don’t forget that many technical terms encountered in your research will not be included in Word’s dictionary so make a case for them.

Be sure to document any places where characters are speaking in a dialect because these could also be counted as spelling errors. Remember to use the apostrophe where letters are missing to indicate a perceived pronunciation! You definitely don’t want your galleys (prepublication proofs) to arrive with all the ethnic flavor of the piece having been removed by an overzealous editor playing fast and loose with the Word Program’s spelling and grammar check.

For sections of text you choose to completely revise, list the page numbers the text falls between and then give the scene a title based on the action-taking place such as Manny’s Wild Cab Ride. The publisher will all ready have a hard copy and an electronic copy of your manuscript that they can check the new text against.

It may seem like a lot of extra work but the report will force your publisher to be specific, should they choose to claim that there are additional errors. Remember all contracts are written with the benefit of the publisher in mind so protect yourself!

Addendum 1:

Be sure to make a case for any terms you coin. In Stasis, a story about cryonics, the press dubbed the reanimated dead “revivees.” Creating little nicknames and catch phrases is something the press does all the time, so it fit well within the story. Clubs, organizations, career fields etc. all have their own lingo. Make sure you make note of that. Coining new terms is something that is prevalent in the speculative fiction genre. Don’t let your publisher count them as spelling errors and ruin the flavor of your piece!

Addendum 2: Updated Sept. 8th

If a publication date has all ready been set when this editing issue arises, I’d be highly suspicious of the publisher particularly if the contract states that if the author can’t edit the manuscript to the publisher’s satisfaction the publisher has a right to charge the author for the work their editors do. It’s especially telling when they are vague about the problems and then belittle the author’s abilities to correct their own manuscript. This is a high-pressure tactic to get the author to roll over.

In this case, the publisher is most likely a subsidy house masquerading as a traditional. You might want to think about looking elsewhere for publication because eventually this will get out into the media. Remember Traditional Publishers do not charge for editing nor do they take on authors whose manuscripts need a full rewrite regardless of how good the ideas behind the story are. They don’t have the time and there are too many authors out there for them to waste what time they have.

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ATTORNEYS OFFERING FREE CONSULTATIONS--Kelly Steed

I had an occasion arise in which I felt I needed to consult an attorney. I made an appointment with one that advertised a free consultation. I always thought free consultations were for the attorney to find new clients but apparently not in all cases.

This attorney told me that she could only answer my questions and couldn’t give me any legal advice without first examining my documents. She told me that she’d have to read through my papers, have time to consider them and then explain them to me. She said it should take two hours later whittling it down to an hour and a half. Her office fee was $185 an hour. It seemed to me that the purpose of her free consultation was to suck people into her office. Assuming that once they are there, they’ll pay her fee. How can she answer any questions at all without knowing something about the problem?

Don’t waste your time or money! Ask questions about what the free consultation will entail before you make that appointment. Make sure the attorney will read through all your documents at least the pertinent sections, explain your rights and tell you whether you have a case or not. There are a lot of law firms that do pro bono work and recover their fees from the court settlement. Your best bet, find one of those firms.

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REQUIRED SUPPLIES FOR RESEARCH JUNKETS--Kelly Steed

The supply list for a research junket will really depend on what type of research you are doing. Below are the items I have found very useful.

Lap Top- if you don’t have one, bring a notebook or notebooks along to fit the amount of subjects you’re looking into.

Notebooks- always label the front of each notebook.

File Folders- useful for storing and organizing photocopied materials.

Handheld Scanner- if the library or archives will allow you to use them. If you don’t have a handheld scanner or a program that allows you to read into your computer then see item below.

Tape Recorder/Digital Recorder- with extra tapes and batteries. It’s a lot faster to read then to write!

Mechanical Pencil (Extra Leads and Erasers)- if you choose to bring wooden pencils be sure to bring a hand operated pencil sharpener. Archives won’t allow you to use pens.

Note Pad- to record other topics you need to look into, photos needed to be taken etc. New things will often come up as you work. Making a checklist really helps. I find those grocery list pads work really well in this capacity.

Magnifying Glass- for reading documents. I prefer one that has a small light in it because it really aids in clarifying documents often written by hand or that have dirty or smudged spots.

Camera (Extra Batteries and Film)- or if you’re carrying a digital camera be sure to bring along extra memory sticks.

Cash- especially change for copy machines. (Remember some places may not be able to make change for you if you’re carrying only $20s. I found that out the hard way and had to venture out in search of a store or bank.) Copy fees can run anywhere from 10 cents a page to 25 cents a page and can add up very quickly. Most archives charge a research fee. It would be wise to find out in advance of your trip how much they charge. You may also find materials in the local area that would be helpful resources for writing your books such as maps, books, post cards or brochures.

Maps- likewise be sure to pack any maps you’ll need in locating places of interest or for research so that they are easy for to locate once you’ve arrived.

Backpack or Laptop Suitcase- If you’re going to be checking a number of books out, your best option would be a laptop case on wheels. I took one of each with me so that on the light days I wouldn’t have to drag the suitcase behind me.

Addendum:

Gift Cards- Gift cards are a great way to invest in your research junket well in advance of your departure date. You can get them for restaurants, office supply stores etc.

The following items were inspired by a trip to investigate some ruins where I may set a future book.

Hard Hat (even better if it has a light built-in)

Flash Light

Utility Belt or Harness

Canteen

Rope- make sure it is a climbing rope and not a clothsline!

Grappling Hook

Knee and Elbow Pads

Hiking Books

First Aid Kit

Cell Phone to CALL FOR HELP!!!!

Book on Knot Tying- should be studied before you make the trip

You might also want to take a class on climbing depending on where the ruins are located.

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ORGANIZING A RESEARCH JUNKET--Kelly Steed

The Internet is a writer’s most important tool in preparing for a research junket. Before you embark, you need to so some in-depth “research” to determine how much you’ll be able to accomplish on your trip. Plot your itinerary around securing the most important information needed to complete the bulk of your manuscript then if you have time you can squeeze in some of the minor details. Remember everything will hinge on your budget and the amount of time you can allocate.

Contact tourism bureaus for the state, county or city and request maps and brochures on areas of interest. Most are provided at no cost. Texas even sent me a free CD! Many of these will provide discount coupons for admission costs, hotels, car rental, restaurants etc. If you prefer not to drive in a strange city, you can usually find bus schedules and route maps on the city’s website. You can even request that one be sent to you.

If you plan to visit a library/archives, go to their website and search their catalog in advance. Make a list of the resources you wish to view. This will save you valuable time, however be aware that some institutions still haven’t made it into the cyberage. For those, you should allocate more time. Note some archives charge a fee for access to their materials. That information will also be on their website. Some will also include their usage rules; others will provide them onsite when you register. Remember to bring pencils along most do not allow researchers to use pens.

Contact people you need to interview and make an appointment ahead of time. This is especially important if your time is limited. On my last research junket, I stayed with a friend for three months so I was able to contact people after I arrived. If your contact with them to arrange a meeting was some time ago, you may want to call and remind the person of your appointment as a courtesy. In that way, if something has changed in their schedule, you will have a chance to possibly work through it. You will be amazed how many people will be flattered to talk to you because you’re an author.

A successful research junket depends on the amount of forethought and research a writer puts into it. Good luck!

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MICROFILM, MICROFICHE AND MICROFORM--Kelly Steed

There are three processes by which delicate records can be preserved for viewing microfilm, microfiche and microform. They are invaluable as far as distributing records widely, some of which there may be only one copy extant, and in these forms they take up little storage space. All three involve recording images at a greatly reduced size and require special reading equipment.

Microfilm film resembles a negative strip from a 35 mm camera with a page recorded on it per frame. The reader utilizes a reel-to-reel system for viewing.

Microfiche resembles a negative plate with photographic reproductions of numerous pages recorded in sequential order. When I was in Michigan, our local independent (indy) bookstore received Ingram’s catalog information on microfiche. They had a reader near the cash register.

Microform is an arrangement of images reduced in size reproduced on cardboard cards and filed by number in boxes. Each card also has a legible title at the top. The cards are filed in series. They will be found shelved in the library’s research stacks. Microforms were produced in the 1950’s so the machinery that reads the microform cards is often old and patrons quite often struggle to make anything legible, as libraries and archives are notoriously under funded replacement with newer equipment is rare. The slightest vibration will knock the image out of focus, which can be a real pain when trying to take notes. The newer machines allow copies to be run.

These records are mostly for historical research and its subcategories i.e. genealogy etc. Just remember history encompasses everything that has ever occurred and your novel’s back-story or main plot may require a science fiction author to look back rather than forward.

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HOW TO NOTIFY A PUBLISHER THAT YOU WANT OUT OF YOUR CONTRACT--Kelly Steed

Go to the post office and pick up a green & white Certified Mail Receipt and a green Domestic Return Receipt card. Set the envelope up as instructed.

Write a letter enumerating your reasons for wanting to cancel the contract. At the bottom of each letter type: Sent Certified Mail followed by the date and the Certified Mail Receipt number. Make sure you mail the documents on the date you list. Print four copies. File copy number one with your contract. Copies two and three will be sent to your publisher, one as a certified letter and the other in a regular mail envelope. The reason for sending two letters is because a certified letter can be refused. The second letter makes sure that they have received the notification that you want your rights back.

Put the fourth letter copy in a self-addressed stamped envelope and mail it back to yourself. This is a cheap and dirty way to copyright the letter. DO NOT OPEN IT! Remember no one is to open the copy you sent to yourself except for the judge presiding over your case should you end up in court. You have the copy you filed with your contract if your attorney wishes to read it! The Domestic Return Receipt is the card that the recipient signs and is sent back to you. Hang onto it! Also hang onto your receipt when you pay the postage on the certified letter. The delivery date and time can be obtained at UPSP. Print a copy for your records. I’m a firm believer that a writer can never have too many records! (That’s history major/historical re-enactor logic; but it’s saved me more times that I care to recount!) Keep all these documents with your contract.

I got this straight documentation method straight from a supervisor with the US Postal Service. He says that they use it when taking disciplinary action against an employee or for firing that employee. It was my idea though to file a copy of the letter and to print a copy of the postal delivery date and time. It pays to be thorough!

Give the publisher a month to respond to your letter either refusing to return your rights or not to respond at all. If either scenario plays out, consult an intellectual property attorney to help you decide your next course of action.

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TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH POST CARDS--Kelly Steed

I’ve been collecting post cards from my travels and those of my friends since I was a small child. I never realized their value until I decided to write.

When I need a story setting or descriptive details, I head to the shoebox. The cards are organized by country and by state/province and sometimes by city depending on the collection size. The blurbs sometimes provide a clue in furthering research efforts. Once located I just pull the necessary cards and add them to my story folder.

Article was originally published in the Writing On the Run Tip of The Week eZine in their May 15, 2005.

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ENTERING MEDIA PROMOTIONS--Kelly Steed (NEW)

The Foreigner Concert

Fiction sells based on the author’s name recognition so the object is to get your name out there before the public anyway you can. A good way to do that is by entering Media Promotions.

I signed up on September 7, 2005 with DJ Brandi Foxx of The Mix 94.3 WDIF-FM to win tickets to see Foreigner at the Marion Popcorn Festival. My name was drawn!

September 9^th Concert Day

When DJ Brandi Foxx and DJ Paul James of The Mix came on stage to introduce Foreigner, Brandi said, "I want to shout out a hello to a special listener. She's just as pumped as I am. She's sitting in the kernal seats."

As soon as I heard this I looked at Richard and said, "Oh my God!"

Brandi continued, "She won the Mix tickets. Kelly Steed! Where are you Kelly?"

Richard punched me in the arm. "Stand up."

I stood and waved at her.

"There she is right down front!" Brandi pointed at me from the stage.

All I could think at this point was, "Oh my God she said my name and Foreigner's backstage!"

Bob Nunnally, a Marion Native and the weatherman from NBC Columbus, was also on stage at the time.

Now think about this:

My name was announced on the radio when I won the tickets in fact my niece was listening to the broadcast. My name was announced before I don’t know how many thousands of people with Foreigner backstage. Personally, I don’t think this was originally planned. I think Brandi did the shout out to me because I went and thanked her personally for the tickets before the concert. Always thank the media when they do something for you! Brandi did not know that I was an author. I didn’t tell her because at that point nothing in my life, prior to winning those tickets mattered, because I was going to see Foreigner up close and personal!

My picture and that of my husband, though we’re not identified, is in the Marion Popcorn Festival Gallery on The Marion Star Website. Granted none of this mentions that I’m an author but my web link is listed on the Marion Online website, an article about me will be out in a future edition of The Marion Star with my web link included and I have a concert page up on The Steed Zone. I also put Foreigner in The Steed Zone’s search terms. This should equal name and face recognition.

People tend to buy things for various reasons there’s the local celebrity angle, the science fiction fan angle possibly even a similarity in musical tastes. It’s worth a shot! If I send a press release every time I do something from this time forward and get local coverage, I have the beginnings of word of mouth. Press coverage needs to start small and then build.

On October 6, 2005 I mailed a thank you card and letter to Brandi detailing what she’d done for me and on the 7th during the Time Warp Lunch she dedicated Juke Box Hero to me and mentioned my name three separate times! I also received the following email from her.

Kelly,

I just got your letter today. I have to say that I am so moved right now!

It's listeners like you who make us realize how much of an impact that we have on your lives. Who would have thought that something as simple as a concert would have had such an impact on someone! That's what we're here for!

I was having a really bad day. Not feeling well and just flat out didn't want to be here today. Then...I opened my mail. My day changed!

I have to say Thank YOU for making MY day! You also made Paul James' day. I ran to his office and let him read the letter. We got online and looked at your webpage. We were floored! Thank you so much for all the kind words you had for The MIX.

We have put your letter in our public file and forwarded your webpage to "the powers that be". We can't thank you enough!!!

Knowing what a wonderful time that you had at the concert really makes Paul and I the happiest DJ's around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again Kelly and I'm glad that the night will live on in your heart forever!

Brandi :)

(Reprinted with the permission of Brandi Foxx)

I received another email from Brandi on October 8th asking if she could use the picture my husband took of her as her Jock Pic on the stations website! I told her after what she and the station did for me they can have anything they want!

I’ve also received an email from DJ and Program Director for The Mix 94.3 WDIF-FM Paul James, who also happens to sit on the Popcorn Festival Entertainment Committee, who discussed my letter at a committee meeting. All of this because I took a few minutes to enter a contest!

Enter media promotions because you never know what could happen for you! And just think if this gives me name and face recognition, I’ll be able to truthfully claim that Foreigner along with two Most Awesome-ist DJ’s launched my career!

READY FOR THE CONCERT!

Without further ado,

THIRD ROW CENTER STAGE!

Foreigner Page at The Steed Zone

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NONFICTION HISTORY VS. HISTORICAL FICTION AND ALTERNATIVE HISTORY--Kelly Steed

Recently I received an email that touched off a debate between my husband and I about what constitutes history, the nonfiction variety, and historical fiction. One of my future projects is On the Eve of War Reflections of a Civil War Soldier Edward Michael Watson, about a cavalry officer from Michigan. The main source for information behind the book are letters he wrote home from the war and information gleaned from a series of three interviews I did with Phyllis Rankin (Edward’s niece) back in the 1980’s. I had planned to categorize the manuscript historical fiction because I wanted to create interaction between the soldiers, which involves using my imagination to a certain extent to write their conversations, though his letters in most instances clearly convey the mood of himself and his fellows.

My husband pointed me to a number of history books in our WWII collection that have interaction amongst the soldiers but are still billed military history. I responded, “But these are about World War II, many of these guys were still alive when these books were written. The author probably got his information through interviews with participates in the actual events.”

“Not all of them survived.” He showed me some passages in Victory at Guadalcanal by Robert Edward Lee. The first concerned a conversation as the American attack begins between Lt. Maruyama Juntaro and Sergeant Raizo Tanabe assigned to protect the radio shack on Tulagi. The second, actually part of the first, is taken from the lieutenant’s diary in which he discusses reminding a frightened radioman of his honor and duty. The third goes into the simultaneous American activity and ends with the silencing of the Tulagi Station. The passages are written with detailed descriptions of the men’s movements prior to their death like a narrative. I haven’t read the actual diary passages, but since they were under attack, it is reasonable to assume that Juntaro would not have had time to record much other than the Americans were attacking and his reminder to the radio operator. Richard pointed out, “Even with survivors, no one is going to remember every movement they made every moment they were at war nor are they going to remember verbatim every conversation they took part in.”

That’s when I decided to look up the definition of Narrative History and discovered that the term history is defined as 1. a narrative of events; a story. 2. a chronological record of events often including an explanation of or commentary on those events. An Annal is 1. a chronological record of events of successive years. 2. a descriptive account or record, a history. (The American Heritage College Dictionary Third Edition New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.) This would be like your school textbooks that are written by committees that are very general and tend to be quite boring. Some contain inaccuracies.

Soldiers conversing with one another could be considered commentary as long as they aren’t using glaring anachronisms. All the characters will be historical figures and the settings will be places the regiments visited during their tours of duty. However this isn’t like Hollywood when they say a story is “based on actual events” in most cases they mean so loosely based that it will take a flea comb to shift the reality from it. An author’s note will be included at the end of book detailing anything that I had to hypothesize.

I consulted Edward Dukes, a history major and fellow grad of Northern Michigan University. He is quoted below with permission.

“I just read the article. I think you both raise some good points. I think in this case the difference between history and historical fiction would be the degree to which the conversations and other interactions are detailed. For example, the radio station and the conversation between those men did take place, but the exact words are lost. The MEANING of the conversation can be traced and supported. That is the difference. There just has to be some supporting evidence to explain how the individuals knew each other, that they did have some interaction and what the outcome was. The specifics can (and probably always will) be left to those writing about them. In that case I would go with the history category.

“If the individual in question has no known contact with another character, no supporting evidence of writings or other interactions (for example-introducing a lover when there is no allusion to one although facts prove many had affairs during war) then I believe it would have to be classified as historical fiction.”

Brent Stothers, NMU grad, supervisor at the Marquette Post Office and avid history buff, had the following to say on the subject:

“I think historical fiction is when there is a significant departure from what happened. As far as the verbatim conversations, I don’t think that’s necessary to maintain history.” (Brent is quoted with permission.)

Alternative History is not a sub category of Historical Fiction instead it falls under Science Fiction because something out-of-the-ordinary happens that changes history such as a character traveling back in time or historical figures coming forward in time. A historical outcome can also be reversed in these novels. A good example would be The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick, which looks at life in America after the Axis powers have won World War II and the Germans and Japanese occupy the United States.

For now, I’m going to class On the Eve of War as a military history volume, however the debate is still raging and my research is still ongoing. Don’t be surprised if this article gets updated in the future! (My articles often do!)

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SPAMMING TO SELL YOUR BOOKS CAN HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES--Kelly Steed (NEW May 2006!)

I get at least five spams a month from various authors telling me that they think I’d be interested in their book. What these authors don’t realize, is that they are breaking the law and that this activity can have dire consequences to their careers.

Angela Hoy, the Publisher of Writer’s Weekly newsletter and one of the owners of the publishing house Booklocker.com recently wrote an article about Booklocker’s anti-spamming policy, which they include in each of their contracts. Recently they had to pull an author’s contract because the person was engaged in this activity. The article can be accessed below.

Authors Who Spam by Angela Hoy

http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/002919_08312005.html

I predict because of the anti-spamming laws that are currently being enacted all publishers from the large New York houses to the Independents and on to the Subsidy publishers will eventually include such clauses in their contracts to help indemnify them. It stands to reason that if a person can walk into a store and purchase a pack of cigarettes with a Surgeon General’s warning on them then turn around and sue the tobacco company because they got sick and win; a publisher can certainly be held liable for the actions of their authors.

Even without such clauses in a contract, if the publisher receives enough complaints about an author, and it is proven that the emails were sent from the author’s IP Address the publisher will be forced to censure their author in some. Spamming just isn’t worth it!

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SPOT EDITS--Kelly Steed

As a manuscript nears completion, I like to do something I call spot edits. Sections of the manuscript that are either heavily edited or have been rewritten usually need further editing to smooth out any roughness that may be left behind or to make them fit cohesively into the rest of the story.

As I type in the final full edit changes, I make a note of the page numbers of those sections then I print them for a final once over.

After any changes are made and entered I print the entire manuscript and preparing to do a read-through.

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POSSIBLE PACING TECHNIQUE--Kelly Steed

In Nova by Samuel R. Delany, I noticed an interesting way in which he wrote the dialog for one scene. The scene is an argument between characters:

“Surprisingly enough, it isn’t.” (Katin) “All you have to do is realize how we regard—“

Then later Katin’s dialogue is broken with (Again Katin).

I’d never seen this done before. Upon closer examination of the text I realized that the brackets were a typo and the sentence should have read:

“Surprisingly enough, it isn’t.” —Katin― “All you have to do is realize how we regard—″

Delving further into the novel, I discovered that this was a technique Delany used to accelerate the pacing of the story. I’ve read many articles that suggest at moments of high tension a writer should use short sentences to create that fast-paced tension within the reader. The Chicago Manual of Style says dashes can be used for interrupted speech when one character overrides another and ellipsis dots should be used when speech trails off. It says nothing about using dashes in place of speech tags.

The long dashes were very effective in conveying the mood of the scene. People were yelling and cutting each other off so many of the long dashes feel at the beginning as well as at the end of dialogue passages with no speech tags clogging up the prose save for a name here and there. The conversation seemed more immediate.

So, why did I entitle this article Possible Pacing Technique?

Generally established authors can get away with things that non-established authors can’t. By the time Nova was published in 1969, Delany had already won four Nebula Awards. So I’m not so sure you’ll want to include this dialogue technique in your next novel or short story. It will all depend on the publisher as to whether they will accept a manuscript written in such a way from an unknown. I guess the motto should be, “Try at your own risk.”

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BOOST YOUR CREATIVITY THROUGH ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS--Kelly Steed

There are many suggestions on the Internet to help writers boost their creativity and beat writer’s block: take a break, work on another manuscript, get out of the office, watch a movie, call a friend, go shopping etc. These can work but not always.

Let’s face it writing is black and white. Writers need to do something else that either involves colors, music even movement on a regular basis. I think taking up a hobby is a great way to keep writing. I paint ceramics, do cross-stitch, sew and recently got into flower arranging.

The basket I arranged for Halloween struck me as soon as I saw it. If I bought one, how would I use it? I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I kept ruminating on this question until I worked out the details of turning it into a Halloween/Fall centerpiece. I bought the basket and foam blocks and just a couple plastic plants at first to give me a base to start with. Then I made five shopping trips to gather the rest of the foliage.

In between each stage, I sat and visualized where I should go with it next. While I worked on the project, my unconscious mind worked on the manuscript. I know because every now and then I’d get hit with the solution to a problem situation from the ether.

It can take years to complete a book but most hobby projects can be completed relatively quickly. When I’ve completed a project, I feel a sense of accomplishment and that is very encouraging. So writers take up a hobby!

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DOING A NOVEL READ-THROUGH--Kelly Steed

The read-through should be the last stage of editing before beginning the submission process. By this time, you should be well aware of your strengths and weaknesses. If not, it might be a good idea to pay an editor to mark-up your manuscript to point out the weak areas.

Choose a read-through partner or partners who will give you good constructive criticism. This is essential to making a manuscript sale worthy. The read-through must be done orally. You can either read to them or give them copies to follow along while you’re reading.

Checking grammar is a given whenever a manuscript is read; but at this stage the concentration should be placed on the story elements: plot, character, dialogue etc. Develop a questionnaire that focuses on your weaknesses.

The following is the questionnaire that I used.

1. Who is the viewpoint character in this scene?

2. Is there any place where I fall out of one character’s point-of-view into another’s?

3. Are there areas that are bogged down by description?

If the story is told from multiple points-of-view, it is best to go scene-by-scene unless you’ve organized the book into character chapters where one character’s point-of-view is expressed in the chapter. At the end of each chapter or scene, ask your partner(s) the questions off the questionnaire. If their answers are not what you expect, you need to do more editing and another read-through later.

Remember good writing is simply writing and rewriting until you get it right.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING GOALS AND THE AUTHOR MINDSET--Kelly Steed

(From a Presentation by Romance Author Judi Thoman http://www.judithoman.com/)

1. Make a list of things you want to happen in your career for the following year.

2. Print it out.

3. Post it in areas where you will see it regularly. Ex. near your computer monitor, refrigerator, near your mirror, on your closet door

4. Read over your goals everyday.

5. Read over your goals while looking at yourself in the mirror to convince yourself that you can achieve them.

6. Check off each goal as you accomplish it.

7. Carry over unaccomplished goals to the following year.

8. The list should grow longer each year.

Authors need to have a positive mindset to enable them to achieve these goals. One way to achieve this is to use positive affirmations. Judi says, “If you have the mindset to make it, you’ll make it.”

Examples:

“I am worthy of achieving my dream of getting published.” Judi Thoman

“I will prove the naysayers wrong.” Kelly Steed

“I have something valuable to express.” Kelly Steed

Type and print and follow the above instructions for reading through them or cut them apart and place them in a box or a basket. Pull one out each day and read it as Judi does.