MISC.WRITING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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2.0 Does posting my manuscript ruin its chances for publication?
If you post a piece of writing to an electronic bulletin-board (USENET, GEnie, FIDOnet, et al.), or mail it to a generally- accessible mailing list (sf-lovers), you have published it. This means that you cannot sell "first rights" to that manuscript to a magazine, anthology, et cetera. Furthermore, most publishers won't buy secondary rights to a piece that has been published on an electronic network. (Sending E-mail copies of a manuscript out to a few friends and reviewers probably doesn't constitute "publication", but posting definitely does.)
3.0 How do I use a pen name? Is it the same as a pseudonym?
Pseudonym means "false name" (from the Greek for false name, oddly enough). To use one, simply put it on the front page of your manuscript (see title page example in this FAQ). If your real name is in the upper left corner, publishers will understand that you wish to be published under a pen name.
3.1 Do I have to use a pen name?
No--unless your name is identical or similar to that of someone already in print. Reputable publishers will ask you to select a different name or modify it to prevent confusion.
For example: There is a well-known author named Jack Mingo. If this happens to be your name, you should switch to "John Mingo" or add a middle name (Jack Xavier Mingo or John X. Mingo.)
Jacqueline Mingo, although obviously not Jack Mingo, could be confusing to a reader who wonders if "Jack Mingo got a sex-change" (e.g. the composer Walter/Wendy Carlos or the author James/Jan Morris.)
Publishers often have the final decision in this matter.
3.2 Can I register a pen name so no one else can use it?
There is no clearinghouse for pseudonyms. No one assigns them nor does anyone keep track of them, with one exception. Publishers who "own" a book series written by contract writers under a standard author name (Mack Bolan and Carolyn Keene are examples) will object to the use of that name by someone else. In this case, the name is a trademark of the series and not an indication of the identity of the author.
You have an implicit copyright on any original creative work that you do.
You do not need to explicitly copyright fiction that you submit to professional publications. Reports of editors "ripping off" stories for their own uses are apocryphal.
Sending yourself your story via the postal service is not a way to prove that the story was written at a specific time. Postmarks can and have been falsified. It won't stand up in court.
This also applies for notarization, or any other method of timestamping a document.
Note: There is a discussion of copyrights in: http://www.gold.net/lynx/copyright/index.html
5.0 How do I find a market for my manuscript?
Go to the library and read the current _Writer's Market_ published by Writer's Digest Books. It will tell you which magazines and books are reading unsolicited submissions, and what types of manuscript each market is particularly eager for.
When you investigate a possible market, don't just read *about* it. Read other books printed by the same publisher; read previous issues of the magazine. What the editor honestly believes is "ground breaking, no taboos" may be closer to "50's pulp fiction with swear words."
Be precise in copying the editor's name, title, and address. Check them against the latest information you have available. Editors change publishing houses and magazines frequently, and are not terribly amused by receiving submissions addressed to their predecessors.
6.0 How do I submit my manuscript?
1. Insert your manuscript into an envelope that is big enough to hold the manuscript unfolded. (That is, 9x11 is fine; standard business-sized 4 x 9 1/2 is not, except for VERY short fiction and poetry.) With your manuscript, include either a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) big enough to hold the return manuscript, or a smaller SASE for the publisher's reply, with a note that the manuscript need not be returned. Attach adequate postage to both envelopes.
{Exception to the SASE rule: if you're submitting a work to a publisher in another country, consider sending a disposable manuscript, an addressed reply envelope for the publisher's response, and two International Reply Coupons, available at the local Post Office.}
2. Wait. Start writing something else. Re-query (BY MAIL) after twice the named latency period. If the publisher doesn't reply after what you consider a reasonable time, write a polite letter withdrawing the manuscript from consideration and resubmit it elsewhere.
6.1.1 What is a cover letter?
A cover letter introduces you and your work to an editor. For most short fiction, a cover letter is optional; many magazines don't really want one. For non-fiction, it is almost mandatory. Of course, if you used a query letter (see below) to get the writing assignment, then a cover letter may not be necessary; the editor already knows what to expect from you.
A basic cover letter is:
[usual date and header] Dear [current editor's name], Enclosed is my article on Usenet cookbooks--10,000 words as you requested in your letter dated 5 January, 2000. [usual closing and signature]
Do not use a cover letter to "sell" your story; if an editor requested it, you've already "sold" it. At this point, your writing must do the rest.
6.1.2 When should I use a cover letter?
Use a cover letter if the work was requested by an editor (this reminds the editor that he or she wants its).Use a cover letter if you are submitting part of a larger work (i.e., sample chapters and outline of a completed novel.) In a sentence or two, give the title, genre, and length of the book.
Use a cover letter if your work needs special explanation. If your article is time-critical (a piece on the upcoming primary that will not be useful if it's shunted aside for a few months), note this in your cover letter.
Use a cover letter to introduce yourself and list any pertinent information about you and your accomplishments, if you are submitting "over the transom" (i.e., without having obtained a request from the editor.)
"Pertinent" means any major writing successes, any professional or extraordinary expertise in the subject of the submitted work, or any fame that you may have that will help sell the work. If you've have best sellers in another field, mention them. If you are the world's foremost expert on chair caning and are submitting a piece on chair seat repair, note that in the letter. If you are submitting a Young Adult novel about adopted children and you have seven adopted kids, mention them.
Be brief. Do not mention anything that doesn't directly highlight your story or article. Don't tell your life story. Don't retell your story. Don't gush or ramble. Be concise and professional.
6.2 What about simultaneous submissions?
One line of thought: Don't. Yes, editors keep stories for far too long, and yes, it isn't fair that they can waste months of your time without leaving you anything to show for it. However, following the rules is the best way to make certain that your manuscript is read.
Another line of thought: Do it. The chances of having two editors accept your work at the same time is so remote as to be almost impossible (although it has happened.)
A possible workaround: Submit works with a time limit; say in the cover letter that if you have not received a response by three months after the date of submission, you will withdraw the work from consideration and will resubmit the work elsewhere.
If you decide to simsub (send simultaneous submissions,) be honest and mark the submission as simultaneous. If you get caught simsubbing without noting it on your manuscript or cover letter, your name will be mud (and remembered, and passed on to other editors.)
The _Writer's Market_ and the publishers' guidelines will say which magazines/book publishers accept simultaneous submissions.
6.3.1 What is a query letter?
A query letter sells your article, novel, short story, or other work to an agent or editor. You send a query letter to get a request to write a piece or to save you (and the editor or agent) the expense and hassle of dealing with a manuscript that isn't wanted.Query letters are sales tools. If you're trying for an assignment, then the letter tells how and why you will do an excellent job for the editor. If you're trying to place a completed manuscript with a publisher or agent, then the letter describes the book and your worth as an author.
Queries bypass the slush pile. Once an editor or agent responds favourably to a query, then the article (or book) goes straight to that editor or agent. Your cover letter (see whatever section number I give cover letters) reminds the recipient of your query and response.
Queries may be formal business letters or e-mail. When you research the market and the publications before writing your query, make very certain that the editor wants e-mail before sending any.
Some people tremble at the thought of selling themselves or their work. Don't think of queries in that light. What you are doing is stating facts about yourself and about your novel or article.
Also, if you are pitching a novel--finish it first. No one wants to get excited about a book that isn't ready for publication--and no, they won't wait for you to finish it.
6.3.2 What makes a good query letter?
First of all--the correct editor's name. Query letters are sent to specific editors or agent by name. Do not send them "To whom it may concern:" or to "Editor:" Look up the names in the Literary Marketplace, then call the magazine or publishing house to see if the editor still works for them; editors move around frequently. Ask the secretary to verify the spelling of the editor's name; this slightly sneaky trick ascertains if the editor still is with the magazine since, if the editor has left, the secretary will say, "That person is not with us anymore." At this point, you ask for the name of the editor's replacement, then send your query to that person.(Yes, this trick is hard to pull off if the editor's name is "Joe Jones" or "Jane Smith".)
While you're doing this research, also make certain that the editor or agent handles the sort of writing that you want to sell. Do not pitch a sailing article to a needlepoint magazine or a romance to an editor who handles only cyberpunk.
Like cover letters, query letters are pithy and to-the-point. For a novel, the letter states genre, word count, and a very short description of the plot--no more than three sentences. Pretend that you're pitching it to someone in an elevator; you have only as much time as it takes to get to the next floor, where the editor will either escape or will stay to listen for more. Do not bore or distract the editor; it spoils your sales pitch.
For a non-fiction piece, the letter gives subject and brief outline--again, no more than a couple of sentences.
Many successful writers recommend including the "lead" of your article in your query letter (a lead is the first sentence or paragraph; it tells your readers what to expect and "hooks" their attentions, making them read the rest of the piece.)
A lead should be a short attention-grabber. Opinion varies as to what is "short" some say "two to four sentences" while others will use a two-paragraph lead. The important thing is brevity--do not bore the editor. If your lead is boring, editors assume that all of your writing will be not worth their time and money.
Whatever its length, the lead must convey much information in as few words as possible. Craft your lead carefully -- open with a good hook. Tell what your story or article is about, then wrap it up with a strong close. This is your opportunity to show the editor what you can do; make it good.
Both types of letters should include pertinent information about you -- important writing assignments or sales, applicable experience, training, or education. For example, if you are pitching an article about dugout canoes, highlight your trans-Atlantic trip in the canoe that you made from a cedar log with a ice cream scoop.
If the editor does not know your work, including a few "clips" (examples of your work) is acceptable. Of course, these should be professional sales to established publications, not in-house newsletters, letters to the editor, or other non-paid or vanity publication.
Don't include information that doesn't pertain to the article or book. If the book is a historical romance, the editor or agent will not care that you are a Mechanical Engineering prof at Whassamatta University. Again, don't bore or distract the agent.
However, if you have ties to the subject of the article (you work for them, you wrote their advertising campaign, you ran a recent PR campaign for them), this must be mentioned in the query letter. Otherwise, when they find out (not "if they find out"), you're toast.
Note that sending out simultaneous queries is not the same as sending simultaneous submissions. You are one step removed from publication and everyone has less invested at this point. If one editor expresses interest in your completed work, then another responds to your query, simply inform the second editor that someone else is considering the work and ask if you may send it on if it returns to you.
6.3.3 Where can I look at some query letters?
Like everything that concerns computing and the Internet, there is no one standard format for citations. A thorough explanation, written by Janice R. Walker of the University of South Florida's Department of English, is available from:
MLA-Style Citations of Electronic Sources
http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/walker/mla.html
Examples for all Internet resources are given. The following is her generic format. (Janice R. Walker (jwalker@chuma.cas.usf.edu) Article © J. Walker 1995, Last modified: 6 Sep. 1996.)
The basic component of the reference citation I have compiled is simple:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Work." Title of Complete Work. [protocol and address] [path] (date of message or visit).
To cite this quote from J. Walker's article, the citation is:
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