Posts filed under ‘READERS AND WRITERS FORUM’
WRITER’S FORUM
EXPLORING A NEW GENRE
For those who are familiar with my work, read some of my stories, this next series of posts will appear bewildering. For those not familiar with my work and stumbled upon this blog, I am principally a writer of horror and science fiction.
The direction of the next series of posts, Writer’s Form, will involve formatting children’s picture books.
Your eyes have not deceived you. I want to produce a picture book.
Sometime ago, quite to my surprise, I wrote a long poem entitled Dragon Eggs and I feel the poem can be broken up into pages for a children’s picture book. And as a requirement for most children’s books, it provides a lesson, and I am also hoping that the title with the word ‘Dragon’ in it will grab a young one’s interest.
So, for the next few posts you will journey, with me, in what is involved in producing a picture book.
May 7, 2024 at 11:55 am
WRITER’S FORUM
ABSOLUTE WATER COOLER
To appreciate the vast amount of information for writers, this website must be explored.
One helpful feature located near the bottom of the description of the information available is an area where you can discuss, with other writers, the experience they had with publishers and agents you may be interested in.
Use of this website is free.
Absolute Write Water Cooler
WARNING
As I’m sure you know in our current society very little is free. When you use a site indicating that it is free your email address or telephone number is probably being added to a list which will be sold. So, when using any website consider the value of the site to you and if it is worth the occasion annoying ad.
May 6, 2024 at 11:36 am
WRITER’S FORUM
PREDITORS AND EDITORS
Years ago, Predators and Editors was a website where a writer could check if editors, publishers and lawyer were safe to use. They have been going through a transition for some time now.
There appears to be good information for writers here, but not the type of information that was available in past. So, a word of caution. Use carefully.
Preditors and Editors – Writing Corner
WARNING
As I’m sure you know in our current society very little is free. When you use a site indicating that it is free your email address or telephone number is probably being added to a list which will be sold. So, when using any website consider the value of the site to you and if it is worth the occasion annoying ad.
May 5, 2024 at 4:00 pm
WRITER’S FORUM
AGENT QUERY
AgentQuery provides a wealth of information about agents and publishers. Information is provided as to where to find agents, organize and track queries and look at agents’ data. Publishers’ info is also available.
If you do find an agent or publisher that fits your needs; do some research before you make any commitments. Using this website is free.
In future posts I will introduce you to the websites which can provide information on how reputable agents and publishers are. These sites include Duotrope for which information has already been posted. Other sites in upcoming posts which will also be helpful are Predators and Editors and also Absolute Water Cooler.
AgentQuery :: Find the Agent Who Will Find You a Publisher
WARNING
As I’m sure you know in our current society very little is free. When you use a site indicating that it is free your email address or telephone number is probably being added to a list which will be sold. So when using any website consider the value of the site to you and if it is worth the occasion annoying ad.
May 3, 2024 at 7:03 pm
WRITER’S FORUM
LITERARY AGENTS
ASSOCIATION OF WRITER’S REPRESENTATIVES
For a writer there is no certain way which will enable you to find a valid publisher for your work. But there is one avenue which will help a great deal: Obtaining a literary agent.
The ability in obtaining a literary agent depends on the quality of your work. A reputable agent will not take you on as a client unless they feel that your work is publishable. The fact that you have an agent will gain you access to publishers you would otherwise not be able to approach. You see, an agent, a reputable agent, does not make a dime unless they can find a publisher for you. Of course, publishers know this so the fact that you have an agent tells them that perhaps they should take a look at your work.
The purpose of this post is to provide a word of caution and how to protect you from dishonest actors. Yes, as in all professions, there is a sleaze element.
A valid agent should not charge you anything to take you on as a client. Even if the agent appears to be honest, there is another scam. The agent will say they will take you on as a client, but your work needs editing. That’s when the money starts flowing out of your pocket. Run, don’t walk away from this agent.
I also want to mention that if you find a publisher for your book on your own you should not have to pay them anything to publish your work.
Back to literary agents.
There is a highly respected organization, Association of Writer’s Representatives, made up of reputable and honest literary agents. To become a member of this organization they must agree not to charge the writer and only earn their commission from the sale of your book. This database has a huge number of agents which can be searched according to the genre of your work.
And it is free.
USA Literary Agent Directory and Database 2023-24 – Free Access (literary-agents.com)
April 30, 2024 at 2:47 pm
WRITER’S FORUM
REFDESK
Refdesk is a website offering an unbelievable wealth of information.
News outlets and access to a host of newspapers – it’s all there.
Also, links to many websites providing information on a wide variety of topics.
Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. And it’s free.
Reference, Facts, News – Free and Family-friendly Resources – Refdesk.com
April 29, 2024 at 11:05 am
WRITER’S FORUM
DUOTROPE
If you choose not to take the easy path of self-publishing to becoming a published writer, which requires no judge of talent and no gatekeeper, I suggest you look to Duotrope to locate a publisher.
More on my thoughts of self-publishing in a future post.
Duotrope is a fantastic website for locating publishers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. An annual fee of $50 will gain you access. I primarily seek publishers of fiction and there are thousands listed. You are provided with a questionnaire to fill out for the piece you wish to publish and a search will provide you with a list of potential publishers.
You will find markets which are paying and non-paying, how long the publisher has been in existence and, with some publishers, statistics on acceptance, rejections and response times. A link for each publisher is provided to their website which gives information for making a submission and further information about the publisher.
If you are serious about becoming a published writer with an established publisher I highly recommend that you consider Duotrope.
Here are some links to provide you with information about Duotrope.
Duotrope: A Basic Guide to Using the Site
Duotrope: List Publishers and Agents by Category
Duotrope: Our Pricing (USD)
April 28, 2024 at 1:26 pm
A WRITER’S FORUM
With this posting I am reinstating a series from the past, A Writer’s Forum.
I have accumulated, over the course of my twenty-four years of calling myself a writer, information which writers will find beneficial. The information is primarily in the form of websites. And as always you will find all postings on my blog to is free.
If you are serious about writing, and I will discuss what I mean by serious, I think you will find these posts to be of value.
April 27, 2024 at 3:46 pm
This piece is for writers and future writers, but I encourage you readers to read and discover some of the speedbumps those words you enjoy are encountering.
As with all writers, I have accumulated my fair share of rejections. Often the rejection is a form letter with no indication as to why the work was rejected, or if it’s even been read. But on occasion I have received what I consider a ‘good rejection’. From the editor’s response you know that your work was read for they will tell you why it was rejected and what they consider to be its weaknesses. With this knowledge necessary corrections can be made which may be able to smooth the road to publication.
Now here’s the problem. When a piece is accepted for publication the editors seldom, if ever, tell you, in any detail, why they accepted the piece.
I recently had a short story accepted for publication. The editor said it was the best story she read that day. Why was it the best story of the day? I, for one, never question the editor who accepted my story as to why they accepted it.
Leave well enough alone.
So, this is the dilemma I see. For me, I have sometimes learned why my work was rejected. But never learn why it was accepted. That knowledge might be as helpful as that gained in a rejection.
What do you writers think?
March 6, 2024 at 6:39 pm
WAR OF THE WORLDS
For my blog, I don’t write long pieces. I want to make my point and hold my readers’ attention. (Notice I use the plural, perhaps wishful thinking.) Not boring those reading my words.
This may gain your attention. The entry following this discusses a story of haunting romance, a story captivating me most of my life, along with classic science fiction.
I seldom watch movies more than once, but there are exceptions. Every chance I get I watch War of the Worlds – the original starring Gene Barry. For those who may have missed it, he also appeared for a moment at the end of the remake starring Tom Cruise. In some respects the remake has details reflecting H. G. Wells’ classic novel closer to the original movie. Let me discuss these comments in more detail.
The original, made in the 1950’s, scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. The way the suspense builds is magnificent. Unfortunately, after multiple viewings, I have found some incidents which make little sense. For one, when to original ship lands it is too hot to approach, yet when Gene Barry, and his almost girlfriend use the wooden farm and another ship lands destroying part of the house, the structure does not catch fire. Also, for the act which finally results in the death of the Martians is that they venture into a new world without any protective gear. Would a civilization traveling through space take that chance? Maybe, if you enjoy something, you should not revisit it multiple time, and keeping the love alive.
Now for the remake starring Tom Cruise. The weaknesses are strong, yet also keep true to the book.
If you watch the movie you may remember when Cruise and his daughter are trapped in a cellar with a character played by Tim Robbins. I could wrong about it being Robbins. I’ve been wrong before. I believe the character Robbins represents is a minister who is killed by the protagonist in the book. This act of murder is hinted strongly in the movie. But before this event, Robbins tells Cruise the belief is that the Martian machines were buried on the Earth a million years ago. I should mention that the Martians come to Earth by way of lightning strikes to power up their machines. Here comes the ‘give me a break’. It’s like burying a Model T, and in the meantime, your society develops spacecraft able to travel twice the speed of light. Yet, to save your civilization, you use the Model T. Don’t you think that the Martians would have used technology which currently existed?
To the remakes credit, they do depict the Martian’s machines closer in the book than what the original movie. But overall, I feel the original movie is the best.
Now onto the romance.
February 7, 2016 at 10:12 pm
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