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3/5/07 6:57:24 PM Opening "Chat Log 3-5-07"

Firezone77: Hello Paul
Firezone77: I got here early...had to find a place to park
PCarlson: LOL
PCarlson: You mean our crew with the red carpets and valet service was not on site?
Firezone77: Yes, tipped them generously
PCarlson: It's so hard to get good help these days!
Firezone77: Any chat rules you need me to know? It's been a while since I've been here.
PCarlson: Usually our guests will give a topical presentation of their choosing, then go to Q&A
PCarlson: Individual styles vary tremendously
Firezone77: Pig Latin work for you?
PCarlson: we can use formal Protocol or type at blinding speed with 5 simultaneous threads
PCarlson: When I was a kid we spoke Aflafla. Less known than Pig Latin
Mallie1025: Protocol is available too
Firezone77: Protocol...?
PCarlson: protocol = a queue and moderator "?" and g/a stuff
Firezone77: Ah
Mallie1025: If the group is small not always needed
Firezone77: I'm easy
Mallie1025: me too
Mallie1025: Hi Dale
Deluge7: Howdy. Thank you for your crits.
Deluge7: Is our guest speaker here?
Firezone77: Yep
Deluge7: Welcome!
Firezone77: I'm the tall hairy guy in the corner
Deluge7: I was always frightened of those.
Firezone77: With good reason
Deluge7: Howdy, Abe.
Firezone77: Hello Bev
Lightningbug1957: Hey Jonathan
Lightningbug1957: Glad to see you could make it
Firezone77: Happy to be here, happy to have been invited back
Lightningbug1957: What are you going to talk about, Jonathan?
Firezone77: Lots of things to chat about
Firezone77: The writing business is always undergoing changes.
Firezone77: Some of them fun, some of them not
PCarlson: shore iz
Lightningbug1957: That's true
Lightningbug1957: Good to have you here
Firezone77: World economics are still causing an overall disturbance in the publishing force.
BrownDvs: Hello all
Firezone77: Good evening
Lightningbug1957: Do you think it's "world economics" or more the computer age?
Firezone77: Definitely economics. It's almost always economics
Firezone77: Rising oil prices slammed into the paper industry last year...
Lightningbug1957: I can imagine that so many people get their news and other information from the computer now
Lightningbug1957: well, that's true
Firezone77: ...which in turn has caused serious financial issues for most publishers.
PCarlson: huge newspaper layoffs . . .
Firezone77: Book prices are going up
Firezone77: Jobs are being lost in the publishing biz
Lightningbug1957: the Philadelphia Inquirer is suffering through those layoffs right now
Firezone77: You'll see more and more books with typos, etc...because the support staffs are being cut
PCarlson: ouch
Firezone77: Leaving it to writers to proofread their own work.
Mallie1025: E-zines are so cheap to do, will they take away real print in the near future?
Firezone77: Which is like asking the blind to teach their own guide dogs
Lightningbug1957: Which we all know how well some folks can do that - NOT
Firezone77: Ezines are an issue, but you'll see more and more of them offer money for stories and charge for subscriptions.
Firezone77: I'm launching a pay-market ezine myself in September.
Lightningbug1957: What will it be about, Jonathan
Mallie1025: Already, they pay as much as 50% royalties as opposed to the print 12%
Firezone77: Yep. Some pay nicer rates, some pay very little.
Firezone77: We won't be paying much up front, but expect to change that within 18 months
Firezone77: The magazine will be The Cryptopedia Magazine...
Firezone77: Horror genre, but with a more literary bent
Mallie1025: I have sold on them but I hate reading them--I need to hold a real book
Firezone77: Less gore, more suspense
Firezone77: Ours will be a downloadable PDF.
Firezone77: A lot of companies are coming out with PDF handheld readers
Firezone77: But, I still love real print
Mallie1025: Wow sounds good--I write paranormal/horror shorts--will you take shorts?
Firezone77: Sure.
Firezone77: We'll be publishing our submission guidelines this week. By Friday
Firezone77: They'll be downloadable at www.cryptopediamagazine.com
Mallie1025: Yes, those will be the very thing that makes e-zines take off I think
Mallie1025: Even I could read a hand held one
Firezone77: Should be a great mag. I have a staff of about a dozen
Firezone77: I'll be publishing it and David Kramer will edit.
Mallie1025: congrats!! I will save your link
Firezone77: Thanks. It's one of a number of projects I have going right now
Firezone77: Life is wonderfully busy
Firezone77: My agent and I keep cooking up new projects.
PCarlson: I received $25 from a one-man ezine. started it up and put his $$$ where his keyboard is
Mallie1025: wonderfully busy is a wonderful thing
Firezone77: Sure is.
Firezone77: My agent has sold eight books for me in the last two years
Mallie1025: Skyline pays money for contests--I got 35 once for 3rd place
Firezone77: When the deals were made I'd only written one of those books, so I'm having to produce a final draft book about every 3-4 months
PCarlson: wow!
PCarlson: I assume you are not also working a 40 hour week
Firezone77: No, writing is my day job
Mallie1025: How many pages/words approximately?
Firezone77: Minimum of 4000 words/day
Firezone77: Every day
Firezone77: I don't take days off
Firezone77: Plus I co-own a writers center in Doylestown, Pa...and teach classes, do some career counseling for writers, etc
Firezone77: It's a busy life...but it's the kind of life I love
Mallie1025: Nice amount--I do about 1000 words a day--then take a week of edits!!
Firezone77: That's a good amount.
Firezone77: The key is to write every day.
Mallie1025: The rewrites slow me down
Firezone77: Are you rewriting before you finish the first draft or after?
Mallie1025: Hey I was raised in Easton/Allentown PA--I know Doylestown well
Firezone77: Howdy, neighbor
Mallie1025: After--not so much rewriting as editing
Mallie1025: Yes --we are very close lol
Firezone77: Good. I always advise my students and clients to NEVER rewrite before the first draft is done
Firezone77: Nothing kills pace faster or pollutes the voice of the book
Firezone77: Before we launch into the Q&A section I want to give an idea of what a day-in-the-life is for a professional writer.
Firezone77: You guys good with that?
PHeeren: yes, go ahead
Mallie1025: I rarely change anything to a great degree--just make it better--or try
Firezone77: Before I became a full time writer it was often a struggle to make time for writing...
Firezone77: ...though I always swore that when I hit it big I would never, ever complain about things again.
Firezone77: The reality of the pro life is that it is still a job. There's a lot more to it than sitting and typing.
Firezone77: For example...
Firezone77: I have this killer deadline to produce books three to four per year
Firezone77: I write longish books, in the 140-170k word range
Firezone77: As I work on the next book deadline I also have to review copy edits of manuscripts sent to me by my publishers..
Firezone77: ...books in various stages of development...
Firezone77: ...and also do a lot of PR work, publicity updates, etc.
Firezone77: All of which takes time.
Firezone77: And, of course, rewrites.
Firezone77: Now...this is not a complaint mind you...
Firezone77: I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Firezone77: But so many emerging writers that I meet think that once you sell a book...
Firezone77: it's all sitting around sipping fine Scotch and cashing checks.
PCarlson: of course!
Firezone77: The reality is that your editor (and agent) expect you to have another project in the pipeline...
Firezone77: and another...and another
Firezone77: And to work to help publicize, edit, etc. the previous books while writing the next ones.
Firezone77: All of which takes time. And you CAN NEVER miss a deadline.
Firezone77: I mention all this because...
Firezone77: ...it's vitally important to understand that the book world is a business.
Firezone77: And we all have to be efficient, productive members of a large team.
Firezone77: If you learn how the system works and can work with it...
Firezone77: ...the publishing world is your oyster.
Firezone77: Some folks, sadly, resist the process. They look at compliance as selling out.
Firezone77: And as a result they don't get published, or (worse yet) don't get published again.
Firezone77: For my part, I love the rush and the pace --even when it makes me crazy and ups my caffeine intake to dangerous levels.
Firezone77: So...all that said....
Firezone77: questions?
Mallie1025: You just brought my anxiety back!!
Firezone77: Nah...
Firezone77: think of it as a rollercoaster
Firezone77: Stress for fun.
Firezone77: And profit.
Firezone77: Let's not forget that part of it. You get PAID for this, too.
Mallie1025: My book is due Sept 2007 and I got so upset over the promo part that I froze
CKRelax: Does one need an agent to get taken seriously?
Firezone77: Congrats on the book
Mallie1025: First writer's block in my life!
Firezone77: And...yes, you really should get an agent
Budhababe: performance anxiety
Mallie1025: thanks--if I meet my July deadline
Firezone77: Not as hard as they tell you. not if you try it the right way
CKRelax: Is there a trick to find a good agent?
Firezone77: Glad you asked. Yes.
CKRelax: finding
Firezone77: First, identify your genre -- really know what your market is, get to know the books and authors that drive that market.
Firezone77: Then search for agents who rep those books.
Firezone77: And they are EASY to find
Firezone77: The best resource is www.publishersmarketplace.com
Firezone77: You can search by genre, keyword, etc. and it'll display the last five years' worth of book deals on that genre.
Firezone77: Each deal listing will tell you the name of the agent who repped the deal and the editor who bought the book
CKRelax: Are writers expected to offer up a "sample book" instead of a ms these days?
Firezone77: Then you build a query letter that tells about the market (as well as your book) and also mentions the agent's track record
Firezone77: That's a killer book pitch letter.
Firezone77: If anyone wants to see a sample of one...
CKRelax: yes please!
Firezone77: ..email me at info@jonathanmaberry.com and I'll send you one
CKRelax: thank you for all this input
Firezone77: Also...
Firezone77: I suggest you prepare a sublist
Firezone77: You guys know what that is?
CKRelax: nope
Firezone77: A sublist is a list of about a dozen books whose readership would be the same as yours.
Firezone77: Each listing has...
Firezone77: The title, author, date of publication, publisher, format it was originally published in (hardback, racksize or trade), and page count
CKRelax: Does the sublist go into contact letters or queries?
Firezone77: When approaching an agent if you mention that you have a market specific sublist available...they start to salivate
Firezone77: You offer it in order to get a response.
CKRelax: That sounds good
Firezone77: Maybe one out of every 50,000 new writers even know what they are
Firezone77: Those writers get noticed
PCarlson: cool
Budhababe: nice
Firezone77: But the books on your sub list have to be all on the same shelf.
Firezone77: You can't have historical fiction and romance, for example
CKRelax: same shelf?
CKRelax: oh ok
Firezone77: You're establishing your genre...
Budhababe: same genre?
Firezone77: and your list shows the key books in that genre...
Firezone77: it should be a mix of...
Firezone77: books that have sold well for a while...
Firezone77: and books that have driven the genre recently.
Firezone77: This sub list (short for 'submissions list') is what your agent will use to begin pitching your book
Firezone77: You're making the process easy by becoming proactive in it. Agents love that.
Firezone77: Mind you...at some point it will come down to the agent actually reading your synopsis and chapters, so your writing still has to fly
Firezone77: But this can keep you out of the frickin' slush pile.
CKRelax: What is a standard agent fee?
Firezone77: Agents should only ever get 15% of the sale of a book.
CKRelax: ty
Firezone77: NEVER EVER EVER any other fees. No copying, editing, reading, etc
Firezone77: 15%
Firezone77: 10% of film; 20% of foreign
CKRelax: good to know!
Firezone77: Agents who charge any other fees are not to be trusted
Mallie1025: Isn't that more than the writer gets?
Firezone77: No, they get 15% of the gross of what the writer gets.
Firezone77: The writer gets 8% of the retail price of the book.
Mallie1025: gotcha
PHeeren: do agents get more $$$ than writers?
Firezone77: and the agent gets 15% of that 8%
Firezone77: In order for an agent to make a decent living they have to nail some good deals for you.
Firezone77: And they eat their own copying and mailing costs
CKRelax: why only eight percent sounds like publishers keep a lot?
PHeeren: is that brutal?? how rude! as Stephanie would say in "Full House", remember that sitcom?
Firezone77: After printing and other expenses, and the bookstore cut, and the shipping and distributor cuts, the publisher pockets about 10%
CKRelax: ph I was trying to forget it thanks!
CKRelax: lol
Firezone77: The biggest percentage is taken by the booksellers
Firezone77: Maybe 15%
Firezone77: Nobody makes a lot per book. It's all in number of copies sold
CKRelax: gotcha
Mallie1025: So to make any real money you need to be prolific?
Firezone77: Prolific certainly helps.
CKRelax: does self publishing ever pay?
Firezone77: Also...you need to know how to co-market your book.
Firezone77: I'll get to self-publishing in a sec
CKRelax: ok
CKRelax: co market?
Firezone77: If you work with your publisher to help set up signings, do public appearances, use the Internet (websites, Myspace, etc.) you can really drive sales.
Firezone77: Publishers don't do this for most writers.
Mallie1025: There goes my stomach again lol
Firezone77: If you get a really good deal they may assign a publicist to you, but that rarely happens.
Firezone77: If you are in this chat then you have some computer and Net savvy. That's worth its weight in marketing gold
Firezone77: I've gotten incredible mileage out of websites and MySpace (used correctly)...
Firezone77: Plus forums and email advertising.
Firezone77: Low, low cost, huge results.
Lightningbug1957: How do you use My Space correctly? I thought My Space was just for teens
Firezone77: Nah, Facebook is for teens.
Firezone77: Mind you, 80% of MySpace is dating and other junk, but that remaining 20% is marketing.
Firezone77: Thousands of writers, artists, musicians all have MySpace pages. they're free, too
CKRelax: like AOL lol
Firezone77: Every major bestseller has one
Firezone77: I have four Myspace pages and will be putting up a 5th
Firezone77: www.myspace.com/jonathan_maberry
NaiEldheni: MySpace is very valuable if you are a YA writer
Firezone77: That's the biggest one
Firezone77: Yep, great for YA, Mystery, Horror, Romance, etc
CKRelax: what about selling a book on eBay?
Firezone77: Small returns.
CKRelax: ah
Firezone77: Same as Amazon...generally not worth the effort.
Firezone77: Besides, the publisher handles Amazon
Mallie1025: Nice Site, Jonathan
Firezone77: Thanks
Firezone77: www.myspace.com/writerscornerusa
Firezone77: www.myspace.com/cryptopedia
Firezone77: www.myspace.com/zombiecsi
Firezone77: Lots of cross marketing
Firezone77: So...who asked about self-publishing?
CKRelax: me
Firezone77: Generally...I'm against it. But not always. a lot of my friends and clients have gone that route.
Firezone77: It's great if you write a book that has no market.
CKRelax: lol
Firezone77: Poetry, family histories, memoirs for the unfamous (which is most people)...these are all perfect for self-publishing
Firezone77: Workshop packets are ideal for that
Firezone77: But if your book has any kind of commercial shot, then self-publishing is a great way to derail your career potential
CKRelax: ok
Firezone77: Folks tell you that there are a lot of successful self-published authors.
Firezone77: Not true. There are a few, and those few get a lot of press...
Firezone77: Chicken Soup for the Soul, Celestine Prophecy, Rich Dad Poor Dad...
Firezone77: But for every one of those there are hundreds of thousands of books that just gather dust in garages or basements
CKRelax: is there not any market for family history? even if it is from the 1500's?
Firezone77: Sure, if your family was famous.
Firezone77: Or did something of historical note
Firezone77: But the history of Joe Bloggs' family going back to the flood...generally not going to move a lot of copies
CKRelax: my dad introduced rice dryers to South America
Firezone77: Interesting. Might have a shot at a sale to the business sector.
CKRelax: among other things famous enough?
Mallie1025: Actually, memoirs and Americana are more open today than in the past twenty years
Firezone77: More open doesn't mean wide open, or even close
Firezone77: Americana is a market driven by regional publishers. And generally it's a tough sell because there are so many competing books
Mallie1025: True--I meant more are being published than in a long time
Firezone77: Memoirs are not a good market unless you're famous or funny
Firezone77: Absolutely
CKRelax: he also designed several famous bridges whatever
PCarlson: as a science fiction writer I hope to qualify for the SFWA, use that as a springboard
Firezone77: In order to sell a memoir or family history you really need to build a sub list of similar successful books
Mallie1025: Well, I am funny and I am publishing one--at least one will sell lol
Firezone77: SFWA is a great org.
Firezone77: Good luck with it!
CKRelax: ok thanks firezone
Firezone77: Use the Net to promote it
Mallie1025: Nicholas Sparks comes to mind--James Patterson's Letters to Nicholas
Firezone77: Patterson was hugely famous before he published those letters.
CKRelax: I am funny looking maybe I should publish a photo book of me lol
Firezone77: Worth a shot!
Mallie1025: yes--and way different from his style
Firezone77: His style...that's kinda funny since he's stopped writing. He does a synopsis and hires other writers.
Mallie1025: I am thinking of calling mine a novel based upon true events
Firezone77: Been in the papers lately
Mallie1025: Will that help?
Mallie1025: help
Firezone77: Depends on how you write your pitch letter
CKRelax: how does it work with ghost writers?
PCarlson: she blends family events and US history quite well, IMHO
PCarlson: not like Forrest Gump but I mean, this is real
Firezone77: Ghost writers make a fortune. My business partner at the Writers Corner USA is a ghostwriter
Firezone77: He writes a lot of books ostensibly written by corporate CEOs
CKRelax: cool
Mallie1025: pitch letter to who--It is accepted for publication--just need for it to sell
Firezone77: They're work for hire, which means no byline and no royalties, but he pockets $50k per book
CKRelax: before book sells?
Firezone77: Mallie: pitch letter is the same as a query letter. It's directed at an agent
Budhababe: can you give us hints on a hook in the pitch letter?
Budhababe: what would be in a hook?
Mallie1025: I don't have an agent--I have a publisher who also promotes
Firezone77: Most corporate books are "sold" through an arrangement between the corporation and the publisher. The corporation agrees to purchase a certain amount of the books, and that is incentive for a publisher to agree to buy it
CKRelax: like school books?
Firezone77: Budhababe...a hook is a unique opening that makes your book sound interesting despite its being solidly inside an established genre
Firezone77: CKRelax, no...not school books.
Firezone77: Corporate histories mostly
CKRelax: ok
Firezone77: A niche market that moves large numbers.
CKRelax: oh I see
Firezone77: You think the Donald writes his own books?
Firezone77: It happens in fiction, too.
CKRelax: has enough ego to
Mallie1025: Nora Roberts comes to mind
Firezone77: William Shatner does not write those science fiction books either
Firezone77: What about Nora Roberts?
Firezone77: She writes her own books, far as I know, under her own name and a pen name
Budhababe: tell me it ain't so, Smokey Joe...lol
Mallie1025: she no longer does her own writing
Firezone77: I haven't heard that about her.
Mallie1025: Nope--she may give the idea but she has writers work under her
Firezone77: There are often rumors about bestsellers. Some of 'em are true, some are not.
Firezone77: Ghost writing is big business
Firezone77: I prefer seeing my own name on my books.
Mallie1025: I did not want to believe this either but noticed it in her last few book series
Firezone77: It happens.
Firezone77: By the way...on the agent topic
Firezone77: Here's a useful site for checking on whether agents and editors are legit
Firezone77: www.anotherealm.com/predators/
Firezone77: Predators and Editors
Mallie1025: After all she has written 165 books and is not yet 50 yrs old
Firezone77: Great site
Mallie1025: yes, I have that one for sure!
Firezone77: John Creasy wrote over 400 books, and I don't believe he ever used a ghost
Firezone77: But it's a moot point. You guys are all writing your own stuff.
Mallie1025: That blows my mind!! I can barely get out one
Firezone77: Everybody has a different rhythm
Firezone77: Harper Lee only wrote one
PCarlson: what do you think of the Baen's Universe method?
PCarlson: posting multiple times -- newer drafts
Firezone77: Not familiar with it
Mallie1025: true and I have done non-fiction shorts for 20 years so I am new to longer works
PCarlson: (I have a v4 posted on their board now. Can't please everyone, it seems)
Firezone77: Posted drafts of your work?
PCarlson: it's not "publishing" as the stories are password protected
CKRelax: When you query agents and publishers do you bulk mailout or one at a time?
PCarlson: the best ones are picked for the Editors to check out
PCarlson: I have one there now, and another on the initial board
Firezone77: Interesting approach.
Firezone77: As to the query question...
PCarlson: it's new -- could only be done on line, so far as I know
Firezone77: When I got my agent I researched the ten top agents in my genre...
Firezone77: Wrote one letter...
Firezone77: ..and then tweaked it to reference the track records of each agent in the individual letters.
Firezone77: I got 6 go-aheads
CKRelax: ok
CKRelax: well done!
Firezone77: Audacity helps...and so does market savvy. I can't stress that enough
Mallie1025: definitely the way to go--one query--adapt for all
CKRelax: Does length of query matter?
Firezone77: And always drop names and mention any credentials (platform) you have
Firezone77: Queries are always one page. Short is better
CKRelax: ok
Mallie1025: Queries I have a handle on--blasted synopsis--not so much--I see no reason for long ones
Firezone77: Email queries should fit onto a single page.
CKRelax: email queries are accepted?
Firezone77: If the agent says so in their guidelines
Firezone77: Check Writers Market (www.writersmarket.com) or the Literary Marketplace
CKRelax: oh yes of course
Firezone77: Or go to the agent's homepage
CKRelax: ok
Firezone77: And shoot for a New York agent
Firezone77: It really is the heart of the publishing world
Firezone77: Deals are made faster there. Always
CKRelax: ok
PCarlson: sigh
Firezone77: Also...shoot for a top notch agent
CKRelax: sigh?
Firezone77: Never start at the bottom and work up
PCarlson: I know one major NYC agent but she never handles SF
PCarlson: someday!!!
Firezone77: There are plenty of NY agents who handle SF. Try Ginger Clark, for example
CKRelax: go for broke then fire?
Firezone77: Start at the top and only take a half-step down the ladder if you must
Firezone77: Never undervalue your own writing by starting at the bottom.
PCarlson: have not queried her
PHeeren: I must go and email me the log, will you? Thanks
Firezone77: She's very nice. We brought her in to speak at last year's Philly Writers Conference
PCarlson: have to launch a fresh round of (improved) query letters
PHeeren: good night
CKRelax: bye ph!
PHeeren: fir, I will email you later, okay?
PCarlson: I am keeping a log, of course
PHeeren: take care, Paul and Micki
Firezone77: Sure... I'll check my email in the morning
PCarlson: will email it then post a web copy
Firezone77: Great
PHeeren: bye for now
PCarlson: probably be out Tuesday evening
PCarlson: early work!
CKRelax: bye ph
Firezone77: One of the things about being active in your own marketing is that it really helps your book get noticed
Firezone77: After 27 years of writing nonfic books I started doing novels.
Firezone77: My first novel, Ghost Road Blues, came out last year
Firezone77: I did a lot of promotion for it...including a lot of signings. Well over a hundred, most of them set up by me.
Firezone77: The book got noticed.
Mallie1025: back
Firezone77: It's now been nominated for two Bram Stoker Awards.
PCarlson: I need a $10,000 gift certificate for Borders.
Firezone77: For First Novel and Novel of the Year
CKRelax: congrats!
Firezone77: Thanks
CKRelax: welkm
CKRelax: so poetry has no market value these days?
PCarlson: how many usually attend a signing?
Firezone77: I know of other good books that never made it onto the radar because the authors didn't want to do the work to market them
Firezone77: As far as signings...
CKRelax: short form long form or no form?
PCarlson: Ws at a signing with one of my fav SF authors, and fewer than 20 fans came
Firezone77: I've had some with lines out the door to some where it's me and the bookstore manager sitting alone and signing sad French songs
Firezone77: You never can tell.
PCarlson: but that seems to be normal. good indie book shop in Berkeley
Firezone77: But if you send out press releases and work the Net the turnout is usually better
Firezone77: As far as poetry...
Mallie1025: Saw that on your site--congrats--what type non-fiction books did you write?
CKRelax: just curious
Firezone77: Sadly there's no money to be made in poetry unless you teach or write songs. Disturbing, but try
CKRelax: ok
Effervescentlady: This has been a very informative workshop. Thank you.
CKRelax: one
Firezone77: I've written books on martial arts, self-defense, music, and recently, folklore
Mallie1025: Switching to fiction is so difficult for me, except in shorts
PCarlson: you mean those Poetry Contests in back of all those magazines are . . . ?
Firezone77: My most recent one was Vampire Universe (Citadel Press), on the folklore of the supernatural
CKRelax: of my poems became a song
CKRelax: woopd doo
Firezone77: A friend of my makes about 500k writing country western lyrics
CKRelax: wow
Firezone77: He hates C&W...but loves cashing the checks
CKRelax: hahahaha
Firezone77: He prefers to be known for his five self--published poetry books
Firezone77: Life is strange...and for poets, doubly so
CKRelax: cool
Firezone77: I've finished the trilogy of supernatural thrillers I sold to Pinnacle (book 2 comes out in July)...
Mallie1025: Booklets of poetry is the only way to sell poetry and then it's uphill
Firezone77: and am not writing a TV pilot I'll be pitching to Showtime in June
Firezone77: now writing (I mean)
PCarlson: what kind of TV show?
CKRelax: you are expanding though
Firezone77: Think 24 meets X-Files
Firezone77: High tech against the supernatural
Firezone77: Yes, always expanding
PCarlson: (you might just be the factor that finally convinces this Neanderthal is get cable.)
Firezone77: My next novel will be a non-supernatural thriller
Firezone77: And I'm still writing articles
Firezone77: I'm even going back to writing some short stories
CKRelax: must run night all thank you firezone thank you for all the info
PCarlson: an awesomely informative session
Firezone77: A side effect of success in novels is that folks ask you to write short stories
PCarlson: I will re-do my query letters for sure
Firezone77: And that is a very difficult thing. I have great respect for short story writers
PCarlson: but is that Sublist counted against "one page?"
NaiEldheni: amen
MsBugs204: Great chat. thank you Sushi , Adam. Thank you, firezone.
Firezone77: The sublist is not included in the query...it's offered
MsBugs204: Night all.
NaiEldheni: offered?
PCarlson: a separate physical page -- or just mentioned at first?
Firezone77: In the letter. You offer to send a sublist, synopsis and sample chapters
PCarlson: ah
Mallie1025: Opposite for me--I love writing shorts--long fiction is so tough
Firezone77: Everyone plays to their strengths...but writers who want to be successful always try to conquer a new format
Firezone77: So...any last questions before I sign off?
NaiEldheni: it was very informative
NaiEldheni: thank you
Mallie1025: This was most informative
Firezone77: Glad to hear it
Firezone77: Always love talking with other writers
Deluge7: Yes, very glad to have you, Firezone.
PCarlson: Dinner is ready downstairs :-q
Mallie1025: You think a memoir has a better shot as a novel, based on then??
Firezone77: We have to stick together. Most folks don't 'get' writers
Firezone77: We're a species unto ourselves
PCarlson: amen, bro
Firezone77: Mallie.. a novel always has a better shot than a memoir in the current market
Firezone77: Unless, as I said, you're famous or really funny (a la Augustyn Burroughs)
Mallie1025: hmm thanks--thinking of going that way
Mallie1025: well I am a humor writer and quite funny--lol
Mallie1025: anyway, thanks for a great presentation
Firezone77: Quite welcome
Firezone77: Any other questions?
Firezone77: Anything from the quiet ones sitting in the back?
Firezone77: Bueller? Bueller?
Mallie1025: LOL
PCarlson: a million of 'em --
PCarlson: maybe I better get a plane ticket to Pennsylvania
Mallie1025: We could keep you here all night!!
Firezone77: You can always drop me an email
PCarlson: your place and Clarion
Firezone77: info@jonathanmaberry.com
NaiEldheni: thank you so much
PCarlson: thanks very much
Firezone77: And I have a general writers message forum
Firezone77: On Yahoo
Firezone77: Career Doctor for Writers
PCarlson: some are "no more phone calls" types -- not you
NaiEldheni: wonderful
Mallie1025: send you one for the info on a query
Firezone77: About 120 folks at last count
Firezone77: As I said, writers should always support one another.
Mallie1025: is their a site for that?
Mallie1025: Career doctors?
Firezone77: Go to Yahoo and search on careerdoctorforwriters
Firezone77: Or send me an email and I'll send you the link
Mallie1025: thanks
Firezone77: Last thing...I also have a newsletter for those interested
Firezone77: There's a link on my website... www.jonathanmaberry.com
Firezone77: Keep in touch
NaiEldheni: thank you
Firezone77: And keep writing!
Firezone77: Don't let anything stop you
Mallie1025: Love the writing not the promos
Mallie1025: Like Garb--I vant to be alone!!
PCarlson: LOL
PCarlson: you just say that
PCarlson: be like Salinger
Mallie1025: No I will find a way to be so mysterious that I can avoid the public lol
PCarlson: mysterious
Firezone77: Believe me, once you have a book out you'll be happy to do anything that makes it fly off the shelves
Firezone77: Unless it's your goal to be a one-hit wonder
Firezone77: Or, worse yet, an unknown. And who wants that?
NaiEldheni: not me
PCarlson: beats nothing but I already have 2 SF novels done
Mallie1025: As far as this book goes--yes--then maybe smaller YA books
PCarlson: and #3 almost done
Firezone77: Terrific!
Mallie1025: Or paranormal if I can just stretch it--when I lose the plot, I blame a ghost !
Firezone77: So. if there are no more questions I'll bow out and go grab some shuteye.
NaiEldheni: night sleep sweet
NaiEldheni: thanks again
Firezone77: Thanks for having me, guys!
Firezone77: It's been a real pleasure
Mallie1025: We have held you captive over an hour and a half--You are free!!
NaiEldheni: nice job Paul.... I shall look forward to the log
Firezone77: Good luck and great success to all of you
Mallie1025: Thanks for your patience with us
Firezone77: Any time
NaiEldheni: night all
Firezone77: Ciao for now
PCarlson: thanks, all
PCarlson: and a good evening

3/5/07 8:30:52 PM Closing "Chat Log 3-5-07"

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