¢Member of The Ol' Hackers and¢A.C.E of Syracuse, N.Y.1990 ¢Getting Published by Tom Andrews¢¢¢Have you ever looked at the articles and programs in a computer magazine and said, "I can do as good as that!"? Have you always felt that with something as useful as an Atari computer there should be some way to generate at least enough money for it to pay for itself? Do you hunger for acknowledgement of your abilities from someone in a position to know the good from the bad? Have you ever wanted to try something just to see if you could do it? If you can answer "yes" to these questions then you know what prompted me to submit Customer List Manager to Antic Magazine.¢ Which one pushed me over the edge? I don't know. Any one of them might have been the final shove. Or possibly it was that I had written a program for the family business that did something I hadn't seen done before, at least in my limited experience. We have had a roadside retail vegetable business for almost thirty years. In fact, the income from this operation went a long way towards helping my three brothers and me through college, and, with the way housing is springing up all over the Town of Pompey, it looks as if this part of our farm shows the most potential for growth. It also seems to be the area most easily aided by a computer. My mother, who has been the driving force behind the development of the business, devised a notebook system several years ago to keep track of the past orders of certain regular customers, as an aid to future business. This system worked well, but did have it's drawbacks. Because it was on paper, after a few years of additions, deletions, and changes, it became increasingly difficult to find specific information when needed. Computerization seemed the natural step to take, but after searching for two years, I never found a database that would handle a shifting history window the way I wanted. I struggled for a while with a modified mailing list program, but it was too ponderous to use and actually created more work than it saved. I had no idea of the amount and quality of public domain software at the time, but since then I haven't seen anything there that would fill the bill, either. I finally decided that if I was going to get a program to do what I needed to have done, I would have to write it myself. Besides, I love a challenge! So, after taking longer than I care to admit, I came up with Customer List Manager. When I was finished, I could see that it was some of the best programming I had ever done, and I began to think that I finally had a program that had a chance at being accepted by Antic. After deciding to take the plunge, I fired up Speedscript 3.0, wrote the article, and mailed it to the Antic offices in San Francisco. After all, the worst they could say was "No".¢ Three weeks later, around the end of March, I received an acceptance letter, two copies of the Copyright and Trademark Agreement to sign (one for me, one for them), and a short questionaire concerning a little biographical information and the extent of my computer equipment. I signed the agreement and rushed it back to them before they changed their minds about it. I was on air for at least two weeks, and I'm not sure I'm all the way back down even yet. The feeling is...is...well, indescribable. I recommend it to anyone!¢ The article appeared in the August 1989 issue, which was published around the first week of July. From what I can determine, this is about the minimum time for something of this type. Antic was a monthly then. The bimonthly schedule the magazine uses now would probably change the timetable. Whatever amount I had settled down from the acceptance letter was eliminated about double when a national magazine actually came out containing my byline for all to see. I felt like framing something to hang on the wall. Everybody in my family had to read it, even those who don't know where the power switch is on my 800-and my hat started to get a lot tighter.¢ When the check arrived, it was a little larger than I was expecting, because the Antic editors had made a few changes in the article, and I didn't expect to be paid for those parts. It was big enough to pay for the original cost of my 1025 printer and XF551 disk drive. My article was longer than the usual that Antic publishes, but I needed the extra length to get in all the information.¢ That's about all there was to it-the hard parts were the initial programming and getting up the courage to submit it at all. There were no rewrites, no changes to make of any kind. Once the agreement was signed, all I had to do was sit back and wait.¢ So, if any of you have a program of which you are particularly proud, use your word processor to write up an article and send it in! All you can lose is the postage, and you might just be able to return something to your bank account that your computer has taken away. As an aid for those who haven't done something like this before, I am including the text from the latest Writer's Guides from Antic and her sister publication for the ST, START. If you are interested, be sure to read both even if you use only 8-bit or only ST. Each Guide contains tips that are helpful no matter which magazine is appropriate. These guides are available from Antic and START on request if a SASE is enclosed. I am also including the text of the agreement that you must sign if your program is to be published, just so you're aware of exactly what you are selling if your submission is accepted.¢¢¢ANTIC WRITER'S GUIDE-1988¢¢Thanks for your interest in writing for Antic, The Atari Resource. Antic Publishing Inc. is an independent company that since 1982 has brought out the #1 magazine for Atari computer users.¢¢WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:¢¢We pay for the best in type-in Atari programs, for either the 8-bit or the ST.(Antic dropped ST coverage and went all 8-bit with the February 1989 issue. Why they haven't revised this is beyond me.-TA) Antic is looking for useful, practical applications, for tutorial demonstrations that teach readers how to program more effectively, or for entertaining games.¢¢Antic is open for freelance reviews -- and for freelance articles without programs. If you have never written for us before, you'll need to send a sample review or article so your writing can be evaluated before we consider you for an assignment.¢¢LANGUAGES:¢¢Our languages of choice are Atari BASIC and MAC/65 assembler, for the 8-bit. For the ST, in order of preference: GFA BASIC, ST BASIC, or C.¢¢HOW TO SEND IT (SUBMISSION FORMATS)¢¢Please send Antic your program and articles on both disk and printout. This combination makes it much easier for us to evaluate your material in depth. All 8-bit programs submitted on disk should be single density, in a DOS compatible to Atari DOS 2.0s or 2.5. Please - no DOS 3 or DOS 4! Also include copies of any tables, diagrams or photos that are necessary to the article. And be sure to include your name and address!¢¢Make a double-spaced printout of the article. If you don't have a printer, you can send Antic your typed manuscript. The program listing(s) may be single-spaced. In your cover letter, be sure to tell us what word processing software you used for your text file. Antic uses Paper Clip in-house, but we can convert the files of just about any other Atari word processor.¢¢Basic programs may be in either SAVEd or LISTed form, but should be numbered below 32000. Please avoid branching to REM statements. Assembler source code should be in LISTed form. All submissions should contain loading instructions on either the cover letter, or on the disk label.¢¢Don't send your article to another magazine at the same time you send it to us. We're pretty good about letting you know as soon as possible...generally a reply is sent out in three to four weeks.¢¢WRITING HINTS¢¢As with any other publication, the best way to understand how to write for Antic is to look carefully at the writing in recent issues.¢¢Remember that all levels of Atari programmers read Antic, from beginners to advanced users. Try to make your article understandable to the widest range of readers possible -- although we regognize that some advanced topics are beyond the grasp of beginners.¢¢Your writing style should be conversational but not cutesy. You might find it helpful to think of yourself as speaking about your program to one person -- who doesn't know quite as much about the Atari as you do.¢¢Provide all the information needed for the reader to operate the program correctly. And be sure to explain how the main parts of your program are constructed.¢¢PROGRAMMING HINTS¢¢Ask yourself these questions before sending your material:¢--Is the program menu driven, well trapped and easy to operate?¢--Is the purpose valuable enough so that large numbers of readers would want to type it in?¢--Has the same thing been done before?¢¢RETURNING YOUR MATERIAL¢¢If you want your material back, you must always include a PRE-PAID, SELF-ADDRESSED RETURN ENVELOPE.¢¢Sorry...we usually don't have time to send personal comments or suggestions with your returned material.¢¢PAYMENT¢¢Antic pays $60 per published page. (illustrations and headlines created by the magazine are not included.) For a normal-sized article and program, you'd probably get around $180. We don't pay for letters to the editor published in the I/O Board or Help! section. Antic pays $25 for every new and original Tech Tip published.¢¢Antic pays on Publication. Specifically, your check should be printed and mailed before the 25th day of the actual publication month; usually they're done earlier. (for example, the issue with February on the cover is actually out around January 1 and author checks are issued before January 25.)¢¢Your material is accepted for publication within one year. (It's usually much sooner.) If we don't use it in a year, you get it back with a kill fee and our sincere apologies. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.¢¢COPYRIGHT¢¢Antic purchases all rights to any material we publish in the magazine. But we don't stand in your way if you have a chance for a non-competing resale (book,etc.), just as long as Antic is credited as the original publisher.¢¢¢¢START AUTHOR GUIDELINES¢¢Thanks for your interest in writing for START Magazine.¢¢We're looking for Atari ST programs and articles that will appeal to a wide spectrum of users and programmers. Freelance programs are always welcome, and though most of our reviews are pre-assigned to regular contributers, we do accept occasional freelance reviews and articles. A query -- with writing sample -- is recommended for longer articles.¢¢As with any publication, the best way to understand how to write for START is to look carefully at the articles in recent issues. Originally START was oriented towards programmers; at this stage, the magazine is directed more towards the serious user, with extensive coverage of software options for MIDI, home, and business users. Programs on disk cover a wide range of applications, and we try to include at least one game each month. Most important, programs need to be new and different. One of the most common reasons for rejecting programs is that they are too similar to something we've run before, or to a widely available public domain program. Again, familiarity with START is your best guide as to the sorts of programs we run, and what has already been published.¢¢GFA BASIC is currently our contributors' most popular programming language, but just about any language with a run-time version is acceptable. (ST BASIC is NOT recommended at this time.) Personal Pascal, Mark Williams' C and Laser C are some of the more common choices, but you are in no way limited to any specific language.¢¢There are no set rates for payment. The rate for a piece will be discussed on acceptance. Length, complexity and quality are all considered in determining payment for an individual piece. Payment is made on publication, and if a piece is accepted but not published a kill fee will be paid. Generally, Antic Publishing purchases all rights to programs and articles.¢¢Article submissions must be made both on disk and hardcopy. (source code for programs should be included on the disk, but a printout is not required.) We can handle most word processors, or ASCII text files. Please include a cover letter with your submission which describes briefly the focus of your article or program and its intended audience. Your name, address, daytime and evening phone numbers should be on the cover letter, as well as a three-line bio of yourself. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want your materials returned to you.¢¢Thank you again for your interest in START. We are always on the lookout for new programs and articles, and encourage you to submit any programs or articles you think we'd be interested in.¢¢¢ANTIC MAGAZINE¢COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK ASSIGNMENT¢¢This Agreement is made this ---day of ----,198-, by and between Antic Publishing, Inc., a California corporation with principal offices at 544 Second Street, San Francisco,CA 94107 (hereinafter "Antic") and ---------, an individual residing at -----------(hereinafter "Author").¢¢For and in consideration of the mutual representations, warranties and covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, Antic and Author agree as follows:¢¢1. Author hereby assigns in perpituity to Antic, its subsidiaries and affiliates, all of his/her rights, title and interests in and to the work nominally entitled -----------(hereinafter the "Work"), including but not limited to any and all copyrights with respect to the Work, and to the trademarks --------- which have previously been used by Author in conjunction with and/or in reference to the Work. Author further agrees that he/she will not hereafter adopt or use any trademark or name confusingly similar to any of said trademark(s). In addition, Author hereby assigns to Antic any accrued cause(s) of action which are the result of infringement of any of the rights, title and/or interests being assigned herein.¢¢2. Antic hereby agrees to pay Author the sum of -------- on publication of the Work to secure the desired ownership of all of Author's rights, title and interests in and to the Work.¢¢3. Author represents and warrants that: (a) he/she alone owns by right of authorship or otherwise all rights which are herein being assigned to Antic; (b) he/she has not previously assigned, licensed, or otherwise conveyed or encumbered any of the rights herein sought to be assigned to Antic; (c) the Work contains no libelous or otherwise unlawful material; and (d) the Work does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, and/or other proprietary right any third party.¢¢¢¢ Although the wording is somewhat different, the Copyright and Trademark Assignment Agreement for START Magazine essentially says the same thing. One day, as our family lawyer was passing through, I asked him to glance at the Antic agreement, in case my untrained eye had missed something. I realize that AFTER you sign something is a pretty poor time to consult with a lawyer, but I felt I understood the agreement enough to know what I was signing when I signed it. He wanted to be sure that I understood that I was giving up ALL the rights to the program, and that Antic could subsequently do anything they wanted with it. Other than that, he didn't have any problems with it.¢¢ Now I'll add a few tips of my own, gathered from my own experience. Please remember that I have been successful in getting accepted only once, and my opinions and conclusions might be all wet. All I can say is that they make sense to me.¢ First of all, be prepared for rejection and don't take it personally. I submitted two other programs with Customer List Manager and two more since then. None were accepted. Two were probably too limited in their appeal, one of them used a programming technique that could easily crash the system if not used properly, and the other was probably judged not useful enough to type in for its length. A rejection does not necessarily mean that your submission had no merit-it just means that they can't use it right now. Don't expect any comments from the editor on the reasons for your rejection, much as you might like to have them. Maybe they already have a backlog of accepted programs a mile high. Maybe it closely resembles another submission or a public domain program you are unaware of. Maybe it just doesn't fit their desired editorial direction. Maybe it needs a little more work-some error trapping or other refinements. Remember, there are only six Antics a year, each one using from 5 to 7 or so programs. Also, much of the magazine market has disappeared, so most of the authors who were submitting to the other magazines are now submitting to Antic, meaning that the competition is tougher. Of course, this situation only sweetens the success.¢ All right, how about some positive advice! Error trapping is VERY important! A program that crashes because someone inputs a letter instead of a number will not be accepted, no matter how useful it might be. Try to anticipate any error that some idiot might make and compensate for it in your program. When you have that done, anticipate all the errors that the same idiot couldn't possibly make but will anyway, and compensate for them, too. Never forget Murphy's Law! Customer List Manager went through at least six major revisions and countless minor ones before the published version was produced.¢ Programs should be efficient and easy to run. Modular programming methods are best and spaghetti code is to be avoided at all costs. One of the purposes of these publications is to illustrate and promote good programming technique, so they aren't going to appreciate programs that don't use it. This is the easiest (and usually best) way to program, anyway.¢ Try to write your programs so that they will work with as wide a range of equipment as possible in your class, be it 8-bit or ST. The more people that can use your program, no matter what system used, the better. It is indeed fortunate that the Atari 8-bit Operating System has remained as compatable as it has over all models. The ST is probably the same, although I can't say from personal experience. Use this compatability!¢ When writing the article, be as concise as you can while still getting in all the pertinent information. Articles that are overlong or obviously padded to increase the length reduce the chances of being accepted. Spelling and grammar are also important. Watch those typos! The main strength of a word processor is in its editing capabilities, so use them! If you don't have a word processor, there are two good ones available for the 8-bit from the public domain-Speedscript and TextPro. There are no doubt some for the ST as well. Check with the club librarians for sources. You don't HAVE to have a printer to use a word processor, although it's a little like having a car that won't shift out of low gear!¢ So-if you feel you have written a top notch, user friendly, practical program, don't keep it to yourself! Send it in! What DO you have to lose? You know, I could use a new printer, and that program I've been working on is pretty good. Hmmm...¢¢The address for Antic and START is:¢¢Antic (or START) Magazine¢Antic Publishing, Inc.¢544 Second Street¢San Francisco, CA 94107¢¢I am:¢¢Thomas Andrews¢7805 US Route 20¢Manlius NY 13104¢¢¢[For those interested in this sort of thing, the first draft of this article was written using a medium point Bic pen with black ink on the backs of some scrap copy paper. Editing and final preparation were done with Speedscript 3.0 on a 48K Atari 800 connected to an XF551 drive and using DOS 2.5 in enhanced density on a Computer Direct 19 cent generic disk. The article was never printed before submission. (See? You CAN use a word processor without a printer!!!) Then sent by U.S. Mail to Ken Wickert (A.C.E. of Syr. 8-Bit VP) to upload Via Modem to our Newsletter Editor Fred Dunaway and ended up in his 1040ST for inclusion in our Newsletter.]¢¢A.C.E. OF SYRACUSE NY. 1990¢
