Internet Info 1997 December/Internet_Info_CD-ROM_Walnut_Creek_December_1997.iso/faqs/misc/answers/writing/faq

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From: [e-mail] (Wendy Chatley Green)
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Subject: [misc.writing] Writing FAQ (modified 10/97) (1/2)
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Summary: Basic information for writers about manuscripts, submissions, publishing, and writers groups
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Last-modified: 10.97
URL: http://www.scalar.com/mw/

        misc.writing Frequently Asked Questions about Writing

This document pertains only to writing questions often asked in the
misc.writing newsgroup.  See the misc.writing Posting Guidelines at
http://www.scalar.com/mw/ for information about the social mores of
the misc.writing community.  For general questions regarding Usenet,
please review the FAQs in the news.announce.newusers newsgroup.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Questions answered in this FAQ:
----------------------------------------------------------------

1.0   What format should I use for a manuscript?
    1.1   What font should I use?
    1.2   What about photocopies?
    1.3   How should I format the first page and following pages?
    1.4   How should I indicate that the last page of my manuscript
            is the last page?
    1.5   How much of my manuscript should I include?
    1.6   How do I format a picture book?  What about illustrations?
    1.7   How should I format a poetry submission?
    1.8   How do I count the words in my manuscript?
    1.9   What are the standard word counts for novels, short
            stories, et cetera?
    1.10  What is the best length for a chapter?

2.0   Does posting my manuscript ruin its chances for publication?

3.0   How do I use a pen name?  Is it the same as a pseudonym?
     3.1 Do I have to use a pen name?
    3.2  Can I register a pen name so no one else can use it?

4.0   What about copyrights?

5.0   How do I find a market for my manuscript?

6.0   How do I submit my manuscript?
     6.1  Should I use a cover letter?  If so, how?
     6.2  What about simultaneous submissions?

7.0   Is there a correct format for referencing material from a
      WWW/Gopher/FTP/Usenet/E-mail/other Internet site?

8.0   What's a vanity/subsidy publisher?
     8.1  Are they legitimate?

9.0   Do I need an agent?
     9.1  How do I get an agent?
      9.2  What do agents charge?

10.0  What professional groups are useful for writers?

10.1     Australia
    10.1.1    Australia Council
    10.1.2     Writers' Centres
    10.1.3    Australian Booksellers Association
    10.1.4    Australian Society of Authors
    10.1.5    Australian Publishers Association

10.2 Canada

    10.2.1    Canadian Authors Association
    10.2.2    The Writers Union of Canada
    10.2.3    Periodical Writers Association of Canada
    10.2.4    League of Canadian Poets
    10.2.5    Canadian Society of Children's Authors,
             Illustrators, and Performers (CANSCAIP)
    10.2.6    Writers Guild of Canada
    10.2.7    Crime Writers of Canada
    10.2.8    Playwrights Union of Canada
    10.2.9    SF Canada
    10.2.10    Editors' Association of Canada

10.3    Great Britain
    10.3.1    The Writer's Guild of Great Britain
    10.3.2    The Authors' LIcensing and Collecting Society
    10.3.3    The Society of Authors
    10.3.4    The Poetry Society

10.3.5  Scotland (from the Writer's Guild of
         Great Britain WWW site)
    10.3.5.1    Scottish Arts Council
    10.3.5.2    Scottish Poetry Library
    10.3.5.3    Scottish Film Production Fund
    10.3.5.4    Scottish Society of Playwrights
    10.3.5.5    Scottish Screen Writers Group
    10.3.5.6  Byre Writers

10.4    New Zealand Society of Authors

10.5   United States of America
    10.5.1    American PEN
    10.5.2    National Writer's Union
    10.5.3    The Authors Guild
    10.5.4    Writers Guild of America
    10.5.5    SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and
               Illustrators)
    10.5.6    North Carolina Writers' Network
    10.5.7    Mystery Writers of America
    10.5.8    Romance Writers of America
    10.5.9    Horror Writer Association
    10.5.10    Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of
             America, Inc.
    10.5.11    Society for Technical Communication

11.0  Are there any on-line groups?
    11.1    Usenet newsgroup: misc.writing
    11.1.1     The misc.writing home page at http://www.scalar.com/mw/
    11.2    Usenet newsgroup:  alt.writing
    11.3    Usenet newsgroup: misc.writing.screenplays
    11.4    Listserv:  The Fiction Writers Workshop
    11.5    Listserv:  Writer's Workshop
    11.6    Listserv: DOROTHY-L, for mystery fans and writers
    11.7    Listserv:  TECHWR-L, for technical writers
    11.8    WWW Page: Miholer's Screenwriting Resources
    11.9    WWW Page:  For The Love of It
    11.10   WORDPLAY: Professional Secrets for Screenwriters
    11.11   Bix, Compuserve, AOL, the WELL, GEnie


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Ye Olde Disclaimer
--------------------------------------------------------------------

  This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties.  While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy
of the information contained in this article, the maintainer and
contributors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for
damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
The use of both American and British English spellings in this FAQ is
a result of the multiplicity of its authors.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Changes since last edition:

1.  Section 11 (on-line groups) was reordered and several groups were
    added
2.  Section 10 (writers' groups) was expanded and the data was checked
    for accuracy.

3.  A numbering error was corrected.

4.  A discussion on chapter length was added after section 1.9

----------------------------------------------------------------
This document will be posted on or about Monday of each week to
misc.writing.  A current version will be to news.answers and
misc.answers on the third Monday of each month. Please send
corrections and suggested additions to Wendy Chatley Green
<[e-mail]>

----------------------------------------------------------------
The FAQ
----------------------------------------------------------------

1. What format should I use for my manuscript?

Preface:

  All of the following rules can be broken.  However, any time
  you break one of them, you run the risk of irritating an
  editor.  To quote Strunk and White:

    "It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes
    disregard the rules of rhetoric.  When they do so, however,
    the reader will usually find in the sentence some
    compensating merit, attained at the cost of the violation.
    Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do
    best to follow the rules."

General:

   Manuscripts should be typed in black ink using a new ribbon or
   printed on a daisy wheel, ink-jet or laser printer.  Never write or
   print a manuscript by hand. Each page must be doubled-spaced (one
   blank line between each line of type) and each side must have at
   least a one-inch margin.  Use white medium-weight business
   letter-sized paper (either 8-1/2 x 11 or A4) and type or print
   only on one side. Once the manuscript is typed or printed, do not
   staple, bind, or otherwise attach the pages to one another.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
1.1  What font should I use?

   A manuscript is not an opportunity to show off your elaborate
   desktop publishing system.  Many publishers specify a font or type
   size in their writer's guidelines and only a fool would ignore such
   a requirement. Editors read vast numbers of pages and anything that
   strains their eyesight gets a deserved toss toward the reject pile.

   If no font is suggested then the writer should choose one that does
   not distract from the writing.  Serif fonts, which have slight
   projections to finish off the stroke in each letter, are been
   proven to be easier on the eyes than san-serif fonts, which
   resemble block printing.

   Whether the font is proportional or monospaced also affects how
   easy it is to read.  With proportional fonts such as Times, the
   individual characters vary in width ("w" is wider than "i.") With
   monospaced fonts such as Courier, all characters are the same
   width. Proportional fonts make a manuscript look more like a book
   and allow more words per page but monospaced fonts give editors a
   more accurate feel for the space required by the piece.

   Size also matters, at least for fonts.  The usual size is "12
   point" (also referred to as "10 pitch" or "pica.")  Pitch refers to
   the number of characters per inch.  Point size refers to the
   relative height of the font; a point is a typographical measurement
   very close to 1/72nd of an inch.  Anything smaller than 12 point or
   10 pitch and editors might strain to read the words; anything
   bigger and editors  may assume that you are disguising a too-short
   article.

   Although any legible font might be acceptable, the safest choice is
   Courier 12.  Work printed in Courier 12 closely resembles
   typewritten work.  Familiarity with Courier allows editors to
   quickly extract word count and other important information from
   manuscripts printed in it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.2 What about photocopies?

  If you submit a photocopy, make sure it's clean and clear; it
  also doesn't hurt to explicitly mark it "Not a Simultaneous
  Submission" (if this is the truth), as some editors assume
  photocopies are simultaneous.  NEVER submit your only copy of a
  manuscript; tragedies do happen.  Photocopy the manuscript, back up
  the disk.  Not vice versa.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.3  How should I format the first page and following pages?

First page header:

  I. Wanna Write                               Approx. 2000 words
  1000 Maple Street
  Anytown, USA 00000
  [phone]
  <[e-mail]>

                   (about 1/3 of the way down the page)

                      Title of Story

                            by

                       Ima Pseudonym

  (Note that you use your real name, not your pseudonym, as
  the return address; the publisher wants to know who will be
  endorsing the check.)

Other additions to the header about which there is some debate:

  Your Social Security number (Pro: Aids publishers in
  record keeping when they cut you a check.  Con:  If they need
  it, they'll ask for it.)

  A copyright notice (Pro: May be useful in establishing legal
  claims to ownership of your work, should problems arise.  Con:
  "This is a mark of the amateur; editors have better things to
  do than steal story ideas.")

  Membership in writers' professional organizations  -- SFFWA,
  SCBWI, et al.  (Pro: Gets editors' attention in the slushpile.
  Con: Doesn't help, doesn't hurt.)

  Rights offered (more important for articles/stories than for
  books)


Second-through-final page headers:

  Writer's name/Title of Story                           Page X

  This shouldn't take up more than one line; shorten the title to fit.
  Manuscripts *do* get dropped; if you identify every page, you reduce
  the odds of your story's being re-collated with the last third of
  "Marshmallow Mud Maidens from Madagascar". (Richard Curtis, the
  renowned agent, feels it's a mistake to include the story title in
  the page header, since this requires you to retype or reprint the
  entire manuscript if you change the title.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.4  How should I indicate that the last page of my manuscript is the
    last page?

  It may also be a good idea to put an "end of story" marker on
  the last page.  Use "# # END # #", "--FIN--", or anything else
  you're confident the editor won't mistake for part of the
  story.  (Some people think that this marker is amateurish.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------
1.5  How much of my manuscript should I include?

  Research the rules of the market you're submitting to.  For
  short fiction (less than 20,000 words), you normally submit the
  entire manuscript.  For novel-length fiction, many publishers prefer
  to receive a couple of sample chapters and an outline; if the
  publisher likes your sample, he/she will request the remainder of
  the book.

  Publishers won't normally commit to buying a manuscript from an
  unknown writer until they've seen the whole thing. DON'T submit a
  portion of an unfinished book, unless you are certain that you can
  finish the book very quickly (within a month) if the publisher
  expresses interest.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
1.6 How do I format a picture book?  What about illustrations?

  Children's picture books are normally assembled by the
  publisher, who buys a manuscript, then assigns an artist to
  create the drawings. Historically, most publishers have
  strongly preferred *not* to  receive manuscripts with
  illustrations; the feeling has been that it was too difficult
  to accept one part of the package and reject the other.
  Author-illustrators generally earned their spurs by
  illustrating the works of others, and were then allowed to
  create their own books.  Some publishers are beginning to
  accept (but not prefer) complete packages; check *Writer's
  Market* to find suitable candidates.

  If you are submitting an unillustrated manuscript for a picture
  book, you should generally not attempt to indicate page breaks,
  double-page spreads, etc., or give detailed illustration
  suggestions, as these are the book designer's and illustrator's
  domain.  Anything that you want to appear in the picture should be
  part of the text.  One obvious exception to this rule is irony: if
  the text reads "Irene's room was always tidy", you're allowed to
  insert a note like "(Illustrator: the room is>  actually a pit.)"

  As always, you should read many different picture books to get
  a feeling for the strengths and limitations of the format.
  Bear in mind that picture books are almost invariably 32 or 48
  pages long, including title page and other front matter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
1.7  How should I format a poetry submission?

    According to the _Writer's Market, 1997 edition, poems are
submitted one to a page.  The format is single-spaced with two lines
between stanzas.

    An on-line source of information about poetry is the
rec.arts.poems FAQ (http://condor.lpl.arizona.edu/~tim/rapfaq/)

----------------------------------------------------------------
1.8  How do I count the number of words in my manuscript?

    Start at the beginning.  Point at the first word and say "One."
Point at the second word and say "Two."  Repeat, increasing the count
by one integer for each word at which you point. <g>

Now, some more professional answers:

    1. You could use the "Word Count" feature of your word processor.
Note that all word processors do not use the same algorithm to compute
this--Word may give a different figure than WordPerfect.

    2. You can multiply the number of pages in the manuscript by 250.
This gives a very rough estimate.

    3.  Figure that 1.5 typewritten/computer-printed pages equal one
page of a book (another rough estimate)

    4.  Count the words on five random pages of the manuscript.  Find
the average number of words per page (divide the count by five) then
multiply this number by the number of pages in the manuscript.

  You will be paid by the publisher's word-count, not yours; the
publisher's algorithm may differ.  (And padding word-count is like
double-parking in front of Police Headquarters; you *will* get
caught.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
1.9   What are the standard word counts for novels, short stories, et
cetera?

        0 -    250 words      Flash or sudden fiction
         0 -  2,000 words      Short-short story
     2,000 - 10,000 words     Short story
     10,000 - 40,000 words     Novella
    50,000 - infinity (or durned close to it) Novel

    A good length for a novel (by consensus of this newgroup) is
80,000 words.

    Certain genre publishers require a maximum word count because
they produce a standardized paperback.  Follow these requirements.
----------------------------------------------------------------

1.10  What is the best length for a chapter?

    It depends.  Although chapters of a standard length (4,000 words,
say) may be easier to outline, plan, count, and edit, there are no
rules on chapter length.  It is easy to find huge novels divided into
20 or fewer chapters and very slim novels with 45 or more divisions.

    When to end a chapter and begin another one is one of the factors
of story-telling.  Sometimes a chapter closes where a story would end:
following a brief cooldown after a crisis resolution.  This gives a
feeling of accomplishment for the reader and a sense of intermission.

    Sometimes the chapters close before the resolution of a crisis,
or after the introduction of the next crisis.  These chapter breaks
give a sense of suspense--that events are crowding in on the reader.

    Sometimes chapters are kept consistent in length to establish a
rhythm.  Sometimes chapters vary greatly in length, giving the reader
a sense of a kaleidoscopic world.    Other time, chapters end and begin
with a change in Point Of View, the scene's setting in time or space,
or at a radical change in mood.

    All depends on what suits the needs of your story.

----------------------------------------------------------------
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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
4.0  What about copyrights?

  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?

o 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.

o 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  Should I use a cover letter?  If so, how?

  Do write a cover letter if
  o  you have previous publications
  o  you have some unusual expertise in the subject matter
  o  the editor has encouraged or requested this submission, or
     has commented favorably on your previous submissions
  o  you are an unusually charming letter-writer
  o  the editor's market report requests one
  o  the submission is part of a larger work (e.g. sample
     chapters and outline)

  For short fiction from an unknown writer, consider omitting the
  cover letter.  If you do include a cover letter, don't:
  o  retell the plot
  o  talk about how wonderful the story is (show, don't tell!!)
  o  talk about how wonderful the writer is
  o  try to be cute
  o  use more than one page

-----------------------------------------------------------------
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.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
7.0 Is there a correct format for referencing  material from a
 WWW/GOPHER/FTP/USENET/E-MAIL/OTHER Internet site?

    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 ([e-mail])
  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:

    Walker, Janice R.  "MLA-Style Citations of Electronic
            Sources." http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/walker/mla.html
        (13 January, 1997).

-------------------------------------------------------------------
8.0  What is a vanity or subsidy publisher?

        You pay a vanity publisher to turn your manuscript into
a book.  There is nothing wrong with this, per se--as long as you
realize that *you* are responsible for all the costs of printing and
binding.  The vanity publisher will not market your book, store the
copies, ship the copies (other than to your address) or do anything
else that a royalty publisher will do after they buy your book.

(What's a royalty publisher?  One who buys your book, markets it,
sells lots of copies, and sends you the royalties.  You do not pay
them--they pay you.  This is the goal for which most writers aim.
Royalty publishers also place books in bookstores, get them reviewed
in  newspapers and magazines, send authors on book tours--things that
vanity publishers never do.)

        Subsidy publishers fall between these two types.  A
subsidy publisher asks that you pay something towards the cost of
printing and/or marketing your book; i.e., you subsidize some or
most of the publishing costs.  Subsidy publishers sometimes will
market your book and perform other services, often for an additional
fee.

        Note that many retail booksellers pay no attention to
the order lists from subsidy publishers.  Reviewers ignore the books
sent them by subsidy publishers.  Because of this, even a good faith
attempt to market your book by a subsidy publisher may fail to earn
any money.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
8.1  Are vanity/subsidy publishers legitimate?

       It depends.  If all you want is your book printed and
bound, then a vanity/subsidy publisher might suit you well (although
a local printer may do the job as well or better for less money.)
If your book appeals to a very narrow market and you are willing to
sell it yourself then a subsidy publisher might fill the bill for you.
However, small presses, regional publishing houses, and university
presses often accept niche books.  Self-publishing, in which you do
the printing, binding, marketing, and all the other chores, also
might be a viable option.  Consider all the costs and the work
involved carefully before deciding.

        Several vanity/subsidy publishers masquerade as royalty
publishers.  They solicit manuscripts and accept a writer's work
just like the royalty publishers but their contracts require you to
pay.  Stay away from these companies; charging to publish a book is
not illegal but duping people into paying for publication is wrong.

        A listing of duplicitous companies in this FAQ undoubtedly
would bring me lawsuits.  As a general rule of thumb, if the publisher
fails to mention its fees up front then run from them as fast as
possible.  Reputable publishers, like reputable agents, do not
charge hidden fees.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
9.0  Do I need an agent?

Markets that only accept submissions through agents:
o Mainstream fiction (not SF, romance, or mystery)
o Screenplays and teleplays (studios won't read unsolicited
  submissions for fear of copyright lawsuits.)

  Most other markets still read their own slushpiles, so you can
  cut out the middleman by submitting your fiction directly.  If
  you're concerned about your ability to negotiate, you can
  always get an agent after you've made the sale through the
  slushpile.

Markets agents aren't normally interested in:
o Short fiction (not enough money in it)

Things agents generally won't do:
o Rewrite/edit your work (they don't have time)
o Handle several genres (e.g. romances and screenplays and
  cookbooks)
o Serve as a crying towel

--------------------------------------------------------------------
9.1 How do I get an agent?

o The easiest method:
  Sell your book to a publisher.  Then write letters to agents,
  asking them if they'd like to earn their 15%.

o Somewhat harder:
  Send the book over-the-transom to agents who are looking for
  new clients.

o A colossal waste of money:
  Pay somebody an up-front reading fee.  There have been a very
  few exceptions, but 99.9 per cent of all decent agents don't
  charge up-front reading fees; they make their money by
  *selling* your book, not by reading it.

  [The times, they are a-changing.  As the function of slushpile
  weeding is shifting from publisher to agent, many agents see
  reading fees as the only way to recoup their costs.   It is
  still true that you should try to find an agent who doesn't
  charge a fee first, and that you should check the credentials
  of fee-demanding agents very carefully -- make sure that their
  major source of funds is selling writers, not reading
  manuscripts.]

---------------------------------------------------------------------
9.2  How much to agents cost?

  Agents should not charge authors up-front fees for copying,
  telephone calls, et cetera; this money should come out of the
  agent's percentage of the gross.  The standard agent's fee for
  fiction seems to have risen to 15 per cent.  Agents' fees for
  screenplays are reported to have remained at 10 per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

10.0  What professional groups are useful for writers?

That depends on the writer's goals, needs, and desires.  Some obtain
much benefit and support from writers' organizations; others prefer to
go it alone.  The organizations listed below were suggested or
recommended by the denizens of misc.writing
----------------------------------------------

10.1     Australia

10.1.1    Australia Council
        Street Address:                Postal Address:

         181 Lawson St                    PO Box 788
         Redfern                        Stawberry Hills
        Sydney  New South Wales            New South Wales
         Australia                        Australia  2012

Australia's national arts body; covers grants, cultural exchange,
advisory role to Federal Government, promotion of Australian Arts
and Artists overseas and general promotion of the arts.
------------------------------

10.1.2   Writers' Centres

 These are community centres that provide advice and services to
writers. The type of services varies from state to state though most
include a newsletter, courses in writing, advice with writing and
some advocacy services on behalf of writers to State and Federal
governments.

     ACT Writers' Centre:      PO Box 23
                         Griffith
                        Australian Capitol Territory 2603
                         Phone [phone]

     NSW WRITERS' CENTRE:     PO Box 1056
                        Rozelle NSW 2039
                        Phone: [phone]
                        Fax:   [phone]
                        Email: [e-mail]

Northern Territory Literature Officer:
                        c/o NT Community Writing Program
                        GPO Box 2255
                        Darwin NT 0801
                        Phone: [phone]
                        Fax:   [phone]

Queensland Writers' Centre:    535 Wickham Terrace
                        Spring Hill QLD 4000
                        Phone:  [phone]
                        Fax:    [phone]
                        Email:  [e-mail]
                        WWW:    http://www.qwc.asn.au

South Australian Writers' Centre:    PO Box 43
                            Rundle Mall SA 5000
                            Phone:   [phone]
                            Fax:      [phone]
                            Email:    [e-mail]

Victorian Writers Centre:    1st Floor 144-156 George Street
                        Fitzroy VIC 3065
                        Phone:    [phone]
                        Fax:      [phone]
                        Email:    [e-mail]
                WWW:  http://www.vicnet.net.au/~writers/index.htm

Western Australian (WA) Literature Officer:
                        c/o Fremantle Arts Centre
                        PO Box 891
                        Fremantle WA 6160
                        Phone:    [phone]
                        Fax:      [phone]
----------------------------------

10.1.3    Australian Booksellers Association
        Suit 4, 21 Drummond Place
        Carlton VIC 3053
        Phone:    [phone]
        Fax:      [phone]

Has list of independent booksellers, bookshops and major book chains
in Australia.
---------------------------------

10.1.4    Australian Society of Authors
        PO Box 1566
        Stawberry Hills NSW 2012
        Phone:    [phone]
        Fax:      [phone]
        Email:    [e-mail]
        WWW:     http://www.peg.apc.org/~asauthors/
----------------------------------

10.1.5    Australian Publishers Association
        Suite 60, Level 3
        89 Jones Street
        Ultimo NSW 2007
        Phone:    [phone]
        Fax:      [phone]
        Email:    [e-mail]
        WWW:     http://publishers.asn.au/

 site include a list of publishers in Australia
---------------------------------

10.2 Canada

10.2.1    Canadian Authors Association
        Box 419
        Campbellford, Ontario  K0L 1L0
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW:  http://www.CanAuthors.org/national.html

Since 1921, the CAA has been Canada's national writing association,
providing support to beginning and established writers alike.
---------------------------------------

10.2.2    The Writers Union of Canada
        National Office:24 Ryerson Avenue
        Toronto, Ontario  M5T 2P3
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]

Pacific Office:    3102 Main Street, 3rd Floor
                Vancouver, B.C.  V4A 3C7
                Phone/Fax: [phone]

        WWW:  http://www.swifty.com/twuc/index.html

Founded in 1973, The Writers' Union of Canada is a national
organization of professional writers of books for the general public.
---------------------------------------

10.2.3    Periodical Writers Association of Canada
        54 Wolseley Street, 2nd Floor
        Toronto, Ontario  M5T 1A5
         Phone: [phone]
         Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW:   http://www.cycor.ca/PWAC/pwachome.htm

The Periodical Writers Association of Canada is a non-profit
organization founded in 1976. The PWAC mandate is to protect and
promote the craft and livelihood of independent periodical writers.
---------------------------------------

10.2.4    League of Canadian Poets
        54 Wolseley Street, Suite 204
        Toronto, Ontario  M5T 1A5
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW:   http://www.swifty.com/lc/

The League of Canadian Poets, founded in 1966, is a non-profit
association of professional publishing and performing poets in Canada.
Its purpose is to enhance the status of poets and nurture a
professional poetic community.
---------------------------------------

10.2.5    Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and

    Performers (CANSCAIP)
        c/o 6223 - 183 Street
        Edmonton, Alberta  T5T 2T3
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: gopher://freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/h/i/canscaip/cans1.html

CANSCAIP members are professionals in the field of children's culture
in three areas: writing, illustrating or performing. The aim of the
Society is to promote the growth of children's literature in Canada
and encourage the development of new writers, illustrators, and
performers.
---------------------------------------

10.2.6    Writers Guild of Canada
        35 McCaul Street, Suite 300
        Toronto, Ontario  M5T 1V7
        Phone: [phone]  or  [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://home.ican.net/~wgc/

The Writers Guild is an organization of freelance writers working in
film, television and radio production in Canada. The WGC negotiates,
administers and enforces collective agreements that set out minimum
rates, terms and conditions of work in the Guild's jurisdiction.
---------------------------------------

10.2.7    Crime Writers of Canada
        c/o Secretary/Treasurer
        3007 Kingston Road, Box 113
        Scarborough, Ontario M1M 1P1
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://www.swifty.com/cwc/cwchome.htm

The CWC is the national association for professional practitioners of
the crime writing genre in Canada. It provides a forum for the views
of its members and promotes the publishing and sale of works created,
edited, and published by its members.
---------------------------------------

10.2.8    Playwrights Union of Canada
        54 Wolseley Street, 2nd Floor
        Toronto, Ontario  M5T 1A5
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW:   http://www.puc.ca/

PUC is the national, non-profit association of professional
playwrights. It represents approximately 335 members, distributes more
than 1,500 Canadian plays, and publishes 6-7 trade paperbacks
annually.
---------------------------------------

10.2.9    SF Canada
        11759 Groat Road, 2nd Floor
        Edmonton, Alberta  T5M 3K6
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://helios.physics.utoronto.ca:8080/sfchome.html

SF Canada aims to provide a structure for socializing and maintaining
links among members throughout Canada, from coast to coast to coast,
in both official languages, and to promote the publishing and sale of
works created, edited, and published by its members.
--------------------------------------

10.2.10    Editors' Association of Canada
        35 Spadina Road
        Toronto, Ontario  M5R 2S9
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW:   http://www.web.net/eac-acr

Established in 1979, the EAC is a national body of both English- and
French-language editors, with more than 800 members from coast to
coast. EAC's members work in many forms of print (books, magazines,
newsletters, corporate communications, and government reports, to name
just a few) as well as various other media.
---------------------------------------

10.3        Great Britain

10.3.1    The Writer's Guild of Great Britain
        430 Edgware Road
        London W2 1EH
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://www.writers.org.uk/guild/

[from the WGGB Web site:]

    The Writers' Guild of Great Britain was established in 1958, its
mission, then as now, was to ensure that writers of all media are
properly represented. For nearly half a century we have been ensuring
that writers are properly paid and accredited. The nature of the media

industry may have changed but our central philosophy has remained the
same.
    Writing is by nature a solitary business--but membership of the
Writers' Guild of Great Britain means that writers need not be
isolated. Together, writers form the strong organisation needed to get
a fair deal in today's increasingly competitive and ruthless market.
More than this, we offer a way in which writers can become part of a
community, the chance to swap stories about unscrupulous producers and
meet people you admire.
----------------------------------------

10.3.2    The Authors' LIcensing and Collecting Society
        Marlborough Court, 14-18 Holborn
        London EC1N 2LE
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://www.alcs.co.uk/

[from the ALCS WWW site:]

The ALCS is a collecting society for writers in all genres: writers
who can be rewarded for the re-use of their work by photocopying,
off-air recording and electronic means. . . [It] was founded in 1977
to enable writers to receive fees that are  uniquely or more
effectively handled collectively. Today it represents  more than
35,000 members and associates, and collects and distributes  fees to
many more individual writers in Britain.
--------------------------------------------------

10.3.3    The Society of Authors
        84 Drayton Gardens
        London SW10 9SB
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://www.writers.org.uk/society/

[from the Society of Authors Web site:]

Since its foundation in 1884, the Society of Authors has been the
major British association for writers of fiction and non-fiction. Its
particular strength is in the area of book writing, but membership is
open to all authors, illustrators, playwrights, and radio and
television scriptwriters. . . .

Its full-time staff advises members in all aspects of writing,
including the detailed vetting of contracts. It conducts negotiations
for collective minimum-term agreements with publishers in association
with the Writers' Guild, and offers legal help (including litigation
when an issue of general concern to authors is at stake). It maintains
a watching brief on all matters relating to copyright, which is
becoming increasingly important in this electronic age. It runs a
number of social and informative events for members, and administers a
number of literary awards.
----------------------------------------------

10.3.4    The Poetry Society
        Freepost LON5410
        London WC2H 9BR
        Email: [e-mail]
        WWW: http://www.poetrysoc.com/

The Poetry Society exists to help poets and poetry thrive in Britain
today. It is a registered charity and has been in existence since
1909.  The Arts Council of England, grants  from trusts and sponsors,
and sales of membership and publications support it.  Members include
poets, teachers, librarians, and all kinds of readers of contemporary
poetry.
------------------------------------------------

10.3.5  Scotland  (from the Writer's Guild of Great Britain WWW site)

10.3.5.1    Scottish Arts Council
        12 Manor Place
         Edinburgh EH3 7DD
        Phone: [phone].

As well as giving awards for various purposes, the SAC publishes a
Writers' Register (for writers of fiction and poetry)
----------------------------------------

10.3.5.2    Scottish Poetry Library
        Tweeddale Court, 14 High Street
        Edinburgh
        Phone: [phone]
----------------------------------------

10.3.5.3    Scottish Film Production Fund
        74 Victoria Crescent Road
        Glasgow G12 9JN

---------------------------------------

10.3.5.4    Scottish Society of Playwrights
        contact Viv Adam 2nd floor, 15 Dundrennan Road
        Glasgow G42
        Phone:  [phone]

For playwrights who have had work produced professionally; planning to
set up Writers' Register for dramatists
--------------------------------------------

10.3.5.5    Scottish Screen Writers Group
        Glasgow Film & Video Workshop
        3rd Floor 34 Albion Street
        Glasgow G1  1LH
        Phone: [phone]
---------------------------------------

10.3.5.6    Byre Writers
        Contact Elsie Lindday
        150 North Street
         St. Andrews, Fife
        Phone:  [phone]

A self-help group for playwrights.
-------------------------------------------------

10.4        New Zealand Society of Authors
        (PEN NZ Inc)
        P.O. Box 67013
        Mt Eden  Auckland
        New Zealand

------------------------

10.5   United States of America

10.5.1    American PEN:

PEN American Center                PEN Center USA West
568 Broadway                    672 S. Lafayette Park Pl Suite 41
New York, NY  10012-3224            Los Angeles, CA  90057
phone: [phone]            Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]                Fax: [phone]

Professional writers' organization concerned with freedom of
expression issues.  Membership requires one published book or
equivalent in shorter works.
------------------------------

10.5.2    National Writer's Union
        13 Astor Place
        New York, NY 10003  USA
        Phone: [phone]
        WWW: http://www.nwu.org/nwu

This group provides to its members contract consultation services,
health insurance plans, and grievance resolution services, among other
benefits.  The NWU is affiliated with the United Auto Workers Union
(and thus the AFL-CIO).  According to an previous FAQ maintainer, they
appear to be a cross between a real labour union and a writer's
advocacy group.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

10.5.3    The Authors Guild
        330 West 42nd Street
        New York, NY 10036-6902 USA
        Phone: [phone]
        Email:  [e-mail], [e-mail],
                 [e-mail]

The Authors Guild is the USA's oldest professional society of
published authors, with over 6,600 members in many different genres.
Our staff of attorneys and legal interns review our members'
publishing and agency contracts, intervene in publishing disputes and
hold many seminars and symposia on issues of importance to writers.
Recent topics include editing, contract negotiation, and multimedia
and electronic publishing rights.  The Guild also produces a quarterly
Bulletin full of the latest publishing, copyright, tax, legal and
legislative news and advice.

Membership is open to writers who have had a book published within the
last seven years, or three works published by general circulation
magazines within the past 18 months. First-year dues are $90.
----------------------------------------------------------------

10.5.4    Writers Guild of America

Writers Guild of America West        Writers Guild of America East
8955 Beverly Boulevard West        555 West 57th Street
Hollywood, CA 90048-2456            New York, NY  10019
Phone:  [phone]
Fax:  [phone]

This is a professional writer's union.  Membership in the Writers'
Guild of America is limited to individuals who have made sales
totaling 12 points on their arcane scale (story or screenplay for a
feature film is 12 pts. each, story or script for a sitcom is 6 pts,
etc. ad nauseam).  The sales must have gone to WGA-signatory
production entities; the writer cannot have been involved in the
company in a hiring capacity.  (This is to prevent a writer from
joining the guild by paying for a vanity production.)

There is a "signatory" status for agents representing writers for the
WGA. Any guild-signatory agency is prohibited from charging a reading
fee.  WGA will provide information on "scale" to anyone.  The West
branch has the script depository which can be used (for a fee) by
nonmembers.  The East branch sells the "Professional Writer's
Teleplay/Screenplay Format Guide" (last price quoted was $4.55 via
money order, which includes postage)
----------------------------------

10.5.5    SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)
        345 North Maple Drive, Suite 296
        Beverly Hills, CA 90210 USA
        Phone: [phone]
        WWW: http://www.scbwi.org/

[from the SCBWI Web site:]

The SCBWI acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between
writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians,
educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young
people. There are currently more than 10,000 members worldwide, in
over 70 regions, making it the largest children's writing organization
in the  world.  The SCBWI sponsors an annual National Conference on
writing and illustrating books and multimedia as well as dozens of
regional conferences and events throughout the world. It also
publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, awards grants for works in
progress, and provides many informational publications on the art and
business of writing and selling written, illustrated and electronic
material. The SCBWI also presents the annual Golden Kite Award for the
best fiction and non-fiction books.
--------------------------------

10.5.6    North Carolina Writers' Network
        P. O. Box 954
        Carrboro, N.C. 27510
        e-mail: [e-mail]
        WWW site: (coming soon)

NCWN sponsors all kinds of workshops (fiction, poetry, technical
writing, etc.) throughout the state including the remote/rural areas,
It also sponsors (very legitimate) contests and other activities, and
publishes a bi-monthly newsletter with a "Submit It!" section
containing market information, much of it not found in the Writer's or
Poet's Market directories.  Its annual conference is in November.  The
NCWN publishes an annual directory that lists the small presses and
litmags in N.C. and the addresses of writers willing to answer
questions on specific topics.
-------------------------------------

10.5.7     Mystery Writers of America
        236 W. 27th St.
        New York, NY 10001  USA
        Phone: [phone]
        WWW: http://www.bookwire.com/mwa/

[from the MWA Web Site:]

Mystery Writers of America, Inc. was established in  1945 by a dozen
or so like-minded mystery writers for the purpose of promoting and
protecting the interests and welfare of mystery writers and to
increase the esteem and literary recognition given to the genre.
---------------------------------

10.5.8    Romance Writers of America
        13700 Veterans Memorial Drive Suite 315
        Houston, TX 77014  USA
        Phone:  [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        WWW: http://www.rwanational.com/

[from the RWA Web site:]

The mission of the RWA is:
(a) to promote excellence in romantic fiction,
(b) to help writers become published and establish careers in their
writing field,
(c) to provide continuing support for writers within the romance
publishing industry,
(d) to promote mutual support among members,
(e) to promote and advocate an "author-friendly" environment in the
publishing industry,
(f) to be a strong voice within the romance publishing, wholesaling,
and retailing industries,
(g) to strive to maintain and increase the market share of romance
fiction.

General Membership open to "established romance authors and writers
interested in pursuing a career in romance writing." Associate
Membership open to "booksellers, editors, agents, and other industry
professionals."
-------------------------------

10.5.9    Horror Writer Association
        WWW: http://www.horror.org/

[from the HWA Web site:]

The HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) was formed in the 1980s to bring
together writers and others professionally interested in horror and
dark  fantasy, and to foster a greater appreciation of dark fiction
among the  general public.

To this end, among other benefits, the organization issues a regular
newsletter, presents the Bram Stoker Awards, and provides members with
the latest news on paying markets. We have sponsored a series of
successful members-only anthologies. Members also gain access to the
private HWA areas on various online services, including Genie's
Science  Fiction Roundtables, Compuserve's SFLitForum 2, SFF-Net, and
Dueling  Modems, and can, if they choose, receive informational
bulletins by  e-mail.
----------------------------------------------------------------

10.5.10    Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.
        5 Winding Brook Dr. #1B
        Guilderland, NY 12084  USA
        WWW: http://www.sfwa.org/site_index.htp

[From the By-Laws at their Web site:]

The purpose of the [Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America,
Inc.] shall be to promote the furtherance of  the writing of science
fiction, fantasy, and related genres as a profession--in so doing, its
activities shall include, but not be limited to, informing science
fiction and fantasy writers on professional matters, protecting their
interests, and helping them deal effectively with agents, editors,
anthologists, and producers in non-print media: encouraging public
interest in and appreciation for science fiction and fantasy
literature; sponsoring, editing, and disseminating writings, papers,
books, pamphlets, and other publications which exemplify science
fiction and fantasy literature of high quality; conducting
conferences, public discussion groups, forums, lectures, and
seminar programs; and furnishing any service or performing any kind of
work connected with this stated purpose.
----------------------------------------------------------------

10.5.11    Society for Technical Communication
        901 N Stuart St., Ste. 904
        Arlington, VA 22203-1854
        Phone: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        WWW: http://www.stc-va.org/

[from the STC Web site:]

The mission of the Society for Technical Communication is to improve
the quality and effectiveness of technical communication for audiences
worldwide.

STC is an individual membership organization dedicated to advancing
the  arts and sciences of technical communication - it is the largest
organization of its type in the world. Its 20,000 members include
technical writers, editors, graphic designers, videographers,
multimedia artists, and others whose work involves making technical
information available to those who need it.  Through the efforts of a
small, full-time staff and a large network of volunteers, STC promotes
the public welfare by educating its members and industry about issues
concerning technical communication.
----------------------------------------

11.0  Are there any on-line groups?

    You bet--hundreds if not thousands of newsgroups, mailing
listservs, Web pages--'way too many to track in an infrequently
revamped FAQ.  A few of particular interest are listed below; via
them, one can find many other resources.


11.1     Usenet newsgroup: misc.writing

    A Usenet newsgroup, misc.writing is a huge discussion devoted to
"writing and topics of interest to writers."  Amidst the chatter,
running jokes, and other oddities are threads on publishing, writing,
characterizations, how writers cope with the various adversities that
face writers, and other pertinent information.

    misc.writing has a high noise-to-signal ratio but its denizens
like it that way.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

11.1.1  The misc.writing home page at http://www.scalar.com/mw/

    This home page has a current copy of this FAQ and much
information on writing, including links to resources, some maintained
by the denizens of misc.writing, others independent of the newsgroup.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

11.2  Usenet newsgroup:  alt.writing

    A Usenet newsgroup that is much smaller and more focused than
misc.writing, alt.writing concentrates on the "nuts & bolts" of
writing instead of chatter and off-topic discussions.  Since it is in
the "alt." hierarchy of Usenet, not all newsfeed have this newsgroup.
A request to your Internet Service Provider usually will prompt the
addition of this newsgroup.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

11.3  Usenet newsgroup:  misc.writing.screenplays

    A Usenet newsgroup devoted to screenwriting and discussions of
the film and TV business from a writer's POV.
------------------------------------------------------------------