Blog Profile / Writer's Digest Questions and Quandaries
| URL : | http://blog.writersdigest.com/qq/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Arts / Writing | |
| Posts on Regator: | 133 | |
| Posts / Week: | 0.5 | |
| Archived Since: | April 2, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
Should Your Interview Subjects Sign a Release?
When interviewing someone for an article or a book, do I need to have the interviewee sign a release form so I can use his or her quotes? Get the answer here. Read more
Is it E-mail or Email?
Everywhere I turn I see "email" (or is it "e-mail"?) punctuated differently. Can you tell me which is correct? —Kate T. WD online guru Brian A. Klems says that punctuating "e-mail" with or without a hyphen is... Read more...
How Many Sample Chapters Are Necessary?
When submitting your work to an agent for consideration, how many sample chapters should you include in your proposal? Writer's Digest online editor Brian A. Klems explains. Read more...
Where Should You List Your Manuscript's Word Count?
Q I’m ready to send out my manuscript to agents, and I’m finishing the final formatting ouches. Do I include a word count on the manuscript, or will mentioning it in the query letter suffice? —Rachael A. When submitting to agents orShow More Summary
Are Online Images Fair Game to Use On Your Blog?
Q: Recently someone informed me that I violated copyright [by posting] one of his cartoons on my blog. I apologized and removed the image. Now I’m worried about other images I’ve used. My blog is simply to connect with other writers and I don’t make any money from it. Show More Summary
What Can You Do if a Publisher Prints Your Work Without Permission?
Q: I submitted a piece on spec to a community newspaper and received no response from the editor. With the next publication, however, the manuscript was published in full without permission and without payment. What can I do?—John M. A:...Show More Summary
More Than vs. Over: Which is Correct?
Q: I have an editor that's always changing "over" to "more than" in my articles. For example, if I write "The baseball player received an endorsement deal for over $10 million dollars," she changes it to "more than $10 million dollars." I've always hought both were acceptable. Show More Summary
Can I Resell an Article That's Already Been Published?
Q: When submitting an already published article—which carried one-time rights—what information do I owe the new editor?—Jack C. A: You need to tell the new editor the name of the publication and the issue date in which your article first appeared. Show More Summary
I Could Care Less or I Couldn't Care Less?
Q: Every time I say, "I could care less," my husband stops me and says, "It's 'I couldn't care less.'" But everyone I know says it the same way I do. Which is correct?—Anonymous A: For years, my grandma beat "I couldn't care less" into my head just as often as she made me eat my dinner vegetables. Show More Summary
How do you Represent the Deceased in Fiction?
Q: In a work of fiction, what restrictions exist on using the names of the dead, e.g., JFK, J. Edgar Hoover, etc.? —Thomas W. A: When writing fiction, it’s generally OK to use the names of deceased people in your work and even create events that didn’t actually happen (Forrest Gump is a good example of this). Show More Summary
Is it "Can I" or "May I"?
Q: I still occasionally have to stop and think about the “can” and “may” conundrum. Could you explain the differences once and for all? —Marcus W. A: This question takes me back to my elementary school days, where my fourth-grade eacher wouldn’t let me be excused to use the restroom unless I asked her for permission correctly. Show More Summary
Can You Publish Letters From Other People in Your Work?
Q: I plan to write a series of prank letters to politicians, celebrities and manufacturing firms, and then publish my letters and the replies in a book of humor. Do the replies o my letters become my property to publish in my book? —Gene...Show More Summary
Understanding ISBNs and What They Mean for Your Book
Q: What is an ISBN, and what’s its purpose? Can I apply for one without being a company/publisher? —Kathryn N. A: An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 13-digit number that identifies a book for purposes of commerce and supply chains (before 2007 it was a 10-digit number, in case you see it that way in older books). Show More Summary
What Should a "Short Bio" Include?
Q: I have an article being published in a magazine and the editor e-mailed me asking for a short bio. This is my first time being published. How long is "short" and what should I include? —Robert K. A: Congratulations on your first publication!...Show More Summary
Should You Grant an Exclusive Read to an Agent?
Q: I recently had an agent respond to one of my queries and request my full manuscript. More interesting, he wants a six-week exclusive read on my book. I don't want to blow my chance here, but I also don't want to sit around six weeks only to get rejected and find out I'd wasted time that I could've been querying more agents. Show More Summary
Question Mark Placement in Dialogue
Q: When writing dialog where one character poses a question to another, where do you place the question mark? Does it go inside the quote mark or at the end of the entire sentence? –Tamara T. A: The question mark should always appear at the end of the question—whether that's he end of the sentence or not. Show More Summary
May vs. Might
Q: "I may go to the store." "I might go to the store." Is there a difference between hese two sentences? I've always been confused as to when to use "may" and when to use "might"? —Joe A. A: Both "may" and "might" have the same overall meaning, yes, but both indicate different verb moods. Show More Summary
Are Government Docs in the Public Domain?
Q: Am I allowed to use text from a government document in my manuscript? —Amy V. A: The short answer is yes. Nearly all documents published by the government are part of the public domain and, therefore, free to use in your work. So if you want to use statistics from the U.S. Show More Summary
Peak vs. Peek (vs. Pique)
Q: For some reason I confuse "peak" and "peek" all the time. Is there a simple way to help differentiate the two so I can get it correct in the future? –Brian K. A: OK, so I'm not sure if you noticed but I submitted this question myself. Show More Summary
Does Selling All Rights Mean I Can't Use the Same Topic Again?
Q: If a magazine buys all rights to a non-fiction article I wrote about my granddaughters' medical problems, can I have other articles or a book published which would include he same information? I use the same description of the disease for everything I write about it. Show More Summary