Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 1

zizban said:

...anything under 100 is spelled out, anything more, use numerals...

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Thank you. Looks like another trip through the manuscript for me. The search function won't be of much use. (That's only worthwhile if you can trust it will catch 100%.)

As far as spelling out numbers, the rule is "be consistent."

Whoever you sell the work to will have a house style, and that's the way it'll be printed.

Nangleator said:

One of my beta readers keeps changing my spelled-out numbers to numerals, while another doesn't....

Ex: Midas was an under-populated city, with only seven hundred-sixty residents.

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For questions like that, you need to get a more comprehensive style manual than Strunk and follow it consistently. Spelling out numbers as big as 760 is unusual, except approximations like "four million." Anyway, publishers' copy editors don't expect authors to take care of all that. Making numbers conform to house style is routine in copy editing. Some publishers spell out up through 99, others only up through 10.

In the example sentence, both hyphens should be deleted:
underpopulated
seven hundred sixty (or, better, 760)

When I am writing ficition, I spell out all my numbers unless it's a street address or something like that.

James D. Macdonald said:

Even if the agents say they accept e-mail, go hard-copy. On nice paper. Signed with ink. In a good envelope. With an SASE.

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Is the SASE actually important? That is, does including one or not affect the judgement on the manuscript?

I'd rather include an SASE just for a letter reply rather than an envelope with postage to get the manuscript (or three chapters, or whatever) back.

The SASE is only important if you want to hear back.

It's perfectly normal and acceptable to include a letter-sized envelope and state in the cover letter that the manuscript is disposable.

If anyone has any Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror short stories, previously published, to which you own the audio rights, here's a market:

http://escape.extraneous.org/guidelines/

Submission with a Pen Name

James D Macdonald said:

I write under several different names, including my own.

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My question may be answered elsewhere in this thread. If so, forgive the repeat - just wanted to ask before it got lost in my head - heh! When you submit to either an agent or publisher and have written your masterpiece using a pen name, do you simply explain that you are using a pen name for this piece and sign it with your own name, or do you submit strictly under the false name? I would guess the former but am not sure.

Thanks for the instructions, Jim. Your time is appreciated!

Real name in the upper left corner (with your contact info). Your pen name in the byline:




John Doe
123 Main Street
Anytown, ST 00000

Maestro is correct. I want the checks to come with my real name on 'em.

Your name isn't secret from your agent and the editor. The name on the cover is a marketing decision.

Pen Name

My thanks to you both!

Correct usage - "a" vs "an".

James D. Macdonald said:

With an SASE.

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I've been wondering about this as I've been writing my query letters. Since "SASE" is the acronym for "self-addressed, stamped envelope," should you use "a" or "an" with it? Although "a" would be correct if you spelled it out, it doesn't sound correct when you verbalize, "a SASE" but does with "an SASE." I'm not trying to be picky here, Jim, or to editorialize your advise, but I've written several queries in which I used this phrasing (with the "a") and wondered if I was using it correctly or not.

Thanks for your knowledgeable tutoring!!

J. Y. Moore said:

I've been wondering about this as I've been writing my query letters. Since "SASE" is the acronym for "self-addressed, stamped envelope," should you use "a" or "an" with it? Although "a" would be correct if you spelled it out, it doesn't sound correct when you verbalize, "a SASE" but does with "an SASE." I'm not trying to be picky here, Jim, or to editorialize your advise, but I've written several queries in which I used this phrasing (with the "a") and wondered if I was using it correctly or not.

Thanks for your knowledgeable tutoring!!

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I always go with how it sounds. Whether you read it silently or aloud, you still always "hear" the pronounciation. Since you hear it as S-A-S-E and not "say-see" (or whatever), I would use an "an".

Still, I don't suppose they would kill you and eat you for writing: "a SASE" .

If you wrote out "self addressed, stamped envelope", of course, you would use an "a".

"An" sounds right because SASE is pronounced ess-aye-ess-ee, and "ess" begins with a vowel.

If you pronounced it "say-see" then "a" would be the indefinite article of choice.

You can do it either way, so long's you stay consistent.

Same principle with words like 'honor' where the h, though a consonant, is silent. It's an honor and an hour, but it's a hotel or a hiccup. Goes by how we pronounce it, not by how we spell it.

azbikergirl said:

Same principle with words like 'honor' where the h, though a consonant, is silent. It's an honor and an hour, but it's a hotel or a hiccup. Goes by how we pronounce it, not by how we spell it.

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Right. But I still agonize over "historic". By the rule: "a historic occasion". But I guess I've heard "an historic occasion" so often it just sounds better.

Thanks. I always think of it as being pronounced "sass" when said as a word so I suppose that is where the confusion originates. I've also noticed that some of the submission guidelines I've read seem to use the "a".

While I'm editorializing ... In my previous paragraph, I've used the "a" with the period outside the quotes. Which place does it belong? When quoting verbage, I know it belongs inside. In this context, which?

Sign me - Picky - Hah!

I always put the period inside the quotes when ending a sentence.

Once more - Thanks!

These are all examples of things where, if you sell a story, someone at the publisher's will come by with their house stylebook and make the changes they like.

If either can be correct, choose one and stay consistent. The power of your story is what sells the work. A dull story with perfect punctuation won't sell any faster than a dull story with non-standard punctuation.

Here is a quote from Michael Moschen, perhaps the best contact juggler in the world, one of the most significant jugglers of the 20th century, recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant:

There's wisdom for all of us there.

For "object" read "character" and apply this to your writing.

James D. Macdonald said:

Here is a quote from Michael Moschen, perhaps the best contact juggler in the world, one of the most significant jugglers of the 20th century, recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant:

[font=verdana, arial]Moschen tells would-be jugglers that having too many balls in the air can be dangerous, that control is just an illusion. "Try to understand the characteristics of the objects coming at you," he says. "Create a separate flight path for each. Beware of taking the simplest forms for granted, because it's the simplest thing that will be your anchor."


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​

There's wisdom for all of us there.


For "object" read "character" and apply this to your writing.

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Brokenfingers scratches his head in wonder as he looks upon yet another pearl that Jim has pulled from seemingly nowhere and thrown down for all to share.

"How the hell does he do that? The guy really is a magician!"

Moschen in motion

http://www.michaelmoschen.com/press.htmlAwe inspiring.

Those of you who've seen The Labyrinth have seen Mr. Moschen's juggling. (That's him doing the crystal contact-juggling for David Bowie.)

Many years ago, Mr. Moschen self-published a book on contact-juggling. (I know about this because a friend of mine typeset it for him.) You can't find used copies -- because anyone who has one is holding onto it. I know -- I've been looking for years.

That's a perfect self-publishing project. Very specialized non-fiction for a well-defined audience.

In case you don't live with a writer but want to have the experience.

And a link from the comments on that page.