Publications!!! and Publishing!!!

Due to finishing final projects as an outgoing senior at FIT. I am very sorry for not being able to keep up w/ the blog after the start of May.

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Charles Salzberg
May 3rd
1-2pm
Binsky's II

He was very informative in the way writing is also translated into Journalism. Journalism is a separate entity. In such a way that most of Charles Salzberg's career is made out of his way of utilizing the magazine industry by interviewing various people in many career choices.

He also broke down the types of articles and demographics of some magazines he brought in to help us know the consumer of each magazine. For instance NY Magazine which I took a kin to. I knew well but I was proven wrong at the last minute that the demographic is 20-30 somethings both men and women. But the test was guessing the advertisement on the back of the magazine and I was thinking more in terms of a women's point of view. So I thought it was cosmetics but you had to think in terms of what both sexes would be interested in. That in fact turned out to be Jose Cuervo. How funny? But in retrospect yes after working 20-30 somethings they always want to drink or party. I don't know why I didn't know that. I drink and read that magazine ritually too. I've failed my magazine. hahaha.

The discussion moved onwards to delve into the matter of ways to get published in journalism and how to decisively engage in an interview. It's interesting to me that when you're interviewing a celebrity on anything new they are doing that they want to promote you always have to have a follow up question that is not only something to further explain a point you're trying to make but something awkwardly interesting to ask them to write about to the magazine's audience.

Afterwards those of us who wanted a consulation on our writing works were able to get one on one discussions with Charles Salzberg. I was so happy that Charles Salzberg liked my excerpts of my manuscript I'm trying to get published. He was very helpful and offered his help by e-mail. It's so nice to have that contact. I hope everyone else who was able to get help from Charles Salzberg has gotten the constructive criticism they wanted.

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Kate Gale
May 10th
1-2pm
Binsky's II

Kate Gale spoke this time on the matter of publication and how the publishing industry works. She touched on new elements. For instance I didn't know the various levels of the publishing industry in terms of small presses, university presses, other presses such as Penguin. Kate Gale represents Red Hen Press an independent press or a small press. Meaning they are non profit and work just the same as any other press but they don't get any money from any author's books published. They solely rely on government grants. This in very interesting to me.

She said Independent Presses are great in that way for authors but she said not to rule out the other presses as well. University Presses are like small presses but they have money to back them up because they are part of a school. But other presses get profit from their author's books that sell. Only a percentage negotiated between the author and the publisher.

She also mentioned that a great way for writers trying to get published is to go to writing forums. It could be just to get yourself known to the publishing world by signing up for an open mic night at a poetry cafe. Or going to next years AWP event being held in NYC. Of all places!! AWP stands for The Association of Writers and Writing Programs. It will be so fun to go to all the publishers presses to get in touch with prospective editors and pick up literature on each publisher. These are all both really great ways to convey who you are and what you have to say to the writing industry.

Description of yourself to the publishers needs to be concise as well. She described your query letter in the format of "you", "it" and "them". This means describe yourself in the first paragraph. The second paragraph describing the manuscript or poetry collection, etc. The final paragraph how you feel your work you're trying to get published through them fits their mission statement. I know after hearing this I have to work on my query letter. What struck me the most fascinating was that someone that's a mix in ethnicity or religion or gender or sexual orientation has a better chance of getting published because they stand out among the other writers. I guess I have some luck working for me?

She also gave us her business card if we wanted to contact her on any matters regarding the publishing process. She's very nice and also hilarious with her stories. She's always fun to have at FIT to speak.