Tatiana Claudy is a freelance writer and photographer. She is a regular contributor to FellowScript Canadian newsletter. Her byline has appeared in Creation Illustrated, Learning Through History, The Upper Room, and Writers' Journal magazines, Spirit-Led Writer e-magazine, and Writing-World.com Web site.
"Writer's Journey Around the World": 7 Steps to Global Writing
by Tatiana Claudy
Mr. Fogg bet £20,000 that he would go around the world in 80 days (Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne). Regardless of dangers that he met during his journey, Mr. Fogg had reached his destination. Writing for international markets, you can make your "journeys" faster. If you follow suggested steps, you will avoid dangers of falling into traps - common mistakes - and, finally, reach your destination - to break into foreign periodicals.
1. Find Markets
Many reference books and Web sites list international markets:
Reference Books
Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2008 (UK) by Jacqueline Wilson
The Australian Writer’s Marketplace 2007/08
The Canadian Writer's Market by Sandra Tooze
The Writer's and Photographer's Guide to Global Markets by Michael Sedge
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2008 (UK) by Alexander McCall Smith
Writer's Market UK 2008 by Michael Cady
Web sites
The AA Independent Press Guide
AllYouCanRead.com
Canadian Magazines
Online Magazines
www.onlinenewspapers.com/magazines
UK250.co.uk
www.uk250.co.uk/Magazine/Magazine2.htm
Web Wombat
www.webwombat.com.au/magazines/index.htm
2. Sell International Rights
After selling "First North American Serial Rights," you have other "geographic" first rights, for example, "First Asian Serial Rights," "First Australian Serial Rights," and "First European Serial Rights." Regretfully, if you accepted a work-for-hire assignment, you have lost all these rights.
If a publisher insists on "First International Rights," offer them to him only in English, and you will be able to sell the same article in other languages. Selling to local periodicals, define geographic limits of granted rights. Likewise specify what electronic rights you wish to sell.
"Whenever possible, opt to sell "non-exclusive" or "one-time" rights," said publisher of Writing-World.com Web site Moira Allen, "this will leave you free to resell the same material . . . throughout the world."
3. Query First
If an editor accepts query letters, query him via e-mail or mail before submitting your manuscript. There are two advantages of this procedure: editors usually respond faster to query letters, and you will save money on postage. Though some editors require hard-copy submissions, they may allow e-mail queries.
You can learn about international postage rates, for instance, on Postal Explorer Web site (at http://pe.usps.gov/ ).
4. Sell Reprints
Global markets give you more opportunities for selling reprints if you rewrite your articles with a country or publication slant. "Inserting quotes or information from the periodical's home country . . . tells the editor that you are tuned to his readership," advised former foreign correspondent Michael Sedge.
Free translation service is available, for example, at www.freetranslation.com or www.translation2.paralink.com .
5. Submit Simultaneously
Editors like their periodicals to differ from the others. By selling your manuscripts to non-competing and non-overlapping markets, you can submit simultaneously (and provide a steady cash flow). To learn whether simultaneous submissions are allowed, study publications guidelines (be sure that you have updated ones). If you cannot find this information then write to an editor.
6. Use Correct Words
The prime goal of writing is clear communication with readers, and you can achieve it by using correct words. If you mention in your manuscript, for example, words subway, apartment, and sidewalk, people in UK may be confused - they call these things tube, flat, and pavement.
There is also difference in spelling, e.g., colour, grey, theatre (UK) and color, gray, theater (US). You may check correct usage and spelling in the British-American and American-British dictionary (at www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/dict.html).
Mentioning in your article dollars, indicate which ones. Many countries (e.g., Belize, Jamaica, Namibia, and Taiwan) call their local currency "a dollar." Similar situation is with words "dinar," "franc," and "peso." For clarification, you may use a currencies table at fx.sauder.ubc.ca/currency_table.html .
Remember, that many countries use metric system. Find out on US Metric Association Web site (at http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html ) how to adjust your material for your international readers.
7. Keep Your Readers in Mind
Europeans is an educated audience - do not oversimplify your writing for them. However, writing about American traditions, give explanation. For example, Europeans may be unfamiliar with celebrating Mother's Day, because in many countries people celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th. When they celebrate the same holiday, it may be called differently (e.g., "Pussy-Willow Sunday" in Russia instead of "Palm Sunday").
Dates and time are other areas for international readers' confusion. For more help, read the article "A summary of the international standard date and time notation" by Markus Kuhn (at www.cl.cam.ac.uk/%7Emgk25/iso-time.html).
Due to cultural and religious traditions, many common topics for European markets are inappropriate for Asian ones (e.g., women's fashion for Middle East periodicals). Learn about culture of a country you want to write for.
Mr. Fogg moved fast to arrive to his destination. Put these tips into practice, and you will reach your destination - getting published internationally. "Have a bias toward action," encouraged Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister of India), "let's see something happen now."
Writers' Publications
Printed
FellowScript Christian newsletter (Canada)
www.inscribe.org/FellowScript-guidelines.htm
Mslexia magazine for women who write (UK)
www.mslexia.co.uk/menu/submit.html
The
New Writer magazine (UK)
www.thenewwriter.com/guidelines.htm
Writers’ News magazine (UK)
www.writersnews.co.uk/main/subguides.asp
Online
EU
Writer newsletter
www.worldwidefreelance.com
Worldwide Freelance Writer newsletter and Web site
WritingAustralia.com e-Zine
www.writingaustralia.com/submissions.html
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