Q: What's the most efficient way to track magazine queries? I've been doing it by date on a single sheet of paper, but that seems haphazard. —Ellen Ryan

A: There isn’t a “right” way to track queries. You could create a database on your computer. You could write them on napkins and stuff them in a cookie jar. Any method can work as long as you understand how to use it. If you’re sending out submissions by the busload, all that really matters is that you’re organized.

For a writer who doesn’t have a system—or has the organizational skills of a bowling ball—it’s a good idea to set up a spreadsheet to track your submissions. There are six major categories that belong in your chart: the article idea, the magazine you’ve sent it to, the editor’s name/submissions address of said magazine, the date you submitted it, the date by which you should get a response and the date you plan to follow up in the event that your query goes unanswered. It should look something like this:

Article Idea	Magazine Submitted To	Editor name/ submissions e-mail address	Date Submitted	Date Submitted	Date Magazine should reply by	Follow up on

It’s these elements you need to remember. And for any magazine that doesn’t give a response within the time it states in its guidelines, give the editor at least one month before checking in.

You can add in extra boxes, of course, such as article accepted/rejected, contract signed, payment received and so on. You could always highlight accepted queries or draw happy faces next to them. Whatever works best for you. Just stay organized.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I love sports and have always enjoyed reading my local paper’s sports page. Now that I’m focusing on my writing career, I’d like to join the ranks of those who cover sports. How do I break into sports reporting? –Anonymous

A: Sports writing—much like book publishing—is a fairly competitive field. And, while I love to read about my beloved Cincinnati Reds (no matter how badly they stink), I actually don’t know much about the ins and outs of sport reporting. So I contacted Kyle Nagel, enterprise reporter for the Dayton Daily News, to get his take on how to land a sports reporting job, what challenges sport reporters face today, and what exactly “enterprise reporter” means.

BK: Your title on the Dayton Daily News website is listed as “enterprise reporter.” What exactly is an enterprise reporter?
KN: If you ask 10 different journalism people what enterprise reporting is, you’ll likely get 10 different but relative explanations. To me, being an enterprise reporter means that I’m responsible for coming up with my own ideas for stories that will be unique to the sports section. It’s reporting that doesn’t come from press releases or news conferences but from unique ideas and perspectives. It also informs readers or viewers about trends or issues about which they haven’t heard.
 
BK: How did you break into sports reporting?
KY: I signed up for my high school paper in Centerville, Ohio, when I was a junior, and the paper needed a sports editor. It seemed more appealing than school board meetings, lunch menu issues and latest fashion trends, so I said I would do it. And, like many young boys, I grew up watching and playing sports, so an interest already existed.
 
BK: How would you suggest others break into sports reporting?
KY: Like most departments and fields, you start at the bottom. Offer to cover the high school game that no one else wants or to write a feature on the soccer player that bores much of the rest of the staff. In general, the sports department is a pretty popular place at news organizations, so there can be plenty of competition. Persistence is key. This includes a willingness to do jobs, cover games or work at times that don’t seem very desirable at first.
 
BK: What are the keys to being a successful sports reporter?
KY: Sports knowledge, deadline writing and a flexible schedule. I’m not saying someone who doesn’t like sports can’t be a sports reporter, but you must have at least a basic knowledge of the history, development, lingo and issues involved with the sport you’re covering. Second, much of the writing we do is at night on a tight deadline. Some have said that, with sports writing, every night is election night. When you’re covering a game, you must quickly establish what happened, what was important, why it was important and what it means for the team. Third, our schedules can change daily and hourly, and it’s necessary to work nights, weekends and holidays. We go where the games are, and they happen on every day of every week of the year of every year.

BK: As a sports reporter, what’s the most difficult part of your job?
KY: Access. More and more, schools and professional teams are limiting the time we can spend with the athletes, who are the backbone of our job. Without talking to the coaches and athletes, there is no news. We can’t just burn the midnight oil and create news, we must interview, interact and build relationships. It’s more difficult than ever to build those relationships with the sports figures because of the limited time face-to-face time.
 
BK: What’s your favorite part?
KY: Most sports, of course, don’t happen in the office, so sports reporters often do their jobs from stadiums, arenas, athletics offices or youth fields. Plus, consumers of sports news generally have an intense interest in what you’re reporting, which makes it easy to find passion for the job. Or, if you screw up or have a strong opinion, easy to find 75 e-mails that use some form of the word “moron” the next morning.
 
BK: Any other advice you’d like to offer others who’d like to break into the
field?
KY: Before you cover sports, you must learn sports—just like politics, art, food or education. You must have a working knowledge of the coaches, athletes, issues, teams and schools in your coverage area on which you can build your own reporting experience. You don’t have to be a trivia whiz ready to win the local Thursday night game at the TGI Friday’s, but you must know the language.

BK: Any final thoughts?  
KY: Sports reporting isn’t all that different from any other kind of reporting. Are we just in the sand box? Sometimes, yes. But we’re also working with the same basic principles every reporter uses: Getting the answers people want to know, should want to know or will want to know. We just often do it while eating hot dogs or drinking sodas in cramped press boxes.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I am writing a memoir and need to know if I can use real names in the book. I am going to write about some terrible experiences and some don’t show people in a favorable light. Can I use their names? Also, how can I be sure to protect myself from any possible litigation? --Anonymous
 
A: Writing about real people in your life is tricky, especially if you cast them in a negative light. Once you put it into print there’s always a possibility of a lawsuit. Augusten Burroughs, rightly or wrongly, was sued by the family of his psychiatrist for Running With Scissors (the family accused him of making up events to make his book more marketable).

According to legal expert (and friend of “WD”) Howard G. Zaharoff, there are two rights you must respect: disclosure and defamation.
 
“The right to avoid disclosure of truthful but embarrassing private facts is the first right,” says Zaharoff. “For example, I am reading John Sandford's latest Prey novel, in which a well-known politician is accused of having sex with an underage woman. She offers proof that she had sex with him by describing two semicolon shaped freckles on his testicles. Unless they are relevant to an important and truthful account you need to tell, I would avoid that kind of disclosure.”

OK, I’ll give you a moment to get that mental picture out of your head. But you get the point. Don’t share negative or embarrassing information unless it’s absolutely necessary to your story. It can only hurt you. Back to Zaharoff:

“Second, U.S. law prohibits defamation, that is, oral or written falsehoods that hold the subject up to scorn or ridicule. Every negative statement you make about a living person must be true and, ideally, supported by evidence.”

Of course, if you say something so awful about a person you will always risk a lawsuit, particularly where your only support is your word. And, Zaharoff notes, that's a costly experience even if you ultimately win, and there is no guarantee you will.
 
So the real question is, How do you tell your story without risking any form of litigation? Disguise the names and biographical data and make sure that no one can identify the subjects from your description. Use a pseudonym if need be. And ALWAYS (it’s in all caps for a reason) talk with a knowledgeable lawyer first. A little cash now can save you a lot of cash in the future.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: Is there a way to verify the legitimacy of Internet-based sites that offer writing classes? How can I check on their standing in the business community?—Cynthia Cheng

A: Ah, the Internet—where anyone can be an authority on anything. You’re right in wanting to protect yourself, and one easy step is to contact Writer Beware or Preditors & Editors and ask if any complaints have come in about a particular site. Victoria Strauss, a founding member of SFWA’s Writer Beware, also suggests asking the Web site in question for references.

“Whoever’s running the courses should be willing to provide a few e-mail addresses” of others who’ve taken the course, says Strauss. “If this request is refused, caution is in order.”

Other things to look for on the Web site include full disclosure of the writing teachers and their backgrounds, class topics and fees. Strauss says questionable operations will often omit much of this information. Just the same, if you do use a program that turns out to be a scam, contact both Writer Beware and Preditors & Editors and let them know.


Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I’ve finished my book, landed a contract and have a publication date. Should I hire a public relations specialist to spread the word? –Ozzie G.

A: While most of us don’t have loads of extra cash to drop on hiring a PR specialist, most of us don’t have a bestseller on our resume either. But if your book is purchased by a publisher and you want to see better sales results, it may be worth at least entertaining the idea.

Publishers tend to put few (if any) resources into marketing books, particularly books from first-time authors. Hell, you’re lucky if you get your own page on the publisher’s website. A good PR representative can open marketing avenues that you either don’t have access to or hadn’t crossed your mind. And a great PR rep will help increase your visibility in places where it counts.
 
Searching for a PR rep is kind of like searching for a babysitter—you need someone you can trust, someone who will do a good job and someone who will give your “baby” the attention it deserves. After all, you don’t want to waste your money on someone who will send out a few faxes and call it a day. It’s important to check references. Ask what results she has had with similar books and seek proof of those results. Also, check out the Public Relations Society of America’s local chapter or the communications program at your local university. Here you can find a list of publicists to choose from.
 
The cost of some PR reps can be high—from $500 to $4,000 per month or higher—but you have to think of this as an investment. Always expect a return on this investment. And even if you decide that a PR rep isn’t for you, just by doing some research you may be able to pick up on a few of their best practices.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I would like to know what an author is to do if a publisher were to offer up a contract to him or her when there is no agent involved?— C. L. Freire

A: Negotiating a book contract is a lot like buying a car—there's some give and take, not everyone will get the same deal and sometimes you have to pass on the sunroof to get the deal done. It's helpful to have an agent, of course, but not everyone has that luxury. So how can you, a first-time author, make sure that you're getting a fair deal?

When a publisher wants your book, she'll make an offer. Most companies have a standard contract, or boilerplate that they use. Nearly all of these standard contracts have language that favors the publisher, so it's up to you to haggle out a better deal. Assume that everything is negotiable, though keep in mind that what's flexible in one publisher's contract may not be so flexible somewhere else. Topics most often open for negotiation are:

-  royalty v. flat fee
-  anticipated royalty %
-  anticipated advance
-  expenses to be built in
-  second use rights (including electronic)
-  free copies of book
-  cost to author to buy copies

If there are certain areas that are nonnegotiable, the publisher will tell the author that. Accept it and move on. Also, if you have questions about anything, ask. Contracts are complicated and often need explaining.

Before navigating the minefield of book negotiation, it's essential that you read up on publishing contracts. The Author's Guild offers several tips on how to negotiate a fair contract (http://www.authorsguild.org/?p=101). If you're a member of the National Writers Union, you can hop onto their site (http://www.nwu.org) and get extra advice. Plus, there are several good books on the topic—read as many as you can.

Should you involve a lawyer? I asked Writer's Digest Books acquisitions editor Jane Friedman and she says it's OK to ask a lawyer for advice, but often they can be a real headache if they're not familiar with publishing law. "They may ask for terms or stipulations that are unreasonable," Friedman says.

As long as you've done some homework, you'll be in good shape when hammering out your book deal. The more times you go through the process, the better you'll get. And one day, if you're lucky, you'll be able to get that sunroof.

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.    

Q: So, BK, what about starting a sentence with "but"? Is there a rule for that? Because I do it all the time. But I really don't want to, if it's against the rules. It's just so hard to be good sometimes. —Amanda Joann Smith

A: I once covered this in the magazine and what I wrote then still rings true today, so I’m reposting it. (Oh, and it’s definitely hard to be good sometimes—especially when the world is full of bad grammar, run-on sentences and ice cream.)

Many grammar buffs will slap you on the hand with a ruler for starting sentences with a conjunction—to them, placing the conjunction (but, and, yet, etc.) first creates a grammatically incomplete thought like a sentence fragment. But that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t do it.

By Merriam-Webster’s definition, a conjunction joins together clauses, phrases, words or sentences (that’s right, sentences). Contrary to belief (and probably what your English teachers told you), there’s no definitive rule prohibiting writers from using this great device. A conjunction at the beginning of your sentence will tend to draw attention to itself and its transitional function, communicating certain points clearly and effectively.

You should, however, consider a couple of things before going this route. Would the sentence function just as well without the conjunction opening? If so, don’t use it. Also, should the sentence simply be connected to the previous one? If the two ideas work better as a compound sentence, combine them. If an initial conjunction doesn’t really do anything to help you get across the point you’re trying to make, it’s best to bid it adieu.

But it can sure come in handy sometimes.

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.    

Q: I had submitted two stories to a nursing magazine after consulting the editor in advance. I was told the stories were accepted and one would appear in August. So far, no sign of my story, and when I tried to follow-up with e-mails and phone calls, my messages were not answered. What more can I do? — Anonymous

A: Editors change plans sometimes and bump stories for more time-sensitive matter, so it’s not overly surprising that your article didn’t run in its originally scheduled month. But if they aren’t responding to your correspondence, there’s reason for concern.

What you can do depends on the stipulations of the contract you signed. If the contract states you get paid upon acceptance, then you should have been paid by now. If the contract has a 25 percent kill fee and your story’s been killed, you should get that money. If you don’t receive a check and they won’t return your calls, seek legal counsel.

If you didn’t sign a contract with the magazine, you’re unfortunately stuck with your hospital gown wide open in the back and little you can do about it. The best move is to politely e-mail the editor and withdraw your articles from consideration unless you receive a contract or notification about the articles by a specific date. This could lose you the job, but if you’re being ignored then there’s really nothing to lose. Then you can shop your article again. Or, hey, maybe the editor will begin responding.

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.     

Q: My grammar school teachers always told me that it was wrong to start a sentence with the word “because,” but I commonly see it in books today. What’s the rule?—Roger Allen

A: Grammar teachers across the U.S., please don’t hate me, as I’m about to expose the awful truth you’ve been trying to hide for years: It’s not poor grammar to start a sentence with “because.” That’s right, there’s no rule or law in grammar books that denies you the right to start a sentence with this conjunction. A sentence such as, Because I needed money, I sold my body to science, is not only grammatically correct, it’s also more effective than if it were the other way around (I sold my body to science because I needed the money).

So why do teachers parade this nonexistent rule to our youth? They want to prevent the future scholars from writing in fragments, and kids have a tendency to write incomplete sentences like Because I can or Because he’s smelly. Instead of telling kids that they can’t start a sentence with “because,” it’d be more proper to make them complete their sentences. But I know how difficult it is to get kids to complete anything.

Take care of yourself and your writing,
Brian A. Klems

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.   

Q: I've been writing articles in one of the local papers here in our hometown, but I've never been paid for my work. The Editor/Publisher of the paper knows me personally. Do I have the right to ask for some compensation for my articles? (Thanks to avid reader Soly Paraiso for this question)

A: There are two separate issues here to consider 1) Can you ask for compensation on pieces that have already run for free and 2) Can you ask for payment on future pieces after writing for free for so long?

Luckily, my brilliant flag-football skills allow me to tackle them both with one post.

If you’ve been sending material to a local paper and haven’t asked for compensation (money, free subscription, box of Goldfish Crackers) and don’t have a contract, it’s difficult to ask for money post-publication. It’s possible the editor ran the pieces only because they were free, or maybe he was testing you out before buying down the road. In any case, I think it’s unwise to ask for money after the pieces have already been published.

Moving forward (and to answer the second part of the question), you should most definitely ask for compensation on all future writing assignments. It doesn’t matter whether the editor is your friend, neighbor or mother-in-law, she should be paying you for your services. Think of it this way: You wouldn’t expect a life insurance agent to give you insurance for free, would you? (If your answer is yes, I’d like to know the name of your agent).

Of course, writing for a local paper isn’t the most lucrative of all freelance gigs, so don’t have unrealistic expectations when negotiating. Remember, other writers—like yourself—will write for pennies (or less) early in their career to get clips, network and establish themselves in the writing community. But once you build a rapport and show you can do the job, it’s not unreasonable to ask for compensation. If the editor says no, you don’t really lose anything—considering you’ve made zero dollars so far. At best, you can earn a little something to help with a vacation fund or, better yet, a subscription to Writer’s Digest (Hey, I had to throw it in there!).

Take care of yourself and your writing,
Brian A. Klems

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line.