Q: Do agents steam off the stamps on self-addressed, stamped envelopes (SASEs) and resell them? The agents demand pages, SASEs, that sort of thing, but—and I know this sounds cynical—many of my queries disappear. In this age, why should we need to use what they call “snail mail” for queries and why do agents never answer?—Don Ballew

A: Of course agents don’t steam off stamps from SASEs and resell them. They steam them off and use the stamps themselves. (Hopefully you know I'm J/K, which is "just kidding" in Internet speak.)

Actually, they don’t steam off anything (as far as I know), and really do try to respond. To gain further insight on the matter, I called Donald Maass, president of Donald Maass Literary Agency. He represents more than 100 fiction writers.

“If you’re certain that you wrote to the agent’s current address and the SASE had sufficient postage, then you can conclude one of three things,” he says. “Either the agent is rude, the agent is busy or the agent just isn’t interested.”

Now, I doubt that agents try to ignore you, as their profession and income are based on finding great writing. With the mounds of submissions they continually receive, they probably don’t have time to respond to everyone (though that would be nice). And they do try to respond, but it's easy for queries to get lost in the shuffle.

“Snail mail” is still a viable form of submitting your query, though e-mail has really become increasingly popular in the last couple of years. There is one ultimate problem with e-mail: All that hard work goes down the drain if the editor accidentally labeled your e-mail address as spam and  you’re officially blocked from the system. So it's best to follow the agent's guidelines (which can typically be found online) when deciding whether to send it by the postal service or electronically. But when in doubt, you can always send a hard copy. After all, they are easier for agents to carry around and read while traveling, eating lunch or steaming off stamps.

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: A friend approached me about writing her memoir. I don't know how to charge for it, especially since I have no idea how much material I'll have to work with and, therefore, how long it might be. Also, I know I want to share credit, on the one in a million chance that the client gets it published and the book becomes a bestseller. What should I charge? Should I assure a minimum number of pages?  What guidelines do you suggest? —Tamara Kort

A: According to guidelines set forth in the 2008 Writer's Market, ghostwriters charge anywhere from $50-100 per hour for "as told to" projects and $30-115 per hour for no credit pieces. “As-told-to” ghostwriting often nets you less money per hour because you get other benefits—such as a byline, an advance and a split of the royalties (up to 50 percent). But if you're willing to skip the byline and future earnings, you can act as a work-for-hire ghostwriter and charge more on the front end.

"Whatever is negotiated needs to be done, agreed upon, on paper and signed before work commences (or continues--if already started)," says Robert Brewer, editor of Writer's Market. "Included should be an estimate on the amount of time or pages expected; how many re-writes/revisions are expected; what constitutes a finished product; how and when payment will be made; and conditions under which the price might escalate."

If charging by the hour makes you (or your counterpart) nervous (Hey, I know I said to write about my first time at Yankee Stadium, but I'm not paying for the three hours you spent catching a game in the bleachers no matter how much 'ambiance' it added to the writing)—you can simplify it by charging per page. When translating hourly rates to pages, it comes out to $4-$25. I know that seems like a large range, but, like with any contracting job, the more experience and success you have, the more you can justify charging a higher price.

Realistically, the best bet for your first time ghostwriting is probably to negotiate a specific page count and price per page, so both you and your counterpart know the total amount that will exchange hands when the book is finished. (Negotiate royalties separately). As you become more comfortable with the process,  you can adjust accordingly.

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.

Yesterday was the annual BEA/Writer's Digest Books Writer's Conference, and I was fortunate to be a panelist on the popular Ask the Editors session. The organizer, GLA editor Chuck Sambuchino, told me it was for my in-depth knowledge of the submission and editing processes and my familiarity with inexpensive ways to self-market work, but I think that was just fancy talk for "Brian, you're so good-looking and we need a little eye candy up there for the ladies."

No, I promise you, I have not been drinking.

Others on the panel included such brilliant minds as WD Books Editorial Director Jane Friedman, WD Books Editor Lauren Mosko and Writer's Market Editor (and Poetic Asides blogger) Robert Lee Brewer. Together, we fielded a number of great questions, but one struck me as very unusual and I thought I'd share.

An audience member said that she had read/been advised that her book proposal should include a mention of any personal finances the author planned to use to promote her book, but only if that dollar figure topped $10,000. Her question was, "Is this true?"

The question caught me off guard—mainly because I've never heard this before. While it's definitely smart to provide any information about your self-promotional plans, it doesn't seem wise to place a dollar figure on what you're willing to spend of your own money to promote your work. And it certainly doesn't make sense (to me) to put it in writing.

There's no doubt that offering to spend your own money would be a selling point to publishers; after all, what employer wouldn't be thrilled by an employee that pays for the privilege of making them money. But it's a slippery slope that could lead to publishers demanding writers to spend their own money, which would put a big chunk of writers who live paycheck-to-paycheck at a permanent disadvantage.

Robert also made a great point: What happens when you commit $10,000 of your own money but only can drum up a $5,000 advance? Now I'm no math whiz, but by my calculation you'd be out $5,000 up front with no guarantee you'd ever see that money again. Both Jane and Lauren agreed that it doesn't seem sensible to make that promise, especially when you don't know what the economic times will be like come publication time.

Now this doesn't mean that you shouldn't invest in your book—and yourself—after you get the book contract. But without putting it in writing you give yourself flexibility.

ps- For more highlights and pictures from the conference, check out Chuck's GLA Blog.

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: Why do authors use pseudonyms?—Anonymous

A: Authors write under pseudonyms, or pen names, for a variety of reasons. Established authors will do it to cross genres and keep from aggravating their fan bases. Wouldn’t you be a bit ticked off if you bought Stephen King’s next book expecting blood, guts and hair-raising intensity, only to find out it’s a weepy romance novel? King may choose to publish under a different name so he doesn’t disappoint his die-hard horror fans.

Another reason for using a pen name is to switch publishers. When an author is under contract, her publisher may own the rights to any upcoming work under her name. Often authors will take up a new name so they can shop around their work while avoiding legal problems (be sure to read your contract closely, though, because some prohibit this).

But one of the most common reasons authors write under aliases is because their earlier works bombed. If a writer didn’t make money for the publisher the first time, he’s not likely to get a second chance—publishers would prefer to give someone new a shot. Under a pen name, a writer can be reborn.  

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 was recently approached by one of my relatives (my father's cousin), who asked if I would be her literary executor. I don't really know what this means and thought you might be able to shed some light on the subject. Do you know what this might entail?—Anonymous

A: Often people choose executors of their will to carry out their wishes and oversee the handling/distribution of their estate. A "literary executor," as defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is a person entrusted with the management of the papers and unpublished works of a deceased author. In other words, a literary executor specifically handles all your literary property, including overseeing your copyrights, contracts with publishers, outstanding royalties, etc.

While you can designate anyone to be your literary executor—your child, your neighbor, your old English sheepdog whom you affectionately call "Tots"—it's best to assign it to someone who knows a thing or two about publishing and copyrights. After all, this person will be in charge of all your published and unpublished writings. You want to be certain that your work is handled with care, so the money generated goes to your heirs and favorite charities instead of being "donated" to the bottom line of the publishing houses (unless, of course, you want the publishers to have all your money).

So where do you find someone with the wherewithal to handle your posthumous publishing affairs? If you have an agent, start with him. If he's 20 years your senior, a heavy smoker and likely to pass on long before you, his agency should be able to handle it. Just ask them how to go about setting it up. If you don't have an agent, turn to a friend who has publishing experience. The more knowledgeable the person is with rights, the better off your literary estate will be. And if both of those options are dead ends, select the family member you trust the most to contact/contract the proper professionals (e.g. lawyers, agents, editors, etc.) as needed.

For a more in-depth breakdown on the subject, you can read Copylaw.com's "Final Drafts: Selecting a Literary Executor" by Lloyd Jassin and Ronald Finkelstein. It's filled with great tips and advice to make sure that the value of your writings stay intact after you type that last word and head to the big writer's lounge in the sky.

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: An editor once pointed out that I was using brand names instead of the generic equivalent. How am I to know which words have been trademarked and which aren't?—Anonymous

A: When your character cuts his hand, does he cover it with an adhesive bandage or a Band-Aid? Does his mother use a hand-held vacuum cleaner or a DustBuster? And be sure to blow your protagonist’s nose with a tissue, not a Kleenex.

Many generic-sounding words and phrases are actually trademarked brand names. Some are so common that it can be difficult to tell the difference without looking them up. And the list continually grows, as terms like Netflix and Google are used more generically (e.g. I google my name at least once a week).

Trademarked words aren’t off-limits for writers, but be sure to use them correctly—double-check the spelling, use proper capitalization and refrain from writing out specific product names when you’re using it as a generalized term. And if you want to know which words are legally restricted, you can visit the International Trademark Association (inta.org). They offer an updated (though not complete) list of most trademarked words and phrases.

Several words on INTA’s list that aren’t obvious trademarks include:

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Trademark             Generic term

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Bubble Wrap        (cellular cushioning packaging material)
Cheez Whiz          (processed cheese spread)
Cineplex              (multi-auditorium movie theaters)
Crock-Pot            (electric cooking appliance)
Febreze               (fabric deodorizer)
Frisbee                (toy flying saucer)
Hula-Hoop           (plastic toy hoops)
Jacuzzi                (therapeutic whirlpool baths)
Jell-O                  (gelatin, pudding)
La-Z-Boy             (chairs and ottomans)
Silly Putty            (modeling clay)
Q-Tips                 (cotton swabs)
Xerox                  (photocopiers, printers, copiers, scanners)

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.