Even if you have revised and edited your work several times, it is a good idea to check it again to see if it meets the needs of the magazines you have targeted. Is it too long or too short compared to other poems or stories printed in the magazine? Is the content too difficult or too easy? Revise your writing, if necessary. Then write a short letter to the editor telling briefly about what you have written. Remember to include your home address and phone number! In a large envelope, put what your have written, the letter, and a stamped envelope addressed to yourself for the editor’s reply.
Vocabulary 词汇
talented ["t?l?ntid] adj. 有才能的、有才干的、天才的
reject [ri"d?ekt] vt. 拒绝、谢绝、驳回、退掉;
n. 被拒货品、不合格产品
sensible ["sens?bl] adj. 明智的、合情理的、切合实际的、可感觉到的
particular [p?"tikjul?] adj. 特定的、某一的、特别的、挑剔的、详尽的;
n. 详情、细目
back issue 过期刊物
target ["tɑ:ɡit] n. (射击的)靶子;
vt. 瞄准某物
revise [ri"vaiz] vt. 修订、修改;
vt. & vi. 复习
briefly ["bri:fli] adv. 短暂地、简单地说
Practice
After studying how to get published, read the following steps and place them in the correct order.
1.Mail what you have written to the editor
2.Get several magazines for young writers.
3.Write a short letter to the editor about your work.
4.Target the magazines that might publish your type of writing.
5.Study the magazines to find out the type of writing they publish.
6.Check and revise, if necessary, your piece of writing.
7.Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your writing.
译文
许多有才华的年轻作者的作品遭遇退稿,往往是因为他们把作品送到了错误类型的杂志。比如,一首美丽的诗歌,寄给一家仅仅出版科幻小说的杂志编辑那里,必将会被退稿。“退还”一篇作品,意味着编辑不打算在杂志上刊登它。
想要减少一篇作品的退稿次数,有一个切实可行的办法就是首先“研究市场”。切记,作家的“市场”是刊登其作品的杂志和报纸。“研究”某一特定市场只是意味着,你应该仔细阅读那本你想要投稿的杂志。在公共图书馆,你可以找到许多儿童杂志。如果想要的杂志无法使用,你可以要求图书馆管理员协助你找出该杂志的地址。然后写信给编辑,并向他们索取一本过期杂志。
知道一本杂志刊登作品的类型可以帮助你“瞄准”市场。“瞄准”只是意味着把你的作品送到刊登此类作品的杂志那里。如果你一开始研究了市场,然后瞄准它们,你将只会把自己优美的诗歌送到刊登诗歌的杂志社,你将只会把科幻故事送到刊登科幻小说的杂志那里。
即使你已经多次修改、编辑你的作品,在把它送到你瞄准的杂志那里之前,最好再检查一遍它是否满足那家杂志的需要。和这家杂志刊登的其他诗歌、故事相比,它是否过短或过长?内容是否太难或太容易了?如果必要的话,修改你的作品。然后给编辑写一封短信,简短地介绍一下自己的写作内容,记得要包括你的家庭住址和电话号码!在一个大信封中,装入你的作品、短信和一个贴好邮票、写好你自己地址的信封,以便编辑回复。
练习
在学习了如何获得出版后,阅读下面的步骤并且把它们按正确顺序排列。
1.寄出你给编辑写的信。
2.找到一些针对年轻作者的杂志。
3.给编辑写一封关于你作品的短信。
4.瞄准那些可能刊登你作品类型的杂志。
5.研究杂志,找出它们刊登作品的类型。
6.如果有必要,检查并修改你的作品。
7.把一个贴好邮票、写好自己地址的信封和你的作品放在一起。
2→5→4→6→3→7→1
03 Boy Wanted “招聘”男孩
A boy who stands straight, sits straight, acts straight, and talks straight;
A boy who listens carefully when spoken to, who asks questions when he does not understand, and does not ask questions about things that are none of his business;
A boy whose fingernails are not in mourning, whose ears are clean, whose shoes are polished, whose clothes are brushed, whose hair is combed, and whose teeth are well cared for;
A boy who moves quickly and makes as little noise about it as possible;
A boy who whistles in the street but not where he ought to keep still;
A boy who looks cheerful, has a ready smile for everybody, and never sulks;
A boy who is polite to every man and respectful to every woman and girl;
A boy who does not smoke and has no desire to learn how;
A boy who never bullies other boys or allows boys to bully him;
A boy who, when he does not know a thing, says, “I do not know”; and when he has made a mistake says, “I’m sorry” and when requested to do anything, immediately says, “I’ll try”;
A boy who looks you right in the eye and tells the truth every time;
A boy who would rather lose his job or be expelled from school than tell a lie or be a cad;
A boy who is more eager to know how to speak good English than to talk slang;
A boy who does not want to be “smart” nor in anywise attract attention;
A boy who is eager to read good, wholesome books;
A boy whom other boys like;
A boy who is perfectly at ease in the company of respectable girls;
A boy who is not a goody-goody, a prig, or a little Pharisee, but just healthy, happy, and full of life;
A boy who is not sorry for himself and not forever thinking and talking about himself;
A boy who is friendly with his mother and more intimate with her than with anyone else;
A boy who makes you feel good when he is around;
This boy is wanted everywhere. The family wants him, the school wants him, the office wants him, the boys and girls want him, and all creation wants him.
Vocabulary 词汇
fingernail ["fi?ɡ?"neil] n. 指甲
mourning ["m?:ni?] n. 悲痛、丧服
comb [k?um] vt. & vi. 梳理、在……搜寻、彻底搜查;
n. 梳子
whistle ["hwisl] vt. & vi. 吹口哨;
vi. 鸣笛、呼啸着前进
sulk [s?lk] vi. 生闷气;
n. 生闷气
respectful [ris"pektful] adj. 有礼貌的、恭敬的
bully ["buli] vt. 恐吓、威逼
expel [iks"pel] vt. 驱逐、赶走、放逐、把……开除
cad [k?d] n. [口]下流人、粗鄙人
slang [sl??] n. 俚语、黑话;
vt. 用粗话骂
wholesome ["h?uls?m] adj. 有益健康的
goody-goody ["ɡudi"ɡudi] n. 〈口〉伪善的人、道学先生
prig [priɡ] n. 一本正经的人
pharisee ["f?risi:] n. 伪君子
intimate ["intimit] adj. 亲密的、密切的、个人的、精通的;
n. 至交、密友;暗示
Practice
Compared yourself to the boy, find out where need to be improved.
译文
这名男孩,他应该坐立端正,举止优雅,言行得体;
当有人跟他谈话的时候,他认真倾听,如果不懂会提出疑问,但从不会问他不该知道的事情;
他的指甲里不会藏污纳垢,耳朵干净,鞋子衣服也干干净净,头发整齐梳理,牙齿应当被很好地护理;
他行动迅速,并发出尽可能小的声响;
他可以在街上吹口哨,但在需要保持沉静的场合,他不会随便起哄;
他看起来令人愉快,对所有人都保持微笑,而且从不生气;
他对所有人都很客气,对女人们和女孩们彬彬有礼;
他不会抽烟,也没有要学会抽烟的欲望;
他从不欺负别的男孩,也从不允许别的男孩欺负他自己;
他不知道某件事情的时候,他会说“我不知道”,他犯错的时候,他会说“我很抱歉”,他被要求做某件事情的时候,他会说“让我试试看”;
他会正视你的眼睛,每次说话从不撒谎;
他宁愿失去他的工作或者被学校开除,也不愿意撒谎或做卑鄙的事情;
他渴望说一口流利的英语,而不是满口俚语;
他不愿意变得“圆滑”也不愿意哗众取宠;
他渴望博览好书;
他是伙伴们喜欢的类型;
陪伴女孩们的时候,他让人感到很自然;
他不是道学家、自命不凡的人、伪君子,他健康上进,快乐,充满生命力;
他从不自怨自艾,从不思考和谈论他自己;
他和母亲之间很友好,比起别人来,他们之间更为亲密;
有他在身边的时候,总让你感觉良好;
这样的男孩,到处都需要他——家庭需要他,学校需要他,公司需要他,伙伴们需要他,女孩们需要他,所有生物都需要他。
练习
把自己和这个男孩相比,找出需要改进的地方。
04 The Little Prince Told You 小王子告诉你
You know — one loves the sunset, when one is so sad…
If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself, “Somewhere, my flower is there…” But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened… And you think that is not important!
Flowers are so inconsistent! But I was too young to know how to love her…
For she did not want him to see her crying. She was such a proud flower…
My flower is ephemeral, and she has only four thorns to defend herself against the world. And I have left on my planet, all alone!
His flower had told him that she was only one of her kind in all universe. And here were five thousand of them, all alike, in one single garden!
I thought that I was rich, with a flower that was unique in all the world; and all I had was a common rose. A common rose…