BY KATHI KAMEN GOLDMARK AND SAM BARRY

The Author Enablers are here to answer your questions about writing and publishing. Together, Kathi and Sam have more than 25 years of experience in book publishing. Kathi is an author, radio producer and former publicist; Sam is a marketing manager at a major publishing company and a freelance editor. They are also proud members of the Rock Bottom Remainders, the all-author rock band founded by Kathi in 1992.

No room in the inn

Dear Author Enablers,

I've written about my experience as a bed-and-breakfast innkeeper. Agents say the market isn't big enough. I say that with 22,000 B&Bs and 4.3 million guests each year, the market is VERY big. I could spit.

John R. Parker
Chestertown, Maryland

Don't spit! That would make such a mess of your nice B&B! Take that anger and get to work on a proposal that sells your idea, including how you plan to reach those millions. Remember, agents are no more monolithic a group than, say, innkeepers. You don't need to convince "agents"—you only need to convince one agent. If your proposal is terrific—well written, researched and beautifully presented—you'll have a better chance at overcoming the "no-vacancy" response.

Dear Author Enablers,

There was a question in May asking how to locate publications that publish book reviews. I would add that readers check into websites that compile the submissions guidelines and other information for up to 2,000 magazines. These include Wooden Horse (woodenhorsepub.com) and Mastheads (mastheads.org). Full disclosure: I do part-time research for the Wooden Horse. But there really are just two or so resources, and I have used both these sites in my own writing.

Lisa Romeo
Cedar Grove, New Jersey

Thanks, Lisa—and thanks for starting a sentence with "but" (read on...).

Dear Author Enablers,

In my 40 years in publicity I never insisted on a firstborn in return for media lists, though I did want to be paid. I used Bacons Directories, an extensive listing of media contacts. Today Bacons has become Cision, whatever that means.

John Kinley
Aurora, Ohio

Hey John, we never really knew what Bacons meant either, other than breakfast. Can we have our child back now? Meanwhile, our May discussion about proper use of the words "that," "and" and "but" continues to spark intense debate.

Dear Author Enablers,

The American Heritage Book of English Usage has it right about "but" at the beginning of a sentence. They say "beginning with 'but' has become common practice, and an initial 'but' must be considered acceptable at all levels of style."

"But" is the strongest contrasting element in the English language; "yet," "otherwise," "nevertheless" and "however" are others. When placed at the start of a sentence, "but" is particularly strong. So rather than saying never use "but" to begin a sentence, I would avoid doing so unless you really want to underline the contrast.

Tom McDonnell
Hopewell Junction, New York

Dear Author Enablers,

As a former romance writer and copy editor, I liked your answer about the overuse of "that." As you indicated, it's a useful word and not so much overused as misused, particularly in place of "who." (I think it was Judith Applebaum who remarked that if the two pronouns were interchangeable, Who's Who would be called That's That.)

Another faux pas that makes my teeth ache: using "so" without the other half of the comparison ("so irritating... that what?" So irritating that I've stopped reading USA Today? ... oh, no, that's one of them newspapers that never uses that, not to mention complete sentences and... oh, never mind.)

Linda Triegel
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Well, readers, that's that (or is it?). The rules of American English are defined in a manner befitting our culture—a mishmash of democracy and the market, with libertarians, conservatives, moderates, liberals, anarchists and publicists all vying to define how we write and speak. It makes for a rich landscape.

Thanks for writing,
THE AUTHOR ENABLERS