Nancy Kelly Allen-Writing Workshop

Keep Them Laughing/Call for Submissions/Contest

2012-02-12T08:21:00.004-05:00

Wouldn’t you love to know what type story an editor is looking for? That would certainly put us a step ahead of the competition. Many editors say they don’t know what they’re looking for until they see it. Oh, well, there goes that idea. But one aspect of writing most editors are looking for is humor. Like editors, children of all ages enjoy humorous books.

Writing humor for children can be difficult. What is funny to a two-year-old may seem silly and boring to a five-year old. Humor must be geared to the child’s world so he will know and appreciate the words, actions, and plot. The child must understand what is happening before it the story can be appealing and funny. Humorous writing is difficult because what is funny is often subjective and personal. One reader may crack up laughing at a joke and another might see little or no humor in the text. Even though writing humor can be difficult, it is not impossible.

Here are some ways to create humor in books for children:

1. Dialog offers an opportunity to add humor seamlessly. “We’ll be batburgers!” is a line one of my characters said when lost in a cave.

2. Humorous narrative creates interest in a story. Another of my characters, Liz, is telling the story in The Munched-Up Flower Garden so her thoughts are expressed in a way to tickle the reader. I looked at my brother and said nothing. My look must have said plenty because he hightailed in back in the house.

Next week, I’ll discuss other ways to incorporate humor into stories.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Kaleidoscope Magazine, which “creatively focuses on the experiences of disability through literature and the fine arts,” is planning an issue “on the theme of ‘Appreciating the Small/Simple Moments in Life.’ In the midst of our daily struggles there can be moments in which a small kindness, or the simple gesture of another, makes us feel as if all is right with the world. They are the instances that usually do not involve much, if any, preparation or planning. These are the small things that can make the biggest differences. These can be times of joy experienced in the midst of sadness, or of peace and contentment in the midst of chaos. They can be shared or solitary experiences, moments of transcendence that fulfill us. They are also those moments that, if we are not paying attention, can slip right past us. Share one or more of those moments with us, in poetry, fiction, or personal essays.” Deadline is March 1, 2012. Pays: $10-$125. See http://www.udsakron.org/news/detail.asp?id=10 for more information

Contest for Young Writers:
PUBLISH-A-KID CONTEST-We invite young readers to write book reviews. Winning entries will be published in the pages of Moment. And yes, there will be prizes. We’ve selected a list of books for you to choose from. Pick one
or more that you enjoy or find intriguing and tell us why! Anyone ages 9-13 is eligible. We encourage children of all faiths to enter. Each review should be 1 to 2 pages double-spaced, 250-500 words. Each child can send one review for each book on the list.
Deadline: Deadline February 15, 2012.
Details at http://momentmag.com/moment/contests/pak.html

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Reflecting Real Life in Writing

2012-02-05T08:10:00.002-05:00

Exciting news. My latest picture book, Big C and Little Ox, arrived this week. Big C, a cape buffalo, is a loner, quite grouchy, and has almost nothing say. Little Ox, a busybody oxbird, is the opposite: loves to jabber, always in a happy mood, and enjoys company. So what do the two have in common? They have a symbiotic relationship: Little Ox picks off fleas that keep Big C from itching; in turn, Little Ox gets lunch. But one day, Big C and Little Ox have a quarrel and Little Ox leaves. For Big C, a lesson about friendship unfolds.

My primary goal in writing fiction is to entertain, but I always add layers of meaning into the storyline. In this book, readers will learn about getting along with others who are different, the dependent relationship of a cape buffalo and an oxbird, and the importance of friendship. Plus, it’s packed with humor.

Humor is the universal language all kids enjoy. Parents and teachers do too. I strive to write so my stories have layers of understanding. The younger child will laugh at the grumpiness of the cape buffalo and his antics. Older readers will appreciate the acceptance of a friend who is different. Friendship is a theme everyone can relate to in some capacity.

Nearly all of my writing reflects real life. I don’t mean specific events or people, but things that are important to me. Animals rank high among my interests. The writer in me enjoys researching and writing about animals in a voice kids will enjoy.

Call for submissions for adult and student writers:
An essay competition for adult and student writers commemorates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Two prizes will be awarded: a “Junior Prize” of $1,000 for essays 1,000 words (or less), which is open to students aged 13-18; and a “Senior Prize,” conferring $2,000 for 2,000 words (or less), which is open to anyone aged 19 or over.” Questions to spark your essayistic response are posted on the website. There is no entry fee.
Deadline: March 15, 2012.
Details at http://www.carsoncenter.uni-muenchen.de/about_rcc/silentspring_essay/index.html

Dialog/Call for Submissions

2012-01-29T10:08:00.002-05:00

In most fictional books, characters talk with each other. The ability to speak makes us human and speech in fiction helps to bring the characters alive, to make them fully developed. Dialog is usually introduced early and each character should have a distinctive manner of speaking. Dialog must be interesting, reflect the character, and carry the plot forward. That’s easier said than done. Here are some key points for writing dialog that will appeal to readers.

1. Avoid accents. Figuring out what the character is saying slows down the story and distracts the reader. If accents are used sentence after sentence, reading is like decoding a message. A word or two is enough to give the reader a sense of the accent. Greater usage makes reading difficult and the reader will likely abandon the story.

2. Listen to how people talk. Words and phrases can identify a region or a particular profession. A teacher would not use the same words as a student in describing a plant or animal. As we vary the style of speech, dialog tags can be removed in a lengthy discussion between two characters.

“Jill, how do you remove this label?” asked Jack.
“What label? Jill turned to look at Jack.
“This label on the ransom note.”

The reader can follow who is speaking without “said Jack” attached to the piece of dialog. And “said Jill” can be eliminated by placing Jane in action following dialog.

3. Reveal portions of the plot through dialog. Maybe the character could hint about a surprise event or threaten harm. This not only develops the character but makes the surprise or threat more real when it is spoken rather than revealed through narrative. The suspense value is heightened.

Next week, I’ll introduce more tips for writing dialog.

Call for submissions for young writers:
Kentucky State Poetry Society STUDENT POETRY CONTESTS -- K thru 12 -- No entry fees -- Cash Prizes. This is a great way to get students interested in poetry.
Deadline: March 1
Details at http://www.kystatepoetrysociety.org/files/KSPS_2012_StudentPoetryContest.pdf

Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Flatt Prize for Literature welcomes submissions of short stories (no longer than 3,000 words). “The theme for the short story is to be inspired by the title ‘INTERRUPTED’.” $1,000 prize. No entry fee. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
Details at http://flattprize.com/submission.htm

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Plot Revision

2012-01-22T09:48:00.003-05:00

After you’ve finished the manuscript, it’s revision time. Does the plot work? Test the following:

Can you explain the plot of your story in one or two sentences? This is called a logline, a brief summary of the plot. Many editors are now asking for a logline in the submission process.

Look closely at the verbs. Use action verbs—hop, skip, jump—as opposed to is, are, was, were… Strong verbs don’t need adverbs [ly-words] to rev up the action. Screamed is stronger than yelled loudly.

Are the sentences active, rather than passive? Jim rode the bicycle is active. The bicycle was ridden by Jim is passive. Active places the character in charge of the action, rather than being acted upon.

Stories need a beginning, middle, and end. Did you start with action, where the character’s life is changed as a result of the plot or where the day is different from all the other days? Throw the character in the middle of the action at the beginning. Toss away any build up in describing the character or setting. This information can be woven into the plot as the story unfolds. Prune the beginning and up the action. In order to accomplish this, some writers discard the first one, two, or three chapters. It’s important to write them so the WRITER understands the character, but the reader doesn’t need to know as much about the characters as does the writer.

Next week, I’ll focus on dialog.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
“The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award brings together talented writers, reviewers, and publishing experts to find and develop new voices in fiction. The 2012 international contest will award two grand prizes: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance.” No entry fee.
Deadline: February 5, 2012.
Details at http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Novel-Award-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=332264011

Call for submissions for young writers:
Storybird.This service lets you create stories based on artwork on the site, then you can share your stories with friends, family and visitors to Storybird.
Details at http://storybird.com/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Character Revision/Calls for Submissions

2012-01-15T09:08:00.003-05:00

Word vomit. That’s the term some writers call the first draft. The phrase is certainly an apt description of my un-revised writing. Good writing is born from rewriting.

Begin revision by examining the main character. Is the character believable? The main character should not be perfect. Instead, give the character flaws. Play up those flaws through the problems the character has to work through. Is the character likeable? If not, the reader won’t care what happens. Create a likeable character so the reader will relate and want to follow his/her journey.

Provide enough description for the reader to envision the character but not so much to slow down the action of the plot. If the color of the hair doesn’t affect the plot, the reader doesn’t necessarily need to know she has red hair. In picture books, the illustrations will provide many of the descriptions.

Is the character’s behavior consistent throughout? The character shouldn’t be mild-mannered and meek in one part of the story and loud and obnoxious in another unless the change in character is fully explored and related to the reader.

The character needs to grow, change, or learn something over the course of the story.

Next week, I’ll focus on plot revision.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
Kudzu. Hazard Community and Technical College’s literary magazine Kudzu is seeking submissions for the Spring 2012 issue. Writers must submit their prose or poetry at http://kudzu.submishmash.com/submit/5144/submission.
Deadline: January 31.
Details: Contacts Scott Lucero at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu.

Call for submissions for student writers:
B.J. ROLFZEN MEMORIAL DYLAN DAYS CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST
Student Poetry Division
Must be currently enrolled in high school or undergraduate
college and have no professional literary publication. Poems
limited to 1,000 words on any subject. Multiple entries will
not be considered.
Deadline: March 1, 2012.
Details at http://www.dylandays.org/a/j/dylan-days/contests/creative-writing

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Publishing Trends/Calls for Submissions

2012-01-08T08:13:00.002-05:00

In a blog or two each year, I focus on publishing trends. Onlinecolleges.org has compiled a list of trends that exist in “ghastly little numbers” and suggest that these trends need to go away because the trends are “poisoning beloved bookstores and libraries for far too long." Here’s the list:
1. Lackluster graphic novel/comic book adaptations
2. "Self-help" guides doing more harm than good
3. Bandwagon-jumping [writing to trends]
4. Self-indulgent celebrity memoirs
5. "Revolutionary" diet plans
6. Celebrity authors who just can't write
7. "Women's literature" with reductionist views of women
8. Remixing the classics
9. Assuming genre fiction has nothing to say
10. Dismissing all self-published literature
You can read the entire article at
http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.org/blog/2011/10-literary-trends-that-need-to-go-away/
What do you think? Should any of these trends go away?

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Call for submissions for adult writers:
Milkweed Editions poetry prize: The Linquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. Established in 2011 with the aim of supporting outstanding Midwestern poets and bringing their work to a national stage, the prize will award $10,000 as well as a contract for publication to the author of the winning manuscript. The winner will be selected from among five finalists by an independent judge.” NB: “Submissions for this regional prize will be accepted only from poets currently residing in the Upper Midwestern United States, defined as: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.”
Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Details at http://www.milkweed.org/content/view/396/72/

Call for submissions for young writers:
"Kids Count for Earthday" Earthday Haiku Contest 2012. Kids
will need to count to create their Earthday haiku and help
all of us to learn how to keep the planet clean and healthy!
The contest is open to individual students 7 -20 years old.
Deadline: March 22, 2012.
Details at http://www.planetpals.com/earthdayhaikucontest.html

Age Groups:
7-9 years old
10 -12 yrs old
13-15 yrs old
16-18 yrs old
19-20 yrs old

New Year, New Beginning

2012-01-01T08:33:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year. May 2012 bring you positive results in your writing endeavors.

The new year rings in a new beginning, a time for renewed hope, fresh inspiration, and the setting of goals. I like to review what I’ve done the previous year and determine what worked and what didn’t. Did I spend too much time on a manuscript that is going nowhere or procrastinating when I should have been writing? I also like to look at what worked. Why was one manuscript accepted and others rejected over and over by various publishers? Another question: How can I become more organized so I can spend a maximum amount of time writing? The answers to these questions differ for every writer, but January is a perfect opportunity for writers to question how they work and scrutinize how their routines and writing styles can be improved.

One suggestion for beginning writers is to examine how they view themselves. A positive attitude helps to keep writers focused on the ultimate goal of garnering a publishing contract. Do you view yourself as wanting to write a book or wanting to be an author? In a conference I recently attended, the speaker clarified the difference. Anyone can write a book and get it published, but to be an author, the writer must learn the craft, dedicate time to writing, and believe that a contract is in your future. Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes.

Here’s to a creative year filled with professional dedication. Let’s be positive, stay focused, and devote time to writing.

Next week, I'll discuss some of the latest trends in publishing.

Call for submissions for adult writers
The latest Ploughshares newsletter contains this reminder: “We are on the hunt for Patricia Hampl’s Fall 2012 all-nonfiction issue. Submit online or via regular mail. The regular reading period ends on January 15th, so please polish and send in those essays soon.” NB: If you submit online and you don’t subscribe to the journal, you must pay a fee. No fee for postal submissions. Ploughshares pays “upon publication: $25/printed page, $50 minimum per title, $250 maximum per author, with two copies of the issue and a one-year subscription.”

Call for submissions for student writers
CUCKOO QUARTERLY welcomes submissions of original writing by writers
under the age of 19. We encourage everything from poetry to
prose, short stories to movie reviews, opinion to imagination.
It can be work that fits the categories laid out in previous
editions or entirely different; don’t feel constrained by
form or genre. Cuckoo will be published quarterly
Deadline: December 21, 2011

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Writing Quotes/Calls for Submissions

2011-12-25T07:10:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

A friend sent me this photo of a Christmas tree made of books. How appropriate for writers.

Here’s a gift for my Followers: May each of you find writing inspiration in the new year. To help you along I’ve listed some of my favorite writing quotes. Enjoy.

A writer is someone who can make a riddle out of an answer." - Karl Krauss

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~Anaïs Nin

"Write about what you know and care deeply about. When one puts one's self on paper — that is what is called good writing." ~Joel Chandler Harris

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection." ~Anaïs Nin

"Anyone can become a writer. The trick is staying a writer." ~Harlan Ellison

“To write is to practice, with particular intensity and attentiveness, the art of reading.” –Susan Sontag

You must keep sending work out; you must never let a
manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer.
You send that work out again and again, while you're
working on another one. If you have talent, you will
receive some measure of success - but only if you persist.
~Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)

“Writing for children means thinking about your own past, while staying in touch with young people now."-- Michael Rosen, UK Children's Laureate

"Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
(William Strunk, Jr.)

"To me the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the music the words make." Truman Capote

"Rejection is actually an opportunity to find the right editor and the right publishing company." - Jane Yolen.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Electric Dragon Cafe Science Fiction and Fantasy Quarterly Short Story Contest
Entry Fee: None
Prize: 1st place: $25 Barnes and Nobel gift certificate 2nd place: $10 certificate
Seeking short fiction contest entries. Must be science fiction, fantasy or horror with fantastic elements and adhere to a theme which we will provide.
Please visit the website for full contest details and guidelines.
E-mail: contest@electricdragoncafe.com
Deadline: MONTHLY
Details at http://www.electricdragoncafe.com

Call for Submissions for Student Writers:

Hazard Community & Technical College is hosting their annual Young Appalachian Poets Award. Any poet, high school aged or younger, may submit their original poetry. First prize includes $100 and publication in Kudzu; Second Place is $50 and publication in Kudzu. Makalani Bandele will serve as this year’s judge. He has been a member of the Affrilachian Poets since 2008. His poetry has been anthologized in My Brother’s Keeper and The Storytellers, and has been picked for upcoming issues of the African-American Review and Mythium Literary Magazine. He is a winner of the Ernest Sandeen Prize for Poetry. His most recent book—hellfightin’—is out now. You can contact Scott Lucero the contest’s coordinator at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu. With all correspondence, please put YAPA in the subject line. You can submit your work at their new submittable account-- http://kudzu.submishmash.com/categories. The deadline is January 30th.

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Thinking in Pictures/Calls for Submissions

2011-12-19T07:34:00.003-05:00

The sage words of poet Frank O’Hara: “If you think in pictures, write. If you think in words, paint.”

O’Hara’s words may seems strange, but if you’re writing picture books, thinking visually is critical. Picture books are composed of about 14-15 spreads. The scenes are pieces of action that are shown not only through words but pictures. Each written scene must have enough action to create an illustration.

Many of the visual details of a picture book are not in the text. Since the story is told in both words and pictures, elements that can be illustrated don’t belong in the words. The illustrations carry the story beyond the words. As a writer creates a story, consider the visual details of each spread. Each spread will become a page of the picture book. Picture books are 32 pages and 28 of those pages are devoted to the story. Approximately 28 pages or 14 spreads become the text and illustrations. [The other three pages are used for title and publication information.]

Limit the details. Illustrations will show the color of the dress or the furniture in the room so these details aren’t needed. Concise, sensory writing with loads of action is needed for 14-15 spreads.

Keep the amount of text equally spread among the pages.

When the text is finished, divide the manuscript into 14 spreads. Is there enough action in each spread for an illustration and to keep the reader interested? Is the amount of text per page about the same?

What must be told in words and what can be told through illustrations? Those are two questions I ask with every line I write. Think visually when writing picture books and see how your writing changes.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers

The Cincinnati Review
CURRENT NEEDS: "Really, all we'd like is your best work, a
brief cover letter, and a SASE so we can send you our
response." Pays $30/page for poetry, and for fiction(max of
40 pages)/expository prose (max of 40 pages) $25/page.

Call for Submissions for Student Writers

Young Voices
PO Box 2321
Olympia, WA 98507
Quarterly publication. stories, poems, art and essays.

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Improving Word Choice/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-12-11T08:02:00.003-05:00

In children’s writing, especially picture books, every word must be necessary so the importance of word choice is paramount. How do we learn to develop a writing style in which we select the best words for the story?

Read widely. Let books by numerous authors serve as a learning experience. Notice how authors choose particular words to convey an idea.

Write in a variety of styles. Try using figurative and lyrical language in all types of writing.

Keep sentences clear. Short sentences are less confusing. If you use longer sentences, retain the meaning by writing in a direct manner. Clear, precise, detailed writing gives life to words. The goal is communication.

Avoid clichés and stereotypes. “Mad as a wet hen” is a cliché and the words don’t resonate with a fresh expression. If you write your first thoughts when describing something, you may be using clichés. Play with the words to develop your own phrases for comparison. Avoiding stereotypes isn’t easy but aim for writing original phrases and descriptions.

Vary sentence length. A paragraph composed entirely of long sentences tends to bog down a story. Varied sentence lengths adds interest to the flow and pace of the words.

Experiment. Try writing the same story using different perspectives. If the story is about a lost cat, try telling the story from the child’s point of view. Retell the story from the cat’s perspective. Which works better?

Have fun. After you get past the dreaded first draft, have fun with the words. If the story is playful, choose upbeat words. The best choice of words will reflect the tone of the story.

Contest for Adult Writers
Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest.
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject or write a short story,
5 pages maximum length on any theme, single or double-line spacing,
neatly hand printed or typed.
Writing First Prize: $500, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $100
Poetry First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125; 3rd: $50.
Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story.
Postmark deadline: December 31, 2011.
Details at http://www.dreamquestone.com

Call for Submissions for Student Writers
New Moon Magazine
34 Superior Street, Suite 200
Duluth, MN 55802
800-381-4743
www.newmoon.org
75% written by girls, ages 8-14: fiction, non-fiction,
poetry, book reviews and articles.

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

The Right Word/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-12-04T08:14:00.004-05:00

Mark Twain once wrote, The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

Imagine a manuscript as a window for readers. The wrong words distort the view, leaving streaks and smears that make the reading difficult. Every writer experiences this in the first draft, but in revision we can create a spotless window by revising with words that make the meaning clearer and add resonance to the piece.

When choosing words consider the following:

Audience. Is the text age appropriate? Can a child understand the story? Could another word better describe the action or situation?

Setting. Do the words vividly describe the character’s world?

Dialog. Do the characters sound realistic? Does each piece of dialog carry the plot forward or help develop the character?

Subtleties. Does each word convey the exact meaning you want? Instead of hot, you might consider fiery, flaming, or feverish? Each word has a slightly different connotation and can give a more vivid detail.

Voice. Do the words form colorful phrases or make an emotional connection with the reader?

Writers have many choices in word selection. The difficult part is choosing the best words for the story.

Next week, I’ll discuss ways to improve word choice in writing.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
STRAND MAGAZINE We are interested in mysteries, detective stories, tales
of terror and the supernatural as well as short stories.
Stories can be set in any time or place, provided they are
well written, the plots interesting and well thought.
We are interested in stories of almost any length, but
preferably the 2,000-6,000 word range. However, we may
occasionally publish short shorts of 1000 words, and
sometimes we may consider even a short novella. At the
moment, our payment rate for stories is $25-150. No
submissions accepted by e-mail.
Details at http://www.strandmag.com/htm/strandmag_guidelines.htm

Contest for Student Writers:
CARPE ARTICULUM YOUNG WRITERS COMPETITION: YOUTH TRUTH
For those under 18, grades 6-12 by US Standards. No reading
fee. Poetry or Short Fiction (under 20 pages). Deadline
February 1, 2012. First place $500. Second place $300.
Third $200. Entrant must be sponsored by a teacher in a
traditional high school or middle school classroom.
Deadline: February 1, 2012
Details at http://www.carpearticulum.com/submissions/

Creating Character Motivation, Contest, Call for Submissions

2011-11-27T07:54:00.003-05:00

Fictional characters must be motivated to make a change. The motivation determines how the characters respond to the world around them. Interesting characters take action that creates change.

The character should desire something. Maybe it’s winning a blue ribbon or the heart of the girl of his dreams or finding something s/he lost. The possibilities go on and on. The quest to fulfill that desire is the story.

The path the character takes in fulfilling the desire is based on the background you develop: personality traits, view of the world, setting, etc. Is the character strong and powerful, weak but determined, easy going or defensive? Figuring out the background of the character before beginning the story helps the writer make plausible choices that fit the character. The reader will understand why the characters made those choices.

Reveal the motivation slowly through action and dialog rather than in large chunks, called backstory. If the character has a purpose for his/her behavior, the reader is more interested in following along.

Have you ever seen a friend act in a way that was unusual for that person? You might thing s/he was acting out of character. Of if the friend does something that was full anticipated, you might say, that’s Karen being Karen. Apply the same viewpoint to fictional characters. Is the behavior consistent with the character? If the character isn’t behaving typically, readers have to know why. Make the motivation clear and readers will connect.

Contest for Adult Writers:
PIXELHOSE FICTION AND NONFICTION WRITING CONTEST
Categories fiction, nonfiction (creative or essay). $300, $150 and $50 prize monies in each category. Limit 5,000 words. Previously published works are accepted so long as pixelhose.com can legally obtain free, one time, one site, permanent web publication rights. The contest may be extended at pixelhose.com discretion until a minimum of 500 entries have been submitted.
Deadline December 7, 2011.
Details at http://pixelhose.com/fiction-and-nonfictio-writing-contest/

Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Seventeen Fiction Contest
Open to female writers, ages 13-21, in the US and Canada. Word Count: 500 words. No entry fee.
Grand prize: $5000 and publication in Seventeen.
Deadline December 31
Details at http://www.seventeen.com/fun/articles/fiction-contest

Writer Motivation, Part II, Calls for Submissions

2011-11-20T08:21:00.005-05:00

This week, I have more tips on ways to stay motivated when receiving rejection after rejection from publishers.

1. Protect your writing time. If possible, set aside time each day or week to devote to your writing project. Some people have as little as twenty minutes; others longer.
2. Everyone has moments when motivation is fleeting. Don’t allow those moments to hinder your goals. Try writing just one sentence. Often that sentence will lead to another; then another.
3. Writing is a job. It’s exciting, fun, and worthy, just like other jobs, but remember that it is a job so there will be moments when the words don’t come easily and the excitement will dwindle along with the fun. Be realistic in viewing writing as a job.
4. Some writers, including me, like to change genres to keep the writing exciting and different. If you’ve only tried novels, give chapter books or picture books a try. Or if you’re writing historical pieces, try something else. You might find the new venture stimulating.
5. Write works that interest you. If you don’t love it, others probably won’t either. If you love your characters, you’ll want to spend more time in their world.

These are some of the ways I stay motivated to write. What motivates you?

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers
“Ninth Letter is accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, essays, and interviews from September 1 to April 30 (postmark dates). Ninth Letter is a published semi-annually at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work.” Pays: $25/printed page, on publication.
Details at http://www.ninthletter.com/

Call for Submissions for Student Writers

Cyberkids
Ages 13 and under: games, reviews and contests.

Cyberteens
Ages 13-18: poems, fiction and non-fiction
Details at www.cyberteens.com

To see more contests, check out my blog at http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Writer Motivation/Calls for Submissions

2011-11-13T14:25:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday, I spent the day at the Kentucky Book Fair meeting and talking with authors and readers extraordinaire. The experience was fun, exciting, informational, and motivating. Many of the people I talked with were interested in writing children’s books. Some had experienced rejection numerous times by publishers. The recurring question was How do I stay motivated to write when I cannot get published?

I understand that question completely since contracts don’t come easily for most writers, including me. Here are a few tactics, some psychological, I use.

1. Avoid negative thoughts. I’ll never get a contract or My writing is as good as another author’s work to bring us down emotionally and do nothing to foster our careers as writers.

2. Read like a writer. If you read another book and like it, try to figure out the techniques used by the author to draw you into the book. If you don’t like a book, try to determine what doesn’t work with the writing style.

3. Write a logline, a one-sentence description, of your story. This is your road map to keep you focused so you won’t veer off track.

4. When you get to a place in the story and don’t know what to do with a character, don’t freeze. Think logically about what the character would do or add another problem for the character to overcome and set the character free to choose different courses of action.

5. Get the story written. Don't over analyze, revise, or judge the manuscript until it is written. Then you'll have time to make it shine.

Next week, I’ll include more tips to keep writers excited about their work.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
The Iowa Review receives unsolicited submissions only September through November. The journal “publishes short stories, flash fiction, graphic novels, self-contained novel excerpts, and plays; poetry of all kinds, including verse plays and longer work; and all manner of creative nonfiction, including personal essays, lyric essays, memoirs, and literary journalism. We pay $1.50 per line for poetry ($40 minimum) and $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum).” Also pays for interviews (query first). NB: “We have begun publishing reviews of book-length fiction (novels, short story collections, plays, and graphic novels), literary nonfiction, and poetry on our website, with the goal of helping new and emerging writers develop an audience.” For reviews, payment is $50, and reviews are accepted year-round. “TIR often receives complimentary review copies. If you’re having trouble coming up with a title, we’d be happy to suggest
one.”
Details at http://iowareview.uiowa.edu/

Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Highlights for Children
Ages 2-12: short stories, art, poems, jokes and riddles
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
717-253-1164
Details at www.highlights.com

Conveying Emotions/Calls for Submissions

2011-11-06T08:14:00.002-05:00

One of the best ways to bring a character to life is to show how the character feels. Telling readers that a character is angry doesn’t provide enough details to be believable. However, showing emotions through action, feelings, and dialog creates a life-like character.

Writing Norman was angry adds little to enhance character development. Instead, place the reader inside the character's mind and emotions to see and feel the turmoil Norman is experiencing. Norman slammed the door and kicked the chair out of his way. He felt his arm muscles flinch as he tightened his fists and his face flush red as he stared at Homer. In a voice as threatening as a raging fire, he said, “Who wrote this ?”

Norman's actions allow readers to “see” his behavior. The feelings allow the reader to “feel” the body language as the character becomes angry, and the dialog reaffirms the built-up tension.

The goal in writing fiction is to place the reader INSIDE the story. If the characters, setting, and plot are realistic, the reader enters the make-believe world in the first few words. Keep readers engaged by using the senses to transport them inside the character’s thoughts and feelings.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
“The theme of the next issue of Vestal Review is a twist on classic fairy tales. Please submit a flash fiction story (500 words or less) about the yet unheard adventures of Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White or any other well-known fairy tale character. Interpret the theme broadly and imaginatively, but incline toward a literary story. Please state the source tale’s name before the title. No more than two submissions per author, as usual. Submit between August 1 and November 30, 2011.” Pays (rates vary depending on story length; “stories of great merit receive up to $25 flat fee; 3 cents a word is a minimum pay in any case.” See http://vestalreview.net/ for details (via Pam Casto’s Flash Fiction Flash newsletter, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlashFictionFlash).

Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Who: If you are currently a student in grades nine through twelve, Crashtest wants to hear from you.
What: Crashtest publishes poetry, stories and creative non-fiction in the form of personal essays, imaginative investigation, experimental interviews, or
whatever else you would like to call it. We’re looking for writing that has both a
perspective and a personality. We’re looking for authors who have something
to say. Our only request is that you don’t send us work which you found boring or tedious to write. No enforced school assignments, please!
When: Crashtest accepts submissions all year long

Dialog Tips, Part II/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-10-30T09:47:00.003-04:00

Dialog is one of the most difficult aspects of writing to do well. Here are more tips on writing interesting dialog.

Listen to how people talk. Some people phrase words in more interesting ways than others. If you hear a different turn of phrase, write it down so you won’t forget it. You just might develop a character who could utter those exact words.

Alfred Hitchcock said that a good story was "life, with the dull parts taken out." Dialog is the same. In real life we stammer and repeat during conversations. Dialog should represent how we talk but get to the nitty-gritty with an economy of words.

Break up dialog with action.

“Are you staying the night?” Jody asked and he pulled out a chair.
Anne pulled her coat around her and stepped toward the door. “Probably not,” she said.

This type of narrative with dialog is useful in long passages and it makes the character appear real.

Sometime dialog tags are not needed if the characters can be identified by their words.

“You never listen,” Brad said.

Joan stared straight ahead. “I always listen.”

“Never.”

“Always.”

When in doubt, consider the two purposes dialog serves: promote the plot and develop the characters.

Contest for Adult Writers:

Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize is awarded annually to the U.S. poet whose poem best evokes a connection to place. ‘Place’ may be interpreted by the poet as a place of historical, cultural, political or personal importance; it may be a literal, imaginary or metaphorical landscape. We are looking for one poem that offers our readers a fresh, original and meaningful take on the topic. Like everything else we feature, we will most be on the lookout for that rare combination of brilliance and clarity, excellence and accessibility. The winning poet, as judged by Zocalo Poetry Editor Stephanie Brown, will receive $1,000.” NB: “The winning poem becomes the property of Zocalo Public Square.”
Details at http://bit.ly/pQHSt4
Submissions: September 5-November 5, 2011

Call for Submissions for Student Writers:

FRODO'S NOTEBOOK actively seeks four types of submissions from teens.

1. Poetry. We prefer poems of under 36 lines. Address to poetry
editor Julia Shields and send in the body of an email to
poetry@frodosnotebook.com.

2. Creative/Personal Essays. Creative nonfiction, narrative-
driving and reflective; not journalism or opinion. Address to
editor in chief Daniel Klotz and send as a .doc (Word), .rtf,
or .txt attachment to essays@frodosnotebook.com.

3. Fiction. Almost exclusively short-short stories of under
1,200 words. We mostly want “literary” fiction, but send us
your fantasy or sci-fi if it’s really good and not fan fic.
Address to fiction editor Timothy Rezendes and send to
fiction@frodosnotebook.com.

4. Articles. Reviews of current books, movies, and art, as
well as cultural critique, op-ed, and original journalistic
reportage, as long as it has a literary/artistic subject or
slant. Usually under 1,200 words. Send a writing sample or
two to editor at large Ben Carr at articles@frodosnotebook.com.

Details at http://frodosnotebook.com/submit.html

2011-10-23T13:46:00.001-04:00

I often struggle with dialog and sometimes question if dialog is needed. Some picture books have no dialog at all, but as readers grow older, dialog is important to bring the character to life. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you write dialog in your stories.

“Said” is the preferred dialog tag. These tags are used after a character has spoken. Avoid other words such as declared, vowed, remarked, whispered, shouted, or bragged. Those words stand out and sometimes get in the way of the story. “Said” is used so much it has become invisible and the reader hardly notices it. Don’t be concerned that “said” is boring. Rev up the plot. That’s what grabs the reader’s interest.

Avoid using adverbs in dialog tags, such as she said excitedly. Show the excitement in the character’s action or words, rather than telling the reader.

The conversation should carry the story forward. If “Hello, how are you?” and “Fine, thank you,” doesn’t add to the plot or character development, leave it out. Cut the chit-chat.

When characters talk, make it meaningful. They should have a reason for talking rather than merely provide information to the reader. Straight question and answer sessions are usually dull and boring. In dialog, the characters should reveal themselves so the reader understands them better.

Next week, I’ll discuss more on dialog.

Contest for Adult Writers
Flash Fiction
For the Flash Fiction competition the top five entries will be selected by public vote, and the winning story chosen by the Judging Panel. To vote, individual must register on the Light Reading website. Each voter may vote for as many stories they wish, but can only cast one vote for each story. Any attempts by individual voters to vote multiple times for a single story, for example by registering with multiple email addresses may result in all their votes being disqualified. The use of robotic or automated devices for voting is strictly prohibited, and Diamond determines that this has been the case we reserve the right to disqualify both voter and contestant.
Details at http://www.light-reading.org/

Contest for Young Writers
Jack And Jill, P.O. Box 567, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Publishes stories, poems, riddles, and jokes written by students in grades 2-6.

Books for Boys/Calls for Submissions

2011-10-16T06:55:00.003-04:00

Teacher, parents, librarians, and editors often say they want books that interest boys? Have you ever wondered about the differences in books that have boy appeal as opposed to those with girl appeal?

The differences go deep, all the way to plot and character. Boys like books that deal with action and adventure. Explosions reel them in. Fast cars, blood, and all things gross are sure winners. Boys like situations, fantasy, science fiction, heroic male characters, and all types of nonfiction [sports, humor, animals, biography, history, informational text, and hobbies]. They prefer shorter text and visuals accompanying text as in graphic novels.

What about girls? Some girls like those types of books, too. There’s no distinct dividing line. What appeals to one child may not to another, regardless of gender. However, girls like to read about other girls, relationships, feelings, interesting characters, and human-interest stories.

The gender lines can become even murkier. Both boys and girls enjoy humor and nonfiction.

One of the best ways to learn what boys like to read is to talk with boys. Find out what books they have recently read and what type of TV show they like to watch. What interest them? What make them laugh? The answers vary with different ages. If you’re interested in writing books for boys, read books that are popular books with boys and see how the subject matter was handled.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers
Working Mother Magazine Pay: Varies Freelance assignments fit the three primary sections of the magazine: You, Work and Family. Features are also assigned to fit our initiative packages (100 Best Companies, Best Companies for Multicultural Women, Best Green Companies, etc). Features are usually 1,000 to 2,000 words. Basically, we look for articles that help moms successfully navigate the task of juggling job, home and family. We like tightly focused pieces that celebrate working moms while sensibly solving or illuminating a problem unique to our readers and/or their children and family. We also want to share personal stories for and about working moms who have experienced career triumphs and/or life changes--all while raising kids and working a job. Topics of interest include: career-related (work/life) issues; diversity in the workplace; family relationships; time, home and money management; and parenting. Most of our columns--news, lifestyle, activities, recommendations, parenting, travel, food, beauty and fashion--are staff written. But we might assign out:
Learning Curve--500-word, age-by-age (0-2, 3-5, 6-10, 11+) child development column.
My Story--1,000 word personal story from a reader that illuminates a working mother issue or scenario and how she triumphed over, solved, or dealt with it. Humor is good here.
Details at http://www.workingmother.com/?service=vpage/140

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

GIRLS' LIFE wants to publish you online! The Girls’ Life website, girlslife.com, accepts submissions of articles, poetry and short fiction from writers under the age of 18.
Details at http://www.girlslife.com/page/Writers-Guidelines.aspx

…

Keep the Readers Interested/Calls for Submissions

2011-10-09T07:13:00.004-04:00

This week I’m continuing to discuss ways to keep the readers interested in the story.

1. Add details. Think about the setting. If the area is mountainous, consider a waterfall. Let the reader feel the mist and hear the water drip, trickle, or pound against rock. Can you smell the aroma of the plants and flowers? Engage the reader with the use of senses for major scenes. Two or three senses place the reader in the midst of the setting and action. Show them the scene with words that paint pictures.

2. Ask questions. Throughout the narrative ask the question, “What if…” What if the character had to dive over the waterfall, what would happen? What if the character found a cave beneath the waterfall? What if the character was captured at the waterfall?

3. Decisions. Make the character face difficult decisions in which there is no easy way out and no easy answers. This increases the tension and the emotional drama making a more compelling story. Write the scenes so they lead the character in a logical sense to making the decision. The character should face tough choices and react to choices to reach the goal or overcome the problem.

4. Character struggles alone. The character experiencing the problem is the one who solves the problem. A knight in shining armor, Aunt Maebelle, or big brother should not be thrown into the mix to help out the character in trouble and save him/her in the end. Provide a goal for the character and lots of pitfalls. The trouble the character experiences is the story. The more trouble, the more interesting the story.

What keeps you interested in a story?

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers

BOYS LIFE

A general interest magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America. Major articles run 500-1,500 words and pay $400 to $1,500. Covers sports, history, how-to and more. See the BSA's merit badges for ideas. Departments run up to 600 words and pay $100 to $400. Many topics. Must entertain boys ages 6-18. Write for a 12-year-old.
Details at http://boyslife.org/home/383/resources-for-contributors/

Call for Submissions for Student Writers

SKIPPING STONES: A MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE

P.O. Box 3939, Eugene, OR 97403. International nonprofit quarterly children's magazine featuring writing and art by children ages 7-18. Writing may be submitted in any language and from any country. Awarded the 1995 Golden Shoestring Award by Educational Press Association of America. Publishes original artwork, photos, stories, pen pal letters, recipes, cultural celebrations, songs, games, book reviews; writings about your background, culture, religion, interests, and experiences, etc.

Keeping Reader Interest/Calls for Submissions

2011-10-02T11:51:00.003-04:00

How do we keep readers interested in our stories? By leaving out the boring parts, of course. We can accomplish this task by incorporating the following:

1. Humor. Kids of all ages, from babies to seniors, react positively to humor. When done well, humor keeps the reader reading. Humor is used to soften life’s hardships and to ease the tension in a story in which the character is experiencing a difficult situation. All children identify with difficult situations, and humor is a stress reliever in life and in fiction.

2. Adventure. Kids like to explore the unknown. A journey into a castle dungeon, a trip through a graveyard on a dark, spooky night, flying to the moon, or simply staying up late on a weekend. The novelty of the situation provides interest and adds to plot development.

3. A strong, emotional connection to the character. The right story for the right person at the right time is like a warm cozy blanket on a cold winter’s night. Readers want the characters they like to succeed. They keep reading to find out if the character wins or reaches the goal. So take an interesting character and place the character in trouble. The worse the trouble, the better the story.

4. Throw more trouble at the character. If a character’s quest is too easy the payoff isn’t great enough. Treat your character badly, then treat him/her worse is a time-honored method of writing fiction. Naturally, the writer has to figure out a way to get the character out the mess by the end of the story.

Next week I’ll discuss more ways to keep the reader interested.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Ladybug. Magazine pays on publication. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, fillers, photos/artwork. Subjects: Young children's interest, science, how-things-work, poetry.
Details at http://www.cobblestonepub.com/guides_LYB.html

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:
KIDS' WORLD -. Biannual magazine featuring writing and art from young people up to age 17. Publishes poems, short stories, and art. Considers jokes, puzzles, games, and other material. No horror accepted. Send manuscripts to 1300 Kicker Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35404

Choosing a Subject or Topic for a Book/Contests

2011-09-25T13:37:00.011-04:00

Today I’m showcasing my latest books in the Little Math Series: My Math Toolbox, What's a Fraction? and Hopping on the Number Line.

At a recent book signing, a person asked me how I decide on a topic for my next book. Sometimes, as with these latest books, an editor I’ve worked with previously asks me to write the books. But most of the time, the choice is mine. When an idea bores into my brain and refuses to leave, I let it simmer and think about the possibilities of the story over a period of time. As the story materializes in my mind, I consider different avenues it can take. If the idea seems viable, I check out other books that might be similar. If I find something similar, I change paths with the story since I don’t want to write what’s already out there. Editors want stories that are new and fresh.

When I’m writing nonfiction, I spend considerable time checking for books on the same topic. If the market is flooded with books on a particular topic I either develop a totally new perspective for approaching the subject or abandon it entirely.

All manuscripts are a tough sell in today’s market so each book has to stand out as different in some way in order to get a contract. Try adding humor or tell the story from the perspective of an unexpected character to make your story different. Ben and Me by Robert Lawson is a biography about Ben Franklin told from the viewpoint of a mouse named Amos. That’s a different take on a story and a wonderful approach. Take a close look at your manuscript to see what changes you can make to create a story that is different from those already lining the shelves.

Contest for adult writers:
The Tapestry of Bronze is sponsoring a series of poetry contests to celebrate Greek and Roman mythology and the Olympian gods. The subject of the eighth contest is Artemis (also known as Diana), the Goddess of the Hunt.

All poems remain the property of the authors. The Tapestry of Bronze reserves the right to post winning poems and those receiving Honorable Mention on the Tapestry of Bronze website. E-mail your poem (no more than 30 lines) to the following address: tapestryofbronze@yahoo.com
Deadline: November 30, 2011

Contest for young writers:
SAVE THE FROGS POETRY CONTEST
Amphibian populations worldwide are in the midst of a mass extinction crisis, yet most people are completely unaware! We need your help in getting the word out. This contest will raise awareness of the amphibian extinction problem by getting people involved and interested. The best frog poems will be used in a book of frog poetry that will be sold to raise money for amphibian conservation efforts. This book will feature artwork from our concurrent SAVE THE FROGS! Art Contest.

The Grand Prize Winner will:
Receive $100. Receive $50 worth of "Frog Cash" to be used for
any of the cool, environmentally-friendly merchandise in the
SAVE THE FROGS! Gift Center. Become an official judge of next
year's SAVE THE FROGS! Poetry Contest. Receive frog fame.

Category Winners will:
Win $50. Receive $30 worth of "Frog Cash" to be used for any
of the cool, environmentally-friendly merchandise in the SAVE
THE FROGS! Gift Center.

Category winners will be chosen from the following categories.
Note however that the Grand Prize Winner may be chosen from
any category.

(1) 18+ years of age
(2) 13-17 years old
(3) Under 13 age group

Details at http://savethefrogs.com/poetry/index.html

Developing Characters/Call for Submissions

2011-09-18T07:56:00.003-04:00

In writing fiction, characters are central to the story. The character must seem real to the readers or their interest in the story will quickly fade. Before beginning the manuscript, think about the fundamental elements of character. Look through magazines and cut out pictures of interesting looking people or animals. Observe people in which you come in contact. Notice their physical characteristics, such as how they are dressed. (This works for animals, too). Pay close attention to the way the person walks, talks, and reacts to others. If you’re using pictures, imagine how the characters would act. What would the person say and how would he/she say it. How does the voice sound—scratchy, hoarse, loud, whisper?

What kind of past has this character experienced? Is the person a leader or follower? Imagine the person is in a dangerous situation—house fire, car accident, robbery, tornado, heated argument that turned violent. How does the character react?

In a notebook, write a short character sketch about a character you would like to write about. Give the character a plausible history and enough complexity to seem real. The complexity comes from a character that is not perfect. The character should have flaws and have to deal with those flaws to grow, learn, and change by the end of the story.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest will award $3,600, including a top prize of $1,500. Submit one humor poem online. No length limit. Both published and unpublished poems are welcome. No fee to enter. Final judge: Jendi Reiter.
Online Submission Deadline: April 1, 2012
Guidelines at http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php

Call for Submissions for Young Writers
Kids'Magination is a new ezine for kids who love to read and write. We're also looking for submissions. Please submit your best, polished work. Our guidelines can be found here: http://www.kidsmagination.com/kidsmagination-magazine/kidsmagination-issue-2

Cutting Unnecessary Parts of Manuscripts/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-09-11T11:13:00.001-04:00

This week, I’m continuing my discussion of how to cut unnecessary parts of manuscripts.

Look for prepositional phrases that aren’t needed. Example: Tears streaked down her face for what she’d done. “for what she’d done” isn’t needed. The reader will figure that out.

Avoid the tendency to double state an action, such as “He nodded his head.” “He nodded” is all that needs to be stated. The reader will know the action was with the head.

Does the writing move the plot forward, develop character, provide insight through dialog or narrative, or evoke emotional responses? If not, consider cutting it. Cutting a scene can be a painful experience, especially if we love the phrasing. Cutting doesn’t mean discarding. Simply file away the phrase or paragraph and save for later use. You may go back to it with another book. I once heard Mary Higgins Clark say she never throws away a piece of writing when she edits. She simply files it away for possible use in a future book.

The purpose of cutting is to sharpen the prose. Are the words necessary to tell the story? Cutting words isn’t about making a story shorter; it’s about tighter writing. Many writers cut a significant amount; then add more scenes to promote the action or develop the character. I recently heard one writer state, “cut words, add story.”

So whether you’re cutting or adding words, revise until your manuscript is polished and succinct.

Contest for Adult Writers
“The Tenth Glass Woman Prize will be awarded for a work of short fiction or creative non-fiction (prose) written by a woman. Length: between 50 and 5,000 words. The top prize for the tenth Glass Woman Prize award is US $500 and possible (but not obligatory) online publication; there will also be one runner up prize of $100 and one runner up prize of $50, together with possible (but not obligatory) online publication. Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. The criterion is passion, excellence, and authenticity in the woman’s writing voice. Previously published work and simultaneous submissions are OK. Authors retain all copyright is retained by the author.”
Details: http://bit.ly/javfBe
Deadline: September 21, 2011

Call for Submissions for Young Writers
Boodle: By Kids For Kids. Formerly called Caboodle , this quarterly magazine is full of funny, pensive, imaginative stories, poetry and drawings from children. With more than 50 contributions per issue, there is room for the work of many ambitious young writers and artists.
Send manuscripts to P.O. Box 1049, Portland, IN 47371.

Trimming a Manuscript/Contest/Calls for Submissions

2011-09-04T19:55:00.001-04:00

Writing in all genres involves slicing and dicing words to get to the heart of the story. Gardeners prune apple trees by cutting some of the branches. The tree becomes stronger, takes on a better shape, and produces more fruit simply by cutting the parts that interfere with growth. Writers also need to slice and dice words, phrases, and even paragraphs that diminish the story.

Some writers use this equation to trim their work: First Draft-10%=Second Draft. Cutting ten percent during revision seems like a waste of good words and hard work, but you’ll find that the first draft is never your best work. Allow your first draft to be as long as you need it to be. Then set a word limit and cut the unnecessary words. Some need to cut much more than others. Every writer is different and every book is different.

So what do I cut?

Begin with action or where the character’s life is about to change instead of a long build-up in the first chapter.

Use dialog to develop the character and to move the story forward. If the dialog doesn’t do either, remove it.

Many dialog tags can be deleted. If the reader can figure out who is talking, omit “he said.”

Point a critical eye to detailed descriptions. Give the reader enough information to form a mental picture but every detail of a setting can slow down the story and become boring reading.

Telling rather than showing uses excessive words. Show the reader the action rather than telling.

Concise, tight writing makes editors smile. Review your manuscript with scissors in hand.

Next week I’ll discuss more ways to cut out unnecessary words.

Contest for Adult Writers

Inspired by Tagore: International Writing Competition
“This year sampad is delighted to be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore with Inspired by Tagore, an international writing competition.Tagore was a hugely influential South Asian poet and many sampad projects have celebrated his legacy or been sparked by a line of his poetry….There are 2 categories: one for writers aged between 8 and 15, one for writers aged 16 and over. Entries can be poetry, short stories or reportage, and writers can submit up to 6 pieces of work, maximum length 400 words, using Tagore’s poetry and writing as a starting point….There will be a special prize for the overall winners: Best writer in 8 to 15 category will receive GBP 200 and best writer in 16 and over category will receive GBP 300. All winning writers will be published.”
Deadline: January 31, 2012
Details at http://www.sampad.org.uk/learning/opportunities/competitions/

Call for Submissions for Young Writers

Stone Soup is made up of stories, poems, book reviews, and art by young people through age 13. Although all the writing we publish is in English, we accept work from all over the world.
Details: http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/

Editor and Agent Tips for Writing Children's Books/Call for Submissions

2011-08-28T09:19:00.003-04:00

This week I’m focusing on tips from editors and agents for writers of children’s books.

Of all the genres, the picture book market is the hardest for new writers to break into.

Use concise text and fluent words

Lyrical voice should not be too “adult” and should be authentic

The character should make things happen for him/herself

The main character should be a kid

Vary the sentence length

Revise by reading the story through the eyes of a 4 yr old

Holiday stories are difficult to sell because of the shorter selling time

Remember the age of your audience

The subject is not as important as the writer’s voice

Take young readers on a journey with the characters

Read other authors to be inspired, but don’t copy

Read aloud the text during and after revision

Write rhythmic text to catch the attention of the audience

Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end

Make your picture book manuscript stand out. Make it sparkle through revision followed by a round of critiques from other writers.

Make it a fun read aloud.

The Louisville Review announces that they are publishing a special, all-Kentucky issue this winter to honor Kentucky Poet Laureate Maureen Morehead. They are now accepting submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by writers who live in or are from Kentucky. To submit, visit http://www.louisvillereview.org/submissions. Use the comments section to let them know you are a Kentucky Writer. The reading period ends November 1, 2011. Email any questions to louisvillereview@spalding.edu.

Beginning next week and continuing throughout the school year, I’ll include contests and calls for submissions for student writers.

Writing Conference Overview

2011-08-21T08:58:00.004-04:00

Attending writing conferences are expensive and completely beyond the budgets of many; however the information attained from conferences is valuable, and the ultimate payoff is learning more about the process and business of writing. Here’s a broad overview of a 2011 writing conference.

Debut authors are doing extremely well.
Industry is looking for best sellers.
Scaling back advances on picture books.
Know the marketplace and devise a plan to promote your book, online and directly to the public.
Write nonfiction as well as fiction.
Read the type of books you want to write.
Write stories kids want to read.
Children’s publishing is withstanding the economic downturn.
Picture books have taken the biggest hit because they are so expensive to publish.
Middle grade boys are reading, but most teen boys are not.
Make the reader wonder what is going on. Use foreshadowing.
Give readers more than what they expect.

Next week, I’ll have notes on what editors and agents are looking for in a picture book manuscript.

BOOK PROJECT: Becoming a Nurse
Creative Nonfiction is seeking essays by--and about--nurses, for a new collection, Becoming a Nurse: Real Stories of Nurses, Their Lives, and Their Patients.

We are looking for writers who can write dramatically and vividly about this profession for a collection of essays, which will be published by the new imprint CREATIVE NONFICTION BOOKS. Essays can be from 2500-4000 words (longer is possible) but should be written in a narrative form, with scenes, description, etc. To submit, please send your manuscript to:

Creative Nonfiction
Attn: Becoming a Nurse
5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Please include a word count on the first page of the essay, as well as your contact information. Any additional questions can be directed to information [at] creativenonfiction.org.
Deadline: November 30, 2011.

Habits of Famous Writers/Contest

2011-08-14T09:42:00.003-04:00

Writers often fall into habits when writing. The habits take many forms, such time-based, writing in the morning, or page-based, a minimum of four pages per day. A writing habit is an incentive to keep working on a story or piece. I recently saw on Flavorwire and The Guardian some interesting writing habits of famous authors.

Flannery O’Connor [Wise Blood and numerous short stories] Spent two hours a day writing.
Albert Camus, [The Stranger] Wrote some of his books standing at a lectern due to back pain.
Victor Hugo [The Hunchback of Notre Dame] Handed over his clothes to a butler. That way, he had to remain in the room where he wrote.
Isaac Asimov [Prelude to Foundation] Sat at his desk, which faced a bare wall, void of districtions.
John Steinbeck [The Grapes of Wrath] and Ernest Hemmingway [A Farewell to Arms] Wrote a specific number of pages each day.
Truman Capote [In Cold Blood] Wrote reclined on a sofa, with pencil in one hand and sherry in the other.
Eudora Welty [The Optimist’s Daughter] Held her manuscripts pages together with straight pens.
Neil Gaiman [The Graveyard Book] Finished one story before beginning another.
C. S. Lewis [The Chronicles of Narnia] Maintained a daily writing schedule.

Writers do whatever it takes to keep them at the task of beginning and completing literary works. Do you keep a schedule, set deadlines, or work in a quiet room? What interesting habit do you have that motivates you to keep writing?

Contest for Adult Writers:
Iowa Short Fiction Award
For a collection of short stories (minimum 150 pages). “Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition. Previously entered manuscripts that have been revised may be resubmitted. Writers are still eligible if they have published a volume of poetry or any work in a language other than English or if they have self-published a work in a small print run. Writers are still eligible if they are living abroad or are non-US citizens writing in English. Current University of Iowa students are not eligible.” Award confers publication under the University of Iowa Press standard contract.
Deadline: Submissions: August 1-September 30, 2011 (postmarked)
Details at http://www.uiowapress.org/authors/iowa-short-fiction.htm

Motivation for Writers/Contest

2011-08-07T07:51:00.001-04:00

Another motivational factor for writers is to define the type of book you want to write and read as many of those type books as you can. With each book you’ll gain some insight into the writing process. Look for what you enjoy in the writer’s voice or the way the plot unfolded. Notice how the character develops and changes from the beginning to the end.

Don’t fall victim to comparing your work to that of another writer and feeling that your work doesn’t measure up. When this happens writers often abandon manuscripts or stop writing. Instead, work to improve your manuscript or begin another in which you have more confidence of writing well and are motivated to complete. No two people write the exactly alike. Bring your own life experiences into your style of writing using words and phases that reflect your unique manner and technique of stringing words into manuscripts.

Each successful writer develops a style that works. What works for one writer may not work for another. Don’t be overly concerned if you don’t write as much or as often as someone else. Figure out a productive writing plan you can live and works best for you.

First drafts stink and they’re difficult to write. But once they’re written the fun begins. Revision is all about polishing and fine-tuning and for me is much easier than completing the first draft. Each piece of rewriting adds a bit of polish and seeing the improvement motivates me to keep going.

What keeps you motivated to write? Share your habits and tricks.

Intergeneration Storytelling Contest

“Write a story, poem or song (fiction, non-fiction or a combination) featuring characters from at least two generations. One illustration or photograph may be included and will be considered when judging the entry.” Cash prizes will be awarded ($500/$350/$150). “All entries will be considered for e-publication.”
Deadline: August 15, 2011
Details at http://www.intergenerationday.org/storyboard.html

Motivation for Writers/Contest

2011-07-31T08:21:00.003-04:00

This week, I’m continuing to discuss ways to stay motivated.

Many writers tell me they have started a manuscript but haven’t finished it. Momentum is the force that carries us forward to complete what we start. Figure out what works for you. Keep your writing momentum on track.

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to attend a writing conference. Not only do you get a personal glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of other writers, you leave with a better understanding of the writing process. Writers are open with helpful advice because each published writer is making the same journey to publication as every other writer. Some are a farther down the path and have more experience. Reap the benefits of that experience by spending time with writers in an atmosphere where writing reigns supreme.

Select a writing project that fits your interest and lifestyle and has a subject or theme you’re passionate about. Since you’ll be spending so much time on the project, your interest will keep you focused and excited about the work.

Some writers use deadlines to keep them motivated and to enact the BIC (Butt in Chair) approach. Knowing the deadline hovers, time is allocated to finish the writing.

Next week I’ll continue the discussion on motivation.

The Tenth Glass Woman Prize will be awarded for a work of short fiction or creative non-fiction (prose) written by a woman. Length: between 50 and 5,000 words. The top prize for the tenth Glass Woman Prize award is US $500 and possible (but not obligatory) online publication; there will also be one runner up prize of $100 and one runner up prize of $50, together with possible (but not obligatory) online publication.
Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. The criterion is passion, excellence, and authenticity in the woman’s writing voice. Previously published work and simultaneous submissions are OK. Authors retain all copyright is retained by the author.
There is no reading fee.
Previous winners are welcome to submit again for any subsequent prize.
Submission deadline: September 21, 2011 (receipt date). Notification date: on or before December 21, 2011

Motivation for Writers/Call for Submissions

2011-07-24T07:50:00.001-04:00

This week, I’m continuing to discuss ways to stay motivated.

Relish in the feedback of the critique or writing group. You’ll receive praise for what you’ve done right and suggestions for making your manuscript better in areas in which it is lacking. Appreciate the opinions of those who take the time to read and critique. They may seem picky and hard to please, but remember, editors will be even harder to please. Keep in mind, too, that the critiques are for your benefit. Use the ideas, or some of them, to improve your manuscript.

Write each day, even if it is only in your mind, plotting out a scene. Try to get the scene written as soon as possible so you won’t forget it.

Make writing a habit. End a writing session in the middle of a paragraph or in the middle of a scene so you can easily pick up where you stopped.

Think about your story when you’re not writing. Try different plot angles and allow yourself to wonder what would happen to your character if…

One sure way to add interest to your story is to rev up the conflict. Don’t let the story get boring or bog down by letting the character off too easily. Make the character work, and work hard, to overcome the problem. Place your character in a situation that you have to work hard to get him/her out of. Add a surprise for the character. You’ll enjoy the new twists and turns your story is taking.

Next week, I’ll continue to discuss ways to stay motivated.

Call for submissions for adults:
Nemesis Publishing. Are you an unpublished writer? With a piping-hot manuscript ready to blow readers' socks off? If you can answer 'yes' to both of those questions, then we want to hear from you. This is our first debut novel competition, with publication for the winning book scheduled for 2012. A shortlist of six manuscripts will be announced by 15 October 2011, with the winning manuscript announced by 30 November 2011.

Deadline: 14 August 2011

Details at http://nemesispublishing.com/Debut-Novel-Competition-2011.aspx

Writing Motivation/Writing Contest

2011-07-17T07:57:00.002-04:00

As I meet aspiring writers, many tell me they have become discouraged because the publishing market is so difficult to break into. Their assessments are correct. Difficult, but not impossible. I look back on my first seven years as a training ground. I didn’t sell a manuscript, but I kept writing and reading and learning. The practice paid off when I received “the call.” I discovered that seven years is the average number of years it takes to get a book accepted by a major publisher. Why so long? For most writers we’re learning our craft. The competition is fierce so our writing has to be of high quality but it also has to fit the publisher’s list of books. Becoming acquainted with the various publishers, editors, and they types of books published at each house is another time consuming task that takes time to learn.

Build writing time into your schedule. You may not have time to devote three hours per day, every day, to writing. If you have down time, like waiting to pick up a child at school, use those few minutes to work on your story. Some people write entire novels in twenty-minute time blocks because that’s the only free time they have.

Find writer friends, either locally or online, and form a critique group. Set a schedule to send manuscripts to each member of the group. My group sends a maximum of 1,000 words every two weeks. Knowing that you have to send a manuscript or a chapter every two weeks is motivating.

Next week, I’ll discuss more ways to keep the writing momentum going.

Good Housekeeping Short Story Contest
Applicants must submit an original short story, 3,500 words or less, on a theme that reflects an aspect of women’s lives today. Winner Selection: One (1) grand-prize winner and two (2) runners-up will be chosen at the sole discretion of Good Housekeeping’s judges panel. All entries will be judged on artistic merit and originality. In the event of a tie, whichever story the judges deem most suitable for publication in Good Housekeeping will be the winner.

Details at http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/win/fiction-contest
Deadline: 1st September 2011

Momemtum/Call for Submissions

2011-07-10T10:29:00.001-04:00

I’ve been writing for the professional market for 22 years. For the first seven loooooong years, I made a few sales to the magazine market, especially academic journals. Those first seven years were dry, actually desert-like, in manuscript sales. It seemed that “the call” from an editor would never come. There were times when I grumbled, mumbled, and wondered why I even tried to get a book published. Then I’d receive a rejection letter with a note from an editor with a few encouraging words or for a request for more manuscripts as she told me the one I had sent didn’t meet the publisher’s editorial needs. The fact that an editor took the time to praise my work affirmed I was on the right publishing track or so I hoped. Those notes and reading children’s books to students on a daily basis kept my momentum going, kept me enthused, and kept me determined to trudge onward toward my goal.

Then the unbelievable happened. “The call” came. An editor actually offered me a contract. There is nothing like the publication of a book to keep the momentum going in a writer’s psyche. Two years later I finally held the book, Once Upon a Dime, in my trembling hands for the first time.

As overwhelming as it seems, getting published is not impossible. The harder task is probably learning to stay focused and to keep momentum in your writing program.

Next week, I’ll discuss ways to persevere with a positive attitude in order to keep the momentum going.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Best Fiction is an online publication of brilliant stories by new, emerging writers alongside the work of established authors.” Pays: “a minimum honorarium of $25 US for first electronic and print publication rights,” though “established authors may negotiate a fee for their stories.
Details at http://bestfiction.org/guidelines/

Series Characters/Call for Submissions

2011-07-03T08:11:00.002-04:00

Do you enjoy reading books about a particular character and wonder how the author keeps the character from going stale? Children’s books—picture, chapter, and novels—are filled with characters in series. In a book festival I attended with several authors of series books, I asked them how they confronted the challenge of keeping a character compelling and interesting. Many of the answers were similar so I’ve condensed them here.

Allow the characters to age. We watched Harry Potter grow up in the series. As characters grow, they face new problems relevant to their age and their skills, perceptions, interests, and relationships change as they face new situations. This rule does not always apply. In some popular series, such as Nancy Drew, little aging takes place.

Make the characters part of your fictional family. Some authors based characters on someone close, a husband or child, and write with a deep caring for the character. The emotional bond between a writer and the character can be strong.

Place the characters in school or in a certain location in which they have access to new situations to test their spirit and determination and to provide them with the opportunity to face challenges and grow.

Build in conflict and challenges that force the characters to prove him/herself by facing self-doubt and overcoming fears.

Avoid formulaic devices and surprise the reader with the unexpected occasionally. Maybe the shy character is outspoken when provoked.

Let me know if you have other ideas about how to keep serial character fresh and interesting.

Snag Today Poetry Contest. Any type of poetry-maximum of 50 lines-is eligible.

Submission Period: Entries accepted April 1, 2011-July 31, 2011. Early submission is encouraged.

What to Submit: Any work of poetry up to a maximum of 50 lines. There are no restrictions on style or theme. Each entry should be your own original work. You may submit the same work simultaneously to this contest and to others, and you may submit works that have been published or won prizes elsewhere, as long as you own the online publication rights. Please title your email "Snag Today Poetry Contest".

Details at http://snagtoday.com/
http://snagtoday.com/dolph/blogs/entry/Snag-Today-Writing-Contest

Trends, Trends, Trends/Calls for Submissions

2011-06-26T09:04:00.006-04:00

Writers can never keep up with all the trends. By the time we write, revise and polish a manuscript that fits a particular trend, the market is flooded with that genre and the trend has passed. So why bother looking at trends? It's to our advantage to study the market to see what publishers are buying and learn why those books garnered a contract. Also, if we know the market is over saturated with a certain type of book or subject matter, we can avoid it. The more we educate ourselves with what publishers are buying and why, the better we can devise our own writing and marketing strategies.

Here are the top genres for multi-book deals in 2010. Young adult and middle grade are still strong sellers. Picture books are a harder sell, but editors and agents predict that the tide is beginning to turn, and picture books will soon be on the up swing.

Top genres for multi-book deals with major publishers in 2010
Romance – 108 deals
Mystery & Crime – 73
Young Adult – 56
Middle Grade – 53
Science Fiction – 31
Thrillers – 29
Paranormal – 27

Call for submissions for young writers:
BRASS MAGAZINE. Our contributor team is made up of young adult writers from
around the country. We're looking for people with varied experiences to join this team: from financial gurus,
entrepreneurs and avid investors to those sharing experiences about managing debt, budgets, and their first foray in the real world.

Are you between 16 and 29 years old? Are you passionate about
writing, savvy with research, and up-to-date on current trends?
Are you able to meet deadlines?
Details: http://www.brassmagazine.com/legal/contributor-submission-guide
http://www.brassmagazine.com/user/register/contribute

Call for submissions for adult writers:·
The Brooklyner, to be published quarterly, is “currently reading for our inaugural issue, which will largely include fiction and nonfiction. We will also consider poetry, commentary on relevant pop culture, and reviews of the following: books, food, cruises, amusement parks, concerts, field trips, underwear, holidays. Also translations. We are not seeking novellas or novel excerpts.”

Spirit of Kentucky:Bourbon Cookbook/Call for Submissions

2011-06-19T09:38:00.005-04:00

My latest literary adventure has taken me on a new and exciting route, which led to me researching and writing Spirit of Kentucky: Bourbon Cookbook. Each of over 500 recipes has a note about the history of the recipe or information about an ingredient. If you prefer not to use bourbon in a recipe, you have that choice. Most recipes have a subsitute for bourbon or the option of omitting the ingredient. Bourbon balls are the exception. I know of no way to make bourbon balls without bourbon.

I love research because I’m always learning something new and interesting. One tidbit I learned is that we can make vanilla flavoring oh so easily—and cheaper. That’s an idea I had never considered.

I approached the research for the cookbook the same way I approach writing a nonfiction children’s book. I wanted to make the Notes section a fun read-aloud. As I researched I kept thinking about what a cook would enjoy learning about a recipe, food, or ingredient. In doing so, I accumulated more information than I would ever need. A surplus of facts gave me the luxury of picking and choosing the most interesting pieces to use in the book. Reseaching a subject is like digging a well. The more we dig, the more information we gain. As we dig we uncover interesting bits that surprise us.

For adult writers:·
From Robert Lee Brewer: “I will consider poetry submissions for the 2013 Poet’s Market. 20 previously unpublished poems will be selected for publication in the book, and the poets will receive a paycheck for their poems.” Deadline is August 15. Pays: “publication, $50 payment, and a contributor copy of the 2013 Poet’s Market.” For more information/detailed guidelines, see http://bit.ly/lpLaGQ.

Note: I’ll resume posting for young writers in September.

Writing Workshop for Children's Writers, Contest, Call for Submission

2011-06-12T08:06:00.003-04:00

Anyone interested in participating in a children’s writing workshop? I’ll be conducting two different sessions July 12 in Berea, Kentucky, at the Festival of Learnshops. Sign up for these workshops and check out other classes at http://www.berea.com/?page_id=24. This summer from July 9-16, Berea is hosting the week-long event with a variety of classes, including writing, water color and pastel art, cornshuck art, blacksmithing, broom making and lots more. We’ll have fun and learn at the same time. That’s a promise. Here are the descriptions of my two sessions:

Writing for Children
Have you dreamed of writing a book for children? I will introduce you to the ins and outs of writing fiction and nonfiction children’s book manuscripts. Learn solutions to plot problems, where to start the story, and how to add zing with descriptive language as I present my own books as demonstrative models. How do you polish a manuscript to a spit-shine? Revision, of course. I will help your tackle revision, one layer at a time. Join the fun and learn the know-how to develop your ideas into picture books. My latest picture book, Trouble in Troublesome Creek, was selected to represent Kentucky at the 2010 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. One book per state was chosen. Another book, On the Banks of the Amazon, won the 2005 Children’s Book of the Year by the Appalachian Writers Association. I’ve written 20 picture books and one chapter book. More are in various stages of publication.

Time: 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Location: Broadway Center, 204 North Broadway, Berea, KY
Price: $30
Age: 15 years and up

Pathway to Publication of Children’s Books
Polished writing trumps all, and that includes a bare resume. Do you have a written story or one in mind? Join me as I route you down the road to publication. I will introduce you to manuscript formats, information for cover and query letters, what to include in a synopsis, and the qualities of a good children’s book. Get the lowdown on trends in today’s literature for children and whether an agent is needed. You’ll leave the session steps closer to publication.

Time: 2 pm-5 pm
Location: Broadway Center, 204 North Broadway, Berea, KY
Price: $30
Age: 15 years and up

Contest for Adult Writers
Cheerios is searching for the next great children’s book author. It could be you! Just enter your original children’s book story.
Deadline:July 15, 2011.
Details at http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/

For Young Writers
Cobblestone, 20 Grove St., Peterbough, NH 03458. Publishes a variety of material; however, you are asked to write first and ask for guidelines and upcoming themes.

Tribute to Paul Brett Johnson/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-06-05T08:59:00.005-04:00

This blog is dedicated to a wonderful friend, children’s book author, illustrator, and artist, Paul Brett Johnson. He and I are from Knott County, Kentucky. We both write children’s books and know many of the same people and places, so we had a lot in common. My friend and fellow writer passed away this week due to a sudden and unexpected illness. He’ll be missed.

In one of my earliest conversations with Paul Brett, he told me he had struggled for years trying to get a book contract. At the time of his struggles, he was frustrated with all the rejections, but he kept writing, illustrating, and submitting work. The work paid off as his writing improved and he learned more about the publishing process. By the time his first book, The Cow That Wouldn’t Come Down, was published, he was glad his earlier versions of the story had been rejected because those less-than-polished versions would not have garnered the acclaim the book received. His point was that writers should not get in a hurry with a manuscript. Revise, revise, revise until the story is the best it can be. With a more experienced eye, he looked back at his earlier writing attempts and saw that they were lacking in some way, but after years of practice and know-how, he developed the skills to polish the manuscripts. Another lesson learned: join a critique group so you, too, can have an experienced eye review your manuscripts.

Contest for Adult Writers
SPS Studios announces Its Eighteenth Biannual Poetry Card Contest
1st prize: $300 * 2nd prize: $150 * 3rd prize: $50
In addition, the winning poems will be displayed on our website sps.com. Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better. We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write.
Poems are judged on the basis of originality and uniqueness. All entries must be the original creation of the submitting author.
Deadline: June 30, 2011
Details at http://www.sps.com/poetry/index.html

Call for Submissions for Young Writers
Jack And Jill, P.O. Box 567, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Publishes stories, poems, riddles, and jokes written by students in grades 2-6.

Young Adult Books/Calls for Submissions

2011-05-29T07:48:00.005-04:00

When I decide to write a book about a particular subject, I try to determine what the interest of the audience (age group). If the book is fiction, my goal is to entertain and write in a voice the audience will appreciate and enjoy. Reading a variety of books in the genre of which I’m writing is a definite goal. Each author approaches writing a little differently so I’m always learning and improving my craft.

For young adult writers, Teens' Top Ten offers a list of "teen choice" books. Teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! If you’re writing for teens, these 25 books are a good start in learning what teens like to read.

The 2011 Nominees:
· Bachorz, Pam. Drought. Egmont USA. 2011. (978606840160).
· Beam, Cris. I Am J. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2011. (9780316053617).
· Beaudoin, Sean. You Killed Wesley Payne. 2011. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. (9780316077422).
· Black, Holly and Justine Larbalestier. Zombies vs. Unicorns. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books. 2010. (9781416989530).
· Card, Orson Scott. The Lost Gate. Tor Books. 2011. (9780765326577).
· Clare, Cassandra. The Clockwork Angel. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry. 2010. (9781416975861).
· Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. Scholastic. 2010. (9780439023511).
· Collins, Yvonne. Love, Inc. Disney/Hyperion. 2011. (9781423131151).
· Condie, Ally. Matched. 2010. Penguin/Dutton. (9780525423645).
· Cremer, Andrea. Nightshade. Penguin/Philomel. 2010. (9780399254826).
· Fitzpatrick, Becca. Crescendo. Simon & Schuster Children’s. 2010. (9781416989431).
· Grant, Michael. Lies. 2010. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books. (9780061449093).
· Hawkins, Rachel. Demonglass. Disney/Hyperion. 2011. (9781423121312).
· Hakwins, Rachel. Hex Hall. Disney/Hyperion. 2010. (9781423121305).
· Kagawa, Julie. The Iron King. 2010. Harlequin. (9780373210084).
· Lore, Pittacus. I Am Number Four. HarperCollins. 2010. (9780061969553).
· Moore, Peter. Red Moon Rising. Disney/Hyperion. 2011. (9781423116653).
· Nelson, Jandy. The Sky is Everywhere. 2010. Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers. (9780142417805).
· Oliver, Lauren. Before I Fall. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2010. (9780061726804).
· O’Neal, Ellis. The False Princess. Egmont USA. 2011. (9781606840795).
· Patterson, James. Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel. Little, Brown & Company. 2011. (9780316036207).
· Pearce, Jackson. Sisters Red. Little, Brown and Company. 2010. (9780316068680).
· Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Blessed. Candlewick Press. 2011. (9780763643263).
· Westerfeld, Scott. Behemoth. Simon Pulse. 2010. (9781416971757).
· White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2010. (9780061985843).

Call for submissions for adult writers:
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES. We are currently seeking experimental nonfiction for our "Pushing the Boundaries" section ("experimental," "boundaries," yes, these can be loaded terms). We want writing that blows our minds with its ingenuity, essays that not only push the boundaries of the genre, but tear down the borders. Be ambitious and send us work like we've never seen before.
As always, there's only on stipulation--the pieces must be true.
Deadline: June 13, 2011, and "Pushing the Boundaries" must be clearly marked on the envelope and cover letter.
Details at http://creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm#boundaries

Call for submissions for young writers:
Bitterroot Poetry Magazine. P.O. Box 489, Spring Glen, NY 12483. Publishes poetry. ubmit up to 4 poems at a time.

Poetry How Do I Know Thee?, part III/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-05-21T08:29:00.005-04:00

Poems that contain figurative language can be fun and even silly, but they still have to make sense. Poems vary in length. Some rhyme; some don’t. Either way works. Here are some different types of poems.

Alliterative poem:

Three Grey Geese by Mother Goose
Three grey geese in a green field grazing,
Grey were the geese and green was the grazing.

A Shape Poem, also called a calligram, is written in the shape of the subject matter. A poem about a mountain would be shaped like a mountain. A valentine poem may be shaped like a heart.

“If I….” Poem

Set your imagination to the wind and soar with ideas. Here are a few to try:

“If I were the wind”
“If I were invisible”
“If I could fly”
“If I lived in 1750”

An acrostic poem is formed by writing a word vertically down the page, one letter per line. Each line of the poem is about the subject. Names are a good way to write these poems. Here’s an example of one about spring

Sharp chill turns warm
Plants pop out of the ground
Roses bloom
Irises blossom
Nature rules
Growing, flowering, coloring the world

Let your poems tell a story and see where the story takes you. Most of all, have fun with words. Play with them until they sound like music to your ears.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
Past Loves Day Story Contest, 2011. Write your true story of a former sweetheart, in 700 words or less. Awards: $100, $75, $50, Honorable Mention(s). Winning stories will be published in an upcoming anthology. No entry fee. Authors retain all rights.
Deadline: August 17, 2011.
Details: www.ourpastloves.com/contest

Contest for young writers:

THE BIG DIG SCHOLARSHIP. One $3,000 award. Deadline June 1, 2011. Must be currently in
grade 12 and planning on entering college in 2011 or be in your first or second year of college. In 200 years, one of your relatives is going to be digging in your backyard. They will find something you buried in 2011, and it is going to put any financial worries they have to rest. Your job is to decide what to bury. Your goal is to find something that will have immense value in the future. The item must be
currently sold in a story today and cost under $500. The essay must be between 500 and 1,000 words. Be sure to answer all of the following questions in your essay:
1. What is the item you will bury?
2. Where could you purchase the item today?
3. How much does the item cost?
4. What made you choose this item?
5. Why do you believe that the item will have immense value
200 years from now?

Details: http://www.antiquetrader.tv/studentscholarship.php

Poetry, how do I know thee? Part II/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-05-15T09:22:00.003-04:00

Poets use comparisons, or figurative language, to help readers see common objects in a new way and to add interest, imagery, and meaning to the writing. Figurative language goes beyond the usual meaning of words and provides another suggestion or association.

Metaphors compare two objects without using “like” or “as”. My heart is a hammer certainly adds imagery. A friend who has a wonderful sense of humor gave me this imagery-laden metaphor: a caterpillar is an upholstered worm.

Personification is a type of metaphor that makes a comparison by giving human qualities to animals or objects. The wind whistled a shout. The star winked at me.

Hyperbole is often used in poems and tall tales. The exaggerated comparsions are used for emphasis and are sometimes funny. I’ve told you a billion times not to exaggerate. I’m so tired I could sleep as long as Rip Van Winkle. My cow is so ugly, I had to pay flies to buzz it.

Using figurative language is effective because it makes poetry and creative writing easier to understand and more interesting. Give it a try.

Call for Submissions for adult writers:
The Single Hound , a new on-line literary journal, is accepting submissions of poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, & book and film reviews.

Details: http://www.thesinglehound.com/submissions.html

Contest for young writers:
COYOTE'S HOWL FOR YOUNG WRITERS. Students aged 9 to 14. Various genres and topics, up to 1,000 words. First deadline August 14, 2011. Enter online. Contest winners receive an autographed copy of "Gift of the Desert Dog", the first book in The Borderlands Trilogy, and a personal letter of congratulations from author Robert Hunton. All qualified entries will be posted on website. Teachers see website to submit class work. Students and adults can rate entries to help in the evaluation process. Final winners chosen by publisher.
Details: http://howl.openbookspress.com/

Next week, I’ll discuss a few types of poems.

Poetry in Prose/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-05-08T07:53:00.002-04:00

When I write children’s picture books, I stick to prose rather than a rhyming text. But, as with poems, I strive to evoke strong visual images or emotions with few words. And, as with poems, if the story line is humorous, I add the punch line at the end to surprise the reader. In these respects, I find that writing picture books and poetry are similar. Writing poetry helps writers become more adept at writing picture books because it teaches us to create vivid mental pictures using few words.

Poetry, how do I know thee? Let me count the ways.
· Economy of words—says a lot in a little with carefully selected words.
· Speaks in a special way by evoking feelings of joy, sadness, surprise, and more.
· Sounds like music to the ear
· Uses imagery to help the reader “see” a mental picture
· Rhythmical patterns
· Incorporates storytelling with a beginning, middle, and end

In order to say a lot with few words, poets make comparisons using similes. Similes use “like” or “as” to compare two different objects. In my book, Happy Birthday the Story of the World's Most Popular Song, I used this simile: Words tripped off her tongue, smoothly as ice cream dripping from a cone on an August afternoon. Words and ice cream seem to be objects of unlikely comparisons until they’re used in a simile. These words did more than compare. They evoked the feeling of a hot, steamy day and painted a picture of how words could flow smoothly as ice cream.

Next week we’ll look at how poets make comparisons with metaphors, personification, and hyperbole.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
221b Magazine Summer Issue: a short story competition. The best six entries will be included in the next edition of our magazine.

Anyone who submits must first read our terms and conditions:
Deadline: 31st May 2011 Tuesday
Details: http://221bmagazine.co.uk

Contest for young writers:
The Hummingbird Guide is hosting their first Children's Story Contest about hummingbirds. Minimum of 300 words for submission.
· Submit original work written by you.
· Contest open to ages 6 to 12.
· Fill out the "name" box and be sure to include your age.
· Winners will be selected based on visitor comments (favorites).
· Submissions deadline is May 31, 2011.
· Details at http://www.hummingbird-guide.com/kids-hummingbird-writing-contest.html

Importance of Audience, Part III/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-04-30T08:01:00.003-04:00

This is the conclusion of a three-part series on writing to an audience.

· Middle grade students enjoy short novels and longer nonfiction. Their world is expanding and so are their interests, which include the books they read, from how-to to history, science, biographies, autobiographies, sports, animals, crafts, and jokes. Activity books, word searches, games, crossword puzzles, and magic tricks soothe their curiosity. Fictional characters are complex, lovable, flawed, brave, and show independence. Members of this age group focus inward on themselves as they try to figure out who they are and who they want to become. The narrative should reflect this focus. Middle grade books range from 10,000-45,000 words and up, but most range between those numbers. Books in the Harry Potter series are much longer.

· Young adult novels are for teens. Many of these books are similar to adult novels but are usually shorter and less complex. These books often take on heavier subject matter, such as dating, drugs, and dysfunctional families. The dialog may have swearing and the plot can deal with sex. Books for middle grade and younger don’t deal with these issues. The world of teens has gone from the safe world of home and school to the unknown world beyond. Young adult novels are often 30,000 words and up.

· The relationship between a writer and the reader is like a close friendship. The relationship allows both to react emotionally to reveal secrets and share feelings as the characters grow and evolve. Children’s audiences offer a wide range of possibilities for writers. Allow the audience to define your writing by focusing on a particular group.

Call for Submissions for adult writers.
Welcome to the Sandstar Review! The SSR is an exclusively online literary magazine dedicated to publishing fresh voices and lyrical, insightful work. Seeks unpublished poetry and prose for its inaugural issue. Send up to 6 poems or 15 pages of prose; cover letter and bio appreciated. Simultaneous submissions accepted upon notification of publication elsewhere. Send all work in one document (poetry or prose; no combined submissions) to sandstar.review@gmail.com. This is our first issue and we need voices.
Details at http://sandstarreview.wordpress.com/submit/

Contest for student writers:
INSIGHT WRITING CONTEST
General Short Story - $250, $200 and $150 prizes.
Student Short Story - $250, $200 and $150 prizes.
Student Poetry - $100, $75 and $50 prizes.
Prizewinning entries will be published in Insight.
You must be age 22 or under to enter the student categories.
Your entry must be a true, unpublished work by you, with
a strong spiritual message. We appreciate the use of Bible
texts. Your short story should not be longer than seven
pages. Your poem should not be longer than one page.
Deadline June 1, 2011.
Details at http://www.insightmagazine.org/contest/rules.asp

Importance of Audience, Part II/Fiction Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-04-24T07:23:00.003-04:00

This week I’m continuing the article of writing for a specific audience.

Primary grade readers love picture books and early readers. Their vocabulary has expanded so they’re into more sophisticated storytelling. They love nonfiction as well as fiction and are interested in reading about sports, animals, and the world around them. Humorous books are popular: jokes and main characters that make them laugh. This group also enjoys coloring and activity books. Beginning readers are popular. The sentence structure is shorter than most picture books because the child is reading on his/her own. Fictional picture books are usually less than 1000 words, and many are less than 600 words. Nonfiction books may be longer.

Upper primary grade readers enjoy chapter books, which are longer and more complex than beginning readers. These books have short chapters and cover simple problems of good vs. bad. Common subjects for chapter books deal with friendship, pets, sports, and school. This group wants books that reflect the things that are important and real to them. Most chapter books range up to 10,000 words.

Before you place pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard, consider the age group of your audience. Readers want characters with which they can identify. Make the characters ordinary kids placed in surprising and unexpected circumstances where they display extraordinary behavior.

Next week, I’ll focus on middle grade and young adult audiences.

Pockets Annual Fiction Contest (Adult writers) This is a contest for those who write for children 6-12 years of age.
• Please indicate FICTION CONTEST on both the outside envelope and the cover sheet.
• There is no set theme and no entry fee.
• Stories should be 750–1,000 words. (Stories shorter than 750 words or longer than 1,000 words will be disqualified.)
• Stories must be previously unpublished.
• Please include an accurate word count on your cover sheet.
• Multiple submissions are permitted, but please submit only your best work.
• Past winners are ineligible.
• Award: $500 and publication in the magazine.
• Entries with a SASE will be returned.
SEND ALL MANUSCRIPTS WITH SASE TO:
Lynn W. Gilliam, Editor
P. O. Box 340004
Nashville, TN 37203-0004
Deadline: August 15, 2011
Details at http://pockets.upperroom.org/annual-fiction-contest/

For student writers: Highlights Magazine
Every month, we publish readers' work in Highlights magazine. If
you'd like to send us something to be considered for publication,
we'd love to see it! We welcome your drawings, poems, jokes,
riddles, tongue twisters, stories, science questions, book reviews,
Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!, recipes, craft ideas, letters to
Dear Highlights, and dinosaur drawings, jokes, and questions.
Mail your work to
Highlights for Children
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Details at http://www.highlightskids.com/Express/h11magCall.asp

The Importance of Audience/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-04-17T07:50:00.007-04:00

The subjects of many of my blogs are based on questions people have asked me. I’ve heard this question several times: How many words should my children’s book contain?

The answer has many variables, but the most important one is audience.

“Children” is a broad concept. In terms of writing a book, authors need to narrow the concept. We want to communicate clearly so the readers will enjoy and understand the information we write. Different writing is appropriate for different age groups. Recognizing the differences help us write to a specific audience.

Before we write the first word, we need to determine the age group of the reader so the child will understand the comprehension and vocabulary levels. The audience becomes the stimulus, or purpose, for writing. Develop a character with which the child can identify. Most kids like to read about characters their same age or slightly older. Boys like to read about male main characters and girls will usually read books with either male or female characters.

Toddlers are concrete learners. They accept information in books at face value. They learn about the world around them by exploring. Concept books with the themes of counting, colors, and objects are appropriate. Bedtime stories and books about family and animals are favorites, as well. They enjoy picture and novelty books (board books, flap books, and pop-up books). Most of these books have few words. Many contain less than 100 and some are wordless.

Next week, I’ll continue to discuss the importance of audience and how audience defines writing for older age groups.

Contest for adults:
Write up to 500 words on a subject of your choice. What’s getting your goat? Making you think? Making you angry or excited? Put your spin on an important subject or something trivial – anything from Jordan the place to Jordan the model. A news item; a person; something of interest to others; a travel piece. Anything that takes your fancy. It can be in the form of a report, an essay, a comedic piece, a train of thought, an argument – anything that hangs together as a whole piece of work. The usual rules apply, so please read them (ignore the ones about payment rules, obviously).

For this competition there are two extra rules: 1) Give your piece its own title (which must NOT be ‘Spring Break’!) and 2) include the title of your piece in the ‘subject’ line of any email entries.

The only other proviso is that your work must not be defamatory or libellous in any way. Anything that could be considered as such will be disqualified. Otherwise, Happy Writing!

Deadline: April 30, 2011
Details at http://www.brightoncow.co.uk/comps/free.html

Call for submissions for student writers:
Hanging Loose magazine welcomes high school submissions. As with other writers, we reply within three months, and high school authors whose work we publish receive the same small fee and two copies of the issue in which their work appears. We feel a special responsibility to those young writers who look to us not only for possible publication but sometimes also for editorial advice,
which we are always happy to give when asked.
Details at http://www.hangingloosepress.com/submissions.html

Trends in Children's Literature Part II/Call for Submissions/Contest

2011-04-10T09:34:00.002-04:00

This week I’m continuing to cover trends in children’s publishing. Here are a few more:
1. Young adult books are still in demand. Problem novels, fantasy, realistic contemporary, historical fiction, and time travel are popular genres.
2. Picture books under 750 words, or less, seem to be in demand, while longer picture books are not as marketable.
3. Collections of poetry seem to be making a comeback.
4. Diary format books are exploding at the moment. The market will soon be saturated if the trend continues.
5. Graphic novels are hot.
6. Beginning readers are popular with the primary grade readers. Stories that once were published as picture books are now in the beginning reader format.
7. Books for tweens, a cross between middle grade and young adult literature are selling well.
Trends come and trends go. Literary vampires and zombies appear to be less trendy, along with stories about kids moving to new homes, as well as divorced and dead parents.

Keeping an eye on trends helps us to avoid certain formats or subject as we write stories we’re passionate about. If our stories happen to coincide with a trend, great; if not, maybe our stories will kick off a trend. My advice: Keep writing and stay informed. Useful information is gold to writers.

Call for submissions for students:
Imagine Literary Magazine is looking for well-written stories and poems as well as creative art and photography by young people, with a loose age guideline of 13-18 (If you're a few years out of that range, don't worry, your work can still be published). On occasion, Imagine Literary Magazine will publish works by adults, but please note that submissions of young people are given an advantage. The magazine is primarily meant for a children and teen audience. Stories can be any fiction genre (fantasy, science fiction, mystery, humor, contemporary, and historical just to name some). Nonfiction is only accepted if the story is written in a narrative form. Stories under 2,000 words is a maximum. All different forms of poetry are accepted. Just make sure to keep to a reasonable length.
Guidelines: http://imaginelitmag.blogspot.com/search/label/Submissions%20Guidelines

Contest for Adults:
Wonder in the Wander Contest: A contestant must submit a personal story, 2000 words or less, that describes a Wonder in the Wander, which is about the awe and inspiration that occurs in every day living whether it be a long dreamed of vacation or just picking up some groceries at the market. We are all connected in this life journey. What amazing Wander have you experienced? To see example content, visit http://susanleighpicking.blogspot.com/.
Deadline: June 30, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Details at http://susanleighpicking.com/witwpromorules.htm

Trends in Children's Literature/Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-04-03T09:56:00.005-04:00

The children's book publishing market is in a constant state of change and keeping up with the changes is a never-ending task. I’ve surfed the Internet looking for the latest trends and here are some recent discoveries.

1. A first-time author should query a stand-alone manuscript, rather than a series. If the book sells well, has a great hook, and grabs the interest of a wide network of readers, approach the publisher about a second or third book.

2. The picture book market continues to be soft but is gradually making a comeback. Selling picture books is difficult and the manuscripts have to be different from those currently in the market and stand out and above the competition of other submissions.

3. Nonfiction books need a hook to grab the reader’s attention and tell the story in a unique way. Focus on a narrow aspect of the subject rather than covering a broad, general topic. Find a subject, or a new perspective of the subject, that has not been covered in other books.

4. Multicultural literature is still popular with most publishers. Stories from other cultures are in demand. Depict ethnicity accurately, because all kids need to be represented in books and represented accurately. Avoid stereotypes and clichés.

5. Rhyming books are difficult to sell because the rhyme usually doesn’t hold up throughout the story.

6. Middle grade and young adult books are the best sellers; therefore, more contracts are going out for these manuscripts.

Since it’s impossible to predict trends, writers are encouraged to not focus on trends but to write the best story they can. Yet, it’s nice to know what types of manuscripts editors want and don’t want so we can better target our work to the most appropriate house. Next week, I’ll discuss more popular trends.

Have you noticed trends in children’s literature? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Just leave a comment.

Contest:
Norman Mailer High School and College Awards for Creative Nonfiction
"Norman Mailer produced extraordinary works in many genres, including the
category of this year's award. The awards are for excellence in creative
nonfiction which is truth/fact-based writing with literary merit, work that
features authorial voice and, often, personal experience, and often has a
significant narrative quality. The competition is broadly inclusive of genres
and subgenres that fall under creative nonfiction: memoirs, personal essays,
literary journalism, artful writings about place, environment, travel, people,
etc. Whatever its type, the best work will be true material presented with
compelling literary merit." In addition to a category for high-school students,
categories include the Two-Year College Competition, which is "open to first-and
second-year full-time students enrolled in community colleges, junior colleges,
and technical colleges" and confers a cash award of $5,000 plus travel and
lodging to attend the National Award Ceremony in New York City, and a Four-Year
College Competition, which "is open to current full-time undergraduate
students", confers a cash award of $10,000, a scholarship to the Norman Mailer
Writers Colony during the summer of 2012, and travel and lodging to attend the
National Award Ceremony. NB: "Funding for travel is limited to the continental
United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Canadian and other foreign students are
eligible to enter. Outside of the U.S. a $500.00 USD payment toward travel will
be allowed. Hotel will be paid as for students in the U.S."
Details at http://www.ncte.org/awards/student/nmwa
Deadline: April 28, 2011 (submissions close at noon, CST)

Call for Submissions:"
The Chattahoochee Review is under new editorship but very much alive and well. Please bear with us as we make this transition. We will be unveiling an exciting new website in the months to come. Meanwhile, keep the submissions and
subscriptions coming." Guidelines and pay rates are published at
http://chattahoochee-review.org.

Creating Character Voice, Contest and Call for Submission

2011-03-27T09:30:00.003-04:00

How can we strengthen our writing voices? Start by listening to how people talk. If you’re writing for teens, you might find the word, like, shows up a lot in dialog. Young children often ask questions. Where did the rain come from? Incorporate realistic dialog and narrative that reflect the age of the character into your writing.

Read works by other writers in the genre in which you are writing. Be conscious of how voice is used and why it resonates with you. Or doesn’t work, in some cases. Try to figure out why you don’t like that particular style of writing.

Read your work aloud. Does it genuinely reflect the age of the person who is telling the story?

Get to know your character. Interview your character. Ask questions and allow the character to answer as if s/he were real. You’ll learn more about your character than will be used in the story and more than the reader will need to know. The important thing is—you’ll have a better grasp of who the character is and the voice will be easier to capture.

Play with the words and scenes. Rewrite them to clean up the areas that falter. A strong voice develops through revision.

The Last Word
We wanna know how your story ends!

But you get to have the last word. Your final sentence has to be “And he/she/they would never have found out if it wasn’t for the______________________.”

Fill in that blank with a word or words.

Your story can be no longer than 350 words as determined by MS word count, excluding title. Your story can be funny, sad, mysterious, involve zombies or gratefully dead persons or live ones–just don’t do the conventional inside the parabola thinking of a crime or mystery murder. Surprise us all!

By entering this contest, you are giving us the right to publish your story on line and first time rights to printed publication, should this go into an anthology. If this contest results in creation of an anthology, there is no guarantee that your entry will included in publication.

You may have up to three entries, but each entry must be sent in an individual email attachment.
Deadline: April 5 at midnight, California time.
Send entries to thorn@awordwithyoupress.com

Cyberkids
We especially like stories, articles and poems that are funny.
· Art and written submissions can be on any topic that is appropriate for our audience (ages 7 to 12).
· Stories which include an original illustration or photo are more likely to be published than stories without pictures.
· Originality is very important--make sure the work you submit is your own and not copied from someone else.
· In addition to art and writing, we also like to publish games, puzzles, brain teasers, jokes, and multimedia creations by kids.
· Ages 13 and under: games, reviews and contests.
· Ages 13-18: poems, fiction and non-fiction

Details at www.cyberkids.com

Voice, Contests

2011-03-20T08:10:00.002-04:00

Sometimes we have those A-ha! moments when we see, hear, or read something that grabs us in a new way. That happened to me when I read the following quote by Gordon Lish: It’s not about what happens to people on the page; it’s about what happens to a reader in his heart and mind.

Hummmm. That bit of information is a nugget of literary ore. Our stories should begin with action; the characters should change by the end of the story; a satisfying conclusion usually works best, but a story can have all these components and still not strike gold with the reader. These components are a pathway for creating the story, but just as important is how we tell the story, better known as voice.

Voice is dicey to define and comes with a variety of definitions. It’s the way a character expresses him/herself in a unique way that reveals the character from inside out. Voice can be expressed in dialog, the words spoken by the character. Or through narrative, as the character tells the story in words that reflect who the character is. Voice is what the character chooses to say and how the character says it. Strong voice has attitude and rhythm. The story must resonate with the reader to such a degree that s/he will keep turning the pages.

Next week, I’ll discuss how to strengthen voice in writing.

Contest for Student Writers

The Sylvia K. Burack Writing Award is a writing contest for high school students in grades 11 and 12 in the U.S. and Canada. The award is made in memory of Sylvia K. Burack, longtime editor and publisher of The Writer magazine. Burack was known for her dedication to helping writers and editors. Submit a previously unpublished 600- to 800-word personal essay in English on the following topic: "Select a work of fiction, poem or play that has influenced you. Discuss the work and explain how it affected you." No song lyrics.

Eligibility: You must be a student in grade 11 or 12 attending a U.S. or Canadian high school at the time you submit the essay. The winner will be asked to provide proof of enrollment in grade 11 or 12 in a U.S. or Canadian high school.

Prizes:
• $500
• Publication in The Writer magazine and on WriterMag.com
• A one-year subscription to The Writer
Details: writingclasses.com/burack.
Deadline: March 31, 2011

Contest for Adult Writers

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
"Now in its tenth year. We seek today's best humor poems. Total cash prizes of
$3,600 will be awarded,with a top prize of $1,500." NB:"Poets of all nations may
enter. Your poem must be in English (inspired gibberish also accepted). Please
submit only one poem during the submission period. Your poem may be of any
length. Both published and unpublished work are welcome."
Details: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php
Deadline: April 1, 2011

Story Endings, Contest, Calls for Submissions

2011-03-13T08:28:00.006-04:00

Knowing how to write interesting endings is important, but it’s just as important to know what not to do, so let's avoid the following:

1. Repeating the main point, unless it's a letter trying to convince someone of something. Convey the idea earlier in the piece and don't hammer the reader with the same point at the end.

2. Uninteresting chronology. The day begins early in the story so the story ends that evening with "and they all said good-night." Focus the ending on the plot rather than the time sequence. I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but remember, we're aiming for zinger endings. This type of ending offers little or no surprise element.

3.Implausible endings that don't tie up all loose ends, such as dream sequences or "then she woke up and realized it was all just a dream." Fiction should reflect real life in explaining the actions characters take. Writers should resolve the main problem/goal in a story, but it's okay to leave room for interpretation and imagination at the end. This leads to provoking a reader to think about possible outcomes for the character. Remember, the goal is to leave the reader emotionally satisfied and glad they spend time reading your story.

Totem Head’s Contest for Young Writers
Categories :
1. Ages 9 and under
2. Ages 10-12
3. Ages 13-15
4. Ages 16-18
The contest is open to US residents under 19 years old.

Prizes :
One winner from each category will receive the following prizes.
1. Publication on AdventureWrite.com/kids
2. $50 cash
3. Certificate of Achievement

Judging Adventure Write will choose one winner from each category based : on:
1. Suitability for the Adventure Write Kid's website
2. Entertainment and Creativity
3. Spelling, grammar and punctuation
Deadline: Send your entry before 31 Dec 2011.
Details at http://www.adventurewrite.com/kids/contest.html

Stories for Children Magazine is looking for nonfiction, poems, crafts, activities and puzzles to fill their April, May and Summer 2011 issues. They buy titles for their “Best Of” anthology at the end of the year and many of the titles published in Stories for Children Magazine get contracted for educational markets.
Details at http://storiesforchildrenmagaizne.org. Guidelines are in the Contributor‘ section.

Story Endings, Calls for Submissions

2011-03-06T07:47:00.005-05:00

A teacher in Virginia (Hello, Jennifer) who follows this blog, requested information about story endings/conclusions, so the next two blogs will address endings.

A good ending makes a story come full circle. The ending should reflect and resolve the problem or goal developed at the beginning of the story. When I conduct writing workshops with students, I encourage them to end the story with a zinger. I define a zinger as an ending that zings the reader so s/he is
1. surprised. A twist or unexpected ending enhances the overall story.
2. provoked, to think about the story more. Does the ending leave the reader satisfied?
3. feeling strong emotional attachments to the story and characters.

In this case, what works for student writers also works for professionals. Reread the story and ask yourself if the ending is a zinger. If not, think about how the ending can be rewritten to become a zinger. I like surprise endings, because they make great zingers. Humorous ending make the reader laugh. Those work well, too.

Here are more questions the writer can ask:
1. Does the ending surprise the reader?
2. Will the reader be provoked to think about the story after reading it?
3. How will the story touch the reader emotionally? Will the reader care at all? Laugh? Cry?
4. Are all ends tied up? This means that unresolved problems have been dealt with.

Next week, I’ll discuss things to avoid in writing endings.

MatadorNetwork: They’re launching a print magazine! With *BETA*, their aim “is to publish the best English-language travel writing on the planet.” Pays: “[H]ere’s the bottom line: writing that makes the cut will be paid by the word, at competitive print rates (probably at 50 cents, for now). So every word has to be worth at least a pair of quarters.” Editors recommend reading this post for some additional information: http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/8-reasons-matador-is-launching-a-print-mag/
Guidelines at http://matadornetwork.com/betamag/writers-guidelines

Creative Kids The most exciting aspect of Creative Kids is that it is written by kids. Students from all over the world write for the magazine, so it includes exciting examples of the most creative student work to be found in any publication. Many kids get started by writing for the magazine’s “Write On” section. Here, kids express themselves by writing short opinion pieces about issues they face on a day-to-day basis.
Become a Creative Kids Author
Kids from all over the world read and contribute to Creative Kids. To submit your work to Creative Kids, be sure to read the submission guidelines first.
Details at Submission Guidelines

First Paragraph/Call for Submissions/Writing Contests

2011-02-27T10:13:00.001-05:00

Whether a story is a picture book, a short story, or a 100,000-word novel, the most important passage is the first paragraph. The beginning paragraph introduces the reader to your writing style. This is where the reader meets the character for the first time, along with the time and place of the story. Voice comes into play early. This introduction should capture the readers' interest, making them want to read on.

The beginning paragraph should start the story at a point where the character’s life will forever be changed. There is no room for backstory in the first paragraph. The story should start with some conflict that makes that day in the character’s life different. Or use intrigue to hook the reader. Make the reader want to find out what is going to happen as you hint at the problem that lies ahead. A strong beginning raises questions in the readers’ minds, questions they want answered.

Study the opening sentences in popular books and in new books you find. Notice how the author introduced the character and set up the story. Identify what the author did to grab you interest immediately. Make a list of different methods used to grab and hold your attention in the first paragraph. Some authors use humor, unusual phrasing, a surprising statement, a mystery, odd facts, and numerous other hooks. What worked for you?

Next week, I’ll discuss types of endings/conclusions.

Call for Submissions/Contest:
*The Threepenny Review* reopens to submissions in January, at which point it
will also begin allowing online submissions through a new submission system. No
simultaneous submissions. Pays: "At present *The Threepenny Review* is paying
$400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece."
http://www.threepennyreview.com

National Pet Week Writing Contest for Young Writers
The Auxiliary to The American Veterinary Medical Association is pleased to announce a call for entries to their annual writing and poster contests. The deadline is March 16, 2011. The winning entries will be used to promote the 2012 National Pet Week theme "Healthy Pets Make Happy Homes". Contest winners
will each receive $300. The writing contest is open to third to fifth graders. Entrants are invited to submit poems, essays, or stories 20 to 200 words in length. Entries must be submitted in the body of an e-mail to petweek@hotmail.com along with the entrant's name, address, grade in school, phone number and age.
The poster contest is open to artists of any age. The poster may be any size and must be colorful. Do not fold, staple, or send by fax. The use of crayons is discouraged because it does not copy well. Magic markers, dark colored pencils, and watercolor in bright shades, etc. tend to make a more attractive and reproducible entry. Posters with photos, magazine cut-outs, or additional elements of this type are
automatically disqualified. Entries must be postmarked by March 16, 2011 and mailed to:
Jewel Allen, 326 Ranch Road, Grantsville, Utah 84029. Go to the website and click on
"National Pet Week". Inquiries may be sent to petweek@hotmail.com.
Details at http://www.avmaaux.org

First Paragraph/Writing Contests

2011-02-20T07:38:00.006-05:00

Ten seconds. That’s the average amount of time editors give to an unsolicited manuscript to determine if they want to keep reading. TEN SECONDS! Yikes! Of course, the time varies from editor to editor, but keep in mind the value of the first impression. In a literary sense, it's the first paragraph.

The first paragraph is the most important paragraph you’ll write, regardless of the type of story. Beginning sentences provide the ten seconds in which the editor decides to quit reading or becomes engaged in the story. Readers often do the same thing. In bookstores and libraries, readers pick up a book, open to the first page and read about ten seconds. As readers, we decide quickly if we like the writing style and if the story grabs us. If not, we move on to another book.

Make the first line of the first paragraph so enticing, the reader is hooked enough to read the second line, then the third. The introductory paragraph is the roadmap for the remainder of the story. Hint at WHAT is going to happen as you establish the setting, introduce the main character, and point of view. That’s an incredible task, but not impossible. [See: previous three blogs for writing literary hooks.]

Next week, I’ll explore writing the first paragraph.

Wherefore a.r.t. though?
This contest is a fun way to stretch your writing muscles. The contest winner will get a literary treasure chest from A Word with You Press, sent to your doorstep, to include signed copies of all their books and a lot more.

Start with a title: “The art of_______________”

You fill in the blank. Could be the art of Picasso, the art of the deal, the art of Thomas Sully, the art of making popcorn, the art of rolling a cigarette. the art of kissing, the art of getting over 500 visitors a day on our website. ANYTHING can go in the blank.

But then it gets a little tricky.

Your first three words have to start with the letters “A” , “R“, and “T“. For example “Arthur relied totally (on the advice of his mother, who….) or Anglophiles ruined Thorn’s (respect for Guinness and the English language) or Another rotten tomato (hit him squarely in the jaw as he recited the lines to Tennessee William’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.) You get the idea.

The story must be no more than 500 words (this does not include the title).

Somewhere you must have a word sequence that is is created from the word “Writer”, just like you did for “Art”, like “William remembered intimate things Evelyn regretted having told him, that night they uncorked the…)

Entries must be received by February 28th, midnight, California Time. Send entries to thorn@awordwithyoupress.com.
Details at http://www.awordwithyoupress.com/

Saroyan Writing Contest for students:
THEME: Which friend or family member has had the greatest impact on your life? Why?
Limit 2-3 pages. First place $100, second place $75, third place $50. Prizes awarded in each age group: Grades 1-2, grades, 3-4, grades 5-6, grades 7-9, grades 10-12, college. Students with special needs are also encouraged to participate.
Must use entry form online.
Details at http://www.williamsaroyansociety.org/
Deadline: March 7, 2011.

Fishing for a Contract, Part III, The Pedestal Magazine, Boodle: By Kids, For Kids

2011-02-12T07:09:00.005-05:00

Here more ways to cast a hook to catch an editor’s attention:

Humor. Keep them laughing and you’ll keep them reading. Whether you write picture books, chapter books, or children’s novels, humor is in demand. Dav Pilky’s Captain Underpants and Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones are series that play up the funny from page one, paragraph one, and sentence one.

Strong setting. In Coraline by Neil Gaiman, kids are scared, but not too scared. A haunted house or a dark cave sets the mood for intriguing reading. Thunderstorms and cold, dark basements can immediately conjure up eerie situations.

Foreshadowing. Drop hints of the problems that lie ahead to keep the interest high. Patricia Polacco’s Just Plain Fancy or E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web provide clues to build reader expectation and create suspense and a sense of wonder.

Surprise ending. Snag a surprise ending with a hook. In my book, On the Banks of the Amazon, two young hunters are on a safari. I saved the biggest hook for the last line, “The wildlife hunters pick up their camera, aim and shoot again.” Eve Bunting did the same with her book, Wednesday Surprise. The surprise is saved for the last page.

Use these hooks or a combination of two or more to develop strong beginnings and endings for your stories. If you cast a hook or two, you’ll give an editor reasons to keep on reading and up your chances of reeling in a contract.

Next week, I’ll discuss story endings.

The Pedestal Magazine.
"Re: fiction for the April 2011 issue (reading cycle February 28-April 14): we will
be accepting flash fiction up to 1,200 words. Theme will be 'Husbands and
Wives.' Writers may submit up to three (3) pieces. Please do not submit work
intended to be considered for the April 2011 issue prior to February 28." Pays:
$.08/word.

Boodle: By Kids, For Kids Audience: children ages 6-12. Publishes stories, articles, poems, mazes, puzzles, etc.
P.O. Box 1049, Portland, IN 47371. Ph. (219) 726-8141. Published quarterly. 100% of magazine is written by children.

“Fishing for a Contract,” part II, Fiction Contest, Scholarship for Mystery Writing

2011-02-06T08:10:00.001-05:00

Here are more ways to cast a hook to catch an editor’s attention:

Start with action. Action doesn’t have to be a wild car chase or a boxing match. Action means beginning a story at a point where the main character will forever be changed. M. T. Anderson gets straight to the point at the beginning of Feed, "We went to the moon to have fun…” The beginning is no place for backstory or the history of the character.

Create an active, believable character. In Millicent Min, Girl Genius, author Lisa Yee depicts a young girl who does not understand how to make friends. Strong, active characters are involved in solving their own problems, and that involvement keeps the tension high and the story interesting. Introduce problems early and make life difficult for the character. Give the character flaws and allow the character to make mistakes as in Alexi Sherman’s The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian. Mistakes offer learning experiences in which the character grows.

Curiosity. Kids are naturally curious so writing a dramatic statement peaks their interests. If you add something gross the interest factor soars. In Chasing Redbird, Sharon Creech does both with, "Worms dangled in Aunt Jessie's kitchen." Laura Numeroff poses a curious situation in If You Give a Pig a Pancake.

Next week, I’ll post part III of this three-part series.

Kenyon Review Short Fiction Contesthttp://www.kenyonreview.org/contests-sf.php
Submissions: February 1-February 28, 2011
NO ENTRY FEE

Helen McCloy/Mystery Writers of America Scholarship for Mystery Writinghttp://mysterywriters.org/?q=AwardsPrograms-McCloy
Deadline: February 28, 2011
NO APPLICATION FEE

"The Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship for Mystery Writing seeks to nurture talent in
mystery writing - in fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting." Open
to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Two scholarships up to $500 each will
be presented. "The scholarship may be used to offset tuition and fees for U.S.
writing workshops, writing seminars, or university/ college-level writing
programs. Applicants must select a specific writing class/workshop/seminar to
which scholarship funds would be applied." Check the site for details and the
application form.

Open to writers who are 30 years of age or younger at the time of submission.
Stories must be no more than 1200 words in length. No simultaneous submissions.
The journal will publish the winning story in its Winter 2012 issue, and the
author will win a scholarship to attend the 2011 Writers Workshop (June) in
Gambier, Ohio.

Fishing for a Contract

2011-01-30T08:29:00.002-05:00

Want to catch an editor’s attention? Cast a hook.

A hook is a literary device used to grab a reader’s interest. Readers don’t want the story to build to an exciting tale; they want a moving story from the beginning, one that grabs them emotionally with a hold that won’t let go until the last page is read.

Editors spend a few seconds deciding if they want to read a manuscript. The decision is often based on the first paragraph. I once heard an editor state that if she liked the first paragraph, she turned to the last paragraph. If she liked the last paragraph, she began reading the manuscript, once again, from the beginning. Since the first and last paragraphs are so important, try dangling literary bait with a few hooks.

Question. Nonfiction books and articles sometimes begin with a question such as, What is the fastest land animal? The interest is immediate and kids keep reading to find the answer: cheetah. Fiction can also use this angle. The protagonist could question anything and everything. For added interest, make asking questions a quirky part of the character’s personality.

Similes and metaphors. Compare two things that are not alike, such as My day began like a car chase and ended with a crash. Similes add entertainment value by forming a comparison and expressing emotion. A metaphor makes a comparison without the words “like” or “as.” The metaphor—My day was a car crash—creates a mental picture. These sensory details paint vivid pictures.

Next week, I’ll post part II of this three-part series.

Calls for Submissions:

The Blue Pencil Online publishes the work of writers ages 12 to 18
from around the world, with the intention of showcasing the best
and full scope of teen writing.
Details at http://www.thebluepencil.net/bp-submissions/tbpo-writers-guidelines/

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2011 Short Story CompetitionDetails at http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition-2011
Deadline: February 14, 2011

One-Word Resolution/Calls for Submission

2011-01-23T08:19:00.007-05:00

A new year is a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make. This holds true for writing as well as life. Each year many of us make resolutions, and many of those last all the way up to March 1st, and some are broken in fifteen minutes. The challenges we set for ourselves almost never result in reformed habits. This year, I’m trying something new.

A critique buddy—Hi, Janet—proposed the idea of each member of our critique group adopting a word, rather than a resolution, to guide us through the year. Just one word to provide inspiration when we feel down. One word to refer to when we feel joy or disappointment. One word to give encouragement to others who share the love of writing.

I chose the word pleasure. Pleasure has a positive feel, a comforting sound, and it reminds me why I chose writing as a career. I want to celebrate the positive aspects of writing, whether it's informative comments from my critique buddies; a note from an editor, even if it is in the guise of a rejection letter; an observation from a reader or fellow writer; a thank-you from someone I've worked with; anything, everything positive related to writing. Writing is a journey, a pleasurable journey, and I want to enjoy the small steps along the way.

What word works for you?

Calls for Submissions:

Glimmer Train is accepting fiction submission the month of January. Submit up to three stories. Pays $700, plus 10 copies.
Details at http://glimmertrain.com/

Young Writer We would love to see YOUR writing and we might even publish it in Young Writer magazine or here on the website. It can be anything that you want to say, prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Just make sure it is your own unaided work, write it as well as you can and send it to us. Let us have your name, your age and your address. We do not pass these on to anyone else. You can send it to us by email or post. Remember, whenever you send your writing off to any publisher, make sure you keep a copy for yourself in case it gets lost in transit. Email word documents (under 600 words in length, please!) to youngwriter@writersnews.co.uk
Details at http://www.young-writer.co.uk/contact/

Newbery and Caldecott Awards/Writing Contest/Call for Submissions

2011-01-16T08:03:00.003-05:00

2011 has started with a publishing BANG! Two elite awards, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals for children’s literature were announced last week. Both awards go to a debut author and illustrator. Clare Vanderpool won the Newbery Medal for her novel, Moon over Manifest (Delacorte/Random House). This historical fiction story takes place in 1936 Kansas and alternates with a World War 1 setting. Moon over Manifest was also selected as The Association of Booksellers for Children 2010 New Voices Pick. Not bad for a first-time author.

First-time illustrator, Erin E. Stead, grabbed the 2011 Caldecott Medal for A Sick Day for Amos McGee (Neal Porter/Roaring Brook/Macmillan). Her husband, Philip C. Stead, wrote the text for the picture book about an elderly gentleman who visited the zoo and spent time with the animals. When illness prevents him from visiting the zoo, the animals visit him.

Vanderpool and Stead are living proof that new writers can get published and they don’t have to have an extensive resume attached to their names to garner long-awaited contracts. These newcomers have gotten published and acquired immediate respect for their work.

What does this mean for other writers? First we have to write; secondly, we have to submit. As we’ve seen with these awards, the goals are attainable. Let’s make 2011 end with a publishing BANG.

Contest:
"Amazon.com, along with Penguin Group (USA) and CreateSpace, is pleased to announce the fourth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, the international competition seeking the next popular novel. The competition will once again award *two grand prizes*: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which
includes a $15,000 advance." Read the detailed terms/conditions at the site.
Deadline: January 24-February 6, 2011
Details: You must register at www.CreateSpace.com/abna to enter the Contest.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Poetic Monthly Magazine Accepts submissions by writers of all ages. In the October issue, PM featured a 10-year-old writer/illustrator. PM features the top 25 poems of the month's submissions, plus articles about writing, one-page short stories and visual arts. All content in the magazine is family-friendly.
Details: http://www.poetstage.com/poeticmonthly.htm

Word of the Year for 2010, Word Choice/Calls for Submissions

2011-01-09T08:35:00.003-05:00

Merriam-Webster named Austerity, the 14th century noun defined as "the quality or state of being austere" and "enforced or extreme economy," as the Word of the Year for 2010. According to John Morse, president and publisher, the word "austerity" received more than 250,000 searches on the dictionary's free online tool.
Completing the top ten are
2. pragmatic,
3.moratorium
4. socialism
5. bigot
6. Doppelganger [This word was used in "The Vampire Diaries."]
7. shellacking
8. ebullient
9. dissident
10. furtive

We want readers to take notice of our word choice. Finding words that capture and convey meaning is challenging but well worth the effort. As we take our readers along the journey of our stories, our word choices can create a bumpy ride or a smooth one. Mark Twain said it best: The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

Calls for Submissions:
You may already know that *Witness* publishes an annual print issue devoted to a single topic (currently, they’re seeking work on “Disaster”). Now, the journal is launching two online issues as well (May and September). These will be general issues. Keep in mind that the journal “prefer[s] work that is contemporary in its setting, outward-looking in its perspective, and mindful of the modern writer’s role as witness to his or her times. We also enjoy material that ventures into international terrain.” Submit fiction, nonfiction, or poetry until April 1. Pays: $25/every 1,500 words of prose and $25/poem, “for both print and online work.”
Details at http://witness.blackmountaininstitute.org/

Kids on the Net was one of the first websites on the Internet to invite children to submit their
writing. Now there are thousands of Kids on the Net writers - have a read! We want children all over the world to send us your writing - poems, stories, articles and reports, opinions, writing about yourselves - whether you write it at school, at home, in a library or club, or anywhere else.
Details at http://www.kidsonthenet.com/

Writing a To-Do List, Goals, Calls for Submissions

2011-01-02T08:49:00.003-05:00

A new year is upon us. As we face the blank writing page of 2011, let’s peek back at our achievements of 2010 and look forward to a prosperous 2011 by making a couple of lists, “Accomplishments” and “To-Do”. “Under “Accomplishments” list what you’ve accomplished in your writing. Did you have fun? Learn anything new? Finish a manuscript? Start a manuscript? Attend a workshop? Stop obsessing over rejection letters? (We’ll probably never totally accomplish that one.) Enter a contest? Join a writers group? Be kind to yourself and list any and all positive writing experiences.

Try the same technique with the “To-Do” list. What do you want to do in 2011 to improve your writing career? Did you read about a publisher that accepts manuscripts for a short period of time, say July? List each month and under July, write “submit to [ ] publisher. I use a To-Do list with monthly projects because it’s the only way I can keep track of information. I also use this list as a reminder to submit to [ ] publisher if a certain manuscript is rejected by a publisher to which it is now submitted. If I haven’t heard from a publisher in 6 months, I’ll submit to another; maybe as many as five.

Rather than eat away at our time, lists actually save time by keeping us organized. Begin 2011 with a positive outlook and an organized approach to pave the way for reaching your writing goals.

Calls for Submissions:

Graywolf Press: January is a month when Graywolf Press accepts submissions (postmark dates; submissions are also welcome in May and September). "Graywolf Press is a literary press that publishes about twenty-seven books annually, mostly collections of poetry, memoir, essays, novels, and short stories. Our editors are looking for high quality literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that combines a distinct voice with a distinct vision." Check
http://www.graywolfpress.org and click "Submission Guidelines" to learn more.

The Blue Pencil Online publishes the work of writers ages 12 to 18 from around the world, with the intention of showcasing the best and full scope of teen writing.
Guidelines at http://www.thebluepencil.net/bp-submissions/tbpo-writers-guidelines/

New Ebooks/Writer Guidelines/Contest for Kid Writers

2010-12-26T09:08:00.005-05:00

Why in the world is it so hard to keep track of that old felt hat? It's on a flagpole. It's in a tree. That old felt hat is chased away by a bothersome wind. What will Little Lucy and Aunt Iris do to track down that elusive hat?

A bat, a spider, an owl and Wee, Wee Witch do their spooky best to make sad, mad pumpkin a glad, glad pumpkin.

I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to participate in a brand spanking new literacy- technology program called Be There Bedtime Stories. Today, I’m unveiling my new ebook: THE OLD FELT Hat. A couple of months ago THE MOODY PUMPKIN was published as an ebook for the same group. These books can be read as bedtime stories by anyone with a camera and a microphone attached to a computer. The program was designed by a woman who lived a long distance from her nieces, so she developed a way of using a computer to read to the girls and they could listen to her voice as they looked at the pages of a book on the monitor screen. The idea caught on and a new company developed. You can check out my books and look at some of the pages on the company website: http://www.betherebedtimestories.com/. Click on “Bookstore” and type in my name or the book title and you can see a few pages of each.

Happy reading…and writing. May 2011 be filled with inspiration, perspiration, and excitation for each of your stories. Throughout the year I'll focus on specific areas of writing with each blog. Stay tuned and stay warm.

Writer Guidelines:

Parents Magazine welcomes new writers and prefers query letters instead of completed manuscripts. The editors suggest that writers look carefully at the magazines. This will provide a good idea as to the kind of stories that are published as well as tone they convey. Stories should be aimed at a wide variety of readers and specific age groups. Human-interest stories are always welcome.
Query letters should be sent to:
(Editor)
Parents Magazine
375 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Contest for kids:
AMAZING KIDS! ONLINE MAGAZINE. Are you an amazing kid who enjoys whipping up delicious food in the kitchen?
Enter your recipe in our Amazing Kids! Healthy Kids Recipe Contest for the chance to be published in the Amazing Kids! Healthy Kids e-Cookbook, by and for kids! Kids and teens, ages 6-17 can submit an original, healthy recipe that they enjoy and would like to share with other children. High-quality photos of the finished product are not mandatory but are appreciated.
Deadline: January 31, 2011
Email: contests@amazing-kids.org with Recipe Contest and your last name in the subject line.

Manuscript Ready for Publication/Calls for Submissions

2010-12-18T16:23:00.001-05:00

I received an email this week from a writer who asked how to tell when a manuscript is finished and ready to submit to a publisher or agent. That’s a difficult question I could discuss with a variety of answers. I sometime wonder the same thing about my manuscripts. I find it much easier to gauge the quality of manuscripts written by others than to identify the positives and negatives of my own writing.

My suggestion to the writer was to revise again and again, looking for strong opening paragraphs, descriptive language, character and plot development, pacing, voice, and a realistic ending. The list could be longer, but that’s a start.

Our best writing is never the first draft…or the second. Sometimes we don’t catch gaps and holes in the story because we see the narrative as a movie running in our minds and we totally understand the characters, their action and motives. Therefore, we need readers other than friends and family to read the work and provide honest and relevant feedback. I suggested to the writer that joining a critique group would be in her best interest. Of course, the group needs to have some interest in writing and preferably experience in writing in the same genre.

If you’re having trouble deciding if your manuscript is ready, try forming a critique group. You will learn from each other and you’ll gain new perspectives about your writing.

Calls for Submissions:

Bumples Pay: $.20/word. An exciting NEW INTERACTIVE online magazine for children four to ten years of age. Bumples specializes in illustrated fiction about children and animals in mysteries, sports, poems and fantasies with serialized adventures in each issue. Stories are uniquely supplemented with puzzles, question games, and activities, all of which makes Bumples story telling all the more engaging. Interesting information on a topic is always fun to explore after enjoying a great reading experience. Consequently, Bumples adds factual postscripts to complement each story. http://www.bumples.com/WritersGuidelines.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Teen Ink is a monthly print magazine, website, and a book series all written by teens for teens." The Young Authors Foundation feels strongly that one of the greatest needs of young people is to preserve their sense of self-worth. Teen Ink's role is to listen to its contributors and provide a forum in which teens can express themselves through poetry, essays, stories, reviews, art and photography.
Details at http://www.teenink.com/

Trends in Children's Literature/Calls for Submissions

2010-12-12T08:37:00.005-05:00

Even though editors ask us to write stories we feel compelled to write, it’s nice to keep up with the trends in children’s literature. Here’s a list released last week from Scholastic.

1. The expanding Young Adult (YA) audience
2. The year of dystopian fiction The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. Dystopian fiction features stories that indicate the future will be worse than the present.
3. Mythology-based fantasy: Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series set the trend – and now series like The Kane Chronicles, Lost Heroes of Olympus and Goddess Girls are capitalizing.
4. Multimedia series: The 39 Clues, Skeleton Creek and The Search for WondLa are hooking readers with stories that go beyond the printed page and meet kids where they are online or via video.
5. A focus on popular characters – from all media: Kids love to read books about characters they know and recognize from books, movies and television shows. Titles centered around those popular characters (like Fancy Nancy, David Shannon's David, or Toy Story characters) are top sellers.
6. The shift in picture books: Publishers are publishing about 25 to 30 percent fewer picture book titles than they used to as some parents want their kids to read more challenging books at younger ages. The new trend is leading to popular picture book characters such as Pinkalicious, Splat Cat and Brown Bear, Brown Bear showing up in Beginning Reader books.
7. The return to humor: Given the effects of the recession on families, it is nice to see a rise in the humor category, fueled by the success of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dav Pilkey's The Adventures of Ook & Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future, and popular media characters like SpongeBob, and Phineas & Ferb.
8. The rise of the diary and journal format: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is the most well-know example of this trend, but the success of Wimpy Kid is leading to popular titles such as Dear Dumb Diary, Dork Diaries, The Popularity Papers, and Big Nate.
9. Special-needs protagonists: There is a growing body of literary fiction with main characters who have special needs, particularly Aspergers Syndrome and Autism. Examples: My Brother Charlie, Marcelo in the Real World, Mockingbird, and Rules.
10. Paranormal romance beyond vampires: The success of titles like Shiver, Linger, Beautiful Creatures, Immortal, and Prophesy of the Sisters shows this genre is still uber-popular and continues to expand.

Calls for submissions

Hazard Community & Technical College is hosting their annual Young Appalachian Poets Award. Any poet, high school aged or younger, may submit their original poetry. First prize includes $100 and publication in Kudzu; Second Place is $50 and publication in Kudzu. Up to five original poems may be submitted as attached documents to Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu or HZ-HCTC-KUDZU@kctcs.edu. Please include a brief biographical statement and put YAPA in the subject line. The deadline is January 30th.

KUDZU, HCTC’s literary magazine, is seeking submissions for its spring 2011 issue. Send your original poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction. Submissions must be in either Word or as an RTF and emailed as attached documents to HZ-HCTC-KUDZU@kctcs.edu. No snail mail submissions will be accepted. Please contact Professor Scott Lucero at 1-800-246-7521, ext 73200, or at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu for more detailed submission guidelines. Deadline is January 15, 2011.

Highlights Magazine is looking for stories.

Rebus Stories (ages 4-6) up to 100 words, Joëlle Dujardin, Senior Editor.
Beginning Readers (ages 6 to 8), up to 500 words, Joëlle Dujardin, Senior Editor. Wants humorous stories, folktales, holiday stories, sports stories.
Fiction for Independent Readers (ages 8 to 12), up to 800 words, Joëlle Dujardin, Senior Editor, Wants mysteries, humorous stories, adventure stories, historical fiction, sports stories.
Details at http://www.highlights.com/contact-us

Developing Ideas/Calls for submissions

2010-12-05T09:27:00.003-05:00

An idea is the seed of a story. Like a seed, a story needs the right environment to grow. Some ideas grow better in a short story, some are suited for a full-length novel, and some are perfect for a picture book. Since you’ll be living and breathing the idea for a long time, choose it with care. The enthusiasm you have for your idea will need to be strong enough to be worthy of weeks or months of your time.

Borrow ideas from your own life or that of someone who interests you. You don’t have to make up everything in a fictional story. Consider the worst day of your life. Or the time you made a terrible decision. These moments evoke intense emotions and can be used to develop a character. The character doesn’t have to experience the same situations you did, but basing the story on a real event can add authenticity to the story making it seem more real to the reader.

When you get an idea, write it down immediately. Keep a notebook handy for just that purpose. If you overhear an interesting phrase or an unusual use of a word, add it to the notebook and allow a character to think those thoughts or use the phrase in dialog to add distinctive voice to your story.

Look at photos to get an idea of a house or area so when you describe setting, the words will flow much easier. Imagining the layout of an area is more difficult than looking at a picture in which you see trees, stream, and animals roaming around.

Research the subject of the story so interesting facts can add to the realism. Readers enjoy learning something new or being surprised with a tidbit of information.

Create a problem for the character and plot the story so the character must solve the problem on his/her own.

Don’t rush the story. Like seeds, stories take time to bloom.

Calls for submissions:

Accents Publishing, an independent press for brilliant voices seeks poems of up to 50 words for an anthology of very short poems, edited by Katerina Stoykova-Klemer. Previously published work is accepted if credited. Send submissions, along with a short bio, in the body of an e-mail. There is no limit to the number of poems submitted.
Deadline: Dec. 31.
Contact: accents.publishing@gmail.com.

Kentucky Young Writers Connection Blog wants writers/artists for publication on the Kentucky Young Writers Connection Blog. One writer will be featured each week through April. Personal promotion allowed but no stipend. Write a 300-500 word essay addressing 1) how/why you became a writer/artist; 2) how nature, ecology, your environment past and present have shaped or fit into your work.
Deadline: April, 2011.
Contact doris@dorissettles.com

Creating and Developing Ideas for Books/Contest/Call for Submission

2010-11-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was attended the Kentucky Book Fair where I talked with lots of writers. One beginning writer asked a couple of interesting questions: What triggered the idea for my first book? and How did I develop the idea into a story? Sometimes I wonder why that particular manuscript struck a chord with an editor when previous manuscripts landed in the trash heap. Now that I’ve had time to reflect on the question, I think I can answer it, at least partially.

The writing advice “Write about what you know” certainly applies to my first book, Once Upon a Dime. The setting of the book is a small farm. I live on a small farm. The animals are named for famous Americans. For seven years, I taught American history and focused on many famous Americans. At the end of the story, the tree grows books. I became a librarian so I was surrounded by books every day. But the similarities don’t stop there. One day my husband came in from mowing the fields. He walked upstairs to change out of his hot, sweaty clothes. In the meantime, he emptied his pockets of coins and attempted to drop them into a glass jar that served as a piggy bank. Instead, the coins missed the opening of the jar and scattered over the floor with a ting and a ping and a plink. When I heard the noise I looked at my two canine girls and said, “The money tree is ripe and it’s dropping its fruit.” I immediately realized I had just spouted a plot for a book. Of course, the sound of the ting, pling, and plink became the sound of the money as it shimmied in the breeze.

I find that if I write about what I know or a subject I’m interested in, the story is easier to write. When I research, I’m always on the lookout for quirky facts and interesting information. In Once Upon a Dime, I added Chinese money, yuan, to the money crop. The hardest part of writing the story was creating names for the manure—pig squish, sheep biscuits—used to fertilize the crops. That was the most fun, too.

So to answer the questions, I wrote about a subject in which I was passionate and knew well—a small, Appalachian farm.

What subject are you passionate about? When you figure out the answer, you know the subject of the book you can write.

Next week, I’ll discuss more about developing ideas.

Fan Story Contest
Write a short love poem with fifteen words or less. $100 cash prize for the winner of this contest for poets.
Deadline: December 3
Details at http://www.fanstory.com/contestdetails.jsp?id=3301&at=177

Call for Submissions
Teen Ink is a monthly print magazine, website, and a book series all written by teens for teens.
Details at http://www.teenink.com/

Fear of Rejection, Call for Submissions, Student Contest

2010-11-21T07:39:00.002-05:00

It happens to most writers to some degree. It takes hold and nothing pours from our minds to our fingertips to the keyboard. Sometimes it’s expressed as writers’ block. Sometimes it’s conveyed in volumes of pages but nary a word is submitted. Other times it’s demonstrated through procrastination. The “it” I’m referring to is fear. Fear that what we write isn’t good enough. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure
This poem expresses the feeling of fear beautifully.

Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
Author unknown

You’ve failed many times,
although you may not
remember.
You fell down
the first time
you tried to walk.
You almost drowned
the first time
you tried to
swim, didn’t you?
Did you hit the
ball the first time
you swung a bat?
Heavy hitters,
the ones who hit the most home runs,
also strike
out a lot.
English novelist
John Creasey got
752 rejection slips
before he published
564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out
1,330 times,
but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don’t worry about failure.
Worry about the
chances you miss
when you don’t
even try.

Fear is part of a writer’s journey. Those who get contracts push past their fears and accept them as nothing more than bumps along the publishing road.

Call for Submissions

TriQuarterly Online has opened for submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, short drama, and hybrid work. “We also welcome short-short prose pieces. We especially are interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that *TriQuarterly* pursued from its beginning in 1964. *TQO* pays honoraria for creative work.” NB: Query if you would like to “review books or literary events, interview an author, or propose a craft essay.” Submission manager will remain open through July 15, 2011.
Details at http://triquarterly.org/submissions

Student Contest

Merlyn’s Pen
There's an old saying: Laughter is the best medicine. When we laugh, we forget our troubles and our pains. Writing about growing up helps us recall events that challenged, scared, confused or even shocked us. Hmmm, that doesn’t sound like fun. Yet when writing about life-changing events, don't we sometimes find ourselves smiling, even laughing, and acknowledging some “good” that resulted? If they lead to nothing else, these memories can lead to a story -- often a story others will enjoy hearing. Merlyn's Pen and its online readers want to hear your story!

This contest seeks humorous stories -- nonfiction ("true" stories) up to 750 words -- about an event that taught you something important, that changed or shaped your understanding of yourself, your friends, your family, or the world.
Winning entries will be picked from two divisions: High school (grades 9-12 or home-school equivalent) and Middle School (grades 6-8 or home-school equivalent).

Deadline December 31, 2010
Details at http://www.merlynspen.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/43199/search/true

Guest Author, Ev Christensen/Contest/Call for Submissions

2010-11-14T09:09:00.007-05:00

Literature Wordokus, level 1
ISBN :978-1-34358-59-7
For grades 3-6
Literature Wordokus, level 2
ISBN :978-1-34358-58-0
For grades 6-8

Publisher: Pieces of Learning
Publishing Date: 2010

Today, I'm happy to have a special friend, Ev Christensen, as a guest. She is an award-winning author of over 40 puzzle books. Her books are popular with kids, parents, and teachers and are used in classrooms across the nation. I've had the privilege of attending book signings with Ev and seen the positive responses she receives for her books.

Nancy: Ev, you are delightfully creative. Tell us about two of your recent books.

Ev: It’s great to be here with you, Nancy. I’m very excited about a pair of Literature Wordokus which I co-authored with Cathie Brown. The set provides intriguing discussion questions based on classic and award-winning books but which require no previous knowledge of the authors and literature they address. They’re intended to get kids excited about reading the books. Also included are sudoku-style puzzles (based on title, author, theme, setting, or character) which can be used as interest hooks.

Nancy: Can you give us some tips for writing a book of puzzles?

Ev: Try to create a new style of puzzle or give a new twist to a familiar puzzle type. Be aware that although trade publishers may still be producing puzzle books that are of the fun, brain teaser variety, most educational publishers want puzzle books to have a strong curriculum tie-in. With the focus on accountability these days, teachers on limited budgets are restricting their buying to resources that will help boost their test scores. Your chances of getting published are much higher if your puzzle book is not only fun, but is also that kind of resource.

Nancy: You have lots of experience writing and working with editors. What advice can you give writers who are just starting out?

Ev: My best advice to them is to take advantage of the helpful resources available on the web to learn as much as they can about writing and submitting. Sites like your wonderful blog, Verla Kay’s author forum http://www.verlakay.com, Institute of Children’s Literature http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/index.shtml, and Children’s Book Insider http://write4kids.com are all invaluable resources. If people are writing for the education market and are researching places to submit, my website is also a good resource http://echristensen.atspace.com.

Nancy: Thanks, Ev, for visiting with me today. Your advice is excellent and I wish you much success with Literature Wordokus. Ev’s books can be purchased at http://echristensen.atspace.com/litwdkus.html

Ev: Thank you for inviting me, Nancy!

Next week, I’ll address a topic close to all of our hearts, fear of rejection.

Contest:

Bevel Summers Prize in the Short Short Story
This new prize from *Shenandoah* "is open to all authors of stories of up to
1,000 words." Winner receives $250 and publication in the journals first online
issue.
Deadline: Manuscript must be received by March 31, 2011
Details at http://www.wlu.edu/x37279.xml

Call for Submissions
New Moon Girls
Objectives of New Moon Girls: New Moon Girls portrays girls and women as powerful, active and in charge of their own lives - not as passive beings who are acted upon by others. New Moon Girls celebrates girls and their accomplishments—we support girls' efforts to hold onto their voices, strengths and dreams as they move from being girls to becoming women. New Moon Girls is a tool for girls to use as they build resilience and resistance to destructive societal messages, moving confidently out into the world, pursuing their unique paths in life.
General Guidelines: All material should be pro-girl and focus on girls, women, or female issues. New Moon Girls was created by girls and women for girls who want their voices heard and their dreams taken seriously. It is edited by and for girls ages 8 and up. New Moon Girls takes girls very seriously; the publication is structured to give girls real power. The final product is a collaboration of girls and adults. An editorial board of girls aged 8-14 makes final decisions on content for the magazine and website.

New Moon Girls Upcoming Themes:May/June 2011 “Beauty Around the World” Deadline: Jan. 1, 2011
July/August 2011 “Do It Yourself” Deadline: March 1, 2011
Sept./Oct. 2011 “Eat to Save the Earth” Deadline: May 1, 2011
Send all electronically by email to submissions@newmoon.com
Details at http://www.newmoon.com/content/?id=1006&type=1

Character-Driven Stories, Part III, Calls for submissions

2010-11-07T08:40:00.004-05:00

Have you ever read a book and fallen for the character? Do you silently urge the character to keep trying and root for his/her triumph?

Here are a few tips to create likable characters.

Figure out your character’s weakness and proceed with an incredible problem that preys on that weakness. The main character should shoulder the main load. Do not allow the problems to be so overwhelming, the character cannot triumph; instead use the story to play out the character’s struggle and ultimate victory. Let the other characters in the story underestimate the protagonist. This will give him/her a chance to grow and prove them wrong by the end of the story. The protagonist should never realize that s/he will succeed until the very end.

A character’s personality can create a bond with readers on the first page of the book. Spring the personality of your main character onto the page early. Kids love humor. If you make your character funny, kids—and editors—will take notice and keep reading.

It’s not necessary to offer the character’s physical description in detail. Many readers like to draw their own conclusions about a character’s appearance, so leave room to engage the reader’s imagination.

Characters don’t have to be good to be likeable, but they should have likeable traits. A demanding cat can display anything but good behavior but it should have some redeeming qualities.

The character needs a sharp intellect, keen wit, or some quality that will make him/her able to stand up to the challenge and triumph over the obstacles.

Make your character memorable. Memorable characters need realistic problems to face, realistic decisions to make, and follow through with realistic solutions.

Check the character traits in your protagonist. Make “likable” one of the top.

Choice Publishing Group has issued calls for submissions for three anthologies within the Patchwork Path series: "Star Spangled Banner," "Star of Hope," and "Baby's Block." Deadlines vary (the first, for "Star Spangled Banner," which is looking for stories and essays "about living the American Dream," is December 31, 2010). Pays: $50/published story. Visit http://patchworkpathbooks.com for more information. (via PayingWriterJobs,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paying-writer-jobs)

Stone Soup welcomes submissions by children through age 13. If you are over 13 we suggest you search Google for a teen magazine where you can send your work.

Send us stories and poems about the things you feel most strongly about! Whether your work is about imaginary situations or real ones, use your own experiences and observations to give your work depth and a sense of reality. Writing need not be typed, as long as it is legible. Include your name, age, home address, phone number, and e-mail address if you have one. Please do not include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Details at http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/

Character-Driven Stories, Part II/Contest/Call for Submissions

2010-10-31T08:50:00.002-04:00

Character-driven stories focus on the character's emotions, needs, and flaws. That’s right, flaws. Characters should not be cast as perfect. Let the flaws draw in the reader by building empathy. The actions and decisions of the character drive the story, and some of those decisions might be poor choices. By the end of the story, the character should grow and learn from the conflict/quest/problem.

Create characters you care about. If they seem flat and dull to you, they probably will seem the same to the reader. Allow the character to engage the reader emotionally or intellectually, make the reader chuckle or tingle with goosebumps.

Become a people watcher. Notice what people wear and how they act. Listen to conversations. Eavesdrop. Use these observations in your writing.

As your story progresses, give the character an opportunity to surprise you with actions, thoughts, and dialog. Again, if you’re surprised, the reader is likely to be also. Unanticipated behavior adds interest. Refer to the profile you developed to include the character’s background and personality so the behavior remains credible.
Keep in mind the character’s motives and goals, in addition to the background. Focus on a character as s/he goes through a major change. Thoughts and emotion carry endless possibilities for your unique or quirky character. Have fun creating a character that only you can craft.

Part III will be posted next week.

Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel The prize of a book contract (on the publisher’s standard form) covering world rights for a hardcover and a paperback edition, including an advance and royalties, will be awarded annually to encourage the writing of contemporary young adult fiction. The award consists of $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties.
Deadline: Manuscripts must be postmarked after October 1, 2010, but no later than December 31, 2010.
Details at http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/

Skipping Stones provides a place for writers and artists of all ages and backgrounds to communicate creatively and openly.Writings (essays, stories, letters to the editor, riddles and proverbs, etc.) should be typed or neatly handwritten and limited to 750 words and poems to 30 lines. We encourage writings in all languages with an English translation, if possible. And, we love illustrations! Please send originals of your drawings, paintings, or photos. Include your name, age, and address along with your submission.
Details at http://www.skippingstones.org/submissions.htm

Character Driven Stories, Part I/Calls for submissions for adult and teen writers

2010-10-24T08:29:00.002-04:00

Characters are the driving force behind a story’s depth. As the plot unfolds, the choices a character makes define the story outcome.

Get to know your character before you begin writing. Knowing your character helps you keep the character’s voice, dialog, and actions consistent. A teenage character should sound like a teenager throughout the story and the dialog should reflect that voice. A five-year-old should sound and act his age.

Create a profile of your character through an interview. This short list can be used as a guide.

Character Profile

Name
Age
Family members
Hometown
Appearance
Habits/Vices
Likes/Dislikes
Is behavior ruled by emotions or logic?
Strengths/Weaknesses
Type of Personality
Shy/Outgoing
Loner/Mixer
Favorite expressions
Odd quirks

Add to this list as needed. You might want to know more about the parents, pet peeves, and attitudes or you may want to skip some items. Develop a list that pertains to your character and story. Experiment to determine what works best for you. As your character grows you may want to add particular personality traits to the list.

Write the answers in the character’s voice. Be as detailed or as brief as you wish. Again, determine what works best for you. The information you write is actually a biography of the character.

Developing a character profile is a good way to organize thoughts about a character, to keep character continuity, and to reveal minute character details to readers. When you know your character as well as you know yourself, you can more easily create a character that is believable, captivating, and unique. Character subtleties affect the way the plot unfolds and the problem is resolved.

In my next post, I’ll focus on character-driven stories.

River Styx. A multicultural journal of poetry, prose and art. River Styx publishes works of both new and established artists significant for their originality, energy and deft of craft. The high quality of its form and content have made it a leader among literary magazines for 30 years. River Styx has been included in many editions of the Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, New Stories from the South, and Pushcart Prize anthologies. We publish poetry, short fiction, essays, interviews, drawings and photographs. If your work is the best that it can be and you deem it fits with the established style and content of our magazine, please send it to River Styx.
Deadline: Until November, so hurry.
Details at http://www.riverstyx.org/submissions/index.php

Frodo's Notebook is looking for well-crafted poems, creative essays, and short stories by teens age 13-19 from all around the world.
Details at http://frodosnotebook.com/

Breathing Life into Characters, Part III/Calls for Submissions

2010-10-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

Begin the story at the moment the main character faces change or conflict. At this point ask the character what would happen if he failed to succeed? What consequences would the character suffer? What is the character willing to give up or sacrifice? From these questions, you can determine the character’s motivations. By the end of the story the character should undergo change. The change may be internal or external or both.

Conflict drives the actions of the character. The character should respond in ways that reflect real life. Don’t be afraid to give the character flaws. Flaws provide conflict, and readers empathize and identify with imperfect characters. Allow the character to develop gradually as the plot develops.

Characters are the forces that tell the story. Their thoughts, actions, and dialog make a story memorable. The more believable the character, the more believable the story becomes. Spend time learning the characters before writing the story and you will develop a better understanding of how they will react in the tension-filled situations in which you place them. Your character will become more interesting and life-like and will linger in the minds of the reader long after the book is closed.

In my next post, I’ll discuss how to create a character profile.

CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women, accepts submissions of poetry, short fiction, visual art, essays, reviews, and interviews. ALL SUBMISSIONS (prose, poetry, art, reviews) should include author's name on each page and be accompanied by a brief (50-word or less) biographical statement, a SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope with “forever stamp”), phone number, and e-mail address. Even if you indicate that it is unnecessary to return your submission(s), please enclose a SASE for your notification. Prose and poetry should be submitted separately with separate SASEs for each submission category.
Deadline: October 1 - December 31 (postmark dates).
Details at http://www.calyxpress.org/submission

CICADA MagazineCICADA fiction and nonfiction stories and poems are written by adult authors as well as by teens. CICADA also sponsors "The Slam," an online writing forum for young writer. For ages 14 and up."
Cicada is remaining open to submissions through December 31, 2010.
Details at http://www.cicadamag.com/submitwork

Breathing Life into Characters, Part II, Contest, Calls for Submissions

2010-10-10T09:14:00.003-04:00

Let your imagination soar as you try different possibilities for the character. Developing character traits does not mean the traits and everything you know about the character should go into the story. Give the reader only enough information about the character’s physical description to “see” the character. Remember, the reader doesn’t need to know as much about the character as the writer knows. Provide only the parts of the character that are relevant to the story. Glimpses often work better than all-out descriptions. The scar on his cheek was a constant reminder of how his hot temper could lead to danger. Maybe a scar is the only physical trait the reader needs to know about his face. Feed the reader small bits of character information at a time.

Allowing the reader to “see” the character through feelings, thoughts, and reactions to situations is a way to build empathy for the protagonist. Readers need to know the character’s motivation, what makes the character think and act in a particular way. Readers don’t need to know the eye or hair color unless the physical appearance plays a role in the plot. If you’re writing picture books, the illustrations reflect the physical appearance of the characters so the focus should be on the action in each scene.

Another way to breathe life into a character is dialog. Does the character have an unusual way of speaking? Is the character serious or funny, sad or happy, lively or subdued? Good dialog makes the characters practically step off the pages and become real. Give each character a different way of talking, with different speech patterns, so the reader can distinguish between them in a conversation. One could chat in short, snappy sentences and the other could speak in a longer, more detailed manner.

Part III will be posted next week.

Crab Orchard Review has announced its next special issue theme: “Crab Orchard Review is seeking work for our Summer/Fall 2011 issue focusing on writing exploring the people, places, history, and new directions that have shaped and are reshaping the American South. All submissions should be original, unpublished poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction in English or unpublished translations in English (we do run bilingual, facing-page translations whenever possible). Please query before submitting any interview. The submission period for this issue is August 10 through November 1, 2010. We will be reading submissions throughout this period and hope to complete the editorial work on the issue by the end of March 2011. Writers whose work is selected will receive $25 (US) per magazine page ($50 minimum for poetry; $100 minimum for prose) and two copies of the issue”.
Details at http://craborchardreview.siuc.edu/special.html

Creative Kids
· We are looking for the very best material by students (ages 8–16). Material may include cartoons, songs, stories between 500 and 1200 words, puzzles, photographs, artwork, games, editorials, poetry, and plays, as well as any other creative work that can fit in the pages of the magazine.
· All work must be original. Upon acceptance of a work, we will request that a legal guardian sign our standard contract granting copyright permission. The contract will be mailed with notification of acceptance.
· Work may be submitted by the author, parent, or teacher. Each piece must be labeled with the child’s name, birthday, grade, school, and home address, and must include a cover letter.
· Each entry should be sent in its own envelope via first class mail. Do not send more than one submission in each envelope. Teachers, please do not send more than 3 submissions in each envelope.
· Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response. Do not seal the SASE. Submissions without a SASE will not be considered. Submissions will not be returned. Teachers, please include a SASE for each piece of work submitted.
· Deadline: November 1, 2010
· Details at http://craborchardreview.siuc.edu/special.html

New Voices Young Writers Competition
Eligible Students: This contest is open to students worldwide, attending public, private, or home schools. Students must be in junior high/middle school or high school in the U.S., or the equivalent grade level in their specific international school system.

Categories for entries: Entries may be a story, poem, or essay, written specifically for the contest or as a school assignment for grades 6-8 / ages 11 - 14 (Middle School categories) or grades 9-12 / ages 15 - 18 (High School categories). The sub-categories are Story (fictional Short Story), Poetry, and/or Essay (nonfiction).
Language: All entries must be in English.

Entry Limit: An entrant may enter no more than one (1) entry in each category, equaling a maximum of three (3) entries.

Entry Fee: None.

Deadline: All entries must be received between August 1, 2010 and October 20, 2010.
Judging: Entries will be judged by a panel of judges, including teachers, librarians, published writers, publishers, and editors. All entrants will receive feedback ONLY from the first-round judging panel. Finalists will move to a secondary judging panel.

Details at http://newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html

National Book Festival, Characterization, Mad Magazine, Mrs. P's Writing Contest for Kids

2010-10-03T10:57:00.005-04:00

The photo is a picture of my books at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Trouble in Troublesome Creek represented the Kentucky booth. Happy Birthday, the Story of the World's Most Popular Song, was showcased because it was released this year and the story focuses on Kentucky.

Breathing Life into Characters, Part I

Believable characters make the world of fiction come alive. A character that does not seem real will not be interesting. So how do writers breathe life into characters? The best way to develop a three-dimensional character is to get to know the character as well as you know yourself.

On paper create a character profile. List the character’s physical traits, including hair color, height, and other features. List the character’s likes and dislikes, family members, and unusual mannerisms, such as winking as he smiles or rubbing his hand through his hair when he is stressed. Ask your character questions about favorite foods, sports activities, and friends. Write the character’s answer in a first person voice as though he is talking with you. What are the character’s strengths and weaknesses? What does the character want and why does the character want it? What drives the character? The writer needs to know why the character makes certain choices throughout the development of the plot.

Characters are more interesting if they are not perfect, but they need to be likeable. The reader should want the character to succeed or the story will fall flatter than the page on which it’s written.

Part II will be posted next week.

Call for submissions/Contest
MAD Magazine
Pay: $500+
We're actively looking to expand our pool of freelance comedy writers and there's more opportunity to join The Usual Gang Of Idiots than ever. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are simply eager to express your immature, strange or just plain silly side, then we want to see your stuff!
http://www.dccomics.com/mad/?action=submissions

MRS. P's WRITING CONTEST FOR KIDS AGES 4-13
Open to kids 4-13. Two winners will be chosen, one in age
group 4-8 and one in age group 9-13. Stories may be any topic.
Fiction or nonfiction. 250 to 1,000 words.
Two grand prize winners (one from each age group) will have
their stories read by Mrs. P herself and an artist will
create original illustrations to accompany the story. Each
winner will receive a bound copy of the illustrated story,
as well as having it posted on MrsP.com. Both grand prize
winners and up to eight runners-up will also each receive
a $25 gift certificate to Powell's.

Deadline: Submissions will be accepted Sept. 1 through Oct. 15, 2010.
Details at http://www.mrsp.com/

Inspiration to write/Jaime Adoff/Kiki Magazine/Contest/Call for submissions

2010-09-26T07:48:00.002-04:00

One recurring question I’m asked is “How do you stay inspired to write?” This question has many forms, such as “Don’t you get tired of writing, day after day?” and “How do you find the time to write?”

Inspiration often comes in brilliant flashes like lightning when an idea for a story zigzags into my brain. Other times inspiration seeps over me like cool breeze on a warm day. This happens when I read a story or article that impresses me or meet an author who is compelling in his/her own way or talk with someone who enjoys reading books.

A week or so ago, I attended the Kentucky School Media/ALA Conference in Louisville. Several authors were scattered around a spacious room snuggled comfortably between vendor booths. Nice arrangement for all. I chatted with librarians from around the state. Between signing books and talking with vendors, I introduced myself to the one author who sat in a booth near me. He said his name was Jaime Adoff, and he briefly discussed his books, stating he wrote novels and picture books. I was impressed with his pleasant, sociable personality. Our conversation was cut short when librarians came to our tables with books for us to sign. As I turned to walk to my table, I picked up a brochure from a stack Jaime had on display.

A few minutes later, I began reading Jaime Adoff’s brochure. My mouth dropped, literally, when I read that he was the son of Virginia Hamilton, the Newbery Award-winning author, and Arnold Adoff, the renowned poet. Jaime has collected impressive literary awards of his own, including the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Award.

Between signings, we continued to talk. And laugh. And tell stories.

I met school, public, and academic librarians. We talked. And laughed. And told stories.

I met the editor-in-chief of a notable new magazine, Kiki, for tween girls. We talked. And laughed. And told stories.

When I left Louisville, I felt energized to rev up the story I’m working on and to find the time to write a story that’s been percolating for a while. Meeting authors and librarians and editors and others in the writing community is my way of staying inspired to write.

Students often need to be inspired to write, too. One way is to allow students to choose a topic they’re interested in. Another is to write while students are writing. When students observe a teacher writing, they see value in the experience. One of the best ways of firing up students to place pencil to paper and write is to read books aloud and follow with a discussion of the plot, character or a specific aspect of writing.

Find out what works to inspire you or your students to write. When you do, immerse yourself in that world periodically and leave refreshed and ready to create new worlds of your own.

Contest/Call for submissions

2011 MINOTAUR BOOKS/ MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL
COMPETITION
http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933
---
NO ENTRY FEE
The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, who has never been the author of a published novel (authors of self-published works may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Only one manuscript entry is permitted per writer. All manuscripts must be original, previously unpublished works of book length (no less than 220 typewritten pages or 60,000 words) written in the English language by the entrants. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter into its standard form author's agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning manuscript. After execution of the standard form author's agreement by both parties, the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. Deadline November 13, 2010.

Kiki Magazine
Kiki is a magazine for girls who love life, appreciate creativity, and recognize good ideas. A Kiki reader thinks for herself, has her own look, and is on her way to being a confident, strong, and smart young woman. She's a girl with style and substance! Kiki shows you all the different ways you can be involved in design. Seven different departments blend style and artistry with intelligence and creativity, and design features will inspire you to transform your Kiki into your very own creativity journal!
This magazine accepts submissions from professional writers and from female students. Male writers must be parents of girls.
Details at http://www.kikimag.com/

Guest author Cassandra Jade/Building Tension/Contests

2010-09-19T15:38:00.003-04:00

Publisher: Lyrical Press
ISBN:978-1-61650-146-4

Today, I have Cassandra Jade, author of the fantasy novel, Death’s Daughter, visiting my blog. Cassandra is discussing how to build tension in stories.

Nancy: Welcome, Cassandra. Building tension in stories is the key to creating interest, and interest keeps readers reading. So what can writers do to build tension as we craft our stories?

Cassandra: There is virtually no end to the list of different ways you can add tension to a story. Sometimes those seemingly simplistic moments can become very tense (and not in an overly dramatic way when handled well). As a reader, these are my five favorite ways that authors introduce tension for their characters:

1. A secret is uncovered and the character is trying to prevent the knowledge from spreading. I always like intrigues and character dilemmas. You always wonder just how far is this character going to go to keep this a secret. And when the secret is revealed, how will they react? Admittedly, as a reader I like to be in on the secret and then the fun is seeing if the other characters in the story catch on.

2. Forced waits. I'm going to confess that I love this as a plot device because in real life this is what causes the most tension. You know what is coming, you know what you need to do, everything is progressing and then it all just stalls. You can really relate to the characters as they get frustrated and impatient and desperate to act while others use the time for further preparations and others still simply work themselves into a bundle of nerves.

3. Rivalry. It may be a cliché but I do love rivals when they are both well established characters and their both given a fair showing. The play between the two as they try to one-up the other, while not admitting that they care what the other thinks, can make for an intriguing and interesting story and can also create some really interesting tensions between the other characters as they realize what is happening.

4. RAS (Random Acts of Stupidity). Everybody is stupid at one point or another and when a character has clearly done something incredibly dumb, I like that to be addressed by the other characters, rather than simply ignored because it is convenient to the story. This can create really interesting group dynamics and the tension in the scene where someone confronts the character about their action can be excellently executed.

5. Anticipation. I remember reading a book in high-school (don't remember which one) where a girl was having her thumb chopped off (various political reasons leading up to it). But they announced this at the beginning of the chapter. Guy has hold of the girl, blade drawn. She's crying. Then someone else comes in and there is discussion and another speech and they keep coming back to this girl who has tears streaming down her face. The whole chapter you're wondering - are they actually going to do this? Is she going to get away or be released? If they had made me wait to the next chapter to find out I probably would have given up reading the book because essentially nothing would have happened in the chapter, but this book was brilliantly executed. Just when you couldn't take any more and you had to know, the answer is revealed and then the chapter ended.

Nancy: Thanks, Cassandra. You’ve given me lots of ideas today, and I will be using some of these to up the tension in my own stories. I wish you the best with your book, Death’s Daughter.

Contests:

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest - No Fee
Winning Writers invites you to enter the tenth annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. We'll award $3,600, including a top prize of $1,500. Submit one poem online. No length limit. Both published and unpublished poems are welcome.
Deadline: Entries accepted August 15, 2010-April 1, 2011
Details at http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php

For students:

CREATIVE COMMUNICATION ESSAY CONTEST
http://www.poeticpower.com/essay.php
---
NO ENTRY FEE
The purpose of our essay contest is to bring recognition to
student writers. Winners share thousands in cash and prizes.
In addition to the winning entries, other entries of high merit
are accepted to be published in our hard-bound anthology. With
the publication being regionally based, students are competing
against their peers in both age and location. Within the guidelines
of accepting less than 50% of the poems and essays that are entered
in each contest, the contest is selective so that it is an honor
to be accepted, yet not so exclusive that it is discouraging to
enter. Unlike many other organizations who sponsor writing contests,
there is no entry fee and no required purchase in order to become
published. We take pride in the fact that our staff is comprised
of teachers, professors and writers.

Deadlines:
Fall: October 19, 2010
Spring: Feb 17, 2011
Summer: July 14, 2011
Students: For each contest deadline, the top ten entries in each
grade division (3-6; 7-9; 10-12 for essay) will receive a $50
savings bond, special recognition in the book, and a free copy
of the anthology that is created from the contest.
Teachers: Teachers with 5 or more students who give permission
for publication will receive a free copy of the anthology that
includes their student writers. Teachers also can qualify to
apply for one of fifty $250 grants we award each year.

Dialog Tags/Swifties/Contests

2010-09-12T08:00:00.003-04:00

Dialogue tags often consist of only two words, such as “he said.” Said is the recommended verb because the word become invisible to the reader. There’s an interesting dialog tag called Tom Swiftie. Or Swiftie. Or Swifty. A Swiftie is a sentence in which a phrase and the dialog tag become a pun. The name dates back to the early 1900s when author Edward L. Stratemeyer wrote a series of books about a character named Tom Swift. Stratemeyer also created the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys. He didn’t actually write the series, but he created the characters and developed the plots for his books. Various writers wrote the stories.

Here are some examples of Swifties:

"The number of people not attending class today really bothers me," said the professor absent-mindedly.
"I like modern painting," said Tom abstractly.
"I find my job painful -- every inch of it," said Lear achingly.
"There's room for one more," Tom admitted.
"Here's your allowance for the next two weeks," Tom advanced.
"Fire!" yelled Tom alarmingly.

Am I suggesting that Swifties are a practice we should strive for in our writing? Hardly. But we should view these as a glaring reminder that a simple dialog tag, such as “he said” is often all that is needed; otherwise, the dialog tag can become a distraction to the reader.

Contests:

Each issue of Literary Laundry is accompanied by a writing competition. All pieces submitted to us for review will be entered into consideration for our Awards of Distinction. Cash awards are offered for the following:

$500 for best poem
$500 for best short story
$250 for best one-act drama

Deadline December 1, 2010.
Details at http://www.literarylaundry.com/submissions

The Angel Animals Network 2010 True Story Contest is now accepting submissions of stories about animals helping children, parents, and families deal with chronically difficult situations and circumstances or temporary tough periods in a child’s life.
Deadline: September 15, 2010
Details at http://www.angelanimals.net/contests.html#Announcement

Birdsong Micropress Winter 2010 Poetry + Prose Contest
New York literary zine Birdsong is now accepting submissions for our Winter 2010 Poetry + Prose Contest. A prize of $50, publication in birdsong #14, 10 complimentary copies of the zine (edition of 200, full color, screenprinted cover), and a featured spot in our Brooklyn reading series in mid-December will be awarded a single person in each category. Submit a 12 pt. standard font .doc file of up to three pages of poetry, or 1500 words of double-spaced prose.
Deadline: 10 October 2010
Details at http://birdsongmag.com/contest/

For students:

Kids Are Authors is an annual competition open to Grades K-8 and is designed to encourage students to use their reading, writing, and artistic skills to create their own books. Under the guidance of a project coordinator, children work in teams of three or more students to write and illustrate their own book. Two Grand Prize winning books will be published in each of these categories: Fiction and Nonfiction. The winning books
will be published by Scholastic and sold at Book Fairs throughout the country. Each Grand Prize winning team receives:
· $5,000 in merchandise from the Scholastic Book Fairs School
Resource Catalog to be awarded to the public/private school
or non-profit organization of their choice.
· 100 copies of their published book
Other prizes included.
Deadline March 15, 2011
Details at http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/contest/kaa_about.asp

Conflict/Contest/Student Publishing

2010-09-05T06:39:00.002-04:00

For the next several weeks, I will post publishing opportunities for students in the Contest/Call for Submissions section of this blog.

Conflict, A Writer’s Best Friend

In the writing world, conflict is good. The greater the conflict, the stronger the story. I remember when I first began writing, I read an article that stated we should treat our characters badly, then treat them worse. That was an ah-ha! moment. Characters need goals, but they also need obstacles to those goals. The reward comes at the end of the story when the character shows evidence of growth.

Conflict, internal or external, brings the character to life and adds depth to the story. Without conflict, a character is uninteresting and flat. With conflict, a character is compelled to take action. The characters actions and reactions keep readers engaged in the story.

A character should work at solving the problem. Failure to do so is an integral part of the plot because the character is forced to work harder. Repeated failure requires the character to rethink and retry different avenues to resolving issues. The knowledge gained from failure leads to growth.

A character needs an antagonist, a worthy opponent, to keep the conflict believable and who creates challenges and motivation. The character’s actions and reactions will drive the plot. Allow the character to be torn between two choices and forced to deal with difficult decisions, exposing raw emotions. Readers will want the character to succeed and will hang in there to the last page.

These rules apply to picture books, chapter books, and novels. In fiction, don’t run from conflict, run with it.

Contests

Eric Hoffer Award for Short Prose
Each year, outstanding works of short prose deserve wider recognition. The Eric Hoffer Award for short prose recognizes excellence in writing with a $500 prize and various honors and distinctions. Works of short prose must be less than 10,000 words, previously unpublished, or published with a circulation of less than 500. The winning prose and selected nominations are published annually in the anthology
Details at http://www.hofferaward.com/HAprose.html

For Students:
SECOND ANNUAL BACKYARD POULTRY/GERTRUDE McCLUCK WRITING CONTEST ---
Two age groups (7-10, 11-14).
Grand Prize: One year subscription to Backyard Poultry,
Official Gertrude McCluck plush toy, book choice of Storey's
Illustrated Poultry Breeds or Your Chickens ($60 value)
2nd Prize: One year subscription to Backyard Poultry and
Official Gertrude McCluck canvas bag ($40 value)
3rd Prize: One year subscription to Backyard Poultry and
Gertrude McCluck notecards ($30 value)
Honorable Mention: Backyard Poultry "Have you hugged your
chicken today?" t-shirt
All contestants will receive a Gertrude McCluck sticker
with a letter notifying them of the results. Winners will
be posted in the Dec./Jan. issue of Backyard Poultry and
on the Gertrude McCluck website. Write an original story
that includes Gertrude McCluck. You can write about anything
- what happened when Gertrude discovered an ostrich egg in
the coop? Hitched a ride to the fair? Met the poultry in
your flock? Use your imagination to take her on an adventure.
Type the story using 500 words or less. Good stories have
a beginning, middle and an end. Please use 1" margins,
double-spaced and 12 pt.font. Send story in e-mail or
postal mail by October 15. Include your name, age,
address, phone number and e-mail (if you have one) with
the story (not just on the envelope or in the e-mail).

Details at http://www.gertrudemccluck.net/2010%20writing%20contest.pdf

Creative Nonfiction, Contests

2010-08-29T09:45:00.004-04:00

Creative nonfiction is becoming more popular with publishers. This writing style incorporates real people and events with factually accurate information in a compelling story. Here’s how I get started writing nonfiction books for kids.

Selecting the topic is my first step. I seldom look for a nonfiction topic; the topics find me. One day I was reading an article in a magazine about two women from Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote the song, “Happy Birthday.” My curiosity was peaked. I wanted to know more. When I find a subject that snags my attention, I dig deep into the research. As I learn more about the subject, I choose bits and pieces of information that offer interest and surprise.

I begin my research at the library by selecting books and other materials, such as magazines and newspapers, on the subject. This is a broad search. When I find information I jot it down on cards and include the source of the information. I also check the bibliographies in the book to get more leads. If primary sources—journals, diaries, photos, letters—are available, I pour over them.

After I gather information, I narrow the topic by asking, What would interest a child about this person? I dig, dig, dig to find information to answer that question. My chapter book biography, Ring the Silver Bell, is the story of Alice Slone, who built one of the last settlement schools in Kentucky. Since I could devote chapters to the book, I wrote the story from her birth. In the picture book, Happy Birthday The Story of the World’s Most Popular Song, I focused the majority of the story on the period of time in which the two sisters wrote the song. I had less space to write, so I narrowed the topic.

As I research, I’m always on the lookout for quirky facts and interesting information to add kid appeal to the books. I like adding juicy details and events of daily life to excite the imaginations of the readers, to make them want to read more, to capture the essence of the person, and offer a reason to know more about the person.

Contests:

Life Lessons Essay Contest
Finish this sentence: “I never thought I’d. . .”

Have you ever taken a huge, surprising risk? Did you climb a mountain? Go back to school? Get married (again)? Tell us about it: Enter Real Simple’s Third-Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest and you could have your essay published in Real Simple; win round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, and a lunch with Real Simple editors; and receive a prize of $3,000.

To enter, send your typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 words maximum, preferably in a Microsoft Word document) to lifelessons@realsimple.com.
Deadline: September 24, 2010.
Details at http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/inspiration-motivation/second-annual-life-lessons-essay-contest-00000000013682/index.html

The Last 72
Live life like it matters: Last 72 follows people as they race to turn their lives around for good.

What would you do if you were told you had only 72 hours to live?
Share your real stories and be a part of a life-changing social experiment!
Everest Production Corporation together with The Fountain: A Magazine of Scientific and Spiritual Thought, are searching for 13 winners who will get to appear in a brand-new TV series.
1st Place: $5,000 USD
2nd Place: $2,000 USD
3rd Place: $1000 USD
Selected submissions will also be published in upcoming issues of the Fountain Magazine.
The top 13 essays will earn special prizes as well as the chance to appear on The Last 72 television series.
Deadline: October 30, 2010
Details at http://www.last72.com/en

Hint Fiction (n): a story of 25 words or fewer that suggests a larger, more complex story.
Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s six-word story—"For sale: baby shoes, never worn"—Hint Fiction is not a first sentence, a random thought, or even a sentence or two plucked from a much larger work. Instead Hint Fiction should stand by itself as a complete story, yet also hint at a larger chain of events.
A title is important in Hint Fiction. While the word limit of a story is 25 words, it does not include the title. The title should add another layer of complexity to the story, helping to give the reader a better idea of what is taking place.
Ultimately, Hint Fiction is an exercise in brevity, with the writer trying to affect the reader in as few words as possible.
Here are two examples authored by Mr. Swartwood:

Corrections & Clarifications
It was Fredrick Miller, not his murdered son Matthew, who was executed Monday night at Henshaw Prison.

10 Items or Less
She saw his picture in the paper and remembered waiting on him two days before: the lighter fluid, her quip about barbequing, his vacuous gaze.

Submit your unpublished 25 word story to our competition and you could win:
· 10-week writing workshop
· $100
· One-year subscription to The Writer
· Publication of your winning entry in Gotham's Winter 2011 course catalog
· Bragging rights
Details at http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/hintfiction.php

Author Vickie Alvear Shecter, Writing Nonfiction Hooks, Contests

2010-08-22T09:34:00.003-04:00

Today, I have a guest, Vickie Alvear Shecter, author of CLEOPATRA RULES! THE AMAZING LIFE OF THE ORIGINAL TEEN QUEEN. Vickie is giving us the inside scoop on writing nonfiction.

The Secret is the "Hook."

So what happens when the event or person you want to write about has "been done" countless times? Should you drop it and look for another topic less well known? You could, but you may not want to give up so easily.

For example, when I decided to write a kid's biography on Cleopatra, I could have easily talked myself out of it, telling myself that too many books already existed about her. But I didn't. Instead I approached a familiar subject with a fresh twist. In my research, I discovered that serious modern scholars weren't so quick to accept the point of view of the original sources on the great queen, especially since those sources were written by her conquerors, the people who NEEDED to make her look bad in order to justify a war. Today's scholars "tested what the Romans wrote about Cleopatra against the larger picture of international politics, Roman propaganda, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and even what Medieval Arab scholars (who had decoded hieroglyphics way before the West did) wrote about her.

I had my hook. But in approaching an old story in a new way, it became even more important to back up my suppositions with scholarly research. So, for example, when I wrote that a pre-teen Cleopatra accompanied her father on a trip to Rome, I had to acknowledge, in my endnotes, that not everyone is sure about that. However, many Cleopatra experts have good arguments/facts backing up their supposition that she did indeed accompany her father the king. I made sure to cite their arguments and proofs in my endnotes.

Another example: Cleopatra has always been depicted as a "man-eater," which implies that she seduced countless men. But today, modern scholars say there is no proof to support that claim. In fact, there is more proof that she was actually very loyal to her Roman consorts (Julius Caesar and then years after his murder, Mark Antony). So again, I made sure to have plenty of back-up when I make the claim that Cleopatra likely only had two relationships her whole life.

All this, I hope, makes for a fresh take on an old subject. So far, the response to the book has been very good (it didn't hurt that I had four ancient history and/or Cleopatra experts vett the manuscript!). And even if some "old-guard" historians may be uneasy with the colloquial tone and teen "voice" that I use in the book, to a review, they all cite the research as both thorough and impressive.

So don't talk yourself out of writing a book just because it's "been done before." Find your hook, back it up with thorough research, and let your passion for the subject shine through.

Thanks, Vickie, for sharing your ideas on writing hooks. I’m looking forward to reading Cleopatra Rules! and Cleopatra’s Moon. I'm working on a hook for my next book, too.

Vicky Alvear Shecter is the author of the recently released, CLEOPATRA RULES! THE AMAZING LIFE OF THE ORIGINAL TEEN QUEEN (Boyds Mill). Her debut YA historical fiction novel, CLEOPATRA'S MOON, comes out next summer, published by Arthur A Levine Books/Scholastic.

Contests

Family Circle Magazine Contest
Submit an original (written by entrant), fiction short story of no more than 2,500 words, typed on 8-1/2x11paper. Entries must be unpublished and may not have won any prize or award. Include your name, address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address (optional) on each page and send to: Family Circle Fiction Contest, c/o Family Circle Magazine, 375 Lexington Avenue, Ninth Floor, New York, NY 10017.
LIMIT: Up to two (2) entries per person will be accepted but each entry must be a unique short story.
Top prize of $750 for short fiction up to 2,500 words. Entrants must be US residents, aged 21+. Family Circle is a women's magazine with articles about parenting, health, cooking, crafts, relationships, and family travel.
Deadline: Postmarked by September 8 and received by September 15.
Details at http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/crafts/2010-family-circle-fiction-contest-rules/

Contest for Women
Twice-yearly free contest offers prizes up to $500 and online publication for the best short fiction or creative nonfiction by women. Both published and unpublished work welcome. Entries should be 50-5,000 words. Contest sponsor Beate Sigriddaughter says, "Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. My criterion is passion, excellence, and authenticity in the woman's writing voice." Must be a woman to submit. One submission per contest.
Send manuscript to:

333 East 16th Avenue, #517
Denver, CO 80203
Deadline: September 21, 2010

Historical Fiction/Call for Submission

2010-08-15T08:06:00.007-04:00

Today, I’m showcasing an engaging book, With Purpose and Promise, by Kentucky author, K. Melissa Burton.

Young readers love historical fiction because they can learn about events and people of years gone by in an interesting way. When reading a textbook, they gain facts, but when they read a historical novel, readers become involved in the lives of the characters. As readers make an emotional connection to the characters, they are more likely to remember the facts and historical events.

Historical fiction should be grounded in truth even though the story is made up. The facts need to be accurate and woven into the story with an authentic setting. This is just the case with the latest book, With Purpose and Promise, by K. Melissa Burton.

WITH PURPOSE AND PROMISE

K. Melissa Burton, Tate Publishing, 2010, $14.99, pb, 239pp, 978-1-61663-434-6

In the early 1900s, Lilly Kate Overstreet’s simple life turns complex when she is introduced to the harsh realities of her father’s death and a move from her farm home to the small town of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. While she and her mother struggle to create better lives for themselves, Lilly Kate relishes in the joy of attending high school. She excels in classes, becomes a tutor for a classmate, and works on the school newspaper. Lilly Kate’s determination grows stronger with each challenge she encounters. When a teacher introduces the class to a new game called basketball, the girls form teams and create a new alliance with the people of the town, and together they look to a future filled with purpose and promise.

Burton weaves an enchanting and inspiring tale with realistic characterization and historical accuracy. In a setting depicted with vivid details, she explores the turn-of-the-century culture from the lack of educational opportunities for girls and expected obedience of children to the strict social standards of the day. Burton’s skillful blend of fiction and fact takes readers on an uplifting journey they will affectionately remember.

Humpty Dumpty's Magazine, for children ages 5-7 is accepting submissions for poems (4-12) lines; crafts; recipes; activities; rebuses; and simple, picture-oriented fiction and nonfiction of no more than 450 words. All material submitted should reflect good values and healthy living.

The magazine's health and fitness focus includes kids' emotional lives, interests and educational needs. Avoid reference to sugary foods, such as candy, cakes, cookies, and soft drinks. Send seasonal material at least eight months in advance. It's advised that writers study several back issues of the magazine before submitting. Pays up to 35 cents/word for fiction and nonfiction; $25-$50 for poetry; a minimum of $25 for puzzles and games. Buys all rights, including Web, and pays upon publication. One-time book rights will be returned to the author when an interested publisher is found.

Submit entire manuscript with SASE to Phyllis Lybarger, Editor, Humpty Dumpty's Magazine,US Kids, PO Box 567, Indianapolis, IN 46206.

Writing Tight/Contest

2010-08-08T09:17:00.003-04:00

We writers often fall in love with our words. We don’t want to change phrases in narrative or dialog because we like the way they sound. We like the characters and the situations we’ve created. If we change the words, we’ve changed the story. Deciding what text to remove is a difficult decision for me, but as hard as it may be, I cut words in every manuscript I write.

In my flower garden I clip, trim, snip, and prune plants. I tug away weeds and deadhead flowers. What remains is a garden that it looks better with healthier plants. I have a clearer view of the flowers because I’m not looking around and between weeds. As with my garden, when I trim the excess from my literary pieces, I present a clearer view of the characters and plot. After cutting words, the writing is tighter and more concise.

So how do we know which words to whack?

Adjectives and adverbs, those sneaky “ly” words. Use strong nouns and verbs so your writing won’t have to depend on adjectives and adverbs. The phrase, “Ran quickly,” uses an adverb. A stronger verb—trot, darted, or dashed—doesn’t need a modifier to paint a vivid picture.

Description. If we describe in grand, sprawling detail, we sometime lose focus of the plot and the reader loses interest in the story. Some description is necessary; too much dulls the story.

Dialog serves two purposes: to develop the characters or push the plot forward. Read the dialog carefully. You’ll probably find words that serve no purpose. Remove them.

Redundancy. Look for sections in which you’ve already given the information to the reader. If it doesn’t need to be repeated, whack it.

Chop away unnecessary sections as you paint your story with words an editor will love. In doing so, you'll sow the seeds for a contract.

Contest
Short-Story-Time.com. This web site features family-friendly read-aloud stories for children and is sponsoring a writing contest. Entries can be fiction or nonfiction of up to 2500 words for children up to age 12 (suggested themes: holiday, inspirational, embarrassing situations, humor, adventure, love, family). Entrants must be at least 18 years old and can submit as many stories as they'd like. No entry fee. All entries must be in English, original, unpublished, and not submitted or accepted elsewhere at the time of submission. Short-Story-Time reserves exclusive electronic rights to publish the submissions on the web site in print, video and audio formats credited to the author. Entrants must submit their stories electronically by filling out the form at www.short-story-time.com/short-story-writingcontest.html
Deadline September 15, 2010.

I Write Like, Contests

2010-08-01T09:34:00.002-04:00

Today, I’m all about having fun so I’m leading you to the Internet site, I Write Like. In a box you paste a short piece of your fiction or nonfiction work and click the analyze button to see which famous writer you write like. The statistical analysis tool evaluates your words and writing style and makes a comparison.

On fictional pieces, my style was like Steven King’s. Not once. Not twice. Three times. I hope this program is spot-on with accuracy. If not, it’s fun to dream.

When I submitted classroom activities based on one of my books, David Foster Wallace’s name appeared. I had to check him out since I’d never heard of him. He wrote a book called Infinite Jest. So far I was in good company, but the fun picked up pace when I pasted a few paragraphs in my fifth piece. J.K. Rowling’s name’s popped up.

Look out Hollywood. I’m on my way.

The I Write Like program was created by Dmitry Chestnykh, a Russian software programmer, who said he wanted it to be educational and to help people become better writers. He has uploaded three books each by about 50 authors.

Since we deal with so much rejection in the publishing world, it’s fun to feed work to the little I Write Like box and dream of what lies ahead. So have a little fun; give this site a try. Feel good about your writing and dream big.

The Pedestrian* Quarterly Essay Contest
http://thepedestrian.org/quarterly-essay-contest
Deadline: September 15, 2010

Creative Writers' Circle Short Story Contest
The first paragraph is provided.
Your job is to finish the story, up to 3500 words.
Deadline: August 31, 2010
Details at http://www.creativewriterscircle.com/index.php?p=1_3_Contests

Voice, Contest and Call for Submission

2010-07-25T08:49:00.003-04:00

Voice is that illusive ingredient all editors are looking for in a manuscript. I usually approach voice in a story by considering how the writing “sounds” on the page. I experiment with different voices before I decide how I want the character to speak. After I write a few lines, I read it aloud, but not in the presence of company for fear of being committed.

Narrative voice is the way the narrator is telling the story. Many writers struggle to develop a this voice, which is like a fingerprint: it’s unique to each writer. No two people tell a story exactly alike. Narrative voice is not so much what is told but how.

Character voice is the way the character speaks. I played around with different voices when I began writing The Munched-Up Flower Garden. I wanted the main character, Liz, to be a feisty young girl with spunk and determination who was also loud and funny.

An effective method of creating a character voice is to think about the way a child would explain an event or situation. Listen to a child the age of your character explain a rainbow or a roller coaster ride. How would that child describe playing in the rain? Talk with kids and listen carefully to the way they tell a story or explain a situation. What words and comparisons do they make? "Magnificent colors" is the way an adult might explain a rainbow. A child might compare the colors to a box of crayons or spilled paint or the colors of grandma’s apron.

Let the character take over the telling of the story and develop the plot through the character’s senses. Listen to the way kids talk and reflect their language in the voices of the characters. You’ll “hear” the character’s voice bring the story to life.

Contest and Call for Submission:

Iowa Short Fiction Award & John Simmons Short Fiction Award
"Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition. Previously entered manuscripts that have been revised may be resubmitted. Writers are still eligible if they have published a volume of poetry or any work in a language other than English or if they have self-published a work in a small print run. Writers are still eligible if they are living abroad or are non-US citizens writing in English. Current University of Iowa students are not eligible." Winning manuscripts are published by the University of Iowa Press under the Press's standard contract.
Submissions: August 1-September 30, 2010 (postmarked)
Details at http://uipress.uiowa.edu/authors/iowa-short-fiction.htm

Past Loves Day Story Contest "To foster awareness of Past Loves Day, September 17, Spruce Mountain Press sponsors an annual Story Contest. The Contest, and the Day, offer an opportunity to acknowledge a truth that lingers in your heart." True stories sought. Cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 will be awarded. "Winning stories will be posted (anonymously, if requested by author)" on the website.
Deadline: August 17, 2010 (midnight)
Details at http://ourpastloves.com/contest.html

Critiquing a Manuscript, Part II, Calls for Submissions

2010-07-18T07:49:00.002-04:00

Attend to these details of a manuscript to give it a professional look, feel, and sound.

Punctuation, spelling, grammar. You have only one opportunity to make a great first impression. Don’t destroy that opportunity with a rushed manuscript filled with simple mistakes. Keep these in mind when writing the cover or query letter, also.

Create fresh and appealing similes and metaphors and avoid cliches, worn-out phrases.

Use age appropriate comparsions that match the subject of the text.

Rhyming text. If you write in rhyme, be true to meter and beat. Chances of publication are greater if you write in prose, rather than rhyme, unless you have mastered the art of meter, which is totally foreign to me.

Is the main character active in carrying the plot forward? The main character should be responsible for solving the problem or reaching the goal. Uncle Hamm or an older brother should not step in and save the character that is experiencing the trouble.

Stay consistent with the point of view. If one character has been telling the story, that character should continue to do so. Only change point of view characters with new chapters.

Voice: Is the voice Distinct? Consistent? Appropriate?

Authenticity. Are the facts correct? I strongly suggest including facts when writing fiction to make the story realistic and believable.

Competing books. Are numerous books on this subject available in the marketplace? With manuscripts, the greater the competition, the harder the sell. You will not come up with a unique idea but you need to put a fresh spin on the story to make it different from other books.

As far as rules for critique groups, I recommend the sandwich method of pointing out something positive, followed by something that needs to be fixed, followed by something positive. Writers need to know what works with readers as well as what needs revision.

In my next post, I will discuss voice in greater detail.

Calls for Submissions

2011 Muse Romance Summer Stories
Once Upon A Ghostly Beach
Think summer. Think relaxation, heading on a summer vacation with no thought of a love affair. Now think of the perfect vacation spot/resort/inn/ right up until mixed up reservations saddle you with a roommate. Characters don't have to be the perfect couple. We want the odd couple and how they resolve their relationship. Place it in any era. Give us a twist ending. Give us memorable characters. Hook us into their situation. But, put in an element of paranormal.
Word count: 3,000 - 5,000
Release date: Summer 2011
Deadline: October 30, 2010
Details at http://museituppubl ishing.com/ musepub/index. php?option= com_content& view=article&id=5&Itemid= 2

Hopscotch, a children’s magazine seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, fillers, photos/artwork. Subjects: Of interest to girls from 6 to 13 years. Pays on publication.
Details at http://funforkidzmagazines.com/hs_guidelines

Critiquing a Manuscript Part I, Contests, Call for Submissions

2010-07-11T08:08:00.005-04:00

Writers benefit from new eyes reading their words. Feedback from others provide valuable information, especially if the feedback is from writers who understand what to look for in a manuscript. Those who are critiquing should look at a piece in two ways: the overall story and specific parts, also known as the big picture and the small picture.

Overall story evaluation includes character assessment: Are the characters believable? Does each character have unique traits, such as speaking differently? Feedback I recently received stated that two of my characters were too much alike. This problem can be fixed with revision.

Does the plot have a narrative arc? This means does it have a logical beginning, middle and ending? Does the ending tie up all the loose ends? Did the story come to a logical conclusion? A few days ago, a friend read one of my manuscripts. When she finished, she said, “Ooooh, definitely,” and explained the “Ooooh” was for the surprise element and the “definitely” for the logical conclusion. Revise your manuscript to make your story original by adding an element the reader does not expect, yet is logical.

Story structure. Are the length of the chapters and word choice appropriate for the age level of the intended reader?

Theme. Does the story have a theme? If not, the editor will probably say the piece is too slight. Is the theme didactic, too preachy? If so, lighten up with revision.

How does the story read? Is it engaging and fun or somber and tension-filled. Either works, as long as the story remains interesting.

I’ll discuss the specific parts or small picture critiques in my next blog.

Contests and Call for Submission

The Linda Bruckheimer Series in Kentucky Literature
Sarabande Books, a literary press, presents an opportunity to focus on the fine literature the state of Kentucky has produced, bringing it to the nation’s attention. Poetry, fiction, or essays (all genres compete together) about Kentucky or by Kentucky authors. Winner must agree to travel to readings within the state. You are eligible if you were born in Kentucky or have lived there for at least two years, or your book is set in or about Kentucky. Poetry manuscripts should be 48-100 single-spaced pages, prose manuscripts 150-250 double-spaced pages. No scholarly works, children's literature, or genre fiction.
Manuscripts must be postmarked during the month of July.
Details at http://www.sarabandebooks.org/?page_id=1188

Marie Alexander Poetry Series Contest
A prize of $500 and publication by Marie Alexander Poetry Series, an imprint of White Pine Press, will be given for a collection of prose poems by a U.S. poet. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages during the month of July. There is no entry fee. Send an SASE, e-mail, or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.
Marie Alexander Poetry Series, Book Contest, P.O. Box 5686, Louisville, KY 40255. Nickole Brown, Editor.
Deadline: July 31, 2010
Details at www.mariealexanderseries.com

Stone Soup, a magazine for children, pays on acceptance. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, fillers, photos/artwork. Subjects: Stories, poems, book review, art, for children up to age 13.
Details at http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/

Perseverance, Part II, Zen story, Contest and Call for Submissions

2010-07-04T07:50:00.004-04:00

An Old Zen Story:

The Zen master dipped a brush into paint. With swift flicks of the wrist, he trailed dazzling colors across the canvas. A young Zen student stood beside the master and watched.

As the painting grew more beautiful, the Zen student whispered, “Master, how do I learn to paint beautiful pictures?”

The master continued to paint.

Ten years later, the Zen student returned and said, “Thank you, Master.”

The Zen story resonated with me because to be a writer a person must write. Learning to write takes time. As with the Zen story, ten long years passed from the time I began writing professionally to the time I held my first book in my hands.

To adapt the lesson of the Zen master to writers, try the following: Write as often as possible.You may not have the time to devote to a manuscript every day, but write as often as time allows. Get the first draft of the story on paper; then begin revision. Novice writers often have great ideas and develop those ideas in interesting and innovative ways; however, they tend to submit a manuscript before it’s ready for professional publication. Editors state this as the major reason manuscripts are rejected.

When a manuscript is complete, revise, revise, revise. After it is the best you think you can make it, set the story aside for a minimum of one month and begin writing another manuscript. Give yourself time away from your story so you can return to it with less emotional attachment. Writing a new story also takes you mind off the first manuscript so when you reread it after a few weeks, you’re more likely to find elements that don’t work as well as you originally thought. Revise again.

Pass your manuscript to other writers for critiques. Again, revise, revise, revise. At this point select three to five publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts of the type you have written. Submit the manuscript. I recommend selecting 3-5 because you may get feedback from an editor that will be useful in yet another revision.

Nothing about the process of preparing a manuscript for publication is fast. Remember, perseverance is the key to a successful writing career. As Aesop wrote long ago, “Slow and steady wins the race.”

I’ll discuss the process of critiquing a manuscript in my next post.

Contest and Call for Submissions

Real Simple’s Life Lessons Essay Contest
Finish this sentence: “I never thought I’d. . .”

Have you ever taken a huge, surprising risk? Did you climb a mountain? Go back to school? Get married (again)? Tell us about it: Enter Real Simple’s Third-Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest and you could have your essay published in Real Simple; win round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, and a lunch with Real Simple editors; and receive a prize of $3,000.
Deadline: September 24, 2010
Details at Life Lessons Essay Contest

Glamour "My Real-Life Story Essay Contest"

"If you have an inspiring story about a life changing event, an obstacle overcome, a relationship of passion that's defined you - then we want to read it! You may see your essay appear in an upcoming issue of Glamour...and you could win $5000 and a meeting with a top literary agent." For legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.
Details at http://glamour.com/contest
Deadline: September 15, 2010

Cicada
CICADA (ages 14-23) has opened up submissions again through July 31.
They're wide open to all genres, with a special interest in humor.
Details at http://www.cricketmag.com. Click on Contact Us, then scroll down to Submission Guidelines and go to Cicada.

Perseverance Part 1, Famous Writers' Rejections, Calls for Submissions

2010-06-27T09:15:00.003-04:00

Perseverance is that catch-all word that means commitment, hard work, patience, and endurance. These qualities improve the job performance of many workers, and writers are no exception. For most writers no shortcuts exist in the publishing business. A writer has to hone writing skills. The best way to learn to write is to do just that, write. And read other authors’ works. Writing and reading take time, perseverance. Also, a writer needs to learn the market in order to submit the manuscripts. What types of manuscripts do particular publishers want? Spend time figuring out which publishers develop books similar to the manuscript you’ve written. After you ship out one story, begin another. If you keep at this, your writing will improve, you’ll have a good grasp of what books are already in the marketplace, and you’ll learn the editorial needs of various publishers.

Above all, understand that your work will get rejected. Most writers get manuscripts rejected, even those with years of experience and a shelf full of books with their names on the covers. Rejection is part of the growth of a writer.

It’s easy to become discouraged when every story shipped out is shipped back. The following list of books and the number of times they were rejected add perspective to the importance of perseverance.

And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss, 27 rejections.
Carrie by Stephen King; 30+ rejections.
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, 140 rejections. [See what perseverance can do?]
A Time to Kill by John Grisham, 45 rejections.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, 38 rejections.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, 18 rejections.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, 26 rejections.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding, 20 rejections.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, 12 rejections.

David Baldacci received rejections for 15 years.

The reason these famous writers are published is because they persevered.

Check out next week’s blog for part II of this article.

Calls for Submissions

Nashville Review publishes the best in literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and comics. Both distinguished and emerging writers are encouraged to submit.
Fiction Guidelines: We welcome flash fiction, short stories, and novel excerpts of up to 8,000 words. No genre or children’s fiction.
Poetry Guidelines:Up to five poems may be submitted at a time.
Nonfiction Guidelines:Creative nonfiction only, please.
Details at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/english/nashvillereview/submit.

“The Last 72″ Writing Contest

What would you do if you were told you had only 72 hours to live?
Share your real stories and be a part of a life-changing social experiment!
Everest Productions together with The Fountain: Magazine of Scientific and Spiritual Thought, are searching for 13 winners who will get to appear in a brand-new TV series, receive up to $5,000 in cash prizes and more.
Live life like it really matters.
Guidelines:
Participants in the writing contest and The Last 72 TV show must be 18 or older.
Your entries must be 1,000-1,500 words written in English.
Express your own experiences and intentions and not the idea from another work of fiction. Move readers with its originality and your unique personality. Describe actions that you could realistically achieve in 3 days.
Send your 1,000-1,500 words entries to contest@last72.com
Deadline: JULY 30, 2010.

The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids, Part III, Contests

2010-06-20T09:53:00.001-04:00

Today’s blog is part III of my article, The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids.

Knowing the sensibilities of the audience is imperative to a writer, especially when writing humor. Young readers use books to help discover the world around them, so the more we know about young readers, the better we can develop the humor in our writing.

Humor should not the focus of a story. The story is a vehicle to make readers think and feel. A story without a purpose is probably going to fall flat, with or without humor.

So how do we infuse humor into a story? When I wrote, The Munched-Up Flower Garden, I wrote the basic story first. In revision, I added the humor. I also wrote in first person so I could flavor the story from beginning to end with the character’s attitude and feelings.

Don’t try to make every character and every word in the dialog funny. One funny character or comment will carry the entire scene.

Watch comedians. They set up the humorous situation and the punch line comes at the end of the joke. Use this technique to end the sentence or paragraph with humor.
Read humorous books written for children at various age levels. Compare how the humor is similar or different among the books and the age groups.

Keep the characters realistic to the story. Even those who inject comic relief have to be developed so the readers will care about what happens to them.

Talk with children. Observe them telling stories and laughing. Notice what action or event or words make them laugh. Play with words and sounds. Make your writing business funny business.

SPS Studios-- Sixteenth Biannual Poetry Card Contest
In addition, the winning poems will be displayed on our website.
Poetry Contest Guidelines:
1. Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better.
2. We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write.
3. Poems are judged on the basis of originality and uniqueness.
4. English-language entries only, please.
5. Enter as often as you like!
1st prize: $300 * 2nd prize: $150 * 3rd prize: $50
Deadline: June 30, 2010
Details at http://www.sps.com/poetry/index.html

Cheerios Contest

Only writers who have never been paid for their writing are allowed to enter. Only US writers from one of the 50 states (or DC) can apply. Must be 18 or older.
Picture book story. Grand prize -- $5000, Runner Up Prizes -- $1000
Entry Deadline: July 15th.
Details at http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/.

The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids, Part II, Calls for Submissions/Contest

2010-06-13T07:52:00.005-04:00

I’m pleased, make that thrilled, Woohoo!! to announce that my latest picture book, Trouble in Troublesome Creek, has been selected to represent Kentucky at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. this fall. The National Book Festival is organized and sponsored the Library of Congress. One book per state is selected for this honor.

Since most students are out of school for the summer, I will not post student activities until September.

Today’s blog features part II of my article, The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids.

As children develop language skills, the humor of rhymes and nonsense words make them laugh. Preschool aged kids are attuned to the sound of words. They enjoy the playful sound of repeated variations of a word—catty, batty, fatty. Calling a familiar word by the wrong name, such as referring to the nose as an ear, is just downright funny to them. They also find misplacement of a body parts comical—a dog with two legs up and two legs down or a donkey’s head on a turtle’s body. Exaggeration is laughable to this group—a car that is too long or too tall, oversized eyes, or a basketball for a head. They also find impossible behavior funny—a cow jumping over the moon, a talking dog, or a snake that wears underwear. Rhymes, alliteration, and rhythmic text please them.

When kids enter school, they still love wordplay, exaggeration, and physical or slapstick humor. They also enjoy simple riddles and jokes, especially potty humor, and rhyming and nonsense words. Dr. Seuss books are a hit.

Older kids, seven and up, have a better grasp of the language. They love jokes, riddles and other brainteasers, puns, and potty humor. This is the age when chapter books and middle-grade novels are devoured on various subjects. By age eleven, children gain a better understanding of complex literary devices and appreciate humor in irony and sarcasm.

Part III will be posted in next week’s blog.

Calls for Submissions and Contest:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms
Becoming a new mom is the most amazing experience. From the moment, that baby is placed in your arms; there is an incredible feeling only a new mother can know. This book celebrates the physical, emotional, and spiritual experience of having a child and creating a family. We are looking for heartwarming, insightful, and humorous stories about raising babies and toddlers that share with our readers the wonders of early motherhood. Stories should not extend past the toddler years. Written in the first person of no more than 1,200 words. If you have already submitted a story to our New Moms database, please do not submit it again. We have it. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it.
Pay: $200 plus 10 books
Deadline is July 31, 2010.
Submissions go to http://chickensoup.com

Nature Friend
Perhaps your children or family are doing something nature-related. If so, write the story and tell us. Fiction is also okay. We need stories about nature, as well as article and essays. The stories are the fewest, so we are glad when stories come.
Details at http://www.naturefriendmagazine.com/

Highlights has posted a list of current manuscript needs.
Details at http://www.highlights.com/current-needs.

Knock Our Hats Off Contest
Submit up to 3,000 words of fiction or 1-3 poems. $250 for the winner in each category and publication in Mad Hatters' Review. All winning entries will be published in a print anthology called “Knock Our Hats Off: A Little Book of Curious Delights.” Each winner will receive a copy of this deluxe collector’s item.
Deadline: June 30.
Details at http://www.madhattersreview.com/contest.shtml

The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids, Contests

2010-06-06T07:58:00.002-04:00

How much did the pirates pay for their earrings?
A buccaneer

Want to capture a kid’s attention and hold it with your writing? Try adding humor to your text. Today’s blog is part I of my article, The Funny Business of Writing Humor for Kids.

Kids love stories that make them laugh. Editors and parents love stories that make kids laugh. Humor is that delightful element that makes a story funny, but writing humor is serious business.

To create humorous stories for children, writers must consider the age-appropriate stages of humor in the development of children. A story that makes a four-year-old laugh may not be funny to a second grader. Humor is subjective and personal, and although everyone has an opinion of what is funny, the type of humor that connects with a child changes as the child grows older.

Babies, six months and older, laugh at silly actions, faces, and sounds. As writers, when we translate this to books, we can make human characters walk like a monkey, hang socks from ears to look like a dog, or moo like a cow to create a humorous book. Notice how parents interact with babies to get them to laugh. If the activity works for babies in real life, it will probably work for them in a book. The human character is doing something unexpected so it’s funny.

Parts II and III of this article will follow in my next two blogs.

Science in My Fiction contest!
Authors write a science fiction or fantasy short story which is inspired by a scientific discovery or innovation made or announced within the past year. It can’t be peripherally added: the science must be integral to the story. Writers must include a link to a relevant article or study of the applied science when they submit their stories.

We’ll be looking for thoughtful, creative and well-researched application of science to a story. This doesn’t mean you should neglect your plot or characters, though! The best entries will be those which use science to enhance the plot, setting and characters, rather than dominate them.

Details at http://crossedgenres.com/simf/contest/
Deadline: June 30.

Trajectory Short Story Contest
Trajectory, a new Kentucky literary journal, is launching with a short story contest. The winner will receive $250. Submit original, unpublished work of no more than 10,000 words with a cover letter containing contact information. Trajectory is also accepting non-contest short stories and poems. More info, contact Trajectory, PO Box 655, Frankfort, KY 40602.
Deadline: July 1.

Guest author Tisha Morris, Feng Shui, Writing Space, Contests

2010-05-30T08:34:00.002-04:00

My guest author today is Tisha Morris. Her book 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Turner Publishing, 144 pages, ISBN: 9781596525672, $9.99) explores 27 ways to make changes in your home that will also have a direct impact on your life.

Tisha lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works as a certified life coach, energy healer, feng shui consultant, and yoga instructor. After ten years of practicing law, Tisha obtained a Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. She blends traditional feng shui techniques and interior design aesthetics with healing energy. The space undergoes a transformation and so do those who encounter it.

Tisha, how can writers use feng shui?

One of the best things about being a writer is that there is virtually no overhead. All you pretty much need is a computer and some discipline. However, it is for this reason that a designated office space is often overlooked for writers, not to mention a feng shui-ed office space.

Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, blogs or books, a writer spends her day pouring herself out, emotionally and intellectually, onto paper and into the world. It can be a very vulnerable place. This is one reason why having an office space is so important and, more specifically, having your own office space – a space that is yours and yours alone without distraction.

What can writers do to make their workspace conducive to writing?

Writers usually work from home, again, thanks to the low overhead. But, finding adequate office space comes with challenges. If square footage is an issue, then home offices become an afterthought only to find themselves sharing space with a guest room, kitchen table, or the corner of the living room. And so it takes some creative planning of a space to make a home office work for writers.

The first step is to select one location for your workspace. Ideally, this is a designated home office. But, it could be a sitting chair, your bed, or the kitchen table. Whatever the space, it is important that you make this your space. In other words, this is the place you go to write. Similar to meditation, when you use the same space, it will help you drop in quicker to the flow. Also, in doing so, you are making writing a priority.

Can you give writers one more tip?

Clear Clutter. It is imperative to have an uncluttered space when writing. Our mind is directly affected by our environment. So once you designate your workspace, then declutter it. If you designate a workspace that feels good to you, you will be more likely to write, enjoy writing, and be successful in your writing.

Hummmm. I definitely need to declutter, beginning with my desk.

Thanks, Tisha. I wish you much success with your book, 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home. Today’s blog is part of a blog tour. Tuesday, June 01, 2010 a book review by Sarah Moore and an article on writing space feng shui will be posted in Writers in the Sky Newsletter http://writersinthesky.com/ezine/news-jun10.html.

Contests:

New journal: "Published four times annually, *The Pedestrian* celebrates the variety and wonder of life, inviting readers and writers to explore more attentively the ordinary, everyday facets of their experience. We invite them to walk through familiar territory as if first encountering it. These quarterly walks take an approach different from standard intellectual publications, which race through reports, analyses, and persuasion while too often presenting multifaceted lives in mere glosses and stock narratives. Instead, we propose a leisurely saunter through our quarterly topics, equipped with an eye for detail, an awareness of the overlooked, and an empathetic curiosity about the people and the things encountered." Will publish 8-12 essays per print issue. Pays: $25-$600 on acceptance. Check the site for more information about the quarterly issues (the next deadline is April 15, 2010, for an issue with the theme of "tools"). Also look for an
announcement about the quarterly contest (which offers a prize of $500 and does not appear to charge an entry fee). http://thepedestrian.org

The Strongest Start Novel Competition 2010
1st Place Winner Receives $500 and a $2,500 Publishing Package from CreateSpace.
Enter a writing competition to see who can craft the most compelling start to a novel. Whether you write Romance, Science Fiction, Romance, Non-fiction, or some other genre, the only criteria is that you write a start that will keep us reading.
Over $3,300 in Prizes and Awards.

Contest submission deadline: June 8, 2010.
For more information check out http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/competition/index.html

Avoid Clichés, Contests

2010-05-23T08:21:00.004-04:00

Clichés. Boooorrrrrrring! One way to eliminate boring text is to avoid clichés like the plague. Oops! Like the plague is a little dull from too much use. It’s as dull as a beige shirt from the All Taupe Shoppe.

A cliché is an overused phrase or expression, and we sometime use them because they pop into our heads and fit the text like a glove. The problem arises when the reader knows the next words in a sentence before reading them. Clichés drain the excitement and wonder of words that make reading fun.

Clichés often spring up in writing comparsions (fits like a glove) or describing images (dark as night). Instead of using worn-out phrases, be creative; play with words in fresh and exciting ways.

Here are a few clichés to steer clear of, uh, avoid.

Calm before the storm
Selling like hot cakes
Flat as a pancake
Quick as a wink
Higher than a kite

Try writing new beginnings or endings for each of the listed phrases. Be refreshing. Be original. And beware of clichés.

YA ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSIONS for short stories:

IonaMcAvoy is accepting submissions for a proposed anthology of
young adult short stories, with the title: RUSKRDYET?© This anthology will be composed of stories for the teen/young adult market where supernatural and paranormal meets technotalk.
Details at www.ruskrdyet.com
Deadline: Midnight CST, June 30th, 2010. There will be 10 to 12 stories with word count minimum of 3500 and maximum 5000.

Woodland Press announces a new anthology: Appalachian Folklore: Dark Tales of Superstition and Old Wives’ Tales
Story Length: Up to 2500 words
Deadline: September 1, 2010
Details at http://michaelknost.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-anthology-guidelines.html

Creative Writers' Circle Short Story Contest
Finish the story! Here’s first paragraph of your story.

The city was a distant smudge of light against a dark landscape. Here, away from it all, crickets sang and the breeze rustled the tall grass. Well, they would have, ordinarily, but it was raining. The crickets were silent, and the grass too heavy with water to make a sound. Thomas waited patiently in his old truck with one knee propped against the steering wheel and his small yellow dog curled on the seat beside him. The highway stretched out to his right, to the city in one direction, and into the nothingness of the country in the other. To his left was the edge of a dense forest where poplars and a few scrubby pines competed for sunlight. The dog sat up suddenly, a whine somewhere deep in his throat. Something moved in the corner of Thomas’ eye. Someone stood at the edge of the woods, leaning against a tree. Thomas peered through the blur the rain had created on the truck’s window. The figure stepped out of the woods, moving hurriedly towards Thomas’ truck...

Deadline: June 15, 2010
Details at http://www.creativewriterscircle.com/index.php?p=1_3_Contests

Turning Ideas into Stories, part III, Contests

2010-05-16T08:31:00.003-04:00

This is the third and final part of my article on techniques to turn your ideas into stories. These ideas work equally well for professional writers and writers in the classroom.

Add dialog to give life to the character. Dialog should sound real, not be real. When people talk, our words usually flow freely out of our mouths and the conversation can be boring reading. We often add uh and um and get sidetracked in our thoughts. Dialog should stay focused.

Develop a plot outline based on your idea. Add conflict and a solution. The outline helps you determine where your story is going and how to get there. Use the outline to help figure out how to get the character out of the mess you’ve created for him/her.

Write the first draft. The first draft won’t be your best writing but it will be a start in developing the idea. The first draft is the starting point, not the finish line. This is the place to let creative juices flow. Experiment with the plot and dialog. You are expected to make mistakes, and lots of them, in the first draft. Follow the first draft with a series of revisions to add sparkle to the story.

Play with your idea and have fun with it. All writing has preliminary stages in which you discard some ideas and keep others. Twist and turn you idea into different plots to discover what works and what doesn’t. Give your ideas time to incubate and grow. If you’re having fun with the story, the reader will too. Figure out the methods that work for you and keep on writing. With writing and revision, you can develop your idea into your story.

Eric Hoffer Award for Short Prose
The Eric Hoffer Award for short prose recognizes excellence in writing with a $500 prize and various honors and distinctions. Works of short prose must be less than 10,000 words, previously unpublished, or published with a circulation of less than 500. The winning prose and selected nominations are published annually in the anthology, Best New Writing.
Deadline: June 30, 2010

Details at http://www.hofferaward.com/HAprose.html

Go! Magazine Writing Contest
$500 prize for best short story (fiction). $500 prize for best article (nonfiction).
Special prize for best entry by student writer age 13 through 18.

Go!, an online magazine for 13- to 20-year-olds published by Iowa State University’s Institute for Transportation, is sponsoring a writing contest.
We are soliciting previously unpublished work from published and unpublished authors, ages 13 and up.

Details at http://www.go-explore-trans.org/writing-contest-flyer-2010.pdf

Turing Ideas Into Stories, Contests for Adult and Student Writers

2010-05-09T09:06:00.003-04:00

Today, I’m continuing with part II of my article on techniques to turn your ideas into stories. These ideas work equally well for professional and student writers.

Choose a perspective. Who is telling the story? Try different characters to determine which could tell the story in the most compelling way. If three kids and a dog were lost in the mountains, which character should you chose to tell the story. The serious kid? The smartest kid? The funny kid? How about the dog?

Try word associations. Write the first thing you think of when you see each of these words: snowballs, moon, skunk, rainbow, museum. For example, skunk and stink could work well together in a humorous tale. So could snowballs and fight. Try associations that we would usually not associate. Moon and museum could be interesting, as well as skunk and rainbow.

Remember moments from your childhood. Did you have a special toy or an imaginary friend? Did you fear a bully? A memory can inspire a story. Don’t feel compelled to stick with your memories. Use the memories as a starting point, but not to play out the whole story. Real people shouldn’t be recognized in fictional characters. Let your imagination soar as you take the idea to new heights.

The hub of the story consists of two elements: character and conflict. The character needs to aim for a goal or experience a problem and must reach the goal or solve the problem on his/her own. Ask these questions. Who is the character? What does the character want? What is standing in the way of the character getting what she wants? When you answer these questions, you have a story idea. Other elements, such as setting, can be added later.

Next week I’ll post part III of this article.

Maximum Ride Writing Contest
Write a missing chapter in a James Patterson book.
Entry date May 31, 2010
Details at http://www.max-dan-wiz.com/page/writing-contest

2010 Torrance Legacy Creative Writing Awards
DESCRIPTION: Overall Topic – Creativity Expressed in Writing
Accepted Genres: Poetry and Stories

Poetry Topics:
“The Celebration Of Life”
“What Do You See In Life And How Do You Respond To It?”

Story Topics:
“Building Sand Castles”
“Crossing Out Mistakes”
“Listening For Smells”

Students in grades 4 through 12.

Entry date: We will begin accepting submissions on March 1, 2010. All submissions must be postmarked by August 2, 2010. Entries may also be submitted electronically on this web page starting March 1, 2010.

Details at http://www.ststesting.com/torrance_cw_rules2010.pdf

Developing Ideas into Stories, Audience, Ask "What If", Call for Submissions for Writing by Kids, Writing Greeting Cards

2010-05-02T06:39:00.004-04:00

An idea for a story just popped into your head. A phrase, a feisty character, or maybe a situation. The more you thought about it, the more the story played like a movie in your mind. Days, weeks, even months passed and the story wouldn’t go away. Like a pesky mosquito, it buzzed around in your brain. Sound familiar?

Writers use many techniques to develop story ideas. Some let stories mentally evolve until the characters are strong enough to come to life on paper. Others take an idea and immediately construct a character and plot. Different strokes for different folks. Regardless of how your spark originated-over time or on the spur of the moment-the job ahead is to develop it into a full-fledged account. Try these nine techniques to turn your ideas into stories. These ideas work equally well for professional writers and writers in the classroom.

Who is the audience? Is this story for a four year old or a fourteen year old? When we meet someone on the street and talk face-to-face, we adjust our speech and language to suit the audience. As writers, we have to recognize and understand the reading and interest level of our reader before we begin writing. A four year old thinks the word “underwear” is funny. A fourteen year old will probably roll eyes at the word.

Ask What if. What if a dinosaur came to lunch… What if everyone looked the same… Probe your character and plot with the What if question to develop your story idea. When your story comes to a screeching halt and you don’t know where to go with the plot ask what if. You may be surprised at the turn your story takes and the new ideas you will explore.
Next week, I’ll post part II of this article.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

* Kid Spirit Magazine
KidSpirit Magazine is a unique, unaffiliated spiritual magazine written by and for 11 to 15 year olds. Our goal is to foster dialogue and understanding among kids of diverse backgrounds and traditions about values, spirituality and life's big questions. Free of advertising, KidSpirit empowers today's youth to explore deep issues and mankind's search for meaning in a spirit of openness. Each issue of KidSpirit Magazine is an invitation to look at a big question or idea from many vantage points.
Details at http://kidspiritmagazine.com/submit.html

*Polyphony H.S.
A student-run national literary magazine for high-school writers. Our title is a combination of the Greek term meaning many voices, and the abbreviation for High School. Polyphony H.S. was co-founded by Paige Holtzman (Latin School of Chicago ’06) and Billy Lombardo in August 2004. At that time, there was no other magazine like it in the country; that is, a professional quality, national literary magazine for high school writers, edited by high school students from public, private, and parochial schools; and there is still nothing like it in the world. Not only do our editors invite high school writers to submit their work for professional publication, but also they give editorial feedback to every author who submits a manuscript. This extends to continuing a dialogue with accepted authors in an effort to strengthen each piece.
http://www.polyphonyhs.com/guidelines

* Amberley Greeting Card Co.
PAY: $150/card idea
Seeking humorous cards only. Submit maximum 10 ideas per batch. Send SASE for writer's guidelines before submitting. Mail to: Dave McPeek 11510 Goldcoast Dr. Cincinnati, Ohio 45249.

Maximize Writing Time, Call for Submissions, Contests

2010-04-25T07:13:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wondered what makes some writers more successful than others? One common denominator of successful writers is they produce a lot of writing. They write every day. One of the best ways to get in the habit of writing daily is to have a plan. Some writers set a goal of a certain number of hours per day. Others prefer a word or page amount. Here are some ideas to maximize your writing time.

1. Use bum glue. Glue your bum, not literally, to the chair and write. Writers write. There is no other way to get the words on paper or the screen. The more your write, the easier it gets.

2. Stop procrastinating. Set a writing goal and consistently work toward that goal. Staring at a blank computer screen or sheet of paper is intimidating. Every book begins with the first word. If you’re writing a chapter book or novel, break down the project into chapters and work through the story one chapter at a time. Begin with an outline. Outline each chapter. If you have never traveled from Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky, to Frog Eye, Alabama, wouldn’t it be easier if you followed a map rather than guess the routes? Following an outline is like following a map through new territory. You have the options of choosing different routes and will get to your destination with fewer wrong turns.

3. Develop a schedule that fits your lifestyle. If you can write for 30 minutes every day at 4:15, use that time effectively. You may have a few minutes while you wait to pick up a child from softball practice to write or develop ideas.

4. Write when you don’t feel inspired. Some writers say they are inspired every morning at 8:00 whether they feel it or not. Don’t wait until you feel the urge to write. If you start writing, ideas will come.

5. Perseverance pays off. Remain persistent in your writing goals. Stephen King says talent is as common as table salt. Write consistently and hone your talent. Manuscripts will follow and you’ll be closer to reaching your goals.

Teachers, introduce a writing activity by holding up three pictures. Describe in detail each picture. If the picture is a dog chasing a boy, use descriptive language to express the action. Instead of saying, “The dog chased the boy,” provide details, such as “Sting, the wild-eyed, wild haired, wild barking dog of the new neighbor had just learned to chase the wind when Jesse saw the creature sprinting in his direction….”

Explain that writing details makes the story come alive. Give each student three different pictures and let them place the pictures in any order; then write a paragraph detailing the action in each.

Spruce Mountain Press Annual Past Loves Contest
To foster awareness of PAST LOVES DAY, SEPTEMBER 17, Spruce Mountain Press sponsors an annual Story Contest. The Contest, and the Day, offer an opportunity to acknowledge a truth that lingers in your heart.
No entry fee

Write your true story of an earlier love, in no more than 700 words. Tell us about someone whose memory brings a smile or a tear, or both.

First Prize: $100 Second Prize: $75 Third Prize: $50 Honorable Mention(s) Entries must be sent by midnight, August 17
http://gradlitorg.blogspot.com/2009/06/spruce-mountain-press-past-loves-day.html

Tenth Anniversary Novella Contest
No Restrictions: Editors say: "A novella, in order not to be a novel, should focus on one story and one set of characters. In order not to be a 'mere' short story, it should go into more depth, about both. What the heck is a novella, anyway?” Length is obviously the main criterion, i.e. the thing should be longer than a short story, and not so long as a novel.”
Deadline May 15
Details at http://www.failbetter.com/Novella.php?docheck=yes
CITY KIDZ WORLD MAGAZINE
http://www.citykidzworld.com/contests.php
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Mayor for the day writing contest
Create a fictitious village. Describe the village and write a short story about what you would do there if you were the mayor there for the day. Deadline May 1, 2010.
2nd -3rd grade - 100 words
4th -5th grade - 200 words
6th - 8th grade - 250 words
High School - 500 words
1st Place: A basket of school supplies, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine and on www.citykidzworld.com.
2nd place: A second place certificate, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine and on www.citykidzworld.com.
3rd place: A third place certificate, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine on www.citykidzworld.com.

Kentucky Arts Council Grant, Southern KY Book Fest, Writing with Pictures, Contests

2010-04-18T11:29:00.005-04:00

I’m happy to announce that I won a 2010 Individual Artist Professional Development grant from the Kentucky Arts Council [KAC], the state government agency responsible for developing and promoting support for the arts in Kentucky. KAC creates opportunities for people to find value in the arts, participate in the arts and benefit from the arts through programs, grants and services.

Saturday, I was a guest author at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest, another Kentucky treasure. Some of the headliners were Ann Bryn, [Cake Mix Doctor cookbooks], Lisa Scottoline [mysteries/thrillers], Laura Numeroff [If You Give a Mouse a Cookie], Mark Teague [illustrator of Dear Mrs. Laure], Kristin O’Donnell Tubb [Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different], Richard Paul Evans [The Chrismas Box], Alison Davis Lyon [illustrator of Halloween Alphabet],and numerous other authors and illustrators. I was no headliner, but I had fun signing copies of my latest book, Happy Birthday.

I talked with several authors about the state of the publishing industry. Here are some tidbits:

Be passionate about your work. Your passion will show in your writing and you will continue writing even when you feel like giving up.

Make a web presence even before you're published. Social media sites, such as web pages and blogs, are often checked by editors when making a decision on a publishing contract. A blog or web presence could tilt the vote in favor of offering a contract.

If you’re writing nonfiction, have your manuscript reviewed by a professional in the field in which you’re writing before you submit it to a publisher or agent.

Pass your manuscript to people outside your family and friends to have it critiqued before submitting it.

Middle grade and young adult fiction are popular with editors and agents at this time.

Picture books manuscripts are difficult to sell but great ones will find a home.

Spend as much energy and effort researching publishers as you do writing the book. Try to match the manuscript with the publisher.

Workshops are important in building a writing career. Not only do you learn the technical aspects of writing but you meet a network of professionals.

Develop the BIC [bottom in chair] habit and write daily.

For student writers:
Write a story with pictures. Have students cut out 6-10 pictures, more or less depending on class time and the age of students, from magazines, catalogs, and other sources. Explain that students will arrange pictures in a sequence and write a story with a beginning, middle, and ending to represent the pictures.

The Coffee Shop Chronicles
We’re putting together an anthology of one-hundred best stories, that all start or end with a cup of coffee. (Hey…you’re a writer…this should be easy.) It can be humorous and jittery, or about a life-changing event that is somehow linked to that magic brew. Did you propose over a cup of coffee, meet the love of your life or discover nuclear fission? Prime your boss for an overdue promotion and then seal the deal? Decide having one more kid was do-able? Plot the overthrow of the Chilean government? Finish the last chapter to that novel?
Whatever your story, we’d like to hear from you. Submit entries, from one paragraph to one page in length. Please include the name of your favorite coffee shop. All published entries will receive a twenty-five dollar gift certificate courtesy of your favorite coffee shop and A Word with You Press.

Closing date is May 1.
http://www.awordwithyoupress.com/titles/the-coffee-shop-chronicles/

2010 Robert Traver Fly-Fishing Writing Award
"A distinguished original essay or work of short fiction that embodies an implicit love of fly-fishing, respect for the sport and the natural world in which it takes place, and high literary values."
Award carries a $2,000 First Prize, from the John D. Voelker Foundation, sponsor of the award; a Second Place award of $750 will be included this year; Third Place is $250.
Deadline May 15.
Find details at http://www.flyrodreel.com/fly-fishing/robert-traver-fly-fishing-writing

Rejection, Writing End to Beginning, Call for Submissions

2010-04-11T09:32:00.001-04:00

Rejections letters. Eeuuu, nobody likes them, but a few rejection letters specifically state the problems, such as The ending was not realistic. You now know where your story may be lacking and also more about the type of story the editor is selecting. Seriously consider the comments made by an editor. Editors know what manuscripts work for their publishing houses. The best rejection letters request you to submit a revised manuscript or offer to review some of your other manuscripts.

If rejection slips with no comments flow in like tidal waves, you may want to reevaluate the manuscript. Could the manuscript be lacking in quality? The sheer volume of manuscripts publishers receive is overwhelming and the cream of the crop rises to the top. We become so emotionally attached to our writing it is impossible to be subjective in evaluating our own work. Join a critique group and get professional feedback.

All rejections are not the same. Reflect on the number of rejections, the type of rejections, and the reasons for rejection. Correct the problem by revising your submission list of publishers, the cover/query letter, or the story itself; then resurrect the manuscript with another round of submissions. With a little reflection, you can take your story from rejection to selection.

Writing from End to Beginning

Students sometimes we have great ideas for stories but don’t know where the story should start. Create a plot outline and write the ending, then the middle and finish with the beginning. This activity encourages creative thought long before the first word is written.

Call for submissions:
Once Upon a Day
Deadline: May 15th.
Your protagonist is about to have a day. He doesn't know it yet, but it's going to be a day that, for him, will live in infamy. A day she will point to, years later, as the specific moment when something in her soul changed. It can be a teeny tiny change or it can be a ginormous change. But it has to occur in the light of day.
The first line of your story must begin with: The sun rose...
The last line of your story must end with: ...just as the sun went down.
That which occurs in between—be it drama, comedy, mystery, romance, fantasy, etc.—is entirely up to you. What changes your dawn character to the one we shall see at dusk?
Prize: $100, plus the story will be published in The Verb. More details at
http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm

A Cup of Comfort® has once again joined hands with REDBOOK magazine to sponsor a true story contest!

Enter the Cup of Comfort/REDBOOK Your Love Story Contest for a chance to win $1,000, have your story excerpted in REDBOOK magazine, and publish your story in A Cup of Comfort for Couples!

A Cup of Comfort® for Couples: (Call for Submissions)
Stories that celebrate what it means to be in love

This book will feature uplifting true stories with a balanced mix of tones—romantic, poignant, humorous—on a wide range of topics. Story Length: 1000–2000 words.

Call for Submission Deadline: April 20, 2010
Finalist Notification: June 15, 2010
Details at http://www.cupofcomfort.com/callforsubmissions

Rejection, Timed writing, Call for submissions

2010-04-04T08:03:00.002-04:00

When I think of my early writing days--seven years to land the first contract; five years to get the second one--I realize that being a librarian and working with kids and books on a daily basis is what kept me inspired, along with the driving desire to write and get published. In twelve years I accumulated two contracts and a mountain of rejection letters. My career momentum has shifted to a higher speed since then, but each time I get a contract, a troublesome little question pops up like a jack-in-the-box and squeezes the life out my confidence: Will I ever get another contract? The doubts are there, but I don't dwell on them; instead I start writing a brand new something or other, either a picture or chapter book.

Rejection letters are never easy to read, but can offer some insight into what works in a manuscript and what does not. Ask yourself these questions: Did I target publishers that accept the genre of my manuscript? Did I research each publisher to determine that they did not already have a book on the same subject or presented in a similar format? Publishers don’t want two of their own books to compete in the marketplace. Was my cover/query letter error free? Did I capture the editor’s attention in the first sentence?

Let’s move on to informative rejection slips, those in which a personal note or letter states why the manuscript was not right for the publisher. The reason stated may be so vague you don’t have a clue as to why the story was rejected; however, if the editor took time from a busy schedule to write a personal note, you have made a positive impression. You’re doing something right. Some rejection slips are in the form of a checklist. What area was marked? That information may give a clue as to why your story didn’t work for that publisher.

Some rejection notes state that a similar story was recently accepted. From that information, you can infer that you’re on the right track with the subject matter or type of manuscript. Some may state the story was too slight. That often means the plot was not strong enough. Others may state that they felt no empathy for the main character. Reread the manuscript to determine how the editor came to such conclusions. If you can recognize the problem, you can find a way to fix it.
Part III of my article, From Rejection to Reflection to Selection, will follow next weeks.

Classroom timed writing:
Allow students to select a topic or title or character and give them a minute or two to think about what they will write. Explain that they do not begin writing until you say, “Go.” At that point they will have three minutes [more time if you choose] to write a paragraph. When you say “stop” students place pencils on their desks. Allow them to share their work. Provide additional timed writing sessions throughout they year. Notice how their writing becomes more creative as they become accustomed to writing in a short period of time.

Call for Submissions:

Carolrhoda. April 1, 2010 and ending April 30, 2010, I will be considering unsolicited complete YA [Young Adult] novels for Carolrhoda Lab. I am interested in YA novels only, including realistic, paranormal, dark fantasy, dystopian, etc. I am not interested in high fantasy. We do not publish graphic novels. For details check here. http://carolrhoda.blogspot.com/2008/12/submissions.html.

Friends of Acadia Nature Poetry Competition (no fee)
Postmark Deadline: April 30
Submissions are invited for the 2010 Friends of Acadia Poetry Competition. Established in 1998, this prize is presented biennially to promote and recognize distinctive nature poetry. The three top-ranked poems will be published in the Friends of Acadia Journal. (print and online), and awarded cash prizes by category ($350, $250, $150).
Details at http://www.friendsofacadia.org/events/poetrycompetition.shtml.