Sunday, July 21, 2013

Idea Overload, part III/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips: 

1.      Writer’s block is the inability to create and develop a story idea. Having too many ideas can be just a detrimental to your manuscript. Inventory the ideas you have and spend time thinking about those that you think would work best for a story with a beginning/middle/ending and in which the character changes (grows) in some way and solves the problem or reaches the goal on his/her own.

2.      Sketch out the plot in a simple outline, maybe one or two sentences for each scene if you’re writing a picture book. If you’re writing a middle grade or young adult book, outline the story with a sentence or two per chapter. Once you get the outline, begin writing the story. If other ideas spring up, simple write them in the ideas folder and continue working on the manuscript you began.

3.      Stay focused on one manuscript. Write the story from beginning to the end and don’t worry about mistakes at this point. Just get the story written. Concentrate on finishing the first draft. Good writing comes from rewriting.

Next week, I’ll continue the series.

Call for submissions for adult writers: 

Family Circle. Practical solutions for moms to raise happy, healthy families. Particular emphasis on mothers of tweens and teens. Query with clips with at least one from a national magazine. [Photocopy your article as it appeared in the magazine and enclose the photocopy with your manuscript.] Articles are 1,000 to 2,000 words. Departments 750 words. Does not respond unless interested in the piece. Nothing read on spec. Publishes a large volume of freelance articles.

Submission can be sent to: Family Circle Magazine Articles Department 375 Lexington Avenue 9th Floor New York, NY 10017

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

 

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