AMAZING GRACE, my first middle grade novel, was just
released. This book’s road to publication is somewhat unusual in a couple of
ways.
First, the story began as a picture book but the
subject matter was too advanced for that age group. I rewrote it as a chapter
book. Again, the subject matter worked better for an older reader. What can
writers learn from this? Know your audience. When writing, imagine a particular
age, or even a particular child. As you write, continually ask yourself, does
this (dialog, character action, word choice, plot) work for my audience.
The second unusual aspect of the book is the length
of time—15 years—the story percolated in my mind. I began the book 15 years
ago. That’s right, fifteen loooooong years ago. I never gave up on the story
but it took me years to learn how to write it. What can writers learn from
this? Perseverance is the key to a successful career in writing. Don’t give up.
I’ve seen so many writers work hard and through the process begin to excel,
only to become so frustrated with rejection, then quit writing.
For years, I’ve written picture books and now have
30+ published. I love writing for that age group, but it’s also fun and an
exciting learning experience to move away from my comfort zone and write for an
entirely different audience. If we try writing in a genre new to us or for a
difference audience, we’ll grow as writers.
Call for Submissions for Young Writers:
Storybird. Your words. Our
art. Amazing stories. Simple tools help you build books in minutes. Let the art
inspire and surprise you as you write. Readers will encourage you along the
way.
Submission guidelines at http://storybird.com/
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Clarkesworld Magazine
is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes
short stories, interviews, articles and audio fiction. We are currently open for
art, non-fiction and short story submissions.
Submission guidelines at http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/
No comments:
Post a Comment