PICTURE BOOK WRITING TIPS, part 2

Writing tips, continued:

 A picture book story may be simple with a short timeline, such as bedtime, or longer and more complex. Consider the age of the audience. Concept books about colors or numbers intended for the preschoolers are often more simplistic and shorter than books written for those in the K-2 group.

            Text should be child-focused, with the perspective from the child’s point of view. Characters can be people or non-human, but the story should resonate with the child. A child under the age of two probably would not be interested in a school-based setting, because that is not part of their world.

            Keep the text short. A 2,000- word picture book will not get published in today’s market. Most are 500 words or less. This is where thinking visually comes into play. Leave out descriptions that can be shown in illustrations. In fact, if your book is published, you might be surprised at how the illustrations reflect your words but tell the story beyond the text. Picture books are 32 pages, but only about 27 or 28 pages are illustration and text. Title page and end notes take up a few pages.

            Picture books are a series of page spreads. Ten to fourteen double-page spreads complete the book, so there is no room for a ton of text. Make sure every word counts.

            In my next blog, I’ll continue with tips for writing picture books.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Skipping Stones is a multicultural literary magazine that publishes work by writers of all ages.

Submission guidelines:  http://www.skippingstones.org/submissions.htm

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

FUN FOR KIDZ We are looking for lively writing that involves an activity that is both wholesome and unusual. The Ideal length of a FUN FOR KIDZ nonfiction piece is up to 300-325 words for a one-page magazine article or up to 600-650 words for a two-page magazine article. Articles that are accompanied by strong high-resolution photos are far more likely to be accepted than those requiring illustration.

Submission guidelines: http://funforkidzmagazines.com/ffk_guidelines

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK. Check out her blog at www.nancykellyallen.com

Writing with a Slant, Part 2

Narrowing a topic and choosing an audience are two factors to consider in writing with a slant. Both were discussed in the previous blog. Two additional factors include:

Researching a topic. When writing AMAZING GRACE, I set aside time to explore books and websites on the Kentucky home front during World War II. Collecting tidbits of information, much more than I’d ever need, provided me with the luxury of sifting out the truths and proofs that worked best for my story setting and age group. Yes, fiction must include accurate facts. Historical fiction comes alive through details.

 Simple items, such as Kool-Aid, needed to be researched. What flavors were available during the early 1940s? Was a radio station in operation in Ashland, Kentucky, during 1942? I began the story with a family moving from Ashland to Hazard, but further research led me to realize Hazard had no radio station at that time. Ashland did, so the family moved from Hazard to Ashland. Details, small details, make a difference in the believability of a story.

Voice. What type of voice should I use? I didn’t want the story to sound frivolous, too carefree. The times were difficult for those on the home front during the war, so I wanted the tone of the book to reflect that, but without burdening the reader with morose nuances. The main character, a young girl named Grace, tells the story and hits a balance between reality and a child-like view that infused a humorous touch.

Writing for a particular audience with a particular slant or particular angle can narrow your story to a perfect fit.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers: 

Blue Marble Review. Are you age 13 to 21? (Or do you have writing kids?) If so, then Blue Marble Review is worth considering since there are few paying markets for teen writers. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. Pay is $25 ($75 for cover art). All submissions should be unpublished.

Submission guidelines at https://bluemarblereview.com/submit/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Fun For Kidz magazine looks for activities that deal with timeless topics, such as pets, nature, hobbies, science, games, sports, careers, simple cooking, and anything else likely to interest a child. Each issue revolves around a theme.

Submissions guidelines at https://www.freelancewriting.com/writers-guidelines/children-publications/

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 50+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

Comment or check out the blog at https://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Writing a Book with a Relatable Theme

The theme is the dominant idea of a book, the author’s statement on which the story hangs. It is often expressed as the character’s learned experience, such as friendship, hope, love, sacrifice, or good over evil. Think of it as the main topic at the center of the story.

When I’m developing a story plot, I don’t think about theme. Instead, I focus on telling the story. If the theme becomes dominate at that stage of the writing process, it may force the characters into actions for the sake of the theme, rather than the plot.

After I finish the first, sometimes the second or third draft, I usually develop a feeling of the theme that lies between the lines of the story. In Forty Winks, a bedtime story, multiple themes exist: fear of the dark, fear of monsters, benefits of sharing. The themes evolved from the story line, rather than the writing adhering to a particular message. When we write to promote a particular message, the story often becomes didactic, too instructive. My first rule for writing a fictional picture book is to focus on the entertainment value.

I also ask the following questions:

Is the theme relatable with wide appeal? Publishers want books that resonate with a large audience or age group. If a child enjoys a book and can “see” himself in the story, he wants to read it again, or another similar book.

Is the theme an issue that’s important in the child’s world? Children often fear the dark, want to adopt a pet, or play with a friend. Consider the age of the audience before writing the first word. Themes vary with age groups. Fitting into a social group is a viable theme for middle grade and young adult readers, but don’t work as well for preschoolers.

A theme is expressed through the ideas, thoughts, and actions of the character and is what the character learns in the journey of the story.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Hanging Loose magazine. High School Submissions.

Since 1968, every issue of Hanging Loose has had a section of high school writing. We’re always looking for new writers. Here’s how to submit your work:

* Send all work to High School Editor, Hanging Loose, 231 Wyckoff Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Please also send us a note identifying yourself as a high school age writer, and telling us your age. Include an email address—and include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient return postage. Otherwise, your submission cannot be returned. Be sure your name and address appear on each page of your work.

* Send up to six poems or short stories, or an equivalent combination of poetry and prose.

Hanging Loose has long been known for its special interest in new writers. We read manuscripts throughout the year and we look forward to reading yours.

Submissions guidelines at http://hangingloosepress.com/submissions.html 

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Nature Friend. "Nature-loving children and families get Nature Friend. We are primarily about wild nature. Can be animals, plants, birds, insects, rocks, ocean life, astronomy, gardening, learning by doing activities and experiments." Welcomes new writers. Circ. 7500. Monthly. Pays on publication. Period between acceptance and publication varies. Buy first rights. Accepts reprints. Responds quickly. Sample articles on website.

Submissions guidelines at  https://www.naturefriendmagazine.com/index.pl?linkid=12;class=gen.

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

Leave a message or check out my blog at www.nancykellyallen.com

 

Writing Children's Books with Child Appeal

One popular request by editors is the need for books with child appeal. So what can we do to add child appeal to a manuscript? 

Remember, the first person to whom the book must appeal is an adult—the editor. If an editor doesn’t like a manuscript, it doesn’t become a book with a traditional publisher. A parent, teacher, librarian, gift shop manager etc. must also find it interesting and worthy. 

Universal emotions, such as anger, taps into feelings everyone understands and deals with.

Consider the age of the audience. What are the interests of a two-year-old? This age group knows about family, pets, food… When choosing a topic, think about the child’s world and experiences they embrace. A simple walk down a lane is a learning experience for a toddler. They enjoy watching bugs, picking a flower, and blowing a dandelion. Colors and the many hue variations found in nature fascinate them. Shapes and sounds are part of their world. Stay within the child’s experiences and interest. 

Always reflect events that are age appropriate for the intended audience. The theme, subject matter, and events in the story should interest and be appropriate for the reader’s age group. Engaging a particular group of readers directly is the goal. A book that fits “all age groups” is usually too broad in scope for the picture book crowd. Narrowly focus the theme, with one theme carrying the book.

 

In my next blog, I’ll continue with more ideas for writing books with child appeal.

 

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Magic Dragon, a quarterly publication, presents writing and art created by children in the elementary school grades in a magazine of quality four-color printing and graphic display. We believe that our objectives are special – to encourage the development of creativity in children and to provide a medium to share their creative efforts. 

Submission guidelines at http://www.magicdragonmagazine.com/ 

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

GLASS & GARDENS: SOLARPUNK SUMMERS

Solarpunk is a type of eco-conscious science fiction that imagines an optimistic future founded on renewable energies. It might take place in a wind-powered skyscraper or on a solar-powered robotic farm, in a bustling green-roofed metropolis or in a small but tech-saavy desert village. Often coupled with an art nouveau aesthetic, and always inclusive and diverse, solarpunk stories show the ways we have adapted to climate change, or the ways we have overcome it.

Submission guidelines at http://www.worldweaverpress.com/submit-anthologies.html

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK. Check out her blog at www.nancykellyallen.com

How to Create Memorable Characters in Picture Books, Part 3

           To develop a memorable character, get to know him/her/it before writing. In picture books, the

writer needs to know the character’s motivation and how the character reacts to situations.

A compelling character needs a problem to make his/her life interesting enough to carry the reader’s interest throughout the story. The problem should be large enough to create consequences that can ripple from beginning to end. As the character attempts to control the situation, allow the reader to “see” his/her feelings. Emotions give life to a character and affect actions and reactions. Maybe anger compels him to act in a way he normally would not. Strong emotions can force characters to react to circumstances even when they don’t want to.

When I wrote GONE CUCKOO, I wanted to portray the birth parents (cuckoos) as warm, caring birds, and do the same for the warblers (adoptive parents). The main character is a young cuckoo bird that doesn’t fit into the lifestyle of the warblers, and when he attends Warbler Academy, he fails miserably. Naturally, his frustration and embarrassment levels are high and he feels as if he is a failure.

            Even though the characters are birds, their emotions and behaviors mirror that of children who are placed in a similar, unfamiliar situations in which they are ill-suited. As a result, the characters become relatable.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers

Sarah Mook Poetry Prize for Students. Restrictions: Students in grades K-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100. 

Deadline: March 31, 2017.

Submission guidelines at http://www.sarahmookpoetrycontest.com/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers

Positively Happy! Chicken Soup for the Soul. 101 Stories about Positive Thinking and Living a Happy Life
Deadline: May 31, 2017

Submission guidelines at https://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/uncategorized/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-several-deadlines-approaching-11-books/ 

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

Know Your Audience, Part 3

In a recent workshop, I met individually with several beginning writers who arrived with manuscripts in hand. The first drafts showed that each had worked hard to develop characters and plots and they had devised interesting dialog, along with a narrative arc that included a happy endings.  So what could be the problem?  

The problems fell into two categories. 

Category 1.  Example: The school-based story involved a history project about Abe Lincoln, but the text was written on a level for children ages 2-3. The concept was excellent but the target audience needed a more sophisticated, in-depth rendering. The word choice was too elementary and the text too sparse for the target audience. The subject of school, history project, and Lincoln are key in determining the audience is of school age. Children in the toddler age group don’t have the life experiences to connect with such a story and the emotional impact is lost.  

Category 2. Example: A family-oriented story about a cat that wanted to play with a ball was text heavy and the word choice was too advanced. Longer text with complex sentence structure is best suited for an older reader, but the character and plot were more in line with a much younger audience.

Every story must relate to the audience. If the character and plot aren’t relevant, the child will not be interested. The language should also reflect the reader’s age. Know the target audience, their needs, likes, interests, and what they think is funny or spooky or weird. Use these elements write a story that ignites interest. 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Blue Mountain Arts. Announces Its Twenty-eighth Biannual Poetry Card Contest

1st prize: $300 * 2nd prize: $150 * 3rd prize: $50

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!

Poetry Contest Rules

All entries must be the original creation of the submitting author. All rights to the entries must be owned by the author and shall remain the property of the author. The author gives permission to Blue Mountain Arts, Inc. to publish and display the entry on the Web (in electronic form only) if the entry is selected as a winner or finalist. Winners will be contacted within 45 days of the deadline date. Contest is open to everyone except employees of Blue Mountain Arts and their families. Void where prohibited.

Deadline: June 30, 2016

 

Inspiration

I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning. ~Peter De Vries

Inspiration is that elusive quality that makes a writer grab a pen and form words. Jack London said, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” These two successful writers understand that even though we love the process of stringing words together, there will be days that writing is the LAST thing we want to do. Writing is hard, some days harder than others, and picking up a club seems to be more effort than we can muster. What’s a writer to do?

Inspiration equals inspired writing. Sometimes I’m forced to search for it and sometimes the club knocks it my way. I recently had the wonderful opportunity of visiting 13 schools in one county. I spoke to preschool groups, elementary, middle school, and high school students about writing. This type of experience feeds a writer’s inspiration gene. Working directly with a target audience connects writers to readers, primary sources that offer authentic feedback. I saw firsthand what kids like to read at different age levels. When you’re talking with young readers, just ask…and listen.

Notice what makes a target audience laugh, express emotions, ooh and ahhh. Pay attention to their reactions.What books to they enjoy? What are their favorite subjects and why? What do they write on their own?

Use the feedback to focus on topics that interest the reader. Knowing that you are writing what your audience wants to read provides a springboard for inspiration.

Next week, I’ll provide more ways to find inspiration. 

Call for submissions for Young Writers

The 'Save the Earth' Poetry Prize complements John Felstiner’s book Can Poetry Save the Earth?  A Field Guide to Nature Poems and is offered annually by John Felstiner, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University and Charles Weeden, The Weeden Foundation.  We have seven winners each receiving a check for $200. and a copy of Can Poetry Save the Earth?.

Here is what students and teachers need to know:

·         High school students, grades 10th, 11th and 12th, are invited to enter.  No entry fee.

·         Poems submitted should, in any way possible, evoke humankind’s awareness of the natural world and nature as such.

·         One submission per student. There’s no restriction on form or length.

·         Please include in your email your name, school grade, high school with town and state, and name of your English teacher.

·         Poems should be submitted in English and in either Microsoft Word or .PDF.

The seven winners of the 2015 ‘SAVE THE EARTH’ POETRY PRIZE are listed above. Please click on their names to read their poems.  If you particularly like a poem, please email us at Savetheearthpoems@gmail.com and we'll forward your comments to the poet.  

For our 2016 Contest, please send submissions between March 1^st and May 31^st, 2016 to savetheearthpoems@gmail.com.

Submission guidelines at https://sites.google.com/site/savetheearthpoems/ 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Spigot Science is a science-themed publication with articles from many disciplines in support of the theme. Please become a Basic member (free) and download the free publication so you can become familiar with our different features. Use the Table of Contents to see that articles, while addressing the theme, are written for use in other subjects: science, technology, engineering, math, geography, language arts, social studies, health, and the arts. If you wish to write for Spigot Science, please send a query that includes your pitch and information about you.  Be sure to include your name and email address.  Send it to: davidc99@aol.com.

Submission guidelines at http://writetodone.com/31-ways-to-find-inspiration-for-your-writing/

Let’s Talk Picture Books, Part 4

Our stories should entertain, first and foremost, but they should also give readers something to think about, both as they read the story and after the book is finished—maybe a question about courage or friendship. The theme of the story is the underlying message, the big idea, of the story. We should never go overboard with teaching or hammering our message. A subtle guide is all that is needed. Consider ideas that you would have enjoyed reading about or what you needed to know when you were the age of the targeted audience. Did you lose a pet that left you heartbroken? Did your best friend move away and you grieved over the loss? Did you have to deal with a bully? Reflect on events in your childhood and how reading about characters who dealt with similar situations resonated with you emotionally. Kids identify with characters and in doing so learn more about themselves.

Kids relate to book characters and want to learn more. That’s the reason series are so popular. When writing, think in terms of the child character. How will the child relate to this situation? What would a child say and how would a child say it?

Try this exercise: Choose a situation: lost pet, best friend moving away, or a bully. Write a few paragraphs as an eight-year-old. Rewrite it from the perspective of a five-year-old. Use narrative and dialog.

Reading books geared toward both age groups will give you a good understanding of the differences in the writing.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Guardian Angel Kids. A children's Ezine designed for healthy and safe entertainment for children. Includes stories, poetry, video, audio, games, free coloring pages, and more. Submissions accepted from young writers and artists up to 12 years old.

 Submission guidelines at http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/submissions.html

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Humpty Dumpty Magazine (ages 2-6)

FICTION: Short stories 450 words or less.

BUILD-A-BOOK: We are accepting short mini-stories of 70-125 words. These should be positive and light-hearted; often humorous. Characters can be children or animals. We welcome material that deals with kindness, love, good manners, friendship, holidays, and seasons.

NONFICTION: We accept short articles of 300 words or less on science and nature, as well as age-appropriate how-to projects.

POETRY: We accept poems 4-12 line poems. Please remember the age of your audience.

CRAFTS: We accept fun crafts of 250 words or less that young children can make with a bit of adult help. Crafts can celebrate holidays or seasons. Materials should be inexpensive and easy to obtain. Include easy-to-understand steps and directions and, if possible, include a photo of the finished craft.

Submission guidelines at http://www.uskidsmags.com/writers-guidelines/

 

Idea to Finished Manuscript, Part II

Try these ideas for turning an idea into a story:

Audience. The adage Know your audience is true in any genre of literature. Is this story a  read-aloud for a three-year-old or is it geared for a six-year-old beginning reader? 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 readers before we begin writing. A read-aloud story may have more complicated words and sentence structure than a beginning reader for an older child.

 

What if. What if it rained marshmallows. What if everyone grew horns. 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.

Perspective/Point of view. These are not the same. Perspective refers to the strategy a writer uses to tell the story. Is it first person (I) , second (you), or third (he/she)? Keep the same perspective throughout in books for younger children. 

Point of view refers to who is telling the story? Is the big dog, the friendly dog, or the neighbor’s cat? Try different characters to determine which could tell the story in the most compelling way. The single-character perspective is the most common viewpoint used in children’s literature. If you change the viewpoint, do it with a new chapter to enhance understanding for the reader. 

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Young Rider. Short stories (approximately 800-1,000 words) for about $150. They have to be “realistic” stories and not too sugary sweet. We only use 4 to 5 of these a year. We get a great deal of “children overcoming the odds to win things or struggling to buy or get a horse of their own” so we don’t encourage these types of stories. We would prefer funny stories, with a bit of conflict, which will appeal to the 13-year-old age group. They should be written in the third person, and about kids. The story should have a definite plot, some sort of conflict (humorous, serious or not-so-serious) and a resolution. No “childhood memories” please.

Submission guidelines at http://www.youngrider.com/writers-guidelines.aspx

Writing a Middle Grade Novel/Calls for Submissions

This week, I’m continuing my focus on scenes. 

The character must continue to make decisions, to choose among several options. Reacting and failing allow the character to learn and to become proactive in solving his/her problems. Eventually the character will make some good decisions as s/he overcomes the odds and wins. The decision must be logical and stay true to the character, a decision the reader will respect. The risk can be great, and should be, to keep the reader’s interest high. Setbacks and failures create tension and suspense. 

Convey specific details of the surroundings to set the tone. If the scene needs to produce fear and it is at night, use night sounds and visuals, plus other senses to feed the fright factor. Do shadows creep under lighting? Did something snap? Does the character smell smoke? Could the building be burning?  

Use the setting to reflect the character’s feelings. If the character is sad, do the buildings look rundown and gloomy, does the moan of an animal sound the way the character feels?  

Every scene does not need monumental action and an extremely agitated state of mind for the character, but each scene should show the character and his/her emotional state. 

Linking strong scenes together makes a believable, dramatic story that keeps the audience turning the pages.  

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Storybird. Write. 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:

Harness Anthologies 2015

Publication Date: January 2015. Payment: Two Copies.
Solstice: A Winter Antholog. Winter vacation, snow cream, snow days from school, building snowmen, snowball fights, snow storms, the first time you or your child saw snow. Give us your best white memory! All things winter and snow related. Fiction or nonfiction accepted. Also accepting original winter poems and winter recipes.
Stories should be 750 to 2500 words.
Poems and recipes should be limited to one page.

Open to Submissions: September 2014
Please do not use headers or footers/page numbers in your ms. Please use TNR or similar basic font, size 12.

Submission guidelines: Send as a Word doc in an attachment to harnessantho@rockinghorsepublishing.com

Writing a Middle Grade Novel/Call for Submissions

Today, I’m continuing the series, Writing a Middle Grade Novel.

Begin the story with action and conflict to grab and keep the readers’ interests. When the action slows and the protagonist seems to be getting the upper hand on the situation, throw his/her world into a tailspin. If the character does not have to struggle, if success comes too easily, the reader will not make an emotional investment in the character’s journey. To build interest, raise the stakes by adding more conflict. Example: He has 24 hours to accomplish a seemingly impossible task, and if he fails something even more drastic will happen.

Readers want a story that connects in some way to their own lives—the betrayal of a best friend or fear of completing some task. Present a character that is flawed but has other qualities—courage, compassion, etc.—that inspire the readers. The character should feel and think in ways that parallel the audience.

Give the character the opportunity to fail a few times. Through failure s/he learns how to cope and succeed. The ending doesn’t have to have a “happy ever after” scene but it should leave the reading feeling that there is hope.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Hogglepot accepts fantasy and science fiction of all sub-genres, including (but not limited to) alternate history, dystopian, fairy tale, historical, gothic, light fantasy, magical realism, paranormal, science fantasy, space opera, steampunk, superhero, supernatural, sword and sorcery, time travel, urban fantasy, and weird western.

Submission Guidelines at http://hogglepot.com/submissions.php

Writing a Middle Grade Novel/Call for Submissions for Adult Writers

Today, I’m continuing the series, Writing a Middle Grade Novel.

Writing a middle grade novel is an exciting, tiring, uplifting, exasperating, and enormously satisfying activity. Stringing words together to tell a story can bog down by the middle of the manuscript. Most, maybe all, authors deal with this at some point in their writing. A strong plot with lots of tension prevents a sagging middle in a manuscript. The protagonist’s motivation must be clear. Why does s/he want to solve this problem? What is the character’s goal and motivation? What is preventing the character from reaching the goal?

To quote E. M. Forester, an English writer, who described the difference between story and plot.

The king died and the queen died. (A simple story that shows what happened.)

The king died and the queen died of grief. (A story with a plot that shows not only what happened but the effect of what happened. That’s a plot.)

Plot is a plan of action that moves the story from beginning to end. The plot must be age appropriate for the audience in children’s books. Also, it has to capture the interests of the readers so keeping the audience in mind when writing scenes is crucial. Readers in the 8-to-12 age range like plots with suspense, action, and humor. If you can combine all three, that’s even better. Family, fantasy, and realistic, contemporary stories are popular with middle grade readers.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Cicada, a magazine for readers ages 14 and up, publishes original fiction, poetry, first-person nonfiction, and comics by both adult and teen writers and artists. Cicada's on the lookout for the smartest, strangest, and most beautiful YA lit/art/comics around. Writers, artists, and comic artists of all ages: Visit the Cicada Submittable page to read our guidelines, create an account, and submit work!

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 11/Calls for Submissions

Today, I’m resuming the series,Writing a Middle Grade Novel.

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/

Win a book. A picture book. My latest picture book, FIRST FIRE—A CHEROKEE FOLKTALE. 

Sign up for a chance to win. Tell others. Tell others to tell others. 

My publisher, Sylvan Dell, is giving away 5 copies. Here is the Goodreads link:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/80661-first-fire-a-cherokee-folktale

Thanks a bunch and good luck.

Let’s look at how to write a middle grade novel. 

Keep a log of character features. If the character has black hair in one chapter, s/he should have black hair in every chapter, unless you tell the reader otherwise. Stay consistent. Give the characters special quirks. Every person has unique quirks so let’s make our characters more realistic by giving them specific habits and behaviors. This uniqueness allows you to develop lifelike characters. This is much easier to achieve if you have a list of characters to which you can refer for their peculiarities.

 So, if you are writing about two or more characters the same age, how do you give each of them unique characteristics? Dialog works. As you read works by various authors, notice how they make characters sound differently. One character in my book has a habit of saying, “First thing.” Some characters might use few words to communicate and others may say in 20 words what could be said in 2. 

Another way to show individuality is with mannerisms. A character in one of my books twists her hair when she gets nervous. Maybe the a habit of interrupting others when they are talking could be used as a trait. The choices are unlimited.

 

All readers love to relate to the characters, and the middle grade audience is no different. Create weaknesses, problems and situations the characters must deal with and in which the readers can relate. The readers will see themselves reflected in the characters problems, actions and reactions.

 

I'll continue this series next week. 

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION CONTEST. This environmental journalism competition invites youth between the ages of 13-21 to report on topics related to the environment. Participants submit an article, photo, or video to the competition for a chance to win great prizes, plus national and international recognition. Deadline March 14, 2014. Prizes for the Young Reporters for the Environment USA 2013-2014 competition will be awarded in each media category (writing, photography and video) for each age group (13-15, 16-18, and 19-21). A first, second, and third place winner will be recognized in each category, for a total of 27 awards.

Submission guidelines at http://www.nwf.org/Young-Reporters-for-the-Environment.aspx

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Ladybug is the Cricket Magazine Group literary magazine that targets children ages three to six. Its stories, articles, poems, and activities are fun and imaginative. It is open to submissions that use “clear and beautiful language” and have “a sense of joy and a genuinely childlike point of view.” For fiction, editors look for very well crafted original pieces or folk and fairy tale retellings (to 800 words). The are particularly interested in receiving stories set in cities or foreign places. Ladybug nonfiction (to 400 words)

explores the places in a child’s daily world, nature, science, and cultures. Rhythmic or rhyming poetry of current interest (to 20 lines) also deals with children’s “daily lives and their emotional and imaginative worlds,” or are action rhymes that encourage movement. 

Submission guidelines at www.ladybugmagkids.com