Picture Book Revision, part 2

            Tips on revision, continued:

My thought processes rely heavily on verbs that don’t show action: is, are, was, were…. In revision, I eliminate many of the non-action verbs and replace them with other verbs that paint a specific picture (pedaled, skipped, barked). Action verbs don’t need modifiers, so fewer words are needed to describe the scene.

Add rhythm. Alliteration (fog floated) makes the prose livelier. Onamonapia (bumpty-bump) adds a beat that sounds like poetry when read aloud. Rhythm is how the words connect, a rise and fall of the phrases and sentences.

Less dialog. Picture books don’t rely heavily on dialog. Usually, dialog is no more than 1/3 of the text, often much less. Rather than conversations, use action scenes that can be illustrated with the narrator relating the action. The targeted audience is young children who prefer fast action to character conversation, which often slows the action. Of course, this is a general rule. Some books have no dialog, and some are all dialog.

Let the illustrations tell part of the story. Picture book writers have to think visually. When I write a first draft, I include scenes that describe illustrations. In revision, I study each word, phrase, and sentence; then, delete everything down to the bare action. Sometimes I cut so much, I have to add it again to make the story understandable. Picture books are short and the stories are to the point.

Every page in the book must show action and the pace is usually fast. After writing the first draft, I divide the manuscript into 13 scenes. Each scene must show action. If not, more revision is required.

Next week, I’ll add more tips.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Narrative is strongly committed to supporting our authors’ work. Our current rates for work are as follows:—$150 for a Story of the Week, with $400 each for the annual Top Five Stories of the Week.
—$150 to $350 for 500 to 2,000 word manuscripts.
—$350 to $1,000 for 2,000 to 15,000 word manuscripts.
—Rates for book-length works vary, depending on the length and nature of the work.
—$50 minimum for each accepted poem and audio piece. ($25 for poetry reprints.)
—$200 each for the annual Top Five Poems of the Week.FIRESIDE

Submission guidelines at http://www.narrativemagazine.com/node/360

Let’s Talk Picture Books, Part 2

Show, don’t tell. In picture books, illustrations show the action so the writer needs to use words to convey emotions and reveal the action, rather than describing what is happening. If the illustrations show the action, little description is needed. Example: Jasper is riding a bicycle in the illustration. Description of the bicycle and Jasper can be eliminated from the narrative and dialog.

Action verbs are our friends. These verbs-slither, crawl, jump, throw-focus on the action rather than description. Avoid overuse of adjectives and adverbs because they describe what is happening. The mantra for picture book writers is “Think visually.” Unless we create art for our books, which I don’t, it can be a difficult task for writers to think of the action in terms of pictures as opposed to narrative description and to omit the parts an illustrator will include. Consider moving the plot forward with action via dialog, strong verbs, and character behavior.

Word choice is key to a picture book and, for me, the most fun in writing. I usually just get the bones of the story in place from beginning to end—the hard part. Once I’m over that hurdle, it’s playtime. I love taking a plain, unemotional, flat sentence and turning it on its dull little head, bounce it around, and see what falls into place. Alliteration, rhythm, similes, and metaphors are word play writers use to be creative with language designed for a particular audience. Tickle the words; tease them; poke and prod them. Enjoy the process. If you’re having fun, you’ll more likely to finish the manuscript and write more.

Next week, we’ll talk more picture books.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Figment. An online writing community from HarperCollins Publishing for writers 13 years old and older to share young adult fiction, short stories, and poetry, give and receive feedback, and enter contests.

Submission guidelines at http://dailyfig.figment.com/category/contests/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Dialogual is a new magazine seeking submissions year-round on dialogue-only prose.

We seek works on all genres, except erotica. Under 300 words. However, we do not take anything that has been accepted before, or that has appeared on blogs or similar sites. In other words, we want fresh material.

Send your snappiest, wittiest, funniest talks.

Or the ones you think will make us wonder, ponder and think about life.

It can be fiction or non-fiction.  

Submission Guidelines at http://dialogual.wix.com/dialogual#!sub/cqh1

Writing a Synopsis

Another way to look at writing a synopsis is a take on writing a newspaper article—

Who (protagonist), What (main conflict), Where (setting), and Why should I care? Make the editor CARE. Make the editor want to read more. Make the editor want to turn your manuscript into a book.

What is the emotional toll on the protagonist? Does the character fear something? If so, make that know in the synopsis. Play up the emotion aspects of the story because that is the heart of the story and what sets it apart from other books. Focus on the conflict, that which drives the plot and forces the character into action.

Just like your manuscript, your synopsis needs time to breathe, to percolate, to marinate. Put it aside for three or four weeks. When you read it again with fresh eyes, you are more likely to see gaps or figure out ways to make the editor salivate.

Since you have a lot to say in a few words, choose your words carefully. Use action verbs. Play with the word and sentences to make them lively and reflective of the manuscript.

At this point, pat yourself on the back, because you have finished the manuscript. That’s an achievement and a dream come true. If you can write a manuscript, you can certainly tackle a synopsis, head-on.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

CICADA MAGAZINE
We are a YA lit/comics magazine fascinated with the lyric and strange and committed to work that speaks to teens’ truths. We publish poetry, realistic and genre fic, essay, and comics by adults and teens. Nonfiction up to 5,000 words and fiction up to 9,000 words. Stories and articles

Submission guidelines at https://cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/17820

Ways to Improve Writing/Call for Submissions

I’m starting a new series, Ways to Improve Writing. Let’s look at some ways to advance our writing, regardless of the age of the audience or the genre.

Beginning with the word There. Of course, we can find instances in which books begin with this vague word, but why? Using a nondescript word is like giving the reader a tranquilizer. There doesn’t encourage interest or build curiosity. Vague words weaken sentences. Instead, use action verbs and descriptive nouns to create a vivid world for the reader to imagine. When writing, I like to think of three children in my target audience reading my words. I want to string the words together so that each reader will “see” a similar image or action. Forming mental pictures is much more difficult to accomplish when using an imprecise word, such as there.

Should there be used, at all? We use this word in our language; therefore it can be reflected in our writing, as well, just not at the beginning of a strong sentence. Example: There is a mountain so high it seems to scrape the clouds. More specific is The high mountain seemed to touch the clouds. The subject is “mountain,” and placing it at the beginning of the sentence immediately forms a visual for the reader.

Here’s an exception. There can be acceptable, especially in dialog, even as the beginning word. “There, there, there. You’ll be okay.” Or “There it is!”

Watch for ways to make your writing stronger. Now, there’s an idea.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Louisville- Spalding University - Check into Word Hotel!: Attention creative writers, visual artists and photographers: submit your work to Word Hotel, the literary journal published by the BFA in Creative Writing at Spalding University. We invite submissions in all genres and a multitude of styles, welcome experimental work, and are particularly hunger to hear from emerging writers (i.e., those who have not yet published a first book). We also crave art: illustrations, photographs, and photographs of artwork. Submit your Word or RTF docs and picture files to wordhotel@spalding.edu. We will consider up to three poems (any length), short fiction/CNF up to 2,500 words, and hybrid texts as well. Reading period for the 2014 issue ends December 12. Issue to be published by June 2015. Prizes awarded to top submissions from high school students.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

New Moon Celebrates girls and their accomplishments.  

Upcoming Themes: 

March/April 2015: Follow Your Dreams

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2014

Tell us how you'd love to follow your dreams. Share how a girl (maybe it's you!) is already pursing her passion, or interview a woman who has your dream job.

May/June 2015: 25 Beautiful Girls

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2014

Nominate a girl and tell us about her inner beauty! Go to the Beautiful Girls survey at the "Get Involved" box at NewMoon.com. We feature all Beautiful Girls in the magazine and at our online girls' community.

July/August 2015: Hello, Mother Nature!

Deadline: Feb. 1, 2015

Do you love being in the outdoors? Tell us about what nature means to you, and ways to keep our Earth healthy.

September/October 2015:Everything Bestie

Deadline: April 1, 2015

What's your "desert island" pick if you could have just one? We want to know about your fave books, music, food, website (besides NewMoon.com!), and much, much more.

November/December 2015: Action: Animals!

Deadline: June 1, 2015

Share your passions for animals here and afar--from endangered species to shelter friends who need homes and service animals.

January/February 2016: What Do YOU Think?

Deadline: August 1, 2015

Take a side, and tell us why! We'll let you know about topics girls love to discuss, and get your pros and cons. 

Submission guidelines at http://www.newmoon.com/content/?id=1006&type=1

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, Calls for Submissions

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

Another way to keep the pace of the story moving along is look at the scene as if you’re a photographer. Think visually. What is happening close-up? Take the reader on the journey so s/he can feel, see, hear, taste, and touch the scene. Is there a tear in the dress, is the whimpering that of a dog or a child, or is the burr sticky? Let the readers discover these things as if they were there. 

Pacing differs with the scene. Long sentences tend to slow the pace and short sentences speed the action. If there is a fight scene, short sentences, even one-word can be powerful. Pow! Onomatopoeia (crash, bang, boom) add zip to the story. Sentences can be shortened by eliminating prepositional phrases to move the action along at a faster clip. Instead of writing “the rooms in the cave” state "the cave’s rooms.” 

Action verbs and strong nouns work better because they are specific. Avoid the overuse of adverbs and adjectives. He ran quickly doesn’t work as well as He sprinted.

Cliffhangers are great devices to speed up the action. When a chapter ends with lots of suspense, the reader quickly turns the page to find out what happens next. 

Short chapters and scenes are effective ways to speed up the story. 

Slow scenes and fast-paced scenes both work well. The key is to use the best speed and rhythm for each scene in your manuscript. 

With this blog I’m resuming Call for Submissions for Young Writers. I’ll continue posting these through May, 2015.  

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

The Louisville Review. The Children's Corner, work by students in K-12.

Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Drama

Submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts are invited. Prose submissions should be double-spaced and page numbered. Poetry (up to 5 poems) need not be double-spaced. Drama should appear in standard format. Include name on every page. Reply time is 4-6 months. Our editorial staff reads year around. Submissions are recycled. Poetry and prose should be submitted in separate envelopes.

Submission guidelines at http://www.louisvillereview.org/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

ASK is a nonfiction magazine for children 7-10 years old who are curious about science and the world they live in. Each edition of ASK is built around a central theme on some question or concept in the natural, physical, or social sciences, technology, mathematics, history, or the arts. ASK introduces kids to the joys of thinking, writing, and observing scientifically, and presumes them to be active participants in the ongoing search for better knowledge about the world.

ASK articles should read as engaging nonfiction, not like school textbook or encyclopedia material. Intended to be accessible and appealing to newly independent readers (grades 2-5), the ideal ASK article should also be interesting to any general adult reader. ASK looks for articles that are concrete, specific, and relevant to this age group. They should tell a good story, with an emphasis on ideas rather than just facts.

Submission guidelines:

http://www.cricketmag.com/19-Submission-Guidelines-for-ASK-magazine-for-children-ages-7-10

Writing a Middle Grade Novel/Call for Submissions

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

Description is used to enhance fictional stories. Check out the following ways: 

Descriptive scenes move the plot. Action verbs, such as dashed and darted often work better than run because they are more specific. The more specific we are with our word choice, the more vivid the picture we paint with words. Abstract words are difficult to visualize and leave the reader feeling confused. Concrete, specific words give the reader an image to grasp. 

Concrete images create three-dimensional pictures in which the reader can experience the action, setting, event, or subject matter. Think of it as describing a tornado touchdown. Add details that make the reader feel as if he is actually witnessing the scene, feeling the highly charged air, hearing the roar, seeing the destruction, and feeling the flying debris.  

Mood and tone are affected by description. A sadness charged through Jessie like a runaway train. Or Her smile, like the sun, lit up the garden. 

Description allows the writer to develop a rhythm with words that plays throughout the story. About 90% of the story will be action and dialog and 10% description.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

The Book Smugglers Publishing: We Want Your Short Stories. What we’re looking for:

    DIVERSITY. We want to read and publish short stories that reflect the diverse world we live in, about and from traditionally underrepresented perspectives.

    Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult audience submissions are welcome. Good speculative fiction is ageless!

    Creativity & Subversion. We love subversive stories. We want you to challenge the status quo with your characters, storytelling technique, and themes.

Submission guidelines at:

http://thebooksmugglers.com/2014/05/announcing-book-smugglers-publishing-we-want-your-short-stories.html

Writing a Chapter Book, part 6/Calls for Submissions

      This article is the sixth in the series: Writing a Chapter Book.

Try these tips:

 

Spend time with kids who are the age of the characters and listen to how they speak. Reflect their language in your writing. A rich, lively language with expanded vocabulary makes the storytelling seem real. Action verbs depict a specific image. The boy ran is not as specific as the boy dashed. Dashed indicates a faster pace than ran; thus, more specific. Create an image with words so the reader can better imagine the action. Sensory language—using see, hear, touch, taste, and smell—create vivid scenes that take the reader along on the journey as though s/he is in the midst of the action.

Capture the interest of the reader at the beginning of the story with immediate action, where something important is happening to the main character. Hook the reader by focusing on the protagonist. Begin with a scene that mirrors the overall conflict in some way. If the story involves a ghost, you might choose to open with a scene in which the protagonist sees a ghost or finds something that make the character suspect a ghost is creating havoc. Conflict should be evident from the beginning. Avoid a long build up with backstory that will have readers moaning booooorrrring.  

Call for submissions for young writers:

Parallel Ink is your friendly, neighborhood e-magazine publishing writing by students around the world in grades 6-12*. Aside from super-imaginative sci-fi serials and epic fantasy tales, we welcome poignant poetry, quirky rants/personal essays, discarded love letters, and offbeat text exchanges with open arms (among many other countless gems of literature teenagers write). Anything goes if it's well-written, captivating, and ready for sending out into the world wide web!

Submission guidelines at http://parallel-ink.webs.com/

Call for submissions for adult writers:

MUSE Literary Journal Seeks Poetry and Creative Nonfiction. Send up to 3 poems (all styles welcome) or one piece of creative nonfiction (1500 word maximum) to be considered for Spring 2014 issue. Most recent edition includes work from new and established writers, including BZ Niditch, Donna Hilbert, Allison Whittenberg, Lloyd Aquino, Robert Cooperman, Irving Gaeta, Michael H. Winn, Candace Mayo, and Tina Holden Burroughs. Previously unpublished work only; simultaneous submissions okay if notified upon acceptance elsewhere. Include separate cover letter with full contact information, 5-7 line bio, and SASE. Mail to: MUSE Literary Journal, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92506.

Submission deadline: February 15, 2014

 

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