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