Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 9/Calls for Submissions

Tips for writing a middle grade novel:

One of the best methods of learning how to write middle grade fiction is to read a truckload of books in the genre. Select books that have been published in the last five years so you’ll have a good grasp of what is being published today. Many of the middle grade fiction books that were published in the 1970s and ‘80s and earlier were simply collections of episodes. Each chapter is a separate adventure with no overall goal or situation. The Little House books are an example. This type of manuscript is not likely to grab a contract.

Today’s books for the 8-14-year-old reader needs a main character that is likeable. The character needs a challenging, overwhelming problem that carries the plot throughout the story. This is called the story arc. The goal can be internal (emotional-coping with the loss of a father) or external (dealing with a bully).

My critique partner (Hello, Sandi) just submitted a manuscript of a middle grade novel. In her cover letter she compared her novel to four books that were published in the last five years. This requirement by the publisher provided Sandi an opportunity to explain how her manuscript is similar to popular books in the marketplace. Writers can also explain how their work is unique.

Next week, I’ll continue this series. 

Call for submissions for young writers:

Launch Pad publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by kids and teens ages 6 through 14. We choose stories and poems that are creative and well-written. We do not publish all submissions. Read some of our stories and poems to get an idea of the works we like to publish. We also have Writing Tips to help you out.

You can email a story or poem to the Editor editor@launchpadmag.com or send it through the mail.

(We are experiencing some problems with our form, so please use email.)

Submission guidelines at http://www.launchpadmag.com/write/

Call for submissions for adult writers: 

Anotherealm. Contest. For February, March and April 2014 we're going for the mood or tone of the story instead of an absolute topic. The mood is "Creepy" which can be found just about anywhere from your local mall to your workplace. You could find "creepy stuff" anywhere or anyplace. A bright summer day or a gloomy foggy night. "Creepy" could be a time or place. Or even a person or thing. What is creepy and why of course is up to you. Tell us about something or some place that would just send shivers up your spine. As always have fun!
1000 words or less, Science fiction, Fantasy or Horror only please.
Contest closes April 30 2014 

Submission guidelines at http://anotherealm.org/

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 8/Calls for Submissions

Conflict is story. If you have no conflict, you have no story. In my children’s novel, AMAZING GRACE, I began the story with the family receiving a mysterious letter. When the parents revealed the contents of the letter, conflict began for the daughter, Grace. The long-range conflict running from the beginning of the story to the end revolves around Grace’s emotions and coping abilities. She is forced to move away from her home and friends. Even worse, she misses her father and worries that he may never return home.  

Short-term conflicts flare up. Grace deals with a bully, a younger brother who frustrates her, a lost dog, etc. As she resolves a short-term conflict another rears its ugly head. Conflict is the driving force that propels the story. Conflict is all about struggle and pain. As writers we sometimes want to shy away from the troubling situations and keep our characters safe from harm. Think of conflict as a sense of need. The character needs something badly, and if s/he doesn’t get it, something even more drastic will happen. 

A story about children happily playing marbles is bland. A story in which a child walks over, picks up the marbles, and runs away with them is more likely to grab our attention.

Next week, I’ll continue this series. 

Call for submissions for young writers:

KidSpirit Online is a free teen magazine & website for kids created by and for young people to tackle life’s big questions together. Teens share online writing, poetry, artwork, volunteer opportunities and examine their spiritual development in a non-affiliated and inclusive forum. Join the conversation!

Submission guidelines at http://kidspiritonline.com/help/

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Short Kid Stories. If any you would like your work showcased on the site when it is launched, we’d be delighted to evaluate any children’s author submissions. In return, accepted authors will have a profile page with bio and links to any other material they wish to promote. My goal for the site is to deliver significant author exposure to tens of thousands of unique visitors per month visiting the site from all over the world.

Submission guidelines at http://www.shortkidstories.com/author-submissions/

 

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 7/Calls for Submissions

A middle grade novel should revolve around a primary conflict. The main character tries to solve the problem or reach a goal but encounters more problems in the meantime. Once again, remember the adage: Treat you character badly; then treat him worse. Conflict drives the story. Conflict keeps the character engaged in the action and keeps the reader engaged in the story. The primary or long-term problem should not be resolved until the end of the story, but the short-term problems can be resolved along the way. In dealing with short-term conflicts, the character learns to cope with difficult situations, to change and grow, and resolve the primary issue. 

I recently heard a writer compare writing a novel to driving a car. You must keep your eyes on the distance to see the road signs, traffic lights, and on-coming vehicles. But just as importantly, you must focus on the up-close parts, as well: fuel gauge, speedometer, and radio (If you’re constantly changing channels to find the best classic song, as I do). Both are important aspects of the driving experience. 

To reach your destination, whether it’s a trip to the beach or writing a novel, your focus should be both long- and short-ranged. Keep those poor, unsuspecting characters in deep doo-doo. 

Next week, I’ll continue this series. 

Call for submissions for young writers:

Crashtest is a magazine by and for high school students. If you are currently a student in grades nine through twelve, we want to hear from you. Here are the details:

Crashtest publishes poetry, stories and creative non-fiction in the form of personal essays, imaginative investigation, experimental interviews, whatever, but please don’t send us the book report you wrote for English or your Speech and Debate abstract on why (insert trend) is (good or bad) for (insert interest group). In other words, we’re looking for writing that has both a perspective and a personality. We’re looking for writing that has something to say. Our editors are also all writers; we work in many different forms and have many different ideas about what makes writing “good.” As a result, we don’t have a specific kind of writing we’re looking to publish. If you write poetry that rhymes, great!, as long as you do it well. If you write short stories in which characters grow wings and fly around the town’s bell-tower, great!, as long as the story has the guts to pull it off.

Submission guidelines at http://www.crashtestmag.com/?page_id=8

Call for submissions for adult writers: 

FrostFire Worlds is a quarterly magazine for younger readers published by Alban Lake Publishing in February, May, August, and November. FrostFire Worlds publishes original science fiction and fantasy short stories, poems, art, articles, reviews, and interviews. Preferred are adventure stories, space opera, and magic opera [like space opera, but fantasy]. Also preferred are stories that take place on other worlds. Stories must have the following: characters the reader cares about, plots and subplots, and settings that draw the reader into them. Must have.

Submission guidelines at http://albanlake.com/guidelines-frostfire/

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 6/Calls for Submissions

Many middle grade readers are interested in understanding the universe that is gradually opening up in their lives. They are concerned about their place is this big world so they are looking for connections between themselves and family, community, and peers, etc. They are also interested in how things work, such as clocks and motors and mixing colors. At this age, they wonder about fairness, justice, right and wrong.   

Chart a chapter-by-chapter sketch of a character’s actions and reactions. I used a simple sentence or two to describe each chapter. Beginning with the question “What if...” What if I placed my character in a situation after situation in which s/he had to make decisions? What if my character tells the truth to break what he believes is a curse, but if he tells the truth, he will be in deep trouble with Mom, Dad, his best friend, and his teacher. If he doesn’t come clean, he will have to live with all the bad luck caused by the curse. Decisions, decisions, decisions.  

The adage that writers should treat their character badly and then treat them worse is applicable to middle grade novels. Create situations that reflect the lives of this age group, stir in some trouble, lots of conflict, and you have a recipe for an attention-grabbing read. 

Next week, I’ll continue this series. 

Call for submissions for young writers:

Insight Magazine. Categories are student short story, general short story, and student poetry. Prizes range from $50 to $250. Winning entries will be published in Insight. You must be age 22 or under to enter the student categories. Short stories are limited to seven pages. Poetry is limited to one page.

Deadline: July 31, 2014.

Submission guidelines at http://www.insightmagazine.org/contest/rules.asp

Call for submissions for adult writers: 

SPIDER, a literary magazine for children ages 6-9 that features fresh and engaging literature, poems, articles, and activities for newly independent readers. Editors seek energetic, beautifully crafted submissions with strong "kid appeal" (an elusive yet recognizable quality, often tied to high-interest elements such as humor, adventure, and suspense). 

Submission guidelines at http://www.cricketmag.com/32-Submission-Guidelines-for-SPIDER-magazine-for-children-ages-6-9

 

 

 

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

 

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 4/Calls for Submissions

The best way to learn to write a middle grade novel is to read a wide assortment of stories by numerous authors. Books that have won awards are a good bet, but don’t overlook those with poor reviews. Read those you enjoy and those that don’t capture your interest. Stephen King advises writers to read books they don’t like to figure out what is not working with the way the story is presented. Books that really grab my attention and hold it to the last word are those that I read twice, first for the entertainment value and second to analyze how the author developed the characters and plot. 

Tackle a story with universal appeal, something that will resonate with a wide range of readers, something that is meaningful to the age group. Lying, bullying, divorce, loss of a parent, suicide, war, or sibling rivalry are subjects that this age group deals with in everyday life. Write a story that reflects real life. 

The middle grade audience enjoys reading about characters that are slightly older than themselves. The characters should be three-dimensional, so real that they practically step off the page. 

Next week, I’ll continue the series. 

Update: Last week, I listed a call for submissions for Turtle Magazine. The magazine is no longer in publication.  

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:

Brain, Child is the largest literary magazine for mothers. We publish 20-plus essays per month for our print, online and blog publications. Founded in 2000, our mission is to bring the voices of women of different backgrounds and circumstances together on the page, on our website, and on our blog.

We love to read submissions. We are excited by great writing. It makes our day when we hear from an established writer or publish an author for the first time. We believe our writers are the lifeblood of our publication and strive to publicize and promote our writers through our website, Facebook (16,000 fans), and partnerships (e.g. Huffington Post). We respond within six to eight weeks. We offer competitive pay rates. We welcome follow up emails if by chance you do not hear from us.

For all submissions, please email the manuscript in the body of the email to editorial@brainchildmag.com with “Submission” and the department (i.e. “Fiction” “Essay” “Feature Pitch”) as the subject heading. Please don’t send your submission as an attachment.

Submission guidelines at http://www.brainchildmag.com/about/writers-guidelines/

Writing a Middle Grade Novel, part 3/Calls for Submissions

Let’s examine a middle grade novel idea. 

Children’s novels, as with all writing, begin with an idea. The problem is, how do you determine if the idea is worthy of the vast amount of time and effort needed to take the idea to a completed manuscript. Here are some details to consider:

Conflict drives a story. Does your idea allow for conflict to develop between characters, within the character, or both?

Offer something different. Does the idea add a spark that will catch the interest of an editor? If the story has been told over and over, you need to find a way to take your idea in a new or different direction. Maybe the setting could be in the future or the past. Tell your story in a fresh way that will intrigue and please the reader.

Excitement factor. How much fun do you think you’ll have writing the story? How interested are you in the subject? About one-third of the way through the manuscript, many writers feel worn down by the task. The excitement factor has vanished. Develop an idea that will hold your interest over the long haul. Think of the types of books you enjoy reading and consider writing in that genre.

Next week, I’ll discuss ways to begin the manuscript.

Call for submissions for young writers:

Guardian Angel Kids is pleased to announce we are now accepting
submissions from children up to 14.

Upcoming themes:

The date on the right is the submission date.

May UNIQUE ART March 1, 2014
June SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS April 1, 2014
July SIDEWALK ART May 1, 2014
August INCREDIBLE ART June 1, 2014
September EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS July 1, 2014
October AUSSIE ANIMALS August 1, 2014
November FLYING TO THE MOON September 1, 2014
December SOLVING MYSTERIES October 1, 2014

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

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids (ages 3-5)

• FICTION: Short stories 350 words or less. Payment: $70 and up.
• NONFICTION: We accept short articles/activities that introduce and reinforce measuring, counting, reading, nature, simple science experiments, etc., 250 words or less. Payment: $70 and up.
• POETRY: We accept poems 4-12 line poems. Please remember the age of your audience. Payment: $35 and up.
• RECIPES: We accept simple, healthful recipes of 200 words or less that generally require no cooking and minimal adult help. If possible, include a photo of the recipe with submission. Payment: $40 and up.
• CRAFTS: We accept fun crafts of 250 words or less that preschoolers can make with their family. 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. Payment: $40 and up.
• FINGER PLAYS & ACTION RHYMES: We accept finger plays and action rhymes of  200 words or less that preschoolers can easily do. These are often written in rhyme and include lots of movement. Payment: $40 and up.
• Submission guidelines at http://www.uskidsmags.com/writers-guidelines/