Know Your Audience, Part 2

We’ve all heard the adage, Know your audience, but what does it really mean? 

Writing for a particular age group allows an author to be more specific in word choice, sentence length, and content selection. If you’re writing for a younger audience, choose basic information since the focus is an introduction to the subject. Older readers may be more familiar with the topic so consider making a list of what the audience already knows, wants to know, and needs to know. The list will determine the best way to approach the structure and content of the book.  

The age of the audience governs word choice. To be an effective writer, the language must be audience-centered, which is writing that is both understandable and interesting, but that’s not all. Consider the emotional response of the audience. What will they think or feel about this? How interested will they be in the subject? 

Today’s books challenge the readers to think. Creative and interesting ways to approach any and all subjects are the imaginative pearls editors love. Offer the reader a new way of thinking about a subject or character. Rich, vivid language sows the seeds of learning and curiosity. 

Many of us (including moi) are still kids at heart, so tap into your inner child and mine that source to write engaging stories for your target audience. Write what you would enjoy reading. Maurice Sendak, children’s author extraordinaire, said, “I don’t write for children. I write—and somebody says, “that’s for children.”  

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Sarah Odedina, the new editor-at-large at Pushkin Children’s, is looking to build the children’s list through a new open submissions initiative.

Odedina is looking for full-length novels for readers aged 8+ and is asking potential authors to send in a synopsis of their novel, along with the first 20 pages.

Authors only have 24 hours to send in their work on 20th June before the open submission window closes, however.

Odedina said: “It takes a lot of energy and courage to finish a book and authors must find the process of getting published daunting. Pushkin Press is very positive about talking directly with authors and we hope that our Open Submissions Initiative will help us build bridges with the writing community and lead to some exciting books being published.”

Adam Freudenheim, publisher at Pushkin Press, pointed out that Pushkin Children’s has previously only released books that had already been published in other parts of the world.

“Sarah’s appointment is part of building and extending the children’s list and this open submissions initiative is one innovative way we hope to reach out to and discover up-and-coming writers,” he said.

Odedina joined Pushkin in February, after holding previous publisher and editorial roles at OneWorld, Hot Key Books and Bloomsbury.

The Open Submissions Initiative will run for a 24-hour period on 20th June and authors can send their material to books@pushkinpress.com with the subject line ‘SARAH ODEDINA OPEN SUBMISSION MATERIAL’.

Know Your Audience, Part 1

In a recent post, I discussed writing to meet the needs and wants of a target audience. One of the most effective ways to target an audience with writing is to talk with members of a particular age group and simply ask what they like to read. Feedback is literary gold because the answers are authentic. Whether you talk with one or many, enjoy a friendly discussion on types of reading material and topics. The need of one may be the need of many. 

Knowing you audience is the key to the voice of the piece. Does an eight-year-old protagonist sound like an eight-year-old? If the answer is no, further revision is necessary. Imagine you were in an automobile accident. The way the character relates the details should be different according to the person s/he is talking with. If the character is talking to the police, a more serious tone would work. If telling friends, more humor may be expected. In fact, the character may brag to friends that he darted into traffic and tell the police that he stumbled.  

Either way, the character should mirror the actions/reactions and speech of a child the same age. The first question to ask is Who is reading or listening to this book? Adapt the content accordingly.  

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Writing for Animals Nonfiction Anthology. Ashland Creek Press is currently accepting nonfiction submissions for a new anthology, Writing for Animals: An anthology for writers and instructors to educate and inspire.

From Franz Kafka’s Report to the Academy to Karen Joy Fowler’s We Are Completely Beside Ourselves, animals have played a central role in literature. Increasingly, writers are playing a central role in advancing awareness of animal issues through the written word.

And yet little has been written about the process of writing about animals—from crafting point of view to voice. Writers who hope to raise awareness face many questions and choices in their work, from how to educate without being didactic to how to develop animals as characters for an audience that still views them as ingredients. We hope to address these issues and more with a new collection of articles, by writers and for writers—but most of all, for the animals.

We seek articles from authors and educators about the process of writing about animals in literature.* Our focus is on including a mix of instructional and inspirational articles to help readers not only improve their work but be inspired to keep at it. Articles may be previously published and should not exceed 10,000 words.

The deadline is January 3, 2017. Accepted submissions will receive a stipend of $100 plus a copy of the finished book upon publication.

Submission guidelines at http://ashlandcreekpress.com/about/submissions.html

Inspiration, Part IV

Are you a creature of habit? I am, definitely. Sometimes when I need a dose of inspiration, I shake things up by changing my routine. If you usually watch TV at night, try reading a book instead. Take a different route to the store or work. Listen to different music. Read a genre you thought you would never read.

Attend a writing workshop. You’ll gather lots of ideas, meet people who may become email pals, and soak in the excitement of the event. This is one of the best ways of getting and staying inspired.

Finish a piece. Write the beginning, middle, and ending of a story or article. Revise and polish; then submit. Rejections are no fun, but unless you submit, you can’t receive editorial feedback or get a contract. Positive comments or suggested changes will have you shimming to a happy dance, no chocolate needed.

Internet. Join writer forums to exchange information about writing, publishers, editors, and agents. These are free and loaded with publishing ideas. A wealth of information is at your fingertips. So fingertips, start walking!

 The desire to write grows with writing. ~Desiderius Erasmus

I will resume Call for submissions for Young Writers in September.

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Parabola is a quarterly journal devoted to the exploration of the quest for meaning as it is expressed in the world’s myths, symbols, and religious traditions, with particular emphasis on the relationship between this store of wisdom and our modern life.

Submission guidelines at http://parabola.org/submissions/

Inspiration, part IV

If we are inspired to write, we are much more likely to spend the time doing just that, but when rejection letters outnumber bills, it’s easy to become discouraged. Here are a few more tips on finding the “gold” called inspiration. 

Join a writer’s group or critique group. These members understand how difficult it is to write a story and get a contract. You’ll share tips, offer feedback, give encouragement, offset rejection with humor, and find comfort in the camaraderie of like-minded people. You’ll read their work and grow as a writer.  

Stuck in a story and don’t know what to do? Leave it and go for a walk. Let your mind drift as you enjoy the park, lake, nature walk, city mall… Exercise stimulates the blood flow to the brain and fresh air makes us more relaxed. As the tension eases, enjoy the sunrise or songs of the birds. Watch children play. They have a brand new outlook on life that may offer a fresh way of looking at the problem and solution of your story. Many times, I figure out the plot of a story by relaxing rather than hammering on a keyboard. Try different experiences. One may lead you to the  rainbow's "gold."  

Call for submissions for Young Writers

The Youth Honor Awards recognize creative and artistic works by young people that promote multicultural, international and nature awareness. You might like to read the Youth Honor Award winning entries in our recent issues (Vol. 25, no. 4 or Vol. 26, no. 4) before submitting your entries for the 2016 Youth Awards.

Submission guidelines at http://www.skippingstones.org/youthhonor-02.htm 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

#storieseverywhereTwitter Writing Contest Stories are, truly, everywhere—every place you look, everyone you meet, everything you experience.

Each month we invite you to post a story on Twitter using #storieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to our monthly “themes”:

May: Saying goodbye
June: Superhero
July: A revolutionary act

Inspiration, Part III

Last week, I mentioned freewriting and was asked to delve a little farther into the subject. The key to freewriting or stream-of-consciousness writing is to relax your mind from the pressures of life and allow your subconscious to have center stage. 

When I first began freewriting I wrote something such as: 

I planted the flowers in pots and wondered how long they would survive. Should I have placed the planters in the shade or sun? My green thumb has a tendency to turn brown. 

I was merely reflecting in writing what was rattling around in my brain, conscious thought. Later, I attended a workshop and heard a speaker say that he used freewriting to discover poetic expressions and creative images.  

I sat with pen and paper and imagined a boy running. In my make-believe world, he ran down a country lane at breakneck speed. I played with the image and wrote, “he sure could make the dust fly.” This little tidbit became a line in my book, TROUBLE IN TROUBLESOME CREEK.  

I use freewriting to the greatest extent when I’m revising a story. I wrote, “James ran” in the first draft of the manuscript just to get the story completed, knowing that I would polish the words in one of many drafts to come. So “he ran” became “James sure can make the dust fly when he picks them up and puts them down.” The exercise was not only fun, but productive. 

Try freewriting for inspiration and create words that paint pictures.  

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

The Shell Game. Within the recent explosion of creative nonfiction, a curious new sub-genre is quietly emerging. Hybrids in the truest sense, "hermit crab" essays borrow their structures from ordinary, extra-literary sources (a recipe, a police report, a pack of cards, an obituary…) to use as a framework for a lyric meditation on the chosen subject. In the best examples, the borrowed structures are less contrived than inevitable, managing not only to give shape to the work but to illuminate and exemplify its subject. 

Submission guidelines at http://theshellgameanthology.blogspot.com/

Inspiration, Part II

Keep your eyes open for story and character. Do you have old diaries or journals or stories written during childhood? Pull them out, dust them off, and read. How old were you when you wrote them? Milk these for inspiration. Memories of people, places, and times offer a treasure trove of possibilities. Maybe the memory doesn’t focus so much on an event as a feeling or an image. Play with it. Embellish it. Draw it into your literary world.

Traveling is perfect fodder for inspiration. New sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures stimulate the Muse. Notice the sound of the howling coyote or crashing of the waves. Listen, really listen, and try to put into words what you hear. Use a metaphor or simile to better clarify the description of the sound. You don’t have to travel far from home. A trip next door or to the grocery store can provide sensory foundations for a story. Look around. Ideas are everywhere. We just have to be cognizant of them.

Write. Freewriting about anything will eventually provide a tidbit that can be used in a story.

Place an idea on the backburner of your brain and let it simmer. I’m at the point right now. As I polish a completed manuscript, I’m playing with the idea for a new story. I have been throwing out possibilities and rejecting them; then going back and relooking to see if the discarded ideas have a nugget of merit. I’ll repeat this process until something with possibility forms, and at that time, I’ll begin writing, brainstorming ideas.

Read a variety of books and authors. Notice how sentences reveal information. Look for ways the author dealt with basics, such as pacing, dialog, description. What did you like? Why? What didn’t you like? Why?

What inspires you to write?

Call for submissions for Young Writers

Imagine magazine invites students to explore big ideas on topics in the sciences, arts, and humanities. Half of each issue is devoted to a broad focus topic, showcasing activities that students can do now to pursue that interest, as well as career opportunities in the field.

Submission guidelines at http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/guidelines/ 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers

Faces. Lively, original approaches to the subject are the primary concerns of the editors of FACES in choosing material. Writers are encouraged to study recent past copies for content and style. (Sample copies are available for viewing at the Cricket Media Store, where you can also purchase a current issue.) Issues are also available at many local libraries. All material must relate to the theme of a specific upcoming edition in order to be considered (themes and deadlines given below). FACES purchases all rights to material.
Read more at http://www.cricketmedia.com/faces-submission-guidelines#eLexPFcOdeCZKKUD.99 

Submission guidelines at http://www.cricketmedia.com/faces-submission-guidelines

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/