Choosing a Subject or Topic for a Book/Contests

Today I’m showcasing my latest books in the Little Math Series: My Math Toolbox, What's a Fraction? and Hopping on the Number Line.

At a recent book signing, a person asked me how I decide on a topic for my next book. Sometimes, as with these latest books, an editor I’ve worked with previously asks me to write the books. But most of the time, the choice is mine. When an idea bores into my brain and refuses to leave, I let it simmer and think about the possibilities of the story over a period of time. As the story materializes in my mind, I consider different avenues it can take. If the idea seems viable, I check out other books that might be similar. If I find something similar, I change paths with the story since I don’t want to write what’s already out there. Editors want stories that are new and fresh.

When I’m writing nonfiction, I spend considerable time checking for books on the same topic. If the market is flooded with books on a particular topic I either develop a totally new perspective for approaching the subject or abandon it entirely.

All manuscripts are a tough sell in today’s market so each book has to stand out as different in some way in order to get a contract. Try adding humor or tell the story from the perspective of an unexpected character to make your story different. Ben and Me by Robert Lawson is a biography about Ben Franklin told from the viewpoint of a mouse named Amos. That’s a different take on a story and a wonderful approach. Take a close look at your manuscript to see what changes you can make to create a story that is different from those already lining the shelves.

Contest for adult writers:
The Tapestry of Bronze is sponsoring a series of poetry contests to celebrate Greek and Roman mythology and the Olympian gods. The subject of the eighth contest is Artemis (also known as Diana), the Goddess of the Hunt.

All poems remain the property of the authors. The Tapestry of Bronze reserves the right to post winning poems and those receiving Honorable Mention on the Tapestry of Bronze website. E-mail your poem (no more than 30 lines) to the following address: tapestryofbronze@yahoo.com
Deadline: November 30, 2011

Contest for young writers:
SAVE THE FROGS POETRY CONTEST
Amphibian populations worldwide are in the midst of a mass extinction crisis, yet most people are completely unaware! We need your help in getting the word out. This contest will raise awareness of the amphibian extinction problem by getting people involved and interested. The best frog poems will be used in a book of frog poetry that will be sold to raise money for amphibian conservation efforts. This book will feature artwork from our concurrent SAVE THE FROGS! Art Contest.

The Grand Prize Winner will:
Receive $100. Receive $50 worth of "Frog Cash" to be used for
any of the cool, environmentally-friendly merchandise in the
SAVE THE FROGS! Gift Center. Become an official judge of next
year's SAVE THE FROGS! Poetry Contest. Receive frog fame.

Category Winners will:
Win $50. Receive $30 worth of "Frog Cash" to be used for any
of the cool, environmentally-friendly merchandise in the SAVE
THE FROGS! Gift Center.

Category winners will be chosen from the following categories.
Note however that the Grand Prize Winner may be chosen from
any category.

(1) 18+ years of age
(2) 13-17 years old
(3) Under 13 age group

Details at http://savethefrogs.com/poetry/index.html

Developing Characters/Call for Submissions

In writing fiction, characters are central to the story. The character must seem real to the readers or their interest in the story will quickly fade. Before beginning the manuscript, think about the fundamental elements of character. Look through magazines and cut out pictures of interesting looking people or animals. Observe people in which you come in contact. Notice their physical characteristics, such as how they are dressed. (This works for animals, too). Pay close attention to the way the person walks, talks, and reacts to others. If you’re using pictures, imagine how the characters would act. What would the person say and how would he/she say it. How does the voice sound—scratchy, hoarse, loud, whisper?

What kind of past has this character experienced? Is the person a leader or follower? Imagine the person is in a dangerous situation—house fire, car accident, robbery, tornado, heated argument that turned violent. How does the character react?

In a notebook, write a short character sketch about a character you would like to write about. Give the character a plausible history and enough complexity to seem real. The complexity comes from a character that is not perfect. The character should have flaws and have to deal with those flaws to grow, learn, and change by the end of the story.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest will award $3,600, including a top prize of $1,500. Submit one humor poem online. No length limit. Both published and unpublished poems are welcome. No fee to enter. Final judge: Jendi Reiter.
Online Submission Deadline: April 1, 2012
Guidelines at http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php


Call for Submissions for Young Writers
Kids'Magination is a new ezine for kids who love to read and write. We're also looking for submissions. Please submit your best, polished work. Our guidelines can be found here: http://www.kidsmagination.com/kidsmagination-magazine/kidsmagination-issue-2

Cutting Unnecessary Parts of Manuscripts/Contest/Call for Submissions

This week, I’m continuing my discussion of how to cut unnecessary parts of manuscripts.

Look for prepositional phrases that aren’t needed. Example: Tears streaked down her face for what she’d done. “for what she’d done” isn’t needed. The reader will figure that out.

Avoid the tendency to double state an action, such as “He nodded his head.” “He nodded” is all that needs to be stated. The reader will know the action was with the head.

Does the writing move the plot forward, develop character, provide insight through dialog or narrative, or evoke emotional responses? If not, consider cutting it. Cutting a scene can be a painful experience, especially if we love the phrasing. Cutting doesn’t mean discarding. Simply file away the phrase or paragraph and save for later use. You may go back to it with another book. I once heard Mary Higgins Clark say she never throws away a piece of writing when she edits. She simply files it away for possible use in a future book.

The purpose of cutting is to sharpen the prose. Are the words necessary to tell the story? Cutting words isn’t about making a story shorter; it’s about tighter writing. Many writers cut a significant amount; then add more scenes to promote the action or develop the character. I recently heard one writer state, “cut words, add story.”

So whether you’re cutting or adding words, revise until your manuscript is polished and succinct.

Contest for Adult Writers
“The Tenth Glass Woman Prize will be awarded for a work of short fiction or creative non-fiction (prose) written by a woman. Length: between 50 and 5,000 words. The top prize for the tenth Glass Woman Prize award is US $500 and possible (but not obligatory) online publication; there will also be one runner up prize of $100 and one runner up prize of $50, together with possible (but not obligatory) online publication. Subject is open, but must be of significance to women. The criterion is passion, excellence, and authenticity in the woman’s writing voice. Previously published work and simultaneous submissions are OK. Authors retain all copyright is retained by the author.”
Details: http://bit.ly/javfBe
Deadline: September 21, 2011

Call for Submissions for Young Writers
Boodle: By Kids For Kids. Formerly called Caboodle , this quarterly magazine is full of funny, pensive, imaginative stories, poetry and drawings from children. With more than 50 contributions per issue, there is room for the work of many ambitious young writers and artists.
Send manuscripts to P.O. Box 1049, Portland, IN 47371.

Trimming a Manuscript/Contest/Calls for Submissions

Writing in all genres involves slicing and dicing words to get to the heart of the story. Gardeners prune apple trees by cutting some of the branches. The tree becomes stronger, takes on a better shape, and produces more fruit simply by cutting the parts that interfere with growth. Writers also need to slice and dice words, phrases, and even paragraphs that diminish the story.

Some writers use this equation to trim their work: First Draft-10%=Second Draft. Cutting ten percent during revision seems like a waste of good words and hard work, but you’ll find that the first draft is never your best work. Allow your first draft to be as long as you need it to be. Then set a word limit and cut the unnecessary words. Some need to cut much more than others. Every writer is different and every book is different.

So what do I cut?

Begin with action or where the character’s life is about to change instead of a long build-up in the first chapter.

Use dialog to develop the character and to move the story forward. If the dialog doesn’t do either, remove it.

Many dialog tags can be deleted. If the reader can figure out who is talking, omit “he said.”

Point a critical eye to detailed descriptions. Give the reader enough information to form a mental picture but every detail of a setting can slow down the story and become boring reading.

Telling rather than showing uses excessive words. Show the reader the action rather than telling.

Concise, tight writing makes editors smile. Review your manuscript with scissors in hand.

Next week I’ll discuss more ways to cut out unnecessary words.

Contest for Adult Writers

Inspired by Tagore: International Writing Competition
“This year sampad is delighted to be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore with Inspired by Tagore, an international writing competition.Tagore was a hugely influential South Asian poet and many sampad projects have celebrated his legacy or been sparked by a line of his poetry….There are 2 categories: one for writers aged between 8 and 15, one for writers aged 16 and over. Entries can be poetry, short stories or reportage, and writers can submit up to 6 pieces of work, maximum length 400 words, using Tagore’s poetry and writing as a starting point….There will be a special prize for the overall winners: Best writer in 8 to 15 category will receive GBP 200 and best writer in 16 and over category will receive GBP 300. All winning writers will be published.”
Deadline: January 31, 2012
Details at http://www.sampad.org.uk/learning/opportunities/competitions/


Call for Submissions for Young Writers

Stone Soup is made up of stories, poems, book reviews, and art by young people through age 13. Although all the writing we publish is in English, we accept work from all over the world.
Details: http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/

Editor and Agent Tips for Writing Children's Books/Call for Submissions

This week I’m focusing on tips from editors and agents for writers of children’s books.

Of all the genres, the picture book market is the hardest for new writers to break into.

Use concise text and fluent words

Lyrical voice should not be too “adult” and should be authentic

The character should make things happen for him/herself

The main character should be a kid

Vary the sentence length

Revise by reading the story through the eyes of a 4 yr old

Holiday stories are difficult to sell because of the shorter selling time

Remember the age of your audience

The subject is not as important as the writer’s voice

Take young readers on a journey with the characters

Read other authors to be inspired, but don’t copy

Read aloud the text during and after revision

Write rhythmic text to catch the attention of the audience

Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end

Make your picture book manuscript stand out. Make it sparkle through revision followed by a round of critiques from other writers.

Make it a fun read aloud.

The Louisville Review announces that they are publishing a special, all-Kentucky issue this winter to honor Kentucky Poet Laureate Maureen Morehead. They are now accepting submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by writers who live in or are from Kentucky. To submit, visit http://www.louisvillereview.org/submissions. Use the comments section to let them know you are a Kentucky Writer. The reading period ends November 1, 2011. Email any questions to louisvillereview@spalding.edu.


Beginning next week and continuing throughout the school year, I’ll include contests and calls for submissions for student writers.

Writing Conference Overview

Attending writing conferences are expensive and completely beyond the budgets of many; however the information attained from conferences is valuable, and the ultimate payoff is learning more about the process and business of writing. Here’s a broad overview of a 2011 writing conference.

Debut authors are doing extremely well.
Industry is looking for best sellers.
Scaling back advances on picture books.
Know the marketplace and devise a plan to promote your book, online and directly to the public.
Write nonfiction as well as fiction.
Read the type of books you want to write.
Write stories kids want to read.
Children’s publishing is withstanding the economic downturn.
Picture books have taken the biggest hit because they are so expensive to publish.
Middle grade boys are reading, but most teen boys are not.
Make the reader wonder what is going on. Use foreshadowing.
Give readers more than what they expect.

Next week, I’ll have notes on what editors and agents are looking for in a picture book manuscript.

BOOK PROJECT: Becoming a Nurse
Creative Nonfiction is seeking essays by--and about--nurses, for a new collection, Becoming a Nurse: Real Stories of Nurses, Their Lives, and Their Patients.

We are looking for writers who can write dramatically and vividly about this profession for a collection of essays, which will be published by the new imprint CREATIVE NONFICTION BOOKS. Essays can be from 2500-4000 words (longer is possible) but should be written in a narrative form, with scenes, description, etc. To submit, please send your manuscript to:

Creative Nonfiction
Attn: Becoming a Nurse
5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Please include a word count on the first page of the essay, as well as your contact information. Any additional questions can be directed to information [at] creativenonfiction.org.
Deadline: November 30, 2011.

Habits of Famous Writers/Contest

Writers often fall into habits when writing. The habits take many forms, such time-based, writing in the morning, or page-based, a minimum of four pages per day. A writing habit is an incentive to keep working on a story or piece. I recently saw on Flavorwire and The Guardian some interesting writing habits of famous authors.

Flannery O’Connor [Wise Blood and numerous short stories] Spent two hours a day writing.
Albert Camus, [The Stranger] Wrote some of his books standing at a lectern due to back pain.
Victor Hugo [The Hunchback of Notre Dame] Handed over his clothes to a butler. That way, he had to remain in the room where he wrote.
Isaac Asimov [Prelude to Foundation] Sat at his desk, which faced a bare wall, void of districtions.
John Steinbeck [The Grapes of Wrath] and Ernest Hemmingway [A Farewell to Arms] Wrote a specific number of pages each day.
Truman Capote [In Cold Blood] Wrote reclined on a sofa, with pencil in one hand and sherry in the other.
Eudora Welty [The Optimist’s Daughter] Held her manuscripts pages together with straight pens.
Neil Gaiman [The Graveyard Book] Finished one story before beginning another.
C. S. Lewis [The Chronicles of Narnia] Maintained a daily writing schedule.

Writers do whatever it takes to keep them at the task of beginning and completing literary works. Do you keep a schedule, set deadlines, or work in a quiet room? What interesting habit do you have that motivates you to keep writing?

Contest for Adult Writers:
Iowa Short Fiction Award
For a collection of short stories (minimum 150 pages). “Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition. Previously entered manuscripts that have been revised may be resubmitted. Writers are still eligible if they have published a volume of poetry or any work in a language other than English or if they have self-published a work in a small print run. Writers are still eligible if they are living abroad or are non-US citizens writing in English. Current University of Iowa students are not eligible.” Award confers publication under the University of Iowa Press standard contract.
Deadline: Submissions: August 1-September 30, 2011 (postmarked)
Details at http://www.uiowapress.org/authors/iowa-short-fiction.htm