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The 5 Year Journal
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Scribble Articles Continued
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Writing Books for Kids Who (Think
They) Hate to Read
by Laura Backes, Write4Kids.com
Let's face it: some kids just don't like to read. Increasingly, parents,
teachers, librarians, and editors are looking for books that will appeal
to reluctant readers. When I was writing "Best Books for Kids Who (Think
They) Hate to Read" (Prima Publishing), I read hundreds of children's
books, old and new, that I thought would fit the bill. I discovered that
there are eight qualities possessed by great books for reluctant readers,
and to my surprise some of my childhood favorites didn't pass the test. If
you can work at least three of the elements listed below into your book,
it will have a good chance of being loved by all kids, even those to whom
reading is a chore.
* Humor.
Making kids laugh is essential to building a pleasant association with
reading. But you need to understand what tickles kids' funny bones at
different ages. The humor in picture books is broad and very visual. Easy
readers (and some picture books for ages 6 and up) begin to introduce
verbal humor: wordplay, puns, double meanings. As kids move into the
chapter book arena they can handle jokes that need a setup and a payoff
that's played out over several scenes. Dialogue, how characters react to
each other, or the situation in which a character finds himself may be
innately humorous.
* Well-Defined Characters.
Many kids want to identify strongly with the characters in their books;
for reluctant readers, this is essential. It doesn't matter what the
character looks like on the outside (be it space alien, a clown or a
talking frog), on the inside this character needs to embody the
perspective of the reader. This means the character is dealing with issues
the reader might face, or seeing the world in a childlike way. Book
characters must have multidimensional personalities with strengths and
weaknesses in order for the reader to care about them and want to stick
with them for the entire story. In nonfiction such as biographies, authors
who find an element of their subject's life that is relevant to the target
audience have a better chance of reaching reluctant readers.
* Fast-Paced Plot.
Kids who love to read don't mind a story that takes a few chapters to
unfold, but reluctant readers don't have that much patience. The action
needs to start in the first paragraph, and by the end of the first chapter
the reader should know quite a bit about the main character and have a
good idea about the conflict or problem that character will face. Subplots
are fine for chapter books and up, but too many will get in the way of the
forward movement of story. Keep the pages turning.
* Concise chapters.
Ideally, each chapter should contain one clear event (or one specific
point in nonfiction), and have an arc of its own (a beginning, middle and
end). This makes reading even one chapter a satisfying experience.
Chapters that end on a high note in the action will make the reader want
to see what happens next. Episodic novels (where each chapter stands alone
as a short story) are also good bets for reluctant readers. Richard Peck's
"A Long Way from Chicago" and Louis Sachar's "Sideways Stories from
Wayside School" are two middle grade examples.
* Kid Relevance.
This applies to the themes and ideas that form the basis for plots or how
an author approaches a nonfiction topic. These ideas should be relevant,
meaningful, and applicable to the reader's life. Instead of conveying a
lesson your adult perspective tells you the reader needs to know, try
using the reader's frame of reference as a starting point. Write to your
audience, not at them. And remember, books can be just for fun.
* Suitable Text.
Depending on the age and ability of the reader, the text needs to be
challenging but not overwhelming. Strive to write your story as clearly as
you can, using active sentences and concrete nouns and verbs. When writing
for a broad age range of reluctant readers (8-12, for example), make the
vocabulary accessible to the younger end, but the interest level appealing
to kids on the older end of the spectrum.
* Unique Presentation.
Reluctant readers often choose nonfiction over fiction because it speaks
to their personal interests. Finding a new or unusual slant to your topic
helps keep that interest alive. Humor doesn't hurt either. "It's
Disgusting" and "We Ate It! True Food Facts from Around the World" by
James Solheim appeals to middle graders' love of the gross while sneaking
in some history on the side.
* Visual Appeal.
Authors generally don't have much say in a book's design, but
author/illustrators might. Larger typeface, the generous use of white
space, and illustrations that elaborate upon the text all help break up
the string of words and make the book less intimidating to read.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura Backes is the author of "Best Books for Kids Who (Think They) Hate
to Read" from Prima/Random House. She's also the publisher of Children's
Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information
about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips,
insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the
web at http://write4kids.com |
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The Total Package: A Simple
Checklist to Make Your Work Ready For an Agent
By Natalie R. Collins.
You've finished your first novel or book, and you know it's a winner. Your
query letter is a work of art, and the agent you're dying to have
represent you has requested the entire manuscript. You make a quick trip
to the post office, mail off the tome, complete with a self- addressed
stamped envelope, and return home.
Pleased, you pick up a copy of the manuscript you just sent, and your
stomach starts to churn, your knees start to knock and your head starts to
spin. You just found a typo on page ten! How did you miss it? What else
did you miss? Egads, you left out the cover letter
Can you now kiss the agent goodbye? How could you have avoided this?
There are steps you can take before sending a manuscript that will allow
you to rest easy after you leave the post office. It will help if you
think of your submission as a total package: cover letter, manuscript, and
mailing material.
Let's concentrate first on the bulk of your package: the manuscript.
1. Finalizing your manuscript.
Remember that it is absolutely imperative that someone other than you
reads the manuscript. This is not a slight to your own editing and
proofreading skills, but insurance against mistakes your eye becomes
trained to jump over. Once you've read the same words over and over again
(you have read them over and over again, haven't you?), it becomes nearly
impossible to spot all mistakes and typos. I recommend you have your work
professionally edited. Check with your local college or in the classified
ads for editing services. Join a writing list, such as the one I moderate
on Yahoogroups (send a blank email to:
The-Write-List-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ), and ask other authors to
recommend an editor. Offer to become a critique partner to writers whose
work you admire. The friendships that can arise out of these situations
are both beneficial and rewarding.
"I have a friend—she's an editor, a writing teacher, and a published
writer—who edits my material before it goes to any agent. Nancy is simply
great; superb is actually the right word. With a few touches, a few notes
and a ruthless strike-out method, she literally elevates the writing to
the next higher commercial level," said Edita Petrick, a writer from
Toronto, Ontario. "Today, I don't submit anything to an agent/agency,
unless Nancy has edited it. We arrange and negotiate a fee for each such
editing job. Editing is not a hobby and it's not a short job either. Nancy
has done many free favors for me. But when it comes to a complete novel
that I've finished as my next-to-last draft, it's pay for excellent
service."
If you can't afford an editor, join a professional online critique group,
such as the Internet Writing Workshop (http://www.manistee.com/~lkraus/workshop/
). As a member of this group, which handles all genres, my writing has
improved greatly. Critique workshops like the IWW are filled with other
writers, like you, who need someone to look over their work. Most
workshops function on a reciprocal critiquing system. If you critique a
lot of other work, your work will receive a lot of critiques. Here are a
few other critique groups:
-- Write Thing,
http://www.topica.com/lists/WriteThing/prefs/info.html
-- Critters (Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror)
http://www.critters.org/index.html
-- The Science Fiction Writers Workshop,
http://hometown.aol.com/sfwwmoder/index.htm .
-- Del Rey Online Writing Workshop (Science Fiction And Fantasy)
http://delrey.onlinewritingworkshop.com/
-- Horror Writing Workshop
http://horror.onlinewritingworkshop.com/
After your work has been edited and critiqued, and you feel it's complete
and ready to go, then you are ready to follow the rest of the checklist.
2. Format.
All manuscript submissions, unless otherwise noted by the agent you are
submitting to, should be on 8½x11 paper, single-sided, in twelve-point
Courier Font. Always include a cover letter, briefly reminding the agent
who you are and why you are sending your work. This letter should include
all contact information including an address, phone number, email address
and any other pertinent information.
After the cover letter, the first page should consist of your title, and
name. Every page should include a header on the top right, and be
numbered, followed by your last name and manuscript title. For example:
1/Collins/Dirty Little Secrets.
Make sure all your chapters start on a fresh page, and include the chapter
name and title, in bold.
3. Spell Check and Grammar Check.
Almost all word processing programs come with a grammar and spell checker.
Use it. This is time consuming and irritating, particularly when your
grammar checker wants you to make changes that you know are wrong.
Remember, it is a computer, and it isn't really reading your work.
However, every time I use this tool I do find one or two mistakes that I
might have missed. Even if you already did this before your work was
edited, do it again. If you made any changes, the possibility of new
mistakes exists.
4. Use your Find and Replace Tool.
I routinely check the entire manuscript for homonyms. Words like "then"
and "than," "it's" and "its," and "their, they're," and "there" are easy
to type wrong and just as easy to miss when editing. Using your find tool
allows you to zero in on these words, and make sure you've used them
correctly.
I also search for "that," a word that is often overused. If it's not
necessary, I delete it. Other weasel words to search for are "suddenly,"
"felt," "realized," and "managed." Did your character manage to walk
through the door, or did he just do it? And if you have to use "suddenly"
to build tension, you haven't done your job as a writer.
Make sure to check for "anymore" and "everyday." "Anymore" indicates time
while "any more" shows quantity. "Everyday," means routine, common,
ordinary, while "every day" also indicates time.
I also check every name, to make sure my spelling stays consistent
throughout the manuscript.
5. Print Out a Copy.
Once your editing has been done on screen, it's essential to edit a
printed copy.
"I always print my work out in hard copy because it's easier to find the
punctuation mistakes. Tired eyes can mistake a comma for a period very
easily when you've been staring at the computer screen for an extended
period of time," said Tina Morgan, a fantasy writer from the Midwest.
Editing on screen saves both time and paper, but it is essential to read
through a printed copy at least once before your manuscript is mailed. If
you are concerned about saving paper or about wear and tear on your
printer, remember that you only have to reprint the pages you correct
(unless you edit with a cup of hot cocoa, a donut, and chocolate bars).
6. Check and Double Check.
Make sure you have the agent's name correct, double check the address and
never forget your SASE. Write "requested material" on your package. This
allows the agent to sort through the unsolicited manuscripts they receive.
"What I double check is that the whole package sells me as a
professional," said Shirley Kawa-Jump, a contributing author to "Women on
Writing—From Inspiration to Publication," a collection of articles and
essays written by the members of National Association of Women Writers (http://www.naww.org
). "Does the letterhead look clean and crisp? Does the cover letter really
punch and inspire them to read the rest? Did I put it all into a
manuscript box instead of an envelope so it arrives in pristine condition?
Did I double-check the address? And I always opt for Priority Tracking,
too, so I can be sure it gets delivered and eliminate a phone call to the
agent. Then I send it off and obsess until they call me!"
Once you've followed the steps of this checklist, you should be able to
send your manuscript off with very few qualms. Now the time has come to
toss and turn and wait for a response. Remember, agents are busy. Although
you can't gauge the agent's reaction to your prose, you can rest confident
in knowing you have done everything to make your manuscript stand out from
the crowd.
© Copyright 2001 Natalie Collins
Natalie R. Collins is the agent/publishing columnist for Fiction Factor
(http://www.fictionfactor.com/)- an online magazine for writers, offering
articles on the craft and business of writing, tips on getting published,
free ebook downloads, author interviews, paying market listings, and much
more! Natalie is also the author of SisterWife, a top ten pick for 2001 in
the annual Preditors & Editors Poll. You can visit her Web site at http://www.nataliercollins.net. |
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A Thesaurus, What's That?
By Andrea L. Mack
It sounds like the name of a dinosaur, but a thesaurus is actually a list
of words, rather like a dictionary. Instead of giving a definition for
each word, it provides a set of synonyms -- other words that have similar
meanings. If you looked up the word "big" in a thesaurus, you would find
something like this: huge, great, fat, overgrown, mammoth, wide, towering,
giant, and so on.
Writing is like a puzzle. If the words fit together in the right way, the
ideas in a story are clear and interesting to the reader. Careful use of a
thesaurus is one way a writer can find some of those words that fit. I say
careful, because sometimes using a thesaurus does not help your writing at
all. Like pieces in a tricky puzzle, sometimes words are put together that
don't quite fit. They sound forced or don't quite give the meaning that
you had planned.
How can a thesaurus help your writing?
1) Being Accurate
Think about this sentence: "The big cake sat on the table." Different
people might imagine this big cake in different ways. One person might see
it as a wide cake, filling the tabletop so that there is no room for
anything else. Another person might imagine it as a towering cake, taller
than the people who are sitting down to eat it. By looking up the word
"big" in the thesaurus, you can find a more specific word to describe the
cake. The reader will then have a clearer picture of the scene you are
trying to create in your writing.
2) Spicing It Up
Another way you can use a thesaurus is to find a word that makes your
description livelier. Which sentence do you think sounds more interesting?
a) The moon shone in the dark sky.
b) The moon sparkled in the dark sky.
The first sentence creates a quiet mood. The second leads you to expect
that something exciting might happen. Of course, the words you choose from
the list in the thesaurus will depend on the kind of story you are
writing. If you want to add some zing to what you have written, finding a
synonym for a word or two can help you do it.
3) Saying Things Again, But Differently
When you are writing about a certain topic, the same words find their way
into your writing repeatedly. This can make things boring for your reader.
By using a thesaurus to find a synonym for the word you keep repeating,
you can make your writing more interesting.
In this paragraph with its title, I've used three words or expressions
that mean almost the same thing: again, over and over, and repeating. I
could have used one of the words in all three places. Instead, I chose to
use different words that mean the same thing, adding variety without
changing what I wanted to say.
Words of Warning
The thesaurus can be a useful tool for a writer who likes to play with
words. It can also be a headache.
One thing to remember is that not all the synonyms for a word have exactly
the same meaning. A good synonym for big might be fat if your story
character is overweight. It doesn't work if he's a foot taller than
everyone else and as skinny as a beanpole. Synonyms should be sensible.
A second tip for using a thesaurus is not to overdo it. If you replaced
every other word in a sentence with a longer or flashier one, your writing
would be hard to read. The reader might end up paying more attention to
your words than to your story! It's usually better to use a simple word
than one that draws attention to itself. Save your thesaurus for times
when you really want to create a dramatic effect.
Andrea L. Mack is a freelance writer,
researcher, and mother. She writes articles on family life, writing,
animals, and whatever else catches her attention. Her work has appeared in
the Canadian Writer's Journal, The Busy Freelancer, and Fiction Fix
newsletter, The Writing Parent, Wee Parents, and WeeOnes E-magazine. |
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Marketing a Novel...Written
by Me
By Shelia Jordan
Marketing is a word that has made the biggest personalities cringe in
fear. Knowing this can help you when your novel is accepted. The contract
is signed and you're staring at the acceptance on your computer screen and
think--Now what?
Here are some guaranteed 'thinking' strategies to help you begin
marketing.
Focus. This is one of the best Marketing advantages for a shy person. You
have to focus to write your novel or article, begin to think of your
material as a loved one that has to be out in public.
If you have children then at some point they will be in school or at a
public function. What have you done when someone disagrees with your loved
one? You defend the action or words, or you correct them. All the time you
are talking or thinking--the marketing process has begun in your mind.
Focus is how you defend your loved ones using your ideas, your morals in
life; it's all a thought process. Think of the properties involved in
loving and caring for your family. You defend; drive them to activities,
and in general, you do what's necessary or expected of you.
Thus, your first lesson in marketing, carting your material to appropriate
businesses along your daily route in life.
Formulate a plan in your mind and let it flow on paper or keyboard. This
is known as the rough draft for a novel, but it is also how you apply your
marketing. Make a plan but be realistic, try to list three things to
accomplish in one day to save frustration.
You need to focus. No one I know has stretched the 24 hours in a day rule.
You may not be the first person to try it, but give yourself a break if
you do. Be consistent, and reliable. The competition is called competition
because they have learned this simple rule and survived. Do what you tell
people you will do.
This thinking is akin to the first stages of marketing--which begins
successfully, when you begin to write, or design a product. Thinking of
where to send your work can play a strong role in what you write.
Focus, you wouldn't go to visit a neighbor when your plan is going to see
a movie. Make a plan; you have an action in mind, and act on your thoughts
within the plan you have written. Writing down your thoughts are not
wasted time, they are fodder for a later idea.
You talk to your boss and co-workers, teachers at school, people you meet
along your travel through the day. Challenge your mind to mention your
marketable material to at least three of the people you talk to in one
day's time. It won't be long by using focus that you will be able to speak
naturally about your product, whether it is a novel or a product for sale.
Word of mouth is knowledge of your product; it spreads along with your
sales.
Remember that no one knows your children like you do. The same must be
true of your product waiting to be marketed. Would we have a book about
three pigs if someone hadn't written it, then sent it to market?
Oh, that poor little pig! Focus! Off we go to market.
Shelia Jordan is the author of Lakota Star
a historical romance (http://romancenovels.freeservers.com/hist.html).
She is also the Romance Reviews Editor at W. O. W. (Women On Writing
http://www.womenonwriting.com) |
FINDING MY
MUSE, By Margaret Helmstetter
Oh, where has my muse gone? The character that only I can see. The one
who gives me all my great ideas? The one who can help me find the right
word at the right time?
When my muse goes missing, I look high and low. The best way to find
her is to describe her in detail. Not a pointless exercise, but a search
for the creativity that has temporarily gone into hiding. I frequently
describe my muse as a small blue fairy, her tiny wings thin enough to
read through. Her long blue dress hides the legs that dance so pertly
when she has finally caused me to write the words that she wanted.
If describing her down to the rows of sequins on the bodice and hem
of her dress does not work, then I describe where she is. My muse went
to a conference, a muses conference. Much like a writers' conference.
She goes to refresh herself and to make contacts with the right kind of
muses. Editorial muses are great contacts, as are publishing muses. She
works hard at showing the other muses that they should cause the
respective person to look at our words with a serious intent to publish,
and better yet pay the hard working writer that she works with.
Oh, but contacts are not the only thing she goes for, she enjoys the
fun of laying around a hotel swimming pool, watching the other muses as
they work at impressing just the right editorial muses. She is a
self-confidant little character, always sure about who needs to be
impressed, and who needs to be flattered. My muse enjoys many of the
finer things in life. She has dined in the world's finest restaurants. I
have detailed the ambiance, the cutlery, and the foods she has eaten.
The waiters and waitresses are always a good way to bring my muse
back home. The stuffy maitre'd, the waitress who drops a cup of soup in
the drunken conventioneer's lap, and of course the good-looking waiter
who waits upon my muse. The more detail I can write about my missing
muse, the less prone to stay hidden she is.
My muse will occasionally take a short vacation. When she does, I can
locate her in one of my favorite vacation spots, sunning herself on the
beach and people watching. Detailing the people at the beach and
creating imaginary lives for them will shorten the vacation my muse
takes. Again, the more detail I can put down the less time my muse will
spend on vacation. The blue-haired old ladies; the well-muscled young
college students, and I must not forget the young children creating a
fantasy world of their own with sandcastles. My muse is temperamental,
and if I don't allow her the occasional break, she will not help me. The
occasional foray into worlds of uncharted and unknown places will revive
her quickly. A trip on a shuttle to the moon, with as much detail as
possible squeezed into a few short paragraphs.
When I am searching for my muse, I don't worry about grammar or
spelling. I simply try to get as much detail down as possible. Later if
my muse has still not returned I can go back, edit and make sure that
what I have written is mechanically sound. When looking for the creative
spark that is my muse, I fall in love all over again with adjectives and
adverbs. How many adjectives can I use to describe a blue dress? The
midnight blue velvet dress fell from her white shoulders in a sexy
swirl.
Trying to evoke all the senses; touch, taste, scent, hearing, and
sight when detailing my muse's activities will get the creative thoughts
flowing.
When my muse is being particularly stubborn, I will write a simple
sentence about anything. Then I drag out the old thesaurus and see how
many words I can replace in that sentence. The untamed flock was
soaring high over the metropolis. The wild birds were flying high about
the city. The two sentences mean the same thing, but the change in
words will frequently bring the muse back to work.
Locating a missing creative muse is mainly a matter of discipline, a
word we all love to hate. Conditioning yourself to sit down and write
without the concern for the end result is the best way to keep your muse
happy and close to you.
Of course, you need to nourish your muse on a regular basis. If all
you do is write, your muse will get stale and abandon you for greener
pastures. Take a short trip; go to the park or the zoo. Do not write,
just observe, since as a writer you should be a great observer. Study
how the clouds in the sky form shapes and cast shadows on the ground.
Watch the people reacting to different situations. When you get home
again, write it all down, how many details do you remember? Play a game
with a child, they have not lost their muses because they watch and
learn constantly. Sit down and watch a movie, not to review it, but to
enjoy and lose yourself in the movie. Can you feel you are part of the
action?
When you feel your muse has left you, then it is time to refresh and
to care for your creative side. Do not let your creativity die for lack
of nourishment. Your soul requires that you feed it with new things,
activities, and experiences. Do this either with armchair travel in a
good book, or by actually going somewhere that will help you rebuild
your creative side and nourish your soul at the same time.
Assistant Editor,
Providerpress@telusplanet.net, Childcare Sentinal- THE newsletter for
Childcare Providers, Ckeeta's Pages,
www.geocities.com/ckeeta,
Acceptance issues,
www.positiveperfectyou.com |
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