Guest Instructor: Emily Smith Pearce and a Giveaway!

For the last three weeks in my "Writing for Children" class at Central Piedmont Community College, my students were treated to visits from authors I know through SCBWI Carolinas and WNBA: Emily Smith Pearce, Tameka Brown, and Christy Allen. In the next three blog posts I'll share some of the highlights of their talks plus give you a chance to win some fabulous books.

Emily Smith Pearce is the author of two children's books, mother of two busy elementary school children, crafter, and blogger. In January, 1999 she was in the second class to graduate from the Vermont College of Fine Arts with her Master's Degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is currently working on a young adult novel and a nonfiction middle grade book on fashion history. She credits hanging out at the library where her mother, a children's librarian worked, as one of the things that influenced her the most in becoming a writer. 

Here are some nuggets from Emily's presentation:

• Get a boring day job so that you have brain space left over to write after work.
• Persevere. Persevere. Persevere. "It took several years and plenty of setbacks to get my first book published."
• In response to, "How were writing your novel and your early reader different experiences?" Emily said, "Isabel and the Miracle Baby was written over a period of time with my mentor, Carolyn Coman at VCFA, and was inspired by someone I knew. Slowpoke, which is autobiographical, started out as a writing exercise. I took a picture book and studied its structure, and then I plugged it into a story. I also had one editor for Isabel and three different editors for Slowpoke because of the fast changing nature of the publishing industry.  Eden Edwards suggested it would work better as an early reader than a picture book."

  

  Boyds Mills Press, 2010

  
  
• You should use social media for networking in addition to promoting your own work. Maureen Johnson and Sarah Dessen are good examples. "You should share more about others' work than your own or people will quickly grow bored."
• The most rewarding thing are school visits when kids read your book. "One boy told me he had paid for the book out of his own money." 
• Discouragement happens. One first grader asked, "Do you ever worry if you'll never write another book?"
• She still reads. A lot. While cooking supper or drying her hair. Her daughter once said to her, "Mommy, please don't read while you're driving!" Emily never said if she put the book down…

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Here's your opportunity to win an autographed copy of Isabel and the Miracle Baby. 

Front Street Books, 2007

“The tantrum-prone protagonist of this multi-layered debut novel seems a smidge spoiled at first glance, but underneath eight-year-old Isabel’s fits-and-starts temper lies a very ordinary need for attention. [T]he novel . . . becomes more noteworthy for Pearce’s graceful weaving of a larger and more difficult subject into the narrative: Isabel’s mother has had cancer . . . Pearce stays true to Isabel’s young perspective even as she conveys the character’s complicated discoveries about growing up.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Get Ready For Write 2 Ignite 2013!

Here is a guest blog by my friend and critique partner extraordinaire, Jean Hall, founder of Write2Ignite!

Whether you write for toddlers or teens, science or history magazines, school curriculum or drama clubs you’ll find a place at Write2Ignite! 2013, March 15-16 at North Greenville University, South Carolina.  And if you write for general markets or for Christian publishers, you’ll find education, encouragement and inspiration at Write2Ignite!

Our purpose is to offer you:

• Instruction in the craft of writing and publishing.
• Encouragement to keep on keeping on.
• Inspiration to keep you in tune with the calling God has on your life.
• Connections to assist you in the world of publishing.

We are thrilled this year that we can again offer outstanding and generous speakers and workshop leaders. Author Cecil Murphey (who has more than 150 published titles) will inspire us through keynote speeches. Familiar names like Kelly Starling Lyons and Joyce Hostetter are part of our line-up. At Write2Ignite! 2013 editors from Club House, Lighthouse Publishing, JourneyForth, The Kid’s Ark and more will offer private consultations.  Literary agents who represent children’s writers will join us, and make themselves available for individual consultations.

Another of our Write2Ignite! offerings is a special track for middle school and high school students who write. This year a whole team of professionals will instruct and challenge the Teen Track students.

Registration is now open, and now is the time to apply for one of our scholarships. Check our website for information and Registration at www.write2ignite.com or contact us at write2ignite@jeanmatthewhall.com.

Children's Literature Symposium in Chapel Hill

Recently, a group of writers, teachers, librarians and storytellers gathered to listen to ten children’s literature experts and writers. Here are some highlights:

Storyteller Brian Sturm opened the afternoon with a story demonstrating how our “brains are hardwired to understand stories—the best vehicle to communicate truth.” He then advised writers to:

Brian Sturm

• Give readers and/or listeners enough description so they can see events.
•  Remember that jeopardy works because readers want to fight alongside the protagonist.
• Create idiosyncratic characters that are both familiar and novel.
• Capture the heart with the familiar; hook the mind with what is new.

Susie Wilde, a professional book reviewer, shared her evaluation of eleven picture books. Her “bad book pile,” (mostly written by celebrities or authors of adult books) included:

• Don’t Call Me Little Bunny by Gregoire Solotareff. The bunny-protagnoist, has a gun and escapes from jail. Susie’s challenge was, “What is the underbelly of your story?
• Goldilocks by Dom De Luise.
• The Adventures of Ralphie the Roach by Paulina Porizkova. Susie found both the story and illustrations repulsive.
• The Christmas Sweater by Glen Beck. “There was no transition between reality and fantasy.”
• A Walk in the Rain with a Brain by Edward Hallowell. “If you’re going to write poetry, you need to do it perfectly.”

Her “good book pile” included:

• Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer. “Unlike DeLuise's self-serving Goldilocks, this has a fresh approach when re-imagining familiar characters.”
• Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake by Michael Kaplan. “Features a wholly original, memorable character bound to be loved by child readers because it is spot on in a child’s perspective.
• Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson. Good African American history stories.
• Tia Isa wants a Car by Meg Medina.  “There is satisfaction when the resolution rewards the reader.”
• Good night, Good Night Construction Site by Sherry Rinker. Very good rhythm and rhyme.
• Milo and the Magic Stones by Marcus Pfister.  “This book offers two endings so a child can choose between greed and selfishness to solve a problem.”

Karin Michel, head of youth services at the Chapel Hill library, stated that series are huge and that classics are still being read. She includes out-of-print books in her collection. “Libraries help extend the life of books that are worth reading.”

Sarah Carr, the children’s books manager at Flyleaf Books hand sells many books to her customers and their parents.  She noted the popularity of books in Spanish and picture books with lots of description. “Bookstores, as well as libraries, are also places to build a community of readers.”

Susie Wilde, Karin Michel, Sarah Carr

Novelist Stephen Messer admitted, “When I was young, I thought the coolest thing would be to be the author of one of the books I was reading.” He wrote his debut novel, Windblowne in longhand, which was helpful because every day he added a little more and couldn’t delete anything. When he is writing, he surrounds himself with things that remind him of the book. Oak trees outside his window, a dragon kite, and a poster of a powerful wind--all brought him into Windblowne’s fantasy setting.

Allan Wolf, Jackie Ogburn, Jane Baskerville Muphy, Stephen Messer, Barbara Younger

Jacqueline Ogburn, an award-winning picture book author advised, “Write to evoke pictures, not to describe them. Concentrate on dialogue, action, and character. Writing a picture book has much in common with writing a screenplay,” she said. “Turning a page in a picture book is the equivalent of a new scene.” Click here to listen to her book, The Bake Shop Ghost, read by Daniel Pinkwater.  

Performance poet Allan Wolf treated the group to two poetry performances, which is the art form that brought him into writing for children. “We write because we have something to say,” he said. “Part of exploration of what you don’t know leads to finding it out- don’t worry about that. Your questions will take you down an avenue that no one else has gone on.“

A Woman With a Vision

I recently participated in a one-day writing workshop sponsored by Write2Ignite! During our informal luncheon I asked Jean Hall, the founder, to describe her vision for the organization. In this guest blog, she shares that vision with you.  Without further ado, here is Jean:

“In 2008 God called me (and other wonderful writers) to organize and lead Write2Ignite! At first I was a most unwilling leader, something like Gideon of the Old Testament. However, God verified for me that this is His plan for me at this time in my life, and I now willingly embrace that call.

“I envision Write2Ignite! as an organization that provides conferences, workshops, support groups and other services to Christians who create, publish, represent or sell literature for children and youth. I view our role as that of teachers, encouragers and inspirers.

“I hope that Write2Ignite! participants will leave our conferences with three things:

• The knowledge that they heard from God during the weekend about something specific in their writing and/or personal lives
• Improved or new skills to use in writing and/or publishing
• New or strengthened connections with other writers, illustrators, teachers, librarians, agents, editors, reviewers, and/or book sellers

“I envision Write2Ignite! as an organization for the Southeastern USA, that hosts at least two conferences each year, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. However, of course, there is always the possibility that God’s purposes are larger than that.

“My vision also includes the following:

• Smaller, local Write2Ignite! workshops in cities across the Carolinas
• Smaller critique/support groups either face-to-face in various locations, or online
• Possibly a thriving Write2Ignite! Yahoo Group
• Monthly online Write2Ignite! Chats (possibly via Skype)
• Possibly a quarterly Write2Ignite! online newsletter

"I am amazed at the ways God works to accomplish these things 

step-by-step for Write2Ignite! I am also amazed at the generous, 

dedicated volunteers who work hard to put God’s plans into place. 

But we can always use a few more.

"If you are interested in becoming part of the Write2Ignite! Conference Team please contact me at write2ignite@jeanmatthewhall.com.  To find out more about our conferences and workshops, please visit our website or our blog."


Thanks, Jean, for sharing your vision with us. I hope many of my readers will find their way to Write2Ignite!

Interview with Harold Underdown- Part III

In the spring I published two interviews with Harold Underdown, children's book editor and children's publishing maven. In Part I he answered general questions about writing and publishing for children. In Part II he answered questions from illustrators. 


Here in Part III, Harold answers questions specifically about crafting picture books. 

Question:  Recently I heard Tracey Adams of Adams Literary talk about how the industry standard for picture books is now moving to being geared towards 3-5 year olds and of course, much shorter word counts. But K-8th grade teachers all use longer picture books in their classrooms. Is there no room in the market for longer picture books?

Harold: Yes, longer picture books are still published. Tracey is reflecting on the reality that the larger publishers have largely abandoned the school and library market, and are seeking material that will do well in bookstores (also known as the trade market). She's an agent and so she wants material she can sell for a good advance. That is the kind of picture book she describes. But Holiday House and Charlesbridge and Boyds Mills and Whitman, to name just a few, still publish for the educational market.

Question: When writing a picture book manuscript, how much information and/or details should a writer include that could wind up being shown better in the illustrations? With word counts being so low, should an author bother giving much description of the setting or how a character looks and just leave it up to the illustrator, or should that be included in the manuscript?

Harold: I regard it as good standard picture book writing practice to leave out the words that just aren't needed. This serves a dual purpose, since it both reduces word count and leaves an opening for the illustrator.

Question: Should a picture book writer include illustrator’s notes in their manuscript? What if they want to have a wordless page? Should that be noted?

Harold: A writer can include a short note in the manuscript, perhaps in brackets. However, I would warn writers about features like this--don't make your story too dependent on them. The story should still work even if the publisher or illustrator doesn't feel that this is a good place for a wordless spread, and that decision will be, in the end, theirs to make.

Question: A panel of agents and editors at a recent conference was asked if a writer could continue submitting after receiving a few rejections. The agent basically said, if I've rejected you twice, you probably shouldn't submit to me again. The editors seemed to be nodding in agreement. How does anyone ever get an agent or publisher if you're not supposed to submit with new projects more than a few times?

Harold: I think that to answer this question you have to understand the context that that agent was assuming. She's assuming an actual correspondence with an author, not the case of someone, as is often true, who starts submitting early on in their writing development and sends out a number of manuscripts before reaching the point at which an agent or editor sends a "personal rejection." Here the agent is assuming that someone met them at a conference or impressed them with something in their submissions, and they've written to the agent. And written to them again and perhaps again. I don't think the agent is suggesting a three-strikes-you're-out situation, but more of a practical rule of thumb in a certain situation.

At that point, if a writer isn't hitting it off with an agent, it might be time to take a break, and perhaps come back at some point in the future. 

·    People writing picture books would do well to get Ann Whitford Paul's "Writing Picture Books.” here's a review that I wrote: http://www.underdown.org/writing-picture-books-review.htm

·       For advice about creating illustrator’s notes in a manuscript, writers should consult this article: http://www.underdown.org/picture-books-illustrations.htm

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Thanks, Harold, for generously sharing your publishing wisdom with us in this series! 

Three years ago Harold taught me to probe more deeply into what my
 main character wants at the Highlights Writers Workshop

Interview with Harold Underdown- Part I

Harold Underdown, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, is my guest for today's blog. In this interview he answers a variety of questions about writing and publishing for children. In Part II he will address questions which illustrators have. If you are an illustrator with a publishing question, please leave me a comment or email me at cbaldwin6@carolina.rr.com and I will relay them to Harold.

Question: A friend found the following advice under "sample query letter" at http://jamesrussellpublishing.biz/. They suggested using the phrase, "This manuscript has been professionally edited and is ready to be published." I thought it sounded presumptuous. What do you think?

Harold: I don't think it's a good idea, for the reason you give and ALSO because it suggests the writer needed help to complete the manuscript! That is not something I would mention in a cover or query letter.


Question: In light of the increasing sophistication of YA book content, would you recommend that YALSA divide its services, awards and lists into two age categories--one for ages 12 - 15 and another for ages 15 - 18?

Harold: Personally, I wouldn't recommend that or speak against it. I think that's an issue that librarians should decide.

Question: We've learned that song lyrics can be an expensive minefield. What about movie lines? Are they protected by copyright? What about expressions that have entered the common lexicon, like "Show me the money," "You had me at hello," "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," etc? The specific line I'm wondering about at the moment is "Danger, Will Robinson." But I think the real question is the larger principle, since there are so many lines like this that have come into conversational use completely divorced from their origin. What I meant was, when the phrase is used with no reference to the original source. Like when a character says, "We'll always have Paris" or "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," but no one is talking about "Casablanca." Or "Make my day," "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto," "I'll think about it tomorrow at Tara," or any other catch phrase that people commonly understand without having to know where it came from.

Harold: I am not a lawyer and have never discussed this issue with one, but I tend to agree that this is an area in which fair use applies.

A writer who wants to include such phrases in their manuscript should go ahead and do so, but make a note of where they are included. Then when/if the manuscript sells, they can raise this with their editor, who will most likely consult with the publisher's legal department.


Question: How important is it to plot a story with a traditional three-act structure or a hero myth structure? Can/should those structures be applied to picture books as well as novels?


Harold: It's not important. There are many ways to structure a plot. Writers should set up their story, novel or picture book, in the way that makes most sense for THAT STORY. I know that fantasy novels often follow a hero structure, but they don't have to.


Question: How much should a writer pay attention to a manuscript's "marketability" and market trends?

Harold: This is a short question but it needs a long answer. For one thing, the importance of what's expected in the market varies by type of book. A manuscript written for a packager creating a MG series MUST be focused on what the market wants, while a "literary" novel should simply be the best that the writer can make it.


In general, paying too much attention to the market is dangerous, as trends can change or die overnight. It can also be difficult to figure out what exactly would make a manuscript "marketable."

So my advice for writers in this area is to ignore the trends while they are learning the craft--improving their skills, finding their voice, learning what they most like to write. Once they have a good chunk of experience under their belts they can start to pay more attention to the market, as they will not be unduly influenced by it.

Question: what are the legal issues around using a famous person in your novel-- especially if it's not trying to be historically accurate?


In other words, if it's basically a fantasy novel. For example, Meg walked through her wrinkle in time and somehow met Elvis Presley..."


Harold: As with the movie lines, this is something that writers should go ahead and do, but keep track of. My gut feeling is that a dead famous person, who does not become a major character, but is mentioned in passing, will be OK. A living famous person, or someone whose estate is still actively defending the person's image, could be trickier, especially if they have a role to play in the story. Here it is not copyright that is an issue, but the right of a person (or their estate) to control the use of their image/name.

                             ******************************************

Thanks Harold! Stay tuned for Part II  which will address illustrators' questions.

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Learn to Revise with Harold Underdown

Harold Underdown and I at the Highlights
Writers Workshop at Chautauqua

Highlights Foundation offers a number of excellent writing workshops throughout the year.  This one  in March features Harold Underdown, an expert in the field of writing and publishing for children. I was fortunate to work with Harold when I attended Chautauqua two years ago.

The following information comes directly from Highlights Foundation:

On March 10-13, 2011, Harold Underdown, longtime editor and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books and founder of the popular Web site The Purple Crayon, will introduce a small group of writers to proven techniques for self-editing and for revising. Harold will be joined by children's book editor Eileen Robinson for a new Highlights Foundation workshop, How to Revise on Your Own and with Other Writers.


The Highlights Foundation asked Harold about the importance of polishing one's work before submitting. Here's what he had to say.


Highlights Foundation: I keep hearing that writers must submit books that are "ready-to-publish." What does that mean?

Harold Underdown: "Ready-to-publish" is a scary term. There's no standard definition, but it means that the manuscript has been through the wringer. There are no significant problems with the plot, the characters, the pacing. It has also been polished sufficiently that a reader will not keep running into distracting spelling and grammar mistakes, clumsy phrasing, and so on. More polished manuscripts have an advantage. But then, they always have.


Highlights Foundation: Isn't it the editor's job to polish a manuscript? Why do I need anyone else to critique my work?

Harold Underdown: There have always been some limits to what an editor, working in-house, could or would do with a manuscript. The assumption today behind the "ready-to-publish" rule is that as publishers have trimmed staff, the remaining editors do not have time to develop manuscripts. They need to acquire and move on, and so writers "must" get help with their manuscripts if they can't get them to "ready-to-publish" status on their own.


But maybe you don't need anyone else to critique your work—that's the point of our workshop. We have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't in revision, and our goal with the workshop is to pass on some of our knowledge, so that the people who take it will come out of it better equipped to do their own editing, either on their own or with the help of other writers, friends, or family.


"How to Revise on Your Own and with Other Writers" is limited to twelve writers. Harold and his co-leader, children's book editor Eileen Robinson, will put their extensive experience to work, giving you critical tools for polishing your work. To secure your spot, or for more information, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192, e-mail jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org, or request an application online.


Highlights Foundation Founders Workshops take place near Honesdale, Pennsylvania. You'll stay in your own cozy cabin, surrounded by 1,300 wooded acres and hiking trails. Workshop fee includes individual cabins; all meals (provided by a top-notch chef); airport pickup service, if needed; and an intimate teaching setting at the homeplace of the Founders of Highlights for Children.

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Bragging on a Friend - Perseverance Pays Off!

"Pansy Smith has just heard the most amazing news in her life. Her best friend Anna, who became brain-damaged fifteen months ago, is going to have an operation that could cure her. Now it’s time for Pansy to become all those things she hasn’t been in the past: Brave. Smart. Talented. Exceptional. The perfect friend for Anna Liddell, the most extraordinary person she’s ever known."

That's the opening hook that my friend, Miriam Franklin, used which landed her an agent.  

Recalling the process Miriam said, "DEAR ANNA grew from a book I wrote 7 or 8 years ago. I queried agents without any luck so I turned to other writers for feedback. I received a few kind and encouraging critiques with revision suggestions. But the critique that was most helpful was the writer who bluntly told me to start over. Painful as it was to hear, I knew she was right. I put the book aside and  the idea for DEAR ANNA came to me while I was working on another manuscript. I kept the main character and rewrote most of the story. I exchanged with a few more writers, including the one who’d told me to start over, and I revised some more.

"When I posted my query letter on a writing message board for feedback, agent Mandy Hubbard [with D4EO Literary], wrote a comment saying she loved the premise and was looking for a good MG novel (hint, hint). So I queried her with sample pages. A few days later she requested the full, and a week after that she asked for an exclusive on revisions. She gave me detailed notes on what needed to be done, and I knew right then that Mandy was the agent I wanted to work with. A week after I wrote the revisions, I received the call offering representation."

Miriam is a great example of perseverance and working at her craft. She and I first met 15 years ago when she came to the Charlotte, NC, SCBWI critique group. I admired her writing and yet her efforts to gain publication fell flat. 

But that has finally changed. "After 15 years of writing middle grade novels, revising, critiquing, rewriting, and facing rejections," Miriam said, "I've found an agent who loves my novel!"

And that's worth the wait. Don't you agree?

Writing for Children



My granddaughter, Ebby Clark, reading before bedtime.

 Have you always wanted to write a book for children but didn't know where to begin? If you live in the Charlotte, NC area than you can take a class that covers the basics of writing and publishing for young readers. Starting January 22, I'll be teaching at Central Piedmont Community College for six weeks. Find out more information by clicking here. The entire course outline is on-line too.


From my 15+ years of experience as the critique coordinator of the local SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators) group, I have found that most people first think about writing a picture book for or about their children (or grandchildren). Picture books are only a small part of the entire children's market. Writing for children includes everything from writing ABC or number books, magazine articles (both fiction and non-fiction), poems, puzzles, and early chapter books; as well as middle grade and young adult novels. Within these broad categories there are also genres such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, sports, or historical fiction.


We will be using my book, Teaching the Story, as a text. If you aren't already following my blog, click on "follow," (in the left hand column) than send me an email at cbaldwin6@carolina.rr.com. For the month of December I am collecting names of new followers. At the end of the month I'll draw a name and that person will receive a free, autographed copy of my book. Sign up for the class, and you'll already have the text!


Please pass this information along to a friend who dreams of writing for children. What better holiday present to yourself, or to a friend, than signing up and taking the first step towards making that dream come true.

And maybe one day Ebby will be reading a book that you wrote!

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