Self-Published Author Assembles Magical Team

By Guest Author

by Tracy Bryan

 

From the moment I began writing my new release, Put Away Your Phone! I had imagined bright and vivid pictures to give it a real traditional feel. How was I going to find an illustrator for my book that fit these needs?

 

I first began searching for an illustrator towards the end of the final draft of the manuscript. Up to this point, I’d been writing picture books mostly about mental health and other diverse and social issues that affect kids. Although I consider myself a creative, I have absolutely no training in visual art. Besides, I wanted my first fiction picture book to be more conventional, with a hand drawn and painted look in the illustrations.

 

I’m a member of the Society of Children Book Writers (SCBWI) and I have access to a gallery of illustrators who are also members. Naturally, I looked here first. There are dozens of talented and professional illustrators in this database and each one has their own unique and distinctive style. I knew what look I wanted for my book, so now it was just a matter of finding someone that suited my budget, my project intentions, and my creative process.

 

As for my budget, I needed to do some research first. The industry rates of services for a children’s illustrator are based mostly on the time it takes to complete the project, materials needed and the artist’s level of experience.

 

According to the creativepenn.com: “The current industry rates for children’s picture books (based on a 32pg book) estimates range from $3,000 – $12,000, plus royalties. To break it down another way, if you estimate that an illustrator is creating 20 original illustrations for your book and you are paying them $3,000 for art that is $150 per illustration.”
Before I made a final decision about my budget projections, I wanted to ask myself a series of important questions regarding the criteria of this project (my book) and my objectives for it.

 

WHAT is the project?

 

I was creating an illustrated children’s book. This was the number one question I asked in the beginning because it helped me focus on exactly what my intentions were. I didn’t necessarily want a graphic designer who only created digital advertisements to work on my project. They probably wouldn’t understand my market like a picture book artist would. Also, it’s essential to me to see previous work done by any artist so that I can get a feel for what their level of expertise and style is. I wanted to see evidence of what my pictures might look like.

 

WHO is the project for?

 

My book is for kids aged 4-8. Age group criteria can really matter when seeking a children’s illustrator. While most illustrators are happy to get the work, there are certain artist’s that specialize in creating pictures that appeal to a certain age group. I was looking for someone that could relate to kids of this age and possibly even know young kids that they could work from.

 

WHEN is the project needed?

 

A timeline is a definite must on both sides of the working agreement. In most situations, this is based on the artist’s skill level. I had a time frame in mind, but from being a creative myself, I wanted to respect that my illustrator would need to work at a speed that was in balance with their process. Although it’s critical to establish a set time for publication in a written contract, I also know that putting too much constraint on the end date can kill the creative flow.

 

WHERE will the illustrations be used?

 

I would be using the illustrated artwork in my book, but I also had to consider some of this art being used on my website, in guest blogs, in my book trailer, and on social media. With all the copyright laws now, it’s vital to know each party’s rights in the project. Again a written contract is absolutely necessary in order to protect all of those involved, establish clear boundaries for the project and to make it fair on both ends.

 

My husband is my agent so I had him assist in drawing up a document that worked for me. There are many resources available to authors and illustrators with regards to contemporary user rights (and other legal issues) and I highly suggest setting out these guidelines before any project is started. As a side note: Just to protect the artists and their work that I would use, I kept in mind to make sure to purchase rights to the work, ask permissions and/or insert a copyright image on any artwork (and stock audio) that I was using, if it wasn’t there already.

 

So…HOW MUCH?

 

Because I’m an Indie Author and I self-publish myself, I had to keep a budget in mind. Also, I knew that if I chose a “professional” artist, (someone that was already established, had a reputation and was getting paid according to the industry rate) I would have to consider their asking price first and then begin negotiations there. Pretty standard stuff. However, because I was a novice in this industry, I had a feeling that what I wanted to pay and what I actually would have to pay might be different figures.

 

If an illustrator asks for a price that fits your budget, sometimes negotiations aren’t even necessary. This is exactly what happened with me. I accepted the price because it seemed fair and I was the novice after all. My illustrator had been in this industry for longer than me and they had much more experience.

 

I had created a business and marketing plan for this project and cost of an illustrator was on it. I figured this final fee into my author/illustrator contract agreement, where I pay half up front for services and the other half upon completion of the project. This was going to be a flat fee and that meant there would be no “add on” service fees later when the project was finished. The fee included the purchase of all rights to the illustrated pictures and even if the book became really successful, there would be no future royalty payments either. This was really confusing details and legal information for me, so I had my husband/agent explain some of this to me and I did a lot of research too.

 

Finally…WHY do this project?

 

Above all, the most important question I needed to ask myself. Why was I doing this? I wrote Put Away Your Phone! two years ago and I still feel as much passion for it now as I did then, if not more! There is a message in my book that I believe the world needs to hear-especially kids. I knew I couldn’t do this alone, I still don’t. Some projects just need collaboration in order for them to be the absolute best they can be. My project would be bland without my illustrator… David Barrow.

 

I feel so grateful to have found David that day, when I was searching through the gallery on SCBWI. Several emails later, project complete and book launched, and I can genuinely say I’ve found someone that I hope to continue doing projects with for a long time. Working with David has been exciting, rewarding and enlightening. Looking back at all the questions I initially asked myself, he has met all those criteria and more! Together, we have created a complete book with our own unique styles combined. I think we are a small, magical team.

 

In an industry where some creatives massively produce according to the market demands, I like being a part of something that produces exclusively for those in which the work was intended…the kids!

 

Follow this link to return to Tracy’s website and continue on her virtual Book Tour!

 

 

Tracy Bryan is a self-published author for kids aged 4-12. She writes whimsical picture books about emotions, mental health, mindfulness and social issues.

 

Tracy’s latest release is called Put Away Your Phone! and is now available on Amazon. This quirky and important tale about modern technology stars a little girl and her dislike for grown-ups who are always on their phone.

 

View the book trailer for Put Away Your Phone! here. To learn more about Tracy, please visit tracybryan.com

 

 

 

David Barrow began by drawing pictures on the floor in front of the family TV. Mostly self-taught, he pored over the books and images of the world around him. Throughout his career, he has been known for his congenial attitude, innovation, creativity, and drive.

 

Eventually, the pull of visually telling stories drove him to strike out on his own, illustrating, animating and designing for local and national clients. Today, David has built a wide-ranging portfolio and a reputation for fairness and excellence. David also writes a personal blog.
To learn more about David and to view his blog and portfolio, please visit drawingdavidbarrow.weebly.com

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Self-Published Author Assembles Magical Team

The Adventures of Dan Santat: A Conversation with the Caldecott-winning Author & Illustrator

By Guest Author

by PJ McIlvaine
 
 
SHAZAM! It’s a plane! A train! A speeding bullet!

 
No! It’s SUPER DAN — as in the prolific (a mind-boggling 40-plus books, with 5 books coming out in 2016) author/illustrator Dan Santat.

 

Super Dan does it all in kid lit, and in 2015 he added a 2015 Caldecott Medal to his prestigious resume for The Adventures of Beekle: An Unimaginary Friend, soon to be an animation feature film from DreamWorks. However, Dan would be the first to tell you that it wasn’t always so. His father wanted him to be a doctor, he almost gave up on his dreams for a steady paycheck at Google, and Little, Brown initially passed on Beekle. Dan is the real deal: candid, humble and down to earth. And he looks pretty good in a cape and tights.

 

 

PJ McIlvaine: How did majoring in microbiology become a springboard to becoming a 2015 Caldecott winner? Did you write and draw as a child? Did your family encourage your creativity?

 

Dan Santat: Depriving me of the opportunity to draw was what fueled me. My parents wanted me to become a doctor, but drawing was what I loved to do most in life. I was an only child and so I would spend hours copying pictures of comics that I liked. I remember I used to get mad at myself if I couldn’t get a drawing exactly right. I would write stories but they would start out with a basic greeting and then mostly evolved into pages of action scenes. My mom encouraged me most. She liked to help me win ribbons at the county fair every year, though my dad was worried that it would detract from me someday becoming a doctor.

 

 

PJ: How do your parents feel about your career choice now?

 

DS: They’re happy and proud of me, but I don’t think they truly fully understand what I’ve achieved. They understand that it’s significant, but I don’t think? they could?exactly explain to their friends in full detail what it means.

 

 

PJ: I understand you once turned down a job at Google to pursue your ambitions. Was that somewhat of a leap of faith?

 
DS: Absolutely. I had always felt the need to earn a steady paycheck because I was the type of person that always felt as if my career could go into the tank in an instant. The job offer came about a year after I had left a full time job at a video game company, I had my own cartoon show at Disney (The Replacements) and I was working at home after hours illustrating books and magazine editorials. I was doing fine, but I was constantly worrying about the negative. Google was a type of job that would have secured me financially, but I also realized that I would probably regret life if I didn’t get to see how far I could take my freelance career if I just focused on it solely and gave it a 110% effort. When I turned them down I kept the job offer (which I still have) and I remember telling myself, “Don’t ever let yourself regret this decision.”

 

 

PJ: How do you pick your projects or do they choose you?

 

DS: I get a good offering of projects but I choose the ones with an emotional hook or something that speaks to a reader on a deeper level. I try not to pigeonhole myself into taking the same projects over and over. Prior to Beekle, I don’t think I would even have gotten then chance to work on a deeper emotional type of project. For many years I was just getting funny manuscripts and cute animal stories. I had to show that I was capable of being more than that.

 

 

PJ: How do you decide which projects to collaborate on? Now that you’re on top of the heap, so to speak, do you have your choice of projects?

 

DS: Collaborations are usually presented to me with the author already prepared to present his/her material to a publisher. I don’t seek them or work with others actively to present a project. I wouldn’t exactly say I have my choice of projects either, but I do think my name is thrown into the mix more often. Even prior to winning the Caldecott Medal I was already working with well-known authors whom I admired and they were often opportunities that I knew I would be silly to pass up. Folks like Jon Scieszka, Dave Pilkey, Michael Buckley, Mac Barnett, etc.

 

 

PJ: How has winning the Caldecott for Beekle changed your life? What keeps you grounded? What does your son think of Beekle (he was the inspiration, correct)?

 

DS: I no longer feel like a “has-been” or a “never-will-be”. I always felt like my books were invisible to folks. This is the first time in my life where I have felt like folks are asking what I’ve got next up my sleeve. I’m grounded by the fact that I don’t ever want to settle on the success. I don’t want to look at Beekle as the peak of my career just yet. I want to feel that my books can be even better than that in the future. Then you’ll see a hot new artist with a great new style or a writer who can really string a great sentence together and you realize you still have a ton too learn. My son loves the book and the story behind the origin of it (a metaphor of his birth) but I think he’ll appreciate it much more when he’s an adult possibly reading the book to his own kids.

 

 

PJ: How did the sale of Beekle to DreamWorks come about? Was that on your dream list? How involved—-or not—will you be with the movie?

 

DS: Funny story is that Little, Brown actually passed on Beekle when I presented it to them. It was too rough for them to fully comprehend. DreamWorks met with me a few months later because they were fans of my earlier work and wanted to see what I was working on. I showed them sketches and told them what the story was about, and I think being face to face with someone just really made it clear as to what I had intended. Once Little, Brown learned that DreamWorks had optioned it they reworked it into my two-book deal that I had signed with them and also made it my first title. I never actively seek to have a book be made into a movie. I think doing so is insincere to the content. I make a book for kids to read, not to be a means to an end in hopes that it becomes something else. I’ve already had experience with my own cartoon show (The Replacements) and I wasn’t particularly fond of the process.

 

There are a lot of emotional highs and lows that come with putting a show together and I’m not really big on adding more stress to my life. I just try to make the best work I can possibly do. Right now, Jason Reitman is writing and directing this feature for DreamWorks and I couldn’t think of a better person to do the job. I’ve been a huge fan of his for years and he’s approaching the material from a place that’s personal to him, as well, so I know it’s in safe hands. I don’t want any involvement in the project. I think doing so will just muddle the process and I think I’ve already said all I’ve wanted to say with my book. Jason probably won’t make it exactly like my book and I don’t expect him to. If anything, I’m interested to see another artist’s interpretation of my work. That’s what making art is all about sometimes.

 

 

PJ: You’re comfortable in picture books, graphic novels, and TV animation—is there one genre you prefer over the others?

 

DS: I honestly think I’m best suited to making graphic novels. My voice lends itself better to a slightly older audience of kids. You also have more room to build emotion and a sense of pacing. The only problem is that they take years to produce, though I’m trying to change all that by creating more time in my schedule for my own works. Picture books are the hardest things to make. It’s about making a story as efficiently and economically as possible. They’re very easy to screw up and I don’t think people fully realize how delicate the balance is from making a good book, to a great book, to an awful book. It could just be a matter of changing a few words that can completely change the meaning or emotional arc of a story. TV is a completely different beast. In television you’re trying to please as many people as you can in order to get the most viewers and the content can become very homogenized.

 

 

PJ: How easy—or hard—is it to balance your work life and family life?

 

DS: You have your ups and downs. For me, I realized that I’ve been very intense with my career but I’m also the type of person who never wants personal life to suffer because of it, so I would often just work longer hours to offset the time I made for family. I always wanted to have my cake and eat it too but I never wanted anyone to feel deprived of their needs from me so I took the burden upon myself to try to please everyone by working harder both as an artist and as a parent (If that makes any sense). Now, I think my body took a toll from all the hard work I’ve done for the last ten years. I’ve been making efforts to find a new balance that I’m comfortable with, which has been hard for me. If I do too much then I get tired and stressed out. If I do too little then my mind gets anxious and I get depressed.

 

 

PJ: What comes first for you, in terms of inspiration, the prose or the illustrations?

 

DS: For me the concept is leaps and bounds the most important aspect out of the entire process. If you have a good idea then everything falls into place much easier, but coming up with a good idea can take years. It’s easily 80% of my entire book making process without having to draw a single image or write a single word. Now, to answer your question, my illustrations are good at setting a mood, but I feel my prose is good at delivering the emotion. One relies heavily on the other, but had it not been for my ability to illustrate I wouldn’t be where I am today.

 

 

PJ: Do you draw by hand or on a computer?

 

DS: I draw by hand on the computer if that makes sense. I paint textures traditionally with watercolors and pen and ink and then I scan them into the computer. Then I use the textures to incorporate them into my digital work. I have a whole hard drive filled with textures, which I’ve accumulated over many years. It’s been a long learning process.

 

 

PJ: Do you use a special drawing application on your computer? What kind of computer do you use?

 

DS: I use a five-year old iMac with Adobe Photoshop, and a Wacom drawing tablet.

 

 

PJ: How many drafts of a book/artwork do you do? Do you write/draw every day? Any rituals? How long does you it take you to complete a book?

 

DS: It depends on each project. Beekle was maybe over 10 drafts, but my newest book, Are We There Yet was only about two drafts. Some things just click into place and I’ll have it fully formed in my head in advance. I’ll work on something every day. Even if I don’t actually draw or write I’m thinking of something. As a ritual I’ll go for a jog and have a cup of coffee to really wake myself up. I listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I’m jogging to inspire me. I’m constantly juggling projects, sometimes five or more at once. I’ve worked on my graphic novel, Sidekicks, which took about five years and I’ve illustrated a picture book, Because I’m Your Dad, in 30 days.

 

 

PJ: From acceptance? to publication on your first book—how long did it take? Any wisdom or tips you wish you had known?

 

DS: Two years, for me. Signed the contract, wrote and illustrated the book in about a year, and then it was a year of marketing by the publisher. Can’t really complain about the experience. I met my editor, Arthur Levine, at an SCBWI conference and he gave me a two-book deal on the spot, which kind of falls into the category of “Cinderella Story”.

 

 

PJ: You’re represented by Jodi Reamer of Writer’s House. How difficult—or easy—was it to secure representation?

 

DS: It’s tough when you never submit your work to an agency because you don’t think you’re good enough to be represented by them. I met Jodi through a friend who was repped by her and Jodi became familiar with my work because she is a Disney nut (she saw The Replacements). After leaving my old agent, my friend asked Jodi for me when I was looking and Jodi reached out to me by email. Jodi and I have been extremely close friends ever since.

 

 

PJ: If there were one thing about the writing/drawing process you could change, what would it be? Is there one you prefer over the other?

 

DS: I wish picture books could be longer than 40 pages without the publisher stressing out about it. I always feel like I could use an extra spread or two in every book I do to nail the pacing. I prefer drawing. I feel I’m a stronger illustrator than a writer, but I’ve improved on my writing tremendously in the last five years.

 

 

PJ: Do you multitask? If so, how many projects do you work on at one time? You’re so prolific, how do you keep your energy going?

 

DS: My entire life is a multitask. I would say I burned out three years ago but was too busy to realize it. I worked on 13 books in 2014 and I almost killed myself (I had one week where I slept for only 12 hours). Since then I had to seriously reflect on how I was living my life and I’ve tried slowing down, but as a result I’ve realized that I absolutely hate just sitting around. I even watch TV on the Internet while I work so I feel productive while I’m “relaxing”. The sad part is that I only took up jogging because it gave me more energy so I could work. The one word I could use to describe my work ethic is “ambition”, or maybe it’s just the fear of failure.

 

 

PJ: Do you ever get writer’s or artist’s block? And if so, how do you overcome it?

 

DS: I just had the worst case of writer’s block a few months after winning the Caldecott Medal. It’s frustrating because after winning an award like that you feel like everyone expects you to uphold that standard, you find yourself comparing everything you do to that award winning thing and you become very critical of everything you make. Previously, I would occasionally get small bouts of writers block and I would typically force myself to work through it. Honestly, the way I got my mind out of this recent big one was that one day Jodi called me and told me to take a month off. I just needed my brain to rest and after about eight weeks my mind started sparking with ideas again. It was a feeling that I realized I didn’t experience for about six years because I was so busy with life in general.

 

 

PJ: What was your favorite picture book as a child? Writers? Artists?

 

DS: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs was my favorite book ever. I’ve been a fan of folks like William Joyce, David Macauley, Chris Van Allsburg, and Bill Watterson for years.

 

 

PJ: You have a delightful presence on Twitter and Facebook. How important is social media to the budding writer/artist?

 

DS: Not at all unless you want to get to know folks. I will say it definitely helps things when it’s time to promote a new book, but I resent the folks who only use social media to sell you something. I talk about my family, and other interests with folks and recipes I’m trying out. What I’m trying to say is that social media won’t necessarily make you a better writer/artist, etc.

 

 

PJ: If you could gaze into a crystal ball, where would you be five years from now?

 

DS: If all goes well I’ll be at the DreamWorks premiere of the Beekle movie (fingers crossed) but still same old me with more achy joints and muscles, and gray hairs.

 

 

PJ: What’s a day in the life of Dan Santat like?

 

DS: I try to not take things too seriously. I like to keep my mind occupied by trying new things and making sure everyone around me is happy. If you’re having fun then everyone else will have fun. It’s one life to live, so let it be merry.

 

 

PJ: What are you working on now?

 

DS: I signed on to illustrate three picture books with three different authors and I’m working on my next two picture books, a graphic novel memoir, and another graphic novel adventure. Lots of traveling to events, too.

 

 

PJ: Is there a question you wish someone would ask?

 

DS: “Would you like an extra month to finish that book?”

 

 

See more from Dan on his Tumblr page at http://ift.tt/1hPtGKk

 

 

PJ McIlvaine is a produced screenwriter/kid lit author/blogger/journalist. She lives with her family and Sasha the Psycho Cat in Eastern Long Island. In a  previous life, PJ was a great baker of Europe. For kid lit, PJ is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of Sarah Jane Freymann; for screenplays, Mark Lawyer of Markerstone Management.

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: The Adventures of Dan Santat: A Conversation with the Caldecott-winning Author & Illustrator

Tips for Working with a Self-Publishing Company

By Guest Author

Editor’s Note: If you’re considering self-publishing your book, you can research and piece together the process entirely on your own, or you can hire a publishing company like Mascot Books that assists authors in the production, marketing and distribution of their work. In this post, Naren Aryal, CEO of Mascot Books, explains the format picture book authors should use when submitting their story to a self-publishing company.

 

These days, it’s not uncommon for an author (whether a newbie or seasoned pro) to choose to self-publish.

 

So you have a good idea for a children’s picture book. Now what? I’m often asked what form the manuscript should take. In the world of children’s books, manuscript style can vary as much as the subject matter of each book. Here’s some practical advice from someone that’s reviewed countless manuscripts over the years.

 

First, you should know that most picture books are thirty-two pages, and after you’ve allocating space for end pages, copyright page, and title page, you’re typically left with twenty-four pages … or twelve spreads of artwork. A “spread” is comprised of the left and right pages when you open a book. A spread is sometimes referred to as “scene” which is also an appropriate term, but here we’ll stick with the term “spread.” Sure, some books may have more or less than twelve spreads, but twelve is most common.

 

You’ll want to divide your story into twelve spreads, and for each spread include your text and your thoughts regarding accompanying illustrations (to the extent you have strong feelings about the illustrations). I find it helpful to know what an author has in mind for illustrations when reviewing a manuscript. The final illustrations rarely end up being exactly as described in the initial manuscript, but it is a good starting point for discussions among the author, publisher, and illustrator. The final script almost always changes from the time of the initial submission to the printed book … but that’s okay! There’s editing that occurs, and after the illustrations are done it’s normal for lines that seemed to work previously to end up requiring some tweaking when coupled with artwork.

 

It’s not necessary to use actual page breaks when formatting your manuscript, but spread headings (usually as simple as Spread One, Spread Two, etc.) are useful. If you prefer the spread to consist of two unrelated illustrations, you can indicate that by creating sub-headings on the spreads listed as “pages,” (for example, Spread One would consist of pages 1 and 2; Spread Two would consist of pages 3 and 4, etc).

 

Remember, these are general guidelines. Since substance always trumps form, don’t be shy about submitting your story. The publisher will help with formatting if needed.

 

Write away!

 

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Naren Aryal co-founded Mascot Books in 2003. Mascot Books is a full service book publishing company that works closely with independent authors in every phase of writing/editorial, book production, book marketing, and book distribution. Their roster includes bestselling authors who have previously traditionally published, first time authors, and authors at various levels in between.

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Tips for Working with a Self-Publishing Company

Writing Is Easier When You Stop Trying So Hard

By Guest Author

 

by Noelle Sterne

 

I usually know when I’m trying too hard in writing. When I review one of my pieces toward revision or sending out, the first sign is my quiet giggling to myself at the puns. The second is my murmurs of approval at the turns of phrase. The third is imagining readers’ gasps of delight at my ingenuity. The fourth, and most important, is the red-yellow warning flare that shoots through my brain—Oh, oh, ego ascendant.

 

If I don’t heed that flare, I know it heralds disaster: I’m trying too hard. The work cannot help reflect this overconscious effort. Somehow, the technique, wordplay, and resplendent diction I so admire overpower whatever message I want to convey.

 

In The Writer’s Book of Wisdom: 101 Rules for Mastering Your Craft, Stephen Taylor Goldsberry’s Number 36 admonishes, “Try not to overdo it. . . . Beware of contrived lyrical embellishment and fluffy metaphors” (p. 87). I would add beware too of eloquent, balanced rhetoric. And repetition for effect. And overly ripe similes. And too- intricate expositions. And too-pithy observations.

 

After reading Eat Pray Love, I read a transcript of an interview with Elizabeth Gilbert. As she worked on her next book, she said, she produced 500 pages trying to imitate the bestseller in a similar breezy, flippant, and pseudo-deep style. After all these pages, Gilbert realized what she was doing and knew she had to junk the whole new manuscript. Then, no longer trying to duplicate the earlier success, she wrote a completely different and honest book, Committed. Committed was successful in its own right.

 

Like Gilbert in her post E-P-L foray, when we try, even with all our might, we end up failing or at least falling short. I think of a friend’s story about his father, who came from Italy, settled in New Jersey, and founded an automotive products store. As a twelve-year-old, my friend helped his father after school in the store. One day, his father instructed him to unpack a shipment of tires and stack them in a certain corner for maximum display. The boy answered, “I’ll try.”

 

In his limited but effective English, his father bellowed, “No try! You do!” My friend did. And never forgot the lesson.

 

Our writing lesson? We shouldn’t try. We do, or don’t. Maybe it means not writing at all for a while. Or writing a lot of nonsense first, accompanied by that horrid hollow feeling. Or using the slash/option method incessantly. This is one of my favorites/best practices/most helpful methods/greatest techniques for skirting stuckness and continuing to slog. Or going back countless times to excise, refine, replace, restructure, or even, like Gilbert, pitch it all out.

 

Trying means we’re writing too self-consciously, usually to impress or force. In contrast, doing, like my friend’s immigrant father knew, means total immersion. However many drafts we need, however many dunks in the uncertain creative mud we can dare, our success rests not in trying—but doing.

 

So, I tell myself, Stop trying to be clever and knowing. Stop trying to beat out your writing colleagues. Stop trying to show off your wit and dazzle everyone. Stop trying to replicate your just-success. All that trying cuts off your talent and expressive truth. Especially, that trying chokes off your honesty as a writer. I tell myself, and you too—turn away from all that trying and just write.

 

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Author, editor, dissertation and writing coach, ghostwriter, and spiritual counselor, Noelle Sterne has published  over 300 pieces in print and online venues, including Author Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul,  Children’s Book  Insider, Funds For Writers,  Graduate Schools Magazine, GradShare, InnerSelf, Inspire Me Today, Pen &  Prosper, Romance Writers Report, Textbook and Academic Authors Association, Transformation Magazine, Unity Magazine, Women in Higher Education, Women on Writing, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer. She has also published  pieces in anthologies, has contributed several columns to writing publications, and has been a volunteer judge of  children’s stories, poems, and books for Rate Your Story. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University, Noelle has for 30 years assisted doctoral candidates to complete their dissertations (finally). Based on her practice, her handbook  addressing dissertation writers’ overlooked but very important nonacademic difficulties was published in September  2015 by Rowman & Littlefield Education. The title: Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation: Coping with the Emotional, Interpersonal, and Spiritual Struggles. Excerpts from this book continue to be published in academic magazines and blogs. In Noelle`s previous book, Trust Your Life: Forgive Yourself and Go After Your Dreams (Unity Books, 2011), she draws examples from her academic consulting and other aspects of life to help readers release regrets, relabel their past, and reach their lifelong yearnings. Visit Noelle at her website: http://ift.tt/1qeYwlc

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Writing Is Easier When You Stop Trying So Hard

Author Alice Kuipers on How Writing Picture Books Makes Her a Better Novelist

By Laura Backes

Alice Kuipers, the award-winning young adult author, sat down with Laura Backes to chat about her transition to picture book writer, and how writing picture books helps authors learn the craft for every age.

 

Be sure to check out Alice’s quick video tips, Ask Writer Alice, on writeforkids.org. Her recent tips include Top Three Picture Book Writing Mistakes, Which Age Group Should I Write For?, and Making Your Story Original.

 

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Author Alice Kuipers on How Writing Picture Books Makes Her a Better Novelist

Find Your Writing Passion

By Laura Backes

Your first step as a writer, before you ever type those first words of your manuscript, is to discover what you love. Only then can you begin incorporating that passion into a book idea. So how will you find your passion? Read. I know this sounds almost too simple to work, but reading children’s books is one of the most important steps toward becoming a published children’s book writer.

 

“But I already know my passion,” you say. “I love dogs and volunteer at the animal shelter. That’s what I’ll write about.”

 

Great, but how are you going to write your book? Will it be a middle grade mystery about dogs disappearing from the shelter? A nonfiction easy reader that explains how to take care of an adopted dog? Or a picture book about a homeless dog who finds a family? (The latter is one of the most common picture book plots I critique. If this is your idea, find out if it’s been done and start thinking about how your story can be unique.) Did you know there are several distinct categories of children’s books? (See Understanding Children’s Book Categories from Picture Books to YA for more on this.) Do you know which age group you want to write for? If so, start reading good books for that age. If you were unaware that children’s books went beyond the picture book format, then read some easy readers, chapter books, and older novels.

 

Do you think your story needs to be told in first person? Read several books written from this viewpoint so you’ll start incorporating the techniques into your subconscious. Interested in historical fiction? Study recent titles to see how the author worked the details of the time period into the story. Do you love picture book biographies? Check out a stack from the library and note how much of the subject’s life was covered in the book, whether or not the author used dialogue, and how many details were left up to the illustrations.

 

As you read, you’ll find yourself drawn to a particular type of book over and over. That’s probably what you want to write. But I don’t want you to just read, I want you to learn how to read like a writer.
Sample as many books as necessary until you find your niche. Look for published books that might cover the same topic to make sure your approach is different. The Internet makes this easy: you can search sites like Amazon.com with key words that describe your idea. Also, talk to your local children’s librarian. She’s a terrific source for good books you’ll love. As you’re reading, jot down any book ideas that come to mind. Then start examining those ideas and see which ones are worth writing about.

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Find Your Writing Passion

Why Every Writer Needs a Purpose — and How to Discover Yours

By Jon Bard

You are standing at the end of a massive field.  In front of you is a giant, steel ball.

You are told that you need to get that ball from one end of the field to the other.   How do you do it?

You have two choices:

1. You can get behind the ball and push, and strain, and huff, and puff in hopes of somehow rolling it across that vast space.

or

2. You can place a giant magnet at the other side of the field, sit back and watch as the big ball glides across the surface by itself.

If sitting down to write has ever felt like you were exhausting yourself trying to unlodge an immovable object, your solution is simple:

YOU NEED YOUR OWN GIANT MAGNET.

And in writing, the giant magnet is this:     Your Writer’s Purpose.


Having a real purpose for sitting down to create will “pull” you toward a completed manuscript, rather than forcing you to push your way to one.

Have you ever gotten into your car to drive toward something that really excited you? The big game?  A concert from your favorite artist?  A rendezvous with your sweetheart?   Chances are, you barely notice the potholes, tolls or traffic tie-ups along the way because your anticipation of what’s coming — the purpose of your trip — is so vibrant.

Now imagine you’re on your way to the post office, or perhaps the dentist’s office.  Your outlook may be just a tad different, yes?  The other drivers are idiots, the ads on the radio are annoying,  your mind starts wandering to all the tasks on your to-do list.  Honestly, you’d just as soon turn around and go home rather than deal with it.

That’s what it’s like to sit down and write without an overarching purpose.  You’re doing it because “you have to” or “you’re expected to” or because you’ll feel guilty if you don’t.  Hardly a recipe for crafting great literature.

On the other hand, if there’s a big reason for your writing, each visit with your computer is another stop in fulfilling your purpose.  It’s not just another day at the keyboard — it’s an exciting piece of an exciting puzzle.

You’re on a  mission.  And you are unstoppable.   That’s the power of having Writer’s Purpose.


Let’s Define Your Writer’s Purpose

“I want to get published” is not a purpose.  It’s a tactic toward fulfilling your purpose.

“I want to make people laugh” is a weak purpose.  It’s barely enough to get you near the keyboard let alone creating something special.

To act as a giant magnet, your Writer’s Purpose must be big, and bodacious and even a little scary to you.  And it must, must, must be about the impact your work will have on the world — not just about you.

Here’s what’s true about a real Writer’s Purpose:

• If focuses on the value and meaning your work will give its readers, and it does it in vibrant and emotional language.
• It’s honest, and connects to your actual work, not a romantic or unrealistic ideal of your work.
• It moves you, and inspires you no matter how often you read it.

Now, let’s build your own Writer’s Purpose, with a series of questions:


Whose life do you want to improve?

Let’s start by making an important statement that all writers need to understand:  No matter what you write, you have the opportunity to improve the lives of the people who read it.    It doesn’t matter whether you are writing a breakthrough self-help book or a book of silly jokes, you are giving real value to your reader.

So, who is that reader?  What are they going through that they need you so much?

Here are some examples:

 

• Children of divorce who are worried about the future
• Teens who are stressed and need a fun outlet
• Young girls who are interested in science
• Pre-teens who love soccer and want to learn more, etc.

What Will You Be Giving Them?

What value will your work give your reader?  Remember, it’s all about them, so focus on what your readers will receive from your books.

Some examples:

 

• Guidance and advice
• Joy and laughter
• Cool facts that will enhance their interests
• Encouragement and support for what they’re going through, etc.

What Are You Showing Them?

As a children’s writer, you have the opportunity to show important things to young readers. (Notice I said show, not tell.  This isn’t about preaching or tacking on “morals” to stories.  It’s about letting your characters and plots convey meaning).

For example:

 

• That they’re not alone
• That preserving the environment is vitally important
• That reading is fun
• That any problem can be overcome, etc.

Why Are YOU Uniquely Qualified to Do These Things?

Now we come back to you, the writer.  For your Writer’s Purpose to resonate, you must not only believe that what you’re doing is important.  You must also believe that it’s important that you do it!   You must get into the mindset that says this:

 

If I don’t sit down to write today, all the readers whose lives can be enhanced will suffer because of that decision.  That’s because I have important things to convey and, if I don’t do it, no one else will.  Because no one else can.

 

Pretty bold statement, isn’t it?  But it’s also true.  That’s because you are unique.  No one else writes like you, no one else has your life experiences and no one else has a Writer’s Purpose that comes from the same place as yours.


Finally:  How Will Your Work Make the World a Better Place?

Every great book, article or blog post you’ve read has somehow made your world a better place.  Perhaps it was in a modest way (you got a good recipe for eggplant), in a  lighthearted way (you laughed out loud during a trying day), in an absorbing way (that new spy novel made the two hour wait at the DMV fly right by) or in a profound way (you discovered something about yourself that changed your outlook forever).

Take your experience and multiply it by how ever many other folks read that same piece of writing.  Do you start to see the compounding power of the written word?


So now, dream big, and answer this question:

When I am published and widely read, the world will be a better place because I have given it ____________

You have so much to give, so many lives to touch.   It’s time to do the work.

 

So let’s build that giant magnet.  Use the answers from the previous questions to complete your Writer’s Purpose:

My Writer’s Purpose is to improve the lives of ____________  by giving them ________________ and showing them that ___________________ .  

I am uniquely qualified to do this because no one else _____________ the way I do.   

When I am published and widely read, the world will be a better place because I have given it ____________


Use this as a beginning, and play with it.  Create a Writer’s Purpose that really speaks to you, that really compels you to get away from the TV and to your keyboard.  That makes you excited and proud to be a writer, and gets you motivated to keep dreaming up new ideas and expanding your reach.

This is your giant magnet.  May it pull you to great things.

Photo credit: BobMical via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Why Every Writer Needs a Purpose — and How to Discover Yours