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The post The Writing Blueprints Holiday Flash Sale is ON! appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Understanding the “New Adult Fiction” Category
by Jane Choate
What is new adult fiction?
New adult fiction bridges the gap between young adult and adult books. It typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 26. The label was first used in 2009 when St. Martin’s Press hosted a contest looking for stories that could be marketed to both young adult and adult readers. The contest described for new adult fiction as books “with protagonists who are slightly older than YA and can appeal to an adult audience.” Put simply, new adult is the age category after YA.
New adult fiction books concentrate on issues such as leaving home, developing sexuality, suffering with chemical depression, coming of age (both legally and emotionally), and wading through a myriad of choices in education and career. The genre has gained popularity rapidly over the last few years, particularly through books by self-published and bestselling authors like Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover, Darlene Gardner, Megan Abbott, and Cora Carmack The term has now become widely accepted with most traditional publishers now publishing new adult books and Goodreads, Amazon and Kobo adding it as an official cateory. Entangled Publishing has developed its own NA imprint, Embrace, while Random House had also launched an NA imprint, the digital-only Flirt. Other publishers are marketing the books under their adult or YA imprints.
The chief features that distinguish this category from YA fiction are the perspective of the main character and the scope of his/her life experiences. Parents with kids of this age know that there is a vast difference between a new high school graduate who is barely 18 and a home-for-the-summer 19-year-old who has just returned from two semesters of college.
This difference has less to do with chronological age and more to do with the greater feelings of independence and selfreliance. At the same time, these characters are struggling to find their own place in the world. They question the attitudes and values with which they were raised and are finding out for themselves what they believe, not just what their parents told them to believe.
New adult fiction works to capture the perspective gained as the cares and concerns of childhood fade and life experience is gained, which brings (we hope) greater insight and widom. Characters of this age are building their own lives. They may be living away from home for the first time and handling such problems as dealing with supporting themselves financially, balancing checkbooks, finding themselves overdrawn on their credit cards, and other life experiences.
Another major difference between young adult and new adult fiction is that of content in terms of sexually explicit language, and more mature situations such as suicide, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Though some YA books have dealt with these issues in the past, NA books take a different viewpoint with the characters facing and owning up to poor decisions and their long-term consequences.
Not every NA book will have such content, but many do and make no apologies for it. Other potentially controversial subjects include date rape and sexual assault.
Lighter topics are also addressed such as looking for a first apartment, dealing with roommates, and even finding the perfect wedding planner. No subject is offlimits, whether it be light and whimsical or darker and more serious. Like any fiction, the new adult genre can have crossovers, combining with science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, or suspense.
If you have a manuscript featuring an 18 – 26 year old main character who is struggling to find his own identity and growing in self-awareness, consider the new adult market. Editors and agents alike, not to mention readers, are actively seeking new authors who can engage them and speak their language.
The post Understanding the “New Adult Fiction” Category appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Writing for Children & Teens: Simple Steps to Understand Your Readers
by Jane Choate
In various writers’ groups over the years, I have heard a number of writers who say, usually with a certain degree of self-righteousness, “I don’t write for others. I write for myself.” That’s great. For the rest of us, though, those who have struggled to get published and who are struggling to stay published, it doesn’t work. We write for ourselves, yes, but we write for others as well. We want our words to have an audience. Just as a painter or a sculptor wants his works to be viewed and composers want their music to be heard, writers want their work to be read. For it is in the reading that the work comes alive.
But anyone who writes for children and teens must ultimately answer a key question — just who is that audience? Are we writing picture books? In that case, the audience is the toddler and pre-school set; it is also the parents of those children as they are likely the ones to be reading the books to their children. Are we writing for early readers? For the ‘tween set? For young adults? Knowing your audience is key. Knowing their tastes, their needs, their wants, their expectations is vital in penning the kind of stories that will touch their hearts and minds.
If you aren’t certain who your audience is, try one or more of the following steps:
STEP 1: Know yourself. If you don’t know yourself, how are you going to know your audience? Know your comfort zone. Know what makes you uncomfortable. If you aren’t comfortable with angst-filled stories, you may want to steer clear of writing coming-of-age books. Know your likes and dislikes. Know your emotional and spiritual self. If faith is important to you, you may find that you want to write for the growing Christian market.
ACTION: Ask yourself some questions. Do you enjoy being around babies and toddlers and early grade-schoolers, but older children and teens send you running in the opposite direction? If so, don’t be afraid to admit it. Own that and embrace the fact that you are probably most comfortable writing for the preschool and early reader set. Likewise, if you enjoy the humor and sometimes angst of older children, such as ‘tweens and young teenagers, you will want to focus your efforts there. Or maybe you want to create stories for the YA market, to touch the lives of those teens who are on the cusp of adulthood.
STEP 2: Familiarize yourself with what’s being written now for the age group for which you are aiming your work. It’s wonderful to read the classics such as Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women etc., but it’s imperative that you know what publishers are printing now
ACTION: Read. Read widely in your targeted age group. Go to your library—a librarian can be a writer’s best friend—and ask for a recommended reading list. If you have children or grandchildren in this age group, you have a leg up, as you are already familiar with what kids are reading. Read books in other age groups as well. You want to know the differences between a board book and a book penned for the almost-reader and to understand what sets a middle grade book apart from one written for the ‘tween age group. Pay attention to vocabulary. Books for very little children repeat words over and over. For older children, the vocabulary is more varied. Read pages aloud and listen to the rhythm. This is particularly important in writing for small children who love repetition, not just of words but of sounds and sentence structure.
ACTION: Subscribe to industry periodicals such as Children’s Book Insider. Treat yourself to a current copy of Writer’s Market. Learn what publishers are looking for in the varied children’s and teen markets. Learn what agents are representing the kind of books you want to write and what their targeted audience is.
ACTION: Go to places where you can find your audience and hang out with them. For example, picture book writers can volunteer in a preschool or kindergarten. Teachers LOVE volunteers. Don’t be afraid to pick the brain of a teacher. Teachers know what kids like to read and what they avoid like the plague. If you’re writing stories for the middle-grade group, go to a third or fourth grade classroom. If you belong to a church, offer to teach Sunday School. If you don’t have children or grandchildren of your own, volunteer to tend the children of a busy young mother. Not only will you learn more about children, you’ll be doing a tremendous service for a woman who works harder than any brick-layer!
Young adult writers need to be online where teens are hanging out (teen book bloggers are a good place to start). Watch current TV shows for different age groups, especially MG (middle grade) and YA. Pay attention to the commercials that are sponsoring the shows. You can learn a great deal from what products are being advertised and how they are marketed. Go to movies. Find out who the current super heroes are and who the heartthrobs are.
For picking up on teen language and behavior, there’s no better place than a mall where kids roam the stores in packs. Settle in at a food court and listen. Be prepared to take notes, but don’t spend all your time scribbling in a notebook. Absorb the nuances of interaction between the teens. Identify the leader and the followers and watch the “pecking order” in action. Note what the kids are wearing. Fashion is a spot-on commentator. Each generation has its own style. The ripped jeans and cold shoulder tops of today are the poodle skirt and twin set of the ‘50s
STEP 3: Fit in. No, I’m not suggesting you try to join a clique of middle-schoolers. (As if they’d let you in!) Once you’ve established your audience, learn what is appropriate for the different age groups. You wouldn’t pen a gritty story of a child watching his parents’ marriage dissolve into a bitter divorce for a picture book, but you might write such a story for a ‘tween audience. What is right for a YA novel won’t be right for a middle grade one. Note: I’m not saying that you can’t tackle tough subjects for younger children, only that your tone, vocabulary, and other aspects will be entirely different than they would be for an older audience.
ACTION: Read again. Read this time with an eye and ear to the subtleties in language and style and tone and subject matter in books for various age groups. At what age can you talk about sexual activity and LGBT issues? What about cutting and other forms of self-mutilation and eating disorders? When is it okay to use curse words? Or is it ever okay? (This goes back to knowing yourself and what you’re comfortable with. For myself, I couldn’t use offensive language in writing for children of any age.)
Learning to know your audience is like any other writing skill, such as crafting characters, strengthening conflict, and writing sparkling dialogue You become better with practice. The best way to do that is to write and to keep writing.
The post Writing for Children & Teens: Simple Steps to Understand Your Readers appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Here’s an Extraordinary Submissions Opportunity
“With Children’s Book Insider on my side, I went from being unpublished straight to the bestseller list! If you dream of writing for children or teens, CBI is the place for you.” – Ken Derby, author, The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School
If you want to become a successful children’s author and you’re not currently subscribing to Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly, you’re making your life much harder than need be.
To help set things right, we have three big reasons to become an Insider now:
* A once-in-a-lifetime submissions opportunity with a publishing powerhouse
* The chance to get your questions answered on a regular basis by one of children’s writing’s most renowned experts — free.
* A big, big discount.
First, the incredible publishing opportunity:
Throughout the year we offer Insiders exclusive Above the Slushpile™ submissions codes. These are secret codes that, when included with your submission to top editors and agents, allow you to jump over the slushpile and get immediate attention. And sometimes, we even get a code that will get your submission read at houses that aren’t even accepting unsolicited submissions!
The November issue of CBI features one such code. A two month window to submit your work directly to an editor at…..
Wow. Just so you understand — Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers is closed to unsolicited submissions. This is the only way to submit if you don’t have an agent.
And only if you’re a CBI Insider. (Keep reading to find out how to become one — at a big discount — before November and get this Above the Slushpile™ code!)
Now, the free help from an expert….
We just had one of our regular “Ask Laura Anything” sessions for Insiders. Laura spent almost two hours answering every question our Insiders had.
Imagine if you had the regular opportunity to — at no additional cost — have one of children’s writing’s most renowned and respected experts answer your questions?
Once you’re an Insider you won’t have to imagine any more. You’ll be invited to attend these regular Ask Laura Anything sessions. It’s included in your membership!
To show you just how great these sessions are, we’d like to gift you the entire session from this week! It’s packed with insight and advice and, by itself, is worth far more than the pittance it costs to become an Insider.
Here’s the link — watch and enjoy!
And the BIG DISCOUNT…..
The regular price to become an Insider is just $49.95 for the full year. That includes:
* 12 downloadable issues of Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly, packed with market news about publishers, agents and contents, in-depth instruction, interviews with top editors and agents, and much, much more.
* Above the Slushpile™ submission opportunities that give your submissions priority status at top publishers and agents.
* The Children’s Writing Knowledge Base, our giant searchable library filled with answers to all your writing questions.
* Our private Facebook groups for support and community.
* Seven years of back issues!
* Regular “Ask Laura Anything” sessions.
* b, including complete courses, ebooks, webinars and more, all waiting for you as soon as you join.
Yep, $49.95 is really cheap for that kind of value. But you know what’s even cheaper?
$39.95
That’s right — for a very limited time you can become an Insider for just $39.95 and get everything (including the upcoming November issue with the Simon & Schuster Above the Slushpile™ code)
So let’s do this — it’s the perfect time to get your career in gear and start earning the success you deserve.
We leave you with the words of a longtime subscriber:
“I can’t imagine not subscribing to CBI and taking myself seriously as a children’s writer”
Amen to that! Come join us now at
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We can’t wait to welcome you to the Insiders!
The post Here’s an Extraordinary Submissions Opportunity appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Writing Groups 101 – Which Kind is Right For You?
by JEN Garrett
When writers think of joining a group, they often think of joining a critique group. But this is only one type of writers’ group. Other reasons writers may join a group include accountability, networking, and brainstorming. All of these aspects are important to your writing journey, and can be a boon to your critique group. But not all writing groups focus on critiquing, even if they call themselves “critique groups”.
Critique Group
Most writers have an emotional cycle in their writing. We write because we are passionate about something and have a message to share. Then we try to get what is in our head on the paper and it sucks. We begin to doubt our ability, doubt that we have talent, doubt that we ever had inspiration in the first place. At this point, the smart writers walk away. But not forever. When we come back, the manuscript still sucks. But there’s something there that doesn’t suck. And now that we are looking at it with fresh eyes, we can detect the parts that don’t suck. We try to fix it as best we can on our own, but we’re still too close to the story. We need someone else. Maybe several someones. That’s where critique groups come in.
A critique group’s main focus is to give and receive feedback on manuscripts. Good critique groups help the writer revise their manuscript by pointing out its strengths and weaknesses in a kind and polite way. Writer continues to grow and hone their craft in the process. Good critique groups have stated goals and rules for exchanging manuscripts. These are established as soon as the group is formed, and revisited periodically to maintain order. When you have no manuscripts to critique, you may find you need a different type of writing group to continue on your writing journey.
Cheerleading Groups
Let’s say you have one published book or series, and now find yourself at the height of your writing career, with no desire to produce any more manuscripts. You probably don’t need a critique group anymore. What you might want instead is a writer’s group that will congratulate you and help you find more followers. You might need a “Street Team” to rave about your book, attend your book signings, and tweet about your success.
If you are pre-published, you may need extra encouragement to submit your polished manuscripts. Bringing them to your critique group, or to any group for that matter, would be a waste of time. But joining a writing group that cheers you on without reading your work can give you the confidence you need to keep going. These cheerleading groups are more likely to be found on social media than in person.
Write-Ins and Accountability Groups
Critique groups are great when you are revising a manuscript, but not so helpful when you simply need the motivation to keep your butt in chair and hands on keyboard (or pencil on paper, etc.). For these type of encouragement, I suggest instead looking for a “Write-In”.
Write-Ins are groups that meet together to, well, write! These groups can be in person or online, and usually include a specific amount of time for silent sustained writing. On Twitter, for example, you can join writing sprints under the hashtag #writingsprint. Simply tweet how long your sprint will be, or reply to another writer. After the sprint, tweet out your word count or mention something that surprised you. Other write-In groups might meet at a local cafe to socialize and encourage each other.
Similar to write-in groups are accountability groups. These groups tend to be more long-term than the write-ins, with each member keeping a running word count over a few days or weeks. NaNoWriMo.org, for instance, challenges writers to write 50 thousand words in 30 days. Some accountability groups meet via social media while others send running totals through email or direct messaging.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is an important step in the writing process. From the initial spark to each revision pass, brainstorming can take a mediocre manuscript to a level of brilliance. However, a good critique group can separate brainstorming sessions from critique sessions.
As an incorrigible brainstormer, I sometimes fall into this trap when I critique. Instead of focusing on helping other writers find their own voice, I sometimes offer rewrite ideas disguised as “solutions”.
For example, if the manuscript says, “The scientist was sad because he failed.”
A good critiquer might comment, “How could the scientist’s feelings about failure be revealed instead of explained? Can you show us how he failed?”
But a brainstormer might say, “How about the scientist throws the beaker across the room? And couldn’t the scientist be a girl?”
The “solutions” offered by the brainstormer imply dangerous behavior that the original author may never have intended. And at this point the gender of the character is irrelevant to the problem. On the other hand, the critiquer is offering direction through questions that allow the author to find their own solutions.
My awesome critique group politely redirects me when I start sliding into brainstorming mode, and because of that I’ve learned to focus on critiquing. If, however, your writers’ group doesn’t seem to recognize the difference, then it’s probably actually a brainstorming group rather than a critique group.
Social Club
While it’s important to get to know the other members of your group, good critique groups don’t spend entire critique sessions socializing. There are, however, organizations that often do have regional social events. SCBWI, for example, have local events with such titles as “Mix and Mingle”, “KidLit Mingle”, and “Coffee and Chat”. Other socializing writers groups in your area might be found on Meetup. Like most professionals, writers need other writers who can empathize. Social events can provide imaginary water coolers where writers swap experiences and build camaraderie.
Writers can also find these kinds of writers’ social clubs online. Social media has the word ‘social’ in it for a reason. For example, when your polished manuscript keeps getting rejected and your thick skin is looking a little scarred, you may need to know that your experience is not unique. And trust me, it’s not. Reaching out in a tweet, posting a meme through Instagram, or posting about it in Facebook will elicit sympathetic likes and replies from your online network. Some websites, such as Goodreads, also have social forums where you can connect with other understanding writers.
The word of caution here is to always be professional and polite in these social situations. Make sure your interactions are mostly positive, and are never adversely directed toward any specific person. Receiving a form rejection is a normal part of the writing journey. And, yes, it hurts. But that’s never a good reason to insult the agent or agency that rejected your work.
Why Choose Just One?
Many writers need more than one type of writing group depending on their writing journey. It’s essential to prioritize your needs and decide which groups will best fill those needs. Also, consider your schedule and writing strengths. For example, I belong to several writers’ groups, but only have one that meets regularly in-person. I have found that my other writing needs are better met by online groups and the occasional in-person event.
Check all that Apply
Critique: I need a group of writers that will help me revise and polish my manuscripts
Cheerleading: I need a group of friends who can encourage me to meet my goals without knowing all the specifics of my writing journey.
Accountability: I need a group to whom I can report my writing progress.
Brainstorming: I need a group to help me come up with new ideas or to help me develop my manuscript.
Social: I need other writers with whom I can celebrate and commensurate the ups and downs of my writing journey.
JEN Garrett writes for, about and around children all day. But sometimes she finds time to do the dishes at her home in Northern California. She also finds time to be the SCBWI Critique Carousel Coordinator for her region, query agents, and read mountains of books. How? We don’t know. You can find more about her at http://ift.tt/2yyCFfN
The post Writing Groups 101 – Which Kind is Right For You? appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Let’s Celebrate these CBI Insiders!
Our CBI Insiders are taking the publishing world by storm! Here’s some of what our Children’s Book Insider subscribers are accomplishing (with just a little help from CBI!):
🤗 Longtime Insider Dandi Daley Mackall is an unstoppable force of nature! Here’s what she’s published so far this year:
Rock Away Granny (Sky Pony)
Wow! (Tyndale House)
Larger Than Life Lara (Tynedale)
Just Sayin’ (Tynedale)
One Small Donkey (HarperCollins)
Learn more at dandibooks.com
🤗 Insider Catherine DePino has been busy too! Here are her latest releases:
Helping Kids Live Mindfully: A Grab Bag of Classroom Activities for Middle School Students (Rowman and Littlefield)
Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book About Bullying (Rogue Phoenix Press)
A Place of Learning: A Teacher’s Story (Rogue Phoenix Press)
Learn more at catherinedepino.com
🤗 Insider Donna Driver has some great news:
“My new middle grade novel about bullying and autism, No One Needed to Know, has won the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval, Honorable Mention in the 2017 Purple Dragonfly Children’s Book Awards, and now is a finalist in the Children’s Literary Classics Book Awards.”
Learn more at dgdriver.com
🤗 Insider Janet Smart has a wonderful new credit:
Her middle grade historical fiction book Duck and Cover has published by Saguaro Books. It takes place during the tension-filled days of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Learn more at janetsmart.blogspot.com
🤗 Insider Sonja Anderson has cool news to report:
“My middle-grade novel, Sophie Topfeather, Superstar! (Sunpenny Publishing), was named a finalist in this year’s Cascade Writing Contest! Also, my book Mount Rainier’s Historic Inns and Lodges was released by Arcadia Publishing.”
Learn more at sonjaandersonbooks.com
🤗 Insider Linda Whalen is now a published author!
“I’m so excited, after several years my debut picture book Little Red Rolls Away was released by Sleeping Bear Press. I was able to acquire an endorsement from Joey Travolta! Not only is he a Hollywood director, producer, actor, etc. he works with special needs children to help them be all they can be through Inclusion Films of which he is founder and creative director. I got it in time for it to be printed on the jacket. YAY!”
Learn more at lindawhalenauthor.com
We’ll have lots more good news to report soon. Do you want to get in on the fun of being a successful published author? Then do what these folks did — become a CBI Insider by subscribing to Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly!
For just pennies a day, you’ll receive fresh market leads, special “Above the Slushpile” submission codes to top editors and agents, state of the art instruction, community support and much, much more.
Check out our special offer now at http://ift.tt/1qF7aDW and join the fun!
The post Let’s Celebrate these CBI Insiders! appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
Thursday, October 12, 2017
A 12 Step Program for Rejected Writers
Every month, we’ll share a free article that recently appeared in the pages of Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly. To learn more about the magazine and get a special offer, go to http://ift.tt/2wG9fNN/
This month, we present a fantastic piece by Jane McBride that will give you the tools to not only overcome rejection, but thrive as a result of it. It’s extremely empowering, and we’re sure you’ll love it.
This article originally appeared in the October, 2017 edition of Children’s Book Insider.
by Jane McBride
Having had a family member go through the 12 step program originated in AA, I have always had the highest esteem for this inspired program and have witnessed the miracles it can work.
With many rejections under my belt, including one scathing one where an editor suggested I find a different career path, I have looked for ways to deal with the sometimes crippling effects of rejection. I came up with my own 12 step program for writers who are dealing with their work having been rejected by agents or editors:
1. Admit to ourselves we do not have control over rejection.
2. Come to believe that we can take back some control by working to improve our writing.
3. Make a decision to do the work necessary to improve.
4. Make a searching inventory of our strengths and weaknesses in writing.
5. Admit to ourselves the exact nature of where we went wrong in a particular project.
6. Are ready to work to improve our writing in any way we can.
7. Humbly accept that our writing needs improvement.
8. Make a list of all the ways we could improve.
9. Make plans to address our weaknesses, as in taking a workshop, attending a conference, seeking out a critique partner, etc.
10. Continue to take inventory of our strengths and weaknesses in writing.
11. Seek to improve our writing skill by continuing to write, take classes, and other means.
12. Try to help other writers whenever we can.
Let’s take these steps one at a time and see how we can apply them to dealing with rejections.
Step 1: Admit to ourselves that we do not have control over rejection. I own up to the fact that I am a bit of a control freak. I want to know that if I do A, then B will happen. In the case of my writing, I want to know that if I write the best book of which I am capable (A), the book will sell (B). The fact is, these two do not always go together. I’ve sold thirty-six books over the course of my writing career of, coincidentally, thirty-six years. However, I have written many more books than thirty-six, books which did not sell. No matter how hard I tried to make these books as good as possible, they failed to sell. Much of that was my fault in that I didn’t possess the talent or skill early in my career to write a publishable book. Some of the reasons the books didn’t sell were changing market condition and change of editors. Though I do have control over developing my talent and skill, I didn’t possess those at that time.
Step 2. Come to believe that we can take back some control by working to improve our writing. As stated above, I didn’t possess the skill to write salable books at the beginning of my writing, but I knew that I could learn.
Step 3. Make a decision to do the work necessary to improve. I resolved that I would develop my story- telling and writing talents. This took years, but I persevered. Though I have given up on other self-improvement goals, I knew I could not give up on this one. Writing was and is too important.
Step 4. Make a searching inventory of our strengths and weaknesses in writing. I have been told by editors and readers that I have a talent for writing dialogue and developing characters. Similarly, I have been told, mostly in rejection letters, that I lack plotting talents. (Even after all these years, I still lack these, but I’m getting better.) I determined that I would showcase my strengths, i.e. dialogue and characterization, and learn to make my plotting better.
Step 5. Admit to ourselves the exact nature of where we went wrong on a particular project. In one very ambitious project, a 100,000 word suspense novel, I finally had to admit that I had not thought the story all the way through and that the plot inconsistencies were too many to overcome. In addition, I was trying to balance too many points-of-view.
Step 6. Are ready to improve our writing in every way we can. I joke with writer friends that what I lack in talent, I make up for in sheer stubbornness. I refused to give up writing, even when the rejections came so quickly that I could hardly keep them straight. I have watched friends who were talented drop out of writing, unable to keep up the commitment and dedication necessary to succeed.
Step 7. Humbly accept that our writing needs improvement. This is a hard one. Admitting and accepting that our writing is not perfect requires maturity and humility. The editor whom I referenced at the beginning of this article was right to reject the book I submitted to her. (I still think she could have done it more kindly, but she was right: the book was terrible.) Accepting that took me a long time, a period where I sulked and pouted instead of working on improving my writing.
Step 8. Make a list of all the ways we could improve. I mentioned my difficulties in plotting. I continually struggle to strengthen my plotting techniques. I also have a problem of using the same word over and over again. I have a list of my “pet” words, words I try to avoid using very often, and yet they still find their way into my writing.
Step 9. Make plans to address our weakness by taking a workshop, attending writers’ conferences, seeking a critique partner, etc. Over the years I have attended many workshops and conferences. I belong to a writers’ group where I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful critique partner. In short, I am doing every thing I can to make my writing better.
Step 10. Continue to take inventory of our strengths and weaknesses in writing. Improvement is not a destination. It is a continuing journey. Understand that if you want to succeed, you must always be striving.
Step 11. Seek to improve our writing skill by writing, taking classes, and others. One long-time writer friend once asked me why I continued to attend workshops and conferences when I was already multi-published. I replied that I hoped I would never stop learning or wanting to learn. When we do that, we stagnate and our writing reflects it.
Step 12. Try to help others whenever we can. Most writers are incredibly generous with their talents. I have had many successful writers offer encouragement and help to me along the way. In turn I try to pass this along by helping others, mentoring a young writer in middle school, appearing at school classes which are studying writing, critiquing those who ask for feedback. In helping others, I am not only passing along the good which was done for me but also strengthening my own skills by teaching and mentoring.
Whatever level you are at in your writing career at the moment, I hope you will find at least a few of these steps helpful. For real writers, writing is not just what we do, it is who we are. We need to arm ourselves for the inevitable rejections and hardships that a career in writing entails.
The post A 12 Step Program for Rejected Writers appeared first on WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.
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