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

Understanding Children’s Book Categories from Picture Books to YA

By Guest Author

by Hilari Bell

 

“Children’s Books” is a vast market, including everything from books for infants, with cardboard pages designed to be chewed on, to gritty YA novels full of violence, sex and profanity. Sometimes, when an idea for a story arrives, an author has no idea which subdivision of the field to write it for. Oh, no one’s likely to write a 500 word YA story about a dog that gets lost in the forest—but what about a book where first love goes awry? Is it middle grade, tween or YA? Would a story about the first day of first grade work better in a picture book or a chapter book? What are the various age related categories for children’s books, and what are the differences between them?

 

Here I’ve defined those age related categories, and talk about the differences in writing for various age levels. To make a lot of information simpler to track, I divided each age level into six areas:

 

Length—by and large, the younger the audience, the shorter their attention span.

 

Protagonist—generally kids like to read about kids older than they are.

 

Plot—the older the audience, the more complex the plot they can handle.

 

Character Arc—the longer the book, the more arc you can build.

 

Language—the older the audience, the more esoteric your vocabulary can become.

 

Theme—your story has to deal with the issues that matter to your reader.

 

Finally, I’ve divided the age levels into groups, separated by three asterisks, in the way they’re generally placed in different sections in libraries and bookstores, with all the varieties of picture book together, kids’ books together, and YA together. Because the section they’re shelved in does matter.

 

***

 

Board books & concept books—birth to 4

 

Length: Very short in terms of word count—0 to 100 words, probably less than 10 words per page.

 

Protagonist: Very young child, or an animal. Just one protagonist, and written in the 3rd person.

 

Plot: Almost none. A board book might have a slight rising action and a gentle climax.

 

For instance, a book showing the things a baby does in the morning, waking up, brushing teeth, getting dressed, etc. might climax with a huge breakfast table loaded with great food.

 

Character Arc: Very slight, if any: learning a concept, or a character who is sad becomes happy.

 

Language: REALLY simple. Past or present tense.

 

This is the last age where you’ll be likely to use present tense for a long time, because at this age you’re writing for kids so young that the concept of a past tense story is difficult for them. “Baby wakes up. Baby brushes her teeth. Baby gets dressed.”

 

Theme: Concepts like colors or shapes, or simple events in a young child’s life. Nothing harsh at all.

 

 

Picture books—3 to 8

 

Length: Used to be up to 1000 words, now they’re looking for 500 – 600 words or less—which is insanely tight, but can be done. Rely on your illustrator for all description, and as much storytelling as you can.

 

Protagonist: Probably pre-school age. Possibly kindergarten age. But however young they are, the protagonist must be the one who solves the main story problem, not some helpful adult. May have one or two protagonists—grandmother and granddaughter, for instance—but probably not more. Usually 3rd person, but there can be exceptions.

 

Plot: Needs opening hook, rising action, and climax, which is a lot to get into 500 words. No room for twists or subplots—except in the illustration. There are some wonderful picture books where the text gives you the main storyline, while another story is taking place in the pictures. Almost all action & dialogue, almost no description. Again, that’s what the illustrator is for.

 

Character Arc: You do need a character arc, but it will be pretty basic. The protagonist will learn something, and be made stronger by the story events—but there’s not enough room for a big arc. Hero starts on the bottom, he changes or learns because of story events, and ends up better.

 

Language: These are designed to be read aloud by adults, so the language doesn’t need to be too simple. But you should use words kids can understand—“I won’t fight with you, if you don’t fight with me.” instead of “Let’s form a non-aggression pact.” Usually past tense, but there can be exceptions.

 

This may be the place to point out that one of the worst things you can do with a picture book is to make it “too slight.” Despite the short length, and the youth of the target audience, picture books can be and frequently are incredibly deep, moving stories. And the language gets up off the page and dances. The best picture books aren’t just “books for kids”—they’re works of art.

 

Themes: Things a pre-school age child may be dealing with in their lives: being jealous of siblings, sharing…but also the death of a pet, or a grandparent, and the beauty of nature. Picture books can tackle deep, important themes, as long as they’re presented in a way a kid can grasp. In 600 words or less. No violence, and harsh themes like death have to be handled gently.

 

 

Picture story books—5 to 8 (MUCH harder to sell.)

 

Length: 500 to 1000 words, maybe a tad more. But frankly, word length over 750 words will get you an automatic rejection from a lot of agents and editors.

 

Protagonist: 6 to 8. These will be for older kids. May have one or two protagonists, if they’re in 3rd person, but one protagonist is more common here. First person is unusual. (You’re telling a more complex story, you want to keep the POV simple.)

 

Plot: Hook, rising action, climax—but you’ve got a bit more room to let things play out. No subplots, but possibly a twist. It’s easier to fit the kind of story where the protagonist faces three challenges into this category. Almost all action & dialogue, very little description.

 

Character Arc: There’s room for more complexity at this length, and you’re more likely to be able to introduce a flawed character who overcomes that flaw…but it’s still very tight for that much arc.

 

Language: Same as a picture book—since it’s still intended as an adult read-aloud. Past tense is also more common with these more complex stories.

 

Themes: Slightly older. These kids may be starting school, may be old enough to deal with the effects of poverty, and other harder problems—but still handled with sensitivity.

 

 

Early readers—5 to 7 (Mostly written in-house, by the publisher’s staff—not really an open market.)

 

Length: 200 to 3,500 words. Word length will be tightly controlled by the publisher, for different reading levels—check their guidelines.

 

Protagonist: Will be the age of the reader/reading level, or a year older. Or an animal. May have one or two protagonists, but almost certainly one POV. 1st person is uncommon here.

 

Plot: Hook, rising action, climax. All action and dialog, and virtually no description.

 

Character Arc: An arc is good—it may be necessary in the longer readers—but it’s often a slighter arc than in picture books. In the shorter readers, with just a few words per page, you might not have a character arc at all. And it’s not as essential here, as it is in picture books.

 

The reason plots, arcs and language are less complex in early readers than they are in picture books is because these are the first books kids are reading themselves—so they need to be able to comprehend what’s going on in the story on their own, without adult guidance. And because of that, complexity goes down a notch in every category, even though the reader is actually older.

 

Language: Vocabulary will be even more tightly controlled by the publisher, with reading level in mind—check their guidelines. Present tense would be very uncommon here. All action & dialogue, no description.

 

Themes: More restricted than for picture books and picture story books—this is the educational market, and they’re looking for lighter material.

 

***

 

Chapter books—6 to 7 & 8 to 10

 

Length: 2 levels: early (6 to 7 year olds) 5,000 to 20,000 words / older (8 to 10 year olds) 20,000 to 35,000 words

 

Protagonist: Will be one or two years older than the intended reader. 1st person isn’t common in the younger levels, but you might see it in the older level. Probably still one POV protagonist.

 

Plot: Hook in the beginning, of course, but the rising action will have several twists and challenges. In the older level you’re looking at full three act story structure. Pace, particularly in the older levels, can slow just a bit, and allow for scenes with emotion instead of action—but not many and not long.

 

Character Arc: Is essential, but the ways in which your protagonist grows will be fairly slight, and age appropriate. You’ll seldom see a really flawed protagonist in a chapter book, and you won’t see any “dark nights of the soul.”

 

Language: Pretty controlled by the publisher still, since these are books for kids to read themselves and they’re often given reading levels—but not as strictly controlled as the early readers. Strong focus on action and dialogue, but bits of description now begin to come in, even in the early level chapter books. Toward the upper end of the older level you’ll be writing brief descriptions.

 

Themes: The things kids are concerned about in the first few years of school: fitting in, friendship, overcoming challenges. These books tend not to be too deeply themed, except for books about specific problems—and those are often non-fiction.

 

 

Middle grade novels—8 to 12

 

Length: 30,000 to 45,000 words, for contemporary novels. In all levels, middle grade and above, SF and fantasy novels are allowed to run a bit longer.

 

Protagonist: 2 to 4 years older than the youngest intended readers. Still usually one protagonist, but particularly at the older end you might have two POV protagonists. Usually past tense, but again there might be exceptions.

 

Plot: This is the first level where you’re definitely looking at complete three act story structure with: hook/rising action/end of first act plot twist/rising action/end of second act commitment/final ramp up to climax/climax/denouement. Particularly at the younger end books will have more gentle action, you probably don’t have room for many twists, and sub-plots will be slighter. But at this level you’re writing a novel, even if it’s a short one. Pace can slow a bit more, as emotion and mystery begin to replace non-stop action. Secondary characters start to stand out now.

 

Character Arc: This is also the age where you can introduce more complex character arcs—you can have a flawed protagonist. (Artemis Fowl comes to mind.) You have room to have your protagonist fall from grace, making a major mistake that really hurts someone, and struggle to redeem themselves. The way your protagonists change and the things they do must still be age appropriate…but middle grade protagonists are old enough to grow through suffering.

 

Language: No technical limits, but (again, particularly at the younger levels) you’ll want to keep vocabulary reasonable, and sentences not too convoluted. Usually past tense, but present tense can be used here too, particularly at the older end. Generally no profanity.

 

Themes: Same as chapter books—age appropriate challenges and concerns—but at the upper age levels you can push them a bit further. You can have complex relationships in middle grade novels, and characters who aren’t entirely right or wrong. And in middle grade, humor, particularly broad crude humor, works very well. This is the last age where you’re probably pre-romance, though at the older levels character may be experiencing first kisses. Violence can happen in these stories, but it’s usually superficial—the good guy punches the bad guy and the fight ends, instead of violence that has real consequences.

 

 

Tween novels—10 to 14

 

Because tween novels fall between middle grade and YA in age level, bookstores and libraries have a very real dilemma about where to shelve them—and this in turn makes them a bit harder to sell to a publisher. On the other hands, kids this age need a novel that’s for kids older than 9, but younger than 15.

 

Length: 40,000 to 55,000 words, for contemporary novels.

 

Protagonist: 2 to 5 years older than the youngest intended reader. One protagonist is still more common, but there are more exceptions at this age level. 1st person is appearing more often, though 3rd person is still standard.

 

Plot: Full three act structure, with fuller subplots beginning to come in. Pace can be slower yet, as plot complexity expands. Secondary characters assume more prominence.

 

Character Arc: You can take a 12 year old reader through much heavier material than an 8 year old, and the tween character arc reflects this. On the other hand, 10 to 14 year olds aren’t quite as into drama and angst as teenagers are, and the character arc and themes will reflect this. An important secondary character may also need an arc, though it will be slighter than the protagonist’s.

 

Language: At this point, readers can be pretty sophisticated. They might look up words they don’t know or they might skip over them, but except for extremely obscure language you don’t really have to hold back. You’ll still get dinged for profanity, unless it’s a “gritty” contemporary. 3rd person is still more common than 1st.

 

Themes: Really any themes at this point, though things like rape would have to be handled very carefully. Violence can be a bit tougher than in middle grade, but still not full-out description. First-love romance can start coming in, though not sex.

 

***

Younger YA novels—13 to 16 and up

 

Length: 50,000 to 70,000-ish words. Somewhat flexible on the upper end, and again, contemporary and romance novels are generally shorter than SF and fantasy.

 

Protagonist: 15 to 17, maybe 18.

 

Plot: Full novel plot, three act structure, and you probably need a subplot or two to make the novel full enough. All the twists and complexities you care to work in. Secondary characters must be fully fleshed out—including your villains. The only real difference between YA and adult books in story structure is that in YA the pace will be faster, and there will be fewer long descriptive passages.

 

Which is why a lot of adults like reading YA. Including me.

 

Character Arc: We’re now into full “dark night of the soul” territory. You not only need a complete arc, but for teens, the more suffering, drama and angst the better. In fact, you need a deeper character arc in YA than you do in adult books, because this is when almost everyone “comes of age.” And important secondary character will also need to grow. On the flip side of all that angst, this is also when first love occurs.

 

Language: No vocabulary limits except in the use of profanity. If it’s a gritty contemporary novel you can use language true to the characters and plot—some schools may ban it, and you’re probably out of luck with Christian publishers. But most YA editors don’t expect teens from rough backgrounds in tough situations to say, “Golly, shucks.” On the other hand, if you’re writing genre books where a character doesn’t have to use profanity to stay true to their background and situation, you’re probably better off not to use profanity, or at least keep it mild.

 

Themes: Any, and for YA it’s almost the grimmer the better—though young YA will be less graphic when it comes to sex and violence than older YA. This is coming of age territory, so your themes will involve the things people need to learn, and the ways they grow, when transitioning from child to adult. YA books, in just about any genre, will deal with life-changing events. And first-love/sexual attraction is a theme in most YA books—because, well, hormones.

 

 

Older YA novels—15 to 18 and up

 

Length: Any, except not too short. At this point, less than 40,000 words would probably be a novella.

 

Protagonist: 17 to 19. In contemporary novels, the protagonist will still be in High School, but they may have siblings or friends who’ve started college.

 

Plot: Still a faster pace than adult books, but aside from that it’s a full novel, full sub-plots, developed secondary characters…the whole deal.

 

Character Arc: Full out character arc, and arcs for important secondary characters, too. These will be protagonists who may have more adult flaws, and will be overcoming them in more mature ways. Their arcs may actually be slighter than in younger YA, and some of these older readers require a bit more sense from their protagonists, instead of having them simply wallow in angst. Not that angst is out—the hero just has to pull himself together and get on with it a bit more quickly.

 

This is the age at which, if you give them too many pages of “my life sucks,” these older reader will roll their eyes and say. “Get over it!”

 

Language: Less concern about profanity, though that concern is still there. Most people acknowledge a difference between a 13 year old reader and a 17 year old reader in that regard…but they’re shelved in the same section.

 

Themes: Similar to younger YA, but sometimes a bit less grim. Sex appears here (though not usually fully described) and fully described violence. Older YA is less about leaving childhood behind, and more about assuming a place in the adult world. Your older protagonists, and readers, are beginning to get past the stage where drama is all consuming, and are coping more with the adult world, with a bit more maturity.

 

 

New adult—17 to mid-20s

 

Length: Any, except not too short. At this point, less than 40,000 words would definitely be a novella.

 

This is yet another tricky-to-shelve category. Sometimes it ends up in YA, sometimes in the adult section, and the way you write it might tip that decision one way or the other—so think about where you want your book shelved when you make your writing choices.

 

Protagonist: Early 20’s—they’re in college, or just graduated and starting careers.

 

Plot: Full plot, just like an adult novel. I’d say with full description, but so far the genre mostly deals with romance, which generally goes lighter on description and has a faster pace than non-romance novels. So I don’t know if the faster pace is because it’s new adult, or because it’s romance. We’re now beyond first love, and dealing with ongoing romantic relationships that may require some maintenance.

 

Character arc: Because these books are romances the arcs may be slighter—but they still have to be there.

 

Language: No restrictions, except good taste—these are romances, for the most part. But sex is as much a part of these books as it is in adult romance, and as fully described.

 

Themes: As I said, for the most part new adult books are either romances or have a strong romance element in the plot. Technically my Knight & Rogue series fits the age bracket, but I hesitate to try to sell them as NA because they’re primarily action adventure, with a slight romance in the last two books—and I’m afraid of disappointing readers, who would expect a full-blown romance as part of the story. Beyond that, though romance may be essential, it helps if there’s more to the story. These are people (both readers and characters) who are growing into adult relationships and taking their place in the adult world, without the safety-net of adult supervision. The challenges they encounter should reflect this.

 

***

 

Final note: These categories, and the limitations on them I’ve listed, aren’t unalterable rules—they’re more like guidelines. There will be published exceptions to everything I’ve said, some of them will be hugel y successful. However, there are reasons for most of these guidelines, and if you try to write something that runs outside the norm it should be for a good reason—and even if you have a good reason, your book will still probably be harder to sell. But that said, the most important thing, across all age categories and genres, is to tell a great story as well as you can tell it—because that’s what matters most.

 

For more on the difference children’s book genres, check out Know Your Genre Before You Write, and Which Age Group Should I Write For?

 

 

Hilari Bell writes “ethically ambiguous” science fiction and fantasy for young adults. Her series include the Knight and Rogue series, the Goblin books, the Raven books, the Farsala series, and the Shield, Sword and Crown series. See her books and more of her writing tips at www.hilaribell.com

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Understanding Children’s Book Categories from Picture Books to YA

Five Minutes to Change Your Life Forever

By Jon Bard

I recently heard something that has impacted me in a profound way.  I wanted to share it because it might do the same for you.

 

It’s from an author named Hal Elrod, who said this:

 

Where you are today is the result of choices you made in the past.

 

Where you will be tomorrow will be the result of the choices you make today.

 

Wow.

 

Here’s what it means to me:

 

We tell ourselves things about ourselves all the time as if they are set in stone.  Stuff like…

 

“I’m terrified of putting myself out there and being judged….”

“I’m not disciplined enough to write every day….”

“I’m too shy to ever speak in public…”

“I’m not meant to stand out or be famous.  That’s for other people, but not me…..”

“I’m too old to succeed….”

“I’m not educated enough to succeed….”

“I’m not talented enough to succeed….”

 

                                                        and on and on and on.

 

We view these statements as objective truths, as if someone out there has decreed them and we have no choice but to live our lives in accordance with them.

 

But wait — that’s really not at all true!    We are the ones who have decreed these things, and we are the ones who choose to remember them every day and live small lives as a result of these phony beliefs.

 

And — here’s the key thing — if we choose to believe them, we can also choose to discard them!

 

Since hearing Hal say that, I’ve started making a list of the “truths” about myself that I’ve always believed – just 5 minutes here and there as they occur to me.

 

Things about my commitment to health, success and living a bigger life that have kept me from reaching my potential.  Stuff that was ingrained in me at a young age by things people may have said, and things that I’ve told myself over the years to stay inside my comfort bubble.

 

And, for each one, I’m simply asking:

 

• Is this actually true or is it a false belief that I can discard?
• How can I choose today to leave this belief behind and move forward boldly?

 

It’s an exciting process, and very, very illuminating.   I invite you to do the same as you think ahead toward the New Year.

 

You might just find that most of the “facts” you’ve come to believe about yourself are little more than falsehoods that you choose to believe about yourself.

 

Try leaving them in the dust and choosing something different, and watch your career — and your life — blossom in 2016.

 

Fondly,

 

PS:  I have a hidden motive for talking to you about this.  As writers for children and teens you are uniquely capable of sharing this thinking with young people, who can benefit greatly from leading lives without phony self-limiting beliefs.  How can you inform your writing with this message, and spark your readers on to great things?

 

Something to ponder, isn’t it?

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Five Minutes to Change Your Life Forever

Trick Yourself into Finding Time to Write

By Guest Author

by Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D.

 

How do you find time to write?  Many people struggle through their day-to-day lives, only to discover at the end of the week they haven’t taken five minutes away from the madding crowds. But writers need to write on a regular basis.

 

Conditions are rarely optimal.  While we fantasize about writing a few hours a day, this isn’t reality for most people.  Very few people make their living entirely from writing, and even those who do have to deal with the business side of it—from sending out query letters to answering fan mail.

 

So, how do you deal with it? Many writers have a variety of other responsibilities to deal with, yet they still manage to finish projects.  A perfect example is Jane Yolen, who has more than 300 books in print.  What can we learn from these literary superstars?

 

Here’s an idea: Trick yourself into thinking you have time to write.  But is it that simple?

 

I decided to try an experiment.  I was grading papers at a local bookstore. I had 30 papers to grade that night, and realistically I didn’t have time to write.  I only had time to correct, correct, correct.

 

However, I took a 15 minute creativity break. It saved my sanity.  Taking that break was better for everyone, including my students; it allowed me to give them better comments on the papers they worked so hard on. Even if I didn’t finish all 30 papers in one night, it wasn’t the end of the world; it turned out not be a very realistic goal to begin with!

 

So, how can you trick yourself into finding writing time? Here are some tips.

 

Give yourself five minutes.  You’d be surprised at what you can do in five minutes.  Pull out a pen and let your thoughts unravel.  Remember, five minutes isn’t even one percent of a day.  Now, how do you feel afterward?

 

Find ten minutes here and there.  Now that you’ve managed to snag five minutes out of the day, why not try for ten minutes?  Don’t you deserve a short break every day?  I’ve seen physical fitness plans for sale on QVC which highlight a ten minute workout, once or twice a day.  Why not try this approach?  It’s far more manageable than you may think.

 

Write while you are doing other things.  If you are watching your child’s baseball game, why not pull out a notebook and write between plays? Many times you feel like that two hour period is booked solid, but there are short breaks. Between innings, you can write your heart out without missing a single pitch.

 

Write to a prompt.  Sometimes it’s less intimidating if you write to a prompt. You don’t have to commit to even writing a page response; just write a paragraph.  You can even do this between commercial breaks, if you are watching TV.  Why not give it a try?  You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in just a few minutes.

 

Take a careful look at your schedule. Chances are you aren’t using your time as wisely as you could.  For instance, how often do you check your email?  Couldn’t you spend this time writing?  If you are checking your email ten times a day, try to cut it to three times day and utilize this time for writing instead.

 

Be realistic. If your goals are too lofty, you may not be able to accomplish anything.  So be realistic with your expectations, and hope for the best.  You may not be able to write an entire book series, but you could start working on a picture book.

 

Write on a consistent basis, and don’t feel badly if you don’t write every day.  The best projects are accomplished one day at a time.  If you write regularly, you’ll make great progress on your larger goals.

 

Just do it.  If you think of excuses not to write, you’ll never get anything done. Think of how many great books never would have been written if their authors had turned on a television every night. Just write!

 

Dr. Suzanna E. Henshon teaches full-time at Florida Gulf Coast University and is the author of several young adult and middle grade books, and two collections of writing exercises. Her newest book, Andy Lightfoot and the Time Warp, is available for the Kindle on Amazon.

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Trick Yourself into Finding Time to Write

Ask Writer Alice: Three Top Picture Book Writing Mistakes

By Laura Backes

Best-selling author Alice Kuipers reveals the three mistakes you should avoid as an aspiring picture book writer. Sign up for Alice’s monthly writing tips here.

 

 

Be sure to check out Alice’s other informational videos on writeforkids.org, such as Which Age Group Should I Write For?, Making Your Story Original, and Writing Dialogue for Children and Teens.

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Ask Writer Alice: Three Top Picture Book Writing Mistakes

FULL WEBINAR: How to Create Your Own Children’s Book App

By Jon Bard

 

 

Our full webinar with Karen Robertson, children’s app author, founder of the Book App Alliance and author of the The Author’s Guide to Book Apps.

 

 

 

 

 

The WriteForKids special price ends Wednesday, November 25 and will not be repeated.

 

Click here to download notes for this webinar

 

Thanks to Karen for an amazing webinar!

 
 

(If for any reason you have problems watching this video, click here to view it on YouTube).
 
 
 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: FULL WEBINAR: How to Create Your Own Children’s Book App