Writing for Children: Recent Episodes
Institute for Writers
Do you want to learn how to write for children? The Institute of Children's Literature has taught hundreds of thousands of aspiring writers, and the director of ICL is the host of Writing for Children. Bestselling children's author Katie Davis focuses on the craft of writing for children: how to write a children’s book, how to write for children’s magazines, how to get paid, and get published. There are listener questions, with answers from the experts at the Institute, plus hard-to-find resources and links included in every week's show notes. If you want to learn about how to get into children's publishing, Listen!
AN INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH HOLT
In this rebroadcast, we talk with Hannah Holt, a children’s author with an engineering degree. Her books, The Diamond & The Boy (Balzer+Bray) and A Father’s Love (Philomel) weave together her love of language and science. When not reading or writing, you can find Hannah running marathons and hiking mountains.
We talk about
- Biggest misconception writers have about getting an agent and/or a book deal
- Advice for prepublished writers
- Hannah’s surveys: what she learned, how she used the input.
- How she created and researched a picture book about her grandfather
- Questions about “bare bones” publishing, indie, and traditional publishing.
FOUR WAYS TO LEARN TO LOVE NONFICTION
Many writers view nonfiction as less: less creative than fiction, less fun than fiction, less interesting to kids than fiction, and definitely something they want to do less often. Some will accept the possibility of writing a little nonfiction to break into publishing, but do not like the idea of doing it steadily. For many, they want to do the important work of fiction.
But nonfiction is important. Especially now. Kids love nonfiction, and it's an important teaching tool in support of school curriculum. And nonfiction can offer children something that can help them long after the book is closed: an appreciation of the value of well-researched, accurate facts. That's why we're bringing this rebroadcast to you today.
LAUNCHING A STORY FROM A TITLE
Chances are you fall into one of two camps when it comes to titles: You either love creating them or you dread trying to think up something clever that will catch a reader’s eye. Thanks to Jan Fields, today we’re going to have some fun creating titles. So much fun your new titles just might launch a new story.
This is Katie's last episode of the podcast, but not the last episode of the podcast. We're working to bring you new episodes in the coming months with the same high standards of teaching we strive for with our courses.
TOP THREE NARRATIVE NONFICTION MISSTEPS
Nonfiction is basically broken into two broad types. Expository nonfiction describes, explains, and informs. Narrative nonfiction uses story elements to convey a factual experience. Narrative nonfiction tells a story through carefully researched, factual recounting. Not all nonfiction books are strictly expository or strictly narrative. Some in fact contain both, but for now, Jan Fields has given us a lead on common missteps when writing narrative nonfiction.
INTERVIEW WITH A CONTEST JUDGE
In this rebroadcast, we interview frequent ICL contest judge and longtime instructor Nancy Coffelt. As well as being a multi-published picture book author and illustrator, Nancy is a fine artist and has been showing in galleries across the country since 1984. Her work is included in personal, public and corporate collections around the world. Nancy also writes and illustrates books for children. Her books include Catch That Baby, Fred Stays with Me, and The Big Eclipse.
TIPS FOR YOUR WRITER WEBSITE
Every author needs a website—yes, even if you're not published yet. In the Internet age, your website acts as your online business card for readers and even prospective agents and editors.
In this rebroadcast, we discuss tips for keeping your website user friendly and keeping them coming back for more.
5 QUESTIONS ABOUT AUTHOR PLATFORM
A while back I sent out a one-question survey. Writers could submit any one question about author platform and marketing. I learned a ton from reading all the questions that were submitted, but there were definitely some common themes. Today, we’re diving into the five most common questions writers have as they start building their platform.
INTERVIEW WITH VICTORIA BOND
Victoria Bond is a writer and professor. Her novel, Zora and Me, co-written with T.R. Simon, won the John Steptoe/Coretta Scott King Award for New Talent and was nominated for an Edgar Award in the category of Juvenile Fiction, as well as being a Junior Library Guild Selection. Victoria holds a MFA in poetry. The occasional essayist on issues both personal and political, she teaches first year writing at John Jay College, The City University of New York.
WE TALK ABOUT
- How Victoria and her co-writer start working together
- How they created the series together
- What’s based on reality and what did the authors invent
- How much reality should one use when writing historical fiction
- How far can you go when creating new information based on someone’s actual life
FINDING YOUR CHILDLIKE VOICE
Voice is the number one thing that can make or break your children’s story. So, let’s see how to find a childlike voice that appeals to your audience. Readers love dialogue. It lightens the page, making the whole story feel easier to read. It allows us to hear the characters directly, helping us to know them. And it is often the best place to sprinkle in some tasty humor. Unfortunately, it's also one of the quickest ways to lose the reader. In this rebroadcast, we're discussing three ways to find your character's childlike voice.
AUTHENTIC KID VOICES
A while ago on the Institute's Facebook page, someone was asking about dialogue, which made me think again about this important writing tool. Readers love dialogue because it makes a scene and a character come to life. Dialogue puts us into a specific moment within a story and that's a powerful thing for readers. But many writers struggle with dialogue and with making it feel lively, purposeful, and real. So what should you do first in the pursuit of good dialogue?
Would you like to have your own instructor teaching you on a one-on-one basis? Click here to let us help you write your book.
INTERVIEW WITH MAGGIE TOKUDA-HALL & JAMIE TAN
Katie interviews award-winning author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Candlewick Senior Publicist Jamie Tan about Maggie's latest book THE MERMAID, THE WITCH, AND THE SEA.
We talk about:
- Gender fluidity in characters
- Shondaland interest
- Maggie’s lyrical writing
- How Jamie did the publicity for this particular book
- How Maggie is brutal to her characters!
- Not shying away from being mean to your characters
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
Voice can be a tough thing to define and a tougher thing to master, but when I ran across this article about active voice and passive voice from my old friend Mary Rosenblum I knew I had to share it with my listeners. See how you can improve your active voice with these tips and take your work to the next level and beyond.
Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our weekly newsletter with article and resources to improve your writing even more: writingforchildren.com/newsletter
INTERVIEW WITH TALIA BENAMY
Talia Benamy is an associate editor at Philomel Books (an imprint of Penguin Young Readers), where she focuses on everything from picture books to middle grade and young adult novels. She has worked on books by Chelsea Clinton, Sonia Sotomayor, Temple Grandin, Jane Yolen, Abigail Harrison, Lisa Graff, Ruta Sepetys, Dev Petty, Sarah Brannen, and Terry Border. She sees books as having the amazing power to shape kids’ worldviews, and looks for manuscripts that have the potential to do just that. In this rebroadcast, we talk about:
- What exactly does an associate editor do?
- How does the process of using a reader help you go through the slush pile?
- How do you determine if a piece of writing is good?
- What are common mistakes you see in submissions?
- What makes you reject a manuscript almost immediately?
THINGS THAT MAKE EDITORS CRINGE
Nobody wants to make an editor (or anyone) cringe when they read your manuscript. Inspired by a post from Jamie K. Schmidt, we’re covering 10 things that make editors cringe with tips to avoid them. Be sure to head to writingforchildren.com/231 to download the show notes because many of these tips will be easier to see in writing.
Everybody knows to use spellcheck or Grammarly when going over their writing. However, the following mistakes aren’t generally caught by these two programs. And if you want to stop an editor’s eyes from rolling to the back of her head, you should check your writing for the errors we're talking about today.
INTERVIEW WITH AGENT ADRIA GOETZ
Adria Goetz is a Literary Manager with Seattle-based Martin Literary & Media Management. She primarily represents picture books, middle grade, young adult, Lifestyle books, quirky gift books, as well as everything under the Christian umbrella.
WE TALK ABOUT:
- What’s the secret to getting an agent?
- What is a nightmare client and what is a perfect client?
- How should a writer “shop” for an agent to impress?
- How does one pitch a wordless picture book to an agent?
- Are agents reluctant to work with new writers that are 60+ years old?
- What is the most common mistake new writers make in a query letter?
Want to check our self-led course, Revision Power? Go to writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
SUBMISSIONS
It’s the beginning of a new year. A time that we as writers like to set goals for our writing success and dream about what our writing career will look like next year at this time. Maybe one of your goals this year is to submit your work to agents or editors. It can seem like a Herculean task, but like the old joke goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. In this episode, based on an article from our own Jan Fields, we’re going to talk about what you should worry about most in your submissions and when it’s okay to press the send button.
YOU'RE THIS CLOSE
We're wrapping up our five part series on National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) with special guest Jamie K. Schmidt. Even if you're not writing a novel this month, we think you'll learn some tips and techniques to help you finish your novel on your timeline. We're so close to the finish line. Let's make these final days a success!
We talk about:
- How to handle writing and the holidays
- Saving a chunk of time to devote to catching up
- Secrets to writing a lot
- What to do when you have unplanned time
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower.
NANOWRIMO SUCCESS PART 4 - THROW IN A DRAGON?
We are continuing our November National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) celebration with tips for writing 50,000 words in one month, which is 1,667 words per day. This is Part 4 in our 5-part series to help our listeners get through NaNoWriMo with support, encouragement, and some great ideas from Jamie K. Schmidt.
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT
• The sagging middle
• How to go forward
• Should you throw in a dragon?
• Raising the stakes
• Putting your characters in danger
• Getting off your butt and doing something
• Jamie's new book Necessary Evil
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
NANOWRIMO SUCCESS PART 3 - GET PAST THE SLUMP
We are continuing our November National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) celebration with tips for writing 50,000 words in one month, which is 1,667 words per day. This is Part 3 in our 5-part series to help our listeners get through NaNoWriMo with support, encouragement, and some great ideas from Jamie K. Schmidt.
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT
- What to do when you’re not having fun
- Motivation and why you started this in the first place
- What happens if you quit now
- Your WHYs
- Simon Sinek video
- Bribing yourself
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
NANOWRIMO SUCCESS PART 2 - DIGGING IN
Welcome to Part 2 in our 5-part series to help our listeners get through NaNoWriMo with support, encouragement, and some great tips and ideas from Jamie K. Schmidt. Jamie is a bestselling author and a NaNoWriMo enthusiast. We talk about:
- How to stay on task
- Series bibles
- How to watch out for black hole time suck
- Letting go of the need to write in order
- How to not let deleted scenes go to waste
- Sprints and the Pomodoro Method
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
NANOWRIMO SUCCESS PART 1 - PREPARE
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is about to start. Every November, writers from around the world set out with the goal of writing a novel, about 50,000 words, in one month. We thought, how cool it would be to help our listeners get through NaNoWriMo with support, encouragement, and some great tips and ideas from someone who has successfully completed it. Join Jamie K. Schmidt and me for a little inspiration and a lot of motivation in this 5-part series.
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
TIPS FOR YOUR MYSTERY OPENING CHAPTERS
The first page of your mystery needs to intrigue your reader. It has to pull them in and make them wonder what’s going on or who did it. Today we bring you tips for your first pages from author Chaunie Bruise.
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
PLANTING CLUES
You’re in a race with your readers. The readers are trying to guess what will happen. You’re trying to spring that ‘whodunnit’ on the readers before they guess. Who will win? Those readers really don’t want to guess…they want to be surprised. But they want that sporting chance to beat you and get there ahead of you. Ideally, you have planted just enough clues, you have sneaked in just enough hints, that when you unveil that ‘whodunnit’, your readers sigh, “Oh, I should have guessed!” THAT gives you a satisfied reader! Join us as we talk about how to outfox your readers.
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH KATE MILFORD
Kate Milford is the New York Times bestselling author of The Thief Knot, as well as Greenglass House (winner of the Edgar award for juvenile literature, long-listed for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, and a nominee for the Andre Norton Award and the Agatha Award for Children’s/YA).
We talk about:
• What makes a good mystery?
• Do you write a mystery differently than any other kind of novel?
• What are 3 things every mystery should have?
• What are 3 things every mystery writer should avoid?
• Self-aware ironmongery
• Here’s a mystery: 9 books and two kids - how?
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
PLANNING YOUR NOVEL
At any time you speak to a writer, they may easily be either planning a novel, writing a novel, or revising a novel. Always. And sometimes a writer could be doing more than one of those at a time. As a result, a fairly streamlined process for novel creation can develop––for that writer, anyway––and Jan Fields’ process is a good one to share here.
Make your novel the best it can be. Check out our self-led course Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
FOR THE LOVE OF GENRE
Anyone who has been writing for children for any length of time knows that folks have a tendency to see writers for children as dabblers and writers for adults as real writers. In fact, many children's writers have flatly been asked when they're going to do a real book. And within children's writing, book authors are definitely given more respect than magazine writers. And if you write books, well, writing the more action oriented, plot driven genre are definitely seen as less valuable than the character-driven, deeply emotional novels. But like any class system, this one is unfair, and just because other people have bought into it, doesn't mean we have to. Let's look more closely at our love of genre in this week's episode.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
REAL SPEECH FOR REAL PEOPLE
Today’s episode is adapted from one of our lessons in the Shape, Write, Sell Your Novel course. This course will work with middle grade and YA novels as well as adult novels. You can check out more details at https://www.instituteforwriters.com/courses/ifws-advanced-novel-writing-course/
Dialogue is an essential component of creating distinct character voice, but of all aspects of writing, dialogue gives novice writers the biggest challenges. Once you understand what good dialogue is and train yourself to listen for it, you’ll find it’s one of the most enjoyable things to write.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH JAMIE K. SCHMIDT
Today’s guest expert is USA Today Bestselling romance novelist Jamie K. Schmidt, who also blogs for us on occasion. Jamie writes contemporary love stories and paranormal romances including the bestselling romantic comedy Life's a Beach and her 2018 RITA award finalist Stud.
We talk about:
• Writer burnout
• Hybrid authors explained
• Difference between YA romance novels and adult.
• Recommendations for someone who is interested in writing romance
Check out our amazing self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
8 STEPS TO PERFECT DIALOGUE FORMAT
Formatting dialogue in any manuscript can be perplexing. This rebroadcast of a popular episode has 8 guidelines to make your dialogue the best it can be.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
HOW STRUCTURED IS YOUR PICTURE BOOK?
One of the major problems editors encounter when reading picture book submissions is the lack of plot, or even purposeful organization. Today’s podcast is inspired by something Jan Fields did for us: a primer on picture book structure and how choosing a structure can help you make plot decisions.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
BECOME YOUR OWN EDITOR
Today’s episode is an excerpt from our Writing for Children and Teens course at the Institute of Children’s Literature. The course consists of 10 assignments designed to help you develop submission-ready work by the time you complete your course. You get the benefit of one-on-one instruction and critiques throughout the process. It’s a course like no other. Learn more at writingforchildren.com/course.
It may be that you’re a whiz who’s able to produce error-free prose without even thinking about it. But if you’re like most people—including many professional writers—you have at least a few failings when it comes to punctuation, grammar, usage, and spelling. Today, we thought it might be helpful to include a list here of the most common errors made by new writers —and how to fix them. We’ve mentioned some of these on the podcast before, but these errors are so common, that a little reminder is good for everyone.
COMMA LONG WITH ME
I admit I love punctuation. I love all the little rules surrounding periods, commas, and quotation marks. Maybe it’s because my mom was a professional editor, maybe it’s the added structure punctuation gives to a piece. A lot of times it’s because it makes communication more clear––we’ve all heard the following sentence with and without a comma in the right spot: “Let’s eat, Grandpa!” and “Let’s eat Grandpa!” Whatever it is, punctuation makes me happy. Let's dig into this punctuation primer.
Special thanks to Rita Reali for contributing to this episode.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH EDITOR PAULA MORROW
Although Paula Morrow has written more than 70 books and hundreds of magazine pieces (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry), she considers her main talent to be editing. Paula honed her skill editing for fifteen years with Cricket Magazine Group and Cricket Books, then with several book, magazine, and educational publishers. Most recently she edited at Highlights. Paula is the judge for the ICL Nonfiction STEAM Article contest.
We talk about:
- What STEAM is, why it's important, and how it differs from other nonfiction writing.
- What she will be looking for in ICL STEAM contest entries
- What is structure
- How structure differs between genres, between books and magazine stories, and between age levels
- Why a writer should never use more than one exclamation mark at a time
- An editor’s pet peeves
- Good examples and/or good sources
- And lots more!
The ICL Nonfiction STEAM Contest is open until August 31, 2020. Find out more at http://writingforchildren.com/steam.
BASIC STORY ELEMENTS
Today, we’re discussing three basic story elements: characters, setting, and theme. Learn how they all work together to help you tell a complete story in this rebroadcast of a popular episode.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERJECTING HUMOR INTO YOUR WORK
We constantly hear that agents and editors are looking for humor. If they don’t say “humor” outright, we hear it in words like “quirky” and “whimsical.” So how do you bring humor to your own work? Let’s look at a few different ways and thanks to Andrea Collier for contributing to this episode.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
HOW TO WRITE FUNNY
Is laughter really the best medicine?
I don't know, but I do suspect that laughter is a great way to get published. If you spend much time listening to acquiring editors or librarians or agents, you'll soon discover that humor is very much something they desire. Kids love books that make them laugh. Humans, in general, appreciate humor, even in the darkest times.
Unrelenting horror or pain is hard to survive, so being able to step outside it, even a little, to laugh can be life-saving. And readers will appreciate a story that allows them to do that. But for an author to find the way to do that takes a little understanding of how humor works. In this episode, let's talk about how to write funny.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
PLAYING FAIR WITH PLOT
Good stories have lots of moving parts. Inspired by an article from our own Jan Fields, this episode challenges us to get all the parts to come together in a way that works. Many writers understand that a good plot requires giving your main character something to want or need, and that the character then needs to do stuff. A story without action of any kind isn't much of a story and most writers get that pretty early in the process of learning to write fiction. And we also realize early on that a good story eventually fulfills the want or need for the main character. But there's a bit more to it than that, and one additional element is that you must play fair with the reader. Let’s look at what that means.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH NANCY COFFELT
Author/illustrator Nancy Coffelt began her career as a fine artist, but when she found that the titles of her whimsical works were getting longer and longer AND longer, she dove into picture books.
Her first book, Goodnight Sigmund was published by Harcourt in 1992. Since then Nancy has produced a steady stream of published works including the picture books Dogs in Space, Big, Bigger, Biggest, Fred Stays with Me!, Catch That Baby! and Aunt Ant Leaves through the Leaves. In addition to working with educational, small houses and foreign publishers, Nancy has worked with several big houses including Houghton Mifflin, Scholastic, Chronicle, Little Brown, Holiday House, Henry Holt, Simon & Schuster, and Highlights.
Nancy Coffelt has taught writing to fellow word nerds ages 6 to adult since 1992. Her teaching style has been described as “thoughtful,” “motivating,” and “inspiring.”
In our conversation about humor, we talk about:
- If different genres are easier to write funny
- How to create surprise for humor
- Monty Python
- How to bring heart into humor
- If you can you write funny when you’re not funny?
- The unexpected in humor
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
PACING 101
You hear the word all the time from teachers, critiquers, and editors. “Nice brisk pace.” “Kind of slow, pick up the pace”. “I like it, but the pace is a bit slow in the middle.” So what the heck is pace and how do we make that slow middle faster or create that brisk pace in the first place? Today, I share a fantastic article on pacing from my old friend Mary Rosenblum.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
VOICE
You may feel like you are struggling to find it. The first step in succeeding is realizing that it isn’t as far away as you might think. “Relax. Know that you already have a distinctive voice,” says author Kristi Holl. “Your voice is the product of your personality and your life experiences, both good and not so good.” The trick is to set this voice free in your writing and consistently sound like yourself—not your favorite author, critique buddy, or high school English teacher. Let's dig in on voice in today's episode based on an article from Sue Bradford Edwards.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY WITH PLOT
Today we’re continuing our conversation around plot. Our IFW blogger Jamie K. Schmidt contributed to a great article on plotting. Every good story, whether picture book, middle grade, YA, or adult, needs an excellent plot to get your manuscript past the slush pile. If you’re starting a new book, it’s helpful to have a plot outline in front of you when you’re stuck as to what to write next. When you’re revising, it can be helpful to pull out a plot outline to make sure your manuscript is hitting all the right beats.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH WANDA BRUNSTETTER
Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 11 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.
We talk about:
- Wanda starting her writing career as an ICL student!
- What were the best lessons she learned at the start of her career?
- Creating outlines and happens when you veer from your outline.
- What she puts in detailed character sketch
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH EMMA DRYDEN
Over the course of her twenty-five year career (including as Vice President and Publisher of imprints at Simon & Schuster), Emma D. Dryden has edited nearly 500 books for children and young readers, ranging in format from board books and picture books to poetry, novelty books, non-fiction, middle grade fiction, and young adult/teen fiction and fantasy. As a publisher, Emma oversaw the annual publication of over 100 hardcover and paperback titles, many going on to win prestigious awards in the publishing industry.
We discuss:
- What’s the best way to help your reader feel like they’re in your world without “telling” and creating prolonged descriptions?
- How to use the weather to tell you story and build your world. – what if it rains? Are you in a desert?
- What are key pieces of the world to never forget?
- High fantasy tends to be created from the top down
- And more!
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
SETTING AS A CHARACTER
Today’s episode comes from Jamie K. Schmidt, a regular blogger for us on the IFW Blog focusing on writing for adults. We’re talking about stories where the setting is a character itself. In books where worldbuilding plays a factor, the setting can often feel like a character— someone we’re getting to know and someone who is integral to the action in the story. We’ll have many examples from classic adult books. Their familiarity makes it easier to grasp the concept but we’ll also add some more recent kidlit examples for you to explore as well. Let’s get started.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
200th EPISODE GIVEAWAY
To celebrate, we're giving away over $1,000 worth of prizes! Head to writingforchildren.com/200 to enter before 5/24/20 and you could win our Revision Power Course!
When you’re about to begin revising a piece of writing, it can seem so daunting you may be tempted to bury the darn thing at the bottom of your sweater drawer, then go hide somewhere (say, at the beach) for a few weeks. But, you’re listening to this podcast, so you’re in luck! Author and IFW Guest Blogger Rita Reali is also a freelance editor and today we bring you her advice on why you should get fresh eyes on your manuscript once you’re ready to revise.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE N. HOLMBERG
Charlie N. Holmberg is the author of the Numina series and the Wall Street Journal bestselling Paper Magician series, which has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company.
We talk about building worlds through:
- Senses
- Clothing
- Language
- And how language can support the world
- Plus, how to help your reader feel like they’re in your world without “telling” and creating prolonged descriptions?
- And lots more!
ELEMENTS OF SETTING
If you’re going to build a whole new world in your story, you have got to get the setting right. Today’s episode explores the elements of setting with contributions from Jan Fields.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
POETRY FOR THE VERY YOUNG
Poetry for very young children has a lot in common with poetry for older readers. It’s built word by word, as poetry has no room for extraneous words. It sounds good to the ear. It gives the reader a different way to look at the world by drawing attention very closely to something. Still, when writing for the very young, some things must be kept in mind.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
POETRY BASED REVISIONS
Today we bring you a special episode from our favorite lyrical wordsmith Renee LaTulippe. If you write for kids, you and Renee probably have a lot in common, including the same target audience, the same writing struggles, the same desire for publication, and probably similar writing processes. Like poetry, picture books are meant to be read aloud, which means you need to create engaging language that transports children into a world of imagination. And, like poetry, you have to do it in as few words as possible.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
HOW NOT TO GET REJECTED
Perhaps the most common question from new picture book authors is, “Why do agents and editors say they hate rhyme when so many rhyming picture books get published each year?” These authors aptly observe that kids love rhyming books, many of them are bestsellers, and Dr. Seuss’s books still sell millions of copies. Here’s the truth. Agents and editors don’t hate rhyme. They hate poorly written rhyme. Inspired by an article from 12 x 12 Writing Challenge Founder Julie Hedlund, let's talk about strategies for developing well-written rhyme.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH PATRICE VECCHIONE
Poet, nonfiction writer, and teacher PATRICE VECCHIONE has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including, most recently, Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience, winner of a Cybil Award.
We talk about:
- Finding Yourself on Paper
- Who Said You Couldn’t Say That?
- Ways to get yourself writing poetry.
- Lots more
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CAMPBELL BARTOLETTI
Newbery Award Winner Susan Campbell Bartoletti is a nonfiction superstar author. Her books include Terrible Typhoid Mary and Hitler Youth. She took one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, Hitler Youth, and fleshed it out into the thought-provoking nonfiction novel The Boy Who Dared. Talk about getting more bang for your research buck. In today's rebroadcast, we discuss:
- What are some research pitfalls?
- How does one locate and use primary sources?
- How can an interview with an expert make nonfiction come to life?
- Are there resources you always trust and those you never do?
- And more!
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE: TRY NONFICTION
For most people considering children's writing for a career (or even for a hobby), the type of writing that comes to mind is fiction. For many of us, the picture books we loved most were fiction. The novels we read in our spare time are fiction. So we think about writing as a place to tell stories. And it certainly can be, but if you're serious about building a career in writing, it's worthwhile to give at least some thought to nonfiction. And as soon as you're thinking nonfiction, you have to come up with an idea.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
TRUTH, OPINION, AND 4 WAYS TO LEARN TO LOVE NONFICTION
Many writers view nonfiction as less: less creative than fiction, less fun than fiction, less interesting to kids than fiction, and definitely something they want to do less often. Some will accept the possibility of writing a little nonfiction to break into publishing, but do not like the dea of doing it steadily. For many, they want to do the important work of fiction.
But nonfiction is important. Especially now. Kids love nonfiction, and many young readers prefer it over fiction. Nonfiction is an important teaching tool in support of school curriculum. And nonfiction can offer children something that can help them long after the book is closed: an appreciation of the value of well-researched, accurate facts.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH ELENA FAVILLI
Elena Favilli is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Girls, the cultural media engine working to empower girls and women all over the world. She has worked for Colors Magazine, McSweeney's, RAI, Il Post, and La Repubblica, and managed digital newsrooms on both sides of the Atlantic. She holds a masters degree in semiotics from the University of Bologna and she studied digital journalism at UC Berkeley. Elena continues to spearhead Rebel Girls, as it dives into new mission-driven initiatives and projects.
WE TALK ABOUT…
- The recording-breaking Kickstarter campaign to fund the first Rebel Girls book.
- The journey of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls to selling over one million copies, and being translated into more than 47 languages.
- How the books are an alternative to the stereotypical portrayal of girls and women in fiction.
- Being banned by the Turkish government.
- What happens when you include divisive figures, particularly subjects who are alive.
Need help with your revisions? Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH TALIA BENAMY
Talia Benamy is an associate editor at Philomel Books (an imprint of Penguin Young Readers), where she focuses on everything from picture books to middle grade and young adult novels. She has worked on books by Chelsea Clinton, Sonia Sotomayor, Temple Grandin, Jane Yolen, Abigail Harrison, Lisa Graff, Ruta Sepetys, Dev Petty, Sarah Brannen, and Terry Border. She sees books as having the amazing power to shape kids’ worldviews, and looks for manuscripts that have the potential to do just that.
We talk about:
• What exactly does an associate editor do?
• How does the process of using a reader help you go through the slush pile?
• How do you determine if a piece of writing is good?
• What are common mistakes you see in submissions?
• What makes you reject a manuscript almost immediately?
Need help with your revisions? Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
MISUNDERSTOOD VERBS
When you’re polishing and perfecting your work, one big thing to pay attention to is your verbs. Inspired by an article from Jan Fields, we’re going to come to a greater understanding of these action words.
Verbs are the powerhouse of the sentence. Because of that, understanding how verbs work will help you tremendously in the revision process. It's only by knowing what verbs are all about that you can make them do their tricks. So with that in mind, let's look at some of the most misunderstood verbs.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
10 THINGS THAT MAKE EDITORS CRINGE
Nobody wants to make an editor (or anyone) cringe when they read your manuscript. Inspired by a post from Jamie K. Schmidt, we’re covering 10 things that make editors cringe and tips to avoid them. Be sure to head to writingforchildren.com/187 to download the show notes because many of these tips will be easier to see in writing.
Everybody knows to use spellcheck or Grammarly when going over their writing. However, some mistakes aren’t generally caught by these two programs. And if you want to stop an editor’s eyes from rolling to the back of her head, you should check your writing for these errors.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA LONEY
At the end of January, the American Library Association announced their annual awards. DOUBLE BASS BLUES illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez and written by Andrea J. Loney was named a Caldecott Honor Book! Andrea was our guest last year, so in honor of her book's big win, we're rebroadcasting her interview with some bonus audio as she shares her tips for getting from unstuck to success.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
NEWBERY MEDALIST JERRY CRAFT
This week, the American Library Association honored Jerry Craft with the Newbery Medal for his graphic novel NEW KID! To celebrate the first graphic novel to ever receive the Newbery, we're rebroadcasting our interview with Jerry from last year where he talked about his inspiration for the book and how he used real-life experiences to give authenticity to the story.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
A CHILDLIKE VOICE
Kids are far more discerning than many writers suspect. They know a "fake kid" when they hear one, so your dialogue must feel like real words spoken by a real kid. At the same time, it cannot include all the affectations (um, so like, um, what?) that might be part of real speech but would drag the story down. So how do you learn how to write real dialogue? Glad you asked. Here is a three-step process that will help you transform your dialogue.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
COMBATING THE BORING SPEECH TAG
Dialogue is the favorite part of story writing for many authors. In dialogue writing, the author is able to give voice to the people the author created. Tag we're going to dig into the bits that tag along with the dialogue: speech tags and narrative action. How important is that? And how varied? We'll be reading through examples so be sure to download this week's show notes at writingforchildren.com/183 so you can see the examples as you apply these techniques to your own work.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
INTERVIEW WITH KATE DICAMILLO
Kate DiCamillo's writing journey has been a truly remarkable one. She grew up in Florida and moved to Minnesota in her twenties, when homesickness and a bitter winter led her to write Because of Winn-Dixie—her first published novel, which became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. Since then, she has been a National Book Award finalist, won two Newbery Medals and was named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She now has almost 30 million books in print worldwide.
In this interview, we dig into Kate's newest book Beverly, Right Here and talk about characterization through dialogue, including:
- Do you think about showing v. telling while you’re writing, or do you naturally fall into it?
- What do you find most challenging about writing dialogue?
- Has your dialogue changed in your protagonists over the years?
- Is it hard to switch between writing dialogue for kids, teens, and adults?
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
REVISION: DON'T GO IT ALONE
When you’re about to begin revising a piece of writing, it can seem so daunting. So, today we bring you a rebroadcast of advice from author and IFW Guest Blogger Rita Reali. Rita's a freelance editor with advice on the importance of getting fresh eyes on your work before you revise.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
RENÉE LATULIPPE
Enjoy your holidays with a rebroadcast of our popular episode with Renée LaTulippe sharing how to use poetic techniques in your revision for a manuscript that truly sings.
Want to check our new self-led course, Revision Power? Go to writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
FAILURE IS PROOF OF EFFORT
As the end of the year creeps ever closer, it can be a good time to take stock of how your writing life is going, as long as you do that examination wisely. Having a successful writing life can seem impossible sometimes, especially if we look predominantly at the times we've tried something without success. Virtually every writer has stories that didn't work, books that didn't sell, and efforts that didn't bear fruit. Let's look at those efforts in a different way today.
Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
5 TIPS TO REV UP YOUR OPENING
When a reader picks up your book, you don't want them to put it down. Here are five tips for energizing your opening sequence and pulling in your reader.
Want to check our new self-led course, Revision Power? Go to writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
BROWBEATEN INTO SUBMISSION
Sometimes, the most well-meaning folks can do the greatest harm to an aspiring writer. For a writer, there can be a lot of pressure to get published or prove you can get published. Our friend and frequent blogger, Rita Reali shares some of her story with us today.
Want to come to our amazing Revision Power webinar? Sign up at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
BREAK INTO PUBLISHING
Writing is a noble proposition, in and of itself. Published writing is something else entirely. And paid published writing—whoa, Nellie, that’s just glorious! In order to get published, though, you need to put yourself “out there” in the world, and get your writing in front of people who are in charge of accepting items for publication … preferably in places that will pay you for your work. Inspired by an article from Rita Reali, let’s look at different ways to break into publishing today.
Want to come to our amazing Revision Power webinar? Sign up at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
6 STEPS TO SUBMISSION SUCCESS
These days a vast majority of publishers and agents accept submissions online, whether through email or a website form. There are a few holdouts, but these days it sounds strange to hear anyone say they don't take digital submissions. This means we all need to learn how to put our best foot forward in online submissions. Adapted from an article by Jan Fields, here are six steps to submission success.
Want to come to our amazing Revision Power webinar? Sign up at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower
ASSEMBLING YOUR SUBMISSION PACKAGE
When it comes to becoming a published writer, queries are quintessential. They represent the bridge from your creative endeavors to becoming a professional. Sure, some submissions require cover letters or website forms, but every writer must conquer the query above all. And the query is a key part of a writer’s platform. This episode will look at queries, cover letters, and the other elements that make up submission packages.
Get the ICL Submission Prep Package FREE:
http://writingforchildren.com/submissionprep
INTERVIEW WITH EMMA WALTON HAMILTON
Emma Walton Hamilton is a best-selling children’s book author, editor, and writing coach. With her mother, actress/author Julie Andrews, Emma has co-authored over thirty children’s books, nine of which have been on the NY Times Bestseller list, including The Very Fairy Princessseries. She is Director of the Children’s Lit Fellows program at Stony Brook University. She served as the Editorial Director for the Julie Andrews Collection imprint at Harper Collins for six years. So, she's seen submissions from both sides of the desk.
We talk about:
• What are common mistakes new writers make when submitting?
• How do you find the right place to submit to?
• Do all writers need an agent?
• How do you get an agent?
• Do any houses accept unsolicited at this point?
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
BORROWING THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED
Whether you write what you know or delve into subjects that intrigue but are new to you, editors want primary sources. For some subject areas, such as history, this means locating, letters, journals, maps, and other contemporary documents. For science and other academic topics, writers can turn to research studies and professional journals. For almost any topic, expert sources are among the strongest of all. Experts can expand on material located in journals, settle controversies, and give you access to the latest information in their field.
Despite this, many writers avoid contacting experts. Let's get you past that fear today.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
EVALUATING YOUR SOURCES
Today’s episode comes from the IFW book Searching: A Research Guide for Writers, now available in our bookstore. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, research is an important piece of having an authentic article or manuscript that connects with editors and readers. In this episode, we’re talking about how to evaluate the information you find in your research for credibility and reliability.
Questions to Ask
Never accept a web page at face value; always evaluate the information. Here’s a checklist of basic things to consider:
• Who is the author? What credentials does this person or organization have?
• What is the purpose of the website or publication? Is it intended to inform, inspire, entertain, or persuade? What is the historical context of the information?
• How comprehensive is the coverage? Is it an overview or does it delve deeply into your topic?
• Is the source impartial or does it emphasize paid links?
For more questions to ask about your source, listen to the full episode
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
FINDING MARKETS FOR YOUR WRITING
Businesses and industries consider market research a wise investment. They don’t waste time and money trying to sell air conditioners in Alaska, fur coats in the tropics, or prime beef to vegetarians. Successful writers, too, must learn to be market-wise about their creative products.
You wouldn’t have to do much market research to see that an article on retirement living would be a poor choice for Humpty Dumpty Magazine or Highlights for Children. But other market choices are not that obvious. Suppose you’ve written a great sports story for readers in the 8-12 age bracket. Which of those two magazines would be an appropriate market for it? A professional writer would know instantly. In this episode, we talk about how to find the best markets for your work.
The 2020 Market Guides are now available in the ICL Bookstore. Get up-to-date information on hundreds of publishers and agents.
www.writingforchildren.com/bookstore
INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CAMPBELL BARTOLETTI
Susan Campbell Bartoletti is the author of picture books, novels, and nonfiction for children, including the Newbery Honor book Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow, the Sibert Medal-winning Black Potatoes, and Dear America: A Coal Miner's Bride. Her work has received dozens of awards and honors, including the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Nonfiction, the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction, and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award.
We discuss:
- Research pitfalls and how to avoid them
- First steps writers just starting out
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
RESHAPING YOUR STORY PART 2
Last week, we started talking about how to assess your story’s structure, specifically its beginning. You can find that episode at writingforchildren.com/167. Today, we’re focusing on managing the middle of your story and getting to the tidy, yet satisfying, ending.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
RESHAPING YOUR STORY PART 1
You’ve finished a draft (or several drafts) of a story you’re excited about. You set it aside to cool for several days, then reread it. While you’re still pleased with the story, you have to admit it needs more work—not just polishing, but re-engineering for better pace, suspense, and focus. If you’re like most writers, you may also find it’s run considerably over the word length you were aiming for, an important consideration if you’re planning to submit the story to editors. Today we talk about where to begin reshaping your story.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
DON'T REVISE BY YOURSELF
When you’re about to begin revising a piece of writing, it can seem so daunting you may be tempted to bury the darn thing at the bottom of your sweater drawer, then go hide somewhere (say, at the beach) for a few weeks.
But, you’re listening to this podcast, so you’re in luck! Author and IFW Guest Blogger Rita Reali is also a freelance editor and today we bring you her advice on why you should get fresh eyes on your manuscript once you’re ready to revise.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
INTERVIEW WITH RENEE LATULIPPE
Renée M. LaTulippe has poems published in many anthologies including School People (ed. Lee Bennett Hopkins), and National Geographic's The Poetry of US and Book of Nature Poetry (both ed. J. Patrick Lewis) to name a few. Renée developed and teaches the online course The Lyrical Language Lab: Punching Up Prose with Poetry and blogs on children’s poetry at NoWaterRiver.com.
We talk about:
• What are common mistakes new writers make?
• How do you eliminate too much description but still give readers the flavor of your character and setting?
• Should all writers study poetry or just writers writing in rhyme?
• Favorite revision tips?
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
GUEST EXPERT PASCALE DUGUAY
Pascale Duguay is a freelance writer, French/English translator, and high school librarian. Her freelance writing includes articles on books, writing, personal essays, children's short stories, games, activities, and more. We talk about:
- The biggest differences between writing for magazines and writing for books
- How much research you need to do before querying a magazine
- How to take advantage of editorial calendars
- And more!
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING TO GO TO A WRITING CONFERENCE PART 2
In last week's episode, we talked about how to choose the conference you want to go to. This week, we'll touch on what to expect when you get there, what to wear, what to take, and what not to do.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A WRITING CONFERENCE PART 1
Many people sign up for writing conferences hoping they’ll send a manuscript home with an editor, or even better, be offered a contract right there at the conference. Has that ever happened at a conference? Probably. But you’re much more likely to come home with a cold than a contract. Does this mean writing conferences aren’t worth your time and money? Not at all. It does mean that you need to know what you can expect to gain from a conference so you can prepare for all it has to offer.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
PROTECTING YOUR REPUTATION
Whether we like it or not, social media is a part of our current culture. Just like most things in life, social media can have amazing benefits for writers. There are authors whose books were first pitched on Twitter and liked by an editor which led to a book deal. Who knows how many critique groups have formed in writing groups on Facebook. And, of course, let’s not leave out the ability to market your book yourself through your social media channels. The world has opened up for writers in a big way over the last 10-15 years. Today we're going to talk about the downside and how to protect yourself and your reputation.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
GUEST EXPERT DAVID KATZ
The producer of the Kauai Writers Conference gives tips for attending conferences and the benefits writers get by involved in face-to-face sessions with authors, agents, and editors.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
34 THINGS YOU NEED FOR YOUR WEBSITE PART 2
In last week's episode, we talked about the first 17 things you need for your author websites. Part 2 brings us the next 17 things including social media, your about page, SEO, and more!
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
34 THINGS YOU NEED FOR YOUR WEBSITE PART 1
Author websites are important in 21st century publishing. Consider your website your business card to the world. So, what should be on your website? Listen to the podcast to get started.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
CREATE YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM
What IS a platform? It’s your visibility. The wider your reach, the more books you can sell. What you do with your platform is try to reach (in an authentic way) your target audience.
It’s all about connecting—with people on a real level and because of your reach, you are able to sell books. It’s not about being in people’s faces and hollering about buying your book.
So, who needs a platform and where do you begin? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
INTERVIEW WITH JOSH FUNK
Josh Funk writes silly stories and somehow tricks people into publishing them as books—such as the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series and How to Code a Sandcastle. Josh is also known for his expertise in social media, building an author platform before he was published, and connecting with the writing (and reading) community.
We discuss:
- where to find Josh online.
- how he built his author platform.
- what he finds most effective.
- why you need a platform before you have a published book.
- what to put on your website if you don't have a book published yet!
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
MEMOIR OR BIOGRAPHY?
One of the most common ways to take real life experiences and turn them into stories or books is to tell the stories of our own life. In this episode, we talk about the difference between a memoir and an autobiography and how to decide which one might be best for telling the story you want to tell.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
BEING INSPIRED BY EVERYDAY OBJECTS
It's human nature to become attached to things. We connect specific memories to objects: when we received it, who we received it from, how we've used it. Also, objects are wonderfully concrete and specific, we feel the weight of them in our hands and see the effects of age on the object. As a result, objects can also make wonderful story and poetry starters.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
CREATING CHARACTERS INSPIRED BY REAL LIFE
One way to find great characters is to look in the world around you. This seems relatively simple but may actually be harder than it sounds. Why? Because the key to creating vivid characters is writing them objectively and letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
What does it mean to be objective when writing about your characters? In this episode, we work through an ICL exercise to help you see the world, and the characters in it, more objectively.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
AN INTERVIEW WITH JERRY CRAFT
JERRY CRAFT is an author and illustrator who has worked on numerous picture books, graphic novels, and middle grade novels. His newest book, New Kid, is a middle grade graphic novel that has earned four starred reviews, including one from Booklist Magazine that called it "Possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year."
We talk about:
- How turning your real life experiences into fiction is different than writing straight to fiction.
- How to take real life moments and turn them into fiction.
- How not to make it just a retelling of real life.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
POINT OF VIEW AS A TOOL
This and last week’s podcast is based on an article written by author and former ICL instructor Chris Eboch which touches on engaging your reader and gives some strong examples. In our episode 150, we talked about using vivid nouns and verbs instead of vague description to engage your reader in your story. In part two, we’re delving into using point of view for the purposes of showing.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
CONVEY THE WORLD OF YOUR STORY
An important part of setting the stage for your story is to convey the world of your story in a way that engages the reader and doesn’t just dump a bunch of facts in their lap. I recently read an article written by author and former ICL instructor Chris Eboch that touches on this point with some strong examples. It’s so good, we’ll be talking about it for two weeks. Let’s get started with part one.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS SOMETHING TO DO
Summed up to its essential core, a plot is the result of applying pressure to a character to the degree that the character must act in reaction to the pressure. The pressure you apply and the reaction to it will be directly tied to the character you’ve created. An impulsive, brave, active child will take very little pressure to be pushed into an adventure, but an “easy” plot like that is rarely very satisfying for the reader. Let's talk about ways to up the pressure and keep your readers engaged.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
HOW TO EVOKE DETAIL IN YOUR WRITING
Today we’re talking about the art of description. This episode is inspired by Assignment 3 in the Writing for Children and Teens course. We’re going to focus on evoking in detail a particular place you remember from your childhood. That word “detail” is important, because, if you think about it, specifics are what bring a subject to life on the page—and the elements that make for interesting reading.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
AN INTERVIEW WITH EMMA D. DRYDEN
Emma D. Dryden founded drydenbks LLC (www.drydenbks.com), a premiere children’s editorial & publishing consultancy firm, after 25 years experience as editor and publisher of Margaret K. McElderry Books and Atheneum Books for Young Readers, imprints of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. We are thrilled to bring you her expertise on setting and world building in this month's interview.
We talk about:
- The best way to help your reader feel like they’re in your world without “telling” and creating prolonged descriptions.
- Great metaphors for emotions (and a way to show not tell).
- How to avoid cliched characters.
- What to do when readers tell you they’re not believing your character.
- The biggest mistakes Emma often sees when people are trying to set the stage.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
PROCRASTINATION IS A SELF-FULFILLING CYCLE
When we first took over the Institute for Writers, I wanted to help our community of writers—our students—so I polled them and asked, "What do you think the top two reasons are for not starting (or continuing) your book?"
I thought the big answer would be "getting an agent" or “lack of publishing knowledge”, or something like that. The top answer by far was procrastination. Procrastination can grab hold and become a habit. It can allow you to play mind games with yourself.
So, let's talk about nine ways you can keep yourself from getting stuck in your writing.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock
WRITING OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Today, publishing is a massive world of opportunity with options far beyond what we tend to consider. Some writers maintain a narrow view of publishing throughout their career. For instance, I know a few self-published fantasy writers who wouldn't consider any other genre or any other mode of being published. They've found their place, and they love it. So living within a small slice of the vastness of publishing might be perfect for you. On the other hand, if you feel like you've been running your head against the wall as you look for success, it could be that your view has been too narrow. You might be trying to fit into a niche that doesn't work well for you simply because you haven't considered the other options.
Get a FREE peek into Writers' Block here: http://instituteforwriters.com/freewritersblock