All the Noise, Noise, Noise, Noise*

I like to write in the study during the day when it’s peaceful and quiet.  Most of the time, I’m surrounded by silence.  The only sound is the clicking of my fingers on the keyboard or the purring of Ozzie, our cat.  Throughout the day there may be a few noises—the ticking of a clock or the humming of the clothes dryer.  But these sounds don’t interfere with my writing.  It’s the outside noises that put my writing to the test.    

For every season there is a noise.  During the fall, leaf blowers blast leaves into piles. In winter, snow plows rumble down the street.  When spring arrives, spray-cleaners drone on and on, driving dirt from decks and house siding.  Throughout the summer, lawn mowers roar and children scream.  

So you say, lighten up.  You're too sensitive.  Deal with it!

But noise distracts me.  My brain stops working.  My fingers freeze.  My muse packs up, taking inspiration and ideas along with her.  There’s no other choice.  I’ve got to stop writing until the outside world calms down.

I long for peace and quiet, but the fact is I can’t change my neighbors’ habits.   Noise happens.  (I just wish it didn’t happen while I write).  Meanwhile, my picture book manuscript stares at me.  I can almost hear it whisper, “Come back.”     

But it's useless.  I consider turning off the computer.  Maybe writing isn’t for me.  With a sigh of resignation, I gaze out the window at kids riding bikes up and down the sidewalk.  Then, I glance around the study and look upward.  The ceiling fan catches my eye.  The study is stuffy, so with a flick of a switch I turn it on.  

Suddenly, the fan begins to drown out the noise.  A gentle calmness washes over me.  I am able to return to my manuscript, to the sentences that need revising.  The words are powerful.  Like magic, they cast spell over me, and I am writing because writing IS for me.  My fingers click on the keyboard, Ozzie purrs, and the outside noises get dim and slowly fade away.

Check out Ozzie's cute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvQ5cCVQPw&t=5s

* How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess

All the Noise, Noise, Noise, Noise previously published in the Creativity Connection, 2005.

Get to Know KIT

Most of my followers know that I’m the editor of Kid’s Imagination Train.  I am fortunate to have people on the staff who understand the vision and value of KIT.  

Book reviewer Donna Smith, voiceover talent Sharon Blumberg, and illustrator Shelley Dieterich donate their talents to produce Kid's Imagination Train. Regina Montana recently joined the staff as our marketing promoter. Because Shelley and Donna will be pursuing other interests next year, Anjali Amit will become our new book reviewer and illustrator Denise Woodward will be creating art for KIT.

KIT began as a blog in 2013.  Oh my goodness, how we have grown!  In a couple of years we earned a little income to purchase a domain.  Not long after, we found Youblisher, a website which generates free page-turning flipbooks.  We also have an audio page where children may listen to their favorite features. 

There are two reasons why Kid’s Imagination Train was created:  one, to give writers a place to get published since the children’s magazine market was shrinking, and two, to inspire children to learn by giving them the opportunity to illustrate a story or an article and have their pictures published online.  Over four years, KIT has given children educational and entertaining features which can be read in the classroom or at home.  It has also given writers a way to build their bios.

KIT is a free online magazine.  It's a small publication that is funded through donations and advertising.  

Since the inception of our little magazine, no one on our staff earns a salary.  Not many people are willing to work for free for so long. I admire the talents of Shelley, Donna, and Sharon, and welcome Regina, Anjali, and Denise.  I'm so proud of our staff.  These special people are dedicated and believe in the value of KIT.   

Turning Down a Nice Submission

The other day I received a nice submission for KIT.  The author had a remarkable 

bibliography, so I could tell the article was well-researched.  But there were multiple 

reasons why this piece was turned down.  

• The manuscript was not formatted correctly and the contact information was missing.  Contact information must be present on the first page of a manuscript.  This is fairly standard for any magazine.  

• The word count exceeded our limit.  We state in our guidelines that we'd like articles to run about 500 words.  Kids are more engaged with shorter pieces.  Going fifty words over the limit is not egregious, but 200 words is simply too long. 

• The Flesh Kincaid readability tool measured the piece at seventh grade level.  The range of our audience is from first to six grade.  To achieve a readability score more suitable to KIT, writers can reduce the number of compound sentences, explain complex concepts in simple terms, and use grade-appropriate vocabulary. 

• The subject of the article was too mature for young readers.  This is where writers have to put themselves in the shoes of kids and figure out what they would like to read and know.  For instance, we believe an article that discusses animal reproduction is  not appropriate for our magazine.   

It's very possible if this writer had taken a look at our guidelines, a rejection could have been avoided.  

But, all is not lost for this writer.  In this case, we provided reasons for the rejection, not the typical "the piece is not a good fit for us."  And this writer has the opportunity to submit again.  KIT believes that every writer deserves a second chance.  We promote writers and encourage them to perfect their submissions.  It is our mission to help writers succeed in reaching their publication dreams.  

Don't be a Vampire

Children's Writer's World warmly welcomes a guest blog by Melissa Carrigee.

October is the month for vampires - the creatures that stalk you from the shadows and come to suck the life out of you, draining you.  Well in the writing world, vampires are around year-round.  

Have you ever had just a small success and the minute you do, you have people coming out from places you didn’t even know existed just to ask you questions like:  

Tell me EVERYTHING.

How did you get your book published?

Where do I go to get my work published?

Can I have your contact list?

Can you look over my manuscript and tell me what’s wrong?

Do you have an agent?  How did you get one?

And the list of questions goes on and on and on.

DON’T BE A VAMPIRE!

As a writer, you know how much work you put into it.  It’s a 24/7 job.  If you aren’t physically writing, you’re mentally writing and plotting.  And when you are not writing on paper or in your head, you are navigating the confusing waters of the publishing business.  

So now you have a writer who isn’t willing to do all that work – they want it all for free.  From you!  The writing world is one of the nicest communities there is.  We understand each other and share as much as we can…but there is a limit.  

Sure, I will tell you everything I’ve learned in the past 3 years working in the business, but you better buy a dang book from me or have something else to offer.  I know it sounds cruel and bitchy, but try to understand how it feels when people want to pick your brain.  Those people had not purchased a book and didn’t even intend to.

They wanted one thing – to suck an author dry.  That’s just bad etiquette.  If you ever want to talk to an author and you know it’s an in-depth conversation, for goodness sake, buy their book and ask them to autograph it and THEN ask your question.  Authors make so little off their book and hardly anything on conferences. We need to buy groceries too!

You can buy Melissa's exciting book here:
https://www.amazon.com/I-Dream-Dragons-Melissa-Carrigee/dp/0998893218/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510427845&sr=1-2&keywords=i+dream+of+dragons

Learn more about Melissa:  https://www.melissacarrigee.net/

Tips for School Visits

I am meeting new fans of Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell by doing school visits.  The young kids are great listeners and they ask thoughtful questions.  

Doing school visits is new for me, but with each visit, I learn more and more how to make it go smoothly.  

Kids and teachers LOVE authors.  Here are a few tips:    

• Google the directions to the school if you've never been there before. 
• Bring something to drink and ChapStick (you'll be doing a lot of talking)
• Show up a little early to use the bathroom or to go over your notes.  
• Sign in at office.
• Have a time schedule printed so you know where you're going throughout the morning.
• Wear a watch to check the time (it's less distracting than checking your phone).
• Silence your phone.
• Bring extra books and a pen for signing them.
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.  Often times school are warm, so wear layers.
• Read slowly and with expression.  
• If a class is rowdy, continue with your program. Pause to get their attention or read louder so they can hear you. 
• Ask the students questions before you read the book.  This will get them engaged.
• After the book is read, tell the students about the theme of the book, or the points you would like them to takeaway. 
• Have a hands-on activity or a game to play afterward. Young kids like guessing games. Older kids like word scramble puzzles or crossword puzzles.
• Hand out signed books and tell the students you can bring more if they would like to buy a copy.  
• Stick around and get your picture taken with the students.

Please Write a Review

Did you know book reviews directly influence the sale of books?  That's why it's so important to get reviews.  However, as an author, getting reviews are easier said than done.

I've asked friends, family, work acquaintances, classmates, picture book bloggers, and the list goes on and on.  

Many have taken the time to read Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell and post an Amazon review.  And for that, I'm sincerely honored and grateful. 

So, dear followers.  Please leave a comment or email Rlmrvos@gmail.com and request a free copy of Maggie.  One or two sentences is all you'd need to write. 

Some people are not sure what to say and that holds them back.  Have no fears.  It's easy:  write if you liked (or disliked) the story, the themes, or the illustrations.  Write about  the discussion guide or Charlie's story which appears at the end of the book.  Write if you think kids will like the book. 

It can't be stressed enough the value of reviews, and for this reason, this blog post will be published on The Maggie Project Blog, too.  This message bears repeating.

I urge you to reach out not only to me, but to other authors.  Write a review.  The instructions are easy and can be found here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201145120

Please know that your words are important.  Even a few words can make a huge difference.

Post-Publication Blues

When I gave birth to my daughter, I was lucky that I never got the postpartum blues.  But after the "birth" of my book, the post-publication book blues set in.

Everyone assumes that when you get a book published, life is grand. They think that now, for you, a publisher author, nothing will ever get you down again.

But that's not true.  After your book is published, a little depression may settle in.  For instance:

You may be wit's end trying to get reviews because reviews sell books. You might be trying to figure out new marketing schemes.  You may have to get out there in front of fans at book signings and on television even if you are an introvert (and most of us writers are introverts).

You may find that you can't give up wearing a thick skin (which you developed during those days of submitting and then getting rejections) when friends don't write you to congratulate you, when business managers won't return your phone calls and emails, when newspaper reporters fail to take interest.

You may be constantly thinking about sales, and if you're not, then someone will ask:  How many books have you sold?

So writers have a lot on their minds after the publication of a book and it's not always pretty. However, that's part of publication and we must learn to shrug off the blues because it can make us feel miserable when we should be rejoicing.

What can we do about these post-publication woes?  We can concentrate on the GOOD things that come with publication:

the positive reviews
the encouragement of a spouse
the throng of people coming to your book signing
a librarian who wants you to do a school visit
a child who wants your autograph
the conversations with friends who tell you your writing touched them in a profound way
flipping the pages of a book that was once merely a manuscript

We can't make the post-publication worries go away.  But we can choose to redirect our focus away from those worries.

When we can concentrate on the good things, we may find we have a lot to be thankful for.  And we may find that after publication...life can be grand.

Thinking Out of the Box for a Book Signing

What do I know about doing a book signing?  Not a whole lot.  So, I wanted to learn what makes a hugely successful author event.

I attended a handful of book signings to see how others actually went about it.  Quite simply, there was a table, the books, and a chair for the author. Maybe a poster of the book. Nothing more.

But I wanted more.

My book signing is scheduled for this coming Sunday.  I want it to attract people—not have them walk past table without picking up a book.  I've seen that happen to others, and it seemed painful.

So...I did some thinking out of the box.  What does that entail?

Pizzazz and puppies!  Since Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell is about a little girl and the rescue dog that changed her life, I've planned to have:

brightly-colored dog water bowls overflowing with bookmarks, magnets, and cookies
helium balloons with paw prints floating over the table
a doggy mug holding paw print pencils
a plush toy puppy that looks like Maggie's dog

For an extra cute-factor and special treat, Woodford Humane Society will be bringing puppies and kittens that are looking for forever homes.

And then, there's Charlie, my friend's rescue dog who will be making an appearance.  After all, he's the inspiration for the story!

This book signing has to be more than a table, a chair and some books.  It has to shout: Come on over and check out the book, the cool gifts, and the sweet animals.

As you've probably figured out, the planning has taken months.  But it's been a joyful process that required some thinking out of the box.  In a few days (Sept 24th to be exact!) we shall see.  I'm hoping pizzazz and puppies will make this book signing a huge success.

https://www.pinterest.com/kidsimagina0467/book-signing-ideas/

     

No One Ever Told Me

Dear Aspiring Writer,

No one ever told me that publishing a children's picture book would be hard work.  It took me completely by surprise.

Most writers know that everything about writing is challenging...

coming up with a story idea

the editing

crafting query letters

and submitting,

the jealousy that creeps in when you compare yourself to published writers,

the rejections.

If we are able to work through all of that and stay positive and determined, good things will happen. And before you know it, your book will get published and you'll be signing a contract. But when it happens...HOLD ON.  The roller coaster ride of even more hard work begins.

After signing with a publisher, you have to start thinking about how you are going to market your book.  If you publish with a mid-size publisher or a Big Five publisher, they will do a lot of the publicity for you.  Still, you'll need to market the book some.  And if you go with a small press like I have, you will have even more work to do because small presses don't have the resources to promote writers like the bigger publishing houses.

Sure, it seems glamorous to publish a book.  But there's a lot to be done after your book is released. That's why writers should think about marketing NOW, before you sign a contract. Begin to develop your platform.  Get on social media and join Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Develop a website. You'll be glad you did because you will be getting your name out there and creating a fan base.

Trying to figure this whole marketing thing out is daunting, but if you can take care of some of the work ahead of time, you won't feel so frenzied.  That way, many months before your book is released, you can spend time organizing book signings, designing bookmarks, sending out email blast announcements and doing other creative things needed to spread the word.

Marketing is amazingly time-consuming.  The nice thing is, you can google and research marketing a children's book to find out how others went about it.  Start thinking about what you can do now, so you won't be taken by surprise when it comes time to promote your work.

Sincerely yours,

Randi Lynn

Animal Characters

Have you ever used animals as the main characters in your stories?  If not—why not? Children love stories about animals.

If you don't know where to start, do Google search for "fascinating animals,"  You may find creatures worthy of starring in your stories.  That's how I found Cholla.  Cholla was a horse that could hold a brush in his mouth and paint pictures.  In fact, his owner entered one of his paintings in an international art contest and it won a prize.  My story  Cholla, the True Story of an Artsy Horse is based on a real horse and a true event.

Besides searching for unique animals online, you may run across some interesting creatures while you're traveling or on vacation.  Keep your eyes open and you may come across an interesting animal to write about.  Once when my husband and I were in New Orleans, we saw a dog do funny tricks for bystanders in Jackson Square.

Sometimes pets in your own neighborhood may inspire you.  We have a neighbor that owns a potbelly pig as a pet.  Our next-door neighbors have three chickens, two dogs and a cat. Raccoons and opossums have visited our patio.  A red-tailed hawk sometimes perches on our deck.

Perhaps a friend or a relative has an adorable or an unusual pet that you could use as basis for a new character.  A good friend of my rescued a lovable dog named Charlie (his gorgeous picture is to the right), and he is the inspiration for Maggie's dog in my upcoming book Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell.

You don't have to look far to find an animal that can be used as a character in one of your stories. Search the Internet for interesting animals.  Take a look in your own neighborhood. Write about a pet. Children will love a story about an amazing animal character.


For more on Maggie, check out:

www.themaggieproject.blogspot.com and www.randilynnmrvos.com

Wordy Picture Books

Have you written a picture book?  How long is it?  Does it run 700 to 1000 words?

The truth is, most publishers want books that are no longer than 500 - 600 words. There are exceptions to this rule and some publishers will accept longer work. Most however, are looking for shorter pieces.

Let's say you love your 900-word book.  Every last word.  But, if you want to get it published, you'll have to trim it down.  It sounds almost impossible, especially if you've got an intriguing beginning, a compelling middle, and a satisfying ending. Where would you even begin to cut? 

That's what I faced with my upcoming picture book Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell. Originally the story was 1000 words. After reading many kidlit blogs and working with an editorial consultant, I learned that a lengthy story might be hurting my publication chances.  So, 500 words had to go.  Yep, half of the story.  Yikes!

The hardest part was trying to figure out what was not essential to the story.  And the answer was:  a lot of scenes in the middle. These extra scenes were funny, but not they did not advance the plot. 

After choosing three scenes to delete, the piece actually felt lighter, no 500 words to bog down the story.  The pace was smoother, like a kid skipping along a sidewalk. I grew to love this shorter version even better than the original.

So where will you cut words?  Read your story out loud.  Then take a look at the middle of your story.  Do some scenes slow the pace?  Remove them and read the story again.  Does it flow faster and smoother?  If not, cut a few more places that seem to bog the piece down.  Read your story again.  Does it have page-turn ability? Excellent!  A 500-word manuscript could make all the difference in capturing the attention of a publisher.

Invaluable Advice

Children's Writer's World warmly welcomes a guest post by writer and blogger Jennifer Prevost.

I love it when my friends politely ask, “so how’s that whole writing thing going?” It means a lot that they check, even though I know they don’t ‘get it.’  They wouldn’t understand, but I think you will, even though I don’t have a whole lot to show for it... it’s going great! 

Let me start from the beginning.  One hot summer afternoon a story was born about a little boy named Nathan.  It was one of those moments of pure, energizing inspiration, and the official start to my kid lit journey.  

          For the first eight months, his story was written in rhyme.  In fact, all my early stories were.  Rhyme was the only option I gave myself.  My mantra was “I love rhyme; I can rhyme; I will rhyme,” despite all the signs pointing to the contrary and by signs, I mean, everything I read and two freelance editors advising against it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a better than average rhymer, but I was in over my head and I didn’t even know it.  Those months are by no means a waste, because I learned a tremendous amount, but I was stubborn. Finally, on April 20, sometime after I was lucky enough to cross paths with Randi, I found the courage to ask for her input.  Guess what she said? Drop the rhyme.  The difference was, I heard it.  I consider that day to be a game changer for me.  I did it, I dropped the rhyme, and forced myself headfirst into my scariest writing adventure to date... writing in prose. 

Since then, my writing has improved dramatically and I’ll be forever grateful for the nudge in the right direction.  Here’s the kicker, the real lesson in it wasn’t that I needed to write in prose.  The real lesson was that I needed to get away from what felt safe and familiar.  I needed the leap of faith that came with making that decision.  I hadn’t ever written in prose, and I didn’t even know if I could.  It was uncomfortable, awkward and difficult. 

Between the versions in rhyme, and my many drafts in prose, I’ve made every text book mistake that novice writers make.  I’ve earned myself rejection letters and a fair amount of creative conflict.  The good news? I can speak the language now.  I have a critique group and critique partners who are quickly becoming dear friends.  I have a few manuscripts that are (nearly) submission-ready.  When I started out, I didn’t have any experience or knowledge on writing picture books.  I do now.  One of the favorite parts of my writing adventure: being a member of the book launch team for Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell.  It’s a wonderful thing, getting to return the favor and celebrate Randi’s success. 

The moral of my story: If you feel yourself stuck in a writing rut, or find yourself hearing advice that feels repetitive, do yourself a favor and try something different.  Take a written leap of faith! There’s a good chance that a different path will hold opportunities you couldn’t have imagined for yourself.  You deserve that chance, and your story does, too. 

Jennifer Prevost is a wife, mom and picture book author of the pre-published variety.  For her entire life, she dreamed of seeing her words in print.  Like so many others, picture books are where she first fell in love with the reading. These days she dreams of creating stories that will help children discover the magic that exists within the pages of a book. Her blog, Magnolias & Manuscripts https://magnoliasandmanuscripts.wordpress.com/  provides an outlet for the energy and anticipation that come with chasing a dream and chronicles her journey (hopefully) all the way to published.