Resources for PB Writers

Today, Children's Writer's World brings writers of picture books some more great resources.  This list is reproduced from http://www./kidlit411.com/2014/01/picture-books.html#more   

For those of you just beginning to write for children, check out these websites for tips on creating a picture book.  For writers who have already written manuscripts, take a look at the resources before you submit to agents and editors.  

DEBBIE RIDPATH OHI'S FREE PICTURE BOOK TEMPLATES

7 WAYS TO STRUCTURE YOUR PICTURE BOOK

WRITING IS REWRITING

CHECKLIST FOR PICTURE BOOKS

SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A PICTURE BOOK?

6 TIPS ON WRITING PICTURE BOOKS (THAT MAY JUST WARM YOUR HEART)

THETEN COMMANDMENTS OF PICTURE BOOK WRITING 

HOW TO FORMAT YOUR PICTURE BOOK   


Children's Writer's World wishes you, your family, and friends a happy New Year!

The Story that You Love

Have you written a picture book story that you love?  Have you submitted it to agents, but it’s been rejected? I can’t begin to count all of the times that's happened to me.  And then...  

Over the summer I re-read a 1000-word picture book manuscript that I had written five years ago.  I loved this story, but it was rejected time after time.  I finally figured out that the piece was too long.  So 500 words were cut.  Afterward, the story was critiqued and revised and revised.  A compelling query letter was crafted and the much shorter story was submitted. About a month later a handful of agents rejected it, but a publisher sent me an exciting note.  She texted me that she liked the book!  I screamed and jumped up and down like a maniac.  She sent me a book contract, something I've been dreaming about and working toward for many, many years.

It's exciting to find someone who loves the book as much as I do.  So based on my experience, I'd like to offer picture book writers some tips to help you get your work published.  

1.  Put the manuscript that you love on hold for a couple of months.  In the meantime go online or to the library and read current picture books.  Find one that speaks to your heart.  Analyze it.  Is it the voice, the theme, or the character that draw you to the story  Use this book as inspiration or even as a model to guide you when it's time to revise your work.

2.  Return to the story that you've written (and love) and get ready to edit it.  Read your story out loud.  Do you stumble on some words?  Work on improving the flow.  Consider word choice.  Use a thesaurus to find words that are better fits.  

3.  Cut words.  Today, publishers want stories under 500 words.  You may feel that you will not be able to tell the whole story with fewer words, but lowering the word count will challenge you to tell a concise story. 

4.  Have a second reader have a look.  Consider the suggestions and revise.  Start writing the hook and the synopsis.  Believe me, this will help you find areas in your picture book that may need editing.    

How do you like the story now?  Even better, I’m sure.  Now re-write your query (no gimmicks, just a professional letter) and send it to agents especially open to picture books.  If you get emails from agents that say your story has potential or the project sounds interesting, you’re on the right track.  These positive comments are saying you’re getting closer to publication.  You’re getting closer to finding someone who will fall in love with your work.

10 Tips for Writing Nonfiction for Kids

There's no way around it—writing nonfiction for children is a challenging task.  It’s difficult trying to compose a piece that’s factual and entertaining.  Facts can be dry and boring. So, writers must find creative ways to keep children engaged.  

Here are some tips to help you succeed at writing nonfiction for kids: 

*Choose a kid-friendly title.  Use a little alliteration.  This is your first chance to pique a kid's curiosity.

*Keep paragraphs focused on one fact only.  Too many unrelated facts in a single paragraph is distracting.  

*Keep the writing lively.  Imagine reading your article out loud to children.

*Keep the article positive.  Avoid using words like “don’t” and “this is not so.”

*Include questions a kid would want to know and then answer them.

*Use comparisons or similes when describing something unfamiliar to a kid. 

*Use vocabulary that kids understand.  

*Refer to the Flesch-Kincaid scale to check grade level. 

*Keep the word count to no more than 500 words.

*Tie the ending to the beginning of the piece.  This gives your readers a satisfactory conclusion.

Kids like to read and learn.  So, you job is to craft a piece that gets kids excited about reading nonfiction. Before you begin, read other articles to help you meet this challenge.  See how other authors succeeded in relaying information to kids. 

The Five Sense in New Orleans

Last week my husband and I vacationed in New Orleans.  Before dinner, there was some time to pen a few words.  Here are the five senses of NOLA before returning to the hotel to write.

I Hear: jazz music pouring out of bars, a guitar and violin duet on a street corner, brass bands blasting tunes, taxi drivers venting about politics, tour guides giving their spiels, a trumpeter playing outside Café du Monde

I Smell:  strong sewer odor and beer on Bourbon Street, chicken Creole, jambalaya, a fishy whiff of the Mississippi River

I See: musicians,artists, and fortune tellers in bustling Jackson Square, above-the-ground cemeteries (and Nicolas Cage's pyramidal tomb awaiting his demise), the crescent bend of the Mississippi River, old men playing chess on the sidewalk of Canal Street, tourists carrying drinks throughout the French Quarter, stately homes in the Garden District

I Taste:  rich tomato-based Creole, mouth-burning spicy etouffeé, warm sugar-dusted beignets, black coffee that needed no sugar, sweet brown sugar pralines, a Pat O’Brien virgin piña colada and a sip of a Hurricane

I Feel:  a vicioius bug bite while walking through the coarse grass of Chalmette Cemetery, the sun baking my bike helmet-covered head, chilly night time breeze during a carriage ride, uneven bricks on sidewalks, my husband’s hand in mine

Crafting a Cover Letter

When you query an editor, you must send a cover letter.  Some writers understand this important first step, and others…need a little help. 

Once I received a two-line cover letter.  The first sentence thanked me for considering the story.  The second sentence thanked me for being an inspiration to writers.  I'm not so sure about that, but this line came across as being insincere (and it did not belong in a cover letter).

A cover letter is usually one page and has about three to four paragraphs.  It should begin with a salutation to the editor.  Search the guidelines or contact page to find her name.  If you are unsuccessful, then use Dear Editor.  Addressing the salutation as:  Hello <insert magazine name> comes across as impersonal and I don't recommend it.

The first paragraph should start with the hook, an enticing one liner about the story or article. The following paragraph gives the title and word count and goes into a little more detail about the work. The final paragraph gives a short biography. Close by thanking the editor.

That’s all there is to it.  Your cover letter is critical.  It’s the first thing an editor reads.  Don’t ruin your chances of an acceptance by trying to be cute, clever, or insincere.  Make sure your cover letter is professional.  That way, an editor will be in the mood to consider your work.   

How to get published in KIT

If you are interested in submitting fiction to Kid's Imagination Train, you should ask yourself three questions. Is your story engaging?  Is it original?  Does it fit the feel of the magazine?  

Engaging
You can make your story engaging by creating a main character that children will care about.  To do that, the main character must have a problem kids can relate to and she must be able to solve that problem herself.  Children want to get behind the main character and root for her as she handles conflict. In addition to having a main character children will care for, the language of the story must resonate with kids.  Therefore, age-appropriate words are necessary as well as rhythm and flow.  

Original
I love original stories, and so do kids!  Let’s take this example.  Say you want to write about an ant that wants to fly.  This ant tries several different ways to fly, but fails. Eventually, it finds some feathers, waves them in the air, and soars away.  Okay, not bad, but not great.  How about this example?  Again we have an ant that wants to fly.  But in this story, the ant builds a flying machine with twigs and feathers and calls it his Birdplane.  Now this story is fascinating and original.  To be original it takes thinking outside the box, dreaming, and wondering...what if?

Fit the Feel
Lastly, you should get a feel of the magazine by reading a few back issues.  That way, you are familiar with the kinds of stories KIT likes to publish.  That said, here are more clues to what we like:  KIT publishes pieces that are lively and entertaining and have illustration potential.  We love magical and whimsical stories.  Overall, the mood must be uplifting and positive, not negative or scary. 

Editors have different tastes and it can be challenging to figure out what they are looking for.  But now you know what Kid's Imagination Train likes for when it comes to fiction. So, it's up to you.  Can you develop an engaging, original story that would be a good fit for KIT?

Resources for Picture Book Writers

Today, I thought writers of picture books would like to take a look at some awesome resources.  This list is reproduced from:  http://www.kidlit411.com/2014/01/picture-books.html#more

SCBWI - the Society for Children's Book Writers & Ilustrators, an organization that every children's writer and illustrator must join

LINDA ASHMAN author of The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books

CHILDREN'S BOOK HUB - a paid subscription service with information about children's books, led by Emma Walton Hamilton  

CHILDREN'S BOOK INSIDER - a paid subscription monthly newsletter with tips about publishers and agents, writing courses, and more 

MEM FOX and her fabulous list of 20 DO'S AND DON'TS OF PICTURE BOOK WRITING. Learn tips on how to read a story out loud: READ ALOUD LESSON 

DARCY PATTISON How to Write a Picture Book Resources

THE PURPLE CRAYON -  the website by Harold Underdown, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books.  His site has resources and information, including an introductory article on the BASICS OF CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING

SUSAN UHLIG's link is full of resources from books to blog posts