Titles

If you have written a picture book or middle grade novel, you probably have a particular title in mind for your work.  But be aware that if the piece is accepted for publication, the title you have chosen may be altered.  This is common in the world of publishing. 

J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book, published by Bloomsbury in London in June 1997, was actually called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.  A year later, Scholastic published an edition for the United States market under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  Perhaps the editors felt the word “philosopher” didn’t stress magic as much as the word “sorcerer.”  

Other famous children’s book titles have been changed. For instance, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was originally titled Mistress Mary.  Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was originally titled simply Alice.  The same holds true for adult books. The Shine became The Shining by Stephen King, Fiesta became The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, and Atticus became To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.   

Knowing that book titles are often changed should not make you lazy about choosing a great title for your work.  A title is the first thing editors and agents will probably consider before reading the first paragraph.  So buck up and spend time choosing a great title. Make a list of possibilities.  Imagine these titled books on a shelf.  Which one of your titles screams:  “Pick me up and read me.”  This is what you’re aiming for.  

Choose the very best title your story deserves regardless that it might be changed.  An attention-grabbing title whets the appetite of an editor or a literary agent.  It gets them in the mood to seriously consider your work.

Here’s link to see the original titles of famous books:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/classic-books-original-titles-_n_3311784.html

Passion Sells

If you want people to take notice, you need to have passion.  This is true for any career or profession, not just for children’s writers.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went shopping for the tree of my dreams—a yellowwood tree.  When we visited Garden Center “A,” we were greeted by an employee who admitted he didn’t know much about the tree and preferred to talk about his hometown.  We noticed his lack of interest.  He really didn’t seem to care whether we found a tree or not.  He did however, ask another employee to help us out.  The second fellow knew very little about the tree, but he did Google it.  But, I could have done that. 

We drove to Garden Center “B,” expecting better service; and here too, the salesperson lacked interest.   He was polite and showed us an assortment of trees, yet he didn’t seem to care whether we found the flowering shade tree we sought.  

We drove to one more garden center located close by.  An employee at Garden Center "C" listened carefully to what we wanted and promptly showed us the tree we had in mind.  Then, he piqued our curiosity with a tree we had never considered.  It was a beauty, a Kwanzan cherry tree; and, it met our requirements.   Later, we walked back to the office where he showed us a chart in which the owner had scored and rated trees, so we could get a feel for how the yellowwood compared to other shade trees. 

The salesman was knowledgeable and passionate about trees and it showed.  What amazed me was, I had had my heart set on a yellowwood tree for over twenty years, but after discussing the other option, and I was convinced that it wasn’t the best tree for us.  

So back to passion and to its connection to writing.  Passion sells!  I think this is what counts when you submit your work to an editor or agent.  Your passion must show in your query.  It’s all about finding the perfect words to let the love of your work shine through.

If you have the chance to speak with a publisher during a conference or to pitch your book, passion must be evident in your delivery and in tone of your voice.  When you sell your story, being low-key and shy may work against you. 

Whether you pitch an editor or write a query, your excitement and commitment to the story must be felt.  You and your work are a package that publishers consider as a whole.  Editors and agents will take notice when you are passionate about your work.  Trust me, it’s contagious.  Of course, the writing has to be sensational, but when passion is evident they will be dying to get their hands on your story.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Jack's Farm

And so what of tree-shopping trip?  Because of the sales person’s enthusiasm, we changed our minds about buying a yellowwood tree.   His passion convinced us.  No regrets.  The rose-like, pink flowering Kwanzan cherry tree now blooms in our backyard.

Writeoncon

Writeoncon is a great way to learn more about the craft of writing for children.  This year, the conference features literary agents Cheryl Pientka, Daniel Lazar, Peter Knapp, Michelle Humphrey, Mollie Glick, Emily Keyes, Sarah Davies, and Katie Grimm.  This program will have industry professionals in the forums, looking at query letters, pitches, and anything else they want.  And it's free!  I participated last year and loved it.

The online conference will be held on August 14 - 15.  For more information check out:
http://writeoncon.com

Blog Tip and Writer's articles

Today Children’s Writer’s World shares two articles and a blogging tip.  Enjoy!

Horn Book June 26^th:

Profile of Kadir Nelson author of Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
http://www.hbook.com/2012/06/authors-illustrators/a-profile-of-kadir-nelson/

Writer’s Digest June 24^th

 “4 Keys to Writing Un-Put-Down-Able Middle Grade Adventure”
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/march-15-richard-ungar-4-keys-to-middle-grade

Blogging Tip   http://savvyblogging.net/5-simple-seo-tips/

Welcome

As stated in my blog earlier this year, the Maggie Project has been completed.  I submitted my picture book Maggie and the First Grade Blues to 30 publishers and 15 agents.  I also entered the story in 5 contests.

Though it had received three awards, had been favorably critiqued, and had piqued the interest of a publisher, I’ve decided to put the story on the back burner for the time being.  I will be working on other stories that will be submitted to literary agents and editors.

The blog that will replace the Maggie Project Blog is: 

Children's Writer's World (www.childrenswritersworld.blogspot.com)

I will blog about writing projects and writer's news, offer writing advice and insights from the viewpoint of an editor and as a writer, review books, and host guest blogs—all devoted to writing for children.  Please leave a comment if you're interested in writing a guest blog or if you have suggestions for future blog posts.

Writing for children is a journey of twists and turns.  It's a path of challenges (editing, rejection, writer's block) and surprises (acceptances, publication, awards).  It's a journey that writers lovingly embrace in order to give children good stories to read and to enjoy.  I invite you to tag along.