Conflict

KIT receives more fiction than nonfiction.  I guessing authors believe it’s easier to write and to get published.  But that’s not necessarily true.  If authors fail to incorporate believable conflict in their fiction, they will probably have a harder time finding a market for their work.  

In a recent fiction submission, conflict was present, but misplaced.  The main character, a young boy, didn’t face a problem.  Instead, he learns of a tragedy through his parents.  After listening to his folk’s plan to help the victims, he too, decides to assist.  The young boy acts nobly, which sends a terrific message to readers.  But since true conflict is missing, the ending becomes predictable.

For fiction, conflict must touch the main character in a meaningful way.  Consequently, the stakes are raised and we care about the main character.  In this story, the author could have placed the child closer to the tragedy and had him personally affected.  This would have helped readers become more emotionally connected to the young boy as he learns to tackle the problem.  

Whether the story is for children or adults, all fiction must contain conflict.  Below is a conflict check list when writing for kids:

Present the conflict early in the story to hook your readers.

Create a meaningful conflict which directly affects the main character. 

Choose a conflict that kids can relate to.  

Build on conflict to create tension and suspense.

Have main characters solve the conflict themselves without any help from adults.

When you have provided a deeply personal conflict for the main character, then you have hit on advancing the plot and creating an emotional connection to your story.  Editors are keenly aware of the necessity and the prospects of good conflict.  When it is properly crafted, they won’t reach for a rejection slip.  They’ll be eager to keep on reading.  

Little Glitches

Recently, I searched for a graduation card that I had squirreled away.  With graduation fast approaching, I wanted to wrap my daughter's gift and add the card.  But the card was nowhere to be found.  I searched the  basket where cards are always kept.  I rifled through the stack three times, but without any luck.  The card had disappeared.  I was crushed. No other one would do.  It was after all, the perfect card.

This little glitch was ruining my day.  I questioned why this had happened.  Finally, after realizing that complaining about it wasn't going to help me find it, I accepted the fact that losing the card was meant to be.  The solution:  to drive back to Target with the hope that an identical card would still be available.  Since I was hell-bent on finding the exact card, I dashed out that very day to buy one.  While I rushed out, I decided I would make the most of my time.  I'd run two errands: one to Target and the other to Macy’s, located just a few minutes away.

"Look out world. Here you come!"

Luckily I found the exact same graduation card.  Perfect!  Amazing!  Unbelievable!  Then I drove over to Macy’s to make a return.  On my way out, I noticed the shoe saleslady who frequently waits on me.  Over time we had gotten to know each other. On the occasions that she fitted me for shoes, she'd often talk about her son's health.  So before rushing back to my car, I stopped to ask about him. She shared with me that he would be needing major surgery soon.  I listened quietly as she described what would be involved.  Before leaving, I told her I’d keep him in my prayers and for this, she hugged and thanked me.

I firmly believe things happen for a reason.  When the graduation card was lost, it put me on the path to connect with an acquaintance who needed some support.  I adopt this belief to my writing as well.  When I get a rejection I try to remember this was meant to be.  I tell myself to consider editing my work or to start searching for another market.  Rejections are little glitches, that if I let them, can ruin my day.  But when I remember there’s probably a good reason for a rejection, then I can move on and focus on what is supposed to happen because of it.

Would You Revise?

You’re lucky.  You’ve submitted an article to an editor and instead of rejecting the piece, she offers suggestions for a revision. 

When I had received articles for Stories for Children Magazine and now, when I read submissions for the Kid’s Imagination Train, I try to work with writers so that their work can be improved for publication.   Some writers like this approach, other don’t.  Below are some of the choices that I’ve seen writers make regarding revision: 

1.  They apologize for what they’ve written.
2.  They argue that what they’ve written doesn’t need revision.

3.  They give up on their submission and never get back in touch with the editor.  

4.  They ignore the editor’s suggestions and submit their work elsewhere.

5.  They send the exact piece back, with no revisions (REALLY!)

6.  They take into consideration the editor’s suggestions and try to revise.

While I’m a “hands-on” editor who likes to edit submissions, many editors don’t have the time or the interest to help with revision.  It’s easier for them to send a rejection if a submission isn’t quite right for publication; others may not even respond at all.   

Trust me.  When an editor sends you advice on how to improve your work, take it.  If she has specifically told you what your manuscript needs in order to be published—perhaps more facts, better descriptions, or livelier language are required—then work on those points to improve your submission.  She has made time in her busy day to help you.  Help yourself by taking her advice.

Guidelines/Requirements

In a recent post, I blogged about three of my pet peeves:  improperly formatted bibliographies, submissions that fail to follow the guidelines, and rushed revisions. Let’s focus on pet peeve number two:  submissions that ignore the guidelines.  

Not that long ago, I received a fiction submission for my new blog the Kid’s Imagination Train  http://kidsimaginationtrain.blogspot.com/.  When I glanced at the word count, I cringed.  It was not just a little over the word limit, it was grossly over the word count. The submission was 2800 words.  KIT requires a 500-word count for stories and articles.  Now, I don’t get me wrong.  I don't get bent out of shape if a story or article exceeds word count and runs to about 600 words or so, but anything longer will probably earn a rejection. This author either failed to read the guidelines or chose to ignore them.  

Kid's Imagination Train guidelines are in place for a reason:  we respect our young audience.  Since the age group for KIT is for children ages 5 -12, this article would be too long to hold their attention.  

Writer's guidelines are not a set of rules open to interpretation.  They are policies a publication expects you to follow. So, my husband and trusted adviser offered me a suggestion—change the "writers and illustrators guidelines" to "writers and illustrators requirements."  Perfect!  I made the necessary change to KIT's home page.  This should clear up any ambiguities concerning word count and other submission rules.  But only time will tell.  Hopefully, writers will submit as required. And if they do, I will most likely strike pet peeve number 2 off the pet peeve list. 

Words of Wisdom

I never attended a seminar led by the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, but if I had, I would have eaten up all of his advice, especially the words of wisdom about dealing with rejection.  For me, rejection often breeds negativity and defeat.  It makes me wonder if I will ever publish a children's book. 

Luckily this mood doesn't last long and I find ways to pick myself up.  Take for instance these amazing quotes by Zig.  Recently, I received another rejection, but after reading the quotes my spirits lifted.  If you are going through a similar period of frustration in writing for children, perhaps the following advice will be beneficial:  

"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street."

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."

"There is little you can learn from doing nothing."

"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost."

"Expect the best.  Prepare for the worst.  Capitalize on what comes."
"It's not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you." 

Zig Zagler was born on my birthday, November 6^th.  He passed away on November 28^th, 2012 at age 86. 

Don't Rush Revision

Most people know that I have two submission pet peeves:  improperly formatted bibliographies and articles that fail to follow the guidelines. But another pet peeve surfaced when a writer asked how soon I'd like her revision.   Pet peeve #3:  a revision sent the day after editing suggestions had been made.

I can’t quite figure it out.  Why do writers feel the need to hurry revision?  Are they afraid that they will earn a rejection if it's not delivered quickly? 

Actually the opposite is true.  I will be more likely to hand out a rejection if I receive a revision too quickly.  It tends to shows me that the writer did not spend enough time on editing the piece.  

Rushing revision is unprofessional and gives the editor the feeling that you’re desperate.  Put your manuscript away for a few days.  Let it simmer.  Then come back to it with fresh eyes.  Edit it again, if necessary.  And again.   Let someone else read it and make suggestions.  

There's no need to hurry the process along.   Even if you have a deadline, don't speedily re-submit your work.  Plan ahead so that you have the time it takes to properly revise. Revision may take weeks, and that's okay.  Give yourself the gift of time.  In doing so, you'll have the opportunity to provide the loving attention your manuscript rightfully deserves.  

Curses! Rejected, again!

Today, author Traci McDonald shares her thoughts on rejection and inspiration.

I can’t stop reading the letter over and over. "We appreciate your submission; unfortunately it does not meet our current publishing needs.” But when the words become branded across my mind, I no longer need to read the rejection again.    

I must be crazy. I am not a writer. I’m a hack, an amateur, a dreamer. What was I thinking? All these thoughts plague my heart and mind as I wipe away bitter tears to hold my manuscript’s wake.

In the backlash of rejection, there is no room for inspiration. I drown in the desperate need to understand what went wrong. I’ve read that lots of published work should have been in the rejection pile. Why did others get published and not me? What can I do if I want to be a writer?  Do I possess the talent to write?  

The things that once inspired me now remind me that I am not good enough.  I am tired—tired of feeling like a failure, tired of being beaten down, tired of my defeatist attitude. Eyes drying and pity party complete, I have two choices. I can believe the doubt and fear and give in to despair, failure, and comfort food, or I can fight back. I can let rejection become my inspiration to work harder, learn more, and try again. I can find out what the publisher’s ‘needs’ are. I can find another home for my work. I can laminate the letter and keep it as a trophy for when I am a published author.

Walt Disney went bankrupt eight times trying to build Disney Land. Babe Ruth struck out more times than he hit home runs. If we believe the nay-Sayers are correct, then they are. If we take rejection and turn it to inspiration, then we are truly authors.

What is a blog hop?
A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog.  Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.  Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!

Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!


  

For the list of Hop Rules visit:

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-lovers-blog-hop-october-2011.html

Another Look

You submitted your picture book manuscript to an agent.  But in only a few weeks she sent a rejection.  On the bright side, she offered some useful suggestions.  So you tweaked your manuscript based on her advice.  Now you’d like to send your revision back to her for another look.  How should you approach this agent?  

Begin your email by reminding her that she has already read the manuscript.  Ask her if she’d be interested in taking another look.  Give the title.  Tell her that she had provided helpful feedback and that your work has been revised. 

In the next paragraph include the word count, the age group, if the story is a simultaneous submission, and any other distinguishing features that make the story marketable.  Then describe the story to refresh the agent’s memory.  Be sure to answer these questions:

Who is the main character?

What does the main character want and what gets in his way?

What launches the story?
What is at stake?

In the last paragraph give your bio. Close by thanking her for her time.  Remember to include your email address or contact information.

There’s no guarantee that a second look will garner a nod from an agent.  But when you approach an agent using my suggestions, you will come across more professionally.  Your letter will make an agent take notice.  And chances are she will send you a thoughtful reply.  

Writer's Remorse

Now you’ve done it.  You realize after the fact that you’ve submitted an article to a children’s magazine editor before it was ready.  Of course, at the time of submitting you thought it was perfect, oh so publishable.  So how did you discover the piece went out too soon?  Clue:  Several months have passed and you've yet to hear back from the editor.  

This prompts you to read your article again.  And then that’s when you discover the piece could have been better.  You feel lousy.  Paragraphs could have been constructed more sensibly.  The word choice could have been livelier.  As a whole, the writing could have been tighter.  But it’s out of your hands and now awaits an editor’s decision or at worst, has landed in the rejection pile.

At first, you might feel regret or even embarrassment.  But this is only a little stumble on the path of publication.  It happens.  Though you can’t change the situation, you can have a new outlook. 

Don’t give up on the manuscript.  Review the piece.  Ask yourself what can be improved.  You might need another reader to point out parts that need tweaking.  You may need to read the work aloud and edit places where the pacing is lost or where a reader might trip on the wording.  You may need to overhaul the beginning to hook your audience better.  Or, you may need to wrap up the conclusion with a tie-in to the opening paragraph.

While you await the editor's decision on your work, read more books, blogs, and articles on the craft of writing for children.  Afterward, you'll find that you have gained a different perspective.  This is because you’re growing as a writer.  So learn from your mistakes.  Dismiss your regrets and move on.  Consider this experience an opportunity to improve your writing skills.    

Don't Give Up

As I look over my nonfiction submission log for Stories for Children Magazine, I see that a few writers received a rejection.  When I send a rejection, I give those writers ideas on how to improve their work.  Writers are encouraged to send their revision to me.  Yet, these writers rarely submit again.  And I can't figure out why.

Maybe they feel totally discouraged or they feel that it would take up too much time to revise. What they fail to understand that if an editor has taken time to make suggestions, they should try again.  Giving up should not be an option.  Writers have some choices. They can revise their article exactly as suggested.  They can use some of the editor's suggestions to make their work stronger.  They can submit the piece to a different editor, revised or not.   

Keep in mind that many times, rejections are subjective.  And, few writers are immune to them.  Famous authors like J. K. Rowling and Theodor Geisel had their share of rejections.  Rejection rarely indicates that your work is not good.  In some cases, a rejection just means the editor already has a similar piece on hand.  Other times, a writer might receive a rejection if the concept is too advanced for the intended age group.   A rejection might be given if the article has failed to meet the guidelines.  

The key to remember when you receive a rejection is: don’t stop writing.  Writing for children means you've got to persevere.   After the sting of rejection has worn off, get back to work.   Learn from the rejection, especially if an editor has offered ways for improving the piece. Strive to improve and submit your work again.   

Letting Work Die, All Yellow

As nonfiction editor for Stories for Children Magazine, I keep a log of all submissions.  The log is divided into months and each submission is color-coded.  Green is for a Phase I acceptance, blue is for a Phase II acceptance, and magenta is for the most-sought after Phase III acceptance.

More colors describe various points in the submission process.  Orange means the submission is still being considered.  Red is for rejection (there aren’t too many of these!) and yellow means that a Phase I or II acceptance is likely if some edits are made. 

As I glance at my log, I have many green, blue, and magenta submissions.  But I have way too many yellow submissions, the ones that need just a little editing.  And yet, most of these submissions have remained yellow for months.  Many writers don't revise and re-submit.

The yellow-highlighted submissions have promise, and I’d like to see them published. But if a writer refuses to edit, then it's a waste of time for the both of us—the author has spent time researching and writing the piece and I have spent time reading the submission and making thoughtful suggestions.

Editing is an important part of writing for children.  Most of the suggestions I make are easy to implement.  I might ask to correct grammar.  Or, I might like to see another source.  So it's hard to conceive why anyone would walk away from work that was once deemed worthy of submission.  It's a shame letting a submission "die" all yellow on my log.

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.