tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46438623285890602792024-03-15T08:38:05.052-04:00The Maggie Project Welcome to the marvelous musings and the mind-boggling journey of writing for kids. The Maggie Project is named after Mrvos' first picture book and is published QUARTERLY on the 15th of each month. Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-82109515641131458342024-01-15T08:07:00.001-05:002024-01-15T08:07:29.597-05:00<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUwiNDWcUra9HJbSfn0bSEkT7mD-9tYrUwDU3uRuq9Ow7JNDulp_5DYH-iFDW0Y34Uu6qeh3cpNR-s9jE802MunFOCRdgiQ6elxSvwpiqurNbhYAfXGv6WmmiUWZaeZ7KOLas0tT55YqPzaEclBtRMX5ZjXX1lkFRnukjAiMPzuYjJ8k907RUP0As/s4256/Conflict%20-obie-fernandez.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="conflict in stories, conflict in picture books, tension, drama" border="0" data-original-height="2832" data-original-width="4256" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUwiNDWcUra9HJbSfn0bSEkT7mD-9tYrUwDU3uRuq9Ow7JNDulp_5DYH-iFDW0Y34Uu6qeh3cpNR-s9jE802MunFOCRdgiQ6elxSvwpiqurNbhYAfXGv6WmmiUWZaeZ7KOLas0tT55YqPzaEclBtRMX5ZjXX1lkFRnukjAiMPzuYjJ8k907RUP0As/w640-h426/Conflict%20-obie-fernandez.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Obie Fernandez</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">DOES YOUR STORY NEED CONFLICT? </span><p></p><p>As mentioned in the October 2022 blog, you can write the most beautiful story in the world, but if it hasn't any conflict, the story will feel flat, the audience may be bored, and agents could be unimpressed. But one blog post isn't enough to get the point across. We have lots more to discuss about conflict. </p><p>I work with writers who want to create picture books and submit them for publication. Though they've developed an interesting protagonist, often their characters don't face a problem or the character has a problem that's too easily solved. These writers need to consider spicing up their stories with conflict. </p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">C</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: inherit;">onflict is a struggle that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: inherit;">provides drama and angst. Conflict </span>gets readers to care for the protagonist and gets them to turn the page. </p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85); font-family: inherit;">Instructor J.T. Bushnell, instructor at Oregon State University says, "</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">More precisely, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">conflict means thwarted, endangered, or opposing desire</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. It’s basically when a character wants something but something else gets in the way. Maybe the character wants a thing but can’t get it. Maybe the character has something but is in danger of losing it. Maybe the character wants two things that are incompatible. Whatever its form, though, it gets our attention."</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conflicts in fiction can be broken into seven categories. Here's the list with examples: </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Man vs. man (The Wizard of Oz, The Hunger Games)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. nature (The Life of Pi, The Old Man and the Sea)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. society (To Kill a Mockingbird)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. technology (Frankenstein) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. supernatural (almost any work by Edgar Allen Poe)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. person (a work about a person struggling with moral or inner dilemmas; Hamlet)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Person vs. destiny (The Odyssey)</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div>This diagram of Freytag's pyramid shows where to place conflict in a story. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XKiC4VnPCPIhn6zudUlrilLXVD5pOHxS6SbfhYQLwN3nd0J6H5pmm0oy3tYZyzTutJcUO3IUfxHXp77NjM9kx0-hG1pjUX5nedfDVcs5g9KcmHKIMWCd50FQVvpamm7-A8I_zyImslVHcv5vDWJmbtUDlyWbx1QgL727Yd7j0pMGz_IGsR41ZyM9Z0U/s834/Freytag's%20pyramid.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="834" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XKiC4VnPCPIhn6zudUlrilLXVD5pOHxS6SbfhYQLwN3nd0J6H5pmm0oy3tYZyzTutJcUO3IUfxHXp77NjM9kx0-hG1pjUX5nedfDVcs5g9KcmHKIMWCd50FQVvpamm7-A8I_zyImslVHcv5vDWJmbtUDlyWbx1QgL727Yd7j0pMGz_IGsR41ZyM9Z0U/w640-h258/Freytag's%20pyramid.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's how you can use Freytag's pyramid* as a guide. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Start with the exposition: introduce your main character along with the goals that character wants to achieve and why the MC wants to reach that goal. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create the inciting incident, the uh-oh moment and BOOM! You've added conflict. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the rising action, throw obstacles and complications in the MC's way. At the climax of the story, the worse has happened and the goal seems unattainable. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the falling action when all seems lost, the character figures out how to solve the problem. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lastly, in the denouement, the final outcome of the complication is revealed.</span></li></ul><p></p><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">So, analyze that beautiful story you've written. Does it have conflict? Does it have a protagonist who wants something intensely, but encounters a significant obstacle? If not, figure out a way to create tension. If you're stuck, let your mind wander and write whatever pops into your head to create difficulties for your MC. Don't edit. Put all your ideas down. One of these ideas may work or at least point you in the direction to increase the conflict. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">Readers want to root for the main character or see a complication resolved. They will be </span><span style="background-color: white;">more likely to keep reading when there's some drama.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> W</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">hen there is conflict, you'll have a compelling story. A complete story. You will have a story that will grab an audience and quite possibly, the attention of a literary agent, too. </span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">More on conflict: </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="https://literarydevices.net/conflict/">https://literarydevices.net/conflict/</a></span></p><p><a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/conflict-in-literature-1857640" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.thoughtco.com/conflict-in-literature-1857640</a></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">* <span style="font-size: x-small;">Kitty Turner states on <a href="https://www.scribophile.com/academy/what-is-freytags-pyramid">Scribophile.com</a> "Gustav Freytag was a hugely popular German author and playwright active from 1840 to 1870. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span>Freytag’s Pyramid is a framework used to analyze and outline </span><a href="https://www.scribophile.com/academy/what-are-literary-elements" style="outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black;">the dramatic structure of stories</span></a><span> from beginning to end. Although the pyramid is not a one-size-fits-all solution for narrative fiction, a story missing one or more of the elements in Freytag’s pyramid can feel incomplete, or can fail to engage."</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-31704959916884271992023-12-15T11:08:00.000-05:002023-12-15T11:08:48.564-05:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1c_iwPkrI7vRmak4WU_7xASrLMqdmhNMamtgGt4tiKEnvWRG786rDyHhvR0ZU7KWfhwRPwwLOXNNN6R32I5zCyhYlvhNe6E8d7mzwhhcjsnfuKhFvg0tSd6Lu_FvOQiVNLTGWXOwe-L0f0egXZkym_iSVOe4qn4tAZxofTNdbMYKbQm_Hz-Jfb9qsYc/s743/Jane%20Yolen.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jane Yolen, writing, writing for kids, SCBWI" border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="743" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1c_iwPkrI7vRmak4WU_7xASrLMqdmhNMamtgGt4tiKEnvWRG786rDyHhvR0ZU7KWfhwRPwwLOXNNN6R32I5zCyhYlvhNe6E8d7mzwhhcjsnfuKhFvg0tSd6Lu_FvOQiVNLTGWXOwe-L0f0egXZkym_iSVOe4qn4tAZxofTNdbMYKbQm_Hz-Jfb9qsYc/w640-h490/Jane%20Yolen.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> THE INSPIRING JANE YOLEN</span><p></p><p>A few weeks ago, I received an email from <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/">SCBWI</a> (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) announcing an <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/legacy-interviews">interview</a> with Jane Yolen, author-extraordinaire. </p><p>In a word, Jane was inspiring. As I listened to the interview, I discovered she is down to earth, prolific, and gifted. At the age of eighty-four she's still writing, submitting, and publishing. She works on an assortment of projects—a short novel, a musical, a possible TV series, and some songs for folk and rock groups. She revises old picture manuscripts until they are salable. </p><p>I'd like to share Jane's thoughts and philosophy about writing with you.</p><p>When asked about the requirements of a picture book, Jane replied there has to be an arc and the story has to touch the heart of a child. She also reminds writers to think visually about the illustrations and page breaks as they compose their stories. Jane says page turns can be an uncompleted sentence that gives young ones moments of suspense that build up into a large moment. </p><p>Jane tells us a picture book may take 20 minutes or 20 years to write. More, Jane revealed that some editors turned down her manuscripts, whereas others picked them up and they became successful children's books—that gives us hope, doesn't it? </p><p>Jane has advice on writer's block: There's no such thing as long as you work on multiple projects. </p><p>She comments on writing in general and tells us: Don't be afraid of ideas—if you work at it, you will have many, many ideas for stories. Don't be afraid of hard work. Don't forget the writing part is only the beginning—you have to think of the business end: who's looking for what, what are the current themes, is this a story you can legitimately write, is this a story that has been told too many times before, is this is a story that's new and nobody has told it and if not, why not. </p><p>She asks us to remember: It all starts with WHAT IF? Then...you have to show up and have the guts to write the book. Janes says, "And the time? Well no little time fairy is going to drop a package of it on you. You have to take time. Steal it by the bucketload from the rest of your life. Be selfish. Ignore lunching with friends until the work gets done. Just write the damn book." </p><p>The process of writing still feels magical for Jane. Every time. Isn't that how we writers should feel?</p><p>I invite you to learn more about Jane: <a href="https://www.janeyolen.com/about-site/">https://www.janeyolen.com/about-site/</a> I hope she'll inspire you, too!</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p> </p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-34263878647422013072023-11-14T19:30:00.002-05:002023-11-14T19:31:49.972-05:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyBWR93Qmsr0ygYT0PtIVU6k_LjdmCP3Q80F0pkDQqQHroSL7vi2f3fkr-styxLFcz-FzLp_hhU614SWBEpLik5nLiZWfSRl_F-Lazs2eENFNjeWiqocMNUx1RnGtUpwslkBZUaxK_s1t0MS1l-og3CoU2FvvcJ1Dly-Z2bMmcyC_nKLbNEZs40_tWXI/s674/Discouraged.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="feeling discouraged about writing, submitting to agents, querying" border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="674" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyBWR93Qmsr0ygYT0PtIVU6k_LjdmCP3Q80F0pkDQqQHroSL7vi2f3fkr-styxLFcz-FzLp_hhU614SWBEpLik5nLiZWfSRl_F-Lazs2eENFNjeWiqocMNUx1RnGtUpwslkBZUaxK_s1t0MS1l-og3CoU2FvvcJ1Dly-Z2bMmcyC_nKLbNEZs40_tWXI/w640-h380/Discouraged.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo courtesy Shutterfly </span> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: medium;">DISCOURAGED</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The other day, I spent most of the morning filling out a Query Manager form. In less than 24 hours after submitting it, an agent rejected my manuscript. That really stung and once again, I felt discouraged about my writing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I had double-checked and triple-checked the form (Had I spelled the agent's name correctly? Was the pitch enticing? Did my bio show I was an accomplished and dedicated writer?) and said a prayer before sending it (Don't we all?) This time, this time I had hoped an agent would like my work since it was based on her wish list needs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But interpreting what an agent wants can be tricky. In most cases, an agent's manuscript wish list is general. It may not reveal her specific wishes—which can be difficult to express. She may even like something that's not on her list! But the one true thing is the piece has to touch her heart, <i>and</i> she has to be able to sell it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That said, the best I can do is write a killer query and send a story targeting her needs. Still, there's no guarantee that strategy will work. The piece may get turned down for some unknown reason. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When my work is not accepted, I could stop writing and protect myself from rejection. But writing brings me joy so, I want to keep creating stories that I'm passionate about. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Before querying again, I sat back and reflected. How could I make my query more intriguing? How could I revise the story to bring out more emotion? Where could I search (in addition to the <a href="https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/">Official Manuscript Wish List</a>) to find an agent who will be a better match for my work? </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The biggest question is could I handle more rejection? It is always an unwelcome possibility.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All I know is to be positive and to have faith, to surround myself with people who believe in me, and to not be discouraged for too long. There will be opportunities and there's always hope. Margarita Montimore's manuscript (Oona Out of Order) was fished out of the slush pile, so one never knows. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I reached out to my mentor for some encouragement. He told me (as he would tell any writer), "Your voice deserves to be heard. Keep knocking. Doors only open to those who knock." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">His words inspired me. A few days later, I selected one of my favorite manuscripts, a strong piece my critique partners liked. I filled out the query form. I said a prayer. This time, this time...this one may be the one.</div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><b>November Writers Digest article: "10 Dos and Don'ts of Being Rejected" </b></p><p><a href="https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/the-10-dos-and-donts-of-being-rejected?utm_campaign=WDG%20-%20NL%20-%20Publishing%20Insights&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=280884590&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7O98cs_NI5wbzH6tcjCj61WpEArt9PIoolzn5S7o6IMvQFJ52Wc9Gtm5BxyWS0EZCmzmuaQzRcfF-4NQbqDwXmq-nmA&utm_content=280884590&utm_source=hs_email"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/the-10-dos-and-donts-of-being-rejected?utm_campaign=WDG%20-%20NL%20-%20Publishing%20Insights&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=280884590&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7O98cs_NI5wbzH6tcjCj61WpEArt9PIoolzn5S7o6IMvQFJ52Wc9Gtm5BxyWS0EZCmzmuaQzRcfF-4NQbqDwXmq-nmA&utm_content=280884590&utm_source=hs_email</span></a></p><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcekrx5TaIxjlxkf7djQ5n8f2RSdzu0SqkNyRjjJHysacHmw6V6n_I9KDbX2hAkA_ZU2oQDbcC726dazZKm-YA-oPKeUge-yKHnVOQMsC6hyrAmfIF026cyqsGqihKsueU9iCpMC5T23f8d2znzkP3E3bviwMW_h6QWYOv_XWkJBVwbFHI_a0PWvgRVnw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcekrx5TaIxjlxkf7djQ5n8f2RSdzu0SqkNyRjjJHysacHmw6V6n_I9KDbX2hAkA_ZU2oQDbcC726dazZKm-YA-oPKeUge-yKHnVOQMsC6hyrAmfIF026cyqsGqihKsueU9iCpMC5T23f8d2znzkP3E3bviwMW_h6QWYOv_XWkJBVwbFHI_a0PWvgRVnw=w289-h320" width="289" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2b1VN4qW5_Gi0NcuZ7mIy-WKRFB3D1wb3pZ2jzvdKG0QLT2xwu19KM4EUvdabfsLBRDnqMDWoGoNH_jtQH2fclpjcRZOjHLDr3ik5Et1wt7-QRZK_GUHMK8zE9kdFcB_tei-1ZS4KU0ckUl0aLoQq9vxAEQ5wYXJrjN1wPG_gf23R56IfTKxRQI7ugY/s449/Encouragement%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2b1VN4qW5_Gi0NcuZ7mIy-WKRFB3D1wb3pZ2jzvdKG0QLT2xwu19KM4EUvdabfsLBRDnqMDWoGoNH_jtQH2fclpjcRZOjHLDr3ik5Et1wt7-QRZK_GUHMK8zE9kdFcB_tei-1ZS4KU0ckUl0aLoQq9vxAEQ5wYXJrjN1wPG_gf23R56IfTKxRQI7ugY/w237-h320/Encouragement%202.JPG" width="237" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-76214699169361976482023-10-15T08:55:00.000-04:002023-10-15T08:55:06.814-04:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpMWwQLcqfcoUmgJ-_PZiAnZ6kpEeIR34AKqyzyu_wRi_RwDCthy-kbGQDaoPAIZjZ0bYNZ-qcjICE_PDnRP55X1V3A_2OiRT7qUP6DJzuy62SbN5u_rDIkS-sLfldEM80oLLBnNer2A/s1077/Maggie-reading+to+a+kid-iulia-mihailov.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1077" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpMWwQLcqfcoUmgJ-_PZiAnZ6kpEeIR34AKqyzyu_wRi_RwDCthy-kbGQDaoPAIZjZ0bYNZ-qcjICE_PDnRP55X1V3A_2OiRT7qUP6DJzuy62SbN5u_rDIkS-sLfldEM80oLLBnNer2A/w640-h640/Maggie-reading+to+a+kid-iulia-mihailov.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo Lulia Mihailov</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;">TAKEAWAY VALUE </span></p><p>Do your stories have takeaway? Should they have takeaway? What is takeaway anyhow? </p><p>Story takeaway can be defined as <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">a main point or key message to be learned or understood. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, how important is takeaway in children's literature and how does one create takeaway in a story for children? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Editorial expert Mary Kole says, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">"Picture books, more than any other category of kidlit, are about character change, a moral, or a lesson. A strong takeaway is expected because we want our young readers to be eating a little bit of medicine (the moral) with their syrup (the story). Like those cookbooks for moms who want to sneak veggies into brownies. But how do we do this effectively, without turning readers (and agents and publishers) off with too much lecturing? It’s all about character!"</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I agree with Mary that takeaway comes with character and how that character changes. I would add takeaway leans on a story's theme and conflict.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For instance, let's say you have a story about a child who catches a king spreading a lie. The conflict is: how can (or should) a child confront the deceitful king? The theme of the story centers on bravery and the takeaway highlights the importance of being truthful. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And as simple as that may seem to get this point across, a writer has to delicately handle the moral takeaway. The lesson cannot be didactic. In fact, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mary cites moralizing as one of the main reasons agents pass on a picture book project. </span><span style="background-color: white;">"One of the biggest challenges I encounter in my editorial practice is picture books that show character change in a clumsy or overbearing way." </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">So how do we write picture books that show character change without explicitly stating the lesson? Mary says, "It’s a rather simple answer: let the character have some realizations and then act upon them. At the same time, do not explain what the character is learning." </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">In other words, writers must allow a character to discover something special about himself (or herself/themselves) so the dilemma can be solved in a personal way. </p><p><span style="background-color: white;">Going back to the story of the boy and the king, t</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">hough the child wrestles with a powerful authoritative figure, he eventually realizes that just because he's young doesn't mean he can't speak out and be heard. Once the young boy understands this, he changes. He discovers a way to speak the truth. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">"Transformation happens with little choices and in small steps, as that honors the real life process of behavioral change," says Mary. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">"Your character CAN learn something in your story, but the best picture books that show character change are subtle and character-driven, instead of moralizing."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;">If a writer carefully crafts takeaway, children will subtly absorb the lesson. Through stories, they may soak up how to </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">believe in themselves, how to be adventurous, how to be a good friend, or how to be generous and kind and brave. When you express the morale gently, children will learn a valuable lesson that never feels like a lesson at all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-34029146195819392292023-09-15T18:38:00.001-04:002023-10-10T11:38:50.691-04:00<p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi-5s48ehIRod5cM8y1EBc726MQBtru2drl-rFPmQCSM312mrQ-X6sGW5h6I9NA6-pADHsnTF8LQposmmLYwH6W6h6h37xx7XWNa3lIVhQ7KkJ29vESdsVYBXU9KUryx2SZMisPXTGI-8JV6_xmzV0FEXzujqbF7HQFK00R1Qj6z6s5-2bp-4yN4v/s480/giphy%5B1%5D.gif"><img alt="writing for kids, rhyming, meter, tension" border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi-5s48ehIRod5cM8y1EBc726MQBtru2drl-rFPmQCSM312mrQ-X6sGW5h6I9NA6-pADHsnTF8LQposmmLYwH6W6h6h37xx7XWNa3lIVhQ7KkJ29vESdsVYBXU9KUryx2SZMisPXTGI-8JV6_xmzV0FEXzujqbF7HQFK00R1Qj6z6s5-2bp-4yN4v/w640-h360/giphy%5B1%5D.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">CAN YOU WRITE A RHYMING PICTURE BOOK? </span></div><div><br />My client Patty thinks writing a rhyming picture book is a piece of cake. She's not alone—many people feel the same way. But it's much harder than it looks. The rhymes and meter should flow like a gentle river. On top of that, a rhyming book, like all children's books should have some tension and a steady pace so the story moves along effortlessly. <br /><p></p><p>Patty had composed 30 couplets to tell the story. When I read her work, I found a few places where the story dragged. Some stanzas needed to be removed to improve the pace or flow of the story. It was important to cut unnecessary lines that didn't advance the plot. </p><p>Next, I began to concentrate on the meter (or beats). Throughout the piece the meter was uneven. This is kind of like clapping out of time to a song. </p><p>For example, one line may have had ten beats (or stressed syllables) and the following line may have had eight. That's a problem. The rhythm was off. The couplets needed to have the same number of syllables or the story would not sound smooth when read out loud. </p><p>Once the meter was adjusted, I focused on the rhyme at the end of each couplet. Rhyme has to be spot on, no cheating. For instance, day and stage is not a true rhyme, but day and say would work. Using a website like <a href="https://www.rhymezone.com/">Rhymezone </a>can help writers find better rhyming choices.</p><p>Then after improving the meter and the rhyming, I read the piece again to see if there was enough tension. In Patty's story, the main character had a problem, but she solved the problem too easily. Patty needed to make it more difficult for the character to reach her goal. So, with this story a stanza or two had to be created to bring about more tension. </p><p>As you can see with this example, meter, rhyme, tension, and flow are important factors to consider when writing a rhyming picture book. </p><p>If you are interested in writing a rhyming story, here are some more things to keep in mind: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Know that when you query a rhyming picture books, agents may be less likely to accept it. Agents are leery of rhyming books and they are on the lookout for forced rhyme that does not advance the plot. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Read other rhyming picture books to see how to achieve perfect rhyme. Learn from other writers how they managed to pull off rhyme.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Find another trusted to person to read your work. Get their thoughts and revise accordingly.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Read your work aloud. If you find places where you stumble on a word or the rhythm is choppy, it's time to rethink those phrases. When you read the story out loud, it should flow effortlessly, as smoothly as a gentle river.</li></ul><p></p><p>A lot of people think it's easy to get a picture book published. But the truth is, writing for kids is tough. Writing a rhyming picture book is even tougher. But if you can perfect the meter and rhyme and create enough tension and flow, you will have the essentials for writing a rhyming children's book. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p>Here is an excellent article on writing rhyming books for kids:</p><p><a href="https://brookevitale.com/blog/anapestic-and-iambic-tetrameter-in-rhyming-childrens-books">https://brookevitale.com/blog/anapestic-and-iambic-tetrameter-in-rhyming-childrens-books</a></p></div></div></div><br />Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-30956854698560913612023-08-15T08:33:00.001-04:002023-08-15T08:33:02.803-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEgOzx92YehePE9BftCH9b7e4wa6MagH2j3oduGFDZJXrhsP-B7SWf-ay6ev1GG_ol3Ms5X61t_tt8e1OE9XghaxDe5aNP4Lzk7ZCN8qvLql0f9TISyC5GJsrgpicGsotv4lLxc8a_EPbxUeFf1zeQSrmgiA1y3zaQ6xKmwENYNZJNki64Ajoq-CAqwc/s3658/Dubt-%20md-mahdi%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="writer's doubt" border="0" data-original-height="3657" data-original-width="3658" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEgOzx92YehePE9BftCH9b7e4wa6MagH2j3oduGFDZJXrhsP-B7SWf-ay6ev1GG_ol3Ms5X61t_tt8e1OE9XghaxDe5aNP4Lzk7ZCN8qvLql0f9TISyC5GJsrgpicGsotv4lLxc8a_EPbxUeFf1zeQSrmgiA1y3zaQ6xKmwENYNZJNki64Ajoq-CAqwc/w640-h640/Dubt-%20md-mahdi%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Md Mahdi</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />AM I A GOOD WRITER? </span><p></p><p>The title of this blog is personal. Though I've been published in national magazines, won literary awards, and had a picture book published, I still question my talent. Crazy, huh? </p><p>Receiving rejections gives me doubts.</p><p>Failing to place in a writing contest gives me doubts. </p><p>Reading about writers signing agents on Twitter give me doubts.</p><p>These doubts add up and take a toll on me. Doubts kill my confidence in finding an agent. </p><p>I'm smart enough to realize being negative will get me nowhere. I have to move on and look at the positive aspects of writing. </p><p>My critique partner (a published writer) tells me she loves and believes in my manuscripts. </p><p>An agent sent me a lengthy email gushing about my strength as a writer. </p><p>Another agent ask to see more of my manuscripts. </p><p>Surely, all of these positive things are signs that I'm on the right path to finding an agent who'll believe in my work. The hardest thing for me is to believe. There are several things that help:</p><p>I give it my all every day.</p><p>I stay true to my voice while keeping my young audience in mind. </p><p>I seek critiques and then revise.</p><p>I do my homework to submit to agents who would be open to my style. </p><p>I surround myself with encouraging people and writers.</p><p>While my husband Jim and I were taking a walk, we talked my frustrations and all of the obstacles that make finding representation difficult. Agents close their submission windows frequently or they want author/illustrators or they only want referrals. And these days, chances of getting an agent are greater for LGBTQ+ authors and writers of color. Don't get me wrong, I'm not jealous. Their voices need to be heard. </p><p>Jim encourages me to have fun writing new pieces and enjoy the journey. I try to keep that in mind, but deep down inside I have a burning desire to be represented by an agent. </p><p>The road to publication will always have challenges. There will be highs and lows. The trick is to not dwell too long on the lows, but to celebrate the highs. To cherish them. To savor them. When I think of my achievements and how much I've grown as a writer, my confidence grows. If I can focus on accomplishments and stay steady on my path, I will be able to leave the doubts behind. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-41805233326433009272023-07-15T10:52:00.002-04:002023-07-15T10:52:27.692-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1uJbo0Q57fOVLErVUFlYpoyaI0p9hUGrgUOhn-vCozRNSDDK6_9nAeXqj3CMSGNaIyHqZycfFpcnyhz5pqGg3ifz9P6L_Mta3B3Rbz2OiPKZa2GdZkmp5kP2mawQ-6526qc_DliVFif6ghUVoWwvRhJC6rX9cyy0ZGUarPNhh4Tjl_Mr9v59jgzNqzg/s220/crystal-ball.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="writing from the heart, publishable manuscripts, the uncertainty of publishing, crystal balls" border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="220" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1uJbo0Q57fOVLErVUFlYpoyaI0p9hUGrgUOhn-vCozRNSDDK6_9nAeXqj3CMSGNaIyHqZycfFpcnyhz5pqGg3ifz9P6L_Mta3B3Rbz2OiPKZa2GdZkmp5kP2mawQ-6526qc_DliVFif6ghUVoWwvRhJC6rX9cyy0ZGUarPNhh4Tjl_Mr9v59jgzNqzg/w640-h425/crystal-ball.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">WRITING FROM OUR HEARTS </span></p><p>How do we write a book from our hearts <i>and</i> make it marketable? That's the millionaire dollar question. </p><p>We writers usually write about things that move us and we want to share those feelings with others. We don't know if our work can be sold. Not even some well-published authors have figured it out. At times, they are rejected, too. </p><p>So, how can we write what we love and sell it? Here are three ways that can help: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Join a critique group </li><li>Hire an editorial consultant</li><li>Work with a published writer who offers critique services </li></ul><p></p><p>I've done all three options. I regularly receive creative and constructive criticism from my critique partners, who show me ways to improve my manuscripts. And in 2016, I worked with editorial consultant Mary Kole, who helped me tweak a story that landed an agent. </p><p>Recently, I had the opportunity to have a critique/Zoom session with Brian Gehrlein, an amazingly talented author. He pointed out how to rev up the tension, how to develop the character arc, and how to improve formatting. In addition, he showed me ways to beef up my query letter. Overall, he helped me take my manuscript to the next level so it could be submitted to agents. </p><p>Even still, doubt crept in. </p><p>After Brian's critique, after suggestions from my critique partners, and after the revision of my manuscript, I wondered if an agent would like it. Would my polished, well-crafted story resonate with her? And, could she sell it to a publishing house? It will take querying to find out. </p><p>Brian tells me to showcase my voice and style, to experiment, to trust my gut, to be different, and to make the writing fun and authentic. His optimism and advise gives me the courage and confidence to continue despite the doubts. </p><p>He affirms what I feel: write the stories that come from my heart. To create a unique story, only a story that I can tell. To get feedback. To revise my manuscripts. But the rub is, no one knows if the time or money I've spent will pay off. </p><p>As you probably know, there are never any guarantees our work will be published. We don't have a crystal ball to tell us yes, this is THE manuscript that will turn into a book. Writers endure the pain of rejection while we hold on to the hope of success. We keep going because writers must be patient and persevere. Despite the uncertainties we must strive to write what we love and have faith that one day, an agent will love it, too. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-71753855260312894042023-06-15T08:07:00.001-04:002023-06-15T08:07:10.809-04:00<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-57woUxM4yht2VqPDR4S08GoEHFrcr6S8bb816Au7Wcdjx2P8I7aCvwEOZOYdNiNBqFIIQlsGXtQwzHUU7OJs1D6U4MNqV-Q_eh2y1PSctB_UztourLk9G76fYYXkcbl-AJ3zK-5ej-enBKqXa3Yt9RshI_gD4YlhLRV2nLIGfHQtx3j7m47hCmjG/s2480/Award-Ariel%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="not winning writing contests, are writing contests worth it" border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="2480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-57woUxM4yht2VqPDR4S08GoEHFrcr6S8bb816Au7Wcdjx2P8I7aCvwEOZOYdNiNBqFIIQlsGXtQwzHUU7OJs1D6U4MNqV-Q_eh2y1PSctB_UztourLk9G76fYYXkcbl-AJ3zK-5ej-enBKqXa3Yt9RshI_gD4YlhLRV2nLIGfHQtx3j7m47hCmjG/w640-h360/Award-Ariel%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo by: Ariel</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">WINNING OR NOT WRITING CONTESTS</span></p><p></p><p><br />I'm beginning to have doubts about entering writing contests. </p><p>For more than twenty years, I have entered contests as a way to build my resume. Now, I'm unsure whether to continue the practice. </p><p>The piece I entered in the 2023 Tennessee Mountain Writer's (TMW) annual competition had received compliments from several agents. In fact, based on this piece agents have asked me to send them more manuscripts. So, I know from their reactions and from the comments of my critique partners that this manuscript was strong. I was sure this piece was going to win a prize. But I found out that my story didn't win an award. It didn't even receive an honorable mention.</p><p>At first, I was shocked and angry. </p><p>I reviewed the contest guidelines and then checked my submission. It looked fine. Then I went back to the contest website to double check the winner's names. There were only two: first and second place. That was it. No other prizes. I've entered the Tennessee Mountain Writers Contest for over fifteen years and have always, always won a prize. So, having entered a prize-worthy manuscript, I was stumped that it didn't receive any award. </p><p>This slight, this insult got me thinking about writing competitions. Some people believe it's important that winning a writing contest will impress agents. But after querying for many years, I'm starting to feel differently. I think that being a member of a professional writing association, having work published in magazines, attending writer's conferences, and working with critique partners make a better resume. </p><p>I'm not trying to discourage anyone from entering a contest. Getting your work before judges could give you some indication of the strength of your work. That is, if you trust the contest and the judges. I would urge you to look into contests that don't charge too much and those that state the names of the judges. </p><p>I realize judging writing is subjective. In my case, perhaps the judge* didn't like my lyrical writing style. Maybe the judge didn't like the story because character change was too subtle. Or because it was about cats. Who knows? I contacted the contest chairwoman asking why nobody won third place or honor mention. She didn't have an answer, but she assumed that the judge felt no other submission was worthy of a third place or an honorable mention.</p><p>Writers pay money to enter a contest and have their best work judged. Writers are proud of the pieces they've selected for a competition. So, if I could I'd ask the judge to put herself in the place of the writers. How would she feel if she had submitted her best manuscript to a writing contest and found out that it had not won a prize <i>and</i> no honorable mentions had been awarded? Bear in mind, in most cases honorable mentions do not win a cash prize. Then I would ask her: Who would it have hurt to have given one or two writers this honor? </p><p>After the winners had been announced for the Tennessee Mountain Writers Contest, I tried to find the names of the judges. I wanted to check their resumes. What were their credentials? Were they published? But the judge's names were missing. Maybe they had been listed while the contest was running and now, the names have been removed. I find this troubling. Even after the contest, the names of the judges should be listed along with the names of the winners. </p><p>You might think I'm bitter over this, but I'm not. I've learned through this situation. I don't need a contest to validate my work. All I need is a decent bio, and I have that. So, it feels like now after twenty years it's time to be more discriminating about contests. It's time to enter contests that are fair to writers. Sadly, after winning so many awards from TMW, it's time to accept the fact that I will never enter this contest again. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span>*Arbitrarily assigning the pronoun her.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span><br /></span></span></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-56620272618552639122023-05-15T09:20:00.001-04:002023-05-15T09:20:39.941-04:00<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbzfObMIrcC-5uLHVN_KR5RrciJodGXec5rPGa198awJffAQGjv7uTbYXSaM_bTSKZAaifxJxYm8Qf8Pgr-fhYF1n8_nsOdKbxG7BX_XRlnw_kVljTRuWlZwFaQM5j6b-FyQB39Yedq5VPcvS2t-1y-5JNTAhm2r4OEp_K0j7yu70gP6lf1V0cmzk/s1162/Vagueness.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="submitting manuscripts, rejection, mswl" border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1162" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbzfObMIrcC-5uLHVN_KR5RrciJodGXec5rPGa198awJffAQGjv7uTbYXSaM_bTSKZAaifxJxYm8Qf8Pgr-fhYF1n8_nsOdKbxG7BX_XRlnw_kVljTRuWlZwFaQM5j6b-FyQB39Yedq5VPcvS2t-1y-5JNTAhm2r4OEp_K0j7yu70gP6lf1V0cmzk/w640-h410/Vagueness.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo by: bhavanalearning.com</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">VENTING AND VAGUENESS</span></p><p>Here I am at the beginning of this post, and I'm not sure where it will be going or what the point will be. All I know is that I need to vent and I hope you'll hear me out. </p><p>So, this is what set me off. I sent a manuscript to an agent I had never queried before. She runs a very small business and only works with two other agents. According to <a href="https://querytracker.net/">QueryTracker,</a> she accepts picture books and responds to all of the queries in her inbox.</p><p>To submit to this agent, writers are required to fill out a form on Query Manager. This is no big deal—I'm used to these submission forms which ask for a query letter, the pitch, the word count plus similar books (at least two published in the last 5 years) and the intended audience.</p><p>But this particular agent wanted more. She asked for the number this book represented in a series— which threw me off. Like many other picture books, my submission was a stand-alone. In addition, she also wanted to know who had edited the book and if you were participated in a critique group. </p><p>I didn't pay to have this book professionally edited. For crying out loud, it's a 300-word book, I'm a college grad, been writing for over 20 years, been published in the <i>Christian Science Monitor, Highlights, Mothering Magazine</i> and scientific journals. But I answered politely: Yes, I belong to a critique group. My critique partners and my first reader helped me edit this work. </p><p>When all of the fields had been filled in and the form was carefully reviewed, I uploaded my manuscript and submitted the form.</p><p>Ten days later I heard back. It was rejected. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't too upset about her turning down this piece. Rejections are part of being a writer. Maybe this agent didn't like the fact that my book wasn't professionally edited. Who knows?</p><p>But the thing that got me was the way she phrased the rejection letter: </p><p><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;">Dear Randi,</span></p><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;">I'm sorry, but at this time your project does not fit what I am looking for, and so I will have to pass. Thank you for considering me and best of luck with your future queries.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #74787e; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #74787e; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /><div>Though the message was courteous, I got angry because of the vagueness: your project does fit what I am looking for. </div><div><br /></div><div>Who in God's name would know what she's looking for? This agent posted on her manuscript wish list that she's seeking a fun picture book, so I sent her a light-hearted and humorous piece. Obviously, she and I differ on our take of fun picture book. That's okay. The business of writing humor for kids is subjective.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>Here's the thing. This would have been a great opportunity for her to mention in the rejection letter what she IS hoping to find in her inbox. To give a brief hint. A crumb, a morsel, a clue. But her response was extremely vague and it reeked of arrogance and laziness. How dare her say it's not what she wants and go no further to give an example of what she would like to find. </div><div><br /></div><div>In contrast, many agents go into great detail about their submission wants. On the <a href="https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/">Official Manuscript Wish List</a> agents spell out specifically what they hope to find in their inboxes. This benefits both writers and the agent. Writers have a better chance to match their manuscripts to the needs of an agent. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is something positive that came from this submission/rejection. It reminds me to look for an agent who gives an explicit wish list. It reminds me to make a better attempt at matching my manuscripts to an agent's needs. More, I reminds me to use caution in submitting humorous picture books. Ah, to live and learn. To grow and move on. </div><div><br /></div><div>All is good. Thank you for hearing me out. Done venting. For now.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #74787e; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-10198122982832975412023-04-01T18:33:00.011-04:002023-05-16T16:23:43.532-04:00<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/springflingwritingcontest/main">Spring Fling Contest 2023</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><b>THIRD PLACE CONTEST WINNER</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckKqQyMkrJaZc4yLyA7GwuBtnDZheMNGUVUJKqd1i9OXjQ_KGv3l-QI2P2in8vcprnM-DNt6NVJUozVUcB-dy3LnBo6iJzqCPosfUx6QS5YpauEe1e3qENn9vhFChT9UwUsTAkiYIqVkCsQHqXlW7TZmrN5iUh3S8HUBtOGdU5bbmko-ywHlBGrrx/s220/red%20umbrella.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="220" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckKqQyMkrJaZc4yLyA7GwuBtnDZheMNGUVUJKqd1i9OXjQ_KGv3l-QI2P2in8vcprnM-DNt6NVJUozVUcB-dy3LnBo6iJzqCPosfUx6QS5YpauEe1e3qENn9vhFChT9UwUsTAkiYIqVkCsQHqXlW7TZmrN5iUh3S8HUBtOGdU5bbmko-ywHlBGrrx/w640-h480/red%20umbrella.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://media.tenor.com/uYqqagVKQiUAAAAC/red.gif?t=AAX4WhnpltIIWoy0LQ2t7A">https://media.tenor.com/uYqqagVKQiUAAAAC/red.gif?t=AAX4WhnpltIIWoy0LQ2t7A</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">U DREAMS </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/springflingwritingcontest/main" style="text-align: left;">https://sites.google.com/view/springflingwritingcontest/main</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-68244516339397856082023-03-14T19:13:00.004-04:002023-03-14T19:13:58.331-04:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7JXvkYjJvdBDWBuJFDplxKZ2Aqzn2xMTofHr9b67ltCzl5tvWeHg0Ry26zdflx61arYBdT5urLq5J6IQjlJW4CgRVpSzT5PmEfW2oxCLNvXaC8VXmwFS_TfwALXCwvtUN0v4bNiJiEXbkWDj0XRU7xc4HD_4jVw-7alwW9wWq8lYArRBYd0aJNKr/s866/Writing.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="writing picture books, the first 70 words, Mindy Weiss' picture book party, picture book writing challenge" border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="866" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7JXvkYjJvdBDWBuJFDplxKZ2Aqzn2xMTofHr9b67ltCzl5tvWeHg0Ry26zdflx61arYBdT5urLq5J6IQjlJW4CgRVpSzT5PmEfW2oxCLNvXaC8VXmwFS_TfwALXCwvtUN0v4bNiJiEXbkWDj0XRU7xc4HD_4jVw-7alwW9wWq8lYArRBYd0aJNKr/w640-h432/Writing.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Thecut.com</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;">70-WORDS </span></p><p>I have a challenge for you. </p><p>Take your picture book manuscripts (yes, all of them) and see if you can arrange the beginnings so that they are exactly 70 words. Not a word over the limit. The beginnings however, can be shorter than 70. But you can't end in the middle of a sentence.</p><p>I learned about this exercise by taking part in <a href="https://mindyalyseweiss.com/2023-pbparty-annual-contest/">Mindy Weiss' PB Party</a>.</p><p>To participate, a writer had to submit only the first 70 words of a manuscript. The idea is to set up the story and introduce the conflict in order to entice the judges to read more. </p><p>For me, that required rearranging the beginnings of nearly all of my work and then selecting the strongest piece. </p><p>Believe me, none of the first seventy words of any of my manuscripts were compelling enough. I had to do lots and lots of tweaking to lower the word count. Often, I'd get close but would always go over the limit by just one word. It was frustrating and yet fun. It was like working a puzzle, trying to restructure sentences so that the opening was clear and captivating. After I had pared down all of manuscripts, I had to choose the most intriguing one so that the story would leave the judges begging for more. </p><p>Sound easy? It's not. </p><p>But I will guarantee when you strive to make the beginnings of your stories shorter, your manuscript will be irresistible. And agents will want to read further. </p><p>So, I throw down the gauntlet. What do you say? Are you up to it? Are you ready to take the 70-word challenge? </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-46787256651760634292023-02-15T08:50:00.002-05:002023-03-10T08:25:32.252-05:00<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyRh4EsEVoXnJQoMNKuqQljOLx-8c9q-LJ5fBlo7Fu3nWdL7n0SEyh-M1SbeE-E2eRkdllTeMM7ViZrnbugpR36WgtS0MVk2eimO3OJ7pMuTFdfAP4Zx49DtKMAjy1TYDdooCx3Iv8Z1h5z4WAWpfNyzJKqP8VfnenJTKu26VaGO8AMUcf76t2e5xY=s4588" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="writing, writing for kids, mentoring" border="0" data-original-height="3059" data-original-width="4588" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyRh4EsEVoXnJQoMNKuqQljOLx-8c9q-LJ5fBlo7Fu3nWdL7n0SEyh-M1SbeE-E2eRkdllTeMM7ViZrnbugpR36WgtS0MVk2eimO3OJ7pMuTFdfAP4Zx49DtKMAjy1TYDdooCx3Iv8Z1h5z4WAWpfNyzJKqP8VfnenJTKu26VaGO8AMUcf76t2e5xY=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: John Schnobrich</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT MENTORING </span><div><br /></div><div>It's not easy helping friends with their writing. Don't get me wrong. I love supporting picture book writers. But the ugly truth is, it can be trying. Some friends ask too much of me. It's getting to the point where I'm considering setting some ground rules.<p>I don't mind waiving my fees for my friends. But sometimes, they may want me to line edit a chapter book. They may want to meet multiple times and get feedback with every new draft. They may even want me to help sell their self-published books. </p><p>One friend asks me to take a look at her work and then gripes when I point out parts of her beloved stories that need attention. She doesn't want to hear the truth about her work. It's her nature to resist revision. Though she'll make some slight changes, she really would like me to fall in love with the first draft. </p><p>Another friend wants me to give him feedback on his work, but unlike my female friend, he never really listens to my advice and never makes a single change, even if there are grammar or formatting problems. Ideally, he would like to find a publisher for his children's stories, but he always decides to self-publish his work. Always. He only wants my approval and for me to boost his confidence. </p><p>These two examples are rare. Most of the time, my writer friends don't abuse our friendship. They don't get frustrated and they are open to making revisions. They make consulting fun and rewarding.</p><p>For instance, several years ago a friend needed help with a manuscript he planned to submit to a children's magazine. I was happy to help him, and in the end, the piece got published in <i>Highlights. </i> He sent me a copy and I found his story even retained some of my ideas. Eventually he learned the ropes. Now, he has been published by <i>Highlights </i>multiple times. I'm thrilled that my advice has made a difference in his writing career. </p><p>But there will always be a few friends who make my job challenging. They may get defensive or disregard the suggestions. Their attitudes frustrate me, and helping them feels like a waste of my time. </p><p>Things have got to change when it comes to helping my friends. We need to have a conversation. I need to learn what it is they want from me and then they need to learn how I can help them. So, here are some of the guidelines I'm thinking about:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>discuss the goals for the consultation</li><li>limit appointments to an hour, whether on the phone or in person </li><li>offer to look at the first draft, but charge for subsequent help </li></ul><p></p><p>I put thought and effort into reviewing manuscripts, and I don't expect all of my suggestions to be used. But if friends contact me for help on a picture book, I expect that they do some editing and to do so without grumbling about it. They will need to be considerate and respectful of my time. I've got to put my foot down. Would you agree it's time to clue-in my friends? Would you agree it's time to set a few ground rules? </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-69950493963811865042023-01-15T08:12:00.002-05:002023-01-15T08:12:39.714-05:00<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp-q5DrHPgLf4XathvBQxxATK0rQV72jlhqpQN1qV_TZp213KcsCKkuRlf9JNeZENlGGhrRO9y4g0lMUv7F9iYLKxt8Tq_g4Cd4zPu0pVu63MqC3vWi8iLJKss2Y8iwqvZH07jL82qnT4qbisaJ0C16g15q1vv6PwGBr2p-qzANmglZR7u13VlbEC/s2399/hannah-olinger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="2398" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp-q5DrHPgLf4XathvBQxxATK0rQV72jlhqpQN1qV_TZp213KcsCKkuRlf9JNeZENlGGhrRO9y4g0lMUv7F9iYLKxt8Tq_g4Cd4zPu0pVu63MqC3vWi8iLJKss2Y8iwqvZH07jL82qnT4qbisaJ0C16g15q1vv6PwGBr2p-qzANmglZR7u13VlbEC/w640-h640/hannah-olinger.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Hannah Olinger</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">HAVE YOU WRITTEN A PICTURE BOOK OR MAGAZINE STORY? </span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">How would you feel if a critic said your picture book manuscript was not a picture book?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Recently, that very thing happened to my friend Anne. A</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">s you can imagine, she was upset. The critic remarked it was more suitable for a magazine. What's weird is I had worked with Anne on this particular project and I've always considered it a picture book. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">So, how do you know if you've written a magazine story or a picture book? </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">Magazine stories have fewer illustrations, have one scene, and are meant to be read once. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">P</span><span style="background-color: white;">icture books rely on illustrations, have scenes that advance the plot, and are meant to be read out loud and repeatedly. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">Specifically, picture books:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Are usually for ages 4 - 8 </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Are </span><span style="background-color: white;">usually 32 pages </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Are about journey and <a href="https://writersrumpus.com/2017/08/11/the-heart-of-picture-books/">heart</a> (those words that makes us feel)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">P</span><span style="background-color: white;">resent universal themes (love, friendship, courage, hope, etc.) in a fresh way</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Impart a message without being preachy. </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Have a rhythm and a flow of the language that invites adults to read the story out loud</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Have an engaging plot that begs the story to be read again and again</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Have well-timed page turns </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Have lots of visual opportunities for illustrations </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Some picture books are simply a lively romp with lyrical language and energy that’ll entice re-reading for the sheer joy of it. More often, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">picture books are character-driven with a strong arc. These stories center on an inner conflict which leads to character development. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">What if you're still unsure if you've written a picture book? </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">You can separate the text of your manuscript into pages and try to envision the art that will support each page. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When author Debbie Ridpath Ohi pages out her text, she does tiny thumbnail sketches using stick figures to check overall flow. Debbie says, "You don’t need to be an artist to do this!"</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">So, what did my friend decide to do? Anne realized the critic was entitled to her opinion, but she also realized the critic had made some good points, which inspired her to reevaluate her picture book. Moving forward, Anne plans to edit her work by making </span><span style="background-color: white;">t</span><span style="background-color: white;">he text more joyful to ensure re-readability and by </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">developing more inner conflict that will lead to character growth. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Anne has the right attitude. She knows it takes determination to stay positive and to continue after hearing discouraging comments. But what would you do if someone were to give you a disheartening critique about your work, especially if you heard it's not a picture book? I hope you would question that opinion. You may need to find others for support. You certainly have my support. I will tell you to believe in yourself. Believe in your writing. Don't let one opinion get you down. Be strong. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Keep on going and don't give up. You know as well as me, i</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">t takes perseverance and a thick skin to write for kids. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Zilla Slab;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Zilla Slab;"><br /></span></span></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-14843476194938068042022-12-29T09:22:00.005-05:002023-01-03T09:31:49.185-05:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYFSLteT1Q31BjzjCmh3m0s1iahKo1Xejmr2Ah-cUPX9oZT4J0DLN9if6E8G29lalWdKiCBfgVyFXSfwd5LZj5ZQeFUsfQrymFBT6bPVs4s4tmGj1RrxJs8BC1SIsKtL4sDHxeBzjJBSBAAzabBMiu6f70EXsSa4_3ngdjRRdwh7RpWNnBa__ZGN9/s386/Hope.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#hope, #inspiration, #writing, hope, writer's hope, believe in yourself , writer's inspiration" border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="382" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYFSLteT1Q31BjzjCmh3m0s1iahKo1Xejmr2Ah-cUPX9oZT4J0DLN9if6E8G29lalWdKiCBfgVyFXSfwd5LZj5ZQeFUsfQrymFBT6bPVs4s4tmGj1RrxJs8BC1SIsKtL4sDHxeBzjJBSBAAzabBMiu6f70EXsSa4_3ngdjRRdwh7RpWNnBa__ZGN9/w634-h640/Hope.png" width="634" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To writers everywhere: believe and never give up.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Tags: <a href="https://themaggieproject.blogspot.com/">Hope</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-12868992289508895632022-12-15T08:43:00.001-05:002022-12-15T08:43:54.934-05:00<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HTPibvsmcM78Dxwh77SsmcN0SUhDfunt9PawMn18FSx5uDnRylYdo7sX9kFUYc86Mlxpi4PI1bP65nAcXd9pNME7qhy1HYxPcyY90JAMlXounricGXntW3BmGJCQVgqLi2K8sDpd-H0q8zsvKISMcAfw7_DaFJo237DgkqOyVJ24lDvZBdhnoUWN/s399/Ollie%20on%20chair%202015%20(4).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Writing, naming characters and pets" border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="399" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HTPibvsmcM78Dxwh77SsmcN0SUhDfunt9PawMn18FSx5uDnRylYdo7sX9kFUYc86Mlxpi4PI1bP65nAcXd9pNME7qhy1HYxPcyY90JAMlXounricGXntW3BmGJCQVgqLi2K8sDpd-H0q8zsvKISMcAfw7_DaFJo237DgkqOyVJ24lDvZBdhnoUWN/w640-h638/Ollie%20on%20chair%202015%20(4).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sweet ol' Ollie</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">WHAT'S IN A NAME? </span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coming up with a great name for a character is one of
the hardest tasks a writer will face. I always explore the meaning of names to make the job a little easier and more fun. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> And, h</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">aving had practice naming characters for my stories, I assumed I'd have the honor of naming our cat. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My daughter Abby however, didn’t want to hear any of my ideas. She decided to call our
cat Ollie. And I’m not sure why. Maybe she liked the sound of it. Maybe it was the first name that popped into
her head. Maybe the cat looked like an
Ollie to her.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being a writer, I wanted to know the significance of his name. So, I looked up the meaning of Ollie. According to </span><a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/" style="font-family: inherit;">www.babynamewizard.com</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, Ollie is the pet form of Oliver, derived from the French word olivier or olive tree. Which begs the question: why would anyone name a person or a pet after an olive tree? I read on. Some think the name Ollie has a Germanic
origin composed of the words alf (elf) and hari (army). </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever that's supposed to mean. Regardless of the meaning, Ollie ended up being a fitting name for our cat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our second cat is named Ozzie. This time, it was my choice since Abby was 400 miles away in college. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I adopted him from the Lexington Humane Society several months after Ollie died. Originally, Ozzie was named Polo, meaning brave wanderer—which he actually became seven years later when he escaped our house last Thanksgiving*. But Ozzie didn't look like a Polo. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to
pay homage to Ollie, so I decided to use a similar name using a double consonant. After naming him, I discovered that Ozzie is Hebrew for strong </span><span>and Old Norse meaning bear god. Ozzie is </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">neither.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I keep the bestowing of names to a minimum, for family, pets, and fictional characters. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some people get a little carried away and give names to their </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">cars, boats, appliances, and laptops. I knew a gal who gave her plants the names of Shakespeare characters. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some people name body parts. I'll just leave it at that. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Writer Geraldine DeRuiter, travel writer and blogger of </span><a href="http://www.everywhereist.com/about/">The Everywhereist</a>, gave her brain tumor a name. <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">"As for why I named it Steve...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: inherit;"> well, </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">duh</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">. What else was I going to name it?
There is no one to whom I am particularly close who is named Steve. I’ve never
kissed a boy named Steve. I’ve never uttered the phrase, “Steve, I love you.”
And Steve is nice and short and easy to add to a long list of unrepeatable
words. Behold: Fucking goddamn miserable piece-of-shit Steve.” </span></div>
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<span style="color: #242424;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you know, names are important to writers. We want our characters to be memorable and we </span></span><span style="color: #242424;">want the names to reflect their personalities. But sometimes, we choose names just because we like them and the name seems fitting regardless of what they mean.</span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">Which brings me back to our pet's name. </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">I </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">think Ozzie is perfect for our cat. However, </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">my husband tells me if he had been given a choice, he would have decided upon something differ</span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">ent. Something shorter. </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">In fact, it's even something he calls Ozzie from time to time. Yes, </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">Geraldine, my husband thinks like you, although his usage is less profane. If he had been given a vote, he </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: inherit;">would have named our cat Steve. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424;">*Last year, Ozzie escaped on Thanksgiving evening. Being an indoor cat, he didn't have the skills to survive outside. We had given up hope of every seeing him again. But two months later, someone posted a picture online of a lost cat that looked like our cat. Long story short, we were reunited with a very skinny, but unharmed (and grateful) Ozzie. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>
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</div></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-3702584766195987332022-11-15T08:24:00.002-05:002022-11-15T08:29:35.766-05:00<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOds1ACbxL3rVWYnt0p-A_7UF3ej16vGhESAto2WLKK6KnJU4m_TTfkiJXh2M4E6Oh4E-YO8LElWZmDn12PsK5bR-0Uxj3CDgtt--plg7KbYjuTcnSKPQXftIDXr5PwnVKpQOiPc110EgLU0o6sxaU2yQ9cj2kTaQp1e60Ddgm-uVIdFg32AvhyiW/s5328/Theme-josh%20applegate.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3551" data-original-width="5328" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOds1ACbxL3rVWYnt0p-A_7UF3ej16vGhESAto2WLKK6KnJU4m_TTfkiJXh2M4E6Oh4E-YO8LElWZmDn12PsK5bR-0Uxj3CDgtt--plg7KbYjuTcnSKPQXftIDXr5PwnVKpQOiPc110EgLU0o6sxaU2yQ9cj2kTaQp1e60Ddgm-uVIdFg32AvhyiW/w640-h426/Theme-josh%20applegate.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Josh Applegate</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">THE ESSENSE OF YOUR STORY</span></p><p>When agents and editors read your work, they are not only looking for character and plot, they want to get a sense of the theme. Theme is a word or two that gives the essence of your story. It touches on what the main character learns and how that character changes in the process of the story. </p><p></p><p>That said, can you identify the theme or themes in your picture book stories? For me, two themes often appear in my picture books: bravery/courage and kindness/empathy </p><p><span>Why do I choose these themes? </span>It's kind of like the sorting hat in Harry Potter, where the hat chooses the wizard. I don't choose a theme; the theme becomes apparent after the first draft of the story. </p><p>When I write a children's book, I concentrate on character and plot. The theme turns up when most of the story has been developed. </p><p>For instance, in one of my picture books, a young girl wants to find a way to help a homeless person. This story, based on a true experience, honors my daughter who gave her umbrella to a penniless person. As the story developed, the theme of empathy emerged by showing the actions of the main character. </p><p>If you're struggling with theme, consider what <a href="https://www.writerswrite.co.za/10-powerful-recurring-themes-in-childrens-stories/">Writers Write</a> has to say: </p><p>"A<span style="font-family: inherit;"> theme can be chosen by answering one or both questions:</span></p><ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What does the protagonist learn about him or herself in the story?</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What does the protagonist learn to cope with in the story?"</span></li></ol><div><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Writers Write identifies 10 Powerful Recurring Themes In Children’s Stories:</span></h3><ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Courage</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friendship</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Belonging/Identity</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Family</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loss/Grief</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Growing Up.</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anger</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Suffering</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jealousy</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Love</span></li></ol><span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Of course, there are many other choices, as listed here: </span></div><div><a href="https://www.almostanauthor.com/31-universal-themes-childrens-literature/ ">https://www.almostanauthor.com/31-universal-themes-childrens-literature/ </a></div><div><br /></div><div>Most memorable children's books revolve around a theme. For example, the theme of <i>Horton Hears a Who</i> is taking a stand and the value of hard work is the theme in <i>The Little Engine That Could</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>But don't let finding a theme pressure you. Relax, don't overthink it. I suggest that you pour out your story and let it evolve. Have confidence that a theme will appear. </div><div><br /></div><div>But...a word of caution: If you're ready to submit your picture book, avoid pointing blatantly to the theme of your story. This can be a bit of a turnoff to an agent. Rest assured that when you describe the actions of your protagonist, you'll be able to convey the theme. </div><div><br /></div><div>Often, I've found that the themes in my picture book books end up being things I care deeply about. They are issues I want to explore and causes I want to shed light on. This may be the case for you, too. Themes emerge when you write about something you're passionate about. So, take a look at the pieces that you've written and the actions of the main character. Can you identify the themes in your stories? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br />Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-45553600532632359562022-10-15T09:24:00.003-04:002022-10-15T09:29:25.312-04:00<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRIbP7H4leYws18nlmkx413ndaU61FPFkpjRrCiG9eFh8WufgJBddVklX9WIXIenpRB7JJ3A5TIkwwNPFoapQvlmN5qjwrKHS3USoirUac12BfRd2McCECwPNCONrK7f7wh3MeXQ9esEu5TZOOIQzYnvExtAeJqoIUVkw9MQsnHklnyP3qfcZc78z/s4957/Story%20-%20nong-v.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="elements of a story, main character, conflict, literary agents" border="0" data-original-height="3304" data-original-width="4957" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRIbP7H4leYws18nlmkx413ndaU61FPFkpjRrCiG9eFh8WufgJBddVklX9WIXIenpRB7JJ3A5TIkwwNPFoapQvlmN5qjwrKHS3USoirUac12BfRd2McCECwPNCONrK7f7wh3MeXQ9esEu5TZOOIQzYnvExtAeJqoIUVkw9MQsnHklnyP3qfcZc78z/w640-h426/Story%20-%20nong-v.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Nong V</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /><span style="font-size: medium;">GIVE AGENTS WHAT THEY WANT</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week, a client sent me two picture book manuscripts that were beautifully written but lacked the basic elements of a story: character and conflict. It's very likely that these manuscripts will be rejected by agents. Most agents crave stories with character and conflict. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's take a look at these two pieces. In one of them, the story is about fencing, an activity the writer had loved as a child and still enjoys as an adult. The writer describes the uniform, the épée (sword), the stance, the attack and the three main moves. This goes on for about 500 words. And that's it. Descriptions. There isn't a main character who confronts a problem. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the other story, we have two characters, best friends, who go on an adventure. </span>Picture books can have more than one character, but one of them should be the central character and this central character should have a problem. But in this piece, the conflict was unclear. I couldn't tell what the main character wanted, what got in her way, and how she would resolve the problem. To me, the story was an imaginative playful journey with no major conflict. </p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most books, whether they are picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoirs, or novels, have character and conflict. They go hand in hand. Conflict is born out of a character wanting something—and having trouble getting it. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had the fortune to listen to five agents on a <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/">SCBWI</a> webinar panel weigh in on the subject. They agreed a story should have </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a good sense of the main character (MC), plot, what the MC wants, and what stands in the way (conflict). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span>An agent from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency states writers must find a way to conn</span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ect with young readers not by story, but with the MC. S</span></span>he explains w</span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">riters must create a relatable character that </span>elicits emotion and develop a story arc<span style="font-family: inherit;"> which shows character growth or change. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Children's author </span><a href="https://www.underdown.org/mf-picture-book-secrets.htm">Margot Finke</a><span style="background-color: white;"> writes that conflict is on the checklist for picture books. She states that "the main character needs to be in conflict with something or someone for the story to grip small readers. Have some problem that bothers, or gnaws, or leads to trouble. The hero/heroine gets to solve the problem over the course of the story. The solving is the meat in your story."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, returning to the two manuscripts, what can the writer do to improve the books? For the fencing story, the writer can keep the fencing descriptions, but she must develop a character who cares deeply about the sport. She must describe how the character feels about fencing. It's all about emotion. Once that is established, then the writer can devise a problem the fencer faces and has to solve. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the adventure story, the writer can take the m</span>ain character that has already been developed and invent a specific problem that gets in the way of what this character wants. That conflict should be obvious and challenging to solve. </p><p>These solutions may seem obvious to more seasoned writers. But some newbies may struggle with character and conflict. When that happens, I have a few exercises that might help. </p><p>For character: Set the plot aside and focus on the protagonist. Let the imagination run wild and think of the first character that pops in your head. Then cast that character as the star in the story. This initial character will probably not be the best choice, but it gets the creative juices flowing and it will lead to finding the perfect character as the piece is revised. </p><p style="text-align: left;">For conflict: Think about putting yourself into the story and running into a problem you'd never want to face. Or even better, have a conversation with the MC and have her tell you about the problem she's encountered and how she plans to solve it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a writer, you are free to write whatever you're craving to write. Even if it's a description of an activity you love doing. Or a wacky or wondrous adventure. But like many agents, I believe that manuscripts must have the basic elements of a story. So, if you want to publish a picture book, take an honest look at your work. Does it have character and conflict? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-15448347716417982292022-09-15T08:51:00.000-04:002022-09-15T08:51:07.510-04:00<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSoJFWbhHf2lj4hzuXNiupgi3V0dYaTB0LNLeYn4ijz94ithSXd7cyQ8EvVNZcZfqEKPfbK6FsnRUa5s2lRYSXB_lmq7OgyQdbQ8JNxPAK_aAMSSYcoMD122OunRyjsh5BCdUrirH0shGLUGr5AqHSfV9lc4PHgse9JaWR1i2T5SpRVg5njGmsmp7/s5760/Depressed%20-%20dmitry-schemelev%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="rejection, challenges of writing for kids, powerful writing hooks" border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSoJFWbhHf2lj4hzuXNiupgi3V0dYaTB0LNLeYn4ijz94ithSXd7cyQ8EvVNZcZfqEKPfbK6FsnRUa5s2lRYSXB_lmq7OgyQdbQ8JNxPAK_aAMSSYcoMD122OunRyjsh5BCdUrirH0shGLUGr5AqHSfV9lc4PHgse9JaWR1i2T5SpRVg5njGmsmp7/w640-h426/Depressed%20-%20dmitry-schemelev%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Dmitry Schemelev </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">FINDING THE COURAGE TO WRITE </span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">From time to time, I question whether I should stick with writing. This doubt arises when my work is rejected or worse ignored, which makes me wonder if my submissions were ever received. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's hard to remain positive, even though many authors say never give up. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Disappointment lingered (so real I could almost touch it), but I shoved it aside to work on a fictional story and a nonfiction picture book. I toggled back in forth between the manuscripts, editing the pieces but felt they would never be completed, never reach perfection (in my mind), never become what they should become. </span>I moved sentences around, deleted words, added dialogue, and I am so f*cking brain-tired and full of doubt. <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The week before had been easier. I submitted two picture manuscripts to agents, one playful and the other more serious. </span>These stories have unique characters, memorable opening lines, good flow, strong tension, and story arc. I believe they are different than what agents expect to find in their inboxes. <span style="font-family: inherit;">But will an agent be open to something different? Will they get my writing and share my vision? Will an agent fall in love with my work? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ozzie relaxes behind my computer and I give him a chin rub. Lizzie climbs in my lap for attention. They are a nice distraction. I need it. My cats help keep the </span>depression at bay<span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I take a break. I work a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html">Wordle</a>. I move on to <a href="https://www.quordle.com/#/">Quordle</a>. I solve them both quickly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">At times, I wonder why I continue to write when publication has changed so much over the years. At first, writers only had to compete with the celebrities and published authors. Now days, writers have to compete with author-illustrators and with writers who have a referral. Lately, we compete with the LBGTQ and marginalized authors and I applaud them because it's time their voices are heard. But submitting has never been tougher. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On top of the competition, writers must match their manuscripts to an agent's wish list. But it's like trying to read an agent's mind. I do my best to send an appropriate piece and end up with replies that say, "it's not a good fit," or, "it's not what I'm looking for." I feel defeated. And I don't want to feel this way. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">By chance, I noticed an online class on querying. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though I've been submitting for years, I signed up. One can always learn something new and useful. </span></p><p>Instructor <a href="https://www.tribehub.com/podcast/kathy-ver-eeke-pitch-to-published">Kathy van Eecke</a> revealed 20 common query mistakes (yep, I had made one) and ways to correct them. She advised us to take a look at <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://queryshark.blogspot.com/">Query Shark,</a> a website that critiques queries. Most of all, she encouraged us to rethink our queries. She said it probably wasn't our books that needed help, it was our hooks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The timing of this workshop could not have been better. It was the boost I needed. After watching the webinar and studying a lot of query examples, I scrutinized the hooks of the five books I had written. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> They were good, but they needed to be exceptional. They had to grab agents and make them want to keep reading. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, I inserted a teaser (a captivating line or quote) before the book description. I also reworked the book descriptions so that the first line of each one indicated three things: the main character, the inciting action, and the dilemma. I found this would require concise writing. But </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">within a few days, I had jazzed up the five queries. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know how agents will feel about my submissions. They are a picky crew and have very specific tastes in what they want to acquire. But at least I know my queries are more intriguing and even a bit mysterious. Having taken my queries to the next level, I have more belief in my hooks and in my books. I am hopeful. More positive. Encouragement flows in, so real that I can almost touch it. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-7137520521120019812022-08-15T05:51:00.001-04:002022-08-18T16:18:28.341-04:00<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjbYTT_WF3ijrCSatTnrUMON8N25VY2aVsb-WvA0V862kOHX-X47osz1X50OmADjVP7LL_e-MMkmF-GYYuQGpP-F_cxIShPk9hEcA2qLJpXj9yniCNRsRNEHEN76iwPhbduodtql5oxE/s1600/Maggie-child+with+book-Anita+Jankovic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="writing for kids, the journey to publication, why writing for kids is not easy" border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjbYTT_WF3ijrCSatTnrUMON8N25VY2aVsb-WvA0V862kOHX-X47osz1X50OmADjVP7LL_e-MMkmF-GYYuQGpP-F_cxIShPk9hEcA2qLJpXj9yniCNRsRNEHEN76iwPhbduodtql5oxE/w640-h426/Maggie-child+with+book-Anita+Jankovic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">WRITING FOR KIDS ISN'T AS EASY AS IT SEEMS </span><div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before the pandemic, Baxter's Corner had expressed interest in publishing my children's book titled <i>Tajo Speaks Out</i>. When I informed people of the news, some of them said, "Anyone can write a children's book. Writing for kids is easy." </span><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Those of us who write for kids would strongly disagree. And here's why. Writing and publishing for children can be broken down into two parts: the creative process and the submission process. For the creative process a writer must develop a manuscript that </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">is about </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">500 words, that </span>allows for illustrations, and that centers around a theme relatable to young kids. It must be engaging, marketable, and revised <span style="font-family: inherit;">multiple times. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The submission process is every bit as arduous. A writer must compose a professional query letter and research agents that are open to picture book submissions. S</span>ubmitting to an agent doesn't guarantee an acceptance. It can take years to find an agent. On top of that, if a <span style="font-family: inherit;">writer signs with an agent, the agent must submit the work to publishers. The whole process, from initial idea to publishing a book can take up to two years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I had met the publisher of Baxter's Corner, I could skip the submission process. But creating that book wasn't a walk in the park. There were tight guidelines. Specifically, I had to choose an animal character the company had developed and assign a moral value to this character. Okay you say, s</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">elect a character and the value and get on with writing the story. But it wasn't that simple. </span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcxNU0HRY_6ubOQksbsjLmc0VF4VfSPdoTrn0nwOLScit0nE0rhPJ_ZycHyHR1aw2AxUbooN9jlGpofkdZm08x8QjIt-qpXkCRYd4q99uEcZNhKXCjhxEEuApgPeMIJGXTK5osWjNyqE/s1600/Maggie-child+with+book.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcxNU0HRY_6ubOQksbsjLmc0VF4VfSPdoTrn0nwOLScit0nE0rhPJ_ZycHyHR1aw2AxUbooN9jlGpofkdZm08x8QjIt-qpXkCRYd4q99uEcZNhKXCjhxEEuApgPeMIJGXTK5osWjNyqE/s320/Maggie-child+with+book.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Johnny McClung</span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Before the first word of the story could be written, I was asked to develop the objectives. This involved describing the character's problem, the rising conflict, the solution, and the resolution.* After writing the objectives, I sent them to the publisher and she discussed them with her team of consultants. When everyone made their assessment, the publisher sent me their suggestions. Then publisher and I went back and forth many times over many months to polish the objectives. <br />
<br />Once this step was nailed, I got the green light to write the story. Here's the catch: Baxter Corner books are written in rhyming couplets, but the rhymes could not be repeated. Also, the meter or beats (syllables) had to be even so that the story wouldn't sound forced or choppy when read aloud. I checked to make sure the rhyming was smooth and then moved on to the next phase of the process. <br />
<br />My beta reader critiqued <i>Tajo. </i>After implementing his suggestions, I<i> </i>sent the story to the publisher so she and her team could study it. The draft was heavily criticized and returned to me for more revision. I tweaked the story and I sent it to the publishing staff so they could review it again. After I made some minor changes, the team approved the final version and it was ready to be professionally edited and illustrated. Finally, this project was getting closer to publication. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then...</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">COVID hit. As </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">the pandemic raged, the market changed, the focus of Baxter's Corner shifted, and </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Tajo</i><span> was put on the back burner. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>This outcome was not a surprise to me. I sensed the direction Baxter's Corner was taking on Facebook. The company had been making posts about the themes in its upcoming books—themes which varied greatly from <i>Tajo</i>. So, when the publisher called to tell me my book had been shelved, I was prepared for the heart-breaking news. Still, this setback sucked. </div><div><br /></div><div>But...it would not defeat me. </div><div><br /></div><div>I will move forward and use this experience to become a better writer. A stronger, more resilient person. Undaunted. I will write in spite of rejections or the shifts in the market. I will write in spite of the notion people say it's easy. There will always be disappointments, setbacks and ignorance. And spite of it all, I will write for kids. </div><div><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><br />
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* Jotting down the objectives is a great exercise and it can help in developing the structure of your story.<br />
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<br /></div></div></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-30109306838564102712022-07-15T09:33:00.010-04:002022-07-16T15:50:13.088-04:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpeND51VWijzMqt3RKMaCyTn98Y4Xn5QimJsbYmDz7tvnOf-6S-sRUtO9r7SmLORaSWapXdTh2JHVhi4-MY2TJs6_SMohFIadK80rvqescHN1iuHMyz1hE48Z8CsMic-XiNZRhgvVPjIrUBxM_iZ8vtYxo25DGA-yTsc0dl1PnLqg2ij_NtPO-P3E/s711/Van%20gogh%20self%20portrait.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Van Gogh self portraits" border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="711" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpeND51VWijzMqt3RKMaCyTn98Y4Xn5QimJsbYmDz7tvnOf-6S-sRUtO9r7SmLORaSWapXdTh2JHVhi4-MY2TJs6_SMohFIadK80rvqescHN1iuHMyz1hE48Z8CsMic-XiNZRhgvVPjIrUBxM_iZ8vtYxo25DGA-yTsc0dl1PnLqg2ij_NtPO-P3E/w640-h400/Van%20gogh%20self%20portrait.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">I GO, YOU GO, WE ALL VAN GOGH</span><br /><br />Dear faithful readers,<div><br /></div><div>You have an opportunity to let your voice be heard, to get involved, to try to sway an author (that would be me).<p></p><p>I would love to write a biography for kids about a young woman named Jo, who was the wife of Theo van Gogh, the younger brother of Vincent van Gogh. She was married for only two years when Theo passed away. </p><p></p><p>Jo was left with a child, her husband's correspondence with Vincent, and hundreds of Vincent van Gogh's paintings. </p><p>After reading her diaries (<a href="https://www.bongerdiaries.org/dagboek_jo_1" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Diaries Jo Bonger (bongerdiaries.org)</span></a> I discovered Jo was terribly depressed. She poured over Theo's letters, hoping to feel her husband's spirit. In doing so, she learned how deeply Theo cared about his older brother. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ydME4DuTtHyt3jYIZ6ErhkmP7P6oAXn6gaLwW9JCHeHWGG9LFQrHL3zb_PoPtFpwjA4sQ1DhliQZoBQqCsF_gRMYkw9UxZ084-fcsrH0y7t0_1X_XJulcOYs9g2B3CR3frwFbFqegT657bUZTvsVcMIjJZzAb2WVfcWPFl0vDYrN5x6w8NrbUzJa/s671/Jo%20bonger%20van%20gogh%20public%20domain.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Johanna van Gogh Bonger" border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="606" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ydME4DuTtHyt3jYIZ6ErhkmP7P6oAXn6gaLwW9JCHeHWGG9LFQrHL3zb_PoPtFpwjA4sQ1DhliQZoBQqCsF_gRMYkw9UxZ084-fcsrH0y7t0_1X_XJulcOYs9g2B3CR3frwFbFqegT657bUZTvsVcMIjJZzAb2WVfcWPFl0vDYrN5x6w8NrbUzJa/w289-h320/Jo%20bonger%20van%20gogh%20public%20domain.JPG" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Johanna van Gogh Bonger and son Vincent</span></td></tr></tbody></table>She also began to understand Vincent's dark moods and passions. She realized his genius. <p></p><p>After perusing the letters, Jo realized her life's mission. She felt Vincent's paintings needed to be hung in galleries and appreciated by the public. Jo devoted her life to promoting the art Vincent van Gogh—this from a young woman with no art or business education. And she succeeded!</p><p>So, here's where you fit in. </p><p>I need help in with choosing an opening. Will you please take time to vote on your favorite? I am torn between all three.</p><p>You may respond in the comments or at my email address: Rlmrvos (at) gmail (dot) com </p><p>Ready? Get set. Vote!</p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">1. In the days when artists shied
away from dark colors, set up easels outside, and painted their impressions of nature, there lived a young woman who grew to believe in a man, an artist named Vincent Van Gogh. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Jo spreads the canvases on a
table, runs her fingers over the brushstrokes and makes a few selections. She
keeps the most brilliant, her favorites at home, for Jo van Gogh Bonger has a
plan.</p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p style="background-color: transparent;">3. </o:p><span>Jo kneeled in a cemetery upon a tangle
of ivy and whispered to her husband's stone, "What shall I </span><span>do with 400 paintings that were painted by Vincent van Gogh?"</span></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">4. When Jo was young, she loved to
write and she put down her thoughts in a diary. She never guessed that one day her
words would touch others, like the art of Vincent van Gogh.</p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="background-color: white;">Thank you for helping! </span></p><p class="css-at9mc1" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-86447217881530371982022-06-15T08:05:00.001-04:002022-06-15T08:05:58.757-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgtykAei8UYDfRmXBODveNpI9hI_xpaJQRWkmPP2De7EfW32HQcLCek6I0pIrbUuKINNswHSWlsLV0OY6DsOSfukTpEJZByTYtcST1aXswIwNdOjo1r44PYn6u4iYLVPiRoox3bbQ1HE/s1600/Baxter%2527s+Corner+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="writing and opportunities" border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="783" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgtykAei8UYDfRmXBODveNpI9hI_xpaJQRWkmPP2De7EfW32HQcLCek6I0pIrbUuKINNswHSWlsLV0OY6DsOSfukTpEJZByTYtcST1aXswIwNdOjo1r44PYn6u4iYLVPiRoox3bbQ1HE/w640-h444/Baxter%2527s+Corner+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Publisher of Baxter's Corner and grandson</span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A WRITING OPPORTUNITY </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">You know the proverb all good things must come to an end. One could say that about m</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">y first book </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. As a book produced by a small press, it actually sold very well and it was time to move on to other projects. But I wasn't sure what those would be until </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">an opportunity fell into my lap. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I attended the Kentucky Book Fair in Lexington to acquaint the public with <i>Maggie</i>, I met the publisher of Baxter's Corner, a small press located outside of Louisville. Mary Ellen sat next to me selling her company's books, but we didn't have the chance to talk much until after the event. As we packed up, she gave me a copy of </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Gerome Sticks Out His Neck</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. This book takes a novel approach by telling an educational story in rhyme. I was impressed by the book and told her I'd love to write for Baxter's Corner. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Two months later, we met for lunch. I learned more about Mary Ellen's life, her goals and her company. As we waited for our food to be served, she pulled out a book contract. It felt surreal, magical, and empowering. She wanted me to write books for her company that would have a positive effect on kids.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Baxter’s Corner uses storytelling as a way to affect positive behavioral choices for children from birth to eight years old. The books highlight specific themes such as respect, anti-bullying, compassion, determination, and overcoming obstacles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each book focuses on making good choices in difficult or confusing situations and using the endearing animal characters to make the point. </span>These cute creatures show children how to think and dream, how to be curious and courageous, and how to be kind and compassionate. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B3Bi96z7ZpZocfwyFpnoRIamWWyGiywTFB00K2NUU1Uo4AT989RQ_1vJkRm1FnGK37MDkRt-BUYYtHzscELwI7X3WqCEHMYa4tGwi8sq68QpeYdYOdMChCVWFEbYUhOjOcWdwvue2BU/s1600/Gerome.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="777" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B3Bi96z7ZpZocfwyFpnoRIamWWyGiywTFB00K2NUU1Uo4AT989RQ_1vJkRm1FnGK37MDkRt-BUYYtHzscELwI7X3WqCEHMYa4tGwi8sq68QpeYdYOdMChCVWFEbYUhOjOcWdwvue2BU/s320/Gerome.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The goal of Baxter's Corner is to put </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">value-based books into the hands of children and to give </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">caregivers, who may be reading to the child, strong examples that teach approaches to some of the struggles that children face in today’s world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My role with Baxter's Corner would be to </span>assign a value to a specific character and write a 32-page story in rhyme while capturing the unique personality of that character. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Six of the animal characters have been featured in books. The newest characters, an orangutan and a tarantula, needed to have stories written about them. I gravitated to the tarantula. At first, I thought I'd never be able to write his story because spiders creep me out, but I changed my mind upon seeing how this furry creature had been rendered. Tajo is not scary-looking. He is actually an adorable character. </span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After going back and forth with the publisher on pinpointing the objective, I got the green light to develop a story for the meek but courageous tarantula. Six months later, the publisher accepted <i>Tajo Speaks Up</i> and then—the pandemic struck. Unfortunately, as COVID ran rampant, B</span>axter's Corner pushed back its publishing schedule and therefore, my book was put on hold. </div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 15px;">It was disappointing because I had put so much work and love into this book. But all was not lost. I learned a lot about publishers and most of all, about the significance of opportunity.</div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Opportunity presents itself everywhere. I</span>t takes being aware and taking advantage of what comes our way. When we do, we h</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ave the potential to allow good things to happen. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The key is to develop the vision to see it. For writers, g</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ood things can happen if we continue to submit, take a workshop, communicate and connect with other writers, go to book signings, join critique groups, or participate in literary fairs. </span></div><div><div>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The ability to discover opportunities depends on luck and chance as well as awareness and a positive attitude. The ability to make the most of opportunities depends on not waiting for something better to come along, but to take advantage of the situation as soon as it presents itself. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
Taking part in the Kentucky Book Festival presented me with an amazing opportunity to meet a publisher and to write a children's book. And I jumped on the chance to make something good happen.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know what will become of my book for Baxter's Corner. There's a possibility it may get published. After all, the publisher has the completed version and she may feel inclined to move forward with it. If that doesn't happen, I will consider it a valuable experience which has helped me grow as a writer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">One could say good things came to an end with </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Maggie </i>and quite possibly for <i>Tajo</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. But maybe not. With eyes wide open for opportunities, good things will continue to happen.<br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theemotionmachine.com/take-advantage-of-opportunities/%C2%A0%C2%A0" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">How to Take Advantage of Opportunities on a Daily Basis</a><br />
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</div></div></div></div></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-46241576095471543282022-05-15T09:28:00.001-04:002022-05-15T20:28:16.519-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZBH0U-CXtrDsf3pSokSpgSM8BztsIotOqHaJk8fmCoSljXXCHIoS9obv-ASs8OxcMtsYqWFGeQSCh8ST0i8HwcBU9spVZSctzHgfFUTA-0EK_RUIcfOug5Gfy8DScCG6lMQuvd_c2rRomMPMKrXDBelGB_AHFTX66OeE8xYC5VsdZ4Rt5YkQQBnq/s4098/worry%20-molnar-balint.jpg"><img alt="Dealing with unethical Cactus Moon Publishing" border="0" data-original-height="3167" data-original-width="4098" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZBH0U-CXtrDsf3pSokSpgSM8BztsIotOqHaJk8fmCoSljXXCHIoS9obv-ASs8OxcMtsYqWFGeQSCh8ST0i8HwcBU9spVZSctzHgfFUTA-0EK_RUIcfOug5Gfy8DScCG6lMQuvd_c2rRomMPMKrXDBelGB_AHFTX66OeE8xYC5VsdZ4Rt5YkQQBnq/w640-h494/worry%20-molnar-balint.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">DEALING WITH AN UNETHICAL PUBLISHER</span></p><p>About five years ago, a small press published my book <i>Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell. </i> I was on cloud nine. Nothing could go wrong. But, well...things did go wrong, and therefore I feel the need to inform my readers. </p><p>For me, the publishing process was daunting, frustrating at times, but overall thrilling. I even got to audition illustrators for my book. The best part was knowing my story would have the potential to entertain and educate kids. Having a book published was a dream come true. But now it's a bit of a nightmare. </p><p>The publisher stated upfront that she would only do a few things for promotion. She said she would get an ISBN number, sell it on Amazon, and write a press release. That's it. The author is supposed to do everything else: design and pay for bookmarks, attend book fairs, market on social media (Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram), get newspapers to write an article, persuade libraries to carry the book, arrange book signings and more. I knew this from the get-go, and was up to the task. </p><p>And even though I knew the publisher would do very little promoting, I wished she would have been more supportive when I informed her of the write-up in a literary magazine, the many positive reviews, and my television appearance and participation in a prestigious book fair. I was hoping she might pay a small portion of my marketing expenses, or at the very least, promote my book on the company's website. None of this happened for me. </p><p>In fact, the opposite happened.</p><p>My publisher got angry at me for not selling all of the books the organizers had ordered for the Kentucky Book Festival. She tried to coerce me into paying for the returned books and told me my contract stated that I was responsible for the unsold books. Actually, it was not in the contract. And I refused to be intimidated and comply. </p><p>So, a punishment was dealt out to me: she removed my books from the publishing company's online library and stopped carrying them on Amazon.</p><p>Wow. How can someone be that mean, that childish? Don't you think she could have found a way to work with me to promote and sell the extra copies? No, she had to get even. Revengeful. </p><p>So, you might ask, what can I do now? Lots. I can edit my Amazon profile to direct people to my website where they can order a book. Since I have a pdf of the story, I can upload it to Amazon and print copies. What else can I do? I can leave Google reviews. I can report the company to Editors and Predators and to Writer Beware. I can warn writers on Facebook and Absolute Write. I shed light about the company's practices on LinkedIn. </p><p>Don't get me wrong. I was ecstatic to have a book published. I only wished the publisher could have been more professional and honest. </p><p>To sum up, when a publisher fails to be supportive, the author loses. Actually, the publisher and the author lose. No, the public loses, too, because a children's book has been removed from places where it can be printed and bought. </p><p>I don't know how often a publisher gets vindictive. But I want to bring this issue to light. I want to warn others. If ever you find yourself interested in working with a small press, here's what you need to know: Research the publisher. Read what others have to say about them before signing the contract. Scrutinize the contract and be sure you will not be responsible for books that aren't sold. Lastly, be sure that the publisher wants to help promote your book. That she wants to make it successful. And above all, that she wants to put your book in the hands of a child. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-85335819505563931592022-04-15T06:21:00.001-04:002022-04-15T06:21:34.494-04:00<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG4vVgUi4tgyzxVOiJNVdBlGrYKoj8aGkJdtKbgfYL2Gy7ytimJcgzfJRuI2jFY318GGF4zrpKOX6jQyKI4LYrQUdkcVqS79XBKh4NYXAGestfGc2V8gekrwez4JE7U_zHOhlUuq-TNXmeypsaD5y2BfsHky_zi7sjSnfnIksCUqwOCGTcj-af4tpI=s5231" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3487" data-original-width="5231" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG4vVgUi4tgyzxVOiJNVdBlGrYKoj8aGkJdtKbgfYL2Gy7ytimJcgzfJRuI2jFY318GGF4zrpKOX6jQyKI4LYrQUdkcVqS79XBKh4NYXAGestfGc2V8gekrwez4JE7U_zHOhlUuq-TNXmeypsaD5y2BfsHky_zi7sjSnfnIksCUqwOCGTcj-af4tpI=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Brooke Cagle</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">JOINING A CRITIQUE GROUP</span><p></p><p>I'll be honest. Being part of a critique group has never been my cup of tea. I prefer to get critiques from my beta reader, my husband. He cheers me on and he gives me great advice—I don't need others to weigh in on my work. However, about five years ago, I got curious about a writing group that met at a library close to my home. </p><p>When I arrived for the meeting, I discovered aspiring picture book writers eager to get published. They were passionate about the stories they had written, and because they seemed professional, I made a commitment to join them. It felt good connecting with local writers, helping them on their stories, and getting feedback on my own manuscripts. We met one day a month to discuss our work and to give constructive critiques. But before long, the group fell apart as people's schedules got complicated. I hated seeing this group dissolve. From what I observed, many members got a lot out of the sessions. </p><p>Since then, several years passed and I never gave any thought to joining another group. And then I meet a person through <a href="https://mindyalyseweiss.com/">Mindy Alyse Weiss</a>' Picture Book Party New Draft Challenge and Critique Train, an online event where writers were paired with critique partners. By luck, this person invited me to join a critique group called Friday Minds. </p><p>Friday Minds meets twice a month on Friday afternoons via Zoom. I'm the only writer on the east coast. Four of the others live in California and another gal lives in western Canada. Friday Minds is composed of teachers, poets, moms, and of course, picture book writers. </p><p>Before we dive into the manuscripts, we chat about what's going on in our personal lives, what we may have learned through workshops or webinars, writing events we may have participated in or hope to participate in, and what picture books we have read and loved. Then, we get down to business and one person reads a manuscript aloud. Next, we all give positive comments on the piece. Afterward, the members take turns pointing out the parts that are unclear or might need editing. </p><p>Friday Minds is a good fit for me. I was unsure at first, but the more I got to know everyone, the more I wanted to be part of this group. Everyone is talented, fun to hang out with, and offers great advice and insight. Now, I'm aware that other writers may feel differently about joining a critique group. Some writers simply like to work alone. Hey, I did that for years. However, if you're curious (or tired of rejections) sit in on a meeting and consider these questions: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Does the group give positive feedback, discuss what works, and address the strengths? </li><li>Do they give constructive criticism on the areas that need improvement?</li><li>Do they give detailed comments on plot, character, word choice, pacing and page-turns? </li><li>How do the members handle criticism? </li><li>Is there chemistry and respect among members?</li></ul><p></p><p>I'm thrilled to be part of this critique group. We brainstorm and offer new ideas to improve each other's stories. We help each other navigate the waters of publication. We commiserate over rejection and rejoice in our successes. </p><p>Being a writer is a hard, lonely profession. Now, my supporters have grown. I have five more people who want to hear my stories. I never thought I'd stick with a critique group, but Friday Minds encourages me. They give me confidence in my writing. They want to see me succeed. Like my husband, Friday Minds is always there to cheer me on. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-20721528399322701182022-03-15T19:00:00.000-04:002022-03-18T13:49:01.243-04:00<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqi3Z-o2V-6XlbqzVM4NOvdunOHlwQQH1KTsJMYsv6MDGxUQubjZ2NLpqqPNaHxpBPWqhRZMkUj-kqipUcCi0ze5ZL55kWhYCnftu3zU0yZ42iF98UMtaVbi6jC1HZ_tSUr_GwGB-a0w0/s2048/CWW-waiting.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqi3Z-o2V-6XlbqzVM4NOvdunOHlwQQH1KTsJMYsv6MDGxUQubjZ2NLpqqPNaHxpBPWqhRZMkUj-kqipUcCi0ze5ZL55kWhYCnftu3zU0yZ42iF98UMtaVbi6jC1HZ_tSUr_GwGB-a0w0/w640-h640/CWW-waiting.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Photo by Marco Testi</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">IT'S ABOUT TIME TO HEAR SOME GOOD NEWS </span></span></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One would think that after submitting to agents for over four years, I would hear some good news. I</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">t shouldn't take this long. Or be this hard. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I make every effort to match an agent's needs. And it's not easy to
nail. It would almost be better to learn how to read minds. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Luckily, I can peek into an agent's mind by doing google searches. Some agents express their tastes in interviews, on their agency's website, or on <a href="https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/">The Manuscript Wish List</a>.
They give clues by spelling out what they are looking for in a manuscript: the topics,
character, settings, and genre. W</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">hile that information is helpful, it is in truth somewhat vague. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Say for instance an
agent is looking for a humorous character-driven story about a cat and you send her a hilarious piece starring a funny feline. That doesn't necessarily mean you're a shoo-in and she's
going to offer representation. Th</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">e agent must fall in love with the story and feel that she can sell it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let me tell you how I
know this. I queried an agent who was looking for a book that could be
used in the classroom for beginning discussion for social-emotional
learning. </span><span style="background: white; color: #404040; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had
just the manuscript: a narrative about a child who is kind to a person living on the streets. Handled delicately, this book has the potential to bring sensitivity to homelessness. However, the agent rejected it saying,
she wasn't enthusiastic in her experience to sell it. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;">There are days when I feel I will never crack the code, that I will continue to read I'm not the right agent for this work. Recently, I felt defeated having received two rejections in one day. Ouch!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had the opportunity to ask an agent why she rejected a manuscript. She said, "That's not your fault! We can only guess what other readers will connect with on that deep level. Same is true when I send books to publishers." I interpret her comment to mean the manuscript is good and she likes it, but she's not sure if the publisher would feel it's a good fit for their readers. So, it's a balancing act. You've written something you love and an agent is trying to figure out if that book will sell. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the past few years, I've sent out (in my opinion) some damn good manuscripts. And I'm still looking for an agent who will love them as much as I do. At times, I'm </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">optimistic even after receiving rejections. Some of them say I l</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ike the concept or your manuscr</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ipt has much to offer. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There will always be rejections. But I try hard to focus on the positive: one agent tells me my manuscript is nearly there while another has requested my picture book. I believe in my work and I visualize success. I only have to be patient and persevere. But wouldn't you agree that after four years, it's time to hear good news? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643862328589060279.post-20587047708151186952022-02-15T08:17:00.000-05:002022-02-15T08:17:56.758-05:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWr88F-G6xypuZ_swVTFSGSoygLc_rt2IB7Melu0GbJqRVRD-j_i3oyaiSgEC7Az3-g7-svZyg-l-oPcRVY40Y6zFQMpYg8wVvy-WWKlF1BZnt766Ib90HD2yTbMXGpHlMt2EkNnVkIY/s1600/Maggie-Hope.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="<img src=”rejection.png” alt=”how to handle rejection”>" border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWr88F-G6xypuZ_swVTFSGSoygLc_rt2IB7Melu0GbJqRVRD-j_i3oyaiSgEC7Az3-g7-svZyg-l-oPcRVY40Y6zFQMpYg8wVvy-WWKlF1BZnt766Ib90HD2yTbMXGpHlMt2EkNnVkIY/w640-h426/Maggie-Hope.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Ben White</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">REJECTION—IT'S NOT PERSONAL </span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">
I can probably tell you how many times my hopes of finding an agent have been dashed. I keep very good records of my submissions. And of my rejections. <br />
<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I try my best to limit rejection by visiting the <a href="http://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/">Manuscript Wish List</a>. On this website, I can match my work to the kind of manuscripts agents are craving. Even still, that doesn't guarantee the agent will say yes. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Crazy, huh? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">A rejection is usually polite and may read as follows (pick one):<br />
</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is not a good fit for my list</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am not connecting with the voice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not the right agent for this project</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have no vision where to pitch this</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can't see where this would sit in the market</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's not in my wheelhouse</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">How do you interpret any of this when you've sent the agent (in your opinion) exactly what she hopes to find? Here's what I discovered after years of submitting: a rejection indicates that your story just didn't resonate with the agent. It means she didn't fall in love with it or feel confident enough to sell it to a publisher. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what do you do when you've received nothing but rejections and you've exhausted your list of agents? It may be time to put your manuscript aside for a while. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the meantime, work on other writing projects. Learn about publishing from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCukLkiCzvK6AIMnYIDqxUug">BookEnds Literary Agency</a>. Read recently published picture books—these could even spark new ideas for you! </span></div><div><br /></div><div>When the time feels right, dust off the story that has been put on hold. Read it over and revise. Have your first reader, critique partners, or a consultant take a look. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Revise the piece again based on the critiques and then target the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">agents who are wanting something similar to what you've written. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>That's what happened with my book <i><a href="http://www.randilynnmrvos.com/books-.html">Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell.</a></i><br />
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After 50 rejections, I shelved <i>Maggie </i>and worked on other pieces. But five years later, there was an opportunity to have a manuscript critique by a highly respected editorial consultant. I revised <i>Maggie </i>because I hadn't seen it in years and then<i> </i>submitted it for a professional critique. When I received the consultant's notes, I revised the story again and sent it out again to five more agents. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of them sent me a message: I like your book! <br />
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It's difficult to stay positive when you receive rejections. But remember that the whole submitting process is subjective. If you believe in every aspect of it of your story—the main character, the plot, the voice, and the takeaway message—then don't give up. Assume and persist. Imagine the wish fulfilled. All things are possible. Don't think about what could go wrong. Think about what could go right. It only takes one agent to say yes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large;">✌ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">♥</span></span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white;">When the world says, "Give up," hope whispers, "Try it one more time." </i></span><br />
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<br /></div></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16383929731044130086noreply@blogger.com0