Uplifting Young Learners

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Molly Nero discusses the inspiration behind her book:

Teaching children of elementary age has been my life, so it makes sense that Smarty Pig is set in that environment.  Teaching 4th grade awakened my love of writing.  As I encouraged and nurtured my students in their own writing, my own abilities were strengthened.  Being critiqued by ten year-olds was very humbling, but allowed me to make sure that I was relating to them as my audience.  

Moving from the classroom to the music room brought changes not only to my teaching, but to my relationship to my students who ranged from kindergarteners to 5^th graders now.

I was never your “typical” music teacher.   I would start class with everyone dancing along to the beat of an “Alvin and the Chipmunks” song with arms flailing and feet jumping.  Flinging music papers across the room to pass them out was another way to allow my students to escape from the structured classroom into my spontaneous music room.  Every child wore smiles from ear to ear. I worked hard to create a classroom where kids could talk to me about their frustrations concerning different things, and that has given voice to my writing.

During the state testing schedule, students would arrive for music absolutely drained and despondent. The idea for Smarty Pig came from hearing students express their growing apathy toward school after several days of taking these tests.  Testing was taking over the creativity and joy of learning.   As the years passed, I heard this from younger and younger students. 

My object in Smarty Pig is to uplift our youngest learners early in their academic life to see the value and fun in learning.  She gives learning a purpose in the lives of her family, making it important and relevant.  Other Smarty Pig stories will be dealing with more situations and frustrations that young students deal with like test-taking anxiety and bullying.  What was my inspiration for Smarty Pig?  The students that I have been blessed to teach for so many years.  They are my inspiration. 

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January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Diary of My Days in Kenya

Rachel Yurchisin is the author of Diary of My Days in Kenya.  Her love of science and nature  inspired her to write a children’s book in the hopes of passing on her passion to other young "budding" naturalists. She is currently a sophomore in high school and resides in  Cleveland, Ohio. Rachel participates in educational programs at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Museum of Natural History.  

The inspiration behind the book began when Rachel was in elementary school.  Rachel's fifth grade teacher Sister Elizabeth gave the class an assignment to write a story appropriate for their age group.   Rachel says, "The book took a lot of research for a fifth grader, but I got an A+ on the assignment."

The actual story line came from the Plain Dealer newspaper. Rachel used friends' names and names of famous tennis players for characters in the book.  The animal characters in the book received their names from Swahili, the main language of Kenya, because those words reflected their attitudes and demeanors.   Rachel revealed that the protagonist's name, Susan Polling, was randomly selected from a phonebook.  

Rachel admits that she had forgotten about Diary of My Days in Kenya until the summer of 2010.  While she and her mother were cleaning out some grade school boxes, they found the story. Rachel says, "We decided to send it in to a publisher, Halo Publishing, and the rest is history."

Synopsis:

Diary of My Days in Kenya is a fictional story loosely based upon the real life occurrences of a nomadic lioness who nurtures baby oryx as if they were her own young. During a drought, the naturalist Susan Polling and other professionals are sent on assignment to observe and document this special pairing. Polling offers readers interesting insights as to why this unique phenomenon has transpired. The story explores how the traditional relationship of predator and prey is transcended, presenting a spellbinding account of how a parental bond—even a non-traditional one—can never be broken.

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January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Maryann B. Sawka Guest Blog

Today, Maryann B. Sawka shares her views on inspiration as well as the incident that prompted her to write a book. 

Writing a book is hard work! Sometimes the words flow easily from your mind directly to your keyboard or pad and pencil, while at other times you suffer from the dreaded “writer’s block” and go to amazing lengths to unblock the block.  Perhaps your unblock is to venture out for a walk, literally walking away from the project to clear your mind and refresh your senses by focusing your energy on an unrelated task.  Maybe you are the type of person who relishes the calm, soothing movements of yoga to relax and refocus your mind.  By pushing the writing from the forefront of your mind and releasing it into your subconscious thoughts, you are giving yourself permission to become inspired. 

Inspiration is a key component in most of what we do in our daily lives.  Imagine that you are inspired by a pair fashionable shoes that are priced beyond today’s balance in your checkbook, so you go to work each day in hopes that the shoes will inspire you to deliver an excellent product so that you can afford the new shoes that call your name with each passing glance in the store window.  Inspiration keeps us going even when we dream of giving up.  Inspiration is the hook that draws us in even when we have thoughts of turning the other way.  Inspiration is what changes an impossible task into a mere challenge.

When I began writing my book, Good Table Manners Made Easy, I was inspired by a negative that I hoped to turn into a positive.  As a parent of two young children, I occasionally found myself spending time in fast-food restaurants that offer “play places” where children can unwind while waiting for their meal or release some energy after enjoying their meal.  It was during one of these outings when I realized that as parents, we often throw our children into social situations without always teaching them the rules of appropriate behavior.  They are involved in activities with people who are around their same size and age, but not always with the same skill set for socializing.  Without teaching them how to behave and interact appropriately, how can we expect them to act in an acceptable manner? 

This was clearly brought to my attention during an outing with my daughter who was around five-years old at the time.  She was going about her business of playing, going up the stairs and down the slides, having a good time when another child in the play area rushed up to her with a mouthful of food and screamed in her face.  The look on my daughter’s face was a strange combination of shock, revulsion and disgust as she politely told the young gentleman that he “should not talk with food in his mouth.”  Bravo, I thought!  She did not dissolve into a fit of tears or run to me for safety.  She shared her thoughts in a polite manner and went on about her business of climbing up the stairs and sliding down the slides without seeming to give the incident another thought.  I casually turned to look at the young gentleman with the mouthful of food who was still standing with his mouth hanging open after my daughter’s comments were made to him.  His mother was involved in a discussion with another parent and didn’t notice the incident.  After swallowing his mouthful of food, he returned to his table where he finally decided to eat his meal while sitting down.

I decided that if my daughter could share a brief manners lesson with a peer, that I could help her by educating others in the lessons of appropriate behavior and manners.  My daughter inspired me to be a voice for better behavior that helps our society be the best that we can, putting forward positive interactions that build strong characters full of self-confidence and ambitions to be better.

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All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners below to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and the January '12 World of Ink Tour on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway!

What is a blog hop?
A blog hop is a link list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same link list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog.

Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.

Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!

There will be three (3) winners and each will get a different book in the Book Giveaway.

Copy this code to your website to display this banner: a href="http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot

Book Giveaway Rules:

· Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)
· Follow the World of Ink Tour and leave a comment per tour blog stop.
Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner.
Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)
· Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Please play nice and follow our simple rules! Make sure to FOLLOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON and as many other blogs as you'd like to have more follow back. This is what makes Book Lovers Blog Hop work, so if you're not willing to follow, please don't link up.

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Book Lovers Blog Hop is Open…

January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Leaning on an Expert

You decide to write a nonfiction article for children.  You research a topic using reliable sources: newspaper and journal articles as well as current books and websites.  After you’ve written your article, you edit it for grammar and enlist the aid of someone you trust to review your work.   All done and ready to submit to an editor?  Not yet.  Have you checked your facts? 

One of the best ways to have your facts verified is through an expert.  Search the Internet to see if you can locate and contact one of the sources you have used in your research.  Ask her politely if she would have time to review your piece for accuracy.  Mention your topic, the audience, and the publication for which you plan to pitch.  Thank her for her consideration and add that you’d give her credit for her expertise. 

It’s your choice whether you use an expert or not; however, I highly recommend it.  From my experience as a writer, I learned the hard way that some Internet sources and even some “reliable” print sources are not always trustworthy.  In fact, if it hadn’t been for an expert who had reviewed one of my articles, I may have submitted a piece that contained some erroneous information.  Likewise, from the standpoint as an editor, I would recommend that authors have their work reviewed by an expert.  Knowing a manuscript has been evaluated by an expert gives me faith that the facts have been accurately presented. 

Keep in mind that experts can offer you more than just checking the facts.  They can point out material that ought to be re-worded or omitted.  They can provide better explanations and more in-depth views on the topic that you may not have found through your research.  They can offer you some amazing quotes in which their personalities shine through—and editors love that!

Mentioning in a cover letter that your manuscript has been reviewed by an expert will impress an editor.  She’ll know that she can count on your research.  In fact, she may be more likely to send you an acceptance.  She’ll know that you’ve gone the extra mile to make sure your facts are correct. 

The Maggie Project

The Maggie Project (but not the blog) has come to a close.  I’ve achieved my goal:  I’ve submitted my picture book manuscript to 30 publishers and 15 agents, and I’ve entered it into five contests.  Though I’ve received rejections, the book has earned 3 awards and has earned positive feedback. 

Here’s the lesson.  Fiction is subjective.  It’s a personal taste whether an agent or an editor is going to like it or not.  I believe however, that writing and submitting Maggie and the First Grade Blues has not been a waste of time.  It’s helped me to improve my writing (character, voice, and plot) and to get in touch with agents I feel that one day may offer me representation.   It's helped me plant a stepping stone along the path to publication. 

I will continue to blog:  offering writing advice, reviewing books, giving details of my writing life, and sponsoring guest blogs.  I hope you will continue to follow and contribute.  The blog may be re-named.  Stay posted!  My sincere thanks goes out to all of my supporters.  I urge you all to continue to write, to submit to publishers even in the face of rejection, and to forever follow your dreams. 

Writer's News



photo by Lucas

Maggie and the First Grade Blues has been sent to thirty editors and fifteen agents. Though I've received positive comments and feedback, I've yet to find an interested editor or agent.  Here are the latest results:

I received no word from Sterling or KRBY creations.  Dancing with Bears Publishing editor sent me an email saying that the call for picture books is temporarily closed due to an enormous amount of submissions. 

I had little success with agents.  I received no reply from Paul Rodeen or from Jessica Sinsheimer from Writeoncon.  However, Red Fox Literary agent Karen Grencik sent a very nice email saying:

"I've now had the chance to read this outstanding manuscript, which I enjoyed very much. I can see why it has won so many awards. It is fresh, heartfelt, and it covers an important topic. It is the picture book you were meant to write."  She goes on to say that "The picture book market is so incredibly difficult right now. I don't know who would be the right editor for this; I must pass.” 

Her feedback, as well as encouraging comments from others, is rare and precious.  Nonetheless, I must put Maggie on the back burner.  I have written another picture book that I feel more passionate about and will focus my efforts on this project.  Please stay tuned for more on this new project and on the future direction of this blog. 

The Sounds of Silence

You write an article, submit it to an editor, wait two to three months, and then...never receive a reply.  Has this ever happened to you?

As a writer, I make every attempt to pitch my articles professionally. Most of the time, I’ve been blessed with acceptances.  But occasionally, I get no response, not a word from an editor.  Oh, the silent rejection.  Granted, many editors have adopted the policy that no word means no thank you.  But I can’t help but wonder—Did an editor actually read my submission or is my submission lost in cyber-space?    

From the SCBWI Bulletin:

SCBWI President Stephen Mooser and Executive Director Lin Oliver feel that “Surely in this age of auto-response and other electronically sophisticated means, a quick and easy response click is readily available and would mean a great deal to writers who are trying to conduct their careers in a businesslike way.”

At least, I’m not alone.  Other (more important) people feel the way I do when it comes to responding to a submission.

After the waiting period, it is acceptable to send a follow-up letter to inquire about the submission.  Recently, I did just that.  In fact, an editor replied that my work was being considering for publication.  But a few more months passed.  No response.      

Writers must face the cold, hard facts: 
No word after the standard 2 - 3 months  = (usually in most cases) rejection.   

But don't let that discourage you.  Find other markets.  Keep submitting.  Persevere.

The Waiting Game

You submitted an article to a children’s magazine. You’ve waited a month and no reply.  But you’re dying of curiosity.  Did the editor receive your submission?  If so, does she like it?  What is taking her so long to make a publication decision?

It can take up to five months before an author receives word of an acceptance at Stories for Children.  While other publications state in their guidelines that reviewing submissions take eight to twelve weeks, notification can drag on for a longer period of time if the work is being seriously considered for publication.  And again, we’re talking months.

Waiting to hear back from an editor can be agonizing.  What can you do?  Re-read the contributor’s guidelines.  Sometimes, an editor will modify them throughout the year.  The publishing house may have changed their submission policy.  However, if you have waited the specified amount of time as indicated, I would encourage you to send a follow-up email.  Keep the message short and mention the title and the date of your submission.  Politely ask the editor if she’s made a decision on your manuscript.

Here are some things you can do during the waiting period:
Start a new article.
Catch up on reading writer's magazines and newsletters.
Write posts for your blog.
Read books on the craft of writing.
Work on a piece for a writing contest.

Writers must be patient.  Waiting is part of the writing life.  Stay positive and stay busy as you play the waiting game.     

Writing in Rhyme

Karen Cioffi's bedtime picture book, Day’s End Lullaby, is based entirely on a rhyming poem/song that she wrote when her first born was about a year old.  Her baby had trouble sleeping, so Karen made up lyrics which were soothing and flowing—and rhyming so that it would hold her baby's attention and help lull her to sleep. It’s begins:

“Now it’s time to close your eyes my dear.
Beside you lies your favorie bear.
The sun has set; it’s out of view.
The moon’s now shining bright for you.”

While she admits she's not a rhyming expert, the poem/lullaby does the trick. It really does sooth little ones and helps them settle down for sleep.

Karen's advice on writing rhyming books:

Rhyming, when done right, is a wonderful way to engage children. Children, as soon as they’re able, love to rhyme words. This can begin as early as two-years old: cat-hat, mouse-house, poopie-boobie  (you get the idea.) But, to write a rhyming story—a well written rhyming story—is difficult.  You need a good story, rhyme, rhythm/beat, meter, stresses, and more—all this in addition to the already unique rules and tricks in writing for children. And, some writers just don’t have that innate ability to do rhyme well. But, it can be learned.

According to Delia Marshall Turner, Ph.D., the elements of poetry are:

Voice (the speaker)

Stanza (the formatting of grouped lines)
Sound (rhyme/patterns)
Rhythm (the beat and meter – pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables)
Figures of Speech (types of figurative language)
Form (type of poem, its design)

Along with this there is perfect rhyme, and approximate rhyme:
Perfect rhyme: tie/lie; stay/day
Approximate rhyme: top/cope; comb/tomb

There are also many other bits and pieces related to writing poetry/ rhyme. But, the foundation that holds it all together is the story itself—you need a good story, especially when writing for children.

According to the article, “To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme” by Dori Chaconas, in the Writer Magazine, October 2001: “You may write in perfect rhyme, with perfect rhythm, but if your piece lacks the elements of a good story, your efforts will be all fluff without substance. I like to think of story as the key element, and if the story is solid, and conducive to rhyme, the rhyme will then enhance the story.”

Karen Cioffi is a published author, ghostwriter, and editor. 
You can find out more about Karen and her books at:
http://karencioffi.com (author site)
http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com (writing and marketing information and services)
http://daysendlullaby.blogspot.com (Day’s End Lullaby information and reviews)
http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com (middle-grade fantasy adventure, Walking Through Walls)

Karen’s newsletter, A Writer’s World, offers useful writing and book marketing information and strategies. Subscribe today and get two e-books on writing and/or marketing.

You can find out more about Karen Cioffi’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/KarenCioffi.aspx.
There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Karen and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

 In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Karen Cioffi about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Karen will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life. The show will be live November 21, 2011 at 2pm EST.

A Glimmer of Goodness

It doesn’t take much

to bring a writer down:
a rejection,
no response to a follow-up,
few markets to pitch a nicely-written piece.

At times, the world of writing seems grim.

And yet, through it all

a writer emails you
an image,
(no words)
just an image of candles
burning so brilliantly you can almost
feel the warmth of the glow—
a  heartfelt Diwali greeting,

or, another writer sends a comment:

she likes your latest post

(the one you spent hours
editing,
getting the words down
just right).

No doubt, there are days when the writing world is grim
yet sometimes, sometimes, a glimmer of goodness
shines down, spreads its warmth
when you least expect it,
when you need it the most.

Entering Contests

Maggie and the First Grade Blues has won three picture book awards.  That said, you’d think I’d have editors knocking down my door to publish my book.  Not so.  It takes more than winning writing contests to get a picture book published—it takes a lot of love.

This is what I recently discovered after attending Editor’s Day in Lexington, Kentucky and WriteOnCon online.  An editor has got to go gaga about a book if she wants to publish it.  She’s got to love it so much it pierces her heart.  It’s the kind of love that impels her to gush about it to everyone she knows.  If she is not passionate about it, she won’t recommend it to the acquisitions team, no matter how many awards it’s won.

At first, I felt discouraged.  Why bother to enter contests if a manuscript fails to interest editors?  But then I realized there are many advantages.  Here are a few benefits to entering contests:  

Offers writers a challenge

Encourages writers to create an outstanding piece
Puts a writer’s work before a judge
Requires a writer to follow the guidelines
Can build a writer’s resume

These five benefits may prepare you before submitting your work to editors.  So what are you waiting for? 

Look online or in writer’s magazines for a listing of contests.  Search for a contest that charges a small fee, something like twenty-five dollars or less. Find a contest with a deadline that is far enough in advance so that it allows you time to perfect your work.  Then, go to it.  Strive to write an  exceptional piece or edit another one you have in the works.  Have a trusted friend read your work to guarantee it is free of grammar mistakes.  Double check those contest guidelines. Submit your entry. 

Consider submitting to more than one contest.  Enter the same manuscript or create a different piece.  Regardless of the result, know that you’ve accomplished an important goal that will help you in the future.  One day your manuscript just may capture an award and quite possibly, capture the heart of an editor.

Writer's News

 

photo by Lucas 

 

It's been a little over a year since I first began submitting Maggie and the First Grade Blues. Here is the update on my picture book submissions:

I submitted to Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Peachtree, Chronicle, Star Bright Books, and Harcourt Children’s Books.  After the standard three month waiting period, I received no word and conclude that these publishers have passed on my book.  Kira Lynn with Editorial Department of Kane Miller responded that my picture book was not right for their list. However, Maggie Lehrman with Abrams Books liked the voice, but felt that the market was crowded with school stories. 

As for agents, I received no reply from Sanford J. Greenburger and Mark McVeigh.  On the other hand, Marietta B. Zacker with the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency sent a kind, personal note:  [This is] “ an endearing story with a fabulous message, but admittedly, I didn't quite connect with Maggie the way I know you need me to.” Emily van Beek with Folio also sent a kind, personal note.

Recently, I submitted to Paul Rodeen Management.  I also submitted to Jessica Sinsheimer with the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, who encouraged me that she’d take a look at my picture book.  I’ve also submitted to Sterling Publishing Company and KRBY creations.  These last four bring me to my goal—30 publishers and 15 agents.  I will report on the outcome in a few months.  In the meantime, I am writing a new picture book, editing another picture book, and researching topics for nonfiction articles.  But I will keep my eyes open for other opportunities for submitting Maggie and the First Grades Blues. 

Tips for Writing Picture Books

Today, Maha shares suggestions for writing a picture book.  Her tips are intended for self-publishing.  Keep in mind that traditional publishers usually don't require illustration notes or page breaks.

Word count

First thing I learned is that picture books are 500-1000 words, 30 pages long. Remember that the 30 pages include the title, dedication, and the copyright pages, which leaves you with only 28 pages.

Illustrations and description

When you write a story, you would think you need to describe your scene in detail. Not so in picture books. The illustrations describe the scene. I deleted a lot of description before the illustrations, but when the illustrations arrived, I found out that I could delete even more. When I wrote my second and third stories (not published yet), I took that into account from the very beginning. What I did was to keep the description between brackets for the illustrator's benefit. This will give the illustrator an idea of how I want the scene to appear. I made another copy without the descriptions to keep count of the words.

Make a dummy

I made a dummy of my book, When Monsters Get Lonely, by adding the illustrations to the text, exactly where I wanted them to appear in a word document. I then clicked on view > full screen reading to render it in book form. I made sure the page turns left the reader wondering what’s coming next. This is the way I sent my book to the publisher to show them exactly where I wanted the text in relation to the illustrations.

Word choice

I struggled with word choice because I’m not used to writing for kids. I tried to make my words as simple as I could. This was not easy, because the idea I was trying to convey in When Monsters Get Lonely is not simple. In the end, I felt that my words were descriptive and sensory enough to engage a child. Parents will read a book if they like its theme.

Read it out loud

One of the tips I read when I was writing my book was to read it aloud, and I did do that not only to myself, but to my husband and my sister-in-law. It helps you get an idea of how it will sound to the kids.

Plot and theme

All good books must have a climax and resolution. I’m afraid that my editor gave me a really poor critique, which was an education to me. I rewrote my story and revised my plot to include the all important climax and resolution. It didn’t change what Grams wanted to teach Hannah, but it handed Hannah a way to find the solution herself. Hence, Grams didn’t sound like she was preaching and it made for a much more interesting story.

Character

The main character must have strong traits and resolve the problem. By resolving her own problems, Hannah’s character naturally developed and emerged as a strong and intelligent child despite her fear.

Maha Huneidi says she learned quite a lot when she wrote and self-published When Monsters Get Lonely. She thinks you can learn from the mistakes she made and corrected along the way.

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Writing Opportunities

Sometimes when you least expect it, a writing opportunity may present itself.  Because I volunteer at Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, several employees know that I’m a writer.  Recently, the education coordinator asked for my help.  In a few weeks, the Arboretum will be sponsoring the annual fall festival.  Volunteers will dress up as woodland creatures and plants and greet young children.  They will give short talks that describe who they are and what they contribute.

My job was to spruce up the old scripts of a deer, a spider, a sunflower, a skunk, and a tree.  The education coordinator envisioned livelier speeches. She wanted the scripts written in first person and kept to 300 words.  Then the rest was up to me. 

I decided that each script should have a hook, which would create interest and engage the audience.  Though I had a restricted word count, I still wanted to make sure that I had a beginning, a middle, and an ending.  (My nonfiction writing has taught me well).  I conducted a little more research, added it to the passages, and rearranged the order of paragraphs for clarity.  Lastly, as with any nonfiction writing, I tied the ending to the beginning.  Beforehand, these pieces ended abruptly.  With the new endings, the speeches had a more satisfying conclusion.

I suppose the biggest challenge was getting inside the heads of the animals and plants—come on, what would a tree think and say?  But actually, it was quite fun.  In fact, my tree had a bit of an attitude.

It's nice taking a break from writing nonfiction articles and picture books and trying something different.  Maybe you'll have an opportunity to attempt something new, too.  But you might ask: What’s in it for me when I share my writing talent with others?  Perhaps you’ll find it offers you practice and inspiration.  Maybe it will lead to another assignment.  It's a given it'll showcase your skills and quite possibly, help to get your name better known.  For me, writing these scripts fueled my imagination and made me feel good about helping a worthwhile organization.  How about you?  Are you willing to help others with your writing talent?  Are you willing to take advantage of the writing opportunities that may come your way?

The Rewards of Volunteering

Nature Center in the Children's Garden

 

I volunteer at the Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky.  My “job” is to read picture books in the Children's Garden.  My “work place” is inside the Nature Center—a breezy, three-sided cozy structure.  The entrance is flanked by Greek Doric columns.  The side yard contains barrels brimming with scarlet and purple flowers.  Nearby, two raised vegetable gardens are teeming with tomatoes and peppers, lavender and sage.     

Map of the Children's Garden at the Arboretum

My guests arrive: in strollers, hand in hand with moms, or carried by dads.  Ashley, the education coordinator, hands me Frog and Toad Are Friends.  Before I begin to read, I give a short discussion on the differences between frogs and toads.  Then I read two chapters from the book—the average age of the children is about two or three years old so we're talking short attention span.   

Halfway into the reading, several young toddlers are distracted.  They want to explore the waterwheel, chat with other children, and touch the glass cages containing caterpillars.  Nonetheless I read on, trying to emphasis my words, trying to add as much drama as I possibly can to entice the children to listen. 

But others huddle close, their eyes fixed on me and on the pages of the book.  Some want to help turn the pages, while others lean their heads on my shoulder.  In a small way, I’m connecting with them.  Story time becomes  meaningful.    

 

What do I get out of it?  On a professional level, I like to think that this experience is preparing me for the day when I’ll read my very own picture book to a small group of children.  But I don’t focus on the future.  For now, I spread burlap bags for seating.  I sit upon a bale of hay and read a classic picture book.  And afterward, I receive smiles and thank-yous.  I receive parental requests: “When will you be reading in the garden again?”  I receive hugs from the tiniest members of my audience.  It touches my heart to share books at the arboretum.  What more can a story-time reader ask for?

The Value of Critiques

This past June, I attended Editor’s Day in Lexington, Kentucky.  Registrants could submit an entire picture book for a critique by Abrams Books Editor Maggie Lehrman.  Since Maggie and the First Grade Blues had won several awards, I submitted In Search of Awe. 

On the positive side, Ms. Lehrman liked the language and the descriptions.  She mentioned that I had a real knack for details that infuse a landscape with character.  However, she thought that the story was too quiet and nostalgic and that the plot was too subtle and interior for young readers.  She wanted to know more about my main character so that readers will invest in the story.

Overall, she thought that the story could serve as a scene in a lyrical middle grade novel.  She challenged me to edit the piece for an older audience.  I have great respect for Ms. Lehrman's  opinion.   Looks like I have lots to think about in terms of developing plot and character should I follow through on her advice.       

Here’s my thought on critiques:  If you have the chance to go to a writer’s conference and submit a manuscript for a critique, do so.  Usually, only a limited number of manuscripts can be accepted, so be mindful of the critique deadline.  It usually costs less than fifty dollars, but it is well worth the fee. 

You will most likely receive positive comments on your work as well as criticism on the elements that require improvement.  In addition, you may be offered suggestions on character development, plot, language, voice, and marketability. Most of all, you’ll gain insight into what an editor looks for in a manuscript.  If you take the advice and follow the “inside tips,” you just may create a manuscript worthy of an editor’s attention.