Nancy Kelly Allen's Blog, page 16
February 21, 2016
The Importance of a Picture Book Dummy
I had a request for a blog about the importance of creating a picture book dummy. Here’s my take on the subject:
Picture books should be written with page breaks in consideration. Most have 32 pages but with front and back matter only 27-28 pages are used for text, sometimes less. That leaves about 13-14 double-page spreads of illustrations and text.When writing, take advantage of the page breaks. Possibility ways to use them is to surprise the reader when the page is turned. Vary the action so each double-page spread has a different scene and new action. One way I do this is to write the story; then divide it into 14 scenes. Of course, I have to revise, revise, revise to get the pacing I need within the story segments. Some scenes may have too many words. My goal is to write 600 words or less for fiction. I also make a book dummy by folding 8 sheets of computer paper in half and stapling it. Front and back, the pages number 32. I print my completed manuscript, cut it with scissors and tape the text into the appropriate pages. The dummy helps me “see” where the story does not work, where I need to rev up the surprises on page turns, and the pace of the story. Maybe it’s too slow in some parts.I never submit a dummy or a manuscript with page breaks to a publisher unless it is specifically requested by the editor. Most publishers want standard format for submissions.So, envision your manuscrpt as a picture book by creating a dummy and get one step closer to a contract. Page turns can make or break a story.Call for Submissions for Young Writers: Parallel Ink. An international online literary and art publication for and by students from 12-18 years old. Seeks creative and critical work that can be represented in digital forms: poetry, music, art of any medium, narratives, essays, book/song/movie reviews, multimedia, etc. Their staff is comprised of over twenty teen editors, translators, illustrators, and technology assistants around the world.Submission guidelines at http://parallelink.tumblr.com/submitworkCall for Submissions for Adult Writers: Babybug– A monthly (except for combined May/June and July/August issues) listening and looking magazine for infants and toddlers ages six months to two years published by the Cricket Magazine Group of Carus Publishing. Looking for very simple and concrete stories, 4 to 6 short sentences maximum; rhythmic and rhyming poetry, 8 lines maximum. Allow 6 months for reply. Submission guidelines at http://www.cricketmag.com/20-Submissi...
Picture books should be written with page breaks in consideration. Most have 32 pages but with front and back matter only 27-28 pages are used for text, sometimes less. That leaves about 13-14 double-page spreads of illustrations and text.When writing, take advantage of the page breaks. Possibility ways to use them is to surprise the reader when the page is turned. Vary the action so each double-page spread has a different scene and new action. One way I do this is to write the story; then divide it into 14 scenes. Of course, I have to revise, revise, revise to get the pacing I need within the story segments. Some scenes may have too many words. My goal is to write 600 words or less for fiction. I also make a book dummy by folding 8 sheets of computer paper in half and stapling it. Front and back, the pages number 32. I print my completed manuscript, cut it with scissors and tape the text into the appropriate pages. The dummy helps me “see” where the story does not work, where I need to rev up the surprises on page turns, and the pace of the story. Maybe it’s too slow in some parts.I never submit a dummy or a manuscript with page breaks to a publisher unless it is specifically requested by the editor. Most publishers want standard format for submissions.So, envision your manuscrpt as a picture book by creating a dummy and get one step closer to a contract. Page turns can make or break a story.Call for Submissions for Young Writers: Parallel Ink. An international online literary and art publication for and by students from 12-18 years old. Seeks creative and critical work that can be represented in digital forms: poetry, music, art of any medium, narratives, essays, book/song/movie reviews, multimedia, etc. Their staff is comprised of over twenty teen editors, translators, illustrators, and technology assistants around the world.Submission guidelines at http://parallelink.tumblr.com/submitworkCall for Submissions for Adult Writers: Babybug– A monthly (except for combined May/June and July/August issues) listening and looking magazine for infants and toddlers ages six months to two years published by the Cricket Magazine Group of Carus Publishing. Looking for very simple and concrete stories, 4 to 6 short sentences maximum; rhythmic and rhyming poetry, 8 lines maximum. Allow 6 months for reply. Submission guidelines at http://www.cricketmag.com/20-Submissi...
February 14, 2016
To Editor, with Love
February. Love is in the air.
How important is it to love the words you write? If you’re a writer, you want your readers to love your characters, but first, you must love those literary protagonists. Create interesting characters, even the antagonists. Have fun watching them grow in depth and complexity. Developing interesting characters is like meeting new people: some become friends, some mere acquaintances, and others you might prefer to avoid. Interesting characters have flaws, just like the people we are and those we meet. Flaws and weaknesses lead to poor decision making and that leads to strong plots. Readers identify with character frailties and build hopes that the character will overcome the obstacles and succeed.We begin manuscripts in love with the idea of the story. As the manuscripts progresses and becomes difficult to write—the place where I am now with a dual biography—the sweetness turns a little sour, the fun evaporates, and I’m left wondering what happened to the love. It's still February, after all.Today, I’m going for the gusto. I’m going to play with the words and have fun. The worst that can happen is that I delete every word, but at least I’ve had fun. I’m going to reignite my passion for the story, reach out and try to grab some of the love February floats, and spread it throughout my manuscript—my Valentine gift to me. Call for submissions for Young Writers
Rookie is an American online magazine created by fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson in 2011, then aged just 15, with Jane Pratt (founding editor of Sassy) and Ira Glass (This American Life) among its many high-profile supporters. The site has monthly themed content, with updates three times every weekday, and once a day on weekends, and every school year the editors compile the best from the site into a printed yearbook There are no restrictions on the age of contributors and all written pieces should be at least 800 words long (except poems). Rookie’s April 2015 theme is ‘Both Sides Now’.
Submission guidelines at http://www.rookiemag.com/submit/
Call for submissions for Adult Writers
Brilliant Flash Fiction is all about having fun. The editor is looking for stories that are fun to read, and that are maybe even amazing. Springtime Fiction Writing Contest
Theme: The Future
Word limit: 500 – 750 words, excluding title
Deadline: MARCH 15, 2016
Submission guidelines at brilliantflashfiction@gmail.com
How important is it to love the words you write? If you’re a writer, you want your readers to love your characters, but first, you must love those literary protagonists. Create interesting characters, even the antagonists. Have fun watching them grow in depth and complexity. Developing interesting characters is like meeting new people: some become friends, some mere acquaintances, and others you might prefer to avoid. Interesting characters have flaws, just like the people we are and those we meet. Flaws and weaknesses lead to poor decision making and that leads to strong plots. Readers identify with character frailties and build hopes that the character will overcome the obstacles and succeed.We begin manuscripts in love with the idea of the story. As the manuscripts progresses and becomes difficult to write—the place where I am now with a dual biography—the sweetness turns a little sour, the fun evaporates, and I’m left wondering what happened to the love. It's still February, after all.Today, I’m going for the gusto. I’m going to play with the words and have fun. The worst that can happen is that I delete every word, but at least I’ve had fun. I’m going to reignite my passion for the story, reach out and try to grab some of the love February floats, and spread it throughout my manuscript—my Valentine gift to me. Call for submissions for Young Writers
Rookie is an American online magazine created by fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson in 2011, then aged just 15, with Jane Pratt (founding editor of Sassy) and Ira Glass (This American Life) among its many high-profile supporters. The site has monthly themed content, with updates three times every weekday, and once a day on weekends, and every school year the editors compile the best from the site into a printed yearbook There are no restrictions on the age of contributors and all written pieces should be at least 800 words long (except poems). Rookie’s April 2015 theme is ‘Both Sides Now’.
Submission guidelines at http://www.rookiemag.com/submit/
Call for submissions for Adult Writers
Brilliant Flash Fiction is all about having fun. The editor is looking for stories that are fun to read, and that are maybe even amazing. Springtime Fiction Writing Contest
Theme: The Future
Word limit: 500 – 750 words, excluding title
Deadline: MARCH 15, 2016
Submission guidelines at brilliantflashfiction@gmail.com
February 7, 2016
Writing for Gatekeepers
Have you ever read a book, an interesting story with lots of tension and at the height of the action when there seemed to be no escape for the character, he wakes up; it was all a dream? If you did, you were probably disappointed.
Editors want stories with a beginning, middle, and ending—a real plot. The character must experience a problem, a conflict, that is introduced early, dealt with throughout the entire story, and resolved (or leave the reader believing a resolution is possible) at the end. Children’s books have positive endings in which the character grows or learns something along the journey. Situations in life can be difficult to live through, but if you learn from the experience and become stronger/ wiser/ smarter, the end result was worth it. The same is true for the fictional situations writers set up for characters. Even though you are writing picture books for young children, don’t make it easy for the protagonist but DO make the problematic situation appropriate for the age group.
When a child reads a book about a character that overcomes her fear of the dark/monsters/riding a bike, the situation resonates and the child relates to the character’s efforts and fears. As the character efforts pays off/overcomes the fear, the child, once again, relates, so do the gatekeepers: agents, editors, parents, librarians, reviewers, teachers…and the list goes on. A child usually does not purchase a picture book. Before a book can reach the hands of a child, many gatekeepers must approve it for reading. So we have to write books that work for the child but also for the gatekeepers.
Call for Submissions for Young Writers:
Canvas. We are seeking writers ages 13-18 to submit:
Fiction – Please limit submissions to 5,000 words.
Novel Excerpts - Novel and memoir excerpts are acceptable if self-contained (work as a complete narrative).
Poetry – You may submit more than one poem, but please do not exceed 5 pages worth of poetry.
Plays - Please follow standard play format. Limit to 10 pages.
Nonfiction – Essays, memoir, creative nonfiction. Please limit submissions to 5,000 words.
New Media – Video, images, etc fine for website. But must be accompanied by written version to be considered for print and eBook.
Cross-genre - Experimental work (prose poems, art and writing, fiction and nonfiction hybrids) are highly encouraged, but please keep to the word limit for fiction.
Submission guidelines at http://canvasliteraryjournal.com/submit/
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers: Timeless Tales exclusively publishes retellings of fairy tales and myths. We only accept submissions that are retellings of the fairytale or myth listed as our theme. We don't accept original fairy tales or stories outside of our current theme. These are the known upcoming themes:Psyche and Cupid (Submission window Jan 25, 2016 - Feb 25, 2016) -- NEW: Now accepting poetry!Submission guidelines at http://www.timelesstalesmagazine.com/...
Editors want stories with a beginning, middle, and ending—a real plot. The character must experience a problem, a conflict, that is introduced early, dealt with throughout the entire story, and resolved (or leave the reader believing a resolution is possible) at the end. Children’s books have positive endings in which the character grows or learns something along the journey. Situations in life can be difficult to live through, but if you learn from the experience and become stronger/ wiser/ smarter, the end result was worth it. The same is true for the fictional situations writers set up for characters. Even though you are writing picture books for young children, don’t make it easy for the protagonist but DO make the problematic situation appropriate for the age group.
When a child reads a book about a character that overcomes her fear of the dark/monsters/riding a bike, the situation resonates and the child relates to the character’s efforts and fears. As the character efforts pays off/overcomes the fear, the child, once again, relates, so do the gatekeepers: agents, editors, parents, librarians, reviewers, teachers…and the list goes on. A child usually does not purchase a picture book. Before a book can reach the hands of a child, many gatekeepers must approve it for reading. So we have to write books that work for the child but also for the gatekeepers.
Call for Submissions for Young Writers:
Canvas. We are seeking writers ages 13-18 to submit:
Fiction – Please limit submissions to 5,000 words.
Novel Excerpts - Novel and memoir excerpts are acceptable if self-contained (work as a complete narrative).
Poetry – You may submit more than one poem, but please do not exceed 5 pages worth of poetry.
Plays - Please follow standard play format. Limit to 10 pages.
Nonfiction – Essays, memoir, creative nonfiction. Please limit submissions to 5,000 words.
New Media – Video, images, etc fine for website. But must be accompanied by written version to be considered for print and eBook.
Cross-genre - Experimental work (prose poems, art and writing, fiction and nonfiction hybrids) are highly encouraged, but please keep to the word limit for fiction.
Submission guidelines at http://canvasliteraryjournal.com/submit/
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers: Timeless Tales exclusively publishes retellings of fairy tales and myths. We only accept submissions that are retellings of the fairytale or myth listed as our theme. We don't accept original fairy tales or stories outside of our current theme. These are the known upcoming themes:Psyche and Cupid (Submission window Jan 25, 2016 - Feb 25, 2016) -- NEW: Now accepting poetry!Submission guidelines at http://www.timelesstalesmagazine.com/...
January 31, 2016
Hot Topics for Picture Books
What are some hot topics in picture books? Let's look a few:
Diverse books are now in demand and these books go beyond folktales. Publishers are looking for books about children from different ethnic backgrounds who participate in everyday activities, not necessarily in an activity that showcases a different country or culture, but those are popular, too. These books depict families and cultures, promoting understanding and acceptance.
Write about a subject kids enjoy. What do kids like? I wrote a book, THE TRUTH ABOUT PRINCESSES. There is a little princess in many young girls. When I do book signings, little girls often reach for that book first.
Boys love trucks and cars and rocks. On a school visit a parent asked me if I had a book on rocks. She said every time she did laundry, she found rocks in her son’s pants. Voila! An idea for a book. As it turns out, I did a six-book series on rocks. Other topics kids love are robots, ballerinas, heavy machinery, cowboys, super heroes, and animals. Listen to what parents and children request, too.
Notice what is not in the marketplace. One Sunday when I was employed as a librarian, I read an article about pink dolphins. The next day I checked the distributor’s list and could not find one book on the subject. Eureka! I had an idea for a book and a couple of years later, my literary baby, ON THE BANKS OF THE AMAZON was born.Next week, we’ll talk more about picture books.
Call for Submissions for Young Writers: The Kid’s Storytelling Club. Want to create a story? Your very own story? A story to tell your friends, family, or a big audience at a festival?Ages 5-12 years. Storytelling activities, crafts, telling tips, and creative story ideas for elementary and junior high students. Articles” Word lengths vary.
Submission guidelines at http://www.storycraft.com/index.html
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers: Thrasher. Boys 12-20. Focus is skateboards and snowboards. Articles: Up to 1500 wordsSubmission guidelines at http://www.thrashermagazine.com/user-...
January 24, 2016
Have you ever attempted to analyze your work habits? Do y...
Have you ever attempted to analyze your work habits? Do you seem to play one more game of Solitaire or add a load of laundry or ANYTHING rather than tackle the revision or next chapter? I must confess, I have done that often and still do. Why do we do that? Maybe because writing is hard and delaying the work is easier than wrestling with that which forces us out of our comfort zones. Maybe a lazy spell struck. Maybe there is another reason, also. Playing one more game of Solitaire or another put-off activity frees our minds to wander and wandering often opens up ideas that unlock the mystery of how to proceed with our stories.
If I stay at the computer too long, I struggle with finding the words and ideas my characters need. A walk or some activity that allows our minds to ramble and roam can become a critical step in the process. A stew needs to simmer and so does a story idea.
Writers tend to be unforgiving in self-assessment. If we receive a flurry of rejections, we think we can’t cut the literary muster. Harsh critical feedback can add to Doubting-Thomas mindsets, and even worse, no feedback from editors can worry us to the point that we threaten to close up shop and never ever ever ever write for publication again. Period!
When this happens, I remind myself that it takes only one editor at one publishing house to like my work. Whew, I feel better already. Okay, Solitaire, here I come.
Call for submissions for Young WritersThe Noisy Island seeks new and exciting work from high-school age students in the areas of fiction, poetry, and songs. We want to be an online journal that people actually read, so send us the type of work that you like to read and the type of music that you like to hear.
Submission guidelines at http://thenoisyisland.tumblr.com/about
Call for submissions for Adult Writers Spellbound is a quarterly e-zine, also available for download to e-reader, and is produced by small publisher Eggplant Literary Productions. Aimed at children aged 8-12, each issue is themed around a different fantasy element. The next theme if you are submitting between October and December is changelings and doppelgängers. This is an American market and payment is 2.5c a word up to 2,500 words. They also accept poetry.
Submission guidelines at http://loutreleaven.com/2012/10/02/spellbound-magazine-looking-for-fantasy-stories-and-poetry/
If I stay at the computer too long, I struggle with finding the words and ideas my characters need. A walk or some activity that allows our minds to ramble and roam can become a critical step in the process. A stew needs to simmer and so does a story idea.
Writers tend to be unforgiving in self-assessment. If we receive a flurry of rejections, we think we can’t cut the literary muster. Harsh critical feedback can add to Doubting-Thomas mindsets, and even worse, no feedback from editors can worry us to the point that we threaten to close up shop and never ever ever ever write for publication again. Period!
When this happens, I remind myself that it takes only one editor at one publishing house to like my work. Whew, I feel better already. Okay, Solitaire, here I come.
Call for submissions for Young WritersThe Noisy Island seeks new and exciting work from high-school age students in the areas of fiction, poetry, and songs. We want to be an online journal that people actually read, so send us the type of work that you like to read and the type of music that you like to hear.
Submission guidelines at http://thenoisyisland.tumblr.com/about
Call for submissions for Adult Writers Spellbound is a quarterly e-zine, also available for download to e-reader, and is produced by small publisher Eggplant Literary Productions. Aimed at children aged 8-12, each issue is themed around a different fantasy element. The next theme if you are submitting between October and December is changelings and doppelgängers. This is an American market and payment is 2.5c a word up to 2,500 words. They also accept poetry.
Submission guidelines at http://loutreleaven.com/2012/10/02/spellbound-magazine-looking-for-fantasy-stories-and-poetry/
January 17, 2016
Staying Positive
I’m often asked how I maintain a positive attitude after 27 years writing in the hard-as-nails publishing world. The truth is I’m not always positive. I am sometimes shaken clear to soles of my boots when I receive a rejection on a manuscript that has bounced between an editor and me over a period of months. I can almost feel the contract offer; instead, a jolt in the form of “No thanks” is the stark reality. How do I rebound time after time without some form of long-term depression setting up shop in my noggin or throwing up my hands, burning my manuscripts, and forgetting it all? Several ways, actually.
First, I love the process of creating characters and choosing words that strike a chord with my emotions. Writing is hard, but writing is therapeutic too. If one manuscript is not opening doors, that doesn’t mean others won’t. So I begin a new manuscript and focus on the writing, not the rejection.
I talk with writer friends who are making the same journey along their own paths, who hit as many stumbling blocks as I and they pick themselves up and go on. If they can, I can. The important thing is to talk with others who experience the same difficulty to gain a cleared perspective of your own literary process.
I also make a couple of lists : TO-DO and DONE DID (pardon the grammar).
My TO-DO lists includes ideas for books, editors or publishers I plan to contact if I produce the type of manuscript that corresponds to the publishing need, updating blog or website, contacts I want to remember, etc.
The DONE DID list focuses on what I have accomplished or attempted. In 2015 I sold two manuscripts, wrote three chapter books (still in revision phases), participated in new events in which I publicized my books… You get the idea. This list focuses primarily on positive energy, a powerful way to offset the stream of rejections.
Call for submissions for Young Writers:
The Student Stowe Prize, established by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in 2012, recognizes outstanding writing by United States high school and college students that is making a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society. Issues may include, but are not limited to, race, class and gender. Entries must have been published or publicly presented. The Student Stowe Prizes will next be awarded in June 2016 at the Stowe Center’s fundraising event, the Big Tent Jubilee. The Student winners will also be featured at the Real Stories of Social Change panel, a free public program immediately preceding the Big Tent. The recognition includes a $2,500 prize for the college winner and a $1,000 prize for the high school winner. The winning entries are printed in the Big Tent program book and posted on the Stowe Center’s web site.” No entry fee indicated. Deadline has been extended to February 1, 2016.
Submission guidelines at https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/worxcms_published/programs.items_page869.shtml
Call for submissions for Adult Writers:
YARN is an award-winning literary journal that publishes outstanding original short fiction, poetry, and essays for Young Adult readers, written by the writers you know and love, as well as fresh new voices...including teens. Since this is a YA literary journal, we ask that the material be appropriate for, and of particular interest to, young adult readers, 14 years old and up. We have no age restrictions for authors (fogies over the age of 18 write YA, too), no genre restrictions (if you’ve got a story set in 2060, bring it on!), and no geographic restrictions (we have published teens in China and other similarly far-away places, and would love to see more international submissions). We only ask that the writing you submit be original and publishable, with some literary merit (in other words, if you’ve written a slasher thriller with lots of smooching and slaying, we recommend sending it to Hollywood and not to us). Send us only your very best.
Submission guidelines at http://yareview.net/how-to-submit/
First, I love the process of creating characters and choosing words that strike a chord with my emotions. Writing is hard, but writing is therapeutic too. If one manuscript is not opening doors, that doesn’t mean others won’t. So I begin a new manuscript and focus on the writing, not the rejection.
I talk with writer friends who are making the same journey along their own paths, who hit as many stumbling blocks as I and they pick themselves up and go on. If they can, I can. The important thing is to talk with others who experience the same difficulty to gain a cleared perspective of your own literary process.
I also make a couple of lists : TO-DO and DONE DID (pardon the grammar).
My TO-DO lists includes ideas for books, editors or publishers I plan to contact if I produce the type of manuscript that corresponds to the publishing need, updating blog or website, contacts I want to remember, etc.
The DONE DID list focuses on what I have accomplished or attempted. In 2015 I sold two manuscripts, wrote three chapter books (still in revision phases), participated in new events in which I publicized my books… You get the idea. This list focuses primarily on positive energy, a powerful way to offset the stream of rejections.
Call for submissions for Young Writers:
The Student Stowe Prize, established by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in 2012, recognizes outstanding writing by United States high school and college students that is making a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society. Issues may include, but are not limited to, race, class and gender. Entries must have been published or publicly presented. The Student Stowe Prizes will next be awarded in June 2016 at the Stowe Center’s fundraising event, the Big Tent Jubilee. The Student winners will also be featured at the Real Stories of Social Change panel, a free public program immediately preceding the Big Tent. The recognition includes a $2,500 prize for the college winner and a $1,000 prize for the high school winner. The winning entries are printed in the Big Tent program book and posted on the Stowe Center’s web site.” No entry fee indicated. Deadline has been extended to February 1, 2016.
Submission guidelines at https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/worxcms_published/programs.items_page869.shtml
Call for submissions for Adult Writers:
YARN is an award-winning literary journal that publishes outstanding original short fiction, poetry, and essays for Young Adult readers, written by the writers you know and love, as well as fresh new voices...including teens. Since this is a YA literary journal, we ask that the material be appropriate for, and of particular interest to, young adult readers, 14 years old and up. We have no age restrictions for authors (fogies over the age of 18 write YA, too), no genre restrictions (if you’ve got a story set in 2060, bring it on!), and no geographic restrictions (we have published teens in China and other similarly far-away places, and would love to see more international submissions). We only ask that the writing you submit be original and publishable, with some literary merit (in other words, if you’ve written a slasher thriller with lots of smooching and slaying, we recommend sending it to Hollywood and not to us). Send us only your very best.
Submission guidelines at http://yareview.net/how-to-submit/
January 10, 2016
Evaluating Writing Habits
In what direction would you like to see your writing venture toward in 2016? Of course, every writer is yearning for the ultimate: a contract…or three.
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reevaluate our writing habits and schedules. Here are some of mine:
If I do not have a deadline for a piece of work, I will set one. By establishing a date to finish the first draft, I will feel more pressure to get the job done. I use the term “job” because writing is not easy and a manuscript can be so difficult to write I’m tempted to set it aside. I’ll muddle through; that’s what it takes to finish the first draft as my timeline approaches.
Read articles/books on the writing process. Since I write picture books and MG, I will focus on those two areas.
Read a variety of picture, chapter, and MG books to study how other writers develop stories.
Remain positive, even with a landslide of rejection letters. I’ll measure my literary worth by my dedication to the writing, not by a contract. If I continue to write and study the process, my manuscripts will improve.
Celebrate the small victories. If an editor makes a comment on a rejection, I must have done something to warrant his/her time, effort, and energy.
Make 2016 the year to realize your dream.
Call for submissions for Young Writers
Ember is a semiannual journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for all age groups. Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged. Ember is looking for great writing that tells a compelling story, regardless of length. Even very short pieces, like flash fiction, should tell a story, though there will certainly be fewer dramatic elements developed than we’d see in a longer piece or novel. The presence of “story” is what distinguishes flash fiction from “vignette.”
Submission guidelines at http://emberjournal.org/submission-gu...
Call for submissions for Adult WritersThe Crawl Space Journal, a small place for big imaginations, is looking for great writing, especially short forms: poems, prose, and flash fiction, within the realms of magical realism, fabulism, and fantasy, for our Spring Issue. We do accept novel excerpts (up to1,500 words) if they stand alone. Our readers are mainly between the ages of 11 and 14.
Submission guidelines at http://thecrawlspace.me/category/youn...
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reevaluate our writing habits and schedules. Here are some of mine:
If I do not have a deadline for a piece of work, I will set one. By establishing a date to finish the first draft, I will feel more pressure to get the job done. I use the term “job” because writing is not easy and a manuscript can be so difficult to write I’m tempted to set it aside. I’ll muddle through; that’s what it takes to finish the first draft as my timeline approaches.
Read articles/books on the writing process. Since I write picture books and MG, I will focus on those two areas.
Read a variety of picture, chapter, and MG books to study how other writers develop stories.
Remain positive, even with a landslide of rejection letters. I’ll measure my literary worth by my dedication to the writing, not by a contract. If I continue to write and study the process, my manuscripts will improve.
Celebrate the small victories. If an editor makes a comment on a rejection, I must have done something to warrant his/her time, effort, and energy.
Make 2016 the year to realize your dream.
Call for submissions for Young Writers
Ember is a semiannual journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for all age groups. Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged. Ember is looking for great writing that tells a compelling story, regardless of length. Even very short pieces, like flash fiction, should tell a story, though there will certainly be fewer dramatic elements developed than we’d see in a longer piece or novel. The presence of “story” is what distinguishes flash fiction from “vignette.”
Submission guidelines at http://emberjournal.org/submission-gu...
Call for submissions for Adult WritersThe Crawl Space Journal, a small place for big imaginations, is looking for great writing, especially short forms: poems, prose, and flash fiction, within the realms of magical realism, fabulism, and fantasy, for our Spring Issue. We do accept novel excerpts (up to1,500 words) if they stand alone. Our readers are mainly between the ages of 11 and 14.
Submission guidelines at http://thecrawlspace.me/category/youn...
January 3, 2016
Plot the Course for Your Writing
New year. New beginning. What a wonderful time to plot the course for your writing.
List the projects you completed last year. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You COMPLETED the project whether it was garnered a contract or not. You followed through with an idea. Celebrate the victory.
If you did not get a contract, it’s decision time: Do you keep revising or start anew with another project? The decision is yours. If you feel the 2015 project has commercial potential, give it the best opportunity for a contract by polishing it until the sheen twinkles. If you’re simply tired of working on it, file it and start with another. You can always go back and work on the first project at a later date and that might be a good thing. The distance from the project will later allow you to have a better perspective on what does and does not work. In 2015, I pulled out a chapter book I had worked on a few years prior, completely revised it, and got a contract.
If you had several projects in 2015 that did not interest editors, review them to determine which has the most potential. Show them to your writer or critique group. Feedback from informed readers is like winning the lottery.
Are you ready, pen? Start writing.
Call for Submissions for Young Writers:
Magic Dragon. A quarterly publication, presents writing and art created by children in the elementary school grades in a magazine of quality four-color printing and graphic display.Submission guidelines at http://www.magicdragonmagazine.com/Call for Submissions for Adult Writers: American Girl. A bimonthly, four-color magazine for girls 8+. Looking for contemporary and historical fiction. The protagonist should be a girl between 8 and 12. No science fiction, fantasy, or first-romance stories. Up to 2,300 words. Allow 12 weeks for a reply.Submission guidelines at http://www.americangirl.com/corporate...
December 27, 2015
Happy New Year Greetings for Writers
2016 offers hope for old dreams and new beginnings, choice words with fresh voice, and a blank page to write. May the new year bring the joy of seeing your writing sparkle.
December 20, 2015
This blog will continue with writing information goodies ...
This blog will continue with writing information goodies in January 2016.
