Nancy Kelly Allen's Blog, page 29

WRITING PICTURE BOOKS—SIMPLY DIFFICULT, part 3/Calls for Submissions

 This article is the third in the series, WRITING PICTURE BOOKS—SIMPLY DIFFICULT.

1.                      Numbered scenes. Most picture books are 32 pages, but only 28-29 pages are used for text. With double-page spreads, the story is told in 14-15 scenes. After writing your story, divide it into scenes (pieces of action). If you have fewer than 14, revise the manuscript. I number the scenes on the manuscript, but remove the numbers before submitting the story. With each page turn, make the reader wonder what will happen next. 2.                      Story problem. Fictional picture books come in all shapes and sizes and cover any topic relevant to a child. The character, usually a child or animal, has a problem and makes multiple attempts to solve the problem. In the end the character that is experiencing the problem needs to figure out the solution. The payoff is when the child/animal wins.  This article will be continued in next week’s blog.
Call for submissions for young writers:

River of Words Art and Poetry Contest. Open to children K-12th grade. US submissions deadline- December 1, 2013. International submission deadline- February 1, 2014. Nature has been the greatest source of inspiration for artists and poets since humans began drawing on the walls of caves and singing sagas. Yet despite its importance, environmental and arts education is marginalized in the United States. This sorry scenario is increasingly true in other countries as well. River of Words was founded to give new life to the teaching of art and poetry through watershed exploration. Our innovative Watershed Explorer Educator’s Guide brings together sketching and botany, nature journaling and poetry writing. Students who participate are encouraged to submit their work to our free international art and poetry contest, held annually since 1995 in conjunction with the Center of the Book in the Library of Congress. Details at: http://www.literarymama.com/blog/archives/2013/08/two-literature-contests-for-children.html#sthash.seaOeaPI.dpuf
 Call for submissions for adult writers:
A Fairy Tale Magazine. Each month, two works, a story or poem or some combination, will be chosen for publication. The winners will each receive a $25 gift certificate from a place like Amazon. The gift certificate will be through email only and will be in US dollars only.Details at http://www.fairytalemagazine.com/2011/12/new-guidelines-for-ec.html

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WRITING PICTURE BOOKS—SIMPLY DIFFICULT, part II/Calls for Submissions

Beginning with this blog, I will post markets for both young writers and adult writers each week through May, 2014. This article is the second in the series, WRITING PICTURE BOOKS—SIMPLY DIFFICULT.1.                      Word choice. Use action verbs to energize your writing with dramatic impact: “sprint” or “mosey” reveals more than “ran” or “walk.” Read your manuscript aloud. Does the text have a rhythm? Do you hear the music of the words? Use poetic devices, such as similes and metaphors, which are pleasing to the ear. I used the same words—fizzle and sizzle—to produce both nouns and verbs for a lyrical sound in BARRELING OVER NIAGARA FALLS:  When the sizzle fizzled out of teaching music, and the fizzle sizzled out of teaching dance… 
2.                          Think visually. Writers are accustomed to creating worlds with words, but in picture books, we have to consider movement for each scene. Provide a change in the movement in each scene to allow the illustrator opportunities to carry the story beyond the text. Rely on action to tell the story. 
This article will be continued in next week’s blog. 
Call for submissions for young writers:
CREATIVE KIDS MAGAZINE is looking for the very best material by students (ages 8–16). Material may include cartoons, songs, stories between 500 and 1200 words, puzzles, photographs, artwork, games, editorials, poetry, and plays, as well as any other creative work that can fit in the pages of the magazine. Details at http://www.ckmagazine.org/submissions/

Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Chattahoochee Review. Send via online form. Online Form. Theme: The Animal. Be sure to mention the theme in your cover letter.  
Details at http://thechattahoocheereview.gpc.edu/submissions.htm 
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Writing Picture Books--Simply Difficult, part 1/Call for Submissions

This blog is the first in a series focused on writing picture books, taken from the how-to article, WRITING PICTURE BOOKS—SIMPLY DIFFICULT, I wrote for a national newsletter.
A 400-word book has to be easy to write, right? As readers, picture books appear simple to create; as writers, we find the task simply difficult. Writing picture books takes a unique set of skills, so try these 10 key points to improve your manuscript:
1.  Short text. Picture books are based on a single idea. When I first began writing professionally twenty-four years ago, the average picture book text was 1,000-1,500 words. Not anymore. The sweet spot according to many editors is about 450 words. Deleting unnecessary words is a must in today’s market.
 2.   Audience. Most picture books are designed for young children up through age five. As adults read the words, children read the pictures. The text should be age appropriate for the audience both in language and interest. A five-year-old has a larger vocabulary and is much more likely to be interested in dinosaurs than a two-year-old. Children age six and up are typically exposed to beginning chapter books.
This article will be continued in next week’s blog.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Suddenly Lost in Words has reopened submissions. This ezine is for readers ages 13+ and is a paying market.Details at http://suddenlylostinwords.com/submissions
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Idea Overload, part VI/Call for Submissions

This is the last blog in this series.
If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips: 
There is no magic fix for any story. You simply have to keep writing and revising to get the story polished. Good writing comes from rewriting. Sometimes we want to abandon a manuscript for a new idea because we don’t know what to do with the one we’re working on. This happens all the time. Focus on the characters and plot. Concentrate on one idea at a time and how that idea can move the story forward.

Don’t fall in love with your writing. All writing can be improved upon. Instead, fall in love with completing your writing. Getting sidetracked undermines your goal of getting a story completed.
When you finish the manuscript to the point that you have done as much as you can with it, ship it to potential publisher; then begin another project with a shiny, new idea.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
From October 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2013, The Jim Henson Company and Grosset & Dunlap of the Penguin Young Readers Group will be accepting writing submissions to find the author for a new novel set in the world of Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. This author search is open to all professional and aspiring professional writers.
This new Dark Crystal novel will be a prequel story set at the time of the Gelfling Gathering, between the Second Great Conjunction and the creation of the Wall of Destiny. We will be placing all known lore from this era on DarkCrystal.com, the definitive home of The Dark Crystal. There you will find all the knowledge available for you to shape and build your story—and all we ask is that you share your stories with us. 
Your submission should be an original story set in the era outlined above. The final novel will be upwards of 50,000 words, but please send in 7,500-10,000 words that represent the story you would tell in a full-length Dark Crystal novel. It can either be the first chapters, final chapters, a collection of middle chapters, or a short piece that would form the inspiration for a novel-length story.
Details at http://darkcrystal.com/authorquest/

  


 
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Idea Overload, part VI/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips:

Make a “Writer’s To-Do List.” If you’re working on a manuscript, plan for the next writing session. When you finish for the day, briefly write “continue with chapter 2” or something specific to the plot, such as “loses key.” When you return for the next writing session, you’ll see the to-do note and hopefully, that will keep you focused on the continuation of chapter 2 or writing a scene about losing a key. Know what you’re going to do during the session as soon as you begin.
Work on one manuscript at a time. If you hit a roadblock, try different scenarios to keep the story flowing. The key is to stay focused. Force yourself to complete the manuscript. Four half-finished manuscripts does not equal one finished, polished story. A story cannot be polished unless it’s finished. Editors want a manuscript to be finished before a contract is offered, especially with writers who are not published.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
FrostFire Worlds is a quarterly magazine for younger readers published by Alban Lake Publishing in February, May, August, and November. The first issue was released on 1 August 2013. Submission guidelines at http://albanlake.com/guidelines-frostfire/ Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
   


 
  

Idea Overload, part V/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips:
Talk with a critique group or writing club. Explain how the story has bogged down and you don’t know how to get the character out of the situation or don’t know how to inflict more problems upon the character. Writers often receive excellent feedback from such groups.
Abandoning manuscripts decreases a writer’s efficiency. Rather than permanently shelving a manuscript, shelve it temporarily while you consider different options for the characters and plot.
Review the story ideas folder. Maybe you can consolidate some ideas by tapping into an idea or two and using them in the manuscript you’re working on.
Next week, I’ll continue the series.
Call for submissions for adult writers: REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE LIFE LESSONS ESSAY CONTEST

Theme: What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done? Whatever your story, share it with us. Winner is published in Real Simple Magazine and receives $3,000. Limit 1,500 words. Deadline
Deadline: September 19, 2013. Must be nonfiction.
Details at <http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/inspiration-motivation/second-annual-life-lessons-essay-contest-00000000013682/index.html>
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Idea Overload, part IV/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try this tip:
As you begin writing your story, a new story idea often rears its shiny-as-a-freshly-minted-dime head. By this time the story is getting more difficult to write. The shine has worn off the original idea. This happens to most writers regardless of the genre. Let’s face it, writing is HARD work. And the farther we are into the manuscript the more puzzle pieces we have to fit together to make the story work. Writers thrust characters into difficult situations and continue to pile onto their problems, but eventually, writers have to find ways for the characters to work their way out of the problems. No easy task.
 The bright idea on which the story is based grows dimmer and dimmer. While you work your way through the story, you’re practicing the craft of writing and gaining experience one word at a time. Even after you walk away from the actual writing, you continue to dwell on the plot and character. Letting ideas simmer is a great way to work through a problem the character has encountered. Keep tossing around ideas (geared toward the character and the unique set of problems) and you will probably figure out a way to move the story forward. Remain focused on this story. Chances are, the new idea won’t be any better than the one used to create this story. Next week, I’ll continue the series.
 Call for submissions for adult writers:The Quirk Books “Looking for Love” Fiction Contest is accepting submissions for novel-length manuscripts featuring fresh, fun, and strikingly unconventional love stories. Boy meets girl, girl meets shark, shark meets pirate – anything goes. Grand prize includes $10,000 and publication by Quirk Books. There is no entry fee. Deadline: October 1, 2013.Submission guidelines at http://www.quirkbooks.com/lovestories Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

 
 

 

Idea Overload, part III/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips: 

1.      Writer’s block is the inability to create and develop a story idea. Having too many ideas can be just a detrimental to your manuscript. Inventory the ideas you have and spend time thinking about those that you think would work best for a story with a beginning/middle/ending and in which the character changes (grows) in some way and solves the problem or reaches the goal on his/her own.
2.      Sketch out the plot in a simple outline, maybe one or two sentences for each scene if you’re writing a picture book. If you’re writing a middle grade or young adult book, outline the story with a sentence or two per chapter. Once you get the outline, begin writing the story. If other ideas spring up, simple write them in the ideas folder and continue working on the manuscript you began.
3.      Stay focused on one manuscript. Write the story from beginning to the end and don’t worry about mistakes at this point. Just get the story written. Concentrate on finishing the first draft. Good writing comes from rewriting.
Next week, I’ll continue the series.
Call for submissions for adult writers: 
Family Circle . Practical solutions for moms to raise happy, healthy families. Particular emphasis on mothers of tweens and teens. Query with clips with at least one from a national magazine. [Photocopy your article as it appeared in the magazine and enclose the photocopy with your manuscript.] Articles are 1,000 to 2,000 words. Departments 750 words. Does not respond unless interested in the piece. Nothing read on spec. Publishes a large volume of freelance articles.
Submission can be sent to: Family Circle Magazine ArticlesDepartment 375 Lexington Avenue 9th Floor New York, NY 10017
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Idea Overload, part II/Call for Submissions

If you have more story ideas than you know what to do with, try these tips:

1.      Create a file, paper or digital, for the ideas. When an idea shines so brightly that you can’t let it go, add it to the collection. That way, you’ll have it if you need it; otherwise, you might forget it. Don’t be overly concerned about organizing these random ideas, just get them in writing.
2.      When you have your ideas in black and white in front of you, you can more realistically determine which work and which don’t. Those that don’t work should not be discarded, because you may have another writing project in the future in which they are a perfect match.
3.      Group your ideas into categories. Some may work better for plots and some for characters. Some may be geared toward picture books while others are middle grade or young adult material. Organizing the ideas allows you to view the scope of the concepts you’ve collected. 
Next week, I’ll continue the series. 
Call for submissions for adult writers: 
Parenting. Parenting’s readers are moms whose kids range in age from newborn through age 12, as well as expectant moms.  The magazine covers the psychological and practical aspects of raising a child, and the emotional issues that face mothers — from nurturing their own friendships to juggling the various parts of their lives. The magazine is largely freelance written. Fees for articles depend on length, degree of difficulty, and the writer’s previous experience.  Generally, feature articles run between 1,000 and 2,500 words in published form. For writers new to Parenting, the best opportunities are the departments. The pieces there range from 100 to 500 words. Queries for each of these departments should be addressed to the appropriate editor (such as Kids’ Health Editor, or Ages & Stages Editor). Pays up to $1/word. 
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Idea Overload, part I/Call for Submissions

Today’s blog is all about ideas. What do you do with idea overload? [Thanks, Krista H., for the inspiration of this series of blogs.] Ideas bombard you from every direction. Each time you try to develop the idea, another one pops into you mind, and you begin a new manuscript with every idea.

This is a common problem for some writers, especially in the beginning stages of a manuscript. Story ideas are like coins. New ideas are shiny and attractive, much like a hot-off-the-press dime. Old ideas that you’ve been playing with don’t pan out and they lose their sheen and become a dull as an often-spent quarter.Writers tend to focus on writing as we do laundry, sweep, and rake the lawn. We’re thinking about story plots and character even when we can’t stop to write, so ideas are popping up around us constantly. Just how do we strain out the best ideas and develop them into stories?
Next week, we’ll look at ways we manage these ideas so that they become incorporated into manuscripts, rather than a distraction that prevents us from accomplishing writing goals.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Linda Bruckheimer Series in Kentucky Literature. Recommended free contest awards publication by Sarabande Books, a high-quality literary press, for a manuscript of poetry, fiction, or essays (all genres compete together) about Kentucky or by Kentucky authors. Winner must agree to travel to readings within the state. You are eligible if you were born in Kentucky or have lived there for at least two years, or your book is set in or about Kentucky. Poetry manuscripts should be 48-100 single-spaced pages, prose manuscripts 150-250 double-spaced pages. No scholarly works, children's literature, or genre fiction. Accepts online entries.
Deadline: Must be mailed in the month of July.
Details at http://www.sarabandebooks.org/?page_id=1188
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