Nancy Kelly Allen's Blog, page 32

Illustration Notes in Picture Book Manuscripts, part I/Calls for Submissions

This one is for you, Rosi, and others who have questions about illustration notes.

A picture book story is told with 50% text and 50% illustration. The illustrations reflect the text but carry the story beyond.

Many editors and illustrators do not want illustration notes that specify art direction, and they especially don’t want it for every page. Illustrators prefer the opportunity to read the text without notes, regardless of how spare the text might be. However, if there is a surprise in the action that isn’t conveyed in the text, an occasional note is acceptable. Example: A character is playing in the yard and a monster is sneaking around, with no mention of a monster in the text. The writer is depending on the illustration to tell that part of the story. A short, bracketed note in italics is all that is needed [monster in background].

Illustration notes are NOT needed for descriptions of setting or characters, such as green tree, blue dress, red hair, etc.

Next week, I’ll continue with part II.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

The Tapestry of Bronze is sponsoring a series of international poetry contests to celebrate Greek and Roman mythology and the Olympian gods. The subject of the current contest is Hephaestus (also known as Vulcan), the God of the Forge. The deadline is April 30, 2013.

All poems remain the property of the authors. However, the Tapestry of Bronze reserves the right to post winning poems and those receiving Honorable Mention on the Tapestry of Bronze website.

Deadline: April 30, 2013

Submission guidelines: E-mail your poem (no more than 30 lines) to the following address: tapestryofbronze@yahoo.com

Call for submissions for young writers:

The Apprentice Writer . Categories for submissions are:

Fiction/Poetry/Essay/Photography.
We send copies of The Apprentice Writer to accepted contributors and their teachers.
Submit individually or have your teacher send to:
Gary Fincke, Writers Institute Director, Susquehanna University, 610 University Ave.
Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1164
Deadline: March 15, 2013
Submission guidelines at http://www.susqu.edu/academics/10602.asp

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Picture Book vs. Magazine article, part III/Calls for Submissions

Today’s blog is part III of a series.

Check out the following elements to determine if your story works better as a picture book or a magazine story:

Does the story have 14-20 scenes or pieces of action? Picture books have about 28 pages of illustrations; magazine stories have 1-8 illustrations. Did you allow enough leeway for the illustrator to tell part of the story? A magazine story will include details such as “red, polka dot dress.” A picture book manuscript usually doesn’t include such details because the illustrations will show this aspect of the story. In fact, some picture book texts can seem sparse and not always easy to understand without the illustrations, which not only reflect the text but carry the story beyond. A magazine story is told with numerous details because the text does not rely on illustrations to help tell the tale.

Does the story have a universal theme? A picture book has an idea or message that flows throughout the story.

Is the story different in some way? Does the author voice or writing style stand out? Does the text zing with rhythm? A picture book manuscript needs a distinctive element.

Does your story have the “read it again” factor? Is there a satisfying conclusion in which the character solves his/her problem? Does the ending have a surprise or twist that delights the child? A favorite picture book may be read over and over. A magazine story is usually read fewer times.

Both picture books and magazines offer entertaining and informational stories to children and both claim important places in the literary world.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Jelly Bucket is open for submissions through June 1. Send us your best poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Jelly Bucket is distributed nationally and produced by the Bluegrass Writers Studio, which grants the MFA in Creative Writing at Eastern Kentucky University.
Submission guidelines at www.jellybucket.org.

Call for submissions for young writers:

Hanging Loose magazine welcomes high school submissions. As with other writers, we reply within three months, and high school authors whose work we publish receive the same small fee and two copies of the issue in which their work appears. We feel a special responsibility to those young writers who look to us not only for possible publication but sometimes also for editorial advice, which we are always happy to give when asked. Send 3 to 6 poems, or 1 to 3 short stories, or an equivalent combination of poetry and prose. This enables us to get a good idea of what your work is like.

Submission guidelines at http://www.hangingloosepress.com/subm...

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Picture Book vs. Magazine article, part II/Calls for Submissions

Today’s blog is part II of a series.

Picture books and magazine stories have some attributes in common: they have a short text, can be written in rhyme or prose, and are geared toward the same audience. However, the differences are greater than the similarities. Consider the following elements to determine if your story works better as a picture book or magazine piece.

Is your story narrow or wide in scope? Picture books need to appeal to a wide audience. If the story has universal appeal, it will work as a picture book. Publishers invest about $50,000 into the first run of a picture book. With that type of investment, the story MUST work for a wide audience.

Is the story a quiet or mood piece, such as a bedtime story? This type of book is a tough sell in today’s picture book market. Most picture books start in the middle of the action with a hook to pull readers in.

Does the main character have an important problem to solve? If not, the story might be too slight for a picture book. The character should experience setbacks in attempting to solve the problem.

Next week’s blog will offer more tips on how to determine if your manuscript is a better fit for a picture book or magazine story.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Switchback is a publication of the MFA Program at the University of San Francisco and appears both online and in ebook format. We publish only the very best fiction, poetry, nonfiction and art. For issue 17, an Editor's Prize will be awarded in the amount of $200.00 to the submission best addressing the issue theme (Broken). Additional prizes in the amount of $75.00 and $50.00 respectively will be awarded to the first two runners up. There is no fee to enter. Submissions need not address the issue theme in order to be considered for publication. Please read the guidelines carefully before submitting.

Switchback 17: Broken will be published May 1, 2013.
Deadline: 2-28-2013
Submission guidelines at http://www.swback.com/call/

Call for submissions for young writers:

Cyberkids . Would you like to have a story, poem, article, picture or other creative work published in Cyberkids? To submit your work, email it to: editor@cyberkids.com. In the email, tell us your name, age
and country.

Submission guidelines at http://www.cyberkids.com/he/html/subm...

Picture Book vs. Magazine Article, part 1/Calls for Submissions

I was recently asked the question about how to determine if a poem or group of poems should be submitted to book publishers or the magazine market. [This blog is the first in a series is for you, Krista, and others who are wondering about the differences between a picture book and short story manuscript.]

As for poems, they can be geared toward the magazine or book market. Submit individual poems to magazines. If you submit to a book publisher, send poems that are centered on a particular theme. Check Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, and Judith Viorst’s poetry books—and others, of course, to get an idea of how they used a theme for their work.

You’ll need enough poems for an entire book. The number varies with publishers. Boyds Mills Press has a poetry imprint, Wordsong, that publishes poetry books. Many of the big publishers do also.

Keep the content concrete, something the child can see in his/her mind. If you’re submitting one poem and the poem is long enough and filled with action, it might work as a picture book. Try dividing the poem into 14 scenes (pieces of action). Illustrators need to draw action with each double-page spread.

Next week, I’ll continue the series with part II.


Call for submissions for adult writers:

The Nelson Algren Short Story Award competition is open for submissions until February 1. This competition is open to all legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are over 18 years of age, and there is no entry fee. Stories may run up to 8,000 words. Prizes: “One grand prize winner will receive $3,500. Four finalists will each receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $500.” Note also: “All contest entries may be considered for eventual Tribune publication pending notification of the author.” (Thanks to the PayingWriterJobs list for reminding me of this imminent deadline.)

Call for submissions for young writers:

Creative Kids Magazine. We are 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.

All work must be original. Upon acceptance of a work, we will request that a legal guardian sign our standard contract granting copyright permission. The contract will be mailed with notification of acceptance.

Submission Guidelines at http://www.ckmagazine.org/submissions/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Publishing Trends/Calls for Submissions

Ever wonder what the next trend is in children’s books? What’s hot and what’s not? Here are some tidbits I’ve uncovered:

Bullying books are popular.

Informational/nonfiction books are on the rise.

Graphic novels continue to grow in demand.

Diversity in literature is requested by editors, parents, and teachers.

Strong female protagonists are standing strong in the marketplace.

No one knows what the go-to trend is going to be. Graphic novels, illustrations mixed with text, have been popular for the last few years and will probably continue the trend. Preteens and teens like novels-in-cartoons format.

Multicultural books have had time-honored acceptance. With 40% of the younger generation claiming a multi-cultural heritage, this trend will likely have a long shelf life.

The push for informational books in the education setting is having a positive impact on the publication of nonfiction books. This is true for picture books, as well.

I’m not suggesting that we write toward trends because many trends come and go as fast as the weather changes, but some stick around. Staying current with the publishing industry’s process can serve us well.

Happy writing.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Hopscotch is looking for articles—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—thatdeal with timeless topics, such as pets, nature, hobbies, science, games, sports, careers, simple cooking, and anything else likely to interest a young girl.
Submission guidelines at http://funforkidzmagazines.com/hs_gui...

Call for submissions for young writers:

New Moon Magazine focuses on girls, women, or female issues. New Moon Girls was created by girls and women for girls who want their voices heard and their dreams taken seriously. It is edited by and for girls ages 8 and up. New Moon Girls takes girls very seriously; the publication is structured to give girls real power. The final product is a collaboration of girls and adults. An editorial board of girls aged 8-14 makes final decisions on content for the magazine and website.
Submission guidelines at http://www.newmoon.com/content/?id=10...

Nonverbal Communication, part II/

This blog concludes the article on nonverbal communication in writing, posted two weeks ago.

When you’re with a group, notice how people stand in proximity to others. Those who know each other well usually stand closer. Strangers tend to stand farther apart.

Touching with an arm or a hand indicates that people probably know each other. A touch can be used to show affection, such as a hug from a mother to a child. Pats on the back offer encouragement from a teacher to a student. One character’s arm over another’s shoulder lends emotional support without saying a word.

People react to body language and nonverbal cues. A frown on an adult’s face can make a child run in the opposite direction. A grandma with arms spread wide encourages a child to run to her.

Develop your scenes with dialog, but don’t forget to use nonverbal signals to show emotions. Sometimes a look or a touch speaks volumes.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

"One Grand Prize winner will receive a publishing contract with an advance of $50,000, and four First Prize winners will each receive a publishing contract with an advance of $15,000. Visit the Prizes page for the full list of prizes and details. We've expanded the categories to include five popular genres: General Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and Young Adult Fiction. And we're accepting entries from more countries than ever before." Be sure to check the very detailed guidelines.

Deadline: "We must receive your Contest entry between January 14, 2013 at 12:00:01 a.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) and January 27, 2013 at 11:59:59 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time). The contest is limited to 10,000 Entries, and we will stop accepting Entries after we have received 10,000 Entries."


Submissions guidelines at www.amazon.com/abna


Call for submissions for young writers:

Washington Post KidsPost Annual Poetry Contest occurs every April in honor of National Poetry Month. The contest is open to ages 5 to 14. Kids must submit an original (that means you must have written it yourself) poem of any length on any subject. Each child can submit only one poem. Poems can be illustrated, but that is not required.

Deadline: Deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Monday, March 26.

Submission guidelines at http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifesty...

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

The new year brings new beginnings. This is a good time f...

The new year brings new beginnings. This is a good time for writers to reflect on habits and activities that worked well in the past and on changes that can promote writing careers. As Dolly Parton said, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

Dolly’s words ring true with writing, also. If we want to grab a publishing contract we have to put up with some rain: schedule time to write, accept rejection, revise manuscripts, and other tasks that come with the deal.

Life interrupts. The interruptions are often and major. It’s easy for me to find reasons not to write or revise. The floors need to be swept. Laundry is piled up. I’m hungry. I don’t know where to go in the story. How can I make the character more interesting? I’m hungry. The dog wants out. The dog wants in. I’m hungry. [I think I see a pattern here.]

Our minds fill with guilt for not doing this or that. Or is that guilt a way to avoid sitting in a chair and writing. I can invent excuses for not writing as easily as grabbing another bite of that chocolate bar that keeps me jumping out of the chair. Writing is not easy and it will never be easy. Let’s face it: writing is hard work and I love nothing more than avoiding hard work. BUT, and there always seems to be a “but,” we have to keep the butt in the chair if we expect to get a contract. So here’s to butts in chairs and a prosperous new year of writing.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

GENEii Family History Writing Contest. Cash prizes for family history or local history articles, published or unpublished. Note that "subjects need not relate to California or the United States."

Deadline: December 31, 2012

Submission guidelines at http://www.scgsgenealogy.com

Call for submissions for young writers:

Relate Magazine. Pay: Varies The mission is to inspire teen girls to pursue their dreams with confidence and to teach them to be an example for others in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Topics include design, entertainment, the future in terms of college and jobs, beauty, faith, life, quizzes. Average article is between 650 and 1,600 words in length although longer work will be considered. Sidebar information is also encouraged, as well as graphics, including illustrations, and photographs. http://www.relatemag.com/about/ Feature Article (around 1,800 words): $350-$700 General Article (around 800 words): $150-$200.

Submission guidelines at http://www.relatemag.com/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Where Words Take Us/Calls for Submissions

A writer never knows where the words will take him/her. In 1939, Robert L. May, working in the marketing department for Montgomery Ward, created the words for a coloring book and titled it RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. Before deciding to use the name “Rudolph,” May considered "Rollo" and "Reginald." Would the story have been as popular with either of the other names? Maybe, maybe not. Later, May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, adapted the rhyming text as a song, and Golden Books released it as a picture book. The story didn’t stop there. It has been developed into an animated TV special and a full-feature film.

Did the writer imagine that his character would become one of the most widely known in the world? Probably not. There’s no way to predict what will become an enduring classic. We write what we enjoy and hope others like it, too.

So here’s to words taking you to where you want to go and to places you never imagined. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my fellow writers.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

John Ciardi Prize for Poetry is offered annually for the best unpublished collection of poetry. Prize is $1,000 and publication by BkMk Press. Deadline: January 15 postmark. (Also offered with same deadline: G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction.)

Deadline: January 15 postmark.

Submission guidelines at http://cas.umkc.edu/bkmk/poetry.html

Call for submissions for young writers:

Speak Up Press[ages 13-19]

· All work must be your original creation (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry)

· Your pieces should be 2500 words or less

· Submission Guidelines at http://speakuppress.org/submissions/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Nonverbal Communication, Part 1/Calls for Submissions

Communication between characters is critical to move the story forward and to tell the story. Dialog is a typical form of communication, but the nonverbal type can be effectively incorporated into a story with a few tricks of the trade.

Facial expressions can show fear, glee, anger, sadness, joy, and disappointment. A smile rounds a person’s eyes and raises their cheeks. A frown can wrinkle a nose and forehead. Fear sometimes opens a child’s mouth. So does surprise.

The way the character walks, stands, and sits can also rely information to the reader. Angry people walk with a heavy gait and may stomp a foot…or two. Sadness may be depicted with a shuffle of feet or stooped shoulders. A character that skips along is probably happy and one that walks with a straight back and held high shows confidence.

The character’s eye contact tells a lot. Direct eye contact implies truthfulness and self-assurance. A character that looks away may be lying or perceived to lack confidence.

Nonverbal communication adds depth to a character. Give it a try.

Next week, I’ll continue this article.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Iowa Award in Poetry, Fiction, & Essay is offered for the best short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Winners receive $1,500, plus publication in the Iowa Review.

Deadline: January 31, 2013

Submission Guidelines at http://iowareview.uiowa.edu/rules

Call for submissions for young writers:

Youth Imagination. Short Story Size limit: 1000 to 4000 words (preferred limit is 3000 words. We will consider longer stories, but they must be extraordinary)

Serial Size limit: 20,000 to 40,000 words (we only accept one or two serials per year)

Youth Imagination encourages and fosters creative writing, and especially writing by teens and preteens, by including guided writing exercises, discussion and workshops on our website. Then, after the stories are developed, written, workshopped and polished, there's always the questions, what's next? We have the "what's next,” too- a magazine that focuses on the creative writing for and by teens.

We are open for submissions, and are particularly interested in creative fiction stories by teens, but will also accept YA stories by adult authors. Make the stories awesome, inspiring and engaging. Our goal is to publish the best writing for and by teens. We accept a wide variety of stories: happy ending, sad endings, humor, genre, literary or gritty.

We accept most genres of fiction, including modern, urban or classical fantasy, as well as sci-fi, slipstream, literary, action-adventure and suspense.

Submission Guidelines at http://www.youthimagination.org/index...

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Author Interview/Calls for Submissions

At the Head of the Holler by Miriam Moyer is a historical fiction book for all ages—middle grade, young adult, and adult. This story is an inspirational and descriptive portrayal of mountain life in the 1880s.

ISBN: 978-0-69201-880-4

Price: $19.80—Book

$35.00—9 Audio CD Album

Today, I’m pleased to have the author, Miriam Moyer, as a guest.

NKA: Miriam, how did you get the idea to write about this fictional family?

MM: The development of family life in the home intrigues me. (I have eight children myself). So when, it is, that Sprout, a nine-year-old boy, runs carefree, avoiding rules and work, there is sure to be repercussions with the siblings. Readers easily love Sprout and his willful ways.

NKA: What was the most difficult part of writing your first novel?

MM: Since the aim was two-fold,

1. preserving the way of life, which is our heritage, and

2. creating our county and country,

I found making the “man talk” and their quarreling to be the most difficult.

NKA: I, too, have difficulty writing dialog for male characters and for characters who are not in my age group. That's why I'm always sneaking around and listening to people talk. I usually grab my notebook and jot down an unusual phrase when I hear it. Then the phrase will pop up in my writing. Your book certainly intrigued me. I really enjoyed it. Where can this book be purchased?

MM: At this point the book is available locally at the following, but the list is ever expanding:

Yoder Bulk Food—Hindman, KY

Appalachian Artisan Center—Hindman, KY

Cozy Corner—Whitesburg, KY

Lighthouse Bookstore—Pikeville, KY

Or an order can be sent to me at mwmoyer@emypeople.net

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition.Do you have a winning short story of 1,500 words or fewer? Would you like a shot at national recognition for your work? Imagine the effect winning or ranking in a highly respected story competition could have on your résumé and publishing career.

· Win up to $3,000 cash-Plus, more cash and prizes awarded to the top 25 entries

· Get national exposure for your work-The winner will be featured in Writer's Digest magazine, and the top 25 entries will be published in the 2013 Writer's Digest Short Story Competition Collection

· Win a paid trip to New York City-The first-place winner will be sent to the Writer's Digest Conference in New York City!

Guidelines at The 13th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition

Call for submissions for young writers:

Launch Pad publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by kids and teens ages 6 through 14. We choose stories and poems that are creative and well written. We do not publish all submissions. Read some of our stories and poems to get an idea of the works we like to publish. We also have Writing Tips to help you out.
Guidelines at http://www.launchpadmag.com/write/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/