Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 237

Research: How I Choose My Sources

One of the things that I discuss with my students is how to choose sources.  Ultimately, you want to base your writing on the most accurate material possible.  That’s obvious.  But how do you make sure your sources are accurate? Ultimately, I save and request just about everything that I find with a few limitations. […]

My Writing Process: Working on a New Nonfiction Book

A week ago, I got an e-mail from Red Line Editorial.  Would I like to write a book for a new Abdo series?  As always, my first response is “Yay! Someone wants me to work for them!  I’m going to get paid.  Hey, wait a minute.  What do they want me to write about?” Why […]

Historic Children’s Books Online: What They Reveal

If you are writing a book set in the Victorian era, I have a marvelous resource for you.  The Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature of the University of Florida has made over 6,000 books available online.  Visit and you will find books in all the major Victorian categories — books on how to behave, […]

Market: One Teen Story

Do you write short young adult fiction?  If you do, you need to look into One Teen Story.   Each issue of this magazine features a single story.  8 issues feature the work of an adult who writes for teens. 4 issues feature the work of a teen writer. You can click through to past issues […]

Labor Day

My husband and son both have today off.  We spent some time and the lake this weekend.  While they were doing boy things, I did some walking and got to watch a spanish canary, so-called by my grandmother, feeding on thistle.  I’m thinking what she called a spanish canary was actually a female goldfinch.  Regardless, […]

Jump-Starting a Stalled Project

Yesterday, I wrote about how I choose what I work on next.  Ironically, as I saved the post, my inbox pinged.  It was a message from Redline.  Do I want to work on a new series? This is how I pay the bills and fortunately, most of what I want to get done NOW will […]

What’s Next? Prioritizing Your Work

Many weeks, deciding what I’m going to work on is something of a no brainer.  That’s because I’m fortunate enough to often have a contract.  When I have a contract (drum roll, please), that piece is my priority for the week. But then there are weeks like this one when I’m waiting for my next […]

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Freelance Writer?

I more or less lucked into my career as a writer.  It all started when I took a continueing education class with Pat McKissack.  I had just gotten married.  I worked days.  My husband worked nights.  I loved the class and I had time to write.  I still remember when I called my mom and […]

How to Add Depth to Your Writing

For the first time in quite a while, I am once again sending out manuscripts without a contract in hand.  And today was only the beginning. I’ve got another one to submit tomorrow.  And another to go out on Wednesday.  Still another is ready and will go out Thursday.  Deep breath.  Tale a deep breath, Sue. […]

Self-Publishing: When Does It Make Sense?

I’ve been noodling over the idea of diving into the realm of self-publishing.  Nothing huge, but I’d like to get some of my work back out there. Because of this, I’ve been considering what I write that would make sense to self-publish. My educational books for young readers?  Nope.  Those make their way into the […]