Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 240

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 […]

Hidden Human Computers

It is always a great feeling when readers connect with your work.  But it is an even more heady experience when it happens before the book is officially out.  Early reviews of Hidden Human Computers, scheduled for release in early 2017, have this to say. “How often do you see the diagram of a Jim Crow […]

The Writing Life: How Many Projects Do You Work on at a Time?

What kind of a writer are you? Are you the type of writer who works on 1 novel manuscript at a time?  That’s the way my friend Kris works.  She starts working on a novel, contemplating the plot, getting to know her characters, studying her setting.  Then she starts writing ahd that the only thing […]

Early Literacy: 1000 Books Before Kindergarten

The St. Louis County Library system has an exciting new program — 1000 Books Before Kindergarten.  Studies show that children who have been read to since birth have an edge when it comes time to learn to read.  Why?  Because they have stronger language skills and vocabularies than children who have missed out on this […]