WRITING TIPS

There is so much information about writing that I could write a book about it. Hey! I did write a book about it -- WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS (Writer's Digest Books). Some of the information below is included in that book, along with many, many more aspects of being a writer.

WARNING! Copyrighted material. This information is provided as a courtesy for students doing research and for unpublished authors for their individual use only. None of the following may be mass reproduced for use in a classroom or a writer's workshop, or used in any manner for monetary gain without first obtaining permission from the author. Thank you for abiding by the copyright laws.

These writing tips are divided into five categories. For speedy reference, click on the appropriate button below:
. For Student Writers
Writing Longer Fiction
Writing Picture Books
Breaking into the Children's Publishing Market
Books on Writing and Some Useful Links (under construction)

Most of the tips here are for fiction. I don't believe it is possible to tell someone how to write creative fiction, no more than an athlete can tell you how to excel at a certain sport. He can tell you the rules of the game; but knowing the rules does not mean you will be a great athlete. You just have to jump in and start working and practicing before you can become good at something. Some folks are natural-born athletes and playing sports comes easy for them. Others have to work twice as hard to become good. The same thing goes for writing. A lot of people are looking for a shortcut to "fame and fortune." There is no such thing. Most of those authors who seem to suddenly appear out of nowhere and make a lot of money probably struggled for years before selling that first book. Keeping all this in mind, here are a few tips that might help you improve your creative writing.

Tip No. 1 -- Read, read, read. The more you read books (or short stories or poetry) like the kind you want to write, the more likely you will be able to write a good one.

Tip No. 2 -- Practice writing as much as you can. Even if it is a few minutes a day to make a journal entry; practice does help to make perfect.

Tip No. 3 -- Write about something that interests you. Most writing projects take a long time, so you don't want to be writing about something that you think is boring. You may have to spend a lot of time researching your topic, so pick one that will be fun.

Tip No. 4 -- Revise, revise, revise. A lot of kids think that they only have to write the story once and it's finished. WRONG! The first draft (the first version of your work) is usually terrible. It's like an artist's rough sketch -- incomplete and shallow. After finishing the first draft, go over your work again and again. Consult a how-to-write book for more details on how to develop character, plot, conflict, and so forth.

Tip No. 5 -- Proofread carefully. The first draft can be full of errors (it's a copy that only you will see), but when you are ready to rewrite that final draft, be sure to check your grammar and spelling. Nearly all writers have these three books on their desks: a dictionary, a grammar book, a thesaurus.

Tip No. 6 -- Enter contests. If you are truly serious about being a published young author and have a burning desire to write, enter as many contests as you can. It will give you confidence and help you learn how to prepare a manuscript.

Tip No. 7 -- Research the markets. There are several publications that accept the work of young writers. Two useful books for young writers are: The Young Writer's Guide to Getting Published (Writer's Digest Books) and Market Guide for Young Writers. Also, you can go to your library and look at a book called Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. This book is for adult authors, but there is a section in the back called "Young Writer's & Illustrator's Markets" that lists the names and addresses of publications that will accept the work of students. Good luck!

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In children's publishing, the term "fiction" usually means longer works of fiction such as chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and collections of short stories, as opposed to picture books (more about picture books below). Writing fiction can be broken down into a few very basic elements. Here is a formula that I use in my fiction writing workshops: character+goal+obstacle+struggle+climax+resolution=story

CHARACTER: Write down everything you know about your main character. Give him/her background and personality. Not just a physical description, but also what goes on inside the brain and heart. The character can be a person, animal, or thing. For readers past third grade, most characters are humanoid.

GOAL: Give your character a main goal. He can have a few lesser goals, too, but first give him one big goal. For example, if your character is a teenage girl lost at sea, her main goal would be to survive. Her smaller goals would be things like escaping a shark, staying awake, swimming to an island, getting drinkable water, getting food, building a hut, etc.

OBSTACLE: Create an obstacle that prevents your hero from attaining that goal. This creates conflict. There are several kinds of obstacles (conflict) and a novel can use more than one:
1) Man vs. man -- usually hero vs. villain.
2) Man vs. nature -- storms, being lost in the woods, attacked by wolves -- survival stories use this
3) Man vs. self -- the hero has some kind of inner problem like shyness, phobias, lack of confidence
4) Man vs. the unknown -- supernatural stories where the thing causing trouble is unknown; sci-fi

STRUGGLE: Create a way for the hero to try to overcome that obstacle, but don't make it easy. He may try and fail several times. He may overcome one obstacle, and then run right into another, bigger one.

CLIMAX: The final struggle to overcome the biggest obstacle is the climax. It is toward the end of the story and is usually dramatic. (For example, the scene where the hero fights the villain on top of a train.) The hero usually wins over adversity, but not always. Sometimes the hero loses the struggle, but he learns something from the experience. The hero may even die in the struggle, but perhaps saves the world. The best stories are the ones that end with hope.

RESOLUTION: This is the very end of the story where everything is tied together. If it's a mystery, it's where you explain all those weird clues. If it's a love story, it's where you say they lived happily ever after.

***There are many other things to consider when writing fiction -- dialog, pacing, mood, voice, and so forth. For more in depth coverage, consult some of the many how-to books on fiction writing. The basic elements of writing fiction are the same, whether writing for children, teens, or adults. It is the subject matter and age of the protagonist that makes children's fiction different. My book, WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS (Writer's Digest Books), covers most of these topics.

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Although picture books appear easy to write, in fact they are one of the most difficult literary forms to master. Not only do they have to tell a story and convey emotions in very few words, they also have to coordinate with the illustrations in such a way to create a unique art form.

The category called "picture books" is actually made up of several sub-categories. Below are the main kinds of illustrated books:
1. Board books -- for very young children. 0 to 50 words. Very little plot. ABCs, Colors, Animals, etc.
2. True picture books -- roughly for ages 5 - 9. Varies greatly in word length but rarely goes over 900 words. Most of the Caldecott picture books fall into this category.
3. Story Picture Books -- these are a bit longer, often 1000 to 1500 words. These include some of the longer, more complicated folk tales or fairy tales. These have a beginning, middle and ending, like any work of fiction.
4. Collections -- poems, short stories, etc. The individual works in a collection have a common theme, for example, poems about rain, or about cats.


A FEW TIPS FOR WRITING PICTURE BOOKS:

Tip One: Decide what kind of illustrated book (listed above) will best serve the needs of your idea. The type of book you choose will help determine word length and number of illustrations.

Tip Two: Think brevity. Use as few words as possible. Avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs. Use strong, descriptive action verbs (avoid "to be" verbs and passive tense). Limit your descriptions. It is the job of the illustrator to show what the characters and surroundings look like.

Tip Three: Keep illustrations in mind as you write. The words and illustrations work together. Each time the reader turns a page, a new, different scene should appear. The worst kind of picture book is one in which all pages look similar. Your text should create a change and move the story along. For true picture books, your text might be one word, one sentence, one stanza, or one paragraph per illustration. For the longer story picture books, there may be several paragraphs per illustration.

Tip Four: Think in terms of page "spreads." A spread is what's on the page, both illustration and words. It's sort of like a scene in a play. A board book for little kids (for example, an ABC book) may have a different idea on every page. True pictures books usually have one idea per double page spread. Most true picture books are 32 pages long. The first three to four pages contain information like copyright, titles, dedications, etc. That leaves you with about 28 to 29 pages for the actual story. If you have one illustration per double page, that means there will be 14 or 15 illustrations. You need to create 14 to 15 distinct "scenes." There are exceptions. Some picture books are 40 pages long, or more rarely, 48, if it is a really long story or a collection.

Tip Five: Prepare a Dummy. A dummy is a mock picture book. Compile 32 blank pages and fill them out as if it were the book. Make a copyright page, the title page, the dedication page, etc. Then place your text and a rough illustration for each double page spread. This helps you with pacing. Remember, each new spread should be different. If the same scene repeats itself, you need to add more variety. DO NOT SEND THE DUMMY TO THE PUBLISHER. The dummy is for your own use. [A dummy doesn't help as much for a longer story picture book like a folktale.]

Tip Six: Prepare the manuscript. Although you need to write with page breaks in mind, don't send in a manuscript of 32 pages with one word or one sentence per page. Go ahead and type the text like a regular manuscript. Text should be double spaced. You can triple or quadruple space between each page break if you want. I write most of my picture books in blank verse format, like a poem, with extra spaces between each stanza. Story picture books, such as folktales, should be written as one continuous text. Do not worry about page breaks for them--the editor and illustrator will decide where to put the page breaks and illustrations.

Tip Seven: Do not send illustrations, or illustration suggestions, especially if you are not a professional artist. If you have done your job as the author, the illustrations will jump out and grab the artist. Do not tell the editor that your neighbor or cousin is a good artist and wants to do the work. If you are the author, forget about the illustrations for now. If you are a professional artist, you could send a color copy of ONE sample illustration (never send the original). However, sending your own illustrations does reduce your chances of selling.

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Breaking into the children's publishing market can be very difficult. It is one of the most competitive of all the markets, mainly because it looks so easy to write a children's book. Nearly everyone you meet has an idea for a children's story in his head. But getting the idea in readable format and selling it to a publisher is another story. Many talented people never become published because they give up. Here are a few more tips to help in your journey.

Five basic steps to getting published:

l. Write the best manuscript you can.
2. Develop credentials so editors will be more likely to read your manuscript.
3. Research the market so you will send the manuscript to the right publisher.
4. Submit your manuscript in the best manner possible.
5. Don't give up.

STEP ONE: WRITE IT
(Develop your writing skills. Do not send a manuscript until it is your best work.)

1) Take a writing course (universities; conference workshops; writers' institutes).
2) Join a critique group or writer's club.
3) Subscribe to writer's magazines.
4) Read writing technique books for basics & manuscript preparation.
5) Read and analyze published books like the ones you want to write. VERY IMPORTANT!!!
6) Write as much as possible. Try different styles until you find your "voice."
7) Learn to self-edit your manuscript until it sparkles. Cut excessive adjectives; use strong verbs.

STEP TWO: DEVELOP CREDENTIALS (NETWORKING)
(This lets editors know that you are serious about writing. Editors are interested in your potential. It doesn't guarantee that they will buy your manuscript, but helps insure that it will get read.)

1) Join professional writer's organizations (Society of Children’s Writers & Illustrators).
2) Attend writer's conferences (great place to meet editors)
3) Enter contests (You're never too young to start this.)
4) Write for children's magazines. Short pieces (both fiction and non-fiction) are often easier to sell.

STEP THREE: RESEARCH THE MARKET
(This helps insure that the publisher you submit to is buying your type of work. Each publisher has preferences.)

1) Study market guides such as the annual SCBWI guide; Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market.
2) Study market updates in magazines ( The Writer; SCBWI Bulletin; Children's Book Insider).
3) Study publishers’catalogs to see what they like to publish. (Free for postage)
4) Study Publisher’s Weekly's Spring & Fall list of new children’s books. Know what's out there.
5) Look at current books in the library or book stores to see who is publishing work like yours.
6) Some publishers are more receptive to beginners:
a) Educational presses (limited payments & limited distribution)
b) Regional presses (limited payment & distribution)
c) New publishers or new imprints of established publishers
d) Book packagers (Daniel Weiss; Mega Books; Parachute Press)
e) Specialty publishers (religious, ethnic, university)

STEP FOUR: SUBMIT A WELL-PREPARED MANUSCRIPT
Be professional. Think of your query letter as a resume and your manuscript as a job interview.
1) Query letter should be brief and to the point--one page long.
2) Enclose a stamped-self-addressed post card for editor's convenient reply.
3) If manuscript is requested, mail it promptly with brief cover letter and SASE for return of manuscript.
4) Keep records of your manuscript's submission history.
5) Multiple submissions are okay if publisher says so. Inform editor if ms. is a multiple submission.
6) For picture book manuscripts, see Special Tips for Picture Book Writers, above.

STEP FIVE: DON'T GIVE UP
Many talented writers never become published because they give up. You must have a burning DESIRE to be published; you have to want it more than anything else and be willing to work hard and sacrifice. You have to learn to take rejection and criticism and to overcome depression. Desire, persistence, and talent are the keys to success. Good-luck to you!

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SOME USEFUL LINKS:
www.scbwi.org (Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators)
www.cbcbooks.org (The Children's Book Council)
www.underdown.org (The Purple Crayon)
www.inkspot.com/bookstore/child.html (Inkspot)
http://usawrites4kids.cjb.net (America Writes for Kids)
www.cynthialeitichsmith.com (Cynthia Leitich Smith, children's author)
www.sharyn.org (Sharyn November, Editor)
www.SmartWriters.com (for authors and teachers)
www.dottienderle.com (Dotti Enderlie, children's author)
www.wordswimmer.blogspot.com (author interviews & other information)
www.Kids.Net.Au (a fun site for kids that lists books, etc.)
http://authorbystate.blogspot.com


SOME USEFUL BOOKS ABOUT WRITING:
Bicknell, T. P. and F. Trotman -- How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books
Garland, Sherry. Writing for Young Adults
Gates, Frieda. How to Write, Illustrate, and Design Children's Books
Giblin, James Cross. Writing Books for Young People
Irwin, Hadley and Jeanette Eyerly. Writing Young Adult Books
Karl, Jean E. How to Write and Sell Children's Picture Books
Litowinsky, Olga. Writing and Publishing Books for Children in the 1990s: The Inside Story from an Editor's Desk
Roberts, Ellen. The Children's Picture Book: How to Write It, How to Sell It
Roberts, Ellen. Nonfiction for Children: How to Write It, How to Sell It
Sueling, Barbara. How to Write a Children's Book and Get It Published
Stanley, George E. Writing Short Stories for Young People
Tierney, Susan (ed.) Children's Writer Guide
Woods, Bruce (ed.) The Basics of Writing for Children and Young Adults
Woolley, Catherine. Writing for Children
Writer's Digest. Children's Writers & Illustrator's Market (annual publication)
Wyndham, Lee and Arnold Madison. Writing for Children and Teenagers
Yolen, Jane. Guide to Writing for Children
Zinsser, William (ed.) The Art and Craft of Writing for Children

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