Writing For Children

Like in adult books, kids books need a compelling storyline to keep their attention. Remember, the little guy's don't have the same patience as an adult to weave through chapter after chapter to find out what the book is about, or when the action is going to begin, or find out who the character is.

It's the emotional connection to characters that thrill and excite them, stepping into their shoes and pretending they are they hero or heroine. For example the Harry Potter books. Kids dug right into that series because Harry was real for them. They cared about him and his friends, They cried for him when someone died and knew Harry was upset. And they cheered Harry on his quest to fight Voldemort. If children cannot connect or care for the character then you risk losing their interest.

Another kids love is to read characters that are a few years older than them. Not sure why...I've been out of the kid realm a few years. GRIN!

As writers, we need to remember that children can only relate to social themes and subject matter they have experienced or heard about in their young tender age. So topics must be age appropriate. When you can draw them in on an emotional level and connect with your main character's obstacles he will face, then you're on the right path of capturing a reader for upcoming books.

And make sure to study children, their body language, and most importantly -- dialogue. I've read several new writers' work and see the stale and robotic tone in the dialogue. Children tend to say 'Let's' and not 'Let us'. Read your work out loud to capture the tone and flow of your dialogue.

Any other children writers out there willing to add more tips to our readers?

New Blog on the Block: Pets and Their Authors

Hi all,

I just started a new promo blog for authors where my golden retriever, Amigo, interviews authors' pets. In other words, your pet will talk about you and your book, from its 'unique' perspective.

I was wondering if any of you would like to be one of my, er, victims... :-)

There will only be five questions (I want to keep it short and funny) and I would need a photo of your pet and your book. You just have to answer as if you were your pet.

I'll be promoting each interview on about 10 groups, sites, blogs, communities, and I plan to post one interview a week. I'll also keep your book cover permanently on the sidebar (or as long as blogger allows me, LOL)

This is the blog. I already have over 30 takers... amazing how much authors love their pets!

http://petsandauthors.blogspot.com/

I'll be happy to host authors on virtual book tours as well. If you'd like my golden retriever to interview your pet, contact me at mayra.calvani@gmail.com and I'll pass him the message. :-)

Best,
Mayra

Do I Have to Spell It Out?: Prairie Dog Cowboy

Do I Have to Spell It Out?: Prairie Dog Cowboy

My Light Magazine is on Facebook

My Light Magazine is now on the social networking site of Facebook. We've joined the many authors and illustrators creating a presence on the site. We set up a special page just for My Light Fans. Click here to visit and become a fan. We've posted pics of the ever-growing staff at My Light. Now you can see the faces behind the mission. You can also write on our wall, catch up on messages, hear updates, and read announcements. We hope to see you there soon.

Vivian Gilbert Zabel's Virtual Tour

Hi, Everyone,

If you get a chance today, stop by my blog and read my interview with the amazing Vivian. How she manages her publishing house and still finds time to write her own novels is an inspiration. Also, she's giving away four canvas bags to some luck winners. All you have to do to be entered into the drawing is leave a comment. See you there.

Happy reading.

Beverly

The Results of the Preditors & Editors Voting Polls

I’m proud to announce the following awards in the 2008 PE Voting Polls:

Writer’s Workshop

The Muse Online Writers Conference 1^st spot

Anthology

"The Enchanted Faerie, The Wild Rose Press," http://www.thewildrosepress.com

2^nd spot

My story “Night of the Gray Sky” appears in this anthology

Novel Thriller

A Study in Red – 1^st spot – I edited this book

Writers Forum

Conference yahoo group 6^th spot

Book publishers

4RV Publishing - 4^th spot – my publisher

Red Rose Publishing 9^th spot – I’m submissions editor & EIC

Poetry magazine

The Muse Marquee 10^th spot

Close but there’s always next year:

Writer Resource

The MuseItUp Club 11^th spot

Mainstream Category

Bubba and Giganto: Odds Against Us came in 14^th in this category.

Book/ebook editors

I came in 15^th

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to vote this year. Greatly appreciated.

Listen to Anne K Edwards on the subject of book reviewing

Anne K. Edwards gets interviewed on Advice Radio on the slippery subject of book reviewing. Listen to the live interview here.

Is Your Writing Career Stuck in The Cavern?

Kevin Scott Collier

Author and Illustrator

In the early 1960s, there was a little band from Liverpool who played at a local club called The Cavern. The story of The Beatles is a story that should serve notice to us as writers. No matter how many different ideas we have for books, or “songs” we come up with, we will likely never see success unless we get out of The Cavern.

I’m sure Paul, John, George, and then, Pete Best, could have stayed in The Cavern forever, a musical cave that contained a sound that would never travel beyond its stone walls. It could have been a musical genius that only grew within the confines of what was essentially a cave. Like a plant trapped in a small pot.

We, as writers, are often trapped a cavern. We circulate in the same places, thinking that somehow the next new song (or book) will get us out of that dark nightclub. The Beatles didn’t make their career in The Cavern, they did it outside of The Cavern.

Too often writers are stuck in that cave. They play to the same audience, night after night. They play in the same circles year after year. Writers tap the same reviewers. They believe their next book, perhaps more "creative" than the last, will get them out of The Cavern.

Guess what? Likely, it will not.

You have to start playing new venues before you can truly leave that cave behind.

Yahoo Groups for writers are a great example of "The Cavern." They were designed to be a place writers can share ideas. But, many writers believe it’s a primary place to promote their latest book. The problem is, few there who want to buy your book. They want you to buy their book. Authors trying to sell books to other struggling authors is not an effective marketplace. You are singing to the choir.

Reviews posted online are often thought to be a key to getting out of The Cavern, too. Indeed, a good book review may sell a few books, but mainly they serve to boost your ego, or provide you with a favorable critique to boast about. Then, we post the review on our websites, or in writers groups, and the result is, we are still in The Cavern.

I encourage everyone to "think outside of The Cavern." It was only when The Beatles began to play new venues that they saw success.

Ed Sullivan didn’t go to The Cavern to videotape The Beatles. The Beatles came to America.

In the past year, instead of thinking up new book ideas and playing to the same audience, I have ventured outside of the cave. New “songs” wasn’t the answer. It’s new venues. Since the beginning of 2009, I did a book for a national cable television program, another for a musical video series, and one for the home school market. Presently, my wife and I are co-writing and I am illustrating a new book for an environmentalist organization that is well connected. Think about it. Play to a new audience.

To get out of The Cavern, you have to play new venues. You have to think, “The next thing I write will be for a new market.” It will be new exposure, a new audience. A new market to appeal to, a new club to play.

The Beatles could have written and played all of their new songs in The Cavern, and had been lost to history. Step out from that cave. Your songs will never be heard if you stay in the same club.

My Light Magazine's New Issue and New Illustrator Coordinator

My Light Magazine released their February 2009 issue this week. Come see what Candace J. Hardy cooked up for our Paper Dolls department this month.

This month you will also see the creative enhancements done by our new Illustrator Coordinator Carol Brooke. She joined us in January and is doing a fabulous job. She's shared her knowledge about color and layout which will benefit us for some time to come.

It seems My Light is growing by the minute. We have more departments coming soon that we can't wait to share with you. My Light is grateful for all the support from our readers, contributors, and friends.

Contributors, be sure to check out our submission guidelines and our ideas page.

Humbled - The Ruby Heart Award

To the left you'll note the distinct and creative award - The Ruby Heart Award, presented by Katrina L. Wampler. Stunned, teary-eyed, and shocked doesn't begin to express the feelings when I got the email I was the recipient of this honored award. Let me explain what this award is as explained in Kat Logic's site:

"The Kat Logic Ruby Heart Award will be awarded to a person that shows great integrity and character. They will have shown the honor of a Ruby with their passion for giving of themselves selflessly to change the world."

For this reason I have to say I am honored but want to also give due credit to my co-writer, Litsa Kamateros, who has given one hundred percent of her heart and soul to help promote Autism Awareness along with me. I have been blessed (although she might think I would say 'cursed' GRIN) to have teamed up with her for this worthy cause. The Ruby Heart Award only motivates us further to continue our campaign to awaken the "Woody Allen 'Sleeper'" governments out of their stupor and see that families with members who have autism need their support, their funding, and to do something NOW. Waiting lists are long to the point we can say ridiculous.

I don't want to make this into a speech but I am truly overwhelmed right now with emotion for this honor. My parents taught me one thing: When you do something do it because you are not looking for thanks but because you truly feel a passion for what you have to offer. This has always been my motto and why I spent countless hours helping writers with various means (groups, free workshops, annual conference, and an open email box for questions.)

As for our autism campaign, the same rule applies. We want to help. Thank you's and appreciation notes are icing on the cake and we can't begin to thank those who take the time to let us know, or for those who email me with thank you's and updates on their writing careers.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Katrina. This award has certainly woven itself into my heart.

Who is Your Character -FREE workshop

Register now for:

Who is Your Character?

Your character has a story to tell. But what’s the reason for his actions? Writers confuse a writer’s voice with a character’s voice. A writer’s motive for his story is not the same as what the character wants to achieve. When these two areas become confused then the writer risks the chance of plot holes, and lack of depth in storyline.

We’ll explore a character’s profile, I’ll offer things to add to your character profile sheet and toss a few exercises.

Date: February 24

Time: 7pm EST

Place: Chat Lounge 1 located at: http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com

Price: FREE

To register please send an email to: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca with your name in the body of the email and LEA’S WORKSHOP on the subject heading.

Lea Schizas

http://www.leaschizas.com

Passive Voice, Headhopping and Was

Passive voice is the voice a writer needs to eliminate, to bypass, to say adios amigos. Although in first person POV, passive voice is passable, the best route is to avoid it at all costs.

PASSIVE VOICE: The story was finished.
ACTIVE VOICE: I finished the story.

Eliminate ‘was’. Editors refer the term ‘lazy writer’ to those who hand in a manuscript riddled with this ‘villain’.

Another distressful area is the headhopping scenes. There are far and few writers who can masterfully pull off one small scene jumping into various characters heads. If not done properly this type of writing distracts a reader and never allows them to connect with any character. When you are following one main character - thrust into his thought, inner thinking, - you begin to understand this person. Now add one or two other characters thoughts into this blender and you begin to feel as though picking up telepathic communication from all three characters. What happens? You disassociate from all of them and possibly about to put the book down. Why? Because you are not connecting with any of them. Too much info overload to follow. Keep it simple: one character POV in any given scene.

Another mistaken path – wrong MC (main character) choice. Figure out who has the most to change/gain/lose in a story. Why would grandma talk about Little Red Riding Hood when the action happening around her can be better told by Lil’ Red herself. Better yet, alter the first person POV and have the wolf taking a scene here and there, upping the suspense. Red tells us how scary it is to be alone in the woods. Wolfie tells us how appetizing Red looks. Get it? Two different scene views yet both preparing and telling the reader about their characters and plans to unfold.

Try to think back to books you've read. What kept your interest? Why did a character stand out for you? How did the author pull you into the story and keep you reading? Study those books carefully and learn from them. Guess that's why in almost every writing book and workshop you hear/read - Read, read, and then read some more.

Do you have any other areas in writing you see you wished the author would have eliminated? Share!

Meet Crystalee Calderwood

Crystalee Calderwood is a born poet turned children's writer, small town girl turned big city dweller. Crystalee moved from Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when she was twenty-two years old to attend the MFA in Creative Writing program at Chatham University. It was there she took her very first class in writing for children and adolescents, and she's never looked back.

As a member of Literacy AmeriCorps Pittsburgh,Crystalee has had the pleasure of interacting with children in the community through the non-profit organization Beginning with Books. She introduced children to great books in hopes that they would fall in love with them the way she has. She is currently teaching computer skills to adults.

Blog: http://www.crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.crystaleecalderwood.bravehost.com


Blurb: Angeline wants to eat nothing but jellybeans. Year round, from Easter to Christmas, she asks for her favorite treat. But a strange event teaches Angeline that there's such thing as too much of a good thing!

With colorful, delightful illustrations by Stephen Macquignon, Angeline is sure to win over hearts of young picky eaters everywhere.

To buy:
http://www.amazon.com
http://wwww.barnesandnoble.com
http://www.4rvpublishingllc.com/Store-Books.html

Stay tuned on Wednesday for an interview with Crystalee Calderwood. Leave your comments and/or questions for my guest, especially if you are a writer thinking about writing for children.