Weekend Wisdom: Jerry Spinelli on writing for children

 I write picture books, and often times that means that when I'm invited to a school for a visit, I meet with kindergarten through second grade. But if I'm asked, I say I like to meet with all the grades! And I make it a point to remind the fourth and fifth graders that picture books are for everyone. That really goes for any book that is written "for kids." Picture books and children's novels contain some of the best stories ever written. Don't miss out just because they are for kids!

Wise words, Jerry Spinelli!

Whose Stories Are They?

When it comes to writing stories, the most important thing is what connects people, not what sets them apart. 

Stories are everywhere. All a writer has to do is pay attention to the world and stories will make themselves known. Maybe they’ll perch on her shoulder and whisper into her ear. Or force their way into her brain and run about wildly for a while before demanding to be released again. Still others may take over completely, manifesting as furious drafting sessions during which she’ll scribble in a notebook or dictate thoughts into her phone.

Once a writer does that--once a writer gives stories a voice--they are hers.

But not only hers.

The stories belong to themselves and to the people, animals, or experiences that inspire them. They belong to those who will read them and see themselves in their words. They belong also to those who will discover a small part of the world that they had never recognized before. They even belong to those who will criticize them.

Some of these stories may be true. Many of them are merely inspired by truth. Universal truths like how challenging it can be to work as a team, how even the young and small can be brave and strong, how scary the first day of school can be, how friendships can form between two people who don’t seem like they’ll ever get along, how a clever mind can be used to outwit a dangerous foe, and how these same themes can cross cultures and still be universally relatable.

Some people challenge the idea that stories are universal. Their voices are sometimes timid, sometimes friendly and pleading. Other times they are angry and loud. But they all share the same message: There are some stories that a writer should not write because they are not her stories to tell. They aren’t her stories to tell because they’re about people who skin tones and cultures are so drastically different from her own that she couldn’t possibly write a story that is true to their experiences.

Baloney.

When she stops to consider this message and its implications, it makes her shake her head. It contradicts what she’s always believed about stories, about humanity, about how and why stories about someone so different than her can still make her stop and think, “I can relate.”

The message that some stories are not her stories to tell is flawed. It’s flawed because it’s based on the premise that differences in skin tone and culture are too great to overcome. That any shared experiences--such as making a new friend, losing a pet, or being bullied--ultimately don’t matter, at least not when it comes to writing stories. This message seems to reinforce the idea of the “other,” encouraging people to point at their neighbors and say, “You are too different from me.”

The need for more diverse voices in publishing is undeniable, and it’s good that people are working to make room for those voices. It’s exciting to see the increasing number of books featuring characters in a variety of shades, from a variety of backgrounds. Children will benefit from reading more stories about people who are different, but also the same. Those stories will show them that people everywhere have more in common than not. That we all have hopes and fears, friends and foes, family struggles, joys and sorrows.

It’s why a young white girl can be enthralled by Ezra Jack Keats’ A Snowy Day, or a hispanic boy might love David by David Shannon, or a black boy might relate to the girl in Aaron Becker’s Journey. These books, and many others, speak to the universal human experience, especially in childhood. Perhaps not in the specific experiences portrayed in these books, but certainly in the hearts of their stories. 

If readers can relate to characters who are different from them, why should writers be ill-equipped to write about characters who are different from them? Especially when they are writing stories that aren’t specifically related to those differences?

Of course, the best writing is informed and influenced by a writer’s own experiences and worldview, but if that were the limit to what a writer could--or should--write, then the world of books would be duller for it.

Perhaps there are some stories that a given writer would be ill-equipped to write. But those stories aren’t the ones whispering in her ear or running around her brain demanding to be written. Those stories will find their writers.

And then maybe she, as a reader, will discover them and make them her own.

Art, Poetry, and Scary New Things

Fireflies by Rebecca J. Gomez

What did you want to be when you grew up? Have you ever felt like you had to choose between two things that you loved? 

For me, those two things have always been art and writing, especially poetry. Throughout my life, art and writing have competed for my attention and my time. As a high school student, art was my focus. Art was my future career! I had my poetry, but that was for me, mostly. It was like therapy for my emotional teenage self. Not much more.

But you know how plans go. Things changed. I pursued my art for a while, painting watercolors of flowers and doing commissioned portraits in pencil. I even made a little money. Emphasis on little. Then, my writing started to take hold again. I wasn't just writing emotional poems, but stories. And, to my surprise, I loved it. Gradually, writing became my focus and art became my hobby. My therapy. 

Funny how those things go, isn't it? 

As I had more and more success in my writing career, I would sometimes make timid attempts at making my art a part of it. But it was scary, and I didn't get much farther than a half-hearted attempt at illustrating one of my books and a few illustrations published in children's magazines. So my art stayed mostly in the background. Little more than a hobby.

Then, I got an idea for a book. A novel in verse told partly in doodles and art journal pages. Could I do it? Would it work? Maybe it could!

You know how ideas can be. Sometimes they take hold and won't let you go, no matter how timid you feel about pursuing them. 

I wrote the book. I did the doodles. I created the art journal pages (some of them anyway). 

To make a long, boring story slightly less long and boring, years passed. I parted ways with my agent. Then, over a year and a half of querying later, a new agent loved my verse novel enough to offer me representation! 

Now that manuscript is out in the world. With my poetry. AND my art. This all feels entirely too real and scary. 

But it also tells me that my art doesn't have to remain just a hobby. And I am excited about the possibilities. 

My 12 Rules for Life as a Writer

A lot of people will tell you that there are certain things you must do if you want to be a writer. You must write every day! You must read 100 books in your genre. I'm here to tell you that most of those "rules" are more like the pirate code. They can be good guidelines, but really, you've gotta do what works for you. 

Have you figured out what works for you yet? If not, maybe my 12 Rules for Life as a Writer will help steer you in the right direction. 

1. Read widely. Yes, you should read the kinds of books you want to write. But read other stuff too. Mix it up. Have fun. Even an epic, sweeping fantasy can feed the brain of a rhyming picture book writer. 

2. Write consistently. What does that mean? Whatever you want it to mean! Some people insist that you have to write every day to be a real writer, but that is FALSE. But you do need to write to be a writer. Obviously. Figure out a schedule if you need one. Write when your kids are napping if that's what works. Write over your lunch hour or in the final 30 minutes before you go to bed. Like I said, do whatever works for you, as long as you're doing it.

3. Write what you want to write. You don't have to follow trends. You don't have to "write to the market." Yes, it's good to know what's being published lately, but this industry is slow. If you write to trends, you may end up falling behind. Just write whatever stories insist on being written. 

4. Find some writing peeps. You don't have to be a part of an official critique group, but it can help, especially if you're just starting out. Maybe you need a few writing friends with whom you swap manuscripts now and then. Having writing friends in your life isn't just about manuscripts, though. It's about mutual support and encouragement too!

5. Do other creative things. This will help you flex your creative muscles without the pressure you can put on yourself when pursuing your writing. This can take any form. Paint. Sidewalk chalk. Finger knitting! 

6. Be intentional about polishing your craft. It's not enough to just write a lot. Focus on improving your skills. Part of this is, of course, writing a lot. But it's also reading a lot in the genre you write, learning from other writers, brushing up on grammar and editing skills, etc. Try taking a workshop or writing class. Go to conferences. Buy (and read) books on the writing craft.

7. Build your tribe. When people are interested in you, they will be interested in your books! Figure out your author brand (there are lots of workshops on this topic) and engage with people on social media. Be authentic and consistent, and your tribe will grow.

8. Have fun. Sometimes writing isn't fun, but every writer (every person, really) needs to have room for fun in their life in order to be the best that they can be. 

9. Have a system for recording ideas in an instant. A small notebook or your phone will do. Yes, scraps of paper do in a pinch, but having a dedicated space will help you stay organized and sane.

10. Write what you know, but always keep learning. Don't let what you don't know keep you from pursuing a topic. Let it inspire you to learn so that you can write about it authentically!

11. Engage with the writing community. This goes beyond building your specific tribe or even finding your small group of writing peeps. The writing community, particularly the KidLit writing community, is a big, supportive, friendly bunch. Engage with them both online and in your own community. You'll not only feel supported, but you'll learn a lot. 

12. Spend time with people. I know a lot of writers are introverts, like me, happy to sit at home all day with only the dogs for company. But even I need interaction with people outside my family. Companionship and fellowship are good for you. And interacting with people will inform and inspire your writing. 

10 Rhyme Crimes to Avoid in Your Picture Book Manuscripts

If you're a rhymer, chances are you've committed one or more of these rhyme crimes at some point in your writerly past. I know I have! And that's why I'm here to warn you: committing these despicable acts when writing a picture book manuscript will land you in the slammer! Well, you're probably not going to end up in jail, but you may get slammed with some harsh critiques and/or reviews, not to mention getting a slap on the wrist by the rhyme and meter police!

So, take my advice, and avoid these rhyme crimes:

1. Position a word in a line in such a way as to force the reader to abandon the word's natural stresses in order to maintain the verse's established meter.

2. Use a word solely for its rhyme, knowing that it doesn't truly fit in the context of the line.

3. Choose words that are near rhymes.

4. Use homophones as rhyming words (pare and pear, for example).

5. Overuse ordinary, one-syllable rhyming words.

6. Don't consider alternate pronunciations of common words.

7. Be afraid to use interesting and unusual language.

8. Steer clear of trying a variety of formats and rhyme schemes.

9. Rely on syllable count rather than a word's natural rhythm.

10. Never listen to someone else read your story aloud.

Have you been committing any of these crimes against good rhyme? Don't worry! It's never too late to turn your rhyming life around.

Do you need help avoiding the rhyme crime slammer? Check out my Writing For Kids page for tips, resources, and information about my critique services. 

10 Tips for Beginning Picture Book Writers

Writing picture books can be a tough gig, especially when you are just starting out. So here are ten tips to help you on this mostly fun, often frustrating journey to becoming a published picture book author. 

1. Know why you want to write picture books.

Writing picture books is a noble pursuit if you're doing it for the right reason. And that reason should be some variation of: "I enjoy writing and stories and I want to share those stories with the children of the world." 

2. Read ten picture books every week. At least half of those should be recently published.

If you enjoy stories enough to write them, then this shouldn't be a problem for you. And if it sounds like a lot, that's because it is. But reading a lot of stories is an important part of being an author. That is for many reasons, including the seemingly mundane reason of knowing the current picture book market. But also, picture books can inform and inspire your own writing, they can help you know what kinds of stories you want to write yourself, and they can can be useful mentor texts that will help you to learn and grow as a writer.

3. Don't write in rhyme, unless...

...you're competent with rhyme and meter. Even then, there's probably a lot you still have to learn. 

You've probably heard the "don't write in rhyme" rule. But it's not really a rule. It's a cautionary statement. The thing is...rhyme is really easy to do poorly, even for someone who may have a knack for it. So, if you want to write in rhyme, learn what makes well-written rhyme shine, and be willing to work at least three times as hard as you would if you were writing in prose. 

4. Find a critique group.

This is one of the first things I did when I set out to pursue writing and publishing children's books. Not only will your critique partners help you improve your writing with their feedback on your texts, but doing the same for them will help you improve as a writer as well. You will likely make connections with people that will last throughout your career and beyond, both in your professional and personal life. And writing can be lonely work, so having a trusted group of people who can be part of the journey with you is invaluable. 

5. Build a platform.

To me, this just means letting people get to know you online. Use social media and/or a blog to show people who you are and what you write. This doesn't mean you have to be an expert in anything specific, but if you are, and you plan to use your expertise in your writing (a biologist writing books about animals, for example), then use that! 

6. Spend time with kids, particularly those the same age as your target audience.

If you want to write for kids, it helps to know them. Watch how they interact with each other. Listen to the ways they talk to each other. Let them tell you stories. All of this will not only help you write stories that kids will relate to, but it will probably lead to plenty of inspiration.

7. Learn about the craft of writing children's books any way you can.

Read children's books. Read books on craft by your favorite children's book authors. Go to conferences and workshops. Follow authors' blogs and/or subscribe to their newsletters. Join the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators and take advantage of the resources they offer. And, of course, write and get feedback (see tip number 4).

8. College degrees don't matter.

Okay, well, they do for some things. But you don't have to have a college degree or even any college at all in order to write a book. You just have to be good at what you do. So do it, and get good at it! Take it from a stay-at-home-mom who got married right out of high school. College is good. But for this job, it's totally optional. 

9. Don't do this unless you enjoy the writing and rewriting process.

As the saying goes, "writing is rewriting." You've got to love it, even when it's hard. And it will be hard most of the time. 

10. Be prepared to wait. A lot. For your entire career.

I once read that it takes the average writer ten years to get published. That's ten years of writing and rewriting and submitting and waiting. Mostly waiting. If you're wise, you fill the waiting with more writing. So get used to it. It doesn't get easier just because you get a book deal. 

So, what are you waiting for? Take these tips to heart and start writing! 

Ten Things that Help Me Stay Productive as a Writer

Sometimes it's fun to write lists. In fact, writing lists should be the first thing on my list of things that help me stay productive!

1. My bullet journal.

Sometimes referred to as my "everything journal." This is not just for writing down daily task lists, though. I use it for story ideas, reading logs, Christmas gift lists, blog post topics, birthdays, and so much more.

2. My iPad.

Sometimes I want do work without leaving the comfort of my bed, you know? My iPad makes it easy. I don't even have to sit up if I don't want to!

3. A space heater.

It doesn't matter how efficient the furnace is. Sometimes I need help keeping my hands from freezing.  Typing can be cold work!

4. Tea.

Especially hot herbal chai. Hot tea helps keep me motivated any time of year.

5. Composition notebooks.

They are inexpensive, lay fairly flat when opened, and are easy to tote around. I draft and brainstorm a lot using composition notebooks.

6. My phone.

The notes feature is great for saving ideas, and sometimes even brainstorming or quick drafts.

7. Quality writing tools.

I love a good ball point pen that writes crisp and smooth, like the Pilot G-2. Sharpie pens are also great because they write nicely, come in lots of colors, and don't bleed through my journal pages (don't worry, Sharpie markers, I love you too). I'm also a fan of mechanical pencils, for both drafting (I erase a lot) and sketching.

9. My office.

Having my own designated workspace has been a big motivator, which is funny considering how often I have the house to myself. But the fact is that I love my office, so I want to be in my office. And when I'm in my office, I'm usually working. Go figure.

10. Other authors' books.

As a reader, I love to be impressed by a writer's skill. As an author, I try to learn from writers who are really good at what they do. And, of course, reading can also help me know what not to do in my own writing.

What things help you stay productive in your daily life?

20 Writing Tips for 2020

Happy New Year! Are you the kind of person to have a New Year's resolution? Or are you more like me, wanting to avoid the "resolution" cliché, but still wanting to set goals for yourself? Are some of those writing goals? If so, maybe this list of 20 writing tips for 2020 will help you achieve them!

1. Don't let "write what you know" stop you from exploring the unfamiliar. Nobody knows everything about anything.

2. Jot down every idea, even the "bad" ones.

3. Learn how to properly use apostrophes.

4. Participate in writing challenges.

5. Write the stories you want to write, the way you want to write them.

6. Follow writers, editors, and agents online through social media, newsletters, or blogs.

7. Write to write, not to sell, especially when drafting.

8. Get feedback from writers you trust (critique group, critique partners, paid critiques, etc.).

9. Participate in webinars or workshops that will help you develop your skills.

10. Learn the "rules" of writing so that you can learn how to break them effectively.

11. Don't write in rhyme unless you're willing to work harder than you've ever thought possible.

12. Keep track of your submissions!

13. If an idea strikes while you're in the shower, repeat it like a mantra until you have a chance to jot it down.

14. When editing or proofreading, reading your manuscript aloud and in various formats will help you catch errors more easily.

15. Go for walks without looking at your phone.

16. "Real writers write every day" is a lie. Do what works for you, but try to be consistent.

17. Call yourself a writer.

18. Living life is the best way to find ideas.

19. Be supportive of other writers.

20. Give yourself time to pursue other interests.

Top Ten Ways to Generate Story Ideas

A question authors get asked more than they can count is: Where do you get your ideas?

For me, the simple answer is that I get them from my brain. But the inspiration for those ideas often comes from outside my brain, and sometimes it takes a lot of effort to get my brain to do that part of its job. My favorite ideas often come to me by accident, but during times of idea drought, I've got to help my brain along. After all, it's not good for an author to have no ideas!

So here are my top ten ways to generate story ideas:

1. Reading. Ideas may strike while reading other people's stories. This is okay as long as your story is unique on its own.

2. Watching movies. Like reading, but more visual. And louder.

3. Lists. Think of a subject and start listing everything that comes to mind. It can be anything. Winter, pets, gross things to eat for lunch!

4. People watching. People are interesting creatures. Everyone around you could potentially spark a story idea if you're really paying attention.

5. Brainstorming. This is similar to writing a list, but instead of a subject, for me this usually begins with a "what if" question.

6. Listening to people. People say funny or inspirational things. They ask questions. They complain. There are story ideas in those words!

7. Observing nature. Nature is fascinating. It's important to slow down and pay attention, and have a notebook handy!

8. Play time.  Climb a jungle gym, get dizzy on a tire swing, or play duck-duck-goose with some kids. Taking the time to play means taking advantage of serious idea-generating power.

9. Other creative pursuits. Sometimes being passive is productive for the writer's brain. Getting out of writing mode to give your brain a chance to shift gears could be just the thing you need to stumble onto surprise inspiration.

10. Writing prompts. I don't use writing prompts often, but they can be a fun way to get your brain going, or get it moving in a different direction.


All of these methods have worked for me over the years. I'd love to hear about idea-generating methods that have worked for you!

I Didn't Give Up. Neither Should You.

I received my first rejection letter in September of 2002 (that's it on the left).

About thirteen years later my first book was published.

There's a lot hiding in the blank space between those two sentences. A lot of learning and growing, hope and frustration, failures and successes. More failures than successes, to be honest.

There were more than a few moments during that time that I felt like giving up, but I didn't. I kept writing, kept submitting, kept trusting that God hadn't given me this passion for nothing.

Many of you may be in that space right now, wondering if it is worth continuing. I'm here to tell you that it is worth it. If you have a talent for writing, it will grow. And if you have a passion for what you're doing, you won't let something as simple as failure stop you.

If something is worth doing, it's worth the struggle it takes to get it done.

So don't quit.

Instead, take every rejection as a challenge, and every submission as an opportunity to present your best self. But stay humble. Connect with other writers, published and not. Learn. Grow. Improve.

Eventually, you'll get there.

My Goals for 2018

This past year has been a productive year for me as a writer. I wrote and/or revised several picture books, revised my middle grade verse novel, wrote 50,000 words during National Novel Writing Month, got two book deals, and received my first ever royalty check!

It was also a good year for me personally. I read a lot of great books, celebrated my oldest child's graduation from college, stayed healthy, made new friends, got to visit with old friends, became more organized and less stressed, and just enjoyed life overall.

I'm hoping that the New Year will be as blessed as its predecessor, and to help it along I've made a little list of goals for 2018:

• Write and polish at least three new picture books.
• Revise the middle grade fantasy novel I wrote during NaNoWriMo.
• Read at least 200 books, including at least 50 novels.
• Blog twice a month.
• Grow my newsletter.
• Sell another manuscript.
• Write more poetry.
• Spend more time in my art journal.
• Visit some place new this summer.
• Volunteer more.
• Read through the whole Bible.

I think that's a good, attainable mix. And with this blog post, it's off to a good start!

What about you? What are some of your goals for 2018?

NaNoWriMo Halfway Point Check-in

It's the afternoon of November 17, 2017. The sky is grey, yet friendly; the house is quiet; and my NaNoWriMo journal sits on the dining room table, waiting. It's been sorely neglected today, despite my best intentions.

November is a little more than halfway over, my journal is a little more than halfway full, and I'm closing in on 25,000 words.

When I think about it, having written close to 25,000 words in just over two weeks sounds like an amazing thing. But I'm behind. I should have been at that point on Wednesday. I had hoped to reach 30,000 words by Sunday night, and I'm not sure if I will make it!

But I must strive for it. Because I want to be able to say at the end of the day on November 30, 2017 that I did it. That, for the second time in my life, I won NaNoWriMo!

Even though I'm a little behind, I'm not discouraged. If I keep plugging along, I'll get there. Maybe I'll catch up, then get ahead, and finish a day early!

As long as I don't get any surprise out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving next week, I think that is doable.

NaNoWriMo 2017

Tomorrow is the first day of National Novel Writing Month, and for the first time in a few years, I'm going for it! This challenge of writing 50,000 words of a new novel is crazy, but fun. It's crazy fun!

This will be my fifth time participating in NaNoWriMo. Out of the four times I've participated in the past, only once have I been a "winner." And twice have my manuscripts actually ended up as full drafts. Both of those, by the way, have been revised and polished. Alas, neither has been accepted for publication. Yet.

This year's project is a middle grade fantasy that I am tentatively calling The Black Pool. To prepare for the writing of this novel, I have written a one-line pitch, a one-paragraph blurb, character sketches for the primary characters, and the beginnings of an outline. I've also created a board on my Pinterest profile for world-building inspiration. I'm not exactly a planner, but for this kind of challenge I need a bit of direction before I get started.

My oldest daughter is taking the NaNoWriMo plunge too, and as an extra incentive for us both, we have decided that our reward for "winning" will be to order some fun NaNoWriMo gear. And I'm GONNA WIN, because I really want that T-shirt. Or maybe the travel bag. I can decide later!

Are you doing this crazy challenge this year? Here are a few tips that helped me get through it in the past:

1. Plan. At least a little, so you have some sense of direction.
2. Do NOT edit, as far as it is humanly possible.
3. Write out of order if necessary.
4. Participate in Word Sprints on Twitter (@NaNoWordSprints)
5. Ignore the haters! Even the little invisible one that whispers in your ear.

Here we go! Who's with me?

From Chaos to Calm: How I am Learning to Organize My Writing and My Life

My long-time writing partner Corey occasionally surprises me with a comment like, "You're so organized!" This is usually in reference to me having miraculously dug up a long-forgotten email from an editor or a very early draft of an old picture book manuscript.

But here's the thing: I'm not really organized. I'm just really good at finding things.

Just ask my kids. One of them once gave me a certificate officially naming me "Finder of Things." I can find a minuscule Lego piece in our mini van. I can find a random scrap of paper with my husband's vacation schedule on it. And I can (usually) find an email from 2006 that contains feedback on a manuscript that I haven't thought of in years.

But, organized? Ha. I can't even keep my desk organized for a week straight.

I have a stack of miscellaneous to-be-filed papers sitting on top of the printer (I move it whenever I need to make a copy of something). I have piles of random scrap paper filled with jottings that I'm afraid I'll forget. My desktop computer is decorated with sticky notes of varied colors with everything from passwords to notes about manuscripts.

For years, I've only been as organized as I've had to be. I've had a system--if you can call it that--that's worked. Sort of.

But life as a published author has made me realize that I need to be more efficient. And to be more efficient, I need to be more organized.

So, I've gradually been making changes. Last year I purchased a planner to help me organize social media posts. Using it has helped me be more consistent and less messy.

But I needed some way to organize my LIFE. It seemed that no matter how purposeful I tried to be with reminders and the calendar on my iPad (and the pile of notes on my desk), my life was still organized chaos.

Then I discovered the idea of bullet journaling.

I have always loved journaling. I've got junk journals, art journals, sketch books, poetry journals, and too many composition notebooks to remember. I love writing things down. I love sketching, doodling, and experimenting with paint and collage. So when I started seeing "bullet journal" ideas popping up on my favorite Pinterest and Instagram feeds, I was intrigued. I was impressed. And then, I was a little intimidated. But the journaler in me overrode my doubt, so I started clicking on posts titled "bullet journaling for the beginner," and those eventually led me to where it all started: bulletjournal.com. Seeing the efficiency of the bullet journal in its simplest form opened a new world to me!

I started my own bullet journal in early August, and it has changed my life. It's helped me plan ahead and organize my days, remember important dates and events, keep track of writing projects, plan family meals, and so much more. It's my daily to-do list, my reading log, my idea notebook. I even have a spread for Christmas gift ideas. It's all organized and relatively neat. And amazingly, it works. Even for me, the queen of (as my sister once said) Organized Clutter.

Why does this work so well for me where other attempts have failed? I think it's because of two things. One, it's tactile. I can hold it, write in it, flip through its pages. And two, it gives me room to be as creative as I want. I can doodle in it, try fancy lettering, use sharpies or colored pencils. I don't feel restricted or overwhelmed; I feel creatively empowered! And that is an amazing thing.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the "organized clutter" in your life? Maybe a bullet journal could work for you too!

Five Little Things that Can Hurt Your Productivity as a Writer

Over the past several months I have been very busy as a writer. You might even say productive. I've gotten so much done: creating marketing plans, contacting dozens of schools about possible visits, nailing down a social media strategy, and so much more. But, when it actually came down to writing, my productivity often suffered.

It is for that reason that I chose focus as my word for 2017. I have decided to be more productive as a writer this year! In order to do that, it was important to nail down the things that were hurting my productivity. So I listed them here, hoping that it will help you be more productive this year too!

1. Distractions

My biggest distractions are text messages from my kids. Social media notifications can also draw my attention away from more important things. Other distractions can be things on my desk, books within arm's reach, etc. It's easy to get distracted when you're not in a writing groove. But you won't get into a writing groove if you let those electronic (or hardbound) sirens draw you away!

My advice: Leave electronic devices in another room. Only answer the phone for the most important people (spouse, children's school, etc). Clear your desk. Look away from those tempting tomes! And make sure the people and pets in your life give you the space you need (this may mean walking the dog before you start and writing during nap time--whatever works).

2. Lack of a routine

Sometimes I let household chores or writing business take over my writing time. Are you spending more time folding laundry, posting on social media, or checking your email than you are on writing? You may be be hurting your productivity when some little voice tells you that you have so many more urgent things to do, and you fall for it.

My advice: Carve out blocks of time for specific tasks. Check emails after meals. Schedule social media posts on the weekend. Browse social media (to like, comment, and retweet) during lunch. Fold laundry before bed. Even if you don't have a rigid schedule, blocking out your time will help you avoid letting your writing time get overrun by mismatched socks.

3. Caring too much

There are times when I get caught up in the quality (or lack thereof) in my writing when I should be focused on getting something down on the page. It's easy to obsess over details even when I'm writing a first draft! Are you getting so hung up on perfection in your early drafts that you're not getting your story written?

My advice: Ignore your inner critic. Remind yourself that first drafts are meant to be rough. That one line you're spending way too much time on will probably change anyway! If you're having trouble shutting up your inner critic, try this: set a timer for five minutes, then write non-stop until the timer goes off. You might be surprised at how much you can get written.

4. Not taking breaks

Sometimes I will feel so determined to reach a certain point in my story that I will stubbornly sit and stare at that spot on the page for far too long. Not only do I not get any writing done, but it's like my brain is stuck in the mud! Do you find yourself stubbornly refusing to quit until you figure something out? It's probably a big waste of time.

My advice: Take regular breaks. This goes beyond getting up to stretch now and then. When you reach the end of that passage, get up and go walk the dog. If you find yourself stuck or struggling with revising a chapter, go take a shower or run the vacuum. Get your mind away from the "problem" and loosen it up with a mundane task. Sometimes the best writing is done when you're not trying.

5. Other people's writing

Most often, when I read something that wows me, I'm inspired. But I admit that there are times when I read other people's work and I think to myself, "Who am I kidding? I'll never be this good!" Do you get caught up in the comparison game and let it crush your confidence? That may be the biggest productivity killer of all!

My advice: Be realistic. Your writing is your own. There will always be people, published and unpublished, of varying skill levels. You may never feel like the most brilliant writer ever, but I'm guessing that those you think ARE the most brilliant ever have had plenty of times when they haven't felt that way. So just be content in becoming the best writer that you can be.

You've Written a Children's Book? Read This! (part 2)

Don't read any further until you've read Part One of this two part feature.

Have you read it?

Really?

And have you followed the directions (or are you at least planning to)?

Okay, then read on!

You've Written a Children's Book? Read This! (part two)

You may not want to hear this, but you need to. After you get your manuscript polished to its most brilliant shine, your polishing work is far from over. But this time you'll be polishing a cover or query letter instead.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

Once you've polished that manuscript, you'll want to send it to agents or editors. Which will it be? Get an agent first, or send directly to publishers (or both?). There is no wrong decision; this is completely up to you. However, there a couple things you will want to keep in mind:

1. Many publishers/editors do not accept unsolicited manuscripts or queries from unpublished authors. So having an agent will probably mean your work will be seen by some who would not have seen it otherwise.

2. If you have an agent, your days of stressing over query and/or cover letters are done! You can focus more on writing, and isn't that what we all want?

3. If you are a hands-on kind of person, it may be a challenge for you to "let go" and let your agent do his or her job. Then again, maybe you'll find an agent that will give you plenty to do!

Once you've decided which approach to take, you need to know to whom you want to send your manuscript. And that means you will need to do research!

Don't make the mistake of sending your manuscript off to every agent or editor you've ever heard of. Agents and editors are people, and people have different tastes. Not only that, but they have RULES about how to submit.

So, here's what you do:

1. Compile a list of agents/editors who represent/publish your kind of book.

2. Look at specific titles they have worked on. Is your book similar (but not too similar) to other books on that list? I don't necessarily mean a similar story, but similar in tone or style or format.

3. Search #mswl on twitter and visit manuscriptwishlist.com to see what people are looking for.

4. Use social media. Follow agents and editors to get a feel for their tastes. Read blogs, interviews, and articles in which they are featured. Participate in pitch parties (such as #pitmad) on Twitter.

5. Go to conferences. Can't afford it? Check out WriteOnCon, a conference you can attend from home! This conference, combined with a twitter pitch party, led me to my agent.

Once you've narrowed your list of potential agents/publishers, it's time to polish that query letter. This can be a daunting task, but there is help. Check out this article from Writer's Digest or this blog post from kidlit.com which deals specifically with queries for picture books.

Have a few of your fellow author friends read your query for you if you're unsure. But it's nearly impossible to feel 100% confident when clicking that send button (or sealing that envelope). Just follow a basic query letter format and don't stress too much over it.

Now that you've polished your query and are ready to send your manuscript out into the world, be sure to follow submission guidelines, which are usually easy to find on agencies' and publishers' websites. You wouldn't want your query to go unread after all that work.

Phew! Time to breathe a little. And wait. And while you're waiting, work on that next manuscript!

Happy writing!

You've Written a Children's Book? Read This! (part 1)

So you've written a children's book. Congratulations! You have done what a lot of people only think or dream about. You had an idea, you pursued it, and now you have a completed manuscript. You are ready to be published!

Or maybe not.

Actually, probably not.

In truth, I would say definitely not.

Your manuscript may not be ready to be published, but it is probably ready to receive some feedback! And no, I don't mean that you should have your mom or your kids or your best friend read it (though that's certainly okay to do). I mean that you should seek objective feedback from industry professionals. Or, at the very least, other writers you trust to be completely, brutally, honestly constructive.

Once you've done that, you'll probably (definitely) need to revise. Some of this will be easy. Fixing typos and grammar, rewording lines to make them more clear--these kinds of things are simple and expected. But what if someone tells you your story doesn't work? What if the whole thing made them bored out of their minds or left them wondering what the heck was going on? Worse, what if you get CONFLICTING feedback? (the horror!)

Calm down. This is all part of growing as a writer. Chances are if someone's feedback resonates with you, it is correct. On the other hand, if it doesn't, it may mean that you aren't being objective. Or it could mean that the person giving you feedback doesn't know what the heck they're talking about. If this happens, sleep on it. Seek more feedback. Try to be objective. Give yourself and your story a little space for a few days or weeks. Then, tackle your revision and polish that manuscript.

Now you're ready to publish your book!

Wait...

Probably not.

You'll want to repeat that feedback/revision process a few times. Or a few hundred. However long it takes. It may be that you end up with a completely different story by the time you're truly done. It might make you crazy. It might make you curse yourself for ever pursuing this nightmare dream in the first place! But keep going until you've done everything you possibly can to get your manuscript just right.

Only you know what that is. And only you will really know when you're ready for the next step!

What is the next step? Read about that in Part 2!

Tips for Writing Rhyme that Shines

One of the biggest challenges of writing in rhyme is finding rhymes that are not predictable and overused. But that is also what makes the best rhyming stories and poems!

Some examples of predictable rhymes:

Sun, fun, run
Sight, night, fright
Can, man, plan
Up, cup, pup
Hear, fear, near
See, me, tree, 
No, go, blow, so
Blue, true, new, do, you
Day, play
Out, about
High, sky

Avoiding the Predictable Rhyme Trap is essential for writers who want their rhyme to stand out. Anyone can think to rhyme sun with fun, or high with sky. No reader, upon seeing the word high paired with sky, would exclaim, "What originality!"

Your goal should be to impress your readers by choosing rhymes that will surprise them. Give them something unexpected!

One way to do that is by changing up the way you describe ordinary things. If you are writing about the sun, why not use a metaphor or other descriptor in place of "sun" in your writing? Or consider rearranging the words so that "sun" doesn't fall at the end of a line. 

Another option is to use the common word, like sun, but find a less predictable word with which to make your rhyme. Like in the example below:

I sizzled in the summer sun
'till hot and crispy--overdone!
My balding unprotected head
was now a perfect pepper-red.

A few other tips for writing rhyme that shines:

- Make up words! An example of a rhyming book with fun made up words that really work is Aaron Zenz's HICCUPOTAMUS. And Dr. Suess, of course, was a genius at making up words.

- Use multi-syllabic words. These rhymes are often more challenging to write, but they are more fun to read. Corey and I used a lot of multi-syllabic rhyming words in WHAT ABOUT MOOSE? 

- Don't force it. Even the most interesting, unique, perfectly rhyming words will harm rather than help your story if they don't truly fit the context. 

Of course, it isn't possible to avoid using predictable rhymes entirely. There are many times when the predictable rhyme is simply the best choice. This is why writing great rhyme is about more than the rhymes. Using clever, creative wording and literary devices such as alliteration and onomatopoeia throughout a rhyming piece will help it to stand out even on those occasions when the rhymes themselves may be ordinary. 

But ordinary, predictable rhymes should not be the norm. Strive for the unexpected!

What Does "High Concept" Mean, Anyway?

When I first set out to write and publish children's books, I saw over and over again that publishers and agents were looking for "high concept picture books."

Great, I thought, but what does high concept mean, anyway?

I've read a lot of articles over the years in an attempt to understand exactly what it means, but my favorite is this article that explains high concept in part as anything that can be summed up in one line, or even better, in the title. That article uses the movie Snakes on a Plane as an example. Perfect. Does that movie really need more of an explanation?

That explanation, while helpful, doesn't say it all about what high concept actually means. But after years of reading and writing and research, I think I've finally nailed down the definition for myself, and hopefully this will help you too!

High concept is this: When the EVERYDAY meets the EXTREME.

Here are a few picture books that support my definition.

MARS NEEDS MOMS by Berkley Breathed

Boy who is tired of his mom making him eat veggies and take out the trash (everyday) 
meets 
mom-napping aliens from Mars (extreme).

THE THREE NINJA PIGS by Corey Rosen Schwartz

The three little pigs (everyday) 
meets
pig with black belt in karate defeats the wolf (extreme).

CREEPY CARROTS by Aaron Reynolds

A bunny with a taste for carrots (everyday) 
meets 
carrots conspiring against furry carrot-muncher (extreme).

I NEED MY MONSTER by Amanda Noll

Boy can't sleep at night (everyday) 
meets 
missing underbed monster (extreme).

These books all have titles that establish their stories' premises with attention-grabbing snazziness. They can all be summed up with one line. But most importantly, their stories blend ordinary, everyday stuff with the extraordinary or outrageous.

If your goal is to write high concept picture books, that's what your stories have to do.

Seven Key Characteristics of Well-loved Picture Books

I've learned a few things in my years as a parent, librarian, and author about what kids generally want from books, particularly picture books. Though every child is different, and tastes can vary widely, there are a few characteristics of picture books that seem almost guaranteed to please the majority of young readers. Books with these qualities are the books that a child will request over and over at bed time. They always seem to be checked out at the library and get the most damage because they get the most attention.

Whether you are writing picture books or choosing books to add to your own child's reading pile, keep these characteristics in mind:

1. Wonder. If a book amazes a child or captures his imagination, he will want to read it again and again. Or maybe sit there and pore over the illustrations for hours. Some picture books that fall into this category are JOURNEY by Aaron Becker and WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA? by Kobi Yamada.

2. Humor. Every child loves a good laugh, and a book that gets a child giggling to herself or laughing out loud is sure to make it into the "read it again" pile. One of my favorite humorous picture books is CHLOE AND THE LION by Mac Barnett.

3. Rhythm. Whether in rhyme or prose, the best picture book texts have rhythms that naturally flow like waves that rise and fall. The perfect example of a non-rhyming book with a natural, flowing rhythm is WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak.

4. Clever titles. Sometimes a title alone is enough to endear a book to a child, or at least get him interested in reading it. Consider the books PINKALICIOUS by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann and INTERRUPTING CHICKEN by David Ezra Stein.

5. High concepts. When authors take two cool concepts and mash them together, what you have is a high concept book that is sure to catch a young reader's attention. This would include titles like INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA by Deborah Underwood or SAMURAI SANTA by Rubin Pingk.

6. Interesting illustrations. When an illustrator goes beyond illustrating the text to make a book her own, adding fun or surprising details in the pictures, kids notice. Two great examples of this are CHICKS AND SALSA by Aaron Reynolds and LENNY & LUCY by Phillip C. Stead.

7. An emotional arc. A picture book that tells a story a child can relate to on an emotional level is one that will not soon be forgotten. And it is often those books that help a child fall in love with reading. A couple examples of picture books with strong emotional arcs are TEENY TINY TOADY by Jill Esbaum and A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT by Kristy Dempsey.