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PLEASE CHECK OUT THEIR CONFERENCE LISTINGS BELOW.
Planning to attend a writing conference? Read these five tips to ensure an experience you’ll savor long after you’ve left the hotel lobby.
1. Choose sessions you find interesting
It’s no secret you need to know how to write a sparkling query, but you’re intrigued to find out how journaling can release your creative muse. Go for the muse. Hundreds of websites will be waiting at home to tell you how to write a query letter. Whenever you attend a lecture or reading, you never know what you’ll take away. That’s the beauty of being open to whatever information the speaker decides to bring.
2. Resist taking copious notes.
You’ll retain more when you are focused on listening, not rushing to take down every word leaving the speaker’s mouth. If your type-A personality insists, jot down inspiring bullet points you can hang above your desk. If you waste time taking a ton of notes, more likely you’ll miss the most important things being said and lose an opportunity to engage in the moment.
3. Mingle.
Walk around and talk with people between sessions. Find out what other writers are working on and get inspired by their imagination. During mea
Smories.com @ http://www.smories.com
If you have an unpublished children’s story, you can submit it here.
We are offering US$1,500 worth of prize money for the 5 best stories submitted each month.
The current competition closes 30 April 2010.
You can submit from anywhere in the world.
Submission is free.
50 SHORTLISTED, 5 WILL WIN
A shortlist of the 50 stories we like best will be announced on 05 May.
These 50 stories will then get narrated by kids, which we film.
The 50 films will then appear on smories.com on 01 June.
To remove bias, film positioning on the channel will be randomised every time the page is opened.
Viewers will be able to rate the stories .
After a month, 5 winners will be announced based on a combination of number of views and average ratings.
This cycle will be repeated every month. Yay!
PRIZES
First Prize: US$500
Second Prize: US$400
Third Prize: US$300
Fourth Prize: US$200
Fifth Prize: US$100
We are receiving submissions from all over the world.
If you are a winner outside the US, the prize money will be converted into your local currency.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Not be longer than 750 (seven hundred and fifty) words.
Text only, in English.
Must be fiction for children from 3 to 8 years old.
Poetry & rhyming stories may also be submitted.
You must be the writer or owner of the copyright.
A maximum of two stories per writer per month can be submitted.
Typos, syntax and grammatical errors will prejudice your chances of selection.
No redrafts accepted. Final versions only.
SELECTION PROCESS & KEY DATES
05 May 2010: Shortlist of the 50 stories announced.
01 June 2010: The completed films will simultaneously appear on the smories online channel.
30 June 2010: The 5 stories receiving the highest traffic & ratings over the preceding 30 days will win the prizes.
RIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT
Stories will appear online on the smories channel only (www.smories.com).
Full credit and copyright will be attributed to the writer.
All rights will remain with the writer.
Stories can be removed from the smories channel at any time at the behest of the writer.
Smories.com will hold no claim to the story in any form.
See our FAQ page (accessed via the menu bar above) for more detailed explanation of Rights.
     
Just one more sleep!
2 days ago ago by katswhiskers. Spam? Tags: twitter, writing, Karen Collum, chat, Picture Books, Children’s Authors, #pblitchat, #KIDLITCHAT
Sometimes it amazes me how quickly things happen.
Last Wednesday, during #kidlitchat on Twitter, the lovely Karen Collum asked if any picture book authors would be interested in a Twitter chat for picture books only. I was… (she knew that) others were… (we hoped so) and now it’s happening (amazing!) - tomorrow! (If you want a job done, get Karen on board. She is ‘D’ynamite.)
I was delighted when Karen asked if I would co-host the #pblitchat with her. It’s something we’re both passionate about. And it’s also a natural extension of our growing communication about kidlit, picture books and life in general. (It’s really NOT just another excuse to tweet and email. Honest!)
If you’re a picture book author or illustrator, you are invited to join us. It gets a bit tricky advertising the times (because the chat is world wide) but check out the Picture Books Only web page for more specific times around the globe – and coming discussion topics.
One hour of chatter about picture books – the craft, the market, the passion… Count me in!
Just one more sleep…
Tuesdays at midday Queensland-time. On Monday for those in USA.
#pblitchat
     
They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I just realized after I posted this that I got the quote wrong. That is how it has been for me, this year at least. It’s fast and furious.
I’m busier than I have ever been before. Of course, most of it is stuff I brought on myself. It’s a fine line balancing a personal life and a writing life and sometimes I have a tendency to want to do both extremely well at the same time.
On the personal front:
Helping to raise kids means dealing with the stuff that comes up in every day situations like getting homework done, or having friends over, or making sure they have clean clothes, etc. It means I have to teach them to pick up after themselves so that they, the two boys, aren’t total slobs. I tell them someday their girlfriends and wives will thank them and me but that doesn’t mean they believe me. They’re only 9 and 11, after all. The good news is they are more helpful than I had thought they would be.
They have challenges that make consistency a must. The older of the two has ADD and the youngest has Aspergers. Helping a sibling with raising his sons is doable but does require patience and lots of planning at times. I’m on a first name basis with most of the teachers, secretaries and other school personnel. I have a huge wall calendar that holds all of the upcoming events. I get emails on a daily basis from the school so that I can track grades, etc. The good news is the boys are doing well.
On the writing front:
Then, there is the uphill struggle to have a writing career. I’m determined to do it but the road has been a long and winding one.
I love writing so that part is the easy part for me. The hard part is chiseling out time for writing. I need time to read, research and write my own stories and books. I need time to find articles, tips, blogsites to recommend and people to interview. The good news is I have never needed a lot of sleep so project are getting done.
All these add their own extra work. For example, once I find people to interview, there’s research on the person, interview questions to write and revise, photos to locate and getting the pull-together interview posted. The good news is that I have several interviews lined up for the next few months.
I’m involved in three critique groups and they take time. I want to give as good as I get if not more. The good news is that I’m the type of person who needs a deadline and there are plenty of those in these groups. The other good news that I’m encouraged to submit my work and am getting it accepted.
     
 Me at Work My guest interview today is with the delightful Rebecca Janni and we’ll be talking about her new picture book, Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse.
Peg: Welcome Becky. It’s so nice to talk with you again. Thanks for taking time away from your busy schedule to chat with my readers.
Becky: Hi Peg. Thank you for the privilege of this interview — and for always encouraging writers to “write on!”
Peg: Did you always know that you wanted to write? I read something about you as a young girl and a novel about a pigtailed girl and her horse. Was she an older version of Nellie Sue the main character in your picture book Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse?
Becky: Yes — always! When I was seven years-old, I set out to write a novel about a girl and her horse — but she was no relation to Nellie Sue and the manuscript is long gone.
Peg: You and I share a passion for writing picture books. But you also write other genres.
Becky: Short stories, poetry, grocery lists. I dabbled in journalism for a little while, and I’ve had some fun freelance gigs. I would still love to write a novel someday . . .
Peg: There will be time for that.
Peg: Every writer’s journey is different. What led you to your writing journey? Were your parents and family supportive of your earlier writings? Was there a teacher somewhere along the time that cheered you on?
Becky: I have amazing parents, and they supported just about anything I wanted to try — except, my dad did tell me that pursuing my fortune in an Alaskan fishery was a bad idea.
Peg: I think I’d probably have to agree with him on that one. Lol.
Becky: They applauded everything I wrote, though my mother is a meticulous proofreader. She’s still catching the typos on my website! She’s a huge help. My teachers were more balanced, giving encouraging but honest feedback on writing projects. They kept me going and growing. In recent years, I’ve discovered the limitless support of local writing groups and SCBWI. And my husband — he’s a gem. He always told me I would be published someday, but I thought he was just teasing me about the production our Christmas letters have become.
Peg: I think it might be a safe thing to say that many authors were first readers. As a child or young adult did you have a favorite author or two?
Becky: Or ten? I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beverly Cleary.
4 Comments on Rebecca Janni’s Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse., last added: 3/1/2010
In my search for things to add to my blog, I’ve read the writings of many different writers. I’m amazed at what different styles different writers have, even within the same genre. It is that diversity of styles that gives every reader something to read that strikes their fancy.
For instance with my three critique groups, there are as many different styles as there are people in the group. The one male member writes funny and unique stories unlike anything anyone else submits. He provides the group with a “male” point of view and give us stories that thrill the male readers we might have in the future.
Another member in that group is a former teacher who tells us about aliens in the new year in a gentle way that makes us cheer the mc in her work on. The last member gives us great details that invite us into her fairy’s world.
In my second critique group, one talented writer gives us a princess who turn into trees in her greed while another tells us about an unruly princess and her favorite pet. The third writer in the group voices the wants and needs of the very young child in a sweet and charming way.
The writers in my third critique group do nonfiction and midgrade works. They give me an entirely different type of material to critique that stimulate me to experiment with my style of writing.
For me, if I had to say something about what I write, I’d have to say my characters overcome difficult challenges or not so difficult challenge to win their hearts desires. My stories show my eternal optimism. I like the element of hope in my stories. I like the rooting for the underdog. I always have.
I think these styles that are indicative of the range of our readers preferences. One reader might like sci-fi while another might prefer reading rhyme. One readers might want to connect with a mc emotionally while another might want to laugh until they had to hold their sides.
Luckily for the readers, there are writers out there for every one of those preferences.
     
 I recently did an interview with Nina Johnson that got me to thinking about how writers/illustrators treat other writers and illustrators.
When I met Nina Johnson, there was an instant feeling of belonging. You know what I mean. There are people who come into our lives who we know from the moment that we meet them they will soon be a friend. I felt like I had known her for a long time, after just talking a few minutes.
I think it was her optimism. She is someone who sees the potential good in people but not just people, but in each situation. I admired her openness. She shared her love of writing with a twinkle in her eye and I got caught up in her joy about her writing. It a great experience to watch a writer who love what she did.
Throughout her interview, I sensed that trait even more. I loved the advice she gave at the end of her time with us as she told my readers ”I would like to encourage anyone thinking of writing to start. Start big, start small, start hidden, start not so hidden but just start!” I second that. Dare to dream! Live the dream! Writer write on!
It is characteristic that I’ve experienced in the writing /illustrating community. They are a giving, caring group of people who have gone out of their way to support and urge me on. From the writer/illustrator that talked me through tech problems to the social media expert who said “Yes, You are on the right track.”, my growth as a writer is a direct result of the friendships I have developed with my writer and illustrator friends.
So I say, thanks to all who have inspired or mentored a fellow writer or illustrator as they make their way through their journey. You rock!
     
 These are some of Nina's reasons for writing for children. She's a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. This is the Part Two of the Nina Johnson interview. Part Three is appearing tomorrow.
Peg: I’ll bet there are lots of women who would like a husband as supportive of them as yours is of you.
Nina: My husband said to me one day, “ Nina, you have spent these last years helping me get my company on it’s feet, now I want you to do what you have always wanted to do.” I asked him what that might be since I had no idea what I always wanted to do. He said, “You want to write children’s books!”
I was completely surprised and said, “I do? How do you know that, since I don’t even know what I want to do?”
He told me that it was obvious to him since I had spent so much time making stories out of our everyday experiences and that I had told so many to our grandchildren.
Even though I had not thought of it that way, I could see that he had a point. When he allowed me to turn over my job at the company to an employee, I suddenly felt free to write. I spent hours putting the stories that had always been in my head down on paper. I was overflowing with stories of all kinds. It was like the damn had broken and I was pouring out my heart and soul. I woke up at night to write. I stopped in the middle of making dinner to write. I even got a recorder so I could get my story ideas down as I was driving.
Peg: Those are great tips for beginning writers.
Nina: I emptied the back half of my walk in closet and made a writing space for me! My husband assembled a desk in there and added electricity and an Internet connection. I asked him not to add a phone line so as no to interfere with my writing.
I will always be grateful to my wonderful, thoughtful and observant husband for helping me to find my way to what I truly needed to do.
Peg: We share a love of picture book writing but have you done books in other genres?
Nina: I am writing a middle grade sci-fi right now. It is very different than picture books in that you have the luxury of writing more words to get the story across. However, it is more complicated as well.
I’m just learning about writing and all that goes into it so it will be very interesting as time goes by how this experience will ultimately compare to writing picture books.
Peg: You told me that you are a story teller, but what type, genre, was your first written piece?
Nina: The stories that really made my husband realize my desire was the Grandfather Clock stories that I tell my grandchildren. They are interactive stories in that my grandchildren often contribute to and change the path of the story as we go along.
I guess the first story that I wrote was Marshall Muskrat about the muskrat in our pond on our property. The most wonderful experience of my life was reading “Marshall Muskrat’s Easter Surprise” to my gr
This is the first installment in a 3 part interview with fellow author Nina Johnson. The second part of the interview appears on 01/14/10, and third part is scheduled for 01/15/10.
 Nina and Peg Networking I have always wanted to promote fellow writers in their quests for success in their careers. Recently, I’ve talked to several writers who have chosen to start a writing career at a later time in their lives. Many have raised their children, had a full career and are finally embarking on a journey to their dream. They inspire me to dare to dream.
One of those inspirations is Nina Johnson and I’ve invited her to join me on my blog.
Peg: Welcome Nina. It’s so nice to talk with you again. Thanks for taking time away from your busy schedule of the holidays and house hunting to share your journey with my readers.
Nina: Peg, thanks so much for having me. I’m honored that you would find my story interesting. Thanks for the invitation. As you know I’m travelling in the south as we get together for this interview. It is fun to take time out to touch base with writer friends.
Peg: Did you always know that you wanted to write?
Nina: No. As a matter of fact, I didn’t realize that I had any inclination in that direction. I did write a lot but never thought of it that way. I mean I did not write stories but travel logs and letters to friends and relatives kept me busy.
Peg: You and I share a passion for writing picture books. But you also write
Nina: I write as I just said letters to friends and family about travel and whatever comes to mind. I always have. Also I write a journal. I don’t always keep up with it as I should but it really helps me to keep ideas flowing.
Peg: What lead you to your writing journey? Were your parents and teachers support of your writing?
Nina: I always got good grades in school and loved writing reports and doing homework. I loved the feel of the pencil or pen in my hand. I did not equate it to writing, just doing my assignments. My parents were proud of my grades but I don’t think they ever realized that I wanted to write. How could they? I never knew myself.
Peg: As a child or young adult did you have a favorite author or two?
Nina: No, not really. I did not read much as far as books go. I was an active tomboy and since I was the oldest of six girls, I spent a lot of time with my dad working on cars and doing whatever I felt a son would do. After all, my father had no sons and 6 daughters. I thought he needed someone on his side.
Peg: I know what you mean. I was kind-of a tomboy at one time.
Nina: I did read a lot though. I read cereal boxes at the kitchen table, instructions for everything and never gave that a thought. Never thought that I was reading because they were not books.
Peg: I was the same way.
Peg: Ho
http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun02/yolen.htm This is a great interview with one of the most prolific writers of our time. Check it out.
A Conversation With Jane Yolen by Claire E. White (Excerpt)
No, but I have seven rules:
1. Write every day
2. Write what interests you.
3. Write for the child inside of you. (Or the adult, if you are writing adult books.)
4. Write with honest emotion
5. Be careful of being facile
6. Be wary of preaching
7. Be prepared for serendipity
     
I am a CBI Clubhouse member and love what I am learning there. This article is one of the reasons why. Jon has gratiously allowed me to post excepts and videos from his site. Read the excerpt and then check out the link.
Four Steps to Becoming a Better Writer
Nov 30th, 2009 | By Laura Backes | Category: The Writing Process
Great writers aren’t born – they’re made. Here are some of their secrets.
 I was recently asked “Can I get published as a children’s book author if I’m not a good writer?” I was caught off guard at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the question. The sender is aware of her limitations, but dreams of getting published anyway. She’s not suffering under the delusion that she’s the next J.K. Rowling, and I appreciate that. She’s going to look at her work with a critical eye, and search for ways to make it better. This is assuming that it’s possible to learn to write well. I believe that it is.
Very few writers have the natural ability to create vibrant, relevant, compelling stories right out of the gate. Most have to work at it. And those who see writing as a skill that is never quite mastered, requiring a lifelong devotion to the learning process, will be most successful. Where this gets tricky is that unlike other skills – such as baking a cake – there is no foolproof way to learn how to write. So while I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all method, I can offer up some ideas on how you can find the path that works best for you.
Read, read, read. Why are editors always telling aspiring authors to read piles of children’s books? Because they provide a concrete representation of what works. Be sure you read good books (check reviews or ask a librarian or teacher for recommendations). By simply reading, you’ll grasp the ebb and flow of a story, how a character is introduced and developed, the types of conflicts appropriate for each age group, how to build tension in scenes and chapters, the relation of sub-plots to the main storyline, how dialogue moves the plot along, and much more. You’ll experience firsthand how a skilled author utilizes sensory images to immerse the reader completely in the story. By comparing several authors writing for the same age group, you’ll hear different literary voices.
    
0 Comments on CBI Clubhouse Article. as of 1/1/1900
Even the most prolific of writers occasionally have difficulty coming up with an idea for a pb. I have found that sometimes the ideas come from the least expected source. With an open mind and a little imagination, the writer’s world is full of inspirations for ideas.
Yesterday, as I helped my eight and eleven year old nephews clean up their bedrooms, my youngest nephew had to have his snake on his bed. He told me all about Snake and their history. He created an elaborate timeline with a multitude of details. For me, it sparked an idea for a pb.
As we picked up their old and broken toys and placed them in a box, another idea came to me out of the blue. By combining some of the broken pieces together, a character came into being.
Sometimes it is look that they give me. Other times it is what they say. For those writers who have kids in their lives, like myself, I have learned to expect the unexpected.
     
Yesterday, I had the blues. You know that feeling that your world is lacking something . It had been cold and rainy for a few days. I had been cooped up. Not only was the weather dreary but household members had been struggling with colds.
The boys were feeling it too with a lot of small fights over stuff they usually don’t argue about. So . . .when the weather looked like it just might be more accommodating, I grabbed the opportunity to get them out to a local park.
I figured at least it would let them run off some excess energy and they’d have less to argue with.
Usually, I take paper and pen with me to work on my writing at these kinds of times. It is alway a productive time for me to do revisions, etc. But, on this morning, I was tired and decided to just ” chill”. I thought I’d just sit in the sun on the park bench and let my mind rest.
Wouldn’t you know it? The one time I don’t take anything to write on, the ideas for picture books come flying at me. No paper. A small stubby pencil with barely any lead showing was the only writing instrument I found.
So here I am at the park. I’m rummaging through the trunk, digging down into the bottom of it. I’m trying to find anything to get the ideas down on before they are gone. All I can find is an old auto repair bill from seven years ago.
Thankfully, it is enough to record the gist of the five ideas on. I’m amazed at what I got while watching the boys and other children run and squealing in delights from one piece of park equipment to another. That will teach me to go anywhere unprepared for my creative self to express itself.
     
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