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How many people begin a novel? Millions. Tens of Millions.

How many people finish those novels and send them out? A whole lot less.

There's no secret formula or magic spell to get your novel finished. In the end (pun intended) it's just you and the word processor and putting in the time and the revisions to get the thing done. Not much help am I?

But I do have help to offer- three tricks I use to finish my work and get it into the hands of my agent and my editor.

1. Set a deadline.

Published writers say it all the time- "I work best with a deadline." or even better  "Sorry I can't go to lunch with you today. I'm on deadline." 

I'm on a killer deadline right now and there's no way I'm blowing it. I get up early every morning and reach for my laptop. I go to sleep at night after clicking save and taking a sigh of relief that I've hit my revision goals for the day.  I'm another step closer to THE END. Some days I don't feel like getting up early or working late or pounding the keys all day.  I stop and ask myself "How bad do you want this?" (Literally I do this. Out loud sometimes. )  And I start back to work.

The fact that I have people I respect waiting for my writing helps, but say you're still on your own...

SET YOUR OWN DEADLINES.

Write the date where you'll see it. Tell a friend about it so you'll have some outside accountability. When the going gets tough ask yourself how bad you want it. Then sit down at your desk and meet your deadline.


2. Reach out.



Climbing to the top is hard. Sometimes you need help getting there. For meeting deadlines I have extra special help. An enforcer. I have a pact with Sarah Aronson that I'll get a certain number of pages done every day. Fine, right? But it doesn't stop there. I do my pages and email them to her EVERY DAY. Not for a critique, as a destination and a goal. If Sarah doesn't get my email with my pages she gets mad-


~TLB

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Today and tomorrow, I thought we could talk about the nuts and bolts--the craft--of writing about sex.

Tomorrow, we'll look at a few specific examples.

First, I want to pull out something Tanya wrote yesterday in a response to Marianna:

...if a sex scene is honestly and carefully done, it should turn out fine in the end. Avoiding gratuity is extremely important. This is not the venue for bodice-ripping or random titillation, if you ask me. It needs to be done with sensitivity, putting yourself a bit in the shoes of a much younger person; seeing it through the eyes of someone without much experience. No shock factor. Only what the story and the characters need.

How do we do that?

How do we take a moment of extreme vulnerability, a moment that can hurt and change a person for the rest of his or her life, and make it NOT TRENDY, but universal????  

We have to be honest.  We have to write about sex the way we write any scene.  With honesty, authenticity, appropriate language.  With INTENTION.

Let's look at a few of our tools.  (Big apology for using my own work as an example....)

POINT OF VIEW:  Do I ever get tired of talking about Point of View????  Probably not.  It really changes how we approach a scene.  So of course, it changes how we approach a scene with sex.

Think FIRST PERSON:  You are in the character's head.  Actually, now you are in the bed!  During a sex scene, what is your character thinking/seeing/feeling?  Not all people think about SEX when they are having SEX.  Think Penelope in Ulysses.  Yes, yes, yes, yes.  

:-)
I remember reading an article once about how women think about dinner during sex.  And that some men actually think about taking out the garbage!

For the sex scene in Head Case, I focused on what Frank, the protagonist, would see, think, feel as he was losing his virginity.  For me, since this was a memory--a flashback--I could pick and choose details.  (We'll talk more about tense in a minute.)  I focused on his excitement and his emotional state, while he was remembering sex to fuel the scene.  I focuses on his senses.  And how he saw THE GIRL.

What about THIRD PERSON?  Those pervy worries that many of us have may be because we are feeling like voyeurs.  Is the camera just too far away?   When we close in, we get to the more emotional level of sex.

LANGUAGE:  There are definitely at least two schools of thought.  Some writers strive to use anatomically correct terms for sex and body parts.  Others use slang.  Some make up slang.  Whatever you use, it must sound authentic.  You really can't worry who is going to be offended....no matter what term you use, the reader will know what you're saying.  The important part: they have to believe your character would say that.  For me, this was an easy decision.  In working with men with spinal cord injuries, they almost all used the word, dick.  NO penises.  No cute slang.  The F word was power.  In rehab, when control is an issue, language is powerful.

TENSE and TRANSITIONS:   This is something that interests me a lot.  I wonder if a lot of readers (adult, maybe, more than young adult) have an easier time accepting books with sex IF the sex exists in the past tense.  

The past tense offers the reader just enough PSYCHIC DISTANCE from the moment to make the scene less volatile and maybe, more palatable. (?)  

Interesting confession:  I have to admit, I have been surprised by the "no response" to sex in my novel.  Not one book club that has interviewed me has mentioned the sex in the book.  They have asked me about language, but not about my decision to include a scene with sex.

Does that have to do with tense, or the fact that the character is paralyzed??? 

Now if you are writing a truly volatile life changing scene with sex, this may be just the reason that the PRESENT TENSE is so useful.  

We can also use time this way:  in some books, our characters talk about the sex they have had, but we don't actually see them doing it.  This reminds me of watching soap operas when I was young.  The characters would get into bed and kiss, then the show would cut to commercial.  This "fade to black" method can be effective for the writer who would rather not get into bed.  If the reaction to having had sex is more important to the story than seeing the characters have sex, this type of transition also works. 

And with that thought, stay tuned until tomorrow!

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An excerpt from a fifth grader's biography of her father. (I want to live in this house!)

At home, work is done. Jack washes dishes, washes the clothes, and more. At his home, arguing is not a problem because no one argues in Jack’s home.

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I wanted to reflect on some questions Stephanie Jones, one of my former T.C. professors and author of Engaged Intellectuals, presents at the end of chapter 11 in her book Girls, Social Class, and Literacy. She asks readers to consider some questions about the Writing Workshop they teach. Here are her questions and my answers: 1. [...]

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If you’re a children’s writer, is the children’s educational market for you?

Take the following quiz from Rita Milios to find out.

Answer each of the following questions as honestly as you can:

1. Are you an “information junkie?”

a) Definitely. I love discovering new information, reflecting on new ideas and broadening my scope of expertise.
b) Sort of. I enjoy discovering new information and ideas, but I value my own ideas just as much.
c) I really don’t care that much about information; I create mainly from my own imagination.

2. What does it mean to you to share ideas with children and shape their learning?

a) I view this as a big responsibility and therefore I feel the need to consider carefully everything that I write for them.
b) I recognize that a responsibility exists, but expect editors to be the ones responsible for the educational aspect of a writing project.
c) I really don’t feel any special responsibility; I just write what I write and let the market figure out how it fits.

3. How often do you write on assignment?

a) Often. Assignment writing is my main method of working. I enjoy it.
b) Only occasionally, but I would like to do more. I enjoy it.
c) Never. I prefer to make my own schedule and execute my own ideas.

4. How closely do you follow writer’s guidelines?

a) I realize that they are crucial; therefore I read them carefully and follow them exactly.
b) I view them as suggestions; if they fit my plan I follow them, but I feel free to adjust them as I see fit.
c) I really don’t consider these important; guidelines stifle my creativity, so I usually ignore them.

5. How much communication do you expect to have with an editor when you are writing on assignment?

a) I expect a fair amount of contact in the beginning, probably via guidelines and email updates, then less as the work goes on. But I do expect that I will be able to ask questions and have them replied to promptly.
b) I expect that an editor will be available to do a little “hand-holding” as I find my way through a project. If I have questions, I expect to be able to call an editor and get it answered right away.
c) I expect an editor to be train me (preferably via phone) in the specifics of a
project and to return all my phone calls promptly.

5. How flexible are you in working with editorial changes–project delays or crunches, changes in editorial direction, new components added to a project, etc?

a) I realize that changes in direction and new requirements are often a part of
such projects and I deal with them professionally-–doing what is asked as
promptly as possible, without complaining.
b) I realize that changes in direction and new requirements are often a part of
such projects and I try to deal with them professionally-, but I sometimes
feel obliged to let my editor know about my frustrations with such changes.
c) I feel that such changes are unacceptable and I will not make these kinds of adjustments. That is the job of the editor.

6. How comfortable are you with research and where do you find it?

a) Reputable research is vital, so I use only sources recognized as reliable (primary sources, academic materials, internet sites related to a college, institution or association that is regarded for its expertise in a field, etc.).
b) I recognize that reputable sources are important, and I use these; but I place equal value on more informal research such as blog posts and personal websites.
c) Google is the only source I ever need. I use whatever sites are returned as
the top sites in a Google search.

7. How important do you believe creativity is in education writing?

a) Creativity is extremely important. It is what separates great educational
writing from mediocre and is a expected by publishers today.
b) Creativity is helpful; when you have the flexibility to be more creative, it is good to incorporate it into the writing.
c) Creativity does not have much place in educational writing. Writing that is
mostly didactic and encyclopedic is perfectly acceptable.

8. Are you capable of (and enjoy) writing at various grade levels?

a) Definitely I can write equally well at a variety of grade levels, and I enjoy the challenge and creativity of such options.
b) I have written for at least a couple of different age levels and I am eager to learn the specific requirements for each grade level.
c) I only write for one age or grade level and do not want to add more.

9. Are you capable of (and enjoy) creating different kinds of materials–books, workbooks, quizzes, crafts, activities, flash chards, etc.?

a) I have created many of these in the past, and I know I can learn how to create others.
b) I have not done much of this kind of work, but I am willing and eager to learn how.
c) I never want to write anything other than the nonfiction articles or fiction
stories that I currently write.

10. How familiar are you with curriculum guidelines?

a) I know where to access different states’ curriculum guidelines, and have
used these for previous educational assignments.
b) I trust that I can find this information and am willing to spend some time learning how to use it in my educational writing,
c) What? This sounds too restrictive for me. I’m not interested in adhering to such guidelines.

****************************
Scoring: Give yourself 10 points for each “a” answer, 6 pints for each “b” answer and 3 points for each “c” answer. Total your score for all answers.

If your Total is 80-100 points, congratulations! You are definitely ready (or already on your way) to be an educational writer. You have the right combination of professional attitude, skills, knowledge, curiosity, and social responsibility to make a great children’s educational writer.

If your Total is between 60 and 80 points, good for you! You have the right attitude, curiosity and some of the skills and knowledge you’ll need to be a great children’s educational writer. You also have the willingness to learn and grow in your skills and knowledge in order to achieve your goal.

If your Total is between 40 and 60 points, you may need to work harder to accomplish your goal of writing for the children’s educational market. Look back at the questions you gave “c” answers to. Do these reflect an unwillingness to compromise or to be flexible? Do your answers indicate that you consider your personal independence as a creator of the utmost importance? If so, you may need to adjust this attitude and recognize that the requirements of educational writing, which is often based on assignments and detailed guidelines, is in its own way creative.

In addition, it can be very rewarding to work as a team player once in a while. If you can achieve this new perspective, you will be much more likely to make a good educational writer.

If your Total is less than 40 points, yikes! You have challenges ahead, should you choose to pursue the niche of children’s educational writing. Review the questions and suggestions in the above scoring and see if these may indicate to you some areas where you may wish to make adjustments. If not, then education writing may simply not be your cup of teas, after all.

*********************

To learn more about writing for the children’s educational markets, join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club today and attend a special LIVE teleclass today at 2:00 eastern time with
Rita Milios. Once you join the club, you will receive an email invitation to this event. Later, you will receive a link to a recording of this event so you can listen to it again any time you want.

childrens educational markets, Rita Milios, writing for children, Writing For Kids

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polls - Take Our Poll

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This Thursday, February 28 , 2008, at 2:00 p.m. eastern time, the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club will offer another exciting and informative teleclass for children’s writers.

Rita Milios will present session 1 in the Writing for Children’s Educational Markets Series - The Lucrative Educational Market: Where Do YOU Fit In?

Join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club today and find out on Thursday if writing for the educational markets is right for you.

When you join the club you will receive links to these other three teleclasses that were presented earlier this month:

Lila Guzman - Show Me the Money: Writing Biographies for Young Readers

Margot Finke - Picture (Book) Perfect

Simon Rose - Beyond Belief: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for Young Readers (part 1 of a 2 part teleclass)

Every month, club members are given the opportunity to attend 4 LIVE 55-minute teleclasses about some aspect of writing and publishing for children. Later, the links to these recorded classes are sent to all members, too.

Join the CWCC here.

Childrens Writers Coaching Club, educational markets, Lila Guzman, Margot Finke, Rita Milios, Simon Rose, writing for children

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Save this date if you live in or around Kansas City:

Saturday, March 15, 2008 9:30 am -11:45 am & 1:00 - 3:15 pm

Interested in writing books for the beginning reader?

Go to the morning “Easy Readers 101″ session and learn more about this genre.

Not sure what to do when your book comes out?

Then the morning session “Promotion 101″ is for you.

Like sticking to the facts?

Attend the afternoon “Nonfiction for Fun and Profit” session and learn how the truth sells.

Or have you been wondering why writers and illustrators have websites and blogs?

Then you will want the afternoon companion sessions of “Website 101″ and “Blog 101″.

COST for all day- $35.00 SCBWI members $45.00 nonmembers

Please pre-register by March 12th

SPEAKER INFO - MORNING SESSIONS:

Lisa Harkrader (author) -Promotion 101

Suzanne Lieurance (author) - Easy Readers 101

AFTERNOON SESSIONS:

Kate Barsotti (webmaster) - Website 101

Sue Ford (writer, whose day job includes writing blogs for 7 websites) - Blog 101

Debra McArthur - Nonfiction for Fun and Profit

EVENT FORMAT - Come 5-10 minutes early to check-in.

The workshop starts promptly at 9:30 am with a few announcements, and some get acquainted minutes, including an ice breaker and time to tell others your good news. Then it will be breakout time for the morning sessions.

After lunch come back for the afternoon sessions. At 3 p.m. we will regather and you will have the chance to purchase books by the authors.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Download the registration form from www.kansas-scbwi.org and fill it in and send with your check.

Please pre-register by March 12th

QUESTIONS - Contact Sue Ford, Regional Advisor, at [email protected] or call 913-782-1353, evenings or weekends

Kansas SCBWI, writers conference, writing workshop

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Here is the ending of a 5th grader's biography of her 76-year-old grandmother:

Some of Doris's best qualities are her patience, her consideration of others, her kindness, and most of all she is loving (she is also very pretty!)

Doris’ bad habit is talking on the telephone.

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This week’s teleclass for members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club will be presented by children’s author Margot Finke. She’ll talk about what it takes to write a children’s picture book. Just look at what she’ll cover in this fun and informative teleclass:

PICTURE (BOOK) PERFECT

* Good grammar and punctuation
* Tight writing — use a few carefully chosen words to write a “big” story.
* The benefit of bringing powerful verbs into play.
* How to paint word pictures that will stick in a child’s head.
* How to write active paragraphs that easily translate into illustrations
* How to FOCUS on what is important to the story — and cut the rest.
* The art of crafting characters kids will identify with and root for.
* Develop a writing “voice” that is unique.

This LIVE teleclass will take place on Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at 4:00 pacific time.

To receive an email invitation to this event, along with any handouts needed for the class, join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club HERE.

childrens picture books, Childrens Writers Coaching Club, Margot Finke

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In addition to doing one-day-get-in-and-get-out presentations, I also do writing workshops of two or more days.

Here, then, is some advice on conducting writing workshops (learned from my time in the trenches):

• Send a written information sheet to the contact person prior to the workshop. On the sheet, clearly outline what you will be doing and if there will be any homework assignments. This gives teachers a chance to prepare for the day, especially the homework load.

• Let the kids know very clearly what they can expect from the workshop. (Today we will be talking about blah blah. ...You will have some homework tonight....Tomorrow when I come, you should have finished blah blah, etc.)

• I always announce from the get-go: "I don't expect that everyone in this class loves to write. Maybe you do, but I bet there's someone in here who doesn't love to write. But that's okay. For this workshop, I'll be with you every step of the way. I won't leave anyone in the dust...and hopefully, you will enjoy it. But no matter what, you can say goodbye to your worries about writing." You'd be surprised how many kids have a look of utter relief on their faces at this permission to not like writing. (And I'm proud to say I've had kids tell me that they thought they didn't like to write - but they really had fun in the workshop. The ultimate!)

• Most teachers will beat you to this, but if not, have the kids clear everything off their desks except what they will need for the workshop. This alleviates distractions.

• Before asking a student to help hand out any worksheets, paper, etc., check with the teacher. Often the class has designated helpers for the day and there may already be an official paper-giver-outer. Kids take those things seriously, you know.
  

• Before you say the word "highlighter" - tell the kids to sit on their hands. Trust me, the mere mention of the word sends 25 kids diving into their desks immediately.

• When orally brainstorming examples of writing exercises, be prepared to hear dirty underwear and dog poop. In fact, be mentally prepared to hear anything. I once asked a class of 4th graders what was the one thing that all writers needed before they could start a book and one student answered, "A joint." (For those of you who think that is the correct answer, you are wrong. The correct answer is an idea.)

• When it's time to orally share student writing, ask the teacher to help you call on students to share. This gets the teacher involved in the workshop. But the best reason for doing this is that the teacher knows the students and knows which ones may need to be drawn out.

• When sharing work out loud, make sure the students know you probably won't have time for everyone to share, but you will do your best.

• Announce, "This is the last one" when you are calling on the last student. This saves 25 kids from continuing to wave their hands wildly.

That's it, folks!

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If you read blogs, writing magazines, or publishing industry newsletters, one aspect of publishing in the twenty-first century becomes crystal clear—to be successful today, a writer needs to self-promote. Yikes!

For many of us, that’s a problem: we’re by and large bookish introverts who happily hole up in our offices for hours on end. Bookstore signings? School visits? Conference presentations? When you’re just beginning to publish, your knees probably knock together when you think about stepping in front of an audience to promote your books. If only you had an expert to guide you as you take those first feeble steps out of your writing cubby and into the world!

Now you can. This March, the Highlights Foundation is proud to present Life in the Spotlight: The Path to Successful School and Library Visits, Self-Promotion, and Press Interviews with Peter Jacobi.

Peter is an award-winning journalism professor, a former on-air reporter for radio and television (including ABC and NBC News), a magazine consultant, and a specialist in speech training and media training. Best of all, this acclaimed journalist, writer, and renowned public speaker is willing to hold your hand as you take your first steps toward building your writing career through self-promotion.

As a participant in Life in the Spotlight, you will learn the publicity techniques needed to promote your books, gain practice in public speaking and presentation skills, and participate in a real-life school experience—with an expert to guide you each step of the way.

Here’s what one former workshop attendee has to say about Life in the Spotlight:

“Peter Jacobi’s Life in the Spotlight gave me the jump start I needed to overcome my fear of public speaking and publicity. In a group setting, Peter warmly gave us one-to-one attention to help us build confidence through reading, interviewing, and performing on-site school presentations. The lectern has become a good friend.”

—Lori Ries, author of Aggie and Ben, Three Stories (an Oregon Book Award Finalist); Super Sam; Mrs. Fickle’s Pickles; and Fix It, Sam! Her latest release, Punk Wig, is due out this March. Lori now promotes her work through school visits, author signings, and conferences.

If you’re serious about your writing career and believe in your books, take advantage of the opportunity to learn from Peter Jacobi. Click here for more information.

The Highlights Foundation
814 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570) 253-1192
E-mail: [email protected]

Highlights Foundation, Life in the Spotlight, Peter Jacobi

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Fiction, nonfiction, picture books, easy readers . . . the great books come alive. They breathe. They lament. They stand up and cheer. And, whether I had intended or not, they pull me as editor, as reader, into their living world, allowing me to breathe and lament and stand up with them. The heart of a really good book beats.

Okay then, you might ask, what makes a good book’s heart beat? There are more answers to the question than anyone can give in one morning, but I believe you give yourself a leg up in discovering the heartbeat, if as a writer you dare to look at life on a slant.

Readers do not want what is straightforward, understandable, four square, typical, sturdy, easy, predictable. No, I believe character and plot and setting and language—on a slant—is what readers thirst for. They are intrigued with what is odd, aberrant, offbeat, strange—for goodness’ sake. And praise be!

This tip comes from a talk given by Patti at the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. If you’d like to learn from Patti in person, join us for the 2008 workshop. Find out more at www.highlightsfoundation.org.

Patricia Lee Gauch is vice president and editor at large of Philomel Books as well as a respected author in her own right. She holds a doctorate in English literature, and has taught children’s literature on the college level and reviewed for The New York Times. Patti has edited three Caldecott books, including Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr, and So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George and David Small. She has worked with many well-known authors, including Jane Yolen, Andrew Clements, and Brian Jacques.

The Highlights Foundation
814 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570) 253-1192
E-mail: [email protected]

Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop, Patricia Lee Gauch

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And can you write better than a fifth grader?

I just finished up a month-long residency with fifth graders who wrote biographies of someone they interviewed: a parent, grandparent, neighbor, teacher, etc.

As many times as I've done this, you would think I would no longer be surprised by the quality of the writing.

But I still am.

I came away with pages and pages of examples of knock-your-socks-off writing produced by those kids.

Here are some examples of opening lines written by fifth graders:

1. This was a FIRST DRAFT, following a discussion about trying to show setting, particularly seasons:

2. Once again, showing seasons:


3. An opening line that shows setting and hooks the reader (i.e., why not the Johnson family? What are they doing?):


4. A great hook for a first sentence:


5. Showing setting - both time and place:



6. We brainstormed ways to start a bio with action. One way was to find information in the interview about what the person liked to do - hobbies, interests, sports, etc. - and start with that. Here's a great example of that:


[Note: This also gives the reader information about the age of the subject - what I refer to in the workshop as a "time marker."

7. This kid wanted to show that his subject grew up in an apartment building:

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February 4-29, 2008

Engaging the Reader from Start to Finish!!

Instructor: Terry Spear
Cost: $25.00 payable by PayPal
Deadline to Register: January 30th
For more information go to:http://www.pasic.net/classes.html

Slow starts and sleepy endings to scenes and chapters can ruin a manuscript's chance of being published. Conversely, solid hooks can make the sale – as workshop instructor Terry Spear demonstrates, with six publishers currently hooked for six manuscripts. Setting such practical matters aside, what author wouldn't be thrilled to hear someone say, "I couldn't put the book down"? Strong hooks are a vital ingredient in strong writing. In this online class, which features lectures, discussion, practical exercises, and handouts, she'll teach students how to captivate readers with great openings, scene hooks, chapter cliff hangers, and intriguing back cover blurbs. Participants can learn how the hook in all its environments, from the query letter through the novel.

About the Instructor:

Terry Spear has published in many genres, including historical romantic suspense, contemporary, urban fantasy, and under the name Terry Lee Wilde, young adult paranormal and fantasy romances. She's the author of Winning the Highlander's Heart, is a debut paranormal author for Sourcebooks with the urban fantasy, Heart of the Wolf, coming April 1st, Don’t Cry Wolf, April 2009, and The Vampire…In My Dreams is already out. Deadly Liaisons is coming in November, Relative Danger,TBA. She also writes nonfiction for numerous genealogy, WWII, teen,and family magazines, and has had romantic fiction published inmagazines. Currently, she's working on a sequel to Heart of the Wolf, Betrayal of the Wolf.

Her website: http://www.terryspear.com/
Deadline to Register: January 30th
For more information go to: http://www.pasic.net/classes.html

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René Colato Laínez

In my classroom, I loved to tell funny, scary, sad, happy and adventurous stories. One day, one of my students asked me, "Can you write that story and draw the pictures?"

"What a wonderful idea!" I told him.

That night, I wrote and illustrated my first picture book- "El numero 1/ The Number 1."

I finished the book at 1:00 A.M. and I was thrilled.

Then, I wrote and illustrated more books. Soon, I had a box labeled “Mr. Colato’s Books”. I discovered that during independent and silent reading, this box was empty. All around the classroom, my students were reading my books. I was so excited and decided to write more and more books.

After presenting a new book, Elvis told me, “You are the teacher full of stories.”

“Sí, yes! He is the teacher full of stories,” all the children said at the same time.

And I became the teacher full of stories at Fernangeles Elementary.

One morning, children’s book authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy visited my school and told me, “You have to send this wonderful books to publishers.”

Then I met Amada Irma Perez at CABE, California Association for Bilingual Education. Amada inspired me with her workshop about writing your own stories and get them published.

On March 2001, I was ready to drive the bumpy road to publication. I signed up for the Chautauqua Workshop in New York. Highlights for Children was one of my favorite magazine. I wanted to learn from their creators. This could be a great workshop for my writing career.

By July 2001, I had written two manuscripts and had rejection letters for both of them. I took the manuscripts to Chautauqua.

Patricia Lee Gauch, editor at Philomel Books, read my first manuscript and told me, “Good writing but I have seen many picture books about this topic. Do you have another manuscript?”

“Yes,” I told her. “It is in my room.”

That afternoon, I gave her my manuscript “Waiting for Papá.” Something magical happened. Patricia did not like my manuscript, SHE LOVED IT. Patricia sat with me and with her pen, wrote suggestions all over the manuscript. At the end of the workshop, she gave me a big hug and told me, “We can do this book together.”

Four months later, I received a lovely rejection letter for Patricia. She still loved the manuscript but the acquisition table did not select the manuscript. However, Patricia had more suggestions for me. I followed them and submitted my manuscript to Piñata Books/ Arte Publico Press.

On January 2002, my dream became a reality; my manuscript was selected for publication by Piñata Books. Bravo! Ahora era un autor, I was an author.

Yes, the Chautauqua Workshop changed my life and now it can change your life too.

Kent Brown, the executive director of the Highlights Foundation, is offering scholarships to Latino writers to attend the conference this summer. The funds are there but you need to apply before February 15, 2008. Get in contact with Kent Brown.

This is info about the scholarship:

Since the Highlights Foundation Scholarship Program was first established in 1988, more than 250 scholarships have been awarded to applicants who wish to attend the Foundation's Annual Children's Writers Workshop at Chautauqua, New York. These scholarships make the experience of Chautauqua possible for many individuals who might otherwise not have the opportunity or the resources to participate.

Individuals with a serious interest in writing for children and who have an established financial need are invited to apply. Scholarship applications are evaluated on an ongoing basis by the Highlights Foundation Scholarship Committee. Scholarships vary in the stipend awarded depending on an applicant's requirements and the funds available. Funds for scholarships come from two sources: a Foundation Endowment Fund or scholarships that are funded annually by donors.

This year the scholarship committee will be considering applications in two groups. It works in your favor if we receive your application early. The early group of applications is reviewed on December 1, and you are encouraged to apply BEFORE that date. The final deadline is February 15, 2008.

For more information on the Foundation Scholarship Program or to receive an application form, please contact:
Kent L. Brown Jr.
Executive Director
The Highlights Foundation
570-253-1192
[email protected]

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When writing biographies of family members, some kids just want to get to the point and move time along.

Check out this excerpt from a first chapter written by a fifth grader:

She had a lovely childhood and before you know it she was in high school.

Here's another one, moving time right along:

It was April 24, 1962; a baby girl was born in Springfield, MA. Her name was Kaitlin P. That was the happiest day of her parent’s lives. Time flew by really fast.

At the age of 15, Kaitlin became a cashier at a little convenient store.

[She sure was lucky to have a convenient store.]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love kids!

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Another gem from a fifth grader's biography of his grandmother:

As a child, Lenore disliked two things: her brother's brown cocker spaniel and the maid.

[I swear I'm not making these up, folks.]

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The National Writing for Children Center

welcomes Margot Finke to the faculty of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club.

Children’s Author Margot Finke

Find out more about Margot Finke on Our Staff & Faculty Page.

Margot will be teaching a monthly teleclass for members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club starting in February.

Her February teleclass will be:

PICTURE (BOOK) PERFECT

This teleclass will cover the following:

* Good grammar and punctuation
* Tight writing — use a few carefully chosen words to write a “big” story.
* The benefit of bringing powerful verbs into play.
* How to paint word pictures that will stick in a child’s head.
* How to write active paragraphs that easily translate into illustrations
* How to FOCUS on what is important to the story — and cut the rest.
* The art of crafting characters kids will identify with and root for.
* Develop a writing “voice” that is unique.

Join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club today so you won’t miss any of Margot’s exciting and informative classes. Click the Coaching Club link directly below.<!--Begin--->

The Children’s Writers
Coaching Club


<!--End--->

Childrens Writers Coaching Club, Margot Finke, writing picture books

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From a student's biography of his grandmother:

Soon she was teaching the second grade. She did a great job teaching even though she has a very short temper.


I love kids......

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My vacation is officially over tomorrow, when I start a month of biography workshops with 5th graders.

To get myself prepped, I've been reading over student work from past workshops.

Here's one by a kid who wrote a bio of his grandfather, Mark. Does this kid's personality jump right off the page or what?

He didn’t tell me how, but Mark got married to my now late grandmother, Sandra K and had 9 kids! So basically if it wasn’t for Mark, you wouldn’t be reading this essay now would you, (I know cool, huh?)

Here is how the same kid ended his biography.

He lives here with me, my mom, and my creepy little brother. He no longer works and likes to stay home and watch T.V.

Sometimes he goes to the gym to swim to stay slim (I love to rhyme☺). He is a good man and now does lots of charity work. He does much for the community and world.

I love it when kids aren't self-conscious about putting their personality into their writing.

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Visit www.suzannelieurance.com to find out who will be the guest for the day on Book Bites for Kids, a LIVE radio show that airs every weekday afternoon at 2:00 central time.

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Every week, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club are given a simple writing exercise and invited to submit a manuscript for critique. The critique telesession takes place every Wednesday night. Find out more about the club here.

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The National Writing for Children Center is looking for a new teaching tips contributing editor in January to take over for Renee Kirchner.

Every week, Renee has submitted an article with teaching tips for classroom teachers, parents, and other educators of young children. But now Renee is going back to school and will also be working part time. Everyone will miss her wonderfully informative articles. But we’re hoping another writer with experience in the classroom will want to become our new teaching tips contributing editor. For more information, email [email protected].

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Freelance writer and The Working Writer’s Coach, Suzanne Lieurance, will offer an exciting new weeklong writing workshop in Cortona, Italy in September called Have the time of Your Life - Write the Book of Your Dreams. Find out more about the workshop here.

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I think one of the best ways to help kids understand specific writing techniques, such as "Show, Don't Tell" - is to present them with examples of before and after revision.

Over the years, I've collected some great samples of revisions done by fifth graders that illustrate their grasp of the "Show, Don't Tell" technique.

Check these out (from workshops in which the kids - fifth graders - write biographies of a parent or grandparent):

Before: Bob wasn't happy when his father told him they were moving.

After: Bob's father came in and announced, "We're moving." Bob groaned when he heard the news.


Before: John loved to play baseball with the kids in the neighborhood.

After: As soon as John got home from school, he dashed back to his room to grab his baseball mitt, then hurried to meet his friends in the vacant lot next door.


Before: She was good at swimming.

After: Swimming medals covered her bedroom wall.


Before: Sam loved to go to the Cape every summer with his family.

After: Sam counted the days until his family would load the beach chairs and boogie boards into the car and head for the Cape.


Before: He hated doing chores, like vacuuming, washing dishes or raking.

After: He groaned when he had to vacuum. He whined when he had to wash dishes. He grumbled when he had to rake.


Before: His favorite subject was geography.

After: He loved it when the teacher whacked her pointer on the map, pointing out countries and rivers.

For any kid who didn't quite "get" Show, Don't Tell, hearing these usually lights the old proverbial light bulb for them.

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René Colato Laínez

These pictures are courtesy of many Macondistas. ¡Gracias!


*The Macondo Writing Workhop was celebrated from July 29 to August 5 in San Antonio, Texas.

*Most of the Macondistas stayed at the Our Lady of the Lake University dorms.

*Our famosas workshop teachers were Joy Harjo and Dorothy Allison.

*Our Macondistas teachers were Levi Romero, Liliana Valenzuela,
Alex Espinoza and Jackie Cuevas.

*We had great seminars throught the week. Just check the titles and presenters.
-Borderlands With in Us by Dr. Marga Speicher.
-Creating Real Life Characters- Yourself and Others by Gregg Barrios.
-Making Peace in Time of War by Baldemar Velasquez and Amelia Mesa-Baines
-The Political Essay by Norma Alarcon and Macarena Hernandez.


*Our invited literary agent was the talented Stefanie Von Borstel from Full Circle Literary.

*Natalia Treviño organized the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center visit.

*Noche de Macondo at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center was a blast. Joy Harjo gave us a great concert.


*Jump-Start Theatre featured Dorothy Allison. Two or Three Things I know For Sure are that Dorothy is great, great and great.

*Lucha Corpi and Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains received the Gloria Anzaldua’s Milagro Award.

*The yoga teacher was our Macondista Michelle Otero.

*The readings at Macondo BBQ were amazing and unpredictable.

*The talented children's Book Author Amada Irma Pérez read at the San Antonio Public Library.

*And as always Sandra Cisneros was our angel, amiga, consejera and la mera mera. Sandra all the Macondistas love you!



About the Macondo Workshop

The Macondo Writing Workshop is a unique summer gathering for writers working on geographic, cultural, social and spiritual borders.

Founded in 1995 by writer Sandra Cisneros and named after the sleepy town in Gabriel García Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, the week-long workshop transforms San Antonio, Texas — and more broadly, La Frontera — into a space of intense artistic and cultural creativity.

Macondo is a master's-level workshop, meaning that participants are expected to take their writing seriously and to have fulfilled at least one of the following:

1. published a book or several stories in journals or magazines,
2. enrolled in or completed an MFA program, or
3. studied under at least three professional writers.


An essential aspect of the Macondo ethic is a global sense of community; workshop members should, in addition to being already established and capable of participating in a master's-level class, recognize their place as writers in our society and the world.

A second element of the Macondo ethic is a spirit of generosity. In the spirit of Sandra Cisneros, who volunteers valuable writing time for the nourishment of other writers.


Monetary contributions are accepted from those with better means to assist workshop participants who cannot fund their own airfare and lodging.

In addition, workshop members are expected to review each other's work with rigor and vision. Time is viewed as a gift equal to that of money, so time given is as valuable as cash!

The workshop is divided into three mixed-genre groups, each of them headed by an accomplished writer or team of writers. After attending one year, participants are allowed to enroll in Sandra Cisneros' class.

Mornings are spent individually reading each other's work, afternoons consist of "workshopping" by groups, and evenings are spent discussing various artistic, political and spiritual issues related to writing.



For more information visit www.macondoworkshop.org

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