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On her blog, “Fresh From the Oven” Catherine Ipcizade shared the ups and downs of her book launch at the Santa Ana Zoo, for her new book, ‘Twas the Day Before Zoo Day. What I really loved about this was that Catherine shared with readers what *didn’t* work, as well as what did. We’ve all had those events where things didn’t go as planned so her experiences were totally relatable!

Another mucho-generoso blog post I read this week came from the website of author Evelyn B. Christensen, where she posted a list of educational publishers and their submission information. This was a lot of research on her part, and to share it as she did deserves a round of applause!

Author: Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert
Illustrator: Dusan Petricic (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Annick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1554511208 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

More imagination on JOMB:

I recently posted my book trailer for BLACKBERRY BANQUET (click here to view) and I was surprised at the response from other writers. Some wanted to know how I did it; some said they impressed because they could never do such a thing. Well, I’m here to say that YOU CAN! It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be—the main thing for me was to go into it with a learning attitude. Play around, tinker, and don’t pressure myself. I told myself it could take months to complete.

Here are some tips and tidbits of info, based on my own experience:
I used Windows Movie Maker. I didn’t realize I even had it on my computer, until someone pointed it out to me. I found it by clicking on the START button (lower-left corner), went to PROGRAMS then ACCESSORIES then voila! There it was. Because I'm generally one of those people who reads the instructions before starting something, I first read about the program from the HELP menu, just to get an overall sense of what I was in for .

Next, I did thumbnail sketches of what I wanted on a notepad. I knew I wanted to keep it around 60 seconds (like an average TV commercial) and I didn’t want to have more than 20 images, including the text-only images. Once I had my thumbnails (aka, roadmap), I used Adobe Photoshop to select and size my images (note: I had already contacted my publisher about the project and received permission to use the artwork—she was so happy about my doing this that she not only gave permission, she ultimately resent all of the art images in higher resolution images).

In WMM (Windows Movie Maker), I figured out (from the Help menu) what frame size the program uses, and I made my images conform to that size. I knew this would make the transition easier later, when I would import the images into WMM. In Photoshop, I also created the text-only frames. Note: Be sure to include a frame with your publisher’s website, your website and book ordering info. After all, you are trying to promote your book!

Next, I opened up WMM, and began importing my images. That was the easy part. Once they were all there, I had to determine the length of time on each frame (by clicking on the thumbnail image at the bottom and dragging it to the desired time), and what kind of transition effect I wanted from one frame to another (by right-clicking on the thumbnail image then clicking on “Video Effects”). This is where the real fun began—lots of tinkering and playing around!

Once I had the frames in place and was pleased with the overall look, I did a music search. There are all kinds of royalty-free music sites on the internet. I found mine on “The Music Bakery” but as I said, there are many out there. I should add too, that this was probably the lengthiest part of the entire process—finding the perfect music. I purchased the music (prices vary), but once I did, it was mine to use and I won’t have to worry about copyright issues.

Downloading the music to my computer then to WMM was a bit tricky for me, but some great websites on the internet guided me through. One of my favorites was the Papa John site. A couple of times, I also Googled my questions and was able to find the answers.

Once I had the music downloaded, I put it to the video clip, and then tinkered with the timing. I shortened some transitions or frame lengths, doing what was necessary to make it all fit.
Once I was finished, I saved the file to my computer (the file in WMM is a project file, so you have to save it separately onto your computer to be able to email or upload it to the internet). I sent it to my editor, for her opinion. With a tiny bit more tinkering, I was completely finished.

The entire process took me about four days, but as I said, it really was fun and gave me a chance to indulge in a whole new kind of creativity (plus, I saved myself about $300-400, what I had found was the fee for a professional to make one for me). So, don't sell yourself short--give it a try! Since I shared this with my fellow Sylvan Dell authors, another author, Sherry Rogers, has created her own (click here to view). And if you want to see a terrific sampling of many wonderful children's book trailers, click here.

Happy movie making!

The writing business is like an emotional sea. It definitely has its peaks and troughs. Many things take us to the crest of a wave—
The feeling of satisfaction when you finish a long, hard project.
Getting a personalized rejection letter from a respected editor or agent who compliments your work.
Getting a contract offer.
Receiving a phone call from an agent wanting to represent you.
Receiving a surprisingly high royalty check in the mail.
Getting an email or letter from a child telling you how much they loved your story.
These are all good things that keep us going. They take us to the pinnacle of that wave and let us feel like Neptume, in control of the sea.

But we can’t always ride the crest now, can we? Call it yin and yang, the balancing of the universe, or in my case, sliding down into the trough of the wave, but whatever you call it, there are those things that don’t make us feel quite as uplifted—
Your computer goes bonkers and eats your story that you’ve worked on for eight months.
You get a form letter rejection from an editor for whom you felt a lot of optimism.
Your dream agent declines to represent you after requesting to read your full manuscript.
You hear from an editor that your manuscript had made it quite far in the editorial selection process, but was just shy of being accepted.
You eagerly anticipate your first royalty check, only to discover it will barely buy you a cup of coffee and an espresso brownie at Starbucks.
You get a bad review.

This list could go on, couldn’t it? We’ve all had our ups and downs. Now, before you start thinking this is a big old whine-fest, let me say there’s a point. I’m curious to hear how other writers handle the “troughs” of writing. I don’t mean writer’s block or writer’s blahs; I mean how you handle those disappointments that make you stop in your tracks and question things. Personally, I have a few different coping methods—sometimes I just shake it off within a few minutes, sometimes a long walk puts things into perspective, sometimes indulging in my favorite chocolate helps (well, it helps my mind, but not my hips).



What do YOU do to get out of the troughs and work through the disappointments in writing? Make a comment--I'd love to hear from you!

I've had a nice response to Kristin Daly's Mini-View and her advice on writing in rhyme (special thanks to those who emailed me :-). It seems that writing in rhyme, whether in the form of a poem or a story, is a longstanding love for many children's writers (this writer being one!). So, on that same line, pop on over to The Write Marbles for an interview with poet Greg Pincus. Greg gives a great writing tip, shares the benefits of working in library and of course, fills us in on some fibbery!

You only get one chance to make a first impression, right? And you want it to be a good one, right? You might think that your cover letter is what an editor reads first (well, besides the outside of your envelope), but that’s not always true. In the course of attending many SCBWI writing events, I’ve often heard editors say that they go straight to the manuscript then read the cover letter if they’re intrigued—which means that your first page is your first impression.

This is why properly formatting your manuscript is so important. Before reading a single word, an editor will get a first impression of you; will see your level of professionalism. You want to conform to industry standards because you want your writing to stand out, not your formatting. Editors receive hundreds of manuscripts a week and frankly, it can be annoying to read one that is not in accordance with what their trained eyes are accustomed to reading. Improper formatting screams “amateur/inexperience/newbie.” It might also scream, “Run, editor, run!”

So, what are you to do? Well, once again, the fabulous SCBWI has done the legwork. Go to their website and read their article called, “From Keyboard to Printed Page: Facts You Should Know.” When I first began writing for publication, I had no clue what to do, until I read this article. Trust me, it's a gem!

What are some things to avoid when formatting your manuscript? How could you make a bad first impression? Here are a few things that I came up with:
1. use any other paper than plain white (no colors, scents, textures)
2. use cute, fancy fonts or clip art
3. use anything other than double-spacing for the body of your work
4. don't give a word count
5. don't number your pages
6. “cheat” with the margins so you can fit more text on a single page
7. send your envelope certified mail or any way that requires a signature

Please add a comment if you can think of anything else! I welcome funny or serious ;-)

Donna German offers a great explanation of what's currently happening at Sylvan Dell Publishing and what they look for when acquiring manuscripts. Click here (and scroll down) to visit her post on the Verla Kay Discussion Board.

I wish there was a clever verb to describe reading through blogs. Slogging the blogs? Jogging the blogs? Leap-frogging through the blogs? Anyway...

I really enjoy Anastasia Suen’s blog, Create-Relate. I recently found a post on it referring to literary agent Nathan Branford’s blog, where he interviewed his colleague Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown Ltd. The topic of her interview is what she expects an author to do once she’s made an offer for representation.

If you’re in the market for an agent, I’d recommend you pop on over and give it a read. And give Anastasia’s site a visit too. All great stuff!

You’ve decided that it’s appropriate to write your story in rhyme (see my post on 10/04/07) and have toiled over your work for months/years and finally completed a beautifully rhymed piece. Now what?

Here are five things I do after I think I’m finished with my story (BTW, this also works for non-rhyming text, but I find it especially helpful for rhyming work):

1. Read your work aloud. Picture books are meant to be read aloud so you need to hear how your words sound.

2. Tape-record yourself reading your story aloud. When you play back the recording, listen for any inconsistencies in the flow/rhythm. Listen to the sounds of the words. Do they roll of your tongue with ease? Are they pleasant to the ear? Will children and adults want to hear them over and over again?

3. Read your work aloud while walking. This is one of my all-time favorite tips (which I heard from Ann Whitford Paul): I will walk through my house with manuscript in hand, reading aloud, and if there’s any glitch in the rhythm, my feet stumble a bit. I actually feel the inconsistencies in my body. It’s a very telling technique. If I get hung up on a certain line or stanza, sometimes I’ll take a pad and pencil and go for a walk, repeating the words till I get something that fits the rhythm of my gait.

4. Let a “non-reader” read your work aloud. By “non-reader”, I mean someone who does not normally read children’s literature, especially aloud. I find this extremely helpful. My husband assists me with this, and every time he reads my rhyming work aloud, I can immediately hear any flaws. While he reads, I make a note of any spots where he hesitates, or stumbles a bit, or the flow/rhythm sounds off to me.

5. Workshop your story amongst other children’s writers. Critique groups, “critiquenics” and retreat or conference opportunities are a great way to get feedback on your much-labored work. Let your professional colleagues be the final judges of whether your story is ready for an editor's eyes and ears.

We often hear editors say that they don’t want rhyming work. I honestly believe that most editors like rhyming work, IF it’s written well. The problem is that too many writers submit work that hasn’t been scrutinized enough. Make sure your story is its absolute best and you’ll have a much better chance for publication.

Best of luck!

I’m back from the Silver Falls Retreat in Oregon, hosted by the SCBWI-Oregon chapter. I don’t believe there could be a more perfect setting for a writer’s retreat (other than Yosemite, perhaps); a rainforest-esque backdrop, splashes of autumn colors in the deciduous trees, patches of clouds dancing amongst the treetops, babbling brooks, delicate waterfalls and a group of highly creative children’s authors and editors.

Boy, was it hard to drive to PDX to catch my flight home!

Here are a couple of quotes from some of the speakers that you might enjoy:

“Anyone can write. Only a real writer can revise.”--Margaret Bechard

“I saw the angel in the marble and I just chiseled till I set him free.”—Deborah Brodie quoting Michelangelo.

“I recommend three things to all children’s writers: 1) take acting lessons (to better understand how to get into your characters), 2) voice lessons (for when you begin public speaking), and 3) join a storytelling group or class.”—Bruce Coville.

Just a quick note about a couple of cool blog sites:

AgentQuery.com has a list of agent and editor blogs. Click here to see them.

And one of my favorite blogs, Editorial Anonymous, has an interesting post ("Busted Again") on royalties and advances.

Happy reading!

Here are a few more bits of wisdom I’ve come to notice in regards to author photos (you may recall my recent post on the subject)...

Snapshots: On rare occasions, snapshots have their place, but they really do belong more in the family album and not representing you as a professional writer. The problem with snapshots is that we love them because they capture a moment in time that’s special to us, but the rest of the viewers (editors, other professionals, potential book buyers) don’t get that. While a snapshot may make you feel all warm and fuzzy about that moment when you stood on the windswept cliff, all they see is your hair blowing every which way and you bundled up in so many layers that you look like a polar bear.

Amateur photos: These are better than snapshots, and when done well, can be just as effective as a professional photo. Try to use good lighting (outdoor/natural light works well), a natural look and pleasant background. Here are some things to be careful of: the busy writer hard at work at her desk, where the writer literally is lost amongst the clutter (I KNOW she’s in there somewhere!). Or, the writer/illustrator standing in the garden, but doesn’t realize that the background foliage makes it look like she has antlers or Martian antennae sticking out of her head. Remind your photographer to check the background as well as you, the subject. I recently had my husband take a picture of my in front of a blackberry bush, to promote my upcoming book, BLACKBERRY BANQUET (Sylvan Dell 2008). I made sure that the background was not dominating me. I wanted to be the standout, not the berry bush.

In addition to being aware of backgrounds that consume you, know that clothes and jewelry can do the same thing. The key—keep it simple! Simple clothing ad accessories won’t swallowed you alive. Whether you’re going for a casual look, a dressy look, or some sort of attire that ties into you book, make sure that it doesn’t overpower you.

One last comment: Don't get me wrong about fun pictures that you can use to engage your audience and give them a sense of who you are (that's where snapshots come in). Your readers, especially kids, LOVE to see a bit of your personal side.

I love a good adventure novel, and when I’d heard about PEAK, by Roland Smith, I had to read it. The story is about 14-year old Peak Marcello, the son of two divorced mountain climbers. When Peak is caught scaling (and tagging) a NYC skyscraper, he finds himself facing the NYC courts.

In an effort to avoid having her son serve time in juvenile detention, Peak’s mother agrees to let his absent father of seven years (and world famous mountaineer) take Peak to Thailand, where he owns a climbing company. Ah, but the plot thickens when we discover that his father has an ulterior motive. This is the catalyst that launches Peak into every serious mountain climber’s dream—to summit Mt. Everest.

I was most impressed in the story's details. Smith obviously researched this book at great depths, and I wouldn’t doubt that he's climbed a mountain or two himself (he does reside in Oregon, after all). His descriptions of high altitude climbing were thorough and informative, without feeling forced.

Like any good climb, the plot takes some interesting and unexpected twists and turns, particularly the ending (which I won’t give away here—you’ll have to read the book yourself to find out that little gem). The story has all the things that make for a great adventure: an awesome setting, human drama, tension, friendship, sacrifices, unexpected twists, heroes, a villain and a satisfying ending. I will say though, that while I loved this ending for a teen novel, I would find it unbelievable had this been this written for the adult market. Good thing that didn't happen!

PEAK by Roland Smith
ISBN 978-0-15-202417-8

Here are a few quotes and summations I gleaned from the 2007 SCBWI Summer Conference.

Arthur Levine—When talking about receiving professional criticism, he reminded us that editors understand what authors feel when waiting for a reply because they go through a kind of “response anxiety” (my term, not his) when they send out revision letters. He's always a bit eager to hear what an author thinks of his suggestions and how he/she will feel about them.

Walter Dean Meyers—“I give details on the internal landscape of a character.”

Lisa Wheeler—“Rhyme is the vehicle for telling a story... It shouldn’t become a bump in the road.”

Rubin Pfeffer—“A great book is one that sets a child off to read another book.”

John Green—“Great books do not happen by accident.”

Linda Sue Park—Revision is re-seeing the manuscript (macrochanges). Rewriting is re-writing (microchanges) by word choice, details, sentences, etc.

It’s almost that time again—the SCBWI Summer Conference is rapidly approaching. Yippee! An illustrator colleague of mine recently asked me about it, seeing how this will be her first time to attend. Since I’ve been a few times, I thought I’d offer up some tips--in no particular order of importance--just things as they randomly came to mind.

1. Take a sweater or jacket. While the hotel is lovely with the most comfortable hotel beds in the world (they don’t call them “Heavenly” for nothing), the meeting rooms and ballroom can be freezing! Of course, they can be stiflingly warm too. Take a cue from the Boy Scouts. Be prepared.

2. Predetermine your sessions. I like to determine my breakout sessions in advance, highlighting which ones pique my interest, but I also keep my ear out for other people who might have heard the same speakers in other sessions. That way, if I get a sense that the speaker doesn’t offer what I’m looking for I can change plans. I usually have a first and second choice highlighted on my conference flier. I’ve also found that it helps to read the books of the speakers you know you’ll be hearing.

3. Wear comfortable shoes. Even though we’re in the same hotel all day, there are three levels for conferencing, plus the treks to our rooms and dining opportunities. No one wants his or her piggies to be crying at the end of the day.

4. Food: IMHO, there are slim options for eating at the hotel: one nice restaurant—overpriced in my opinion, a poolside café, and the lounge/bar. For lunch, usually there’s a sandwich cart in the hotel lobby (sandwich, chips, soda/water), except on Sunday, due to the Golden Kite Luncheon. Oh, and speaking of the Golden Kite Luncheon (or as it’s affectionately called, “the parade of chicken breasts”), the dessert is always to die for! I’ve never been disappointedJ.

For dinners, my pals and I hoof it down the street to the mall (less than ten-minutes) where there is a variety of eateries at the food court. Saturday night we nosh at the poolside gala (a fun munch and mingle kind of thing—live music and a costume contest).
The only eating issue I’ve had is on Sunday night, but what I’ve found is that room service, while a bit spendy, offers large enough portions to share with my roommate. Plus, I usually take some snacks down with me (fruit, granola bars), so there’s enough to tide me over.

I honestly don’t know much about the breakfasts, other than the muffins, etc. that I’ve seen sold at the lounge/bar. I usually bring some homemade muffins so I don’t have to waste my morning time standing in a line. Coffeemakers are provided in the rooms, plus there’s free coffee in the lobby until around 11:00 or so.

5. Bring a book bag and money--especially you book addicts. Of course, there will be books sold and after hearing all of the fabulous authors, you’ll want to buy their books. Here’s a hot tip: the “cash” line is always shorter than the “credit card” line, so if you’re comfortable with it, bring some spare cash with you (hotel rooms do have safes for locking up your valuables).
Additionally, there are usually freebies (catalogs, posters, writing guidelines from various publishers, promotional materials from authors/illustrators). Now, I have to say that “freebies” doesn’t mean taking an author’s book from the display table. Eh-hem...yes, one year I took a copy of my new joke book to proudly display and by the end of the first day, someone had stolen it. Yep, stolen it! Can you believe that? I like to imagine a child somewhere is enjoying that book, and doesn’t know that how it came to land in his hands.

6. Take care of yourself. This is a personal one, because we’re all different, but I’ve learned to allow some “down time” for myself because four days of listening, learning, schmoozing and just plain hanging out with my writer and illustrator pals is fantastically exhausting. I bring a swimsuit for the Jacuzzi. Some folks participate in the yoga class. If you read my post on getting a good night’s sleep while traveling, you know that I bring a headset with quiet music. In essence, take care of yourself! It’s so very easy to overdo it.

7. Step out of your shell (if you have one). I know this is tough for a lot of people. The second conference I attended I didn’t know a single person. It was quite intimidating. I roomed with complete strangers who also didn’t know another soul in attendance. But I immediately discovered that children’s writers are some of the friendliest people on the planet. Some of those people I met way back then have come to be my closest writing friends.
One way to break the ice with people is to notice where they’re from (it’s on the nametags they give us) and strike up a conversation about that. If you’re waiting for a session to begin, chat with the person next to you. Ask them what kind of writing they do, if they’re published. Heck, you could even ask if they’ve read any good books lately! Remember, we all have a common bond of writing/illustrating for children, so there are a many interesting things to talk about.

8. Parking: If you carpool with a friend, drop the friend and all the luggage off at the hotel front then park the car. It’s a bit of a haul to lug all your bags from the hotel to the parking structure in the back.

9. Etiquette: Please don’t shove your manuscript under a restroom stall at an editor. It makes us all look bad. Manners, manners, manners! And I’m serious.

10. Expectations. Don’t expect to come home with a book contract in hand. That just doesn’t happen. What you will come home with is 1) newfound knowledge and skills, 2) new friends/colleagues, 3) editorial hope. By this, I mean that you will have heard editor’s speak and have the hope that because you better understand their needs, your work might find a place with them. However, this takes time—time for you to go home and re-evaluate your work (now that you have this newfound knowledge), time to further polish it (newfound skills), time to compose a well-thought out cover letter, and time for the editor to read it. That’s your hope ;-)

BTW, I know that other conference vets will be addressing this same topic, so please check them all out to insure that you’ll have a great time. Gregory P. mentioned that he‘d be posting something, and Shrinking Violets Promotions has already posted Conference Survival Tips on their site (June 24, ’07).

Enjoy and happy conferencing!

I love my critique group and feel very fortunate to belong in it. It’s composed of a group of writers from my SCBWI region, some published, some not-yet-published (but definitely will be). We’re an online group, because our region is vast and we live too far apart to meet in person on a regular basis. There are six of us, and each person brings something unique and special to the group, not only with her writing, but with her personality as well. I think what find most valuable though, from my critique group, is that they’re supportive in all the right ways. And I believe that any good critique group does the same.

A good critique group knows when to be honest with each other, to have the courage to say when something isn’t working in a story (isn’t that what having a pair of fresh eyes is all about?). Honest, thoughtful suggestions are what help to move one’s work forward. Blind, superficial praise does nothing to improve writing (although it might make the recipient feel good—but feeling good isn’t going to get your work published).

A good critique group also knows when to give each other a kick in the pants, on occasion. Members will look out for each other and not feel threatened by each other. Mutual respect is felt amongst the group along with a sense of helping each other toward their writing goals.

I have a friend who once belonged to a critique group and after every meeting, she would complain to me about them. She commented that they were either mean-spirited in their comments, or would blindly praise each other’s work—meaning, there was never any constructive criticism offered (“If I want to feel good about myself, I’ll let my husband read my work and tell me how brilliant I am.”) When she finally felt comfortable enough with the group to make suggestions for improvement on someone’s story, she was shut down. One person even told her that her suggestions were stupid.

My response? “That group is poisonous. Get out!” A critique group experience should leave you feeling hopeful, and anxious to dive into making improvements. You should feel a bit enlightened (“Hmm, I never thought of it that way!”). Your mind should be spinning with the excitement of digging into work, not like it’s been thrown into a ditch and there’s no way to climb out—whether you’re doing the critiquing or being critiqued.

So, what’s my point? Critiquer beware. Critique groups can be a valuable part of your writing experience, but enter with caution. Make sure that they’re helping you to improve your writing. And if not, politely “exit stage left” and move on. Maybe try a different group or maybe decide that critique groups aren’t right for you. The important thing is to find out what works for you.

Note: Check your local SCBWI chapter to see if they have a critique group coordinator to help you find a group in your area.

Let’s face it—nobody likes receiving a rejection letter. Yes, there are things we can learn from them, but the bottom line is that a rejection is still a rejection. No sale. Nada. Zip. But once in a great while, a rejection letter makes me laugh—like the one I received today.

I sent the manuscript for The Blackberry Bush to a publisher (who shall remain anonymous) in August of 2005. Yes folks, that’s right. August of 2-0-0-5. Today, June 9, 2-0-0-7, I received a rejection letter on the story. Now, normally this would have really ticked me off (even though I’d have given up on said publisher long ago). But since The Blackberry Bush is now under production as Blackberry Banquet with the ever-insightful Sylvan Dell Publishing, I could laugh at this latest rejection letter.

So take heart--not all rejections will bring a howling cry of frustration. Sometimes they bring a howl of laughter--at the glacial speed of this business, or at the delight in knowing that someone else "discovered" your story while others missed that golden opportunity. It's a crazy business we live in, isn't it?

Occasionally, I like to mention great websites and blogs that I enjoy reading, which leads to Harold Underdown's website (including his blog), The Purple Crayon. This website is so full of information that it'll make your head whirl. You'll find articles on all aspects of children's writing and publishing. And what's really great about it is that Harold is such a nice fellow. I had the pleasure of meeting him at an SCBWI summer conference one year (for more details on this year's conference, click here).

Harold Underdown has been on the editorial side of the business for many years and is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books. He is warm, friendly and takes time to respond to questions or comments. He's just one of those "all-around nice guys"--and it's reflected in his website.

He recently posted a fascinating article on the Acquisition Process, which clearly explains WHY it takes so long for most editors to respond to our submissions. If you find yourself tapping your foot or feeling forgotten, read the article and you'll feel better--or at least you'll understand why you aren't getting that snappy response you'd hoped for.

Happy reading!