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I love writing for kids and working with them. But I have never (at least not as an adult) had any illusions that I could support myself working solely as a writer. This "Ah-Ha!" moment came during a banquet while I in library school, (as we called it back in the day.)
I was graduate assistant to the children's services specialist. (Who knows where I'd be today if I assisted the specialists in government documents or cataloging?) He had put together an all-star children's literature symposium--Ellen Raskin, Ashley Bryant, Jean Fritz--award-winning authors and illustrators all. At the banquet, I was thrilled when my boss seated me next to the brilliant Ellen Raskin. The year before, her Figgs & Phantoms had been named a Newbery Honor book. Her own Newbery for The Westing Game would be three years in the future.
Always a big fan of Ms Raskin's funny, quirky books, I was thrilled to discover that the author was just like her books--funny, quirky and blunt. Too chicken to ask this Great Author anything more than to pass the salt, please, I listened as she answered the questions of our tablemates. I learned that she had a daughter, was married to an editor at
Scientific American and lived in a funny (quirky?) house on a private, gated street in Greenwich Village. Her studio on the top floor had a big skylight. (Odd the details the memory records.)
I was ready to chuck my previous career role model, Mary Tyler Moore, and move into Ellen Raskin's seemingly perfect life. Then someone asked "that question" which really wasn't a question.
"So, you must be doing pretty well with your books," said a person whose name and gender is lost in time.
Ms Raskin's fork clinked against her plate."That depends on how you define 'pretty well'," she replied.
"I mean financially," the Person said blandly, with a smile that assumed Ellen would answer, "Oh yes, I am making buckets of money." Young, dumb me, assumed that would be the answer too.
Ms Raskin paused, as if calculating something in her head. "Well," she said. "I have ten books in print."
Wow! I thought.
Ten books in print. She must be making a fortune. Three-story houses in Greenwich Village aren't cheap. The thought of anyone having
ten books in print at the same time was simply mind-boggling.
But Ellen was still talking. "...and last year I made..." and named a four digit figure. Even in 1976, it was a ridiculously low amount of money.
Ten books and this is all she made? She has a Newbery Honor book for crying out loud!Long silence at our table. After a moment, Ellen laughed and made a comment about writers needing employed spouses. Dinner went on, but that conversation was a wake-up call for me. Now I knew what people meant went they said, "Don't quit your day job." And I didn't for a long, long time.
Quitting my day job was not my choice. My husband's company transferred him to Thailand, a country with notoriously tough labor laws. I became a full-time writer, whether I wanted to or not. I wrote ten and twelve hours a day. I wrote and sold
My Best Friend and
Yankee Girl in those years.
Fast forward to today. I have written and published seven books, plus contributed to two YA short story anthologies.
My Best Friend won both the Ezra Jack Keats and Charlotte Zolotow Awards, and is referenced in many children's literature textbooks.
Yankee Girl was nominated for a dozen State Book Awards. I am extremely fortunate that all but one of these books is still in print. One,
Jimmy's Stars, is only available as an e-book. For someone who is considered a mid-list author, someone who is not J.K Rowling or Suzanne Collins or Rick Riordan, I am doing really well.
Last year, my royalties were half of what my daughter makes as a part-time waitress at Golden Corral. My very best year, royalty-wise, equalled my teaching salary when I left to get married. That was 1990, and I taught in one of the poorest school systems in my state. My very best year, in real money terms, was a lot less than my best year teaching.
Luckily, I enjoy doing school visits and teaching. However, in the last couple of years, school budgets and curriculum have rarely accommodated author visits. I pick up teaching/tutoring gigs here and there, mostly for homeschool groups. I've done freelance editing and worked as a private writing coach. My most reliable source of income is the Young Author's day camps I run each summer, with
weekend workshops during the school year.
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| One of my first school visits, Davis Elementary, Jackson, Ms |
In the beginning, my non-royalty "author jobs" income equalled my royalties. Now it surpasses it. I love working with these young writers. It's my dessert, after spending the rest of the year writing in solitude. I began with a single week camp. Now, ten years later, I conduct writing camps for the Parks Department and local historical societies nearly every week from Memorial Day to the start of school.
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| Young authors at work! Roswell, Ga, summer 2013. |
Sure, if I were still a school librarian, I'd be
making more money. I am super lucky to be married 25 years to my best friend, who has a good job and insurance. If my income dried up to zero, we would not be out in the streets. But I have always been a working mom. I love what I do. I can't imagine ever retiring.
Don't forget to sign up for our
latest Book Giveaway (click here) for info. Don't miss out; the deadline is October 10.
Posted by Mary Ann Rodman 
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 9/30/2015
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Today, I'm happy to welcome back former TeachingAuthor Laura Purdie Salas with a guest Wednesday Writing Workout tailor-made for our current TeachingAuthors' series on how we each "Make a Living as a Writer." Laura was one of the authors I interviewed for my article of the same title that appears in the 2016 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, edited by Chuck Sambuchino (Writer's Digest Books). If you haven't entered our drawing for a chance to win your own copy of the 2016 CWIM, be sure to do so here, AFTER you try Laura's eye-opening writing exercise below.
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Wednesday Writing Workout:
The Cinderella Trifecta: Is Writing on Assignment Right for You?
by Laura Purdie Salas
Hey, it’s fun to be back here at TeachingAuthors I was honored to be interviewed for Carmela's terrific article in the 2016 Children’sWriter’s & Illustrator’s Market.
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| BookSpeak! - trade market |
You know, I make my living as a writer, and I love writing the books I choose to write (my trade market books), like
BookSpeak! Poems About Books and
WaterCan Be…. But, so far, the books I’ve loved to write have not exactly brought in millions. Or enough to keep my family in groceries. That’s OK. They’re books I had to write, and I adore them.
But, I do need to pay bills, and one of my major sources of income is writing on assignment. I write books and short passages for publishers who hire me to write very specific works for particular age groups and, sometimes, reading levels.
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| Water Can Be... - trade market |
If this is something that sounds interesting to you, you might want to give this exercise a try. Even though the majority of writing I do on assignment is nonfiction, I also do some poetry and fiction that way, too. We’re going to use fiction here, so that you don’t get caught up in research and getting your facts right (which is, of course, extremely important in nonfiction books!).
For this exercise, we’re going to use a story we likely already know, and we’re going to shape it in three different ways.
I would like you to use the tale of Cinderella as the basis for your short works. I’ll use The Three Little Pigs as an example for each one. Don’t be nervous! This is just to see IF you’re comfortable with this kind of writing and, if so, what age range might work best for you. Ready?
Part 1: Retell the complete tale Cinderella in 150 words, for 1stgraders.
My example, based on The Three Little Pigs:
Once, there were three little pigs. They were brothers. One day, the pigs went out into the world. It was time to build their own homes.
The first little pig built his home out of straw. The Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down.
The second little pig built his home out of sticks. The Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down.
The third little pig was a hard worker. He built a strong home out of bricks. The Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed. But he could not blow it down.
The wolf was mad. And hungry. He came down the chimney to eat the pig. But the third little pig was also smart. He had built a fire in the fireplace. The wolf yelped in pain and ran away.
And the three little pigs lived happily ever after.
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| Colors of Fall - education market |
Part 2: Retell Cinderella for 4th graders in 400 words, and emphasize narrative voice and theme.
My example is just the first couple of paragraphs (130 words) of such a passage, based on The Three Little Pigs.
Once up a time, there were three little pigs. They were brothers, and two of the pigs were oh so lazy and not very intelligent! The third little pig, however, was not only a hard worker, but he was also very clever.
One day, it was time for the three little pigs to go out into the great wide world and build their own houses. The first two pigs did not want to put much effort into anything, so the first one built his house out of straw! The second built his house out of sticks! They should have known better. They had just finished when a big, bad wolf came along. This wolf was drooling and snarling and hungry. He thought a little pig sounded like a scrumptious treat.
Do you see the difference? Let’s try one more.
Part 3: Retell Cinderella for 7th graders in 600 words from the point of view of a wicked stepsister.
Here’s my example, just the first few paragraphs (111 words), from the point of view of the big bad wolf. It’s a little low on readability, actually, so I’d have to make sure to use longer paragraphs and sentences here and there and keep the reading level up a bit higher.
You can’t blame me for trying. Really, who would be ridiculous enough to think that some insubstantial straw or rickety old sticks would be tough enough to thwart my attempts to enter? Oh, you haven’t heard about my adventure? Well, let me explain…
I was just wandering along the boulevard one day, minding my own business. Suddenly, I heard a clattering sound further down the avenue. Then I spied three little pigs, all hard at work constructing residences. At least, one of them was working diligently. That one was mixing mortar and placing bricks and building a proper, sturdy house--I despise that. But the other two were much more promising.
So, how do you feel? Did at least one of these three pieces feel somewhat natural to you? Did you enjoy the puzzle of trying to tell certain information in a very specific way—as dictated by someone else?
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| Y Is for Yowl! - education market |
If the answer to at least one of the above is yes, then you might want to try writing on assignment, too. If you’re interested in learning about writing for the educational market, you can check out my book,
Writing for the Educational Market: Informational Books for Kids. And Lisa Bullard, who was also interviewed in Carmela's article, and I offer critiquing/coaching services for children’s writers at
MentorsForRent.com. We have worked with a number of writers who have subsequently broken into the educational market. We’d be happy to schedule a consultation to answer your questions or review your introductory packet. I also sometimes discuss educational writing in my eletter for writers,
A Writer Can Be….
I’d love to hear in the Comments what your experience with this Wednesday Writing Workout was like. Was one part super-easy for you and another part impossible? Were they all equal? Is this a market you might be interested in pursuing? Inquiring minds want to know:>)
Laura Purdie Salas
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 9/24/2015
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I'm back!
Carmela here. I've been on a blogging break for much of this year, busy working on other projects, both personal and professional. (I have continued behind-the-scenes as our TeachingAuthors blog administrator, though, so I haven't been completely out of touch.) Today, I'm back to celebrate the publication of two of my articles in the just-released 2016 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (also known as the CWIM) edited by Chuck Sambuchino (Writer's Digest Books).
At the end of this post, you'll have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win
your very own copy of the
2016 CWIM (courtesy of Writer's Digest Books)!
Since today is
Poetry Friday, I'll also be sharing a poem--an excerpt from Barney Saltzberg's new picture book
Inside this Book (Are Three Books), published by Abrams Appleseed. One of my articles in the 2016 CWIM is an interview with Barney, who is an amazing author, illustrator, singer, and songwriter. More about him and his new book below.
First, I'd like to talk a little about my other article in the 2016 CWIM:
"Make a Living as a Writer."[My original title was
"Making a Living Writing, Even If You’re Not a Bestselling Author" but I guess that was too long. :-) ]
For
"Make a Living as a Writer," I invited four traditionally published trade book authors who are also successful freelancers to share their experiences and advice regarding ways to supplement book royalty income. The four authors included my fellow
TeachingAuthor,
JoAnn Early Macken, former
TeachingAuthor,
Laura Purdie Salas, author and writing coach,
Lisa Bullard, and scientist-turned-children's author,
Vijaya Bodach. The article includes their tips on landing work-for-hire assignments, balancing work-for-hire with other career goals, and preparing submission packages for educational publishers.
The four authors also shared specific resources for finding supplemental income, including:
Over the next few weeks, my fellow TeachingAuthors will continue the conversation on this topic by sharing their own advice related to finding supplemental income. And Laura Purdie Salas will return to post a special Guest Wednesday Writing Workout on September 30, called "Is Writing on Assignment Right for You?" If this topic is of interest to you, be sure to enter our giveaway so you can read more about how to "Make a Living as a Writer."
Even if you're not looking for ways to supplement your writing income, you'll want your own copy of the 2016 CWIM for my interview with the amazing Barney Saltzberg, along with all the other helpful articles, interviews, and market information!
Barney Saltzberg, for those of you who may not know, is the author and/or illustrator of over
FIFTY books. Back in January,
April wrote a great post in honor of Beautiful Oops! Day, a day inspired by Barney's wonderful book,
Beautiful Oops! (Workman Publishing). Since then, Barney has published three more books: The first two books in a new board book series from Workman Publishing,
Redbird: Colors, Colors Everywhere and
Redbird: Friends Come in Different Sizes, and the picture book
Inside this Book (Are Three Books), published by Abrams Appleseed. Here's a brief description of
Inside this Book:"Inside This Book is a tribute to self-publishing in its most pure and endearing form. Three siblings create three books of their own using blank paper that they bind together (in descending sizes to match birth order). One sibling's work inspires the next, and so on, with each book's text and art mirroring the distinct interests and abilities of its creator. Upon completion of their works, the siblings put one book inside the other, creating a new book to be read and shared by all.
The second sibling in the book is named Fiona. She is "an artist and a poet," so her "book" is filled with poetry. In honor of
Poetry Friday, here's an excerpt from Fiona's section of
Inside this Book.
from Inside this Book, Too, by Fiona . . . Can you tell I love to rhyme? I play with words all the time. I write a poem every day. My new favorite is “Who Wants to Play?” . . . © Barney Saltzberg, used with permission, all rights reserved I've kept this excerpt short to inspire you to get Barney's book for yourself. After you've read it, you'll understand why the
School Library Journal review of
Inside this Book said:
"Readers may well be empowered to write their very own stories or books."
Be sure to check out today's
Poetry Friday roundup over at the
Poetry for Children blog
AFTER you enter our giveaway drawing.
And now, for our giveaway info:Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win your own copy of the
2016 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market , You may enter via 1, 2, or all 3 options.
If you choose option 2, you MUST leave a comment on TODAY'S blog post. If your name isn't part of your comment "identity," please include it in your comment for verification purposes!(If you prefer, you may submit your comment via email to:
teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com.)
Email subscribers: if you received this post via email, you can click on the Rafflecopter link at the end of this message to access the entry form.
The giveaway ends
October 10 and is open to U.S. residents only.
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Today closes out our Three Weeks of Thanks-Giving. See below for my round-up of posts and thank-you notes. If you haven't shared your link/comment yet, you can still do so. I'll update this post later with any additional links/emails we receive. And don't forget--today's the last day to enter for a chance to win a copy of the 2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (CWIM) containing my interview roundup article, "Writing for Boys (and other 'Reluctant Readers')." See my November 7 post for all the details.
Thanksgiving is over for most people (and many are busy celebrating the more recent American ritual of "Black Friday"). However, I'm getting ready to celebrate our second Thanksgiving this week, this one with my husband's family gathering here in our home. This two-Thanksgivings-in-one-week tradition started years ago when my son was young. When my husband and I were first married, we actually spent Thanksgiving day with both our families, eating an early meal at one home and then driving to eat a second Thanksgiving dinner at another. After our son was born, we realized that was no longer practical. My in-laws came up with a simple solution: scheduling their family gathering on a different day, usually the weekend before or after Thanksgiving. Over the years, I've been very grateful to be able to celebrate fully with both sides of the family. So, while some of you may be gearing up for the December holidays, I'll be cleaning and cooking in preparation for Thanksgiving #2. That's why I'm keeping this post short.
J Here are the links to the Three Weeks of Thanks-Giving blog posts:
Also, I want to thank the two readers who were unable to post their Thanks-Giving comments but took the time to email them to us:
- Wendy, who blogs at An Education in Books, who wrote: "I am thankful for my family and for the unexpected snow!"
- And Julie Phend, who said, "I am grateful for:
A wonderful network of writers through SCBWI.
My two challenging, supportive writers groups: one in Illinois and one in Virginia.
My family, who provide inspiration, encouragement, ideas, and yes--distractions."
Don't forget to check out today's
Poetry Friday round-up over at
Carol's Corner.
Happy writing!
Carmela
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 11/19/2014
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Today I'm pleased to share with you a guest Wednesday Writing Workout on creating tension in fiction from award-winning author Maureen McQuerry. Before I tell you about Maureen, a quick reminder that it's not too late to enter for a chance to win a copy of the 2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (CWIM) edited by Chuck Sambuchino and published by Writer's Digest Books. See the link at the end of today's post.
Now, about Maureen McQuerry: I was recently introduced to Maureen (via email) through a mutual friend. Her first YA novel, The Peculiars (Abrams/Amulet) was an ALA Best Book for Young Adult Readers 2013, Bank Street and Horn Book recommended book, and a winner of the Westchester Award. Her most recent novel Beyond the Door (Abrams/Amulet), has been named a Booklist top Ten Fantasy/SciFi for Youth. The second book in the series, The Telling Stone, releases May 2015. Maureen has taught writing to children and adults and loves giving author talks in schools and at conferences.
I'm hoping to meet Maureen in person when she visits Chicago in a few weeks. So far, she's scheduled to do a signing at The Book Stall in Winnetka on December 6 and one at The Magic Tree Bookstore in Oak Park on December 8. For more info, check out her website. You can also connect with her via Facebook and Twitter.
Before I share Maureen's
WWW on tension, here's a little about her newest novel,
Beyond the Door: Between his love of learning and his passion for Scrabble, Timothy James has always felt like an outsider. The only person who really understands him is his older sister, Sarah, and he’s also fairly certain nothing interesting will ever happen to him. But one dark spring night, everything changes.
A mystery of unparalleled proportions begins to unfold, revealing Timothy's role in an ancient prophecy and an age-old battle of Light against Dark. Together with Sarah and the school bully, Jessica, Timothy must embark on a quest to prevent the Dark from controlling the future—and changing the past. Can the trio work together in order to fight the ancient evil that threatens our world?
The first book in the Time Out of Time series, Beyond the Door, is a fast-paced adventure that combines Celtic myth, shapeshifters, and a secret code in a coming of age story.
VOYA described the novel as "jam-packed with twists and turns," a sure sign that Maureen knows a thing or two about creating tension. Here's her
Wednesday Writing Workout on the topic:
Wednesday Writing Workout:The Stakes Should Always Be Deathby Maureen McQuerry
Story isn't about plot. It isn't about character or setting or a great idea. It's about how events change people. We keep reading because we want to find out how a character navigates all the struggles that come her way. In fact the most critical component in reader satisfaction is the protagonist's arc. And notice I used the word struggle, because struggle is what changes characters. It's what changes us.
Struggle implies conflict and tension. Tension keeps us turning the pages. But how do you add conflict and tension to a story without an explosion or battle scene on every page, maybe without explosions or battles in your book at all? Tension begins with the stakes. If you've ever been told your novel is too quiet, it may be that your stakes aren't high enough. The greater the stakes, the greater the risk, the greater the tension and the more pages turned.
What do I mean by stakes? Stakes are what your protagonist has on the line. In a dystopian world like
Hunger Games, the stakes are personal survival, survival of people you love, of a community, of the world. But not every story will or should be dystopian or apocalyptic. The stakes may be the risk of emotional death. In my MG novel
Beyond the Door, Timothy finds himself in physical danger, the type of danger that might result in death, but he fears failing to complete his challenge almost as much. He believes it's his one chance to prove himself in the eyes of his friends. His self-worth is on the line.
For the reader to be concerned, risk has to be real and the protagonists' motivation worthy. Worthy motivations involve noble concepts like: forgiveness, love, redemption, self-worth. For example, a character who wants a part in the school play engages us when the stakes are based on a motivation that is worthy. She wants a part in the play because she sees it as a way to connect with her estranged father who was once an actor, but has rejected her or because she's never once fit in anywhere, been bullied or is handicapped and it's her one chance to find a community. If she fails here, she may never try again. Hope and worry for the protagonist create tension.
- A good beginning question to ask is what are the stakes for my protagonist? What is at risk? What will die?
Because a story is about how events change characters, you must have a clear idea of your character's arcs. In
Beyond the Door, Timothy needed to evolve from an insecure observer to a confident leader.
- Ask: What is my protagonist like at the start of this adventure? What do I want her to be like at the end of the story?
- What will it take to get her there? What kind of gut-wrenching decisions, public humiliations, dark nights of the soul? What antagonists will she have to face?
- Does each turning point create change? That's what moving a story forward means.
Below are some considerations for assessing your story for tension.
Assessing the risk in your story:- The risk of failure must be real and must be devastating—big consequences.
- Conflict must be external and internal—your protagonist must struggle in her mind and heart and with external forces.
- Tension must be relentless.
- A clear antagonist strengthens the conflict.
- The solution must require everything the protagonist has—the greater the risk, the more we worry.
- The solution should be inevitable, but surprising (Aristotle).
A few time honored techniques to increase tension, such as those below, will keep readers turning the pages.
Techniques to increase tension:- Increase the stakes—as mentioned above
- Withhold info from protagonist—mystery novels are a great example of how one missing piece of information can put your protagonist at risk.
- Introduce doubt—Who can she trust? Were her assumptions faulty?
- Limit time—the ticking clock.
- Give and take away—just as your protagonist has everything she needs, the bottom falls out.
Whatever struggles your character faces, remember they are the engines of transformation and tension is the fuel.
Writing Exercise Text © Maureen McQuerry 2014, All rights reserved.
Thanks for this, Maureen. I've already used your questions to assess (and up!) the level of risk in my current work-in-progress. Readers, if you try any of these techniques, let us know how they work for you.
Good luck to all, and happy writing!
Carmela
If you live long enough, life becomes more about letting go than of gathering.
It is inevitable, this letting go.Sometimes we have to let go of our favorite things: our favorite pair of shorts worn to the fray. Our favorite book with its tattered pages. Even our car, with its 200,000 miles of memories.
Sometimes we let go of clutter, and wonder why it took us so long to throw them out. You know what I speak of: The box full of old research gathered for stories that probably won’t ever be written. Those uncomfortable shoes with pointy toes and impossibly high heels that you never, ever wore, but dang they look sparklie. Those skinny jeans that felt more like a bone corset then denim. Those old love letters, although the guy went on to marry someone else. Those laser disks (what?). Those eight-tracks (what?). That rotary phone (what?). Those old ideas that no longer serve a purpose in our lives.
Sometimes the letting go is more profound, as we say good-bye to our special friends, the four-legged as well as the two-legged sort. And those with wings. And we say goodbye to family. To colleagues and heroes and inspirations.
Of course, the key phrase in all of this,
If You Live. And perhaps, along the way of living our lives, we gather some understanding of it all. We become, hopefully, wise. It’s an elusive concept to grasp. Through the ages, religious leaders, philosophers, even politicians have debated on what is wisdom.
According to Dr. Vivian Clayton, wisdom consists of three elements: cognition, reflection, compassion. Wisdom happens when we take the time to gain insights and perspectives from one’s cognitive knowledge , what she calls the reflective dimension. Then we can use those insights to understand and help others, what she calls the compassionate dimension.
Of course, if it were that easy, with just three ingredients, there wouldn’t be all this debating about what it means. That’s why I like hanging out with poets. They know about such things.
Marion Dane Bauer inspired me in her recent post, “Because receiving is another way of giving. The giver grows in the giving. And that’s a truth we all need to hold close at any time of life!”
And her wisdom resonated with me. I am not the poet like my fellow Teaching Authors. Did you see Carmela’s
Thanks-Giving Thanku?
I am just a storyteller. Begging your indulgence, I was reminded of an old English folktale (Source: Lindsay, Maud. The Storyteller. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard; 1915). It went something like this:
There once was an old woman who lived in the woods. One day, she decided to bake apple dumplings. These dumplings were her favorite. She had everything she needed to bake the dumplings, except for the apples. She had plenty of plums, however. She filled a basket with these plums, covering them in her finest white linen. Then she dressed in her finest clothes and set out to trade these plums for some apples.
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| Morguefile |
By and by, she came across a young woman. The old woman asked the younger if she had apples to trade for her plums.
“No,” said the young woman, as she looked with such longing at the plums. “I have plenty of chickens, and not much else.”
The old woman traded her basket of plums for a bag of feathers. The old woman thought it was a good trade. The bag of feathers was much lighter to carry.
By and by, the old woman came to a garden, one of the loveliest gardens she had ever seen. She stopped a moment to smell the roses when she heard a couple arguing. The couple saw her, too.
“Tell us, old woman," said the woman. "Do you agree that cotton is best for making a cushion on our bed?”
“No,” said the old woman.
“See, the old woman agrees with me,” said the man. “Straw is best for our bed!”
“Never straw!” said the old woman, as she held up her bag of feathers. “But a bed made of feathers is fit for a king!”
The old woman traded the bag of feathers for a bouquet of roses. She thought it was a good trade.
By and by, the old woman met a young prince who looked as sad as a rainy day.
“I go to meet my lady love,” said the young prince. “But I have no gift to show her how I truly value her.”
“Give you lady love these roses,” said the old woman. “And she will know.”
She traded the bouquet of roses for a gold farthing. What a good trade! At last she had enough money to buy her apples!
You may think the story might end here, for it seems like a happy ending. But it does not.
By and by, the old woman came to a young mother and her child, who stood with a big and furry dog. They were all frail from hunger.
How can I eat apply dumplings when my neighbors cannot eat at all? thought the old woman. And she said to the young mother,” I have need for a companion, and would ask for your help. May I trade this gold coin for your handsome dog?”
The young mother agreed. The old woman worried now, for how could she take care of a big and furry dog? Where would he sleep? What would he eat? Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice where she was walking.
“That’s one fine dog,” someone said. She looked up to see an old man rocking on his porch. His house sat in the shade of an old apple tree.
“That’s a fine apple tree,” she said.
 |
| Morguefile |
“Apple trees are poor company to an old man who cannot bake,” he said. “But I’d trade all the apples you want for that fine fellow!”
The old woman traded the big and furry dog for a barrel of apples. She baked apple dumplings for her and her new friend. And that night, she enjoyed one of the finest apple dumplings she had ever baked.
Not The End.My list of grateful things:
My daughter, who stands above any list.For the wisdom of my friends. For working in a field where my heroes have become my friends. Including Eric and Marion, Monica and Emma, and Karen, and far too many that I do not have space enough to list. Thank you.
For the compassion, and love of my kindred spirits, like Cynthia, Carmela and The Teaching Authors, Rebecca and the Collective, Brian and the Snuggies; for soul sisters Jo and guiding lights Bonny and Bette. And many more. Thank you.
For apple dumplings.
If you like this tale, you might be interested in my book, One Fine Trade, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand (Holiday House, 2009).
You also might be interesting in this: Phyllis Korkki. “
The Science of Older and Wiser,” New York Times , March 2014.
Don’t forget about the
CWIM giveaway!
Bobbi Miller
It's a good thing we have a holiday dedicated to thankfulness. Otherwise I would rarely give my blessings a thought. I am one of those "the glass is half empty" people. So here is what fills my glass this year.
Sorry, Carmela, but I have to begin with one you already mentioned, our terrific Vermont College MFA group, The Hive. Outside of my family, they are my longest sustained relationship. Most of us met on the airport bus going to campus on a July evening in 1998. Rarely a day goes by that at I am not in contact with at least one of them. Collectively, they are a never-ending source of energy, enthusiasm and advice. I truly do not know how I survived as a writer without them. Thank you, lovely Bees!
Next up on the gratitude list is my own local critique group, WINGS (Writers in North Georgia). Every month (with occasional sabbaticals) since October 2001, I have driven the hundred miles, round trip, to meet with this group of five in Conyers, Georgia. Driving that far in Atlanta traffic is no small matter, but the reward is worth every nerve-wracking mile. Connie, Nancy, T.K. and Stephanie as well as our Fearless Leader Susan (plus member-in-absentia, Maureen) are the best writers and critiquers one could ever hope to find. Almost everything I have published is the result of their sharp eyes and spot-on suggestions. I could not fly without my WINGS.
Lastly, I am grateful for SCBWI, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (we writers do like our acronyms!) I learned about SCBWI from a Hive member while I was at Vermont College and wasted no time joining. SCBWI is more than just an organization of like minded people.
It is an endless supply of all a writer needs: the latest publishing information, editorial contacts, writing conferences, and most of all Opportunity (with a capital O). The conferences alone provide the opportunity to meet editors and agents, to submit manuscripts to houses that would otherwise be closed to unagented authors (like me), to have work critiqued by industry professionals. SCBWI, you are worth every penny in membership dues and conference fees.
To enter our latest giveaway, a copy of Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, check Carmela's Friday post. (http://www.teachingauthors.com/2014/11/thanks-giving-CWIM-giveaway.html). Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Posted by Mary Ann Rodman
If your name wasn't selected in the drawing for our 2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (CWIM) giveaway, I have good news for you: Writer's Digest Books, publisher of the CWIM, has generously donated a SECOND COPY for us to give away! See details at the end of this post. And congratulations to Sue H, who won the first copy.
If you're a long-time TeachingAuthors follower, you know about our tradition of setting aside time in November to give thanks. It started in 2011, with our Ten Days of Thanks-Giving, inspired, in part, by Esther post about thank-you haikus, also known as Thankus. In 2012 we expanded to Two Weeks of Thanks-Giving, which we repeated in 2013. This year, we've decided to stretch our Thanks-Giving posts to a full Three Weeks of Thanks-Giving!
We're going to keep our Thanks-Giving simple this year. Each of the
TeachingAuthors will share 3 things we're grateful for. As in years past, we're also inviting you, our readers (and your students!), to join in by sharing your own "gratitudes" with us in one of three ways:
- Share them in a comment to any of our blog posts from today through Nov. 28.
- Send them to us via email to teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com, with "Thanks-Giving" as the subject. Depending on the number of emails we receive, we may share some of your gratitiudes in our posts.
- Post them on your own blog and then share the link with us via a comment or email. (Feel free to include the above image in your post.) On November 28, I'll provide a round-up of all the links we receive.
To get us started, here are my three "gratitudes":
- My loving and supportive family. First and foremost, I'm grateful for the three very special men in my life: my husband, my son, and my father-in-law (who now occupies my son's old room). But I'm also blessed to have a wonderful extended family--being Italian means that includes A LOT of people. J
- My wonderful writing friends. Three groups, in particular, support and nurture me on a regular basis: my fellow TeachingAuthors, my Vermont College classmates (known as The Hive), and my critique group. Without them, I would have quit writing a long time ago. Thanks for helping me stick with it, Ladies!
- Our amazing TeachingAuthor readers. This blog wouldn't be here if not for the feedback and affirmation we receive from you, our readers. I'm especially grateful for three lovely ladies I've never met who often comment on my posts, so I know someone is reading them: Linda Baie, Jan Godown Annino, and Rosi.
Hmm. I'm sensing a theme here. It inspired me to write this
Thanku:
Thanks-Giving
Three times three times three . . . . .
My thanks keep multiplying,
to infinity.
© 2014 Carmela Martino, All Rights Reserved
I invite all of you to also participate in our
Three Weeks of Thanks-Giving and share your "gratitudes" with us!
To my above "gratitudes," I'd like to add a huge
THANK YOU! to Writer's Digest Books for donating a second copy of the
2015 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (CWIM) for us to give away.
Readers, use the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post to enter our giveaway drawing. You may enter via 1, 2, or all 3 options. The giveaway
ends on Nov. 28. When you're done here, check out the terrific
Poetry Friday roundup over at Diane Mayr's
Random Noodling.
Good luck and happy writing!
Carmela
P.S. If you've never entered a Rafflecopter giveaway, here's info on
how to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway and the
difference between signing in with Facebook vs. with an email address. Email subscribers: if you received this post via email, you can click on the Rafflecopter link at the end of this message to access the entry form.
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By:
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Hi Everyone,
The clock is ticking! If you haven't entered for a chance to win a copy of the 2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (CWIM) yet, see the link at the end of this post. The giveaway ends on Friday!
We're hosting the 2015 CWIM giveaway this month to celebrate the publication of my article in it: "Writing for Boys (and other 'Reluctant Readers')." The article contains advice and insights from four award-winning authors known for writing books that appeal to reluctant readers: Matt de la Peña, Lenore Look, David Lubar, and Steve Sheinkin. Today, I'm pleased to share a guest Wednesday Writing Workout from one of those authors: Lenore Look!
Here's Lenore's bio, as it appears in the 2015 CWIM:
Lenore Look recently released the sixth book in her award-winning (and boy-friendly) Alvin Ho chapter book series:
Alvin Ho: Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions (Schwartz & Wade). She is also the author of the
Ruby Lu series (Atheneum) and several acclaimed picture books, including
Henry’s First-Moon Birthday (Simon & Schuster),
Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding (Atheneum), and, her newest,
Brush of the Gods (Random House), a historical fiction account of the life of Wu Daozi, China’s most famous painter. Lenore taught creative writing at Drew University and St. Elizabeth College in New Jersey, and frequently speaks in schools in the United States and Asia. She has also co-presented the Highlights Foundation workshop "Writing for Boys" with Bruce Coville and Rich Wallace. She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, and blogs frequently at
lenorelook.wordpress.com.
I'm a big fan of Lenore's Alvin Ho books, which is why I approached her about participating in the CWIM article. I haven't read
Alvin Ho: Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions yet, so I'll share the blurb for it that appears on
Indiebound:
Here’s the sixth book in the beloved and hilarious Alvin Ho chapter book series, which has been compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers.
Alvin, an Asian American second grader who’s afraid of everything, is taking his fears to a whole new level—or should we say, continent. On a trip to introduce brand-new baby Ho to relatives in China, Alvin’s anxiety is at fever pitch. First there’s the harrowing 16-hour plane ride; then there’s a whole slew of cultural differences to contend with: eating lunch food for breakfast, kung fu lessons, and acupuncture treatment (yikes!). Not to mention the crowds that make it easy for a small boy to get lost.
From Lenore Look and New York Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham comes a drop-dead-funny and touching series with a truly unforgettable character.
Sounds like a fun read!
JFor today's WWW, Lenore shares a great exercise in beginnings.
Wednesday Writing Workout:Finding the Best Beginningby Lenore Look
When I worked as a newspaper reporter, the first thing I learned was how important the “
lede” or beginning of the story is. The first sentence is crucial. It’s called the “hook” because it snags your reader and reels them into your story. Without a strong hook, your reader will get away before you can tell them the five Ws and H – who, where, what, when, why and how.
When writing fiction, your hook is not just the best way to snag your reader, but it’s the place from which you will hang the rest of your story. It’s THAT important. For me, the beginning is the hardest part of the book to write. I’m faced with all my research, my characters, what I want to say, and a few ideas for scenes. It’s overwhelming. Where do I start? I pick something and have a go at it. It’s a mis-start, or a scrub, as they call it at NASA when a launch is aborted. I have many scrubs. When I find the spark that will finally launch my rocket, there’s more trouble. Often I will agonize over the first sentence for days, re-writing it, tweaking it, throwing it out, starting it over, again and again. But when I finally get it right, it’s blast-off! And the rest of the book seems to write itself.
Here’s my top-secret recipe for finding the strongest beginning, and I hope it helps you find yours.
How to Find the Strongest Beginning to Any Piece of Writing.1.
Sit down.
2.
Open your writer’s notebook.
3.
Ask the following questions:
a.
Who’s your character?
b.
What’s your setting?
c.
What does your character want?
d.
What are the obstacles in her way?
4.
Summarize the story you’re telling in one sentence.
5.
Write your summary sentence in the center of a blank page.
6.
Now surround your summary sentence with your answers to the questions from #3. Some people call this “clustering,” – if you draw circles around each of your sentences/ideas, it begins to look like a cluster of grapes. I don’t bother with the circles, instead I make lists, and surround my summary sentence with lists that answer the questions.
7.
Add your research as they fit under the different questions in #3.
8.
Step away.
9.
Eat some ice cream.
10.
Stare at the sunset.
11.
Call a friend.
12.
It’s important to start the next part with fresh eyes.
How to Find the Strongest Beginning, Part II1.
Look at your messy page(s).
2.
Find the smallest, most simple detail that captures your entire story.
3.
What you’re looking for is the KEY to your house. Keys are small. A small detail will open the door to the rest of the house, which is your story. All the rooms in your house are the different scenes that make up the story.
4.
Study carefully the beginnings to books you like.
5.
Using the detail you found in #2, and the inspiration you found from #4, write the most compelling beginning you can.
6.
Let it lead you into the first room of your story.
7.
Finish off the ice cream.
8.
Stare at the sunset.
9.
It may be the last sunset you see for a while.
10.
Writing a book takes a long time.
11.
Cry.
12.
Cry your eyes out. It’s only the beginning. You still have the middle and the end to tackle!
Writing Exercise Text © Lenore Look 2014, All rights reserved
Thanks, Lenore, for this terrific exercise! Readers, if any of you try today's WWW, do let us know how it works for you.
And don't forget to enter for a chance to win your own copy of the 2015 CWIM, where you'll be able to read additional helpful tips from Lenore. See
my last blog post for details. The giveaway ends October 31.
Happy Writing!
Carmela
.
Howdy, Campers! Happy Poetry Friday! Poem and link to Poetry Friday are below ~
Our topic this round is Do you try to appeal to reluctant readers, or any particular type of reader, when you write?
Carmela's post addresses the topic of writing to reading levels thoroughly. She writes:"If you want your writing to appeal to boys and other reluctant readers, don't try to target this particular audience. That's right, DON'T target them. Instead, write what moves, excites, or interests YOU."
Mary Ann's post, agrees: "I write what I am passionate about. I write for my inner eleven-year-old. It's the best that I can do. It's all any of us can do."
As for me?
I titled this 3 Leading Ways to Target Your Writing for Children--NOT! because I agree with Carmela and Mary Ann's conclusions. Essentially, write with passion and you'll hit a bullseye.
 |
| from morguefile.com |
Here are three thoughts hopefully
slightly related to this topic:
1) I am a reluctant reader. Always have been. Once I dive into a book, I'm swimming, but getting to the edge of the pool, dipping my toe in? Terrifying. Every book. Every time.
2) Many years ago, former bookseller, and book reviewer
Janet Zarem was hired by my son's elementary school to talk to parents about reading. She began by passing out a paragraph in and asking us what it said. Okay, so let's try it. I'd like you to read this paragraph and tell me what it says. You have two minutes:
 |
| *see bottom of this post for attribution* |
When we saw the paragraph, we were scared'r than a long-tail cat in a room full of rockin' chairs.**
Isn't that a powerful way to show someone the world from a new or challenged or reluctant reader's point of view?
3) That's how scared many of us feel about learning
anything new.
For example,
UCLA Extension's Writers' Program is in the process of changing how its instructors post course materials for our students. We are moving from a platform called Blackboard to one called Canvas.
When I saw the first email about this, I rolled into a little ball. I felt as outdated and useless as a screen door on a submarine.***
I see now that I went through
the five stages of loss and grief, finally arriving at
acceptance: Wow--it's done, it didn't take long, and I am truly invincible.
 |
| Tah-dah--I did it! |
RELUCTANT
by April Halprin WaylandNew? New?Who are you talking to?
You’ll have to leave a message—
I think I have the flu.It’s too bad that you saw meI stick with tried and true.If you want revolution,I’ll leave it up to you.Who? Me?You found me up this tree?Just cut that sheet in two?And paste it here with glue?That’s all we have to do?
I’m standing on my head, now:I see your point of view.poem & drawing (c) April Halprin Wayland 2014=====================
Don't forget to enter our latest book giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the
2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (in which our very own Carmela Martino has an article!). See
Carmela's post for all the details.
The giveaway ends Oct 31.
Poetry Friday is at
Merely Day By Day ~ Thanks, Cathy!
poem & drawing (c) April Halprin Wayland 2014
posted by April Halprin Wayland, who thanks you in Greek for reading all the way to here.
*from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey**
from: http://charlottenewcomers.blogspot.com/2008/01/southern-expressions-uglier-than.html***from:
http://www.examiner.com/article/southern-isms-50-of-the-funniest-southern-expressions-and-colloquialisms
The question I am most asked by parents is "What is the reading level of your books?"
I am currently teaching an adult class on writing for children. The first question I am usually asked by those students is "How do you write at an appropriate reading difficulty for an age group?"
Those questions are not as easy to answer as you might think.
Carmela's Friday post stated that in reaching "reluctant readers" a writer should simply write whatever they are passionate about and the readers will follow. I have most certainly found this to be true.
When I first began writing, "targeting" a group, or writing with a specific grade level vocabulary never crossed my mind. Thanks to years and years of working in children's library service, I have read thousands and thousands of children's books for all ages. When I write, my brain goes into "child mode." That's just the way I write, period. My normal style involves short sentences and short paragraphs using simple words.
I was not aware of my writing style, until my then elementary school-aged daughter introduced me to "Accelerated Reader." This was the program her school used for "pleasure" reading. (I am not sure how pleasurable it was since it was required.) Only books on the Accelerated Reader program were counted for the reading grade. Books had point values, based on complexity of language and interest level.
I was thrilled to learn that all my books were on the Accelerated Reader list, which increased the likelihood of their purchase by a school library. However, I was puzzled to learn that my middle grade books, Yankee Girl and Jimmy's Stars, were not being read by the fourth and fifth graders, my intended audience.
The mystery was solved when one of my daughter's friends told me how much she liked Jimmy's Stars "even though it doesn't have many points." A trip to the school library informed me that both of the books had a point value of 3. For comparison, anything written by J.K. Rowling had a point value of upwards of 7. That particular year, my daughter was supposed to read 7 points worth every six weeks. How could I compete with Harry Potter?
A little digging into the mysteries of Accelerated Reader yielded the information that while my middle grade books had a third grade reading level, their content was appropriate for upper fifth grade and sixth grade students. Considering that the subjects of those books were Civil Rights Era Mississippi and the ravages of World War II, I thought that was a fair evaluation.
Then parents began to ask me that troublesome reading level question. This was often prefaced with something like, "My daughter is in second grade but she reads on a fourth grade level. She should be able to read your books, right?"
I found myself in the strange position of talking down my own books. While the child in question would be able to read and recognize the words I had written, would they be able to understand the events in the book? It had never occurred to me that a seven-year-old might read those books. Tough things happen in them: racial prejudice, death, violence. Although I didn't "target" my writing, I didn't think anyone under ten would be reading them. I started hedging my answers by telling parents they could buy the book but perhaps they should put it away until their child was older. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. No matter what I said, some parents completely missed the fact that some "low reading level" material might contain concepts too mature or sophisticated for a first grader who was "a really good reader."
What did I learn from this experience? Did this cause me to become a cautious, self-censoring writer? Do I now write in a more complex style?
No.
I write what I am passionate about. I write for my inner eleven-year-old. It's the best that I can do. It's all any of us can do.
Don't forget to enter our latest book giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the 2015 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. See Carmela's post for details.
The giveaway ends Oct 31.
Best of luck, Mary Ann
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 10/17/2014
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Happy Poetry Friday, Everyone! Today I'll be sharing a fun, "spooky" poem by David L. Harrison. But first I'll tell you about my latest publication, an article in the 2015 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books), edited by Chuck Sambuchino. Then, at the end of this post, you'll find instructions for how to enter to win your very own copy of the 2015 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market!
If you're not familiar with the
Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (also known as the
CWIM),
here's an excerpt from the book's blurb.
"If you write or illustrate for young readers with the hope of getting published, the '2015 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market' is the trusted resource you need. Now in its 27th edition, 'CWIM' is the definitive publishing guide for anyone who seeks to write or illustrate for kids and young adults. Inside you'll find more than 500 listings for children's book markets (publishers, agents, magazines, and more)--including a point of contact, how to properly submit your work, and what categories each market accepts."
In addition to the market listing, the CWIM includes great articles, interviews, and success stories. This year's edition features my interview roundup article, "Writing for Boys (and other 'Reluctant Readers')." The piece contains advice and insights from four award-winning authors known for writing books that appeal to reluctant readers:
Matt de la Peña,
Lenore Look,
David Lubar, and
Steve Sheinkin.
Although these authors write a wide variety of books, and everything from picture books to young adult novels, there was one bit of advice they all agreed on: If you want your writing to appeal to boys and other reluctant readers, don't try to target this particular audience. That's right, DON'T target them. Instead, write what moves, excites, or interests YOU. Then, "revise it over and over until it hums," as Matt de la Peña said. All four of the authors shared additional, specific advice on how to reach reluctant readers, especially boys. So be sure to enter our giveaway below for a chance to win your own copy of the CWIM!
In researching "Writing for Boys (and other 'Reluctant Readers')," I discovered some very discouraging statistics about boys and reading. Not only do girls, on average, score higher on reading tests than boys, but the gender gap is widening. Fortunately, the news isn't all dire. As
Jon Scieszka, the first
National Ambassador of Young People's Literature and founder of Guys Read points out on the
GuysRead website:
". . . the good news is that research also shows that boys will read—if they are given reading that interests them."
Poetry can be a great way to hook boys (and other reluctant readers), especially if it's short, funny, and/or focuses on boy-friendly topics, such as sports, adventure, animals, and the supernatural. You'll find some wonderful books that fit this bill on the
GuysRead list of poetry books. I also recommend just about anything written by David L. Harrison. His book
Bugs: Poems about Creeping Things (Wordsong), illustrated by Rob Shepperson, is chock-full of poems with lots of boy-appeal. Here's one example:
cicada ghosts
Haunted skins cling emptily to the rough bark of the hackberry tree,
and farther up where I can't see, ghosts are buzzing eerily: zz-zz-zz-zz zeeeeee! © David L. Harrison, all rights reservedIf you'd like to see the wonderful illustration that accompanies this poem in
Bugs: Poems about Creeping Things, visit
this page on David's blog (after you enter our drawing below!).
Finally, before you head over to check out these resources or the other great poems in this week's
Poetry Friday round-up at
Today's Little Ditty, you'll want to enter to win your own copy of the
2015 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market. You can do that via the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post. You may enter via 1, 2, or all 3 options.
For option 2, "Leave a Blog Post Comment," you must share a comment to TODAY'S blog post and include your name!(If you prefer, you may submit your comment via email to:
teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com. )
The giveaway
ends on Oct. 31.
Good luck and happy writing!
Carmela
P.S. If you've never entered a Rafflecopter giveaway, here's info on
how to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway and the
difference between signing in with Facebook vs. with an email address. Email subscribers: if you received this post via email, you can click on the Rafflecopter link at the end of this message to access the entry form.
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