How to use this Page

by Maurene J. Hinds, Contributing Editor

In today’s busy world, few of us have the luxury to spend hours pursuing a writing dream. There’s no such thing as finding time to write. You have to make the time! As with other priorities, if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to fit some writing time into your schedule. How do you do this?

First, you need to dispel some of the myths about writing. You don’t need huge chunks of time. Several focused, 15-minute sessions can be very productive over the course of days, weeks, and months. Can you expand that time to half an hour? Even better! Whenever you can squeeze in some time, do it.

Don’t wait for inspiration. One of the greatest myths about writing is that you have to feel fully inspired to write. While inspiration is great, it’s not a prerequisite. Writing is like any other skill. The more you practice, the better you get. Sitting down to write and producing something—anything—is better than not writing at all. Waiting for the muse is a great way to procrastinate and make excuses.

Now that you know two important rules (or non-rules), how else can you make the time to write? The following tips will help you spend more time writing and less time thinking about it.

1. Commit. If you want to be a writer, you have to write, plain and simple. Make writing a priority.

2. Share your commitment with others. Let your family and friends know that writing is important to you. Of course, you need to demonstrate this by writing. Once they see that you are committed, their level of support will likely increase.

3. Realize that some things may have to go, or at least be put aside. Most people can’t do it all. For some, even making fifteen minutes means that something else, such as vacuuming, is going to be put on hold. The house does not have to look perfect.

4. Keep your priorities in perspective. Yes, your children come first. So that means your writing time may need to happen when the kids are asleep. For many writers, this means getting up early, before everyone else, or staying up late after everyone else is asleep.

5. Give yourself mini goals. For some, a page a day is a reasonable goal. For others, it’s 500 words. Figure out a reasonable, yet still challenging goal, and stick to it.

6. Keep writing.

7. Turn off your inner critic. This is the voice that tells you your writing is no good. First, you need to get something on paper (or screen). You can call on this voice later when it’s time to revise. (Many writers find that early morning writing is the best writing time as far as keeping this voice quiet.)

8. Keep writing.

9. Don’t think about “big picture” issues such as whether or not the work will be published and where. This comes later. The top priority is getting those first drafts done. Then you can work on the other stuff (such as revising!).

10. Keep writing

As with other important things in life, writing takes time and effort. However, few things match the satisfaction of setting a goal, sticking to it, and watching your writing grow.

by contributing editor Maurene J. Hinds

Whether you write for children or adults, characters are the driving forces of your stories. What happens to your characters and how they solve their problems are the outlines of plot. A plot can be summarized in three simple questions.

1. What does my character want?
2. What is getting in his/her way?
3. How will my character solve or deal with what is getting in the way?

That’s it.

In order to answer these questions in a way that is compelling and leads to an interesting story, however, you need to know your characters well. Once you have an intimate knowledge and understanding of your characters, you can create interesting roadblocks for them while knowing how they are most likely to respond.

How writers choose to learn about their characters varies greatly. Authors’ personalities are as varied as the characters they write about. Here are some of tools and exercises that writers use.

The Profile A character profile is exactly as it sounds. It profiles everything you know about your character. Not all of this information ends up in the story, but the more you know about your character, the more authentic he or she will come through in the story. A profile can and should contain as many details as possible, such as:

* Physical description, including age
* Where he or she lives
* Favorites and preferences (favorite color, food, chocolate or vanilla, etc.)
* Likes and dislikes
* Hobbies
* Sports
* Occupation
* Family and marital status

A profile is similar to those email questionnaires that circulate among your friends every now and then. If you’ve ever received one of those emails, consider answering the questions about your character instead (whether or not you reply with those answers is up to you!).

The Interview This is similar to the profile, but conducted more like an interview than simply writing a profile. Consider it a “getting to know you” interview. You can talk aloud with your character (yes, many writers do this), or you can write the questions and then answer them as your character rather than yourself.

Write from the Character’s Point of View Get into “character mode” and have your character write about him or her. Invite the character to include as many details as possible. Include the types of information that are listed in the profile or conducted in a “getting to know you” interview. What your character writes may surprise you!

Talk to Your Characters Many writers do this. Yes, it means talking aloud, first as yourself, and then as your character. Allow yourself to “channel” the character so that his or her voice can come through as authentically as possible. If this process inhibits you, consider talking to your characters in places such as your car when you’re driving alone, or turn up some music in your room and hold a quiet conversation. The process can be surprisingly fun, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you learn.

by Maurene J. Hinds, Contributing Editor

If you’re trying to create a romantic dinner, you might use candles, scented oils, and a beautiful place setting. These things all help create a mood for the evening. What about when you want to write? How do you get yourself into the mood to write a tense scene between two characters, or when you want to evoke a calm, introspective mood in your reader? One way is to use tricks to help create the mood within you first.

While some writers are able to “get into the flow” easily when they write, others may find that using a few tricks can help speed the process. You don’t have to lock yourself away or take a week-long nature retreat to get in the mood to write.

Use Your Senses

When writing an angry, tense scene between two characters, I helped generate the feelings in myself by cranking some Metallica music while I wrote. It helped set the pace and instantly helped evoke the tension that the scene needed. It’s also a scene that required little editing afterwards (thanks, guys!).

Music is a great mood-altering tool. If you need to be “up” to write a high-energy piece, choose some of your favorite tunes that always put you in a good mood. Alternatively, something somber may be just the ticket to write a sad or introspective section.

Use your other senses in a similar way. Smells are also great for evoking a feeling or mood. Smell is the one sense most strongly tied to memories. You can use this to your advantage by using candles, incense, room fresheners, or other scents to set a tone. If you’re writing about the outdoors, for example, pick up a pine-scented candle to help you feel the setting.

Many writers use pictures to help them visualize a setting or character. Browse through magazines, postcards, historical records, and any other photos to help you describe your people and places. Just be sure to limit the time looking, as it’s easy to become distracted and procrastinate on the writing part.

Mood is Not a Prerequisite

While it can be fun to play with various mood-enhancing tricks, the bottom line is the writing. Too often, “not having the right mood” can be a reason to procrastinate. These tools are ways to expand your writing experience—they are not requirements! In his excellent book, On Writing, author Stephen King discusses how he started writing at a small desk placed in the hallway.

The most important aspect about writing is writing! You don’t have to have to be in the perfect mood, have the perfect setting, or know exactly what you will write when you sit down. First, sit. Then consider adding a few special touches for variety.

by Maurene J. Hinds, Contributing Editor

Whether you write for children or adults, characters are the driving forces of your stories. What happens to your characters and how they solve their problems are the outlines of plot. A plot can be summarized in three simple questions.

1. What does my character want?
2. What is getting in his/her way?
3. How will my character solve or deal with what is getting in the way?

That’s it.

In order to answer these questions in a way that is compelling and leads to an interesting story, however, you need to know your characters well. Once you have an intimate knowledge and understanding of your characters, you can create interesting roadblocks for them while knowing how they are most likely to respond.

How writers choose to learn about their characters varies greatly. Authors’ personalities are as varied as the characters they write about. Here are some of tools and exercises that writers use.

The Profile A character profile is exactly as it sounds. It profiles everything you know about your character. Not all of this information ends up in the story, but the more you know about your character, the more authentic he or she will come through in the story. A profile can and should contain as many details as possible, such as:

* Physical description, including age
* Where he or she lives
* Favorites and preferences (favorite color, food, chocolate or vanilla, etc.)
* Likes and dislikes
* Hobbies
* Sports
* Occupation
* Family and marital status

A profile is similar to those email questionnaires that circulate among your friends every now and then. If you’ve ever received one of those emails, consider answering the questions about your character instead (whether or not you reply with those answers is up to you!).

The Interview This is similar to the profile, but conducted more like an interview than simply writing a profile. Consider it a “getting to know you” interview. You can talk aloud with your character (yes, many writers do this), or you can write the questions and then answer them as your character rather than yourself.

Write from the Character’s Point of View Get into “character mode” and have your character write about him or her. Invite the character to include as many details as possible. Include the types of information that are listed in the profile or conducted in a “getting to know you” interview. What your character writes may surprise you!

Talk to Your Characters Many writers do this. Yes, it means talking aloud, first as yourself, and then as your character. Allow yourself to “channel” the character so that his or her voice can come through as authentically as possible. If this process inhibits you, consider talking to your characters in places such as your car when you’re driving alone, or turn up some music in your room and hold a quiet conversation. The process can be surprisingly fun, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you learn.

by Contributing Editor, Maurene J. Hinds

One of the best ways to enliven nonfiction is by “borrowing” techniques used in fiction. This includes, when appropriate, opening with a high-action scene, building suspense, using plenty of “showing” description, and including dialogue to break-up the narrative. The only caveat is that actions and dialogue must be “true,” in that it accurately (word for word in the case of direct quotes) portrays events or people. What if you are not writing a biography or historical piece? You can still use these techniques by interviewing professionals, showing people in action, and determining an interesting point of view from which to write about your subject.

Kids love to learn about topics that interest them. For writers, this is good news, because it can often be “easier” to sell nonfiction than fiction–easier in the sense that many editors are looking for quality nonfiction. However, this also means that it is a competitive market, and only the best nonfiction writing will sell. You can make your nonfiction stand out by incorporating the techniques mentioned above, among other things (choosing and focusing on a specific, interesting topic also helps!).

Just as you need some type of “hook,” in fiction, so too should you use one in nonfiction. Even if your topic follows some type of chronology, consider opening with a significant event, fascinating fact, high-action event, or unique dialogue. Bring the reader in and then fill-in the details. What is an exception to this approach? Younger readers require more structure than older readers, in which case beginning in the middle of your story might not work. Straight chronologies work better for younger readers.

Use the idea of beginnings, middles, and ends as you craft your nonfiction piece. Just as fiction builds to the climax of the story, so too can you arrange your information in a way that builds to an interesting ending. Are you writing about a real-life mystery? Consider dropping clues along the way so your reader can try to solve the problem.

What if you are not sure of the best structure for your work? In many ways, you have more flexibility with nonfiction in that you can structure your piece in a way that best fits your material. Perhaps including the most exciting information first, rather than last, works best for your topic. Maybe the middle of your piece is full of action, which you then lead the reader out of to explain the significance. No matter how you structure your piece, remember that it needs to have some type of logical order (remember that bit about young readers?). As always, keep your reader in mind.

Dialogue is a great way to add interest to nonfiction while also breaking up longer sections of text. If you are writing a historical event or biography, search for actual words said by the people involved. If you cannot find this, you might be able to quote a newspaper article or some other source from the same period. If no quotes are available, or if you are writing a different type of piece, consider including excerpts from interviews. Experts add authenticity to your work, and some interesting quotes from experts can add that special, human touch.

As you develop your piece, look for ways to make the writing as interesting and “alive” as possible. Kids do not like to wade through dry, stale facts any more than (many) adults do. Think of ways to put those facts into context. Show the significance of the information, and present it in forms that kids can relate to. If you use the many ways to add sparkle to your nonfiction, you will help increase your chances of publication while providing fun, fascinating reads for your audience.

Yikes! We’d meant to post this special edition of Book Bites for Kids earlier in the week, but we had some technical difficulties.

NWFCC contributing editor and children’s author Maurene J. Hinds

Listen as children’s writer, and contributing editor here at the NWFCC, Maurene J. Hinds talks with Book Bites for Kids host, Suzanne Lieurance, about her newest nonfiction book, Fighting the AIDS and HIV Epidemic.

Maurene also offers tips for how other children’s writers can get book contracts with children’s educational publishers.