Seven Authors from Guardian Angel Publishing ( affectionately known as GAP ) Are still Blogging their Hearts Out for Children's Book Week May 7th - 13th, 2012 (See list of other GAP bloggers below) .
GAP Authors also offer2x FREE GIFTS
WIN
A cool tote bag of books by GAP authors + a FREE Picture Book Critique - by me!
Don't forget to sign up to WIN! ( entry form at the end of this post )
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So. . . let's get to it, mates. My Topic for Today, Wed, May 9th
Classic Children’s Books – Both Old and New
In Memory of a giant in the world of writing and illustrating books for kids: Scary, funny, weird - just the way kids liked it. Maurice Sendak Of course. Who else?
Every writer of
children’s books wants their book to become a classic. They want today’s kids to love and reread
their books until they are tattered and dog-eared with use – right? Then, it’s
handed on down to the kid’s kids, and so on, through the generations. A classic book has been around for
decades. It is read, reread, and then
handed down. If it goes out of print tears are shed, and frustration mounts. Second-hand bookstores are rifled in panicked searches for THE BOOK!
So, what makes them
classics? There are millions of books
out there, but few are considered classics.
Classics are the ones we actually remember: the cover, some of the
words, the way we felt when it was read to us. What mystic magic did the
author and illustrator call on to infuse their writing and images with such
long term evocative feelings?
Perhaps
they did one or more of the following:
Dreamed up characters
that all kids identify with.
Wrote a plot and characters that parents didn’t mind rereading every night –
like the fun of Dr Seuss for instance.
Illustrations that drew you into the story, and glowed with life, fun or
mystery.
Developed a matchless
instinct for using the right art and words in the right order.
Were themselves still kids at heart
Loved weaving stories,
and sprinkling characters with their own brand of fairy dust.
They had fantastic imaginations, PLUS the know-how to write it all downin unforgettable paragraphs, pages and verses.
Or simply wrote and drew what they wanted to have read to them when they were
small, or scared, or in need of comfort.
Who knows the mixture of
alchemy and magic that helps someone concoct a classic story? It simply happens over time. The right tale, told with the right words,
art and sentiments, printed with care, and bound with love.
This Video has me reading the beginning of my latest book "Taconi and Claude Double Trouble." I chat about the Aussie outback setting for this historical adventure, and that I grew up in Australia. I hope it also becomes a classic.
You can find wonderful classic book titles on PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/margotfinke/hook-kids-on-reading/ on
my “HOOK KIDS on Reading” space, or on many other Pinterest pages. OR - begin a Pinterest
“classics” page of your own.
Here are a few of my all time favorite classic children's books: Frog and Toad (any of them)
Roald Dahl – his all rock!
Willy the Wimp - Anthony Browne Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carrol
Winnie the Pooh Beatrix Potter collection Jungle Book, Ruyard Kipling - older kids.
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaimen - if old enough. The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler Where The Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendek Peter Pan, J M Barrie
Mother Goose - Rosemary Wells
The Dancing Tiger, Malanchy Doyle
But Not The Hippopotamus Time for bed by Mem Fox
Wow! Said the owl by Tim Hopgood
Where the Sidewalk Ends A Pizza the Size of the Sun
The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton Henry and Mudge
(all) Oh the Place You'll Go Go Dog Go – great for beginning readers.
Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley The Fox and the Hen by Eric Battut
No by Claudia Rueda
Is your mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
Read these and other classic books. Imbue your conscious and unconscious mind with the words, phrases, plots and characters that make up a classic book. Let them marinate, and enrich your writing heart and soul.It takes time, experience and talent to produce a fine wine. It also takes time, talent and experience to give birth to a classic book. But trust me, mates, the pain of the contractions are worth it!
And do please add YOUR favorites to the comments below.
========================
NOW .
Surf on over to some of
the other Guardian Angel Bloggers and enjoy their Children's Book Week
posts.
Entry during the Children's Book
Week celebration by Guardian Angel Publishing does not guarantee winning the
FREE tote bag of Guardian Angel Publishing books, or the FREE picture book
manuscript critique by Margot Finke. Winner of the FREE picture book manuscript
critique by Margot Finke shall not hold Ms. Finke liable in publication success
of submitted picture book manuscript.
Seven Guardian Angel Publishing Authors ( affectionately known as GAP ) Are individually Blogging ALL 7 days of Children's Book Week Beginning May 7th - 13th, 2012 (See list of other GAP bloggers below).
We are BLOGGING about our passion:
READING, WRITING, PUBLISHING or PROMOTINGetc
Books for Children
GAP authors also offer 2x FREE GIFTS
you can WIN ( entry form at the end of this post )
A cool tote bag of books by GAP authors + a FREE Picture Book Critique - by me!
Don't forget to sign up to WIN!
.
*************** .
So. . . let's get to it, mates. My Topic for Today, Tuesday, May 8th
A Professional Critique – What to Expect
(On loan from my Musings Column)
This is a Video of me chatting about my Manuscript Critique Service and what I offer
Your critique group has given your
story a big thumbs-up. You have rewritten, tweaked and reworked every chapter.
Your writing is as tight as a miser’s money clip, your plot is fast paced, and
your characters are richly written. Yet you suspect the time has come for your
"baby" (manuscript) to receive a Professional Critique. Why so?
Because you have just received your fourth rejection letter, and you begin to
wonder: is the darn thing really as good as you thought? Your confidence as a
writer is now lower than President Bush’s current ratings. A professional is
indicated. But how do you go about it? Who do you choose? Where do you go to
find reliable professional help at a fee you can afford? .
Where
to Find a Good Critiquer:Go where children’s writers hang out
– writing conferences, colleges, on-line writing lists and chat rooms. Ask
fellow writers if they can recommend someone. Professional Critique persons
often include their editing or critique services in their e-mail signature.
If you're an SCBW-I member, you can
find critiquers in the list of books doctors and manuscript coaches that the
organization publishes. Everyone listed is reputable and experienced in the
children's book field. .
Are
They Reputable?No one wants to pay good money for
less than the best. If a person is recommended to you, by someone you know and
trust, then they are probably honest and skilled critiquers. On the other hand,
if you Google "Manuscript Critique Services" and find several names
that fit the bill, you had better check them out FAST. Read their websites
carefully. Ask for references from satisfied clients. What are their
qualifications? Are their fees up in the stratosphere? How long will your critique
take? Do they promise more than is reasonable? Find out exactly what a critique
from them entails. Snippy, or less than forthcoming replies to any of these
questions means you RUN! .
Choose
the Right Critique Person for You:
A person skilled in advising YA
writers on how to strengthen their plots, and create great tension, might not
necessarily be good at helping a writer of picture books pare down their pages.
There are basic skills that all critiquers need, but the differences between
what it takes to help craft a great YA, or an appealing PB, are vast. If you
want a professional opinion on your midgrade novel, find someone who
specializes in critiquing mid-grades. The same goes for PBs, YA’s, and anything
in-between. It is true that certain critiquers work with various age groups:
just make sure they are knowledgeable about the age you write for.
Rhyming picture books need expert
help. Editors LOVE rhyming stories: they just hate the 99 out of 100 really
terrible ones that land on their desks.
That meter must be smooth and repeated in every verse. The rhyming words need to fit the story and
move it along. Oh, and don’t forget a
terrific story as well. Not easy, I
know. So make sure the person you choose
to help you knows a thing or two about the BIG 3 of rhyming stories.
* NOTE:If you write MG or YA books, asking for a
complete critique might mean taking out a second mortgage. Don’t laugh! A
huge amount of time and effort is involved in thoroughly working through one of
these books. This is especially true if the writer needs help in many areas. I
suggest asking for a critique of your first few chapters. Most professionals
want their money up-front. This can be done for a reasonable fee, and if you
are smart, you can use what you learned from the critique of those early
chapters throughout the rest of your book. And if money is tight (or not there
at all), join one of the many critique groups around. Your writing will benefit
from the feedback of more advanced or published writers. A good critique group
mentors its members. .
What
to Expect from a Critique:
Expect the unexpected! A good
critique looks under the surface, scanning your manuscript with a fresh eye,
and without any preconceived notions. Like anyone else, be it an editor or a
prospective book purchaser, most critiquers are hoping for a good read. The
first impression a critiquer has of your chapters is often the same first
impression that forced those editors to send you a rejection. Unlike publishing
editors, who waste no time on writing that is sloppy, unfocused or weak, you
have paid your critique person to tell you the error of your writing ways.
However, telling you a paragraph needs tightening is not enough. .
Examples
of What to Expect from a Good Critique:
Paragraph or chapter needs tightening - an example of what this means.
Verbs are weak—shows
a way of using more powerful and active verbs.
Plot lacks focus—presents
a focused alternative for the writer to consider.
Picture book is too wordy—Gives examples of how and where to prune.
Dialogue is not age appropriate—shows example that is right for the age.
Where paragraphs, pages or chapters are great—praise for good writing.
If the overall concept and writing is weak—suggestions re writing classes, reading books, and
joining a critique group. Encourages the client to master the craft of
writing.
A summary that pinpoints areas that need strengthening
etc, and mentions what they feel works just fine as is—Encourages you to think out of the box: to turn your
chapters or paragraphs upside-down, or inside out, until you get them
exactly right. Reinforces the notion that re-writing is not a dirty word!
Comments, suggestions and examples that help you identify problem areas
more clearly, write tighter, and focus on what is important to the plot.
Support, honesty and helpful examples are the cornerstones of a good
critique.
What NOT to Expect:
Lots of lavish praise, or pussyfooting around, trying
to avoid your tender ego—an
honest evaluation might upset you for a day or two, but think about it
before you blow a gasket. RE-EVALUATE! Those rejection slips could mean
the critiquer was right.
The Critique from Hell—many put-downs, no helpful examples, not one word of
praise, and no summary – next time, you’ll do deep research on a critique
person before you pay your money – right?
What
You Shouldn't Do:
Take it personally—A
critique is simply an educated opinion. Consider and evaluate. Put your MS
aside for a while, and then reread it with the critiquer’s comments in
mind. Some of those suggestions might work better than you thought.
Bug your Critique Person about it before the due-back
date—A ticked-off critiquer is not
a person you want looking at your manuscript!
Send an e-mail while you’re still upset—Trust me, you will regret it! No matter that the
advice was the last thing you wanted to read: acknowledge receipt of your
critique ASAP. Then, take the time to evaluate carefully, before you
e-mail her with a barrage of questions.
Summary:
Never allow yourself to become
discouraged—being bummed out by a critique that shatters your writing illusions
is natural. Have a good cry, take a bubble bath, beat up the punching bag: but
whatever you do, don’t stop writing.
Tweak, rework, rewrite! Make that
book, stronger, more dynamic, a real winner. Do it for yourself. Do it just to
SHOW that !@#$% critiquer. But - DO IT!
========================
NOW .
Surf on over to some of
the other Guardian Angel Bloggers and enjoy their Children's Book Week
posts.
Entry during the Children's Book
Week celebration by Guardian Angel Publishing does not guarantee winning the
FREE tote bag of Guardian Angel Publishing books, or the FREE picture book
manuscript critique by Margot Finke. Winner of the FREE picture book manuscript
critique by Margot Finke shall not hold Ms. Finke liable in publication success
of submitted picture book manuscript.
A selection of Guardian Angel Publishing authors
will blog about all aspects of writing books for children -
Beginning with that first idea . . .
to HOT off the press!
Read their terrific review of "Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind."
I am still basking in the afterglow!
*********************
Now, for some serious business . . .
School Visits
This week, an author's list I am on has been batting around the pros and cons of doing school visits.
Here are my thoughts:
A few years ago, many authors made a lot more doing school visits than they did on royalties. This has changed. As daily newspapers, CNN and radio news tells us, public schools are in deep financial trouble. Most don’t have the big bucks to spend on our fees, and many parents can’t afford to buy our books. However, if you are lucky enough to live in a more affluent school district, remember that each school has its own ideas about how to handle an author visit. There is NO one rule that fits all schools. What I advise, is to personally contact whoever is in charge of author visits, and ask what they want from you: time allocated, any small teaching element needed, the number of classes you will visit, etc. Then you have to negotiate until you are both satisfied with what YOU bring to their table. Fees are very negotiable.
Never do it for free. It is very true that people do value what they pay for – schools included. Yet where once you might have received $500 for the day, now you might only receive $100. Yet remember, whatever you are paid, you are still putting your name and titles out there in the hope of HOOKING KIDS on READING.
Always ask for some sort of fee when you go to a school, visit classes, read your books, and provide whatever else the school wants you to do for each class. Even if it is only $50.00. Schools will really value you , your time and your writing talent, if YOU put a dollar value on it as well. For some reason, many writers feel what they do is somehow unworthy of payment. Their time and talent is not worth hard cash. PHOOEY! If we don’t value ourselves, then no one else will either.
When schools are in an affluent area, they should pay a reasonable fee for your services – at least several hundred dollars for a well presented visit and book reading. In the less affluent areas, negotiate a fee you are both comfortable with. But some fee should be paid in acknowledgment and respect for your services, time and talent.
If you are famous, with awards and lots of books, you can probably charge big bucks - and get it! However, in these tough times, look into the financial situation of the school districts you plan to visit. Then negotiate you fee. Sometimes, you have to negotiate what they want from you, with what you are prepared to do. These days you need to go in with negotiating everything a probability – especially your fee.
Once you get the go-ahead, consider pre-selling your books to the school.
When I did school visits, I gave them order forms ahead of time, to send home with the kids. This listed my books, a small blurb about each book for the parents information, + the prices. It also had my e-mail address, and the website where parents could go and view the books and illustrations for themselves. I knew ahead of time the number sold, and ordered them from my publisher in one large lot. Some publishers, like mine, offer schools a nice discount. This worked well for me, and saved the teachers having to make up the order forms themselves.
Maybe it's the rain, or the snow capped forested mountains, the trout streams, or simply something writerly in the air, but these Oregonians write books kids love to read.
I offer you just a few of the titles that will be available this fall: These are authors who know how to Hook YOUR KID on Reading,
OR - Lure that reluctant reader into turning page-after-page.
"Delcroix Academy: The Candidates" Release date: August 24, 2010 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 978-142311636-3 Can buy anywhere @inarascott (Twitter) Inara Scott (Facebook) Must view Book Trailer *************************
Illustrator: David Michael Slater Publisher: Blooming Tree Press/CBAY ISBN 978-1933767031 BUY All fine bookstores!
Margie Boule writes of the increasingly controversial Sacred Books series: "What would you get if you combined Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes?...If you were David Michael Slater, you'd get the 13-year-old Wax twins, Dexter and Daphna. The intrepid stars of David's "Sacred Books" adventure series. These books...are starting to make waves." The Book of Nonsense and The Book of Knowledge pleased and teased readers with a provocative blend of action and intellectual thrills. The Book of Maps (Sacred Books, Volume III) launches the twins on an even greater and more perilous journey of discovery. Oct. 16th, 2010.
When 16-year-old Mari Stratton attends a New Year's party with her brother and her hearing-impaired friend, she joins in a game outside in the dark fields. As midnight strikes, she finds herself and four others propelled by a violent green storm into a confusing landscape of beauty, danger, and mystery. In this alternate world, ruthless black-cloaked riders on horseback hunt them down, and Mari encounters the very things she fears the most. Somehow, she must discover how they can get back to the real world.
The first day of school can be scary, especially when you don't speak English. But when the time comes for the class to learn a new lesson, Ms. Coski needs help, and Carmen's special talent just might come in handy. "This charming celebration of bilingualism captures both the fears and delights of learning a new tongue."--School Library Journal
PLUS. . .
"Nora and the Texas Terror"
Chapter Book - Ages: 6-9
Author: Judy Cox . Illustrator: Amanda Haley
Publisher: Holiday House .ISBN: 978-0-8234-2283-8 . BUY: Bookstores and online booksellers
Nora tries to be a good sport about having Ellie's family as long-term guests now that her uncle has lost his job. However, her brash cousin Ellie, the Texas terror, is taking over Nora's life! This warmhearted chapter book about families doubling up during hard times is timely and engaging. A Junior Library Guild Selection.
In elegant free verse, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand describes Sotomayor’s remarkable journey from her childhood in the projects near Yankee Stadium to her stellar academic achievements at Ivy League universities to her rapid rise in the legal profession.
A muffled whump beneath her feet cut Cat short. She looked down to see a jagged crack shoot out across the surface of the snow. . . . Avalanche!
The world went dark. Blocks of wet snow pummeled her from all sides. She tumbled as if tossed by a giant ocean wave. Crashing, spinning, Cat couldn't tell up from down. . . . Gagging, frantic for air, Cat grabbed blindly, pulling, swimming, clawing to get to the surface, but seemed to just sink deeper. . . . Like a fool she had walked right into the dragon's trap. . . . Stupid, she thought, as the dragon's fist closed in on her. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
It was Cat's impulsive, irrepressible cousin Ty's harebrained idea to spread the ashes of their late fathers from the summit of the same treacherous mountain that had claimed both their lives. Now Cat must put all of her mountaineering knowledge to work if she and Ty are to survive Storm Mountain.
HOOK YOUR KID on READING with some of these terrific books!
