May

10

Greetings;
My job as a line editor for our Cape Cod Children’s Writers one-day workshops is time-consuming but so gratifying. A few weeks before each workshop, the clients forward ten pages of their best work for review by each of several instructors, versed in different aspects of the writing process. I can understand how sending forth one’s work without benefit of “being there” to explain the how and why of one’s reasoning takes courage but it is an essential step in the learning process. When a finished manuscript is sent to an editor in the hope of having it traditionally published, the author also cannot be there. The writing, itself, must be able to convey accurate emotions for specific scenes and time-lines, and the dialogue must “show” the speakers’ characters without using telling statements. In essence, that first step directly connects to the last.
In case someone hasn’t had the chance to read Sara Pennypacker’s Clementine series, I’d like to suggest her books as a must read in learning how to successfully write for children TODAY. Some of my former instructors insisted a sentence should not begin with “But,” while others taught there should also be a comma after “but.” Those rules no longer apply. Like other authors, I’m sure Sara learned the basics of writing, but once those initial, important lessons had been learned her writing became her voice. She knows how to set words down in a concise manner to make a statement without always needing a grammatically correct sentence. Notice these examples from her book, Clementine’s Letter.
I said NO. It has to be a real name. (No quotes there.)
So I sat up and listened to him, even though it was just “Raise your hand if you’re absent” and “Who’s got milk money?” stuff. (Another word I was taught to use sparingly, if at all, was “just” but it has begun to creep into newer children’s books. So will I use it now? If it makes the right point, I just might.
Other statements: But right after that, it got interesting. Which I tried once.
The point I’m making is that one must learn the basics of writing BEFORE understanding HOW to use words to present an individual’s voice. Read some of this year’s published children’s books to see what is being accepted, and how the wording is set down to present the best effect. The local librarian and the staff at Eight Cousins in Falmouth center can guide you to the newest books.
In nurses’ training, the instructor spent two hours showing us how to make a bed, and it took us two hours to follow her example. By the time we’d learned well enough to work the wards, the same task had become so ingrained it took only ten minutes. All basic learning takes extra time but it’s worth the effort because perseverance is the key to success in any business. Ask Sara if you’re lucky enough to meet her. Until next time, read some new children’s books this summer and be well. Linda

May

10

Make your dialogue shine by remembering a few simply suggestions:

 1. Use “said” the majority of the time to avoid slowing down and breaking up the reader’s pace.

 2. Eliminate unimpressive words like “ums” in your dialogue. Use interesting and informative word choices in your dialogue, words that move the story forward and enhance the plot.

 3. Avoid beginning dialogue with the character’s proper name 98% of the time, because it makes your dialogue sound unnatural, forced and fake. If only two characters are involved a scene, you may avoid all dialogue tags if you have developed each character’s voice well enough. If a scene includes more than two characters, you will need the “said” dialogue tag in select places to keep your readers from being confused.

 4. Always read your dialogue aloud to make sure it is stated in the natural voice of each character, and at the same time informative. This is very difficult and requires practice.

JOAN

May

3

“And that is why, when it’s time to make a change in my life, I just BEGIN.

Even if I’m starting in the wrong place. On the wrong project.

I simply BEGIN.

ACTION is magical. Somehow, action leads to clarity. Begin somewhere and just pay attention to the results you get. Then, refine your actions to accommodate what you have learned.

This is the most profoundly simple strategy I discovered about reinventing your life.

Begin.

Then, notice. Adjust.

And, begin anew.”

~ Jennifer Boykin – Breakthrough

Nearing the end of finishing my drawings for my illustrating project, as I look back to January, these were perhaps the most motivating words I’ve ever heard in regard to starting something new. There is a certain kind of fear I associate with starting something I’ve never done before. It’s the fear that keeps me from beginning.

This kind of fear has a process all it’s own. I wake up and immediately think about the new thing. Then I sit and think about it for a long time. I begin to stir up some confidence, so I gather the tools and materials I’ll need. The tools and materials all laid out, ready to go, snaps me back to the place of fear. I sit and think some more. I picture myself (in the illustrating case) putting the pencil to the paper. The fear rushes in again and I back away and think about it some more. Them I drop it completely and go do other things.

Gradually I begin thinking about it again. I imagine the finished product. I plan it. But that “snap” that I need to actually begin hasn’t hit yet. Thank goodness I found Jennifer Boykin’s Breakthrough . I never imagined it was that simple. Just begin.

Oh it’s simple, but it’s not easy. I had to adopt the mindset that if it wasn’t good, I could just tear it up and start again. No one had to see it. No one but me would know it wasn’t good. But then I get to thinking what if it will never be good? What if I can’t do it? Nonsense. I can do anything I put my mind to.

So I begin. And it isn’t bad. But it isn’t good either. I do tear it up and start again. Gradually I learn not to keep tearing it up. I find that if I push on through I gain an understanding of the medium and what I can do to fix things I don’t like. I learn the boundaries of the medium. I learn how the color works. I learn how the paper receives the color. And before I know it, I have a completed piece of artwork. I think it’s good, but what if it really isn’t?

Now I have to show it to people. And I HAVE to because I have to know if it’s honestly good. So I show it to people I trust and my critique group. It’s well received and I feel relieved.

I do the next two pages and then I show it to my biggest critic who I know will never lie to me, my teacher daughter. And what does she say? Mom, it’s the eyes of the characters. They need to be symmetrical and big. Look at any picture book. What’s the first thing you connect with? The eyes.

Wow. I never knew. So I worked on the eyes. In fact, I developed a whole new system for doing eyes. I leave them until last and cut them out of white paper and try them on the character. This gives me tremendous freedom in experimenting with the feeling the character is going to convey. I can make as many sets of eyes as I like until it’s just right, and if I trace them, they’ll all be the same size. The difference it made in my work was amazing. I finally felt it. It was good. Good enough to send to the author.

Who knew it was all in the eyes? Not me. Smart girl that daughter of mine. Smart as she is, I still would’ve not known this if I didn’t “just begin”.

Are you faced with something new? Just begin.

And so, as another day goes by, “just begin” is my mantra of the month, and…I have written.
The name of the book is The Trouble With Ralph. Here he is stealing the sheets. Does he look guilty? It’s all in the eyes.

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Apr

22

Manuscript critique service is being offered by members of the Cape Cod Children’s Writers.

If you do not have time to attend our one-day writing retreats consisting of six clients, we will be happy to offer you a written critique by one of our group members.

Do you have a middle grade, a young adult novel, or a short story work-in-progress that you would like an opinion on? The first chapter is crucial in capturing the attention of an editor at a publishing company. You may obtain a written critique of your first chapter for $150.00.

If you have 3 children’s poems, and or a picture book manuscript in progress, one of our writers will critique your work for $75.00.

Contact Joan Walsh at irishseaside2@aol.com, and your work will be assigned to the group member who will best serve your genre.

As you can tell from our blog, we love talking craft, exploring story, and delving into the nuts ‘n bolts of writing.

JOAN

Apr

22

“Write what you know” we are always hearing. But you can also write what you don’t know – with a bit of sleuthing. Research is an important part of children’s writings. It’s an important part of making your book accurate and believable. It can add color and detail to an otherwise average story. How did kids dress in the 1940′s? What is it really like on a playground today? If I want to have a kid jousting on a bicycle with a bathroom plunger, just how much do you need to know about medieval jousting? Or about a kid rock climbing to overcome a fear of heights? Or his fear of the dark by going spelunking with a science class?

The first site most people look at today is the internet. Be specific in your search. For the cave story, go to the National Speleological Society or interview a spelunker. Safety information can be found at Safekids.com or the American Red Cross site. Check experts in the field on line. They may disagree, but that may make interesting dialogue or color. Another way is by finding group discussion lists by going to http.//groups.yaoo.com and type on “medieval” or “civil war” or “space aliens.”

Interview experts, people who are professionals or hobbyists in your field. Look for experts through organizations and on their on line sites. Keep an “expert file” for future reference. I keep a recipe box of people I’ve met or read about with pertinent information to which I can refer later. Or store it on the data base. Or you may want to travel to the Salem (MA) Museum for witchcraft, or the Galveston TX, museum to reasearch the 1900 hurricane.

Get personal information. For a medieval joust, visit a medieval fair. Observe, photograph take notes on what is going on here. Listen to the way actors speak while in their roles.

And don’t forget your local library The research librarian is a wealth of knowledge and can point you in a different direction than you thought. Check out the computer catalog, where it lists related subjects. Read nonfiction books, reference materials, specialized periodical. Look at old magazines and newspapers. Many are on digital or microfilm.
The more believable your story can be made through research, the more believable it will be to your readers.

Enjoy the sleuthing!

Creatively,
Christina

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