Basic Learning Leads to Success

By Linda Williams

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

Eight Cousins

By Linda Williams

Mar

30

Eight Cousins
What a great honor for the Eight Cousins book store, located in the center of Falmouth, MA to be named the best children’s book store in New England. Kudos to its owner and diligent overseer, Carol Chittenden. Her innate sense of what’s appropriate and fun for children shines from the moment one steps through the door.
For those of us, who live and write in the area, it is especially exciting because some of our own children’s books are among those for sale there. Two fellow authors in our group, the Cape Cod Children’s Writers, have books included at Eight Cousins. Joan Walsh, founder of the Cape Cod Children’s Writers, is the author of CAPE COD MEMORY MAKERS, and Melinda Mancester’s children’s books, TYLER and SPIDER and GRANDMA, tell me if you can, are also on display. One of Melinda’s poems, “Echoes” hangs in the Hyannis JFK Museum. Each member of the Cape Cod Children’s Writers belongs to SCBWI, the national Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Every published, children’s author and/or illustrator in the society is provided with news of on-going writing classes, national conventions, newly published books and available contests.
As a young girl, blessed with a mother who loved to read, I was introduced to Eight Cousins early. I yearned for the day when my own book might meet the high standards of that prestigious store. Eons later, the dream came true with my WERFUL and the CAPTAIN prominently displayed in the front window. What a proud moment of accomplishment as friends snapped pictures of Werful in the window. Neither everyday shoppers, nor the employees could fully understand how exciting it was to be signing my own book in the book store of my childhood dreams. Each child needs a dream, especially when life is strewn with sadness. One might not realize that an inanimate object, such as a book store, could provide a young child with a reason to dream a wonderful dream, but it did.
Until next time, keep your dreams alive, no matter how small or large, or how long it takes;  dreams can sustain a spirit, when in turmoil, and inspire hope for a better way and a better day. Be well. Linda

First Person Perspective

By Linda Williams

Mar

29

Greetings;
Using the first person perspective, when writing for children, allows the narrator to speak in a way young people communicate in real life. It’s especially useful in short stories, where there is an agenda or observation to quickly establish. First person allows the writer to enter a person’s thoughts, thus perceiving the world through someone else’s view. In essence, the writer must “become” the point-of-view character, acting as he or she would in a real situation, and thinking positive or negative thoughts, depending on what kind of character needs to emerge to fulfill the story’s premise. Once you, the writer, “are” that person, decide what kind of goals must be set to obtain what is desired or needed.
Deciding on the gender and age of the POV character is essential before writing the first word to keep happenings and vocabulary in perspective. There is a world of difference in setting down words and thought processes used by a five-year-old as opposed to a ten-year-old child.
The story’s time frame is also essential, when detailing the clothing worn by the POV child and his or her companions, and the scene. Before the 1950s, a child wouldn’t be watching television, playing video games, wrapping a sandwich in aluminum foil, or playing with skateboards. They would be listening to a radio, playing monopoly, wrapping a sandwich in waxed paper, and riding a bike with no automatic speeds except for the child’s own physical strength. Therefore, writing first person dialogue for a child in 2013 might include a sixth grader saying, “I’m going to space camp this summer,” while a 50’s child might say, “My favorite radio show is The Shadow.” It’s imperative to keep that first person’s perspective and dialogue true to its time because when readers find errors, whether in dialogue or scene, they will no longer trust the writer to accurately portray the story.
Children like to “become” the POV character in a story, so they need to be able to identify with the main character. If not, they will quickly lose interest and head for the nearest exit, be it the door outside or to a waiting video game.
Until next time, keep in mind, when writing your next story, “I am the point-of-view character.”
Be well. Linda

Writing Contest Rules

By Linda Williams

Mar

14

Greetings;
Life has certainly changed in the writing contest world. The writing, itself, used to be the prime factor in competing, but no longer. Once the job of writing, re-writing, and the final read-out-loud check is completed, the modern phase begins—placing one’s work onto the internet rather than into snail mail. No cover letter is needed for an electronic submission, but, when the contest rule states “no attachments or signature blocks,” (I JUST got used to doing THAT!) believe it.
One must then insert the precious cargo into an e-mail. Your name only goes into the “subject line” of your e-mail. With poems, include entry title and word count/line count.
(i.e.: Jane Smith, Moving On, 859 words/28 lines)
Formatting: SINGLE SPACE the entry or entries using TIMES ROMAN, FONT 12 or
ARIEL, FONT 12
For stories: one extra space between paragraphs, no indentations, flush left-hand margin.
For story point-of-view changes or time breaks, CENTER five asterisks (*****) with one extra space before and after the asterisks.
For poems: These may be set in stanzas if desired.
Entry titles should appear BOLD and FLUSH LEFT at top of the entry with word count or line count set JUST BENEATH the title. NOTE: Do NOT include those words in your total word count.
Here is a hugely important rule: i.e.: Story not to exceed 1200 words. Poems not to exceed 50 lines. If you go over the limit, your long-labored-at masterpiece WILL be disqualified. When writing, don’t fixate on reaching the limit. Often, shorter is better.
Note: Nowhere in the body of the e-mail should one see: author’s name, headers, footers, or page numbers. (Still with me, I hope.)
Is your work finally done? Afraid not. Some contests require a second e-mail with up to a fifty-word bio, a picture as an attachment in JPEG format (300 dpi attached) and if desired, a website address. The subject line should state the author’s name, entry title and the words “bio/photo/web”.
When you win, (You could!) the author normally retains the copyright to the work. “First-time publishing rights in North America only” is a frequently used term. When the winning entries are to be included in a book-for-sale, including electronically, there are more requirements, but I think I’ll stop now and get a drink of water to wash down my Tylenol. I do hope the above contest rules are a bit more understandable. Here’s hoping.
Until next time, please don’t let all those new rules keep you from enjoying your love of writing. Take heart that there are still a few publishers, who will accept your “babies” the old fashioned way. Be well. Linda

Critique Workshops

By Linda Williams

Feb

27

Greetings;
Today, I’d like to digress from writing to teaching etiquette because many of you, who are now learning, will one day be skilled enough to teach. I recently attended a critique workshop from ten to noon, where the leader, I’ll call him Joe, spent the first thirty-five minutes regaling us with his ego, his self-published book, with which he had won a contest, his “important” positions on one board or another ad infinitum. Perhaps you were unfortunate enough to have been cocooned in a classroom with such a person. Finally, at 10:35, Joe began the critiques; guess who went first? He did.
There should be a teacheing rule, which states an instructor must limit one’s achievements and the reasons for being the leader to ten minutes. If using one’s own material to make a point, keep it to one paragraph or make copies, which attendees can then take home.
One woman wrote about Big Foot. When Joe asked for comments, one was, “I loved her last sentence, “She touched the piece of fur hidden in her pocket and smiled.” He decided it wasn’t a good enough ending, and proceeded to change her last paragraph all around untril it said the same thing, but in his words.
An elderly man read a poem about children and wishes. A few lines didn’t rhyme, but the idea of children having fun dreams was a great premise. The leader asked, “Do you have another poem? I’ll read it for you.” The man pulled one out, and Joe once again took center stage. I’m sorry to say the only lesson Joe reinforced for me that day was how not to run a class.
Joe did make a good point stating that while a story is being critiqued, the writer should not defend against  suggestions for improvements or changes. Once all of the critiques have been discussed, there is time allotted to go over the writers’ questions and comments. The problem was he didn’t take his own advice, and kept “explaining” what he meant. Yes, there is always an urge to defend one’s work, but one must remember, when an editor reads your manuscript, you will not be there to “explain.”
I think of my first draft as the “telling” story. Then begins the task of re-writing to include the sub-plot–the “showing” mechanism of a successful manuscript. What are the characters thinking,saying,feeling,and observing in their world? Because each person sees something unique, according to his or her own needs, what does that world look like to an individual? How do they interact, and what emotions are stirred by those interactions?
Writing workshops deal with first drafts and re-writes, so there is room for great learning. Aside from Joe, there were three other writers in our group, who were spot-on with their critiques, and I came away with several improvement suggestions. I can’t stress enough how important such workshops are for a writer’s literary growth. Whether as a beginner or a seasoned writer, the learning never ceases.

Until next time, please trust in your goals.  Be well.  Linda

Necessary Jobs

By Linda Williams

Dec

26

Greetings;
It’s a new day; Christmas shopping for presents, opening presents, and discarding wrappings is yesterday’s news. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could also discard the bills and returns. Not likely.
Before a writer sets his or her first word into print, the first job is to determine which age group one hopes to attract; specific vocabulary and reasoning appropriate for that age will determine dialogue and emotional responses.
For me, the fun part of writing is my first draft. Creativity flows like a stream of water meandering through deep, unchartered forests. Deciding which inlet to follow is in the writer’s power alone in creating plot, place, time-span, and a most important job–providing fictional characters with character. As each step falls into place, excitement mounts. When a writer enters that world, reality’s dismal, rainy, or lonely hours evaporate into a welcoming mist of creativity, enveloping the writer’s senses, while emotionally moving one to a place where all things new and exciting are possible.
Avoiding necessary jobs is an alluring prospect but they don’t go away. After all excuses are expended, they’re still there. That’s how it is with necessary jobs. For serious writers, a major job is the re-writing process. Leave the first-draft in a drawer for at least a week to provide new perspective when re-reading it. After retrieving it, settle in for the in-depth job of cutting unnecessary or redundant words and phrases and exchanging dialogue for telling sentences to explain the reasoning behind a character’s reactions. Replacing a telling sentence of, “Rachel was so angry,” with her own showing words of, “That disgusting piece of humanity stole my money, while I slept,” makes one’s story come alive.
A new job has surfaced in recent years with back-story. It used to be traditional to use back-story only for a few sentences or one paragraph, often incorporating the change from present to past and back again by the use of dialogue. Not so much anymore. Proficient authors are now alternating whole chapters from past to present and back like Ping-Pong balls, no longer following the old rule of time-sequence continuity. Consequently, another important job for writers arises of keeping up with new writing practices by attending on-going writing classes, reading authors’ blogs, and belonging to writers’ groups. Have you noticed newer authors are no longer placing a comma before the word “but” in sentences? A new rule?
A most important job of writers is to set a specific time each day to write, and mine are between the hours of four-to-eight in the morning; no phones or people to interrupt the thought processes. When someone asked me, “What happens at eight?” I smiled and replied, “Real life begins.”
There’s much more to re-writing but I’ll close for now to return to paying bills and returning un-needed items. Until next time, may your real life in the New Year include time for you to dream and create and to finish necessary jobs. Be well. Linda

Visual Images

By Linda Williams

Dec

16

Greetings;
The once-normal audience boundary for picture story books no longer ends at seven or eight because this generation’s children are so much more visually oriented. From infancy on, they’re exposed to videos like the Baby Einstein series and are used to watching colorful hours of television. (A long way from the black and white tv programs of the fifties.)
Colorfully illustrated books no longer seem “babyish”, now offering a different visual experience as illustrated versions of classic fairy tales attract upper-age readers as well as first and second graders. Allen Say’s biography of a Chinese American bullfighter, El Chino and David Macaulay’s Caldecott Medal winner, Black and White, found favor among young adults. T.M. Murphy’s rendering (Falmouth’s renowned author of the Belltown Mystery Series.) of Saving Santa’s Seals is a fun picture book story with a title sounding like it was written for young children, but it’s written and illustrated to entice the older readers too. Its modern depictions by illustrator, Adam Taylor (A bit of nepotism here—my nephew.) draw in the upper-age group with its dynamic, futuristic visuals.
One doesn’t have to be an illustrator to think visually, but it is an essential skill for a writer of picture books. Stick figures are the limit of my illustrative skills, but in writing A Child’s Keepsake, I imagined what I wanted the pictures to say, and then transferred the images through my words, to SHOW the story. The illustrator was then able to capture them with his skills, so both words and pictures fit our targeted age group. (More nepotism—the illustrator was my gifted, then twelve-year-old son, Jeff Williams.)
Long-term writers have learned that a good story revolves, not only around plot, but also the sub-plot. Picture book stories must be creatively and concisely written to provide a precise background for illustrators to work their craft. Once the plot is there, it’s time for the writer to go back and fill in the characters’ outward emotions and thoughts, and descriptions of time and place so the illustrator has a basis to accurately create what is wanted. It doesn’t mean the writer can leave notes on the manuscript detailing which paragraph needs illustrating-not our job! If we have done our job of SHOW, the illustrator will know.
Books for older age groups are not “cute” stories about young children or little animals. In the bullfighter story, the point-of-view character starts out as a boy but soon grows into a man embodying imaginative concepts, which can be appreciated by a wide age range.
To think visually, one must: 1- Emphasize dialogue and action within the text. Characters, who are sitting still while talking, is boring. Add action around them or in their body movements to show emotion. Keep POV and minor characters moving, even if it’s simply dusting furniture or traveling from one room to another so the illustrator will know how to create WHAT your words imply.2-Have scenes take place in different settings, indoors and outside, to maintain the reader’s attention. 3-The illustrator needs to know, not that a character is “running,” but HOW. Does he scamper, race, shuffle, or drag his feet? Your words must SHOW emotion. 4-Keep words concise. Too many “dead” verbs make readers nod off. 5-Avoid lengthy descriptive passages. (We have all encountered those, where we finally skipped over the words to return to the plot.)
Until next time, have a blessed holiday season, and when something occurs, which creates inner emotions, please take a moment and write it down. You can use it later in a story. Be well. Linda

Edit Checklist

By Linda Williams

Dec

5

Greetings;
There are several common errors seen in the papers of blossoming writers, and those mechanical mistakes will distract an editor’s attention. When quoting material: Periods and commas go inside the quotation marks. Question marks, exclamation points, dashes, colons and semicolons are set outside the quotation marks. (Unless they’re part of the source quote.)
Checking Usage: “alot” isn’t a single word, nor is it specific enough to use.
“Its” is a possessive pronoun. “ Its characteristic are…”
“ It’s” is a contraction of “it is.”
When unsure which word to use in a sentence, replace the word with “it is” to see if the sentence makes sense. “Its legs were long,” makes no sense if written, “It is legs were long.” If it doesn’t sound right, it isn’t. Correct sound: “It’s worthwhile to remember this hint.” It is…
“There” refers to location. (Remember “here and there”.)
“They’re” is the contraction for “They are”. Break the word into its two components and read the sentence again to verify the correct usage.
“Their” is always plural. (Having fun yet?)
Be careful when using homophones (words that sound the same but mean different things like accept/except effect/affect.) When unsure, check your dictionary because editors do know the difference.
Style: Is it appropriate for your intended audience?
Are there too many linking verbs (is/are/was/were—I call them “dead” words) in the writing? Substitute action verbs.
A most common error: Overuse of the passive voice (“was written”).
Writing well demands a lot of memorizing but it’s worth the effort, when you see your name in print.
The holidays are upon us, providing a special time to connect with old friends and distant family members. I understand it can be a stressful season but please make the effort to enjoy its plus side. What fun to give children presents for no other reason than to give them joy. It’s even more fun to be a secret Santa.
Until next time, please hug a child to let her or him know someone cares. God bless. Linda

First Draft

By Linda Williams

Nov

8

The First Draft
Please don’t think great writers simply sit down and write, producing a manuscript close to perfection. Not even close, but writing a first draft can exhilarate one’s spirit, allowing thoughts the chance to run free with words pouncing onto the paper.
If one’s thoughts remain imprisoned, it’s important to discover why it is happening. Perhaps it’s fear, which blocks their release from that safe place in the brain, thereby protecting them from critical destruction. (I’m reminded of a friend’s lament, when her daughter turned twelve, “I wish I could keep her in a convent until she reaches eighteen.”) There comes a time, in life and in writing, when in order to achieve success, one must learn how to let go and trust. If fear is allowed to rule, one’s dreams for success will be lost, in life and in writing. Taking a chance is the first step to becoming an author.
What drives an author to continue working beyond the first draft? If one could use only one word to explain the process, I believe it’s perseverance. When frustration takes over, it’s easy to discard one’s thoughts, one’s “work,” into the round file, but as I’ve told myself countless times, giving up is not an option. Become the master of your brain. If you don’t take a stand, it will rule you. Be brave. Pick up that pen, open your computer, and begin.
Remember, the brain is like a water pump; it needs priming to run. The easy way is to think of an experience, which gave you joy or great sadness as a child. (We all have those.) Take fifteen minutes and visualize what the day looked like, how you felt, and what happened to make the experience joyful or sad. One workshop student, more anxious to become an author than a writer, shook her head commenting, “But that’s not a story. I need to know how to write a story.” She hadn’t learned, yet, that writing IS the work of becoming an author. I replied, “Bear with me; write the experience anyway.” She shook her head again as if I were wasting her time, but settled in with her computer for fifteen minutes. When the allotted time had lapsed, I asked, not for a story, but for what else had occurred, while remembering a specific incident. The same student replied, (There’s one in every class, who needs to be heard. Off the point, but sometimes, psychological thoughts yearn for attention too.) “It made me think of other happenings that I’d forgotten about.” Yes!
The next time you sit down to write and nothing happens, prime the pump. Visualize a scene. Concentrate more on a thought than a story and record it; other thoughts in your brain WILL awaken because you have opened their door to freedom.
In the beginning, give yourself a time limit of perhaps fifteen minutes to an hour, at some time during each day, to set a habit of writing into your schedule of living. Find a spot to keep writing tools available, should a few minutes open up to write, so time isn’t lost searching for them. Then write whatever is on your mind because the writing, itself, is good practice. If nothing else works, write a question like, “I can’t write a children’s story because…” and answer the question. Trust me. Keep at it and your thoughts will eventually want to become their own story. Words will begin to flow like water over a dam if you let go of the fear of failure.
Please don’t stop after every paragraph to correct spelling and grammar or you’ll chance losing the story’s significance. When writing a first draft, think of your brain as a child in the beginning process of maturity, who is constantly informed, “You’re not doing it right.” Each time you stop the word flow to check for errors, your brain is, in a sense, registering, maybe I won’t bother trying if what I’m producing isn’t right. Without trust in one’s abilities, there can be no successful ending.
Finally, think of the first draft as the key to success for without it, there will be no story.
Even terrible thoughts should be set free in order to cleanse the brain of sadness. How fortunate we writers are to be able to produce such a catharsis. The Wizard of Oz and A Tale of Two Cities each began as a first draft and are now classics because their writers persevered.
Until next time, don’t be afraid to write what you’re feeling. Linda

Easy Reader Books

By Linda Williams

Oct

3

Greetings;
A young child loves to have picture books read to them. It’s a time of peaceful fun on a rainy day, when ill, or at bedtime. It also provides a warm feeling of security, being close to one who cares for and about him or her. Picture books contain simple words, short sentences, and lots of pictures. Once the light dawned in my brain, however, that joined letters made words, and joined words made stories, I was hooked. Although the illustrations in basic picture books are of prime importance in showing stories, the easy-reader’s plot’s significance is transferred to the wording, and I yearned to learn how to read so I could enjoy longer stories.
A writer of easy-readers needs to remember it is now the child, not an adult, who is doing the reading. The vocabulary must be kept simple so a new-to-reading child can handle it. That age group loves simple rhyming books like One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, which remains on book store shelves long after others have gone out of print. When sentences are too long and words too difficult to sound out, discouragement sets in. There-in lurks the danger a frustrated child will give up, close the book, and decide, “I hate reading.”
Remember the thrill of reading that first book to yourself? The Little Engine That Could was my first. It belonged to my brothers, but that didn’t matter to me. A whole new world opened up, because I was the boss of when the book would be closed; exhilarating. For my eighth birthday, my mother presented me with Miss Sniff by Jane Curry and illustrated by Florence Sarah Winship. The delicate story about Miss Pink and her kitten was the first book belonging only to me. I treasured it, and am happy to say it still holds a place of honor among my antique (Yikes) books. When it came to writing a story, (I was in fifth grade.) I never wanted it to end, perhaps a throwback to the discontent of being read only short stories. Lengths for easy-readers can vary from several hundred to 1500 words.
Easy-reader books must be built around a carefully selected vocabulary list. If a publisher’s guidelines call for a controlled word list, use it, but don’t let it cramp your unique writing style or voice. Consider what Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) achieved with his The Cat In The Hat. It uses about two-hundred words, often repeating the same word. One note on Dr. Seuss: his book was rejected some eighty times before it was accepted, so, please, never give up on writing a story dear to your heart.
Finally, series dominate in this area because children, who are beginning readers, want more of the books they like. Captain Underpants flew off the shelves. The Arthur series by Marc Brown is another first easy-reader children chose. Author Larry Dane Brimner lists his basic distinctions concerning books for the beginning reader as: 1) Easy-reading picture book: 32 pages with easy-reader vocabulary and sentence structure. 2) Easy or early reader: 48-64 pages. 3) Early chapter book: 48-64 pages. The Ready-to-Read books by Simon & Schuster are a good example for writers of the gradations between its program levels. I hope the above information has clarified the definition of an easy-reader book.
Until next time, please buy a book for a new reader; it’s so important to begin one’s library at a young age. Besides, you just might be the reason that child learns to love reading and, maybe, even be the influence, which begins his or her profession as a writer. The holiday season is coming. Take some children to a book store and let them choose their own book. Have a fun week. Linda

For The Love Of Words

By Linda Williams

Sep

19

Greetings;
Many people love working with animals, while others prefer tinkering with machines. When a friend found her kitchen radio in pieces and asked her son, “Why on earth did you do that?” He replied, “I wanted to see how it works.” Some educated souls say a person’s life choices are pre-determined in their genes, while others claim the environment plays a major part. Those, who choose to delve into such thoughts, may also have pre-determined reasons for doing so.
Babies and toddlers can pet an animal or not. They can play with a toy or not, but as a rule, (There are always exceptions.) a young child can’t write or read by themselves. The Baby Einstein DVDs hit the market a few years back with some innovative marketer attempting to enhance a child’s abilities, while making lots of money. Some parents insist the program taught their child to read, while others—researchers–insisted the only thing enhanced was the child’s memory. He or she wasn’t actually reading words, but had memorized what was heard and on what page. I find that an amazing accomplishment in itself.
Were you or I born to be a writer or did our environment mold us? When I “became” an author, a proud, elderly aunt insisted it was because one of my aunts, three-times removed, had been an author. Okay, maybe one point for genealogy. When I began writing at the age of seven, the first things I wrote about were animals and farm life because I lived on a farm, so one point for environment. Which is more important? I think each has a part to play, but don’t really know, nor do I care to know. It’s probably why I didn’t enter the research field.
When did your interest in writing take precedence over being with other people or playing outside? Can you pinpoint the age or why? When I realized that the putting together of words in different orders created new thoughts, I was hooked. My dad, who was an outdoors-man, couldn’t understand why his ten-year-old would rather sit in an over-stuffed chair reading the dictionary than playing outside. I didn’t understand, either, but knew that even though I loved petting our animals and playing with Lincoln Logs, I was happiest when immersed in words and their meanings.
Did you read cereal box labels during breakfast, when you were young? While my three rowdy brothers argued back and forth, I’d pensively stare at the word Nabisco wondering if it was sounded out Nab’ -is-co or Na-bis’-co? And street signs with words like “pedestrian” left me sitting in the back seat of our old Buick, again sandwiched between boisterous brothers, pronouncing the word to myself in different ways. Was it ped’-es-strian or pe-des’-trian? Child psychologists might say I was using an emotional “tool” to block out my brothers, and they’d be partly right, but I also noticed unique words, when alone. Even as a child, I dreamed of one day seeing my own book in a bookstore. So, I studied to become a writer, yearning to one day be recognized as an author. Now I’ve achieved that goal, and when asked what I do, I feel comfortable responding, “I’m a writer.” If asked, “Why did you become a writer?” I’d reply, “Because of my love of words.”
Until next week, think about why you became a writer. There’s a story there. Be well. Linda

Reviews Are Essential

By Linda Williams

Aug

30

Greetings;
When children act out with anger, impatience, or selfishness, leaving a parent feeling over-whelmed, it might help to read about another parent, wrenched within minutes from everyday life into long-term sorrow. How does a mother survive, when her immediate family’s life, as she’s known it, is over? How would you react if it happened to you?
Hopefully, reading THROUGH THE WIDOW’S WINDOW will move some frustrated parents to consider that life isn’t, after all, as terrible as it seems. It’s good to learn there are survival methods to hold to when life is hard.
We parents sometimes become so enmeshed in our problems that we think we’re the only ones being singled out for sadness and pain; it’s not a rational thought, but it is a frequent response. Please take a moment to read these first two pages of the book’s two-hundred and fifty pages–in publisher’s language, 77,000 words. If there’s time, I’d appreciate your comment on how it makes you feel, and, if you’d want to continue reading about a young family, who rises from death’s ashes to begin a new life. lewilliamsrn@aol.com
Finally, if the reading strikes a chord concerning frustrations with your children, or sadness in your life, set aside time to record your own feelings of stress and/or anger. Trust me, the writing, itself, will be cathartic. When completed, you hold the power to take those notes and file them away to read later, when reason rather than emotion rules; always a revelation of what was really happening. Another option is to rip the notes into small pieces and throw them away, or even more freeing, burn them. It feels good to move sadness from inside to outside, and medically speaking, it does relieve stress, which instigates all kinds of illnesses.
Until next time, write what you feel and be well. Linda

MEMOIR
Memoir is a true account laid out with the knowledge that although memory can be faulty, it does represent what has been personally experienced during a particular period of a writer’s life.
Thomas Wolfe related in his memoir that his mother thought a dog he had described as ugly was actually quite beautiful, but he retained the original words because it was what he felt. A friend, Bill Roorbach, once noted that memory has its own story to tell. I have done my best to keep my account real. Linda E. Williams
August, 2012
WHISPERS IN THE WIND

I can’t comprehend what’s happening. Only visual senses register as I survey the make-believe grass surrounding my thirty-two-year-old husband’s opened grave. A cemetery leaves me cold, even in summer, but this frigid January morning wields no power. I feel nothing. The gray morning sky warns another storm is approaching, but I don’t really understand.
Someone behind me whispers, “It’s only eighteen degrees.”
An elderly woman answers, “I can’t believe a heart attack at his age.”
Their words waft through the fog in my mind, as a swirling wind scatters wisps of long hair across my dry eyes.
Rows of gravestones wearing hats of crusted snow stand at attention as family members and friends quietly congregate around Jack’s grave. Scores of high school students, who loved their teacher’s kindness and quick wit, tearfully gather to whisper, “Goodbye, Mr. Crowley,” one last time, but it’s like I’m watching a movie—none of it real. When everyone is in place, our priest reads a short prayer of hope.
Silence reigns as an army honor-guard removes the American flag covering Jack’s coffin and folds it in strict military fashion. When the moment arrives for them to present the flag to his widow, they come to me.
Later, in the kitchen of our rented home, a friend hugs me murmuring, “I was so upset at the cemetery. Your coat was unbuttoned and flying in the wind and you had no hat. I so wanted to move close and button you warm, but was afraid of causing a scene. Now I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“It’s all right,” I reply. “I wasn’t cold.”
Aunt Elizabeth hands me a cup of hot tea. When I think to drink it, it’s cold, but I continue holding on to the cup because that’s what life is about for me right now.
In the dining room, people are milling around speaking of life in the midst of death. Their voices pause when I enter and someone asks, “Do you want anything?”
I shake my head, but am thinking, I want my husband.
The dining room fireplace stands cold and I wonder if I should light it. Then my gaze wanders to the sandwiches and desserts spread out upon the table. I must thank whoever brought the food, but who did? Too many random thoughts begin to collide, and my mind decides to close its protective door. Feelings depart as shock settles in.
A church friend takes my hand and whispers, “I can’t believe how brave you’re being.”
“He’s in a better place,” I say for I believe it.
The seminarian sighs and replies, “I don’t know if I could be that strong.” He shakes his head, hugs me, and turns away.
A teen-aged cousin, Jean, asks, “What will you do now?”
Now? For a moment, I surface from shock. Am I supposed to know, now, what to do with our two-year-old son, our five and seven-year-old daughters, our big dog, pregnant cat, or rented home? Then, mercifully, reason slips away again and I shake my head free for a little while longer.
In days to come, I won’t remember my coat flying open at the cemetery, but I will remember returning from Jack’s grave to the funeral car and finding one small red flower lying alone on the cold ground. I bend down, pick it up, and find solace in that minuscule exercise. The first thing I do on returning home is set the survivor into a delicate vase filled with warm water for there has been enough death in the first week of my New Year.

Serotonin Friends

By Linda Williams

Aug

24

Greetings;
Of necessity, writing is a solitary profession, so when a writer takes time away from the job—yes, writing is a job–to connect with friends or family, one might first consider who the best person or persons are to mingle with. A nurse-friend forwarded the following to me and I’d like to share her notes with you: At an evening class at Stanford University, the last lecture was on mind-body connection-the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) noted that one of the best things a man can do for his health is be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she can do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends. At first, everyone laughed, but he was serious.
Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend” time helps us to create more serotonin—a neurotransmitter that helps to combat depression and can create a general feeling of well-being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is GOOD for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out in a gym.
There’s a tendency to think that when we are “exercising” we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged—not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking!
So every time you schmooze with a gal pal, pat yourself on your back for doing something good for your health. We are indeed very lucky. Soooo let’s toast our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently, it’s very good for our health. She asked that I send this out to all of my girlfriends—and to stay in touch. She and I have been friends for over fifty years and still feel connected. May you and your friends be as fortunate. Until next week, take the time to think about and then to act on the wise professor’s words.
Be well. Linda

e-book Course

By Linda Williams

Aug

15

Greetings;
An agent, who, after reading the first ten pages of my memoir, noted that although well written, it would probably have little commercial value. She considered it more a non-commercial account, which would interest family and friends. Her decision was disappointing, but I am grateful for her following thoughts. She suggested a very good point: When telling a story, one must include the story WITHIN the story. What does that mean? Instead of writing that the POV character has blue eyes or brown hair–never as important as knowing who the person actually is–it’s more important to include what that character, and other lesser characters, are feeling or thinking at a given time. How they react to other people and their thoughts behind such actions, both pro and con, allows the reader to form a truer picture of the character. With that knowledge in mind, I have begun re-writing for the umpteenth time to SHOW my real people. Rejections aren’t a bad thing, when a writer can move beyond initial disappointment to improve what can be improved, because whether a book is dispersed locally or nationally, a good writer should want only his or her best work seen.
In today’s publishing world a writer has varied choices beyond traditional publishing. One can self-publish which can and often does, run into thousands of dollars. Depending on a writer’s desire, however, the expense can be worth the joy of holding one’s own book and then being featured as the principal person at a book signing.
E-book is another publishing venue. I took a computer class to learn about e-books, established in 2008. What a revelation. Microsoft-Word, says Brain Schwartz, the instructor, lends itself well to e-books. He also stated that once an e-book is “in the air” it will always remain there. Your great-grandchildren will even be able to pull it up, and royalties will go on forever.
An e-book can be downloaded to companies like Kindle and Nook for prices ranging from $.99 to $9.99, and the writer keeps all rights. Important note: E-book publishers ask for 10-20 reviews, but neither an ISBN#, nor a spine is needed. Royalty checks are forwarded to the writer, usually on a quarterly basis.
Soft-cover and hardbound books are also published by Print-on-Demand publishers. The service is available from companies like Lightning Source, (Ingram owns it.)Amazon, and Apple, the three “big ones.” Free shipping is available. Brian added it’s a good idea to also publish some Print-on-Demand copies in soft or hard cover to send to family and friends, and for radio, TV stations, and local newspapers to increase marketability.
To sell one’s books on the internet, Brain Schwartz stressed the need for a “clean web page,” warning his class to be careful not to give too much away because less IS better. I would have learned more, but sickness caused me to miss the last two classes. Such is life. My mother once said, “Nobody ever said this life would be easy.” She was right, but it’s no excuse for giving up. Dad also told me, when I was child, “If you can’t learn the easy way, learn the hard way.” They were both right.
Finally, accept that life isn’t always fun or easy, but is what YOU make it. One must persevere through the hard times to achieve success. Until next time, be well. Linda

Annual Cape Cod Writers Conference

By Linda Williams

Aug

10

Greetings;
How does one define a cultural and educational experience? One definition is a writers’ conference. Amazing instructors, re-visiting friends from previous conferences, saying goodbye to dear friends, who are moving away- Jacqueline Loring and family off to New Mexico—but the major event is the learning itself. Three dozen instructors, editors, publishers, and speakers on hand to impart knowledge to fellow writers for a week!
God bless the organizers of this year’s fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Cape Cod Writers Conference. On Sunday evening a cocktail party was held to say hello to the week’s speakers and organizers. Conference participants picked up individual packets explaining each person’s particular week’s schedule. (A huge job of organization. Thank you, Moira.)
From Monday through Friday, writers attend classes all day at the conference center in Hyannis across from the Melody Tent. For those of you, who were unable to attend, plan for next year’s August conference. Over 220 writers in attendance; imagine the amazing discussions and camaraderie shared around the lunch and dinner tables. What fun! In the evenings, from seven to eight, authors, editors, and publishers add to our education on writing with programs like how to “pitch” one’s book to an editor in sixty seconds. Not easy; they’re also called “elevator pitches” meaning if a writer steps into an elevator and finds a publisher there, he or she has about one minute to “sell” a manuscript. Time yourself; can you get across story plot, marketability, your bio, and “Voice” in one minute? It’s a good exercise.
Handouts are numerous and will be read more thoroughly, once we writers recover from the surge of new information shared with us all week. I like the one titled, The Proper Care And feeding Of Agents. Unique title—the hook that keeps one reading further. Important points: When sending a query—that one-sided sheet of paper asking if a particular editor will consider your work—use #20 plain white paper and standard 12 point font. Please have someone check it for errors before you send it. Your SASE—self-addressed, stamped envelope—should be the peel and stick kind with your name and address clearly printed on the front. (On the reverse side, I add in small print at the bottom, title and date sent for my own record-keeping because some are not returned right away.) Always affix stamp; if left in envelope, it can be lost, and the publisher isn’t going to stamp it for you.
When sending out a manuscript or a proposal, DO NOT send them as requiring a signature. Agents and editors are busy people, and don’t appreciate being interrupted. It’s also a waste of money to send then express mail.
On book proposals: Non-fiction and memoir need a book proposal sent before an editor will ask for the whole manuscript. (Fiction doesn’t need one.) It can range from forty to over one-hundred pages because each chapter is summarized, marketing techniques must be explained, audience listed, who will consider buying the book, and the writer’s educational biography explaining why you are the one qualified to write such a book. For examples, check out books written on how to write a book proposal including samples to follow.
Important note: If you’re pen name is other than your real name, or if you list yourself as F.E. Forest, state your real name in the query, and then let the editor know if you’re writing under a pen name or with initials.
Enough knowledge for now. Until next time, keep writing and do consider attending a writers’ conference in the next year; you won’t be sorry. Be well. Linda

Aspiring Writers

By Linda Williams

Jul

26

Greetings;
Sorry for no recent blogs. I’m just home from Ireland. While there, friends invited me to play golf in Dublin. Getting older isn’t for sissies, but when health is maintained, life is an adventure. I won two bottles of wine in the tournament. (The wine was made in Chile! What a hoot.)
When an editor rejects what a writer has written, there can be and usually is more than one reason for doing so. Some manuscripts come through with so many misspellings and grammar errors that an editor must wonder if the author has even heard of writing guide books like Strunk & White’s THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE.
I recently received a note from a well-educated woman, who had written her first book. She was so excited about finishing the manuscript and was making preparations to send it to a publisher. Seasoned writers will recall that exhilaration when we were SURE our work was done. (God bless the uninformed.) One also remembers the crushing of spirit when the manuscript was returned after months of waiting that had included the time when we sure-to-be-authors were dreaming about our first book signing. (I had excitedly told everyone who asked—and some who hadn’t– my book was with a publisher, as if the simple statement insured publication. Wrong.)
Thank goodness Sally asked if I’d “…take a quick look at it.” As is often noted in how-to books, within the first five pages, it was evident there was much work needed BEFORE it went to a publisher. Her spelling and grammar was great, but it was a memoir and there soon appeared an obstacle so many writers fall into—the over-use of the word, “I.”
It was also apparent the writer had written at separate times for there were redundancies of events and in explaining her feelings. (A huge reason for setting a specific writing time each day to keep the writing fresh in one’s mind.) Because the manuscript had been written at different periods, it read choppy, as if I were reading singular essays all strung together. They were good essays, but not the writer’s purpose. Now the tough part. How does one explain to a new (fragile) writer, what needs to be done to make it better without breaking a spirit?
Years ago, I wrote a young child’s story. I’d grown up on a farm and often wrote about animals, so with great expectations, my precious manuscript (Yikes, the original!) was sent out. Months later, I received a rejection from the editor noting, “I expected more. It began well, but trailed off. In truth, I must admit, I don’t like stories about talking animals.” Crushed in spirit, I almost threw story and rejection away, fuming that if rejections were part of writing, forget it. Instead, I tossed the story into a drawer for a week. When returning to it, it was apparent there hadn’t been enough research. It had gone to the wrong editor. I bought my first edition of BOOK MARKETS FOR CHILDREN’S WRITERS, signed on for writing classes, and joined a writing group. Toughening one’s spirit and accepting rejections took time, but with friendly critiquing from kind writing peers, and keeping up with what editors wanted proved fruitful. Stories took on a professional appearance with concise wording, and thanks to how-to books, articles, and classes, dialogue brought life, plot evolved into a beginning, a middle, and an end, and the word-count and age-appropriate language became important considerations. Such facts needed to be conveyed to my aspiring writer.
When we met again, Sally’s first question was,” Do you think it’s publishable?” I answered, “It’s possible, but there’s much work needed.” It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but she took it well. It’s difficult for a person, well qualified in one field, to accept that in a new field, elementary classes must be taken. Had she considered joining a writers’ group? No. Had she taken any writing classes? No. She hadn’t known of such groups. I suggested she call her librarian and visit a book store to locate a writing group centering on her specific writing forte. While detailing what was needed, I praised her spelling and grammar use. When shown repeated redundancies, she was amazed noting, “I never caught that.” When we were through, she understood what was needed. Her first reaction was normal with a new writer. “Should I throw it away and start over?” I assured her she needed it as a work sheet because of the good material in it.
The next time I saw her, she grinned saying, “I was so sure my work was done. Thankfully, I sent it to you instead of a publisher. I’ve joined an area writing group. What fun to be able to discuss my thoughts with like-minded people. I’m also looking into a fall class for writers at the college. My writing group friends agree, if we value our manuscript, it should be critiqued by someone, who’s capable. One woman sent hers to a book doctor. I’d never heard of them, but now I know better.”
Until next time, take what knowledge you possess and share it with someone, who wants to know what you know. Then watch and feel the warm satisfaction of helping a person become what they want to be. Be well. Linda

A STORY BEGINS.

By Linda Williams

Jul

3

Greetings;
Vacations often evoke thoughts of fun memories and relaxation, but for a writer they can also trigger new story lines. Alaska and I personally connected for the first time last week, and that amazing state with its blue glaciers and friendly people provided new story material. In Ketchikan, an island of dense woodland, our tourist train weaved high up into immense mountains, where furry mountain goats skillfully scampered from one rock ledge to another. At a camp ground area, companions excitingly pointed out a young bear’s presence high in a tree. While they snapped pictures, I wondered, why was a young bear left alone, away from its mother’s protection? My next thought was where is the mother? If close by, she could be dangerous. That young bear’s story took up residence in my gray matter demanding to be considered. (Writers understand that nagging feeling. While other vacationers relax with friends, drinks, and food, writers write in self-imposed exile before those story thoughts vanish.)
A good story needs conflict, so what might be the young bear’s dilemma? Should the point-of-view be the bear’s thoughts or a prescient narrator, who sees the whole picture, rather than what is imagined or feared by the young bear within the plot? I began researching for answers by asking the natives, who had lived among the bears all of their lives. (Young children trust a writer to write what is true, and I consider it a sacred trust between me and my young reader.) One burly man with a white beard, shoulder-length gray hair, and a bulbous nose, was happy to share his experiences, while we shared a drink or two in the Red Dog Saloon. (A writer must do what is necessary to gleam good information. A library would probably serve the same purpose, but a sing-along bar is much more fun.) Another plot began to form for an adult story about our new friend, but the children’s story had already begun and took precedence.
His answers about the young bear gave new meaning to Nature’s way of having a mother “…cut the apron strings.” When cubs are born, mother bears teach them what different bear sounds mean. For one bear cub, a certain squeal from the mother meant,”…climb a tree as quickly as possible and stay there until I signal it’s safe to come down.” The sad reality is that when Mom decides it’s time for her young bear to begin life on its own, “…usually when it’s about eighteen months old,” says the native, she sends it up a tree with her danger squeal. Once the young bear settles high in the tree, the mother shuffles away into the deep woods and never returns. The young bear is left alone to survive on its own. It cries for its mother, sometimes for days. Feel that story beginning?
Question: How long does the frightened bear remain in the tree? My friend answered, “Usually about three days until it gets so hungry it finally makes it way down and heads off into the woods to search for food; it’s mostly never seen again.” The cub may survive to grow strong if: eagles don’t swoop down and grab it, a cougars growl doesn’t alert it soon enough to hide, and if it finds enough food and a safe place to sleep and hibernate until it’s big enough to fight off predators on its own.
Another fact for an interesting plot is an eagle’s eyesight is eight times better than a human’s and can “see” a potential meal a mile away. Wait. Another story about a young eagle or perhaps how eagles knock goat kids off the side of the mountain for their next meal? A little too graphic for a young children’s story, but it is still knowledge to be considered for some other kind of writing. Notebook pages flip; details are quickly recorded so they won’t be forgotten, and then back to the bear story. I sat at a picnic bench, scribbling in short-hand, notes of surrounding landscapes, (scene) the weather and how it might affect woods travel, and emotions felt if dangerous animals were lurking nearby, the “who, what, where, when, and how—the showing of the plot.”
Until next time, be alert, wherever you are, for a story. Always, always keep a pad and pen handy, for one can’t predict when a story will begin. Be well. Linda

Judging A Book By Its Cover

By Linda Williams

Jun

11

Greetings;
When choosing a book, few readers consciously consider a publisher’s reasoning for constructing said book in a particular manner. A book’s cover, much like a story with its beginning, middle, and end is also divided into three parts—a front, a spine, and a back, each with its own job. The front is of prime importance because it displays title, author’s name, and often a concise, one-sentence synopsis of its interior. If done right, the cover convinces us to keep reading; If not, another book will take precedence.
The spine is also important for it provides easy access to title, author, and publisher, when shelved with other books, but its greatest job is to hold the pages together. No spine means papers all over the floor if dropped. (Off- topic, but when a manuscript hasn’t been elevated to spine-status, it’s mandatory to number each page in case one or, OMG, all should take an unexpected trip to the floor and scatter.)
The back cover provides information about the author, a synopsis of the story, and reviews by acclaimed authors. If an author is specifically acclaimed in the genre, he or she makes the front cover. Good business all around. All that work has been accomplished by a publishing company, and the reader has yet to open the book. One other point: If a book becomes a readers’ gem and survives long enough to become a valued antique, the price escalates when the cover has remained in good condition and is still doing its job–protecting its book.
Okay, we’ve been drawn in enough to open the book and what do we find? A blank page stuck to the inside of the front cover. Its job is to attach the cover to its interior pages. They’re called endpapers, which makes me smile, because they’re in the beginning of the book. Also, another title page inside the book? At one time in history, the page was necessary as a front cover to announce title and author, and to protect the first page of the story from damage. It was the norm for authors to distribute their own unbound manuscripts, often selling stories in installments and delivering them door-to-door. When publishing companies took over, permanent covers were designed, but the title page remained, I imagine, for tradition’s sake.
Next, the reader, who still hasn’t arrived at the story, often finds a blank page or two. With modern equipment and automatic presses running off sheets of paper in eight, sixteen, and/or thirty-two sheets per grouping, blank pages are sometimes necessary to complete the number requirement, or so I’ve read. When a reader elevates to author status, he or she completes the cycle from writing one’s first words of a manuscript to books signings, when the title page or a blank one is utilized to thank the writer’s most important friend, the reader.
Finally, the next time we pick up a book let’s take a minute to think about the importance of its cover, and how it led us to its precious cargo. Too often, we take for granted what is right in front of us.
Until next time, stay focused on what or who is guiding you in a specific direction. If it’s a goal, persevere, if it’s a book’s cover announcing some message or release from tensions, be thankful you took the time to read it, and, most importantly, if it’s a person, say thank you. Be well. Linda

Researching A Query

By Linda Williams

Jun

3

Greetings;
A query should be a concise, one-page letter, written to a specific person. “Dear Editor:” shows the writer hasn’t bothered to research the publishing company. A current acquisition editor’s name is listed in reference books like Book Markets for Children’s Writers 2012—a necessary tool for serious children’s writers. Eg. Flashlight Press, 527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 1122 5 www.flashlightpress.com states the editor is “Shari Dash Greenspan.” The press is a “picture book publisher” for “ages 4-8” targeting “…touching and humorous stories of about 1,000 words that revolve around universal themes related to family and social situations.” Couldn’t be clearer. Not wanted: “…not interested in any category except story picture books—no concept books, early readers, chapter books, or novels, and no holiday stories.
Listed, current titles are a must pre-read before submitting one’s work to see what is currently accepted. I’m using the adverb, “currently” because of its importance. What was accepted last year is not always what is asked for now.
“Only e-mail queries are accepted” and “must include story description and word count.” (No attachments and no hard copy submissions.) They respond in one month if interested. Now the writer knows what will be considered, and what won’t. Researching saves valuable time because your work will now go where it belongs.
It’s time to write the query. I can’t over-state its importance; if the e-mail doesn’t interest an editor, the story you spent so much time on will never be seen. You’ve researched and found the editor’s name—a good beginning. (Please, spell it correctly.) The first sentence, like the first sentence of a story, must include a hook because it’s your best chance to interest an editor. Remember, editors must plow through myriad queries every week. (A recent article stated editors can receive 1200 queries in one week.) It your first sentence doesn’t trigger interest, the e-mail will be deleted, and in essence, your story—brutal, but true.
What makes your story unique? Can you set the synopsis into one paragraph? Supply the ending so the editor can see you have followed the story rules of a beginning, a middle, and an end, and that your ending unravels the conflicts of the plot. (The denouement.) Does the age group and subject you are targeting fit the publisher’s requirement?
The query letter also gives the editor a sample of HOW you write, your unique voice, and whether you have researched a subject enough to know what you’re writing about.
When listing qualifications for writing a children’s story, keep it brief. Don’t waste valuable space including published books written for adults. Include only child-based organizations. Eg. “I’m a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature, a member of the New England chapter of SCBWI (No need to spell the words; children’s editor know them.) and the Cape Cod Children’s Writers. Published children’s books include… If your profession gears or geared around children, list it. Eg. “I taught first grade for thirty years,” or “I’m a pediatric nurse specializing in child psychology with a BS degree in literature.” List whatever proves you know something about children and writing.
Close with a note of thanks. Eg. “Thank you for considering my work.”
“Sincerely,”
When sending a “snail mail” query, it’s not mandated, but I leave an extra space here and sign my name in cursive, my idiosyncrasy of showing there is a real person writing the letter.
“Print your full name.”
Writing is fun, but building a precise query is a necessary part of the job. When it’s completed, put it away for a few days, and then re-read it. Errors, not seen at first, will leap from the page like grasshoppers, just as they would have had you sent the query off to an editor.
Until next time, smile at children; they need it. Be well. Linda

I Am A Writer

By Linda Williams

May

30

Greetings;
I recently critiqued two blossoming memoir writers, and was assured by both the man and the woman, “I’m not a writer.” When I was shown their books, both were over two-hundred pages long. That is a lot of writing for one, who isn’t a writer. What is it about the word, writer, which intimidates people?
When I thought more about it, I realized the word, itself, is probably considered a profession, but not so. Writing is a process. If a person is a teacher or a nurse, it is obvious to all that years of education ensued to earn the title. To be considered a writer, however, one must begin by simply writing. One young person noted, “My computer’s broken, so I can’t write.” What? Is it possible the young, computer generation is no longer of a mindset to connect pencil or pen to paper to create?
Some of the greatest writing was created while the writer was imprisoned, either in body like St. Paul or the Holocaust survivors, or in mind, the isolation Earnest Hemingway chose, as many great authors do, to purposely segregate their senses from the world’s pressures and people in order to create. A small part of their writing success was the simple fact they were alone–no children to care for, no interruptions, and no on-the-job stresses, but survival isn’t enough; there has to be a reason to survive. Writing about the why, where, and how, whether as a catharsis, to teach a lesson about surviving humanity’s everyday traumas, or to create stories of joy and hope, the end product is the same—a creative message.
I never under-estimate the power of a person’s creative mind, and have assured each man and woman, who has bravely brought a manuscript to me to be critiqued, “You are a writer.” It is a great beginning. The culmination of taking myriad writing classes to improve, to join with other writers to learn, and to journey forward is to one day earn the privilege of saying, “I am an author.”
Until next time, remember, when alone, one can fill in the empty spaces of life by writing about good and sad memories. Releasing feelings to paper will keep your mind from closing down. Be well. Linda

Feeling A Story

By Linda Williams

May

17

Greetings;
The next time writers’ block descends, sit back in your chair, close your eyes, and let your arms hang . Wiggle your fingers, rotate your head all around, and then squeeze your upper arms. (Everyone needs a hug, especially when alone, and it’s good for circulation.) Then, when you feel more relaxed, think back to a summer morning when you were young and the day was brand new—an empty slate waiting for your own special story to appear. A clean scent wafts through the air from an early morning rain, and the sun has decided to shine its warmth on you all day as it ambles across a clear, cobalt sky. Whether you have woken to a country or a city morning presents a much different range of feelings, not only because of setting, but because the slate is filling with what you know and your feelings are unique. Now, remember what you liked best about such a morning and how it made you feel. When choosing to find a friend to play with, who would it be and why? Where might you go together in search of adventure? If no one is around, what might you do for fun on your own? As you remember, a new children’s story is germinating because the “Who, What, Where, When, and How” are basic elements of every good story, and most importantly, you will be writing about what you know.
Dialogue is another essential element for it makes a story come alive. Without conversation, what is written on the slate presents only a telling exercise. Dialogue can SHOW a whole range of feelings from anger and despair to excitement and hope. What is said to a friend differs from what is said to one, who instigates anger, cruelty, jealousy, and other negative feelings, which make up conflict. (One can’t write a convincing story without conflict.)
When we were young, there was always conflict, and whether it taught us inner strength or how to hate often depended on our role models. Those models were not only our parents, but the friends we chose. The “why” of a young child’s reasoning presents many avenues of thought. Without getting too involved with heredity or environment, the cause and effect consideration, one can still think about what it felt like to be a child. (Child psychology classes taught me that the child, who once was me, is still alive within and wants to help write my children’s stories.)
So, sit back, clear your mind, and remember the child, who was you. Then fill your slate with a new story. If the memory is sad, it will be a catharsis in itself. (An inexpensive way to unearth childhood sadness and release them.) If it’s a happy, fun memory, remembering will be a joyful experience, and one can’t have too many of those.
Until next time, allow the child in you to write a story. Be well. Linda

Cape Cod Writers Annual Conference

By Linda Williams

May

4

Greetings;
The Cape Cod Writers Center will celebrate fifty years of a literary tradition at the annual writers’ conference beginning on Sunday afternoon, August 5, with a welcoming reception from 4-5:30. It will be held in their new location, the Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis, located at 35 Scudder Avenue. For directions or to make hotel reservations at a special conference rate, call 1-800-828-8259.
On Sunday evening from 6-7:30 attending members will be introduced to the faculty and guest of honor, the Honorable Theresa Murray, President of the Massachusetts Senate. The conference officially opens on Monday morning with classes beginning at 8:30 and running until 5:30 followed by a dinner. Programs are scheduled each evening from 7-9. The conference will run through Friday, August 10.
Monday night’s speaker, Joseph Finder, is a New York Times bestselling author of ten novels whom the Boston Globe has called a “master of the modern thriller.”
Tuesday night’s speaker, Amy Caldwell, is an Executive Editor of Beacon Press, who works on literary non-fiction in a variety of forms and subjects to scholarly cross-over. She has edited such notable authors as E.J.Graff, Stephen Puelo, Marty Moran, and Eboo Patel, whose memoir ACTS OF FAITH won the Grawemeyer Award in religion.
Wednesday night’s speaker, Andre Dubois III , is a New York Times bestselling author of five books, who won the “Editors Choice” for his memoir, TOWNIE, which is listed as one of the “Top Non-fiction books for 2011.”
This year’s conference faculty includes a screenwriter, poet, humorist, book doctors, fiction and non-fiction authors, including crime and dark literary fiction authors. Also offered are courses in how to overcome procrastination, how to understand the e-book explosion, creating networks and websites, and writing for film and theatre. No educational stone has been left unturned for this special, fiftieth year celebration.
There will be seven agents available for critiquing manuscripts—first ten pages. They are listed in the program booklet for availability. The cost is $150 for an hour session.
Each year, the conference also features a Young Writers Workshop for poetry and prose, with its own specialized faculty, which takes place during the week of the conference. The event is held at the Barnstable Intermediate School for approximately 45 young people, ages 12-17. Entrants are selected through submissions judged by a committee of writers
To obtain a conference booklet and/or registration form, contact the Cape Cod Writers Center at www.capecodwriterscenter.org. The center is located in Osterville, MA 02655. (P.O.Box 408)
Whether you are a new or seasoned writer, this conference is one not-to-be-missed.
Until next time, be well. Linda

Line Editor

By Linda Williams

Apr

21

Greetings;
When a dedicated writer has mustered the courage to allow a stranger—publisher, editor, writing club critique person—to view one’s “finished” manuscript, a few important points should be considered. If such a person receives a manuscript in the form of e-mail attachments, within an e-mail, or by snail mail, there is no personal connection. Therefore, the reader reads that piece in his or her own way, which can be far from what the writer intended. If you, the writer, have written about a country setting in detail and a city-raised editor doesn’t understand what a spring-fed pond is, perhaps the rest of the feedback will be off course. The same applies to an editor, who is critiquing a fantasy piece, but has no education in that realm. Sometimes, the sensible thing is to ignore the feedback and send it out again to someone versed in your field. (Keeping current with the annual books published, which detail publishing companies’ specific needs for the current season, will save time and effort.)
When a manuscript reaches a copyeditor’s desk, it is in its final form. (As far as the writer is concerned.) There is no time for a copyeditor to change the form other than to make it grammatically correct, circle repetitive words and misspellings, and/or note inconsistencies of characters’ ages or physical characteristics. (An unscrupulous character can’t change into a good person without some progression of change and the reasoning behind it; characters must continue to be “real” to be accepted by a reader.) If the work needs more help, it will be rejected because there are too many other manuscripts waiting to be critiqued.
A line editor’s job is different, for she or he can help to reshape the offering into a work of art. When a new writer’s manuscript is returned by a line editor, however, it is not for the weak of heart because the piece, which the writer has assumed is almost completed, will often be strewn with corrections, sometimes on every line. The first time I received such a piece back, my throat tightened so it hurt. My precious “baby” was a mess! I threw it into a drawer. Thank goodness I didn’t throw it into the round file. (Rubbish.) A week later, I resurrected it and calmly went through each line. The result wasn’t nearly as horrendous as I’d thought. The line editor had noted each time there was a grammatical error or the like, so I could see how often I had made the same error. And, many notations were actually positive. She liked the plot, the POV character and the scene descriptions. She also wrote that the dialogue helped bring the story to life. The “mess” when considered in the right frame of mind, did wonders for my morale. I made the corrections, re-wrote the piece over and over again, and sent it off to a contest. It took a second prize and I was sent a check for one-hundred dollars. Please remember if or when your “feelings get hurt,” by an editor or a critique to take it in stride and move forward. I love the old proverb, “…there’s no sense in looking backward, it’s not the way you’re going.”
Until next time, remove the weeds from your writing garden so good plants can flourish. Be well. Linda

Writers Need Readers

By Linda Williams

Apr

16

Greetings;
“Hey you!” rudely accomplishes what your story’s first sentence and paragraph should do. There is no timid tapping there for attention. When it comes to writing, all of your valuable time spent alone will be wasted if no editor is interested enough to read beyond the initial sentence. If it doesn’t SHOW something unique to an editor, it will never evolve into magazine or book form and there will be no chance for readers to read it. In critiquing manuscripts for blossoming writers, my comment, “Here’s where the story begins,” often appears three to five pages into the story. If your lead grows too long, (Spreading onto a second page is a good ruler.) revise and cut it.
A good writer relates topic to the reader. Decide before writing a word what audience you want to attract, both by age and interest. Whether writing from personal experience or perhaps relating some little-known historical fact about someone famous, be sure your words are tempered toward the age and interest of your reader. There are definite guidelines available in both Book Markets for Children’s Writers 2012 and Magazine Markets for Children’s Writers 2012. Such books are available in your local library and can be found in book stores for about $27-30. Every publishing house lists what is acceptable or announces “no unsolicited submissions,” saving you time and expense of sending a piece to that publisher. A sports story, written for children, must be geared to a sports’ audience using correct terminology and reasoning, which they can understand.
Let your reader know in advance whether he/she is embarking on an adventure of fun, fantasy, horror, or perhaps moving into some unique awareness with the help of faith and friends. Whatever the writer’s reasoning for writing the piece, it should be clear from the beginning. I am awed by a fellow-author’s ability to create a world of fantasy. Melinda has spent untold hours researching the languages of gnomes and the like–yes, there are actual gnome languages. Her vivid imagination uses fascinating logic in choosing characters’ fantasy names. Originality is the key as she pursues in-depth research and forges ahead with a plot, which will unlock a publisher’s door. Now it’s time for you, the writer, to work for your reader, keeping in mind the “who and why” you want to attract. Good luck.
Until next time, do set aside an hour just for you, somewhere in the coming week, and enjoy the warm weather. You’re worth the effort. Be well. Linda

Setting a place for you.

By Linda Williams

Apr

9

Greetings;
Author Raymond Chambers wrote, “Throw up into your typewriter every morning, clean up every noon.” His words show a not-so-nice visual, but his message was and is clear. Initial writing should forge ahead without thought of spelling, grammar, or scene so creativity isn’t stunted by repeated pauses to make corrections. Each stage is a separate job and should be respected as such. Once the ideas are set in motion and the plot and characters take over, a good writer goes along for the ride. People, who are unable to set down a story, happening, or memoir don’t understand how a writer can get “lost” in the story being written, but it is what happens.
When my four children were young, I worked to set aside at least one half-hour in every twenty-four-hour period to separate myself from the real world. Sometimes it was five in the morning and other times it was while the children napped. Whatever worked. Every writer should choose a certain time and a quiet spot somewhere in his or her apartment, house, or outdoors to “become the character” in one’s unfolding story. Otherwise, how can we breathe life into our characters if we don’t “feel” what they are feeling, or understand the “whys” of their behavior.
During daytime periods, the children were kept busy with pre-arranged “work” for playing is a young child’s job. (Child Psychology 101) They enjoyed working at the dining room table drawing pictures about places they liked or wanted to see. I set a timer so I wouldn’t “stay away” too long, and they could check it to see when I would “return” to their needs. The plan didn’t always work, but after a while they understood what I meant when I said, “Don’t come to me unless you are bleeding.” A friend thought it was a terrible thing to say, but Like Raymond Chambers, the message wasn’t pretty, but it was clear.
Until next time, please remember, if you don’t set a place for you at the table of life, nothing lasting can or will emerge. Be well. Linda

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