Not Published Yet? Cheerios Contest!

Are you a children's writer but yet to see your work in print? The Cheerios Contest could be your opportunity to see your picture book published!

The entry Deadline is July 15th for a picture book story. The grand prize is $5000! The runner up prizes---$1000

Writers who have never been paid for their writing are allowed to enter. Only writers from one of the 50 states (or DC) can apply, and must be 18 or older.

Because I'm published, I can't enter---but I'll bet someone reading this, CAN!

For all the details go to http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/

Hmmm. Makes me want to have a bowl of Cheerios (o;

Seven Easy Ways to Keep Dialogue Sharp By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

1. Keep it simple. "He said" and "She said" will usually do. Your reader is trained to accept this repetition.

2. Forget you ever heard of strong verbs. Skip the "He yelped" and the "She sighed." They slow your dialogue down. If you feel need them, look at the words,the actual dialogue your character used when he was yelping. Maybe it doesn’t reflect the way someone would sound if he yelped. Maybe if you strengthen the dialogue, you can ditch the overblown tag.

3. When you can, reveal who is saying something by the voice or tone of the dialogue. That way you may be able to skip tags occasionally, especially when you have only two people speaking to one another. Your dialogue will ring truer, too.

4. Avoid having characters use other characters’ names. In real life, we don’t use people’s names in our speech much. We tend to reserve using names for when we’re angry or disapproving or we just met in a room full of people and we’re practicing out social skills. Having a character direct her speech to one character or another by using her name is a lazy writer’s way of directing dialogue and it will annoy the reader. When a reader is annoyed, she will not be immersed in the story you are trying to tell.

5. Avoid putting internal dialogue in italics. Trust your reader. She will know who is thinking the words from the point of view of the narrative.

6. Be cautious about using dialogue to tell something that should be shown. It doesn’t help much to transfer telling from the narrator to the dialogue. It just makes the character who is speaking sound long winded. Putting quotation marks around exposition won’t draw the reader into the scene or involve him more than if you’d left it part of the narrative.

7. And magic number seven is, don’t break up dialogue sequences with long or overly frequent blocks of narrative. One of dialogue’s greatest advantages is that it moves a story along. If a writer inserts too much stage direction, it will lose the forward motion and any tension it is building.

For more on writing dialogue check out Tom Chiarella’s Writing Dialogue (Writers’ Digest) and for more on editing in general--from editing query letters to turning unattractive adverbs into metaphoric gold--find The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success on Amazon.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writer's Program. The first book in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books, The Frugal Book Promoter, won USA Book News'Best Professional Book Award and Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award. The second, The Frugal Editor, was just released and includes many editing tips on dialogue, the use of quotation marks and more. Learn more at www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

So, You Think You Need an Illustrator?

I love to draw. LOVE it! It’s therapeutic for me. There's a box full of paintings, sketches, doodles, and pastel drawings sitting in my cedar chest to prove it. And that’s where they’ll stay. In my cedar chest. You will never see my art in a picture book or on the cover of a children’s magazine. Why? Because it’s obvious that I’m NOT a professional illustrator! I’m self-taught and not good enough for today’s publishing standards. I’ve had no formal training and would never send pages of my artwork along with my manuscript submissions. That doesn’t bother me at all.

Want to know how to make an editor REALLY MAD? Ignore their Illustrator guidelines that say, “Send brochures, resumes, samples, tearsheets, promo sheet, or slides.” That means they are speaking to professional illustrators. If you are not a professional and you send your art anyway, it’s no different than completely disregarding the writer’s guidelines. You’re basically telling the publisher they don’t know what they’re talking about. That can be the kiss of death for your manuscript.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received manuscripts for critique with artwork included. Rarely were the authors or their illustrator friends or relatives true professionals. Eraser marks. Whiteout. Crayon shavings. Smudges. Disproportionate, stiff characters. No movement. No life. Not professional. Sort of like MY drawings!

A few of the drawings I’ve seen over the past few years were average to good---but not good enough for the high standards expected by book publishers. It’s always difficult for me to break the news to the writer/artist in my manuscript critique. It’s especially tough when the writer says something like this in the cover letter:

“These fantastic illustrations for my book were drawn by my 10 year old!” Okay, they were fantastic for a ten-year old! In fact, they will likely impress anyone looking at the refrigerator door, or even framed on a family room wall. They won’t impress a publishing house. The bar is set HIGH. The ten-year old will have his or her heart broken after I give the bad news to the writer-mom who sent them in. Please don't do that to a child! You are setting them up for great disappointment. Even tears )o;

If you are not a professional illustrator but insist that your art is good enough, here’s a suggestion---ask a professional illustrator at a writers conference to give you an honest evaluation. Don’t forget to look at all the portfolios on the table. How do your illustrations stack up? Be honest. Personally, I don't need to do this with my artwork because I'd embarrass myself. I KNOW my stuff isn't up to speed!

Here’s another suggestion. Compare your illustrations with at least 25 children’s books. How does your art compare? Again, be brutally honest. Unless you are a true professional your art will probably fall short.

I have a friend in our critique group who IS a true professional illustrator! Veronica Walsh illustrated a WONDERFUL picture book, Too Many Visitors for One Little House, by Susan Chodakiewitz. Look at the facial expressions of the characters! Drink in the color, the life, the movement, the emotions. To view samples of Veronica's artwork go to www.veronicawalsh.net

In my humble opinion, 99% of the time your publisher knows just the artist to make your book come alive!

When it comes to picture books, illustrations make half the book.

So, if your best friend, Aunt Beatrice, your child (whose heart WILL be broken), or your spouse want to illustrate your book, please just say "No," but say it gently. Tell them it's nothing personal. It's just the way it is in publishing, and YOU as the writer need to follow the guidelines.

A Wise Choice

When I'm needing an idea for another magazine story or a book, there's one resource I go to immediately because it never fails me. It's the book of Proverbs---the book of wisdom in the Bible.

Just ONE proverb can be a theme with a story waiting to happen!

My fiction stories are not overtly religious and don't need to be. The book of Proverbs is filled with jewels of wisdom for wise living and themes that apply to children as well as adults.

Here are just a few of the Proverbs that have triggered a book or story or two, or three, or---well you get the idea.

• "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else and not your own lips." Proverbs 27:2 gave me The REAL B.J. Beaver, (Clubhouse Jr.)

• "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." Proverbs 18:9 inspired my book The WiseNOTS Get Lazy, (book seeking a publishing home.)

• "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals---" Proverbs 12:10 (a) inspired Pets and Proverbs, (Clubhouse Jr.)

• "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 12:15 inspired Take a Hike, (Clubhouse Jr.)
  

• "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"---when you now have it with you." Proverbs 3:27, 28 inspired Monkey Business, (published in Clubhouse Jr. One of my On Jungle Street books seeking a publishing home.)
  

Need some inspiration and a heart filled with joy at the same time?

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning,

and let the discerning get guidance." Proverbs 1:5

c 2009 Sheryl Crawford

Quotes from First Grade Kids!

I've heard that a first grade teacher collected well known proverbs. She gave each child in her class the first half of a proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. Here are the answers from 6 year-olds: Better to be safe than.....................................punch a 5th grader Strike while the ..............................................bug is close It's always darkest before.............................Daylight Saving Time Never underestimate the power of..............termites You can lead a horse to water but................how? Don't bite the hand that.................................looks dirty No news is........................................................impossible A miss is as good as a.....................................Mr. You can't teach an old dog new.....................math If you lie down with dogs, you'll....................stink in the morning Love all, trust..................................................me The pen is mightier than the........................pigs An idle mind is................................................the best way to relax Where there's smoke there's........................pollution Happy the bride who.....................................gets all the presents A penny saved is............................................not much Two's company, three's.................................the Musketeers Don't put off till tomorrow what...................you put on to go to bed Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and.....you have to blow your nose There are none so blind as............................Stevie Wonder Children should be seen and not..................spanked or grounded If at first you don't succeed...........................get new batteries You get out of something only what you.....see in the picture on the box When the blind leadeth the blind.................get out of the way Don't ya love it? (o;

Author's Debut Book:The Declaration of Independence from A to Z

Catherine Osornio, yet another published member of our critique group, Wordsmiths8, is preparing for her first school visit with 6th graders. It may be her first---but certainly NOT her last. If you want your children, grandchildren, or classroom to really understand the Declaration of Independence (or if YOU need to brush up) you won't be disappointed with Catherine's debut picture book,
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM A TO Z (Pelican Publishing Company, 2010)

The combination of magnificent, richly colored illustrations by Layne Johnson, and Catherine's amazing facts, will hold the attention of an entire class or assembly!

Because Catherine is a dear friend I asked if I could interview her for my blog. Here's Catherine:

Q: Catherine, what prompted you to write about this particular subject?

A: I originally wrote this as a holiday alphabet book about the 4th of July. The publisher, Pelican Publishing Company, preferred a story about the Declaration of Independence, so I rewrote my manuscript to tell the history of this famous document.

Q: Kids can sometimes think of history as booooring. I know I did. Sigh. What is it about YOUR book that makes the topic of the Declaration of Independence EXCITING for children?

A: I tried really hard to make the text informative as well as interesting. The illustrations, painted by Layne Johnson, created a beautiful backdrop that made my words come alive. I think this blend of words and pictures will draw reluctant history readers in, allowing them to learn and to be entertained at the same time.

Q: What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

A: I took three months to research all I could about the period of time in America and about the Declaration itself. The hardest part was trying to compact all that information into 26 letters, while also writing it in chronological order so that it made sense.

Q: Catherine, have you always wanted to be a writer?

A: No. I grew up wanting to be a scientist, and ended up going to school to learn about film making. I didn't become a writer until about eight years ago when a friend asked for help developing her writing skills. As I taught her about creating stories, I realized that I enjoyed the writing process, and I haven't stopped since.

Q: What advice would you give to students or adults who want to be writers?

A: Read, read, and read some more so you can understand what makes a good story. Learn the rules of grammar, then keep writing and revising, until you can write a story well, with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Q: Are you working on any other projects right now?

A: I write articles and short stories for magazines, newsletters, and for an early reader program, but I really want to write middle grade novels. I'm working on a mystery series that I hope will be published some day.

THANK YOU, Catherine! I hope your success story has inspired other writers to press on!

Catherine L. Osornio can be contacted via email at:CLOsornio@verizon.net
Visit her writing blog at: www.catherineosornio.com


Want to get goose bumps and perhaps even choked up in a happy way? Then watch and listen to this short youtube tribute to her book!:
Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oHFn6HBDk8

Write for the Educational Market with Evelyn's Help!

Well, Evelyn Christensen has done it again! She's gets another A+ on her market research. Ev graciously shares her discoveries for publication possibilities--- just because she's NICE. According to Ev, her market list has "a few new tidbits." She is quick to point out and thank Susan Ludwig, a freelance children's writer, for assisting with updating the market list.

Visit her website at http://echristensen.atspace.com/markets.html

If you haven't considered writing for the educational market, you might want to think again. Nancy I. Sanders and I (photo)have co-authored seven educational books together for Scholastic Professional Books! My latest book was released November 1, 2009, Easy-To-Read Science Plays: The Human Body.

Every school week, first and second grade children across the country participate in our readers theater, make mini-books, create crafts from our reproducibles, and have loads of FUN while their teachers lead them in educational extension activities. I have a feeling that some of our crafts may be on refrigerator door galleries (o;

Check out Evelyn's site. She's got a looooong list of publishers who have some definite needs and guidelines. Who knows---YOU could be just the writer they're looking for!

Oh, and one more thing---THANK YOU, EVELYN and SUSAN!