The National Writing for Children Center

SIMON SAYS - Try These Editing Tips!

Writing for Children — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:28:32 +0000

SIMON SAYS
A weekly column from children’s author Simon Rose

No matter how experienced you are as a writer, it’s always tough to edit your own work because this is your baby and you are biased, even if you don’t think you are. You have to have a thick skin to be able to handle the rejections which come to all of us and you have to be hard on yourself before you even send your work out in the first place to publishers.

Once the actual novel is done, I always read through it as many times as I feel is necessary, making fewer and fewer changes as I go through the text. I also find that reading the novel aloud helps as well, since this is the closest you can actually get to experiencing another person’s point of view.

How do you know when to stop editing? Well, there are no hard and fast rules on that, but at some point you will know. At that time, you have to take a deep breath and finally get someone else to read your masterpiece, whether this is a publisher or just someone you hire to evaluate your manuscript.

Is it then ready to send out? Again, there are no set procedures, but eventually, you have to make a decision. The fear of rejection is a very strong emotion and holds many people back, but at some point it has to be submitted. Just make sure it is ready, doing whatever you need to do and taking as much time as you feel is necessary. Never rush things or take short cuts because you will most likely regret it.
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editing tips, editing your manuscript, self editing, Simon Says, Simon Rose

This Week’s Teleclass for the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club

Writing for Children — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:08:43 +0000

Every month, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club have the chance to attend LIVE teleclasses and other events as members of the club.

Each month, we also focus on one type of writing for children. In December, our focus is on writing a rebus. A rebus is a story where some of the words are replaced with pictures. A rebus is fun for young children to read. But there are a few challenges in writing a marketable rebus.

This week’s teleclass for the CWCC will be Learning to Write a Great Rebus Story for Kids. The live teleclass will take place Thursday morning at 11:00 central time. It will also be recorded and members of the CWCC will receive a link to the recording so they can listen to it at any time.

By the end of this month, all members of the CWCC should have written and submitted a rebus story for publication in a children’s magazine.

To join the CWCC and receive an invitation to our teleclass this week - as well as an invitation to join the listserv for all our members - click here.

Childrens Writers Coaching Club, Cwcc, Rebus, writing for children

Find Out Anything and Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know about Writing and Publishing for Kids!

Writing for Children — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:30:22 +0000

If you’ve been wondering how to get started writing and publishing your own stories and other work for kids, then you won’t want to miss this special FREE teleseminar next Monday night, December 1, 2008, at 7:00 central time.

Carma Dutra will host this teleseminar with special guest, Suzanne Lieurance, author of over a dozen published books for children, instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature, and found and director of the National Writing for Children Center.

Sign up for this free teleseminar right now, and ask your most pressing question about writing or publishing for kids. Then, attend the LIVE teleseminar Monday night to learn the answer to your question. When you ask your question, put your mailing address in the box with your question. The first 24 people to register for this teleseminar and ask a question will receive a free copy of the popular book, The Christmas Box.

Carma Dutra, how to write for children, Suzanne Lieurance, writing for children, Writing For Kids

Thanksgiving Craft for Kids - Thanksgiving Book Project!

Writing for Children — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:19:38 +0000

You already have most of the items you’ll need for your child to make this Thanksgiving Book.

Maybe Dad can help the kids make this book while Mom gets Thanksgiving dinner ready.

Thank you, artsymommy.com!

artsymommy, kids crafts, Thanksgiving craft, Thanksgiving project

Simon Says - Tips for Writing Your Novel

Writing for Children — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:43:31 +0000

SIMON SAYS
A weekly column from children’s author Simon Rose

As I mentioned last week, I spend a fair amount of time on the outline for a novel. Once I actually start writing the book, I usually edit at least a little as I go. Sometimes this involves checking over just one chapter, sometimes two or three, once they are done, if I want to assess how it’s all going, if everything flows properly or if a section doesn’t feel right in some way, before I move on to the next part. I’m able to do this because I know what will happen next in the plot. In some ways, I am almost merely expanding on the outline I created, filling in details, adding description, dialogue, action and so on.

Does the outline change as I progress? Absolutely, although usually not too dramatically. There will invariably be parts of the story that may not work as well as you thought they would, new ideas that emerge as you write or you may simply have a new take on a situation you’ve already created. However, the outlines always serve as a valuable guide and ensure that the general flow of the story is well mapped out. You may, of course, still change your mind about certain aspects of the story as it is written, but hopefully you can avoid the situation where you have produced ten chapters, then decide to scrap everything you have written, because you’ve have a great new idea. This new inspiration, however, might actually be part of another book altogether and be ill suited to your current project.

Pre-planning may not be for everyone, but it will often help you maintain your focus, enabling you to get your book to the finish line.

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Simon Rose was in the UK last week. Here is an article about his visit that ran in the local newspaper there.

revision techniques, Simon Rose, Simon Says, writing a novel