Children’s Book Publishers and Reading Lists

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If you’re interested in writing for children, it’s essential to learn what kinds of books different children’s book publishers produce. You need to know if they are the right house to give your story life. But how do you figure out if the publisher is right for you and if you are right for that publisher? You read their books.

There are tons of children’s book publishers out there, but one of my favorite is Lee and Low. Not only do they focus on multicultural content, they also focus on emotional learning and awareness. And they produce incredible reading lists!

Here’s the Lee and Low 2018 diverse summer reading list. 

 

And here is the Lee and Low Social and Emotional Diverse reading list. 

 

Both lists contain books from PreK to 8, so there is something for every reader to read, and something for every writer to read. There really isn’t a substitute for reading as a way to find out what different children’s book publishers want. You can learn about topics, characters, language, and themes. You can be inspired and improve your own writing.

Non-Fiction

Pay I want to write non-fiction books. If you want to write non-fiction, it is helpful to study how the back matter is presented in each book. One thing I find valuable is reading the bibliographies at the back of the book. I like to see what resources an author has used and I challenge myself to check out their reference material and see if my interpretation matches theirs.

If you don’t want to spend a fortune on all these books, I recommend requesting the books from your library all at once, picking them up at the library, and scheduling a read-and-critique session with your fellow writers. Pay attention to what the other readers in your group notice. What did they see that you overlooked? Consider the book from title to end pages and learn all you can.

 

Can You Debate the Meaning of Words?

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meaning of words

What do words mean?

While a lot of things are uncertain and fluid in our world, I wonder if we can debate the meaning of words.

My oldest son has a pretty decent vocabulary, but in seventh grade, he missed several words on a recent vocabulary quiz. I looked over the list. His grade surprised me grade, because I saw words that I would expect (assume, anticipate?) him to know.

“I knew the words, but the definitions weren’t ones I use,” he explained. (excused? justified?)

I couldn’t help smiling at his answer. I also didn’t hesitate to challenge him on it.

“You know, words have established definitions. It’s not really ‘your definitions’ versus the ones on this sheet. You need to understand these definitions,” I insisted.

Books About Words

He knew better than to argue back. But the conversation sparked an inner debate in my own mind. And of course the inner debate got me thinking about a book, specifically the book Frindle.

My selection for my book club in January was Word by Word, a book about dictionaries. I learned some interesting things from that book. I learned the dictionary describes how words are used and what they mean. The dictionary doesn’t proscribe what words mean. That was a really significant distinction in my mind.

I feel words do have accepted meanings, but that those meanings can change. And that my son’s problem is not that he didn’t know what the words meant, but that he hadn’t learned the accepted answers he needed to learn for that particular quiz.

What’s a word that has changed meaning from the first time you’ve learned it until how you (or we) use it today?

 

Tools for Writing a Novel

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I’ve been to many conferences were successful writers share their tools for writing a novel, and I now have my own set to share. I am working hard to get my current manuscript done – and basic proofreading corrections made – before February 26.

The novel is called DNF (Did Not Finish) and it’s middle grade contemporary fiction. Maybe I will post a teaser when it’s out on submission.

Because I love checklists and measuring my productivity, I’m using a checklist log to record my daily activity.

tools for writing a novel

 

This isn’t a word count tracker, although I do have a handy little Numbers file that can function as a word count tracker just like the one NaNoWriMo provides on its website. I decided not to focus on words for this draft of my manuscript. Instead I focus on WHEN I am in the timeline of the story.

Paper Tools

I needed some other tools for writing a novel, and because I’m focusing on WHEN, I needed a calendar. My main character is a runner, so I use a training plan. And because this story has a large cast of characters (many more than in Dare Club) I needed a character list.

Each one of these tools helps me stay on track, minimize confusion, and prevents the kind of writer’s block that isn’t about ‘not having ideas’ but forgetting where you are in the story. I’ve found the calendar to be especially helpful.

Online Tools

My story takes place in a specific year, I use Weather Underground‘s website to find the weather for each of my key scenes. I also look online for popular baby names of the year 2000, and for popular songs, apps, and television shows. I’m sort of a stickler for minimizing anachronisms.

What tools for writing a novel do you use?

 

What a Writing Coach Offers

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The writer’s playing field

In 2017, I embarked on a new part of the writer’s journey and became a writing coach. My first client is actually a young man interested in a challenging creative writing program in the area. We are working together to help him set goals and achieve them.

One aspect of his writing that doesn’t work: creative ideas.

As his writing coach, I feel my job is really focused on accountability and productivity.

Almost all writers and creatives could use a little boost in setting reasonable, measurable goals and working to meet those goals. There are lots of little steps between stating a goal and achieving a goal. Sometimes, the ability to achieve a goal is not within our power, it rests in some one else’s hands.

So what’s it like to meet with a writing coach?

First, we discussed some of his hopes and dreams. Then we talked about what he likes to write, doesn’t like to write, and his habits. We also discussed what and how much he reads. After I learned about those aspects of his writing life – and I learn new things in each session – I developed some systems to help him show off his strengths as well as confront his weaknesses.

Coaching Sessions

A typical session for us looks like this:

  • Free write for 5 minutes on a prompt that I choose, usually focused around describing a scene or memory focused around an emotion. We’ve written about moments when we’ve been happy, angry, embarrassed, guilty, and sad. The goal here is to capture the events that caused the feelings and to access the emotion in our brains and bring it to life on the page. Five minutes is short – we’ve got to write quickly and efficiently, as well as honestly.
  • Next, we dive in to the current project. My client shares any new sections, I read them over and offer positive comments as well as constructive criticism on areas that could be improved. We discuss plot, dialogue, the classic show-don’t-tell problem, and setting. We also spend a lot of time hashing out what endings might work and WHY.
  • After his projects, I like to share a short piece of my own writing and ask him to offer feedback and critique. I think this is really important for a young writer. My goals here are to model HOW to accept critique and how to think about revising existing works.
  • As our session wraps up, we discuss next steps. My client, like many writers of all ages, doesn’t relish revising, but that is always one of his assignments. Other goals include selecting a publication to submit to or working on a synopsis of his current story.

As his writing coach, I never tell him what to write. I do encourage him to develop good habits related to writing. Habits like reading and writing every day. Some other best practices I encourage him to adopt are completing his stories (even ones that aren’t his favorite) and being open to writing different versions so he can really find the one that resonates.

Goals

For the new year, I offered four options for big goals. I’m offering you these four goals, too, and I encourage you to attempt them and share your progress!

  1. Write a 500 word story with a plot.
  2. Revise a story.
  3. Re-write a familiar story in your style.
  4. Submit a story to a publication.

For more writing encouragement, check out my Twelve Days of Writing post and get busy.

Twelve Days of Writing or Keep Writing Over the Holidays

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It’s so busy right now. You might let your writing take a back seat to the demands of the season, but I encourage you to stay strong and find some time to work on your craft. Here’s a little something I whipped up for the young writer that I am coaching. The Twelve Days of Writing is my gift for you, writer struggling through the season. Many happy returns!

 

Here’s a pdf of the 12 Days of Writing so you can download, print, and keep writing!

 

The Bridge

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What’s worse: letting a fascist regime destroy art and freedom of expression, or paying money to the regime in order to rescue the art? This is the question that confronted me at my September visit to the Museum of Modern Art.

 

This month, I returned to New York to pass the tiara of the Pen Parentis fellowship on to the next awardee. Megan’s story was moving and emotional and I look forward to sharing our writing experiences together.

We visited MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) and saw some incredible art. I was really captivated by the work of Ernst Kirchner, part of Die Brucke, (The Bridge), a group of artists seeking a new mode of artistic expression. There’s really nothing like finding your people, is there?

They worked to affirm their heritage but also sought the avant-garde. They were definitely free thinking in both life and art. After serving in World War I, and being discharged, he developed alcoholism. He build a body of work, his health improved, he gained renown. He got positive reviews.

Then the Nazis came. His works were removed from museums. Germany invaded other countries. Kirchner objected. He was labeled Degenerate. He was expelled from the Academy of Arts in Berlin. In 1938, he shot himself and died.

I don’t love every book I read, I don’t think every work of art is amazing. But we must remain vigilant against the silencing of creative voices, especially those that challenge evil.

Scrabble

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On a recent road trip with my husband, we played Scrabble.

Now, I know a lot of words.

But he’s a master at game play and maximizing scoring.

But I’ve lived with him for over 17 years and know a lot of his strategies.

But he also remembers the two letter words that can turn the tide.

But I’m also pretty good at anagrams and seeing words in scrambled letters.

So who won?

Before I tell you, take a look at the top left of the board at the word “granite.” That used all my tiles and earned me the 50 point bonus.

Luck or skill?

Vocabulary or strategy?

Does it really matter who won?

 

Why I Can’t Write

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There are a dozen reasons why I can’t write.

  1. I’m scared the basic story is bad/boring/dumb/cliche.
  2. I’m scared I can’t tell the story that I imagine.
  3. I worry as soon as I sit down to try and start, something will interrupt me.
  4. I’m worried I ran out of ideas.
  5. I’m scared I’m not smart enough to fix the problems I know are there.
  6. I’m scared my ideas are dumb.
  7. I’m worried I should be doing something else.
  8. I don’t have the time in the day I need.
  9. I don’t have any ideas.
  10. I am tired.
  11. I am scared.
  12. I am worried.

Those are the reasons why I can’t write.

What are some reasons why you can’t write? How do you overcome them?

Favorite Part of Being a Writer

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I love writing, but really what is my favorite part of being a writer?

My niece and nephew stayed with us for a week this summer, and it was a delight. Yes, my kids had fun, but for me the best part was that both kids are super readers. My niece carried a book everywhere and she and my middle son read books together. Team reading!

My nephew read about a book a day, and unlike my own children (sometimes) he actually accepted my book recommendations. That was so satisfying.

One morning, he asked me what was my favorite part about being a writer.

I was caught off guard, but in a good way. Had anyone ever asked me that before?

I thought a moment, then told him I loved seeing a world in my head, creating that world, and then transporting readers to that world in a way that felt real to them. I rambled a bit, then I told him I loved when my middle son said, when he reads some of my stories (not all), that he forgets he is reading and is just IN the story. When I can do that with my writing, I am in heaven.

I have some amazing writer friends, and I wanted to know their favorite things about being writers, too.

Writing Friends

My friend Amy Wagner said “My favorite part of being a writer is that I live in this world, but play in hundreds of others that spin through my head. And I get to share those worlds with others in my stories. Writing forces me to see this world, really see it. After that I twist reality or faithfully record the story. Either way I am usually surprised by the results.”

My friend Samantha Smith said “I’d say my hands down favorite part of being a writer is reading my book to the kids. I think sharing stories (especially out loud) really brings them to life! By engaging with the kids, I’m getting to tell my story, and I’m also getting to share in their reaction. That brings everything to a whole new level because its merging my experience with theirs. Pure magic!” 

Samantha has a book coming out soon, so keep your reading eyes open for Cate’s Magic Garden.