Margo Dill Writer for Children's Magazine
Topic: Magazine Author

Margo L. Dill

Blog & Website www.margodill.com
Contact Inform:ation: margodll@aol.com

Margo Dill is a multi-published author of articles and books for children. Some of her most recent achievements slotted for publication is a middle grade novel, Finding My Place and sold a party plan, titled "Fall Festival," to Highlights for Children and a science article to Fun for Kidz.
She also enjoys writing for adults. Recently she has been flexing her adult article writing muscles.

JESSICA: What critique groups, organizations, or affiliations have you joined to further your career? Which do you think have benefited you and how?

MARGO: When I first started writing, I joined a weekly critique group that met in an arts center in O’Fallon, Missouri. Joining a critique group was the best thing for my writing. I learned from people who had more writing experience than me. They taught me to be a writer and an editor. After that, I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, which I highly recommend for any children’s writer. You are instantly connected to other children’s writers across the country, and they supply you with the names of editors, their wish lists, and publishing houses. I also am a member of the Missouri Writers’ Guild and Saturday Writers (a chapter of the Missouri Writers’ Guild.)

JESSICA: Did you take classes, read books or use other tools to learn how to write for children’s magazines?

MARGO: I took a correspondence course through the Institute of Children’s Literature. I found out about them through an ad in a Family Circle magazine that said, “You can write for children.” The great thing about this correspondence program is you work one-on-one with a published children’s writer, who has already gone through all the experiences you are as a beginning writer.

JESSICA: How long had you written before you succeeded in publishing a children’s article/story?

MARGO: I actually entered a short story contest for Calliope: A Writers’ Workshop magazine. I won honorable mention in the contest, and one of the prizes was getting my story published in their magazine. This was in 2001. I started the correspondence course in 1999 and finished in 2000, so it took me about a year to get my first children’s story published.

JESSICA: What did you write for Highlights? How did you target the magazine?

MARGO: For Highlights, I wrote a party plan, which they are not publishing much of any more. I read that they accepted party plans in their guidelines, and I was a teacher and had a Fall Festival in my classroom one year. I decided to write down different activities, games, and crafts we did at the Fall Festival for Highlights, and they accepted it. They still haven’t published it, but I am hopeful. They pay on acceptance, so that part is good at least.

JESSICA: What did you write for Characters? How did you target the magazine?

MARGO: I wrote a short story about a boy, who was saving money for a new dog. Characters was a new magazine that I read about on-line. I read their guidelines, and I knew they accepted realistic, contemporary short stories. So, I sent mine in, and they accepted it.

JESSICA: What did you write for Fun for Kidz? How did you target the magazine?

MARGO: Fun for Kidz is a magazine that has a theme list posted on their website. I had an idea to write a short science article for young children, and it was about materials expanding and contracting when the temperature becomes hotter or colder. I saw that one of their themes fit my science article, and I sent it to them with a cover letter stating which theme I thought my article fit.

JESSICA: What did you write for Pockets? How did you target the magazine?

MARGO: Pockets also has a theme list on their website. I know they accepted games, puzzles, and recipes, and they were often in need of these items. I had read about Pockets in a children’s newsletter, and I was familiar with the magazine through church. I looked at their theme list, and I wrote a recipe to fit one of the themes. Then I wrote a puzzle to fit another theme.

JESSICA: What did you write for On the Line? How did you target the magazine?

MARGO: On the Line is a Christian children’s magazine. I wrote a poem after 9-11 called, “Start Small.” It was about how children wondered what they could do to help in a world where things seemed to be going crazy. The message of the poem was for children to start small by starting with themselves—being nice to their friends and saying they are sorry when they make a mistake.

JESSICA: Have you written for publications that offered no payment?

MARGO: Yes, when I first started writing, I wrote for magazines that paid in copies a couple times. I was just thrilled to get my articles or short stories published; and I needed the clips, so I could get paying jobs. I usually tried higher paying markets first; and then if I was rejected, I tried markets that paid in copies.

JESSICA: What is the most money youE?ve receive for work?

MARGO: The most money I have received has been for writing educational testing items, such as nonfiction pieces or short stories for standardized tests. Children’s magazines do not pay that well, but magazines such as Highlights and Cricket pay the best.

JESSICA: Do you have an agent? If yes, at what point did you begin seeking one? If no, have you begun to search for one?

MARGO: No, I do not have an agent. I am going to have a middle-grade, historical fiction novel (set in the U.S. Civil War) published next year by a small publisher, White Mane Kids. I tried an agent when I was first sending this book out, but then I found White Mane Kids without an agent. However, I am writing a young adult novel right now; and when I finish it, I plan to send it to agents first. I have met some agents at writing conferences, and I will send it to them first, following their guidelines, of course.

JESSICA: What pointers can you give a children’s writer seeking publication in magazines?

MARGO: Read the magazines and the guidelines carefully. One of the biggest mistakes new writers make is sending submissions to a magazine without ever reading the magazine first. The second biggest mistake is that some writers don’t read the guidelines carefully. I usually read the guidelines in the Children’s Writers’ Market first and then also on the magazine’s website. Guidelines are often updated on the website, along with tips from the editors, theme lists, or special requests.

JESSICA: To what do you attribute your success?

MARGO: Luck. No, just kidding. I guess it would be persistence and practice. When I get rejected, I try not to let it bother me. I send it away again to a different magazine. I also have learned a lot from going to writing conferences and belonging to a critique group.

JESSICA: Is there a magazine you aspire to write for?

MARGO: I would love to be published in one of the bug magazines—Cricket, Spider, Ladybug, or Babybug. I’ve sent them stories and articles before, but they have rejected me each time. I will keep trying!

JESSICA: Do you find it easier or more difficult to write fiction or nonfiction and get it accepted?

MARGO: I think fiction is harder to write and harder to get accepted, but I still love it. The thing I like about nonfiction is you can often query an editor first and see if they would be interested in the article before you write it. With fiction, you have to write your story and hope some editor will love it as much as you do.

JESSICA: Do you write your pieces with a specific market in mind?

MARGO: Not with fiction. With fiction, I just write what inspires me at the time. With nonfiction, I usually write a query with a certain market in mind, and I target my query for that magazine.

JESSICA: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us about how to write for children's magazines?

MARGO: Writing for children’s magazines is just as difficult, if not more so, than writing for adult magazines. There are fewer children’s magazines, and many of them have themes your articles have to fit in or staff writers, who write a good percentage of the material. You need reliable sources and interesting quotes for nonfiction articles. You need exciting plots and an authentic voice for fiction.

Thanks Margo for helping to give us a better picture of how to get Published in the children's market.

Kevin S. Collier Artist and Author Interview
Topic: authors & illustrator
Kevin S Collier
Blog:http://kevinscottcollierhomepage.blogspot.com
Email: kevinscottcollier@yahoo.com


Bio : Kevin Scott Collier is a children's book author and illustrator with 80 titles to his credit. he is also the Staff illustrator for KICK Club TV, and will be hosting his own TV show, "Drawing for Kicks," about illustration to be broadcast nationally and internationally on Christian networks in early 2009.

Jessica: What did you publish first an illustration, magazine article, short story or book?
Kevin: It was a tween chapter book, "barthpenn @heaven.org," about a boy who meets an angel online. It was published by Baker Trittin Press in November 2004.

Jessica: Where was your first illustration published? First written work? Kevin: My first children's illustration works were published in a book titled "Topsy Turvy Land," written by Donna Shepherd. It was published in July 2005. I've actually been writing and drawing all of my life for fun before becoming a professional.

Jessica: How does the submission process differ?
Kevin: I really work in an unconventional way. Many publishers have actually come to me, or I bypass their process just by emailing them samples of my work.

Jessica: Do you write primarily fiction or nonfiction for magazines or books?
Kevin: It's all fiction, and most of it is faith-based.

Jessica: As a writer can you understand the fear a writer feels and trust they put in you to create the pictures they’ve drawn with words?
Kevin: They shouldn't fear anything. I've illustrated a ton of books, one just won First Place in the New York Book Festival. I don't want to sound arrogant here, but I have a enormous resume and more experience in the children's market than virtually all authors who contract me to illustrate their books. I know what I am doing, so they should just let the artist do his/her job, and relax.

Jessica: What steps do you take to create what the writer’s words describe?
Kevin: I read over the story, then create images of the main characters in sketch form. I pass them by the author for approval. And, if it looks like we can work well together, we do.

Jessica: Do you draw book covers?
Kevin: I have drawn over 80 covers. Sometimes I have just done cover work.

Jessica: How long does it take on average for you to illustrate a 32 page picture book?
Kevin: Total time? About 20 hours, give or take. I have completed books with 24 illustrations in 5 five evenings. I work incredibly fast, perhaps due to over 45 years of drawing.

Jessica: Do you have a favorite genre to illustrate and excel at?
Kevin: Whimsical characters. I like doing colorful art with sweet faces. I draw a lot of animals.

Jessica: Have you ever had an artistic difference of opinion with a writer? If yes, describe.
Kevin: A few times, but I don't any more, because I don't work for or with anyone who will spin me or waste my time. I certainly want to design their characters to their approval, but after that, they have to trust someone who has done this enough to create a nice piece of work. I routinely turn down nice paying jobs just because red flags go up in dealings with some writers. I recall getting mixed up with one author who had me revise a pair a tennis shoes a girl was wearing 7 times. I don't have time to entertain another's emotional issues. It basically comes down to this: if a writer wants to play artist, let them draw their own book.

Jessica: When you provide artwork for a book, does the writer have the right to promote it showcasing your art work?
Kevin: Yes, it's their book.

Jessica: If a writer disagrees with your illustrative interpretation, how would you suggest they handle it?
Kevin: We would never get that far. I wouldn't work for them. Now, if their characters have been approved, and we are zipping through the story illustrations, and something pops up that is in error, or misses an opportunity, sure, there's a revision. Basically, it has to be someone I enjoy working with, too, creatively.

Jessica: According to your website you appear to have a strong faith? In what ways has that affected your work?
Kevin: It has opened up wonderful opportunities. God has a plan for those who listen, and if you follow that path, don't let the devil distract you, you'll reach His full potential.

Jessica: Have you ever refused a job, because it went against your beliefs?
Kevin: Yes, many times. There's an unknown list writers have to pass before I'll ever draw for them. Nothing objectionable in content is one. Another, being a published author myself of kids and chapter books, they have to be an adequate writer, and the story has to show potential. Of course, there is the red flags, too. If a writer really likes my work, then let me do my job. If they want to play artist, bye-bye.

Jessica: I see from your site you’re beginning a TV show called “Drawing for KICKS”. Where (cities/states) will the program be broadcast?
Kevin: "Drawing for Kicks" will be broadcast on cable networks Daystar, Golden Eagle, TCT, KTV, God's Learning Channel, WTVE TV, Lamb Broadcasting, CTN48 - Knoxville, and SuperChannel. It's national, and global. It will go all over the world.

Jessica: How did the opportunity come about?
Kevin: I contacted them about illustrating a book for them about their main TV show, they liked my work so well, they hired me as their Staff Illustrator and gave me my own show.

Jessica: Do you have writers for the script and program content? Do they give you a guiding hand and how?
Kevin: We're tossing around ideas. About half the show will be me teaching kids how to draw, the other segments will be fun with my son, activities, etc. Most of it will be spontaneous and unscripted.

Jessica: Describe your son’s role in the program.
Kevin: Jarod, age 10, will be doing all sorts of fun activities outdoors and helping me in the studio, too. We're already sending video feeds in, shot here, locally at home. They gave us a high-def TV camera to work with. I have already turned in spots of Jarod skim boarding, rip sticking and such. My wife, Kristen, will also pop up on the show, reading books I have illustrated.

Thanks in advance Kevin. I’ll look forward to getting your responses. Congratulations on your success it’s well deserved. I wish you luck in your new TV show.
Kevin: Thank you. God has been very good to me and my family. He's my agent!

Margot Finke Multi-Published Picture Book Author
Topic: writing picture books

Jennifer Reed Interview: Magazine Articles/Stories and Books

Multi Published Author of Magazine Articles & Stories & Books

Jennifer Reed started writing for children when her two children were toddlers. It was a slow process, as family always came first. Soon, with the kids in school full time, she was able to focus more on her writing. Today, she has published over 100 stories and articles in magazines, websites and anthologies (Chicken Soup, Heartwarmers), and has published over 20 children's books, both fiction and nonfiction. She was the creator/editor of Wee Ones Children's Magazine, which after an 8 year run, will be shutting down at the end of 2008. Jennifer also teaches at the local high school part time and for the Institute of Children's Literature. She is a part time SAT Essay scorer for Pearson. A full bio can be found at her website: www.jennifer-reed.com

Jessica: You say you primarily write nonfiction. Can you give us some examples?
Jennifer: I started writing nonfiction for magazines back in 1998 with the idea that those magazine publications would lead me to writing books- they did and now I mostly write nonfiction books for children and teens.

Jessica: What have you had the easiest time publishing in magazines?
Jennifer: Mostly history because I love it and I look for themes in magazines that require history. However, I've written on all subject from animals, crafts, biographies and science.

Jessica: Who published your first nonfiction piece for children?
Jennifer: Skipping Stones. I had been submitting my work for about 4 years with no bites and I was about to give it all up. Skipping Stones although a nonpaying market, also wrote me a letter. The editor specifically commented on my article, how beautifully written it was etc. and that gave me the boost to continue writing and submitting.

Jessica: Do you have an education that helps establish you as an expert?
Jennifer: I have a BA in English and Business Management. My focus was on journalism. After college I worked on several newspapers and magazines and this experience was invaluable. I also volunteered to write for newspapers just to get the experience. I'm not an expert say in history, but it has been a part of my childhood and adult life- my parents were curators of a museum for a while and my dad was the president of the historical society. If you have a passion about something, you learn about it and probably can write easily and with some knowledge about the subject.

Jessica: What children’s magazines have you had your work published in?
Jennifer: Highlights, Boys' Life, Aquila, Hopscotch, Boys' Quest, Fun For Kidz and I worked 2 years as the staff writer for Crinkles Magazine.

Jessica: How long did you write for children before you were published?

Jennifer: When I decided to stay home with my kids I gave up being a career editor at a newspaper. But, I still wanted to write and publish and pursued children's publishing. I had a lot to learn! It was not an easy transition from writing for adults to writing for kids. When I finally got serious, it was another four years before I published anything.

Jessica: What is the most challenging part of writing nonfiction?

Jennifer: Research. It takes time and patience, but you have to do it right if you want to publish your work. It's important to know what kind of material you can use, what the publisher's like to see and what is available.

Jessica: Was there a magazine you wanted badly to get published in? Have you succeeded yet?

Jennifer: I focus on one magazine at a time and put my energy into it- I research the magazine, read back issues, visit them online and try to get a good idea as to what they are looking for. I did this with Highlights and after many attempts, finally had an article accepted. I did this with Boys' Life. My one and only submission to them was accepted. I don't submit to magazines so much anymore, but I do have query out with Cobblestone. We'll see!

Jessica: How do you decide on subject matter for articles and books?

Jennifer: I mostly write for magazines that have a theme list- the subjects are given and I see if I would am knowledgeable about the subjects or have an interest in them. Because I have written many books for Enslow, they usually let me pick the subjects I want to write about, depending on their available titles within a series. Otherwise, I write what I know and study the markets and hope that what I've written fits!

Jessica: Do you have any tips for locating children’s markets?
Jennifer: Really, the market guides put out by Writer's Digest or the Institute of Children's Literature are what I use, however, I do use the Internet to further my understanding of a magazine or publisher.

Jessica: What pointers can you give a new writer of nonfiction children’s literature to get published?
Jennifer: If you have a strength in a particular subject, then use that to your advantage. Write what you know. Studying the markets is vital too. See if there are theme lists posted on magazine websites that look for articles on the subjects you love to write about. Start with magazines. It is very to sell nonfiction book ideas to publishers if you don't have some kind of experience in nonfiction writing. Magazines are a good place to start.

Jessica: Are your books mostly fiction or nonfiction?
Jennifer: Nonfiction

Jessica: What ways were your books published (traditional, self, POD)?
Jennifer: Most of my books are with traditional publishers. I have a nonfiction book I published via Tangerine Press/Lulu.com- Becoming a Children's Author. I chose this route because I knew I had a solid base of writers I could approach to sell the book AND, this subject is popular- every one thinks they can write for kids. I have a middle grade fiction that I self published through IUniverse. I don't recommend self publishing though unless certain criteria can be met by the author- can you market your own book well?

Jessica: At what stage in your writing career did you get an
Jennifer: I had an agent about 8 years ago and dropped him because he was new in the industry. I found I knew more about the industry, new more editors etc. than he did. I now have an agent who handles my middle grade novels and with whom I enjoy working and trust!

Jessica: What are the pros and cons of having an agent?
Jennifer: The pros are that you can spend more of your time writing and not submitting your work to a zillion publishers. Agents focus on those publishers they know and think your work will do best with. They also often have inside connections to publishing houses that authors don't have. The only con is that I wish my agent would also handle my picture books.


Jessica: Give us a short description of a few of your books?
Jennifer: I wrote 6 books for Capstone's Pebble Plus Imprint. These books were for grades K- 2nd grade and the some of the hardest books I've ever written- even though they were only about 100 words each. They were focused on military careers and jobs- one was called Submarines, another- The Marines. I've written books on Leonardo Da Vinci, The Wright Brothers, And a book on American Women Inventors.

Jessica: Describe your writing process from conception to completion.
Jennifer: This would take a book to write. Generally, I don't just sit down and write off the top of my head. I do what I call "think writing" where I lay out the book in my mind. Sometimes, this can take up to a year, sometimes just a week- depending on the book, the subject, the publisher etc. I jot down notes in a brief outline as I go along, but when I am finished with my "think writing" I can usually write out the story (picture book), or a solid outline easily. With nonfiction, once I have the general idea of the subject matter, I work for several weeks on the research. I gather all my research before I even create an outline. Then, I write a detailed outline and write down all my resources. The actual writing of the chapters or different pages for nonfiction books is quite easy once the research is done. When I have the first draft, I put it down for maybe a week or two. I don't look at it. I don't think about it. Then, I go back with a fresh, open mind and start editing. I edit my fiction many times before I submit it. I edit my nonfiction once or twice before it goes to my editor, who then checks my facts, and edits the manuscript. It comes back to me with corrections, which I make and then I submit it again for the book to be finalized.

Jessica: Are you a member of a critique group?
Jennifer: I am the moderator of the Children's Christian Writer's List at yahoo.com. I have been co-moderator and now moderator for over 10 years of this. I have been involved with various critique groups over the years, but now, I don't send my material to anyone but my agent or my editors. It's very important to have a knowledgeable person in children's writing to critique your work early on. I encourage this for all new writers. As you write and sell more material, you find that one trusted person (maybe 2) is all you need and really care for to "critique" your work.

Jessica: If so, what impact has that group had on your writing?
Jennifer: I think initially, it helped me to get published. I learned from other writers- writers who had already published. Today, one of my biggest mentors is a very well-known children's book publisher. I can turn to her with issues I have, doubts, fears, concerns and she always cheers me up and gives me hope about writing and publishing!


Most of my books are available on Amazon.com or at the publisher's website. Some of the books are not out yet but have been written and contracted.

Barbara Techel Interview: Frankie the Walkj and Roll Dog
Topic: school visit

N. D. Hansen Hill Author of ErRatic
Topic: YA author interview

Title: ErRatic
Author N.D. Hansen-Hill
ISBN 9781594146435
Publisher Five Star
Places to purchase http://www.amazon.com/ErRatic-Five-Science-Fiction-Fantasy/dp/1594146438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214327265&sr=1-1
(or request it at your local library)
Cost US $25.95 (hard cover edition)
Pages 335
Contact information.
http://www.ndhansen-hill.com/

http://www.melodyknight.com/

www.myspace.com/ndmanuscripts

Are you a Stephen King, John Saul or Dean Koontz fan? I am. I’ve been hunting for a new author. They don’t write fast enough, and I’m a horror novel snob. I’ve not been able to find one until now.
I have to admit when I offered to interview the author of ErRatic and asked for a book she had written, I fully expected to be unimpressed.
I was pleasantly surprised. Her rich descriptions make you feel like you are in the middle of those terrifying scenes. The head hopping between one character’s mind to the next is natural. The reader is always able to easily determine in which person’s head they are inside. (point of view).
I encourage anyone that wants their spine to tingle or stand on end to pick up a copy today. If you want to write horror, you could learn much by reading and analyzing ErRatic.

Q: What do you find difficult/challenging about switching point of view? Your book flows from one characters POV to another's and is seamless. Can you share your secret?
A: I understand POV is one of my faults, LOL, and I have to credit the editors of ErRatic for helping me in that respect! I learned a great deal about keeping in one person's perspective from them. I also learned a bit about "grounding" my characters. It's not enough to have them speak - they must be somewhere. Sounds silly, but as a reader I know I appreciate being able to picture a character in a physical location, whether a room, or a forest setting - whatever is called for.

Q: Do you have a timeline you follow ie...so many words per day, per week, per month, time spent writing goals and plan of action?
A: I try to write a 1000 words per day, and if I'm working on multiple projects, as is usually the case, I'll try to do 1000 words on each. That said, I have another job, plus there are always edits from publishers and other demands on my time. Usually, I'll carry out with 1000 to 3000 words/day when I'm trying to finish something up, then when I get under the 20,000 words remaining mark, I'll abandon everything else and rush to finish. At the moment, I have 4 projects in edit, so I'm working on rewriting and getting them out to publishers instead.

Q: Do you write and edit as you write? Do you let a book rest before the final edit?
A: Usually, at the start of each writing session, I'll reread what I wrote the day before and edit what I can. This usually smooths things enough that come final edit time I have fewer mistakes to correct. I almost always let a book rest before the final edit. If, for any reason, I can't, I'll play that old editor's trick of completely changing the font type and size, so it looks "different". That's good for catching mistakes you failed to see the first time through.

Q: Can you describe your "writer's area" ie desk, books, etc...
A: Messy. Disordered. Useless to almost anyone but me! My Inbox is a stack of papers, and my place is rather small, so I'm content if I have room to sit, and move my feet. The only time I get frustrated is when I rearrange the furniture and don't leave myself a place to push back my chair. I never realized how many times a day I slouch back to consider a scene until I tried to do it and couldn't! That lasted about 2 days before I rearranged things. I have boxes of my books here and there, and keep promising myself I'll do something about them, but...

Q: How do you make a scene scary? What's the key?
A: I'm there. When I'm writing a scene I'm actually there. I am the hero/heroine, fending off the demons. I reproduce the things that would/do frighten me onto the monitor - try to describe what I'm visualizing. I think I must have a vivid imagination. There are times I even scare myself !

Q: What is your main obstacle in writing and editing?
A: Time...plus I hate editing. I think most writers do. When you're writing, you feel as though you're being creative, but when you're editing, you're tearing down, attempting to fix what you found difficult to "fix" the first time around, and there's no more putting off till tomorrow the mistakes you made yesterday!

Q: How did you/do you market your books?
A: I belong to a number of Yahoo groups, blogs, and visit forum sites. Unfortunately, I don't do these things nearly as often as I should! I don't like to be a "hit and run" group visitor (it makes me feel guilty), but it's difficult to find time for much more.

Q: Can you walk us through your journey to publication?
A: This depends on the book. SF books have a much more limited number of places to submit than romance novels. I'll do the edits, check and double-check the formatting requirements for the particular publisher, then submit online. I prefer online submissions because I live in New Zealand, which is so far from most publishers, and shipping of manuscripts costs. If the editors comment, or offer me feedback, I look at it seriously, particularly if I hear the same criticism from several sources (it may mean something of a rewrite is called for). That hasn't happened for a while, though, and I generally sub to several publishers at once, but advise them if they ask for the entire manuscript that it is also being considered elsewhere. If a manuscript is rejected because it doesn't fit into one publisher's program, I'll turn around and sub it elsewhere the same day. There's no point in dwelling on rejection. Publishing is a business, and they may not be publishing/promoting your kind of book, or they may have filled their lists, etc.

Q:-How many publishers did you submit to?
A: Over the years? Hundreds. I have 6 publishers at this point, with 30+ books/novellas contracted.

Q:-How long did it take from acceptance to publication?
A: That depends on the book. Some can publish within several months, but some take over a year. ErRatic was the longest, followed by some of my Cerridwen Press novels. ErRatic took around 15, 16 months, I believe, from acceptance to release. Most independent publishers don't leave sufficient time to garner reviews from the larger magazines, because at the time of release, the book is released as an ebook, rather than print. ErRatic was for the library markets, and was released in hard cover.

Q: Is there anything you would like to share with us about writing in this genre?
A: Think scary, and be scared! Put yourself in the situation, and do your research. Research is absolutely vital - it's not good enough to claim "I know about ghosts because my house is haunted". That may help render effects, but you need to know your stuff, from parapsychology to the many different ways a haunting can present itself, so the situations your characters face can become increasingly more dire. Readers like a buildup to the finale.

Mayra Calvani Release of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing
Topic: book reviewing
June is ‘Book Reviewing’ month at Blogcritics Magazine! To promote the release of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, co-author Mayra Calvani will be interviewing 15+ reviewers and review editors during the month of June. Learn all about the business of book reviewing and what’s in the mind of some of the most popular reviewers on the internet today. Some of the guests will include: Alex Moore from ForeWord Magazine, James Cox from Midwest Book Review, Irene Watson from Reader Views, Andrea Sisco from Armchair Interviews, Magdalena Ball from The Compulsive Reader, Sharyn McGinty from In The Library Reviews, Lea Schizas from Muse Book Reviews, Linda Baldwin from Road to Romance, Hilary Williamson from Book Loons, Judy Clark from Mostly Fiction, and many others! To see the complete lineup, visit: The Slippery Book Review Blog.Between June 1st and June 30th, stop by Blogcritics and leave a comment under the reviewer interviews for a chance to win a Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour (coordinated by book marketing guru Dorothy Thompson), OR, as an alternative to a non-author winner, a $50 B&N gift certificate!

Carol J. Amato Interview: How to Start and Run a Writer's Critique Group
Mood:  not sure

 

CAROL J AMATO’s CAREER
Carol J. Amato is the author of 19 books and 175 articles. Her many memorable books for young people include the acclaimed series Breakthroughs in Science (The Earth, Astronomy, Inventions, and The Human Body), 50 Nifty Science Fair Projects, the Super Science Project Book, and 50 More Nifty Science Fair Projects.Firmly believing that kids’ fiction can be educational as well as entertaining, Ms. Amato has applied her Master of Arts in Anthropology to creating an exciting middle-grade mystery series, The Phantom Hunters™. Each mystery takes readers to a different culture. The first book, The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun, published in 2005, takes place on the Navajo Nation. Book #2, The Secret of Blackhurst Manor, set in Lincolnshire, England, will be out this fall. Her other recent titles include How to Start and Run a Writers’ Critique Group and The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun Teacher’s Guide, both of which came out in 2006. Her articles have appeared in national magazines, such as PC Novice and Smart Computing.Ms. Amato is a board member of the Writers' Club of Whittier, Inc., a professional writers’ critique group, and a member of the Children’s Literature Council and California Readers. She is listed Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the West, the World Who's Who of Women, and Who’s Who in America.

Carol J. Amato Interview:
How to Start and Run a Writers' Critique Group

Q: What topics are covered in your book?
A: The topics covered in the book include how to find original members, organize the critique group (decide the level or writers to include and how many), find a location, establish critique group rules, critique manuscripts, admit new members, and deal with difficult people. It also covers how to grow into a formal club, sponsor events, and get publicity for those who are interested in expanding to this level. The appendices include checklists, a sample set of critique group rules, and, for those who want to organize a large formal group, a sample set of bylaws.

Q: Where can your book be purchased?
A: Through any major wholesaler, from Borders and Barnes & Noble through special order, on Amazon.com, and through www.stargazerpub.com. Since the book is carried by the major wholesalers, most bookstores can order it, even independent ones.
The ISBN of this 128-page book is 0-9713756-8-2, and the retail cost is $14.95.

Q: How will a critique group benefit writers?
A: This is a great question. The tangible benefits of a critique group are readily identifiable:
- Outside reaction to your writing
Did you communicate what you thought you did?
- Listening to and analyzing others' work (phrasing, plot and character development, book and article structure, etc.)
This exercise in thinking is very growth-producing and you'll pick up many tips for your own work.
-Camaraderie with other writers
No one understands a writer like another writer.
-Intellectual stimulation
You’ll hear a lot of great ideas presented.
- Exploring new genres of writing
Once you hear manuscripts from another genre, you may decide to write one yourself!
- Reputation extension
-Other writers can recommend you to agents, editors, etc.
-Opportunity to hear some great stories
You’ll be entertained while you work!

Q: Do you belong to any writing groups and has it increased the marketability of your writing? Can you give an example?
A: Yes, yes, and yes! I have belonged to several groups over the years and am currently in four. One group is a large formal club, the Writers’ Club of Whittier (WCW), to which I have belonged for many, many years. The group itself was originally formed in 1953, so it’s been going a long, long time. It had several different critique groups at the time: fiction, nonfiction, juvenile, drama-TV, and poetry.
At the time I joined, no unpublished people had ever been admitted. I was the first one. The club had changed slightly to accept people whose writing was of publishable quality. I applied to both the fiction and nonfiction groups. The first thing one member said of my fiction was, “Do you realize you say what you’re going to say, then you say it, and then you say what you just said?”
The minute she mentioned that, the lightbulb went off in my head, and I realized how repetitious my writing was; I was saying the same thing in several different ways. I went through my manuscripts and deleted all the excess words. That’s one major help I got way back when.
Lo these many years later, I still get great feedback; for example, people point out word choice, perhaps a better plot twist, and concepts that might be made clearer. On my current novel, I am running into a problem in the next chapter. I know I will get some great ideas from my critique groups on how to get through that problem.
Over the years, I have picked up hundreds of tips, such as subleties of plot, characterization, dialogue, and theme in fiction, and how to write better article leads and closes. I completely attribute the fact that I now have published almost 175 articles, eighteen non-fiction books, one fiction book, and two short stories to the critiques I received and others to which I listened. I say "listened," because writers can learn just as much from hearing discussion about others' work as they can from hearing about their own.
That group is so valuable that despite moving to different cities in the SoCal area and the high price of gas for that 60-mile round-trip, I continue to attend the critique group three times a month.
I belong to three other local ones, one of which is strictly for children’s writing. In that group, we have all become such close friends that I know this group will last a lifetime, too.

Q: At what point in your writing career did you begin using one?
A: Almost from the very beginning. While I knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was in the 4th grade, I didn’t begin writing seriously until I was out of college. I was lucky enough to be able to travel aboard an oil tanker for a year (the subject of yet another book, so I won’t go into any details here), and that’s where I wrote my first novel, a western that never sold.
When I returned to the United States, I immediately looked around for a fiction-writing class. I found one through adult ed called “Writing for Publication.” I knew this was right up my alley, so I signed up. The teacher of that class was the person who recommended that I and another student apply for membership in the WCW. I have been in that group ever since.

Q: What is your view of online critique groups? Pros? Cons?
A: I think online groups are great! I have no experience with online critique groups, but I do teach writing classes online, and many of the pros boil down to one concept: convenience. These are the pros and cons I can see based on my experience teaching asynchronous classes:

Pros

Let’s restrict this discussion to people who are writing and publishing/hoping to publish in English.
With the rising price of gas, the idea of not having to drive to a group is very appealing.
People with childcare issues don’t have to worry about getting babysitters, because they can log on at their convenience.
A person can attend via the comfort of her/her own home no matter how foul the weather is.
People who are unable to field.drive for whatever reason (no license, disability, illness, etc.), can also belong to the group. An online group levels the playing
Members can belong no matter where they live. For example, in my classes, I have students from all over the globe. Some are Americans living overseas; others are foreign students proficient in English. A critique group might not be available or feasible in those countries for people writing in English. I also have student who live in rural areas where no universities are within any kind of driving distance. The ability to belong to a group online erases all geographical boundaries

Cons

There are only a few cons that I can see:
The Internet is not secure. A writer’s material is floating out there and available to who knows whom. While no one in the actual group may be doing anything untoward with the writer’s work, hackers could get to it.
Without being able to interview the people who want to join the group and verify their backgrounds, it may be hard to tell if people are truthfully representing themselves. This is a stretch, but a con artist in prison may want to become a writer, but unless the e-mail address provided stated it was from a prison, the organizer of the group would have no way of knowing that. Extra care would have to be taken to ensure that all members are reputable people.

Q: How would you suggest recruiting members?
A: Start by contacting groups that are reputable, such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the National Writers’ Club, Sisters in Crime, the California Writers’ Club, etc. If the organizer belongs to any lists, checking with the members would be a good idea, too. If the organizer doesn’t belong to any, he/she should join some, as this avoids going to the Internet at large. The organizer should be a member for awhile to get to know the other members before asking for potential members.
Once the request is made, however, ask for writing samples. You want to make sure the writers recruited are at the same writing level. If this is a beginner group, it’s expedient to have an advanced writer in the group to offer more professional feedback.
All of this information is detailed in my book, How to Start and Run a Writers’ Critique Group.

Q: What elements should be considered when setting up a critique group?
A: There are several. The size of the group, where it will meet, the level of writers it will include, and how manuscripts will be read and for how long. This latter means such things as whether or not the writers will read their work out loud to the group, ship manuscripts to the members in advance of the group so only the critique is presented at the actual meeting, bring copies for the other members to mark up as the writer reads, etc.

Q: How long does the writer get to read?
A: In the WCW, we are allowed 20 minutes to read. We’ve learned that more than 20 minutes can lead to people getting bored.

Q: How do you think a group leader should be chosen?
A: Generally, the group leader should be chosen by consensus of the group once it has been formed, but this is not a hard and fast rule. An experienced writer may want to mentor beginners, for example, and so organizes a group in which he/she is the leader.

Q: What qualities should a group leader have?
A: The group leader should be chosen based on his/her writing experience, his/her level of diplomacy, and his/her ability to keep the group on track.
The WCW has very strict rules about no one interrupting the writer while he/she reads and the members critiquing in turn with no defense from the writer or interruptions from the other members.
I’ve been to groups in which the leader allows the members to start a free-for-all debate over issues that have nothing to do with the manuscript or cuts the writer off midstream because he/she has “heard enough.” I never went back for a second meeting with these groups.

Q: What do you think the most important elements are for writing nonfiction for a specific audience like writers?
A: As in any type of writing, the audience has to be the first priority. Let’s say you are writing for writers. Beginning writers? Intermediate writers? Advanced writers? The level is going to determine the content and the amount of detail presented. If you are writing an article about how to write a lead, for example, beginning writers may not know what a lead is. The writer would need to explain it. Overlook this and the reader will not know what the writer is talking about. Explain it to an audience of expert writers and they will tune out because the material is to elementary.
If you are writing about a topic that is technical but the writing is aimed at a general audience, avoid jargon. If some has to be used, be sure to explain what it means.
Any scenarios or examples presented should relate to the subject matter at hand.

Q: How many critique groups have you participated in and how many have you quit?
A: As I mentioned earlier, I have been in the Writers’ Club of Whittier for many years. I have participated in at least seven or eight more over the years, but I’ve stayed in only three others besides the WCW for the following reasons, some of which I’ve already mentioned: quality of the critique, the order maintained in the group, the closeness I’ve developed with the other members, and perhaps most importantly, the seriousness with which the writers consider their craft. This means they consistently attend the group and have manuscripts to read. They heed the critique and their writing improves over time.
If those characteristics don’t define a member—if he/she doesn’t come regularly or write consistently because “life gets in the way”—think twice about retaining that person in the group. The quality of the other members’ own development as writers depends on it.

Q: What are some examples of reasons for leaving a group?
I think I’ve already covered this, but to reiterate:
1. The members aren’t committed to attending.
2. The group is not run efficiently: there is too much off-topic discussion, arguing about the merits of the manuscript, defense on the part of the writer, dictatorial behavior on the part of the leader, and tension between the members as a result.
3. The manuscripts being read aren’t geared for publication if that’s the direction the group is headed.
4. The critique isn’t helping out the writer.

Q: Why have you stayed in some?
A: I’ve stayed in the WCW and the other three groups because of the quality of the critique, quality of the manuscripts being read, the well-run nature of the groups, and the friendships I’ve been able to develop with the other members.

Carol J. Amato Interview: Writing a Teacher's Guide
Topic: writing a teacher's guide

 

 Carol J. Amato hosted an online chat at the October 2007 Free Muse Online Writer’s Conference on writing a Teacher’s Guide to accompany a fiction or nonfiction book. She held a chat on "How to Start and Run a Critique Group" in 2008. 

 

 

Why not write a teacher's guide? It seems like a no brainer. If you can get your books into schools, your sales will increase.

CAROL J AMATO’s CAREER
Carol J. Amato is the author of 19 books and 175 articles. Her many memorable books for young people include the acclaimed series Breakthroughs in Science (The Earth, Astronomy, Inventions, and The Human Body), 50 Nifty Science Fair Projects, the Super Science Project Book, and 50 More Nifty Science Fair Projects.
Firmly believing that kids’ fiction can be educational as well as entertaining, Ms. Amato has applied her Master of Arts in Anthropology to creating an exciting middle-grade mystery series, The Phantom Hunters™. Each mystery takes readers to a different culture. The first book, The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun, published in 2005, takes place on the Navajo Nation. Book #2, The Secret of Blackhurst Manor, set in Lincolnshire, England, will be out this fall. Her other recent titles include How to Start and Run a Writers’ Critique Group and The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun Teacher’s Guide, both of which came out in 2006. Her articles have appeared in national magazines, such as PC Novice and Smart Computing.
Ms. Amato is a board member of the Writers' Club of Whittier, Inc., a professional writers’ critique group, and a member of the Children’s Literature Council and California Readers. She is listed Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the West, the World Who's Who of Women, and Who’s Who in America.


Here is this accomplished writer’s advice about writing a Teacher’s Guide.

Q: What is a benefit to writing a teacher’s guide?
A:Writing a 32-page teacher’s guide can open whole new markets for your K-8 books; teachers and home-school parents are the major one. They will want the kids to read the book because you have created ready-made activities, which saves them time from creating them.

Q:You can take the setting from your book and the time period and create a teacher’s guide that goes beyond the story itself.
A: For example, The Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun, which is the first book in my middle-grade mystery series, The Phantom Hunters, takes place on the Navajo Nation. I created a teacher’s guide that not only had activities about the actual story, but also had activities and information on the Navajo Nation, Navajo culture and language, the Code Talkers, the Grand Canyon, Arizona geography and history, Arizona deserts and desert animals, other Arizona tribes, and American Sign Language (one of the characters is deaf).


Q: What steps should you follow to see how to write a guide?
A:This is really a multi-step process. The first thing is to go to a teacher supply store and look at all the teachers’ guides that are currently out on the market. You will want to create activities across the curriculum, so look at all types, such as history, math, social studies, etc., to see what kinds of activities they include.
The second step is to research the educational standards to see what curriculum matches the target age group and the subject of your book.
The third step depends on whether or not you have any teaching background. If you do, you should be able to determine what other kinds of activities you can include to make your teacher’s guide different from those on the market. If you don’t, you want to find a teacher at the grade level to which you are aiming to cowrite with you.


Q: Should a writer conduct research standards for the state and area and stage of mental development it is designed to strengthen?
A: This is absolutely critical. Ideally, a writer would research the standards first to find out what is in them, then create a story that incorporates them. I lucked out writing a middle-grade book about the Navajo Nation, since I didn’t discover until after the fact that kids in Arizona study the Southwest in the 4th grade and California kids study it in the 5th. What if this had been a 7th grade topic? I would have had a novel geared for ages 8-12 but a teacher’s guide for grade 7. That would never have worked.
I had already had the idea for the second book in the series, The Secret of Blackhurst Manor, which takes place in England, before I looked at the standards. I didn’t start writing until I did research them, however. I discovered that kids don’t study Great Britain per se in grades 4-6, but they do study Ancient Rome. The Roman Empire extended to the Scottish border, though, and the Romans built many English towns. Julius Caesar was a silversmith in Britain before he became emperor.
I changed my original setting of Yorkshire to Lincolnshire; specifically, Lincoln, the town my ex-husband came from and which was founded by the Romans in 46 AD. The castle and cathedral there date from Norman times. The castle’s dungeon provided a super opportunity for some great scenes and plot twists, and of course, since my main character can see ghosts, the book had to have some who were Roman soldiers. This will allow me to create activities and research projects that deal with the Romans in Britain.
These days, in order to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers must teach to the standards. Anything that will help them to accomplish this task more easily will be welcomed.

Q: Should you reference the curriculum covered by exercises that support specific state guidelines or mental development?
A: Doing so is absolutely critical. You will probably notice that a lot of teacher’s guides have the standards referenced at the front or the back of the guide. Teachers to whom I have spoken state that this is useless to them, since they can’t tell at a glance what activity is for what standard or development level. Instead, they want to see the standards printed on the page to which they apply. I have included mine in the footer of each page.
In addition, you need to include activities that not only target the average student, but also the gifted students, the slow learners, and the students for whom English is a second language. I have coded my pages with G for gifted, R for Resource (slow learners), and ELL (English Language Learners). It’s assumed that all the activities can apply to the class in general.
Also, put the word “Reproducible” on each page that the teacher can freely photocopy and distribute to students.

Q: What types of exercises will work?
A: The types of activities can include word games (like word searches and crossword puzzles), quizzes, and art, writing, and research projects. In one activity, I have the students creating a newspaper with articles about “trips” they’ve taken on the Navajo Nation and things they’ve seen there, researched from the Internet. Having a technical component (using the Internet to conduct research or software programs to create projects) is also critical.

Q: How would you promote the guide?
A: If your publisher publishes it, it will no doubt be sold through the same channels as your book. The publisher should also offer it to teacher supply stores. Bear in mind that public libraries will not buy it (though school libraries might), since it’s considered a “consumable” book; that is, it falls in the workbook category. Libraries don’t want to carry anything that might tempt a young reader to mark up the pages.
You can offer it on your website, but if your publisher agrees to publish it, be sure not to violate any terms of your contract; e.g., are you allowed to sell it on your site via a shopping cart or do you have to refer buyers to the publishers’ website?
You can also buy a list of teachers and send them direct mail. I would avoid e-mailing them. Many teachers don’t even have e-mail, and even if they do, many school district servers filter out most e-mail from the outside. Your publisher should also let the buyers of your book know that it’s available.
I exhibit at trade shows and book fairs, and another step I intend to take is to get the book and teacher’s guide adopted through the school districts. Once a book is adopted, it will be on the curriculum list for all the schools in that district.

Q: Can a book be fiction and still be a teacher’s guide?
A:Yes, it certainly can. Mine are, as I’ve mentioned above. It’s a great way to get the students to learn about the setting of your story, other famous people who lived there, historical incidents that have taken place in that area, etc.

Q: What do you do if your publisher won’t publish it?
A: The answer is simple: Publish it yourself. How you do so depends on your budget. I’ve seen freebie teacher’s guides that consist of a few typed pages. Don’t be this simplistic. Get a program like Nova Development’s Publisher Pro, which is a very user-friendly page layout program that makes you look like a graphics genius. The program is cheap—about $80-$90—and the technical support is terrific—and free. You can also use MS Word, but it doesn’t handle graphics as easily as a program like Publisher Pro.
If your budget is limited and/or you don’t want to spend the money getting it printed until you find out that there’s a demand for your teacher’s guide, considering making it into a .pdf file and selling it as an e-book. Your cost will be free, if you’ve created the pages yourself. (You can find lots of free information on creating e-books on the Internet.) You can sell the guide for a minimal cost, such as $4.95, and every penny will be profit.
You can also have it printed, if you have enough outlets to which to market it.
Either way, have a professional cover designed. You want the book to look like something the teacher could purchase in the teacher supply store, even if it isn’t being sold there.

Q: Can you give some examples of exercises?
A: Certainly. As I mentioned before, you want to include activities across the curriculum: history, writing, reading comprehension, math, social studies, geography, science, technology, and art.
Here is a page by page rundown of what I included in my 32-page guide:
1 – Inside front cover
2 – Copyright page, which includes a letter to the teachers telling them about the guide.
3 – Table of Contents
4-5 – Story Summary
This is provided for the teacher’s use, so that if the students are doing book reports, he/she doesn’t have to read the whole book to find out if the students’ statements are correct.
6-7 – Story Quiz
This is a fill-in-the-blank quiz about the story, geared for reading comprehension. There is also a section discussing the theme of the story.
8-9 – Another quiz in which the kids guess who said what. The character is talking and the kids have to guess who it is. For example, “I like to tease people. I’ve been riding horses all my life. I also want to be an artist.” The kids have to guess which character this is and write his/her name in the blank below the quote.
10 – A word search using words from the book.
11 – This page is a word matching game. The kids have to match the word to its definition. Again, the words are from the book.
12-13 – These pages have some more quizzes on the story: putting events in chronological order, a true-false quiz, and a section allow the students to state their own opinions of statements about the story.
14 – This page is a recipe for Navajo fry bread. This activity requires parental/teacher supervision and states so at the top of the page.
15 – The American Sign Language Alphabet and the numbers 1-10.
16 – Background information about the Navajo Nation.
17 – An activity in which the kids plan a trip to the Navajo Nation. This incorporates the math element in that it has them calculating a route from their home to the Navajo Nation and finding out how many miles they have to travel.
18-19 – Background information on the history of the Navajo tribe.
20 – Different activities concerning a “trip” to the Navajo Nation. The kids refer to several Navajo websites, then create a newspaper with stories about the places they “visited.” They also draw pictures, make display boards of them, write an e-mail to a friend about the Navajo Nation, and write one-page descriptions of the places they “visited.”
21 – Page on the Navajo Code Talkers and some writing activities on this topic.
22 – Information on Navajo Clans and some writing activities on this topic.
23 – Word matching game on the Navajo words used in the book.
24 – An art activity on making a sand painting.
25 – Word search on more words from the story.
26-27 – Background information on Arizona as a state.
28 – Facts about Arizona as a state (state bird, motto, flower, etc.)
29 – Writing projects on the other tribes in Arizona.
30 – List of other research projects that the teacher can assign.
31 – A quiz about Arizona, based on the other information in the teacher’s guide.
32 – Answer key to quizzes and puzzles.
Be sure to come up with snappy, kid-friendly titles for your activities. If possible, relate them to the theme of your book. For example, my teacher’s guide for the Lost Treasure of the Golden Sun has a southwestern theme: “Research Roundup,” and “Tribes, Trails, and Treasure-hunters” are two of the titles I used. Other kid-friendly ones are “Let’s Make Fry Bread” and “Let’s Learn Sign Language.”