5 Ways to Combat Self-Doubt

My 8 year old niece wants to be a writer. 
When we talk on the phone she always asks me what I am working on and I ask the same of her. 
For my birthday she sent me this gorgeous notepad/folder/clip-board with specific instructions:  the notepad is for your rough drafts, the folder is for your finished drafts and the clipboard is for whatever you are working on.  It made my writer's heart gush a tad.
We are alike in many ways.  Maybe too much alike.
Here's what I mean...
My oldest niece, who is 10, had written a story, as well.  It was quite good and we were all commending her.  Well, apparently my 8 year old niece's ego got a little bruised and in came the self-doubt.  She spent much of the evening laying on her bed, crying out, "I'll never be published!" 
Boy, could I relate.
Self-doubt.
We all have it. 
"I can't write."  "No one will ever care about this story."  "I'll never be published." 
It can be crippling.
Or...it can be motivating.

5 Ways to Combat Self-Doubt

• Throw more balls into the air.  You submitted to an agent who you have yet to hear from.  Or, the agent gave a nibble, but now is silent.  The waiting can be excruciating.  You imagine the agent laughing at your work, embarrassed to contact because its that bad.  Weird thoughts go through your head.  Solution: submit to someone else.  Instead of wallowing in self-doubt, submit to another agent.  Up the odds for a response.
• Get nostaglic.  So you feel like you have never written a word that was good in your whole writing career?  Dig into your files and read something old.  Something that you can't even remember writing.  Whenever I do this I am shocked at how good it is...and then I start doubting that I even wrote it.  :)
• Share your work with a friend.  This is different from critique.  This is someone who maybe doesn't even know good writing.  But they are sure to tell you how good it is.  Its best to start the conversation with something along the lines of, "I suck.  I can't write." If they truly are a friend, they will say whatever is necessary to prove you wrong. 
• Quit.  For the day.  Not for good.  But sometimes its best to walk away.  Pretend you are not a writer.  Do non-writerly things.  Play hooky.  I promise you that everything will be waiting for you when you come back.
• Light a fire.  Whenever I get burned out on running, I go to a race. Usually I get so inspired I want to run all the way home.  Sometimes the best motivation is to be around others who are doing it.  Hang with your writing pals.  Go to a book event.  Critique someone else's work. 

Age Level: Pay Tribute to the Past, But Write in the Present

The Classics.

We all fell in love with them as a child. We still love to read them over and over again. And perhaps we hope to emulate them.

However, as Picture Book Writers of today, we need to tread carefully.

We continue our look at 3 contrasts between the Picture Books of our childhood and today's market.
You can read the first installment on Word Count here and the second installment on Conflict Resolution here. 

Today we discuss Age Level ~

We live in a very competitive, high-paced world. 

With the birth of the Common Core State Standards, we look to create kids who are college and/or workplace ready starting in the 3rd grade.

There is a push to have kids reading earlier and reading less for pleasure and more for analysis and information. 

Therefore, where do picture books fit in?

Is the solution to have us all start writing non-fiction books or faction? 

First, the age level of picture books has been skewing a little lower, with many targeting the 1st and 2nd grade. 

Upon researching some of the classic picture books will find the age level at upper 3rd grade and 4th grade.  (for a quick search of word count and age level, check out http://www.renlearn.com/store/quiz_home.asp?c=1)

Also, picture book writers are being forced to leave more and more room for the illustrator, therefore scaling back on language and beefing up the artwork which is a clear indication that books are leaning younger.  So, the emphasis with picture books is on the art...not the story. 

We are told that the illustrator must tell 50% of the story, but with word count moving closer to 300 the illustrators might own more of the story in the future.

Now, in conclusion I want to talk about exceptions.

Let's take a look at "Each Kindness" by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.

Word count = 865
Grade Level = mid 3rd grade (3.4)
Conflict Resolution = none.  Its a realistically dark story about missed opportunities.
Pub date= October 2012

So, you might see this book on the shelf and argue that everything I have written this week is incorrect.  That there are, in fact, fiction picture books published with over 500 words and that the conflict doesn't always have to be solved by the protagonist and that it can be geared to a older audience.

But...

Here is where some sleuthing should be done.

Who is Jacqueline Woodson?  Who is E.B. Lewis? 

Short answer, they are both highly aclaimed award winners with long careers so far.  Woodson has won the Newberry and Lewis won the Caldecott.  Therefore, these are not debut writers and illustrators.  Its harder to break into the business with this kind of a piece.

Who published "Each Kindess"?

Nancy Paulsen books, which is a fairly new imprint of Penguin, meaning that Nancy Paulsen is now able to publish the kinds of books she wants, after a very long career in publishing.  And its also worth noting that Woodson has been published by this imprint before.

Bottomline, the world of books is in an ever-changing flux. 

We must be proactive.  We must be readers of the classics, as well as the current lists.  All the while we must be saavy when looking at a book.  There is more story to be told than what is in its pages.

Happy Writing!

Conflict Resolution: Pay Tribute to the Past, But Write in the Present

The Classics.

We all fell in love with them as a child. We still love to read them over and over again. And perhaps we hope to emulate them.

However, as Picture Book Writers of today, we need to tread carefully.

We continue our look at 3 contrasts between the Picture Books of our childhood and today's market.
You can read the first installment on Word Count here. 

Today we discuss Conflict Resolution ~

The re-telling of classic fairy tales seem to always sells. 

Recently Corey Rosen Schwartz's THE THREE NINJA PIGS and Mo Willem's GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS have been big hits in the marketplace.  But what of CINDERELLA?

Cinderella is an interesting study because she is a character who does absolutely nothing to better her own situation. 

She isn't shown brainstorming how to escape the clutches of her step-mother.  She doesn't make her own dress for the ball.  She doesn't find her own transportation.  She doesn't even look for the prince after the ball...she waits until he knocks on her door! 

By today's standard, CINDERELLA wouldn't cut it. 

Publishers say they want stories in which the kid protagonist solves his/her own problem.  Having a Fairy Godmother swoop down from the heavens to make everything better is considered a big no!

Instead look to Deborah Underwood's PART-TIME PRINCESS which features a princess who slides down a firepole despite the danger, saves the kingdom from fire-breathing dragons and dances with a prince who she might consider marrying someday, but right now is too busy. 

See the difference?

Another example is a book which used to be one of my favorites as a child, A FISH OUT OF WATER by Helen Palmer, illustrated by P.D. Eastman. 

A FISH OUT OF WATER is about a little boy who buys a goldfish, and despite a dire warning from Mr. Carp the pet store owner, feeds him way too much.  Therefore, the goldfish grows and grows and grows to epic proportions, finally filling a public swimming pool.

In doing research for a project, I re-visited this book. Basically, I wanted to figure out how the conflict was resolved because I currently have a manuscript in which I have a protagonist in a similar situation and way over his head.

I turned to this classic written in 1961 and was shocked at what I found.

At the climax, the goldfish is the size of a public swimming pool and still growing.  Even the fire department is at a loss of what to do.  The little boy finally calls Mr. Carp.

Mr. Carp shows up with a mysterious black box, some tools and a tiny net.  He dives into the pool and disappears for a bit.  When he finally reappears, Mr. Carp is holding a little fish bowl with the original sized fish in it.  And he says,"Don't ask me how I did it.  But here is your fish."

WHAT?!?! 

Mr. Carp not only swoops in and saves the day, BUT he doesn't even share how he did it.

Disappointing.  I wonder if this resolution would sell today.  I tend to think no.

So, be aware when turning to classic literature for story ideas and inspiration, the current trend is to show kids solving their own conflicts.  If we do this, the thought is that we are showing skills necessary for good citizenship.

Examples like I'M BORED by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi shows a little girl battling the idea that kids are boring.  STUCK by Oliver Jeffers has its protagonist struggling to get his own kite out of a tree at any expense. 

Today's protagonists face varied conflicts, yet one thing they all share is imagination, problem-solving, creative thinking and in many cases, success. 

Sorry, Cinderella, but you just don't cut it anymore.

Stop by Friday when we continue this discussion with Age Level in the Classics vs. Today.

Word Count: Pay Tribute to the Past, But Write in the Present

The Classics. 

We all fell in love with them as a child.  We still love to read them over and over again.  And perhaps we hope to emulate them. 

However, as Picture Book Writers of today, we need to tread carefully.

This week we take a look at 3 contrasts between the Picture Books of our childhood and today's market.

First up, Word Count ~

Your favorite pb writer is William Steig?  You want to create a character as unforgettable as Dr. DeSoto or Shrek?  You want to write a story as memorable as Sylvester and the Magic Pebble? 

Awesome. 

But watch that word count.

The word count for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is 1425!  By today's standards that is even a tad too high for non-fiction. 

Other childhood favorites weigh in high, as well: Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (1245 words), Dr. Seuss's Bartholomew and the Oobleck (2898 words) and Curious George by H.A. Rey (918 words).

By today's standards, we are told by editors and agents, those numbers are sky-rocketly,way too high.

The industry says we should be writing stories that are 300-550 words.

I'm not making this up.  Every conference, every panel, every class I have EVER attended says the same thing.  So why are so many of us fighting it or shocked when someone says it?

Maybe we need proof...

The ever-popular Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman is only 240 words.  Oliver Jeffers' This Moose Belongs to Me is a little longer at 394 words.  Jon Klassen's instant classic I Want my Hat Back is 253 words.  And shockingly, Mo Willem's Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale is only  211 words!

So even though we have been told that it is ok to write up to 500 words, editors are starting to push even closer to 300-350.

A friend of mine, just recently, submitted a story to her editor which was about 500 words.  He loved the idea.  His request for revision?  "Try to get it down to 300 words."  Ouch!

Why the difference? 

Some have said that parents are too busy to read longer books to kids at bedtime.  Others have said that kids do not have the attention span in today's hectic, technology-driven world to sit through a longer book. 

Whatever the reasoning, the bottomline is that agents and editors say they just can't sell the longer books...and you want to be published, right?

You can pout about it.  You can continue to write longer books hoping to change the trend.  But if you want to be a published  Picture Book Writer in this day and age...you have to get with the program.

Stop by Wednesday when we continue this discussion with Conflict Resolution in the Classics vs. Today.

The Sweet Taste of Rejection

There seems to be a lot of blog posts recently about "rejection" ~ how to deal with rejection, how to view rejection, how to learn from rejection, etc.

In fact, I recently read that we should appreciate  and maybe even celebrate rejection.  Why is that?  Well, as a writer we need to put ourselves "out there" through submitting.  So...the feeling is that if we are truly doing our jobs, we will be submitting and getting rejected.  Therefore, rejection is a kind of badge of honor or sign that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

But no matter how you spin it, rejection stings. 

I am not one to submit to twenty agents or editors all at once.  I am pretty picky.  Afterall, if I really want to form a relationship with said agent or editor, I should do my research and be selective as to who I query.  But it does lead to an even bigger sting when your net is not cast that widely.  This was the case back in early March when I received not one, but TWO rejections in a matter of an hour.  Ouch!  My reaction?  I immediately walked to the nearest chocolate.

I have come up with my own way of making rejection taste sweeter, and I would like to share my strategy with you.  It's called...REJECTION CHOCOLATE!

1)  Get a jar with a lid and fill it with your absolutely favorite chocolate or candy of choice.  Mine is filled with Cadbury Mini Eggs...which are not easy to find now that Easter is over.

2)  Place the jar near your work area to serve as motivation.

3)  Start submitting your work to your dream agents or editors.  Do your job!

4)  Don't touch candy.

If you get a rejection, AND ONLY IF YOU GET A REJECTION,

5)  you get to open the jar and eat a few pieces!!!  You deserve it.  You are a real writer.

6)  If you get so many rejections that you empty the jar, celebrate and refill jar.

If you get an acceptance,

7)  Chocolate serves as a Celebration Chocolate!  (choose candy wisely, so that it tastes good with champagne, too).

So what are you waiting for?  Fill a jar, get writing and submitting and next time you pop that jar you will have something to celebrate!

Conferences: One-on-One Manuscript Critique Help

Back in January I declared 2013 to be "The Year I Put Myself Out There."  Meaning that after spending the last 2 years focusing on building knowledge of the field and honing my craft, I would start to seek representation in 2013.  It is time to show people what I got.

As part of this personal goal, I am getting incredibly excited about attending both the New Jersey SCBWI conference in June and the SCBWI Summer Conference in LA in August. 

Nothing beats getting to hang with my Tribe for the weekend, but it won't be all fun and games.  I am planning on using conference time to make connections, especially with agents.  Therefore, I need to be very strategic in my planning.

For both conferences I intend to participate in One-on-One Manuscript Critiques with agents, editors and authors.  But here's my dilemma, I don't know what pieces to submit for critique.

Maybe you can help.

I have 3 manuscripts to consider:

MS #1 ~ This is a manuscript that is submission-ready AND has gotten the attention of agents in the past.  In fact, this manuscript is currently being considered by an agent.  So, I am not truly looking for critique on it, but would it be beneficial to submit it for one-on-one thinking that someone else might fall in love with it?  Or is that not the purpose of these meetings?

MS #2 ~ This manuscript is very close to being submission-ready.  I think it still needs some tweaking, but its almost there. 

MS #3 ~ This is my problem manuscript.  I have gotten so many compliments on the premise and the beginning, but the climax and resolution are really giving me difficulty. 

What would you suggest?

Which manuscript would you show to an agent?  To an editor? To an author?  What is the best foot to put forward?

Need Space?

Last week I celebrated my birthday and entered the end of yet another decade.  Now, although I often feel (and have been told, look) younger than I am, there are certain things that make me feel old.  For example:

• receiving a holiday card from a former student...and their spouse...and their 3 kids.
• finding myself gagging at the thought of eating a frosted Pop Tart.
• hearing the songs that were hits when I was in college on the classic rock station.
• spotting my favorite childhood toy in an antique store.
• discovering that the children who were born the day I graduated from high school can now legally buy alcohol.
• and the list goes on and on...

However, the newest addition to the list shocked me to my core.  Let me set the scene...

You are typing a sentence.  You type a period.  And then before you start the next sentence, how many spaces do you add?

My answer is 2.  That is how I was taught.

The young whipper-snappers I questioned about it said 1. 

My reaction?  They are "no-good hippies" and I said, "Get off my lawn!"

Anyway.  In all seriousness, I did a little research and learned that although I was taught to insert 2 spaces, that is because I was taught on a typewriter.  I was taught before different fonts existed.

According to a recent article on www.writersdigest.com, "With the dawn of computers, word processing programs not only began offering an absurd number of fonts, but each font was programmed to space characters proportionally (“l” takes up about a third of the space “w” does). In turn, most computer fonts will automatically give you enough room between sentences with one space. So, as a rule of thumb, use just one space when typing up your manuscript on a computer."

I had no idea.

I'm not sure that this old dog can be taught a new trick.  It is kind of second nature to insert that second space. 

What about you?  One space or two?  I am curious to find out.