Peggy Archer
Children's Author

Getting published in the children’s field is often a long, hard journey. So it’s good to have a plan. While you wait for that acceptance, here are some things that you can do to help move you closer to your goal.

1—Read children’s books
Read to find out what children are reading. Read to see what publishers are buying. Read to learn how to write. Read the type of books that you want to write, but read other genres, too. And don’t forget children’s magazines. Get to know your children’s librarian and the children’s book coordinator at your local bookstore. They can tell you what they like. They can tell you what kinds of books they want more of. And they’ll be rooting for you when you get your first book published!

2—Read about writing for children
There are books on craft, books on marketing, and books about the children’s publishing business. There are books about how to write for children, from picture books to YA and everything else in between. Gather tips from authors and editors by reading magazines and newsletters for children’s writers. The Children’s Writer and Children’s Book Insider, are excellent examples. Writers’ Digest magazine occasionally prints a special issue about writing for children, and Publishers’ Weekly has two issues per year about children’s books.

3—Check out websites for children’s writers
Many good websites offer articles about the children’s publishing business and writing for children, as well as current marketing news. Be sure to check when the site was last updated, and the credibility of the website’s author. Check out authors’ websites and blogs, and discussion boards for children’s writers.

4—Research the market
Read children’s books to see what’s being published. Check out the current Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market Book, which is updated every year. Keep up with the trends and markets by reading magazines and newsletters, specifically those for children’s writers.

5—Submit to magazines
A good way to feel instant gratification is to get something out in the mail. Stories, puzzles, or jokes for magazines are shorter, and take less time to write. Children’s magazines are usually quicker to respond. Rejections may pile up, but they also show that you’re writing. And acceptances help your writing credits, validate your writing, and boost your enthusiasm.

6—Join a critique group
Writing is a lonely profession. Critique groups keep you in touch with other children’s writers. In a critique group you can get feedback on your writing, get a push to get something finished, and share marketing news, writing experiences, and good news. If possible, join a group of children’s writers. The process of writing for children is different than writing for adults, and feedback from writers who write only for adults can sometimes be off the mark.

7—Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI)
SCBWI is the only international organization for children’s writers and illustrators. It opens up many excellent opportunities, such as grants, and conferences. SCBWI provides more information than you can get from any other source, and includes the bi-monthly SCBWI Bulletin, the yearly updated market survey, and many other publications. It offers opportunities to connect with children’s authors and editors from around the globe.

8—Attend conferences and events related to writing for children
Choose your conferences carefully. Attend those that are specifically geared for children’s writers. Networking with other children’s writers, both published and to-be-published, meeting editors of children’s books and magazines, and opening up markets for your manuscript that are otherwise closed to submissions are benefits in addition to the information gained from speakers’ presentations and handouts.

9—Find opportunities to attend other local events related to children’s books and writing
In addition to conferences, find out when children’s authors will be speaking at libraries and schools in your area, and plan to attend. If you speak to a school librarian ahead of time and explain that you are a children’s writer, they are usually happy to let you sit in on an author’s presentation. If a national event such as Book Expo or an ALA event is planned in your area, don’t miss the opportunity to attend.

10—Enter contests and apply for grants
You won’t get published if you don’t submit, and you won’t win if you don’t try! Besides the possibility of winning a contest or being awarded a grant, there are some hidden benefits. Getting something completed within a deadline, gathering tips on what editors and judges are looking for and tips on ways to promote your work are obvious. But earning a letter of merit, or placing in a contest is something you can put in a cover letter. And you never know when one of the judges, perhaps an editor, might take an interest in your manuscript and ask for your submission!

11—Set realistic goals
Begin with a goal that you can accomplish. Once you’ve reached that goal, re-evaluate and set higher goals. Starting with small, attainable goals will give you a sense of accomplishment rather than a feeling of failure. Re-evaluating and setting higher goals along the way will give you a push to keep moving forward. When you reach a goal, reward yourself with a small treat—a piece of candy, an outing, time to yourself or with friends.

12—Volunteer
Check with your library, your child’s school, and in your community to find opportunities to help with events where you will be surrounded by children and children’s books. Go a step further and volunteer to help with events planned by your local SCBWI. Besides the good feeling you get from helping others, and the vast writing material you get from working with children, you never know who you might meet that will help you along the way in your career as a children’s author or illustrator.

The following puzzle describes all of us who write for children:
proworkgress
No matter what stage we’re at in our quest to be a part of the children’s book world, we are always a Work in Progress!
pro-work-gress
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The Children’s Choice Book Awards program, launched in 2008 by The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child A Reader, was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

On May 3rd the Children’s Book Council announced the following winners of the Children's Choice Book Awards for 2011:

Author of the Year
Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1) (Disney-Hyperion)

Illustrator of the Year
David Wiesner for Art & Max (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year
Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby (Putnam/Penguin)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year
Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion)

Teen Choice Book of the Year
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (Dutton/Penguin)
--from Children's Book Council
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April came to a close for Indiana SCBWI at our Spring Conference for Children's Writers and Illustrators in Indianapolis. We welcomed the spring weather, and renewed our spirits with inspiration as well as information coming from experts in the field of children's writing and illustrating.

Our speakers included--
Lisa Yoskowitz, editor at Disney*Hyperion Books for Children,
Kerry Martin, Book Designer for children's picture books at Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
Mary Kole, literary agent for children's writers at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and
Rebecca Kai Dotlich, poet and children's author and Golden Kite Honor recipiant for her picture book, "Bella and Bean."

We kicked off the week-end on Friday evening with open mic readings by attending authors, and portfolio reviews by illustrators who were there. A great way to get some quick feed-back from other children's writers and illustrators, as well as from the speakers.

Saturday morning got us into the meat of the conference.

Rebecca Kai Dotlich started us out with a peek into her writer's studio. She talked about how she writes, and her journey to publication--the ups and downs, rejections and then the acceptances--and gave tips for aspiring writers.

Lisa Yoskowitz then talked about creating suspense in our stories. Some advice she gave--
*Stay true to the world and the characters that you've created.
*Create strong characters that will make the reader care about what happens to them.
*Introduce conflict, to stir up the plot, and to stir up the characters
*Keep the stakes high; good suspense stirs up the reader's imagination.

Mary Kole talked about what an agent does, and how to choose an agent that's right for you. She shared some tips on writing a query letter to an agent, including--
Always follow the agent guidelines.
Personalize your query to the agent.
Include what you think the selling point of your manuscript is, who your audience will be, and the word count.
Include a short bio related to your writing.
Be brief and professional.
She then read some query letters submitted by attendees, and talked about the strong and weak points of each.

Other breakout sessions to chose from (such a difficult decision!) were offered--
Rebecca Kai Dotlich, on A Banter of Basics, for beginning writers.
Lisa Yoskowitz, on Marketing your Manuscript to Stand Out in the Sluch Pile.
Kerry Martin, on How to Make the most of Your Illustration Marketing, using some real-life illustration submissions as examples.
Mary Kole, on what Separates Aspiring Writers from Published Authors.
And Kerry Martin again, on The Lauguage of Picture Books, interesting to writers as well as illustrators.

All of our speakers listened to anonymous First Pages of a manuscript submitted by attendees, and looked at illustration submissions. The speakers commented on whether they would be drawn in by that first page and continue reading, and why they would consider an illustrator based on their illustration sample.

In between sessions, four published Indiana authors were spotlighted and we heard a five-minute account of their journey to publication.

And at the end of the day, all of the speakers formed a panel to answer questions from attendees.

Sunday morning highlighted the writer or illustrator intensives, with another opportunity to receive input on manuscripts or portfolios.

Part of the value of the conference experience was to meet and talk to other children's authors and illustrators who were attending the conference, which adds to the value of the conference. Great feed-back after the conference confirmed that attendees came away encouraged, and committed to their work.

Thanks to all of the speakers, and the wonderful volunteers who helped make the week-end a success. Happy writing or illustrating to all!  Read More 

Between new babies and other family matters, my blog has taken a back seat this month. I decided to get in a late contribution to poetry month by going through how I wrote, and re-wrote, one of the poems from my picture book, NAME THAT DOG!

My inspiration for Melody was my friend’s dog, Mellie. Every time I would go to Karen’s house, Mellie barked like crazy, even before I got the front door! I told Karen, “You don’t need a doorbell. You have Mellie!”

My first idea was to write about a dog who loved to ‘sing,’ and with his barking he would get all of the dogs in the neighborhood to join in. I called him Maestro, like the leader of an orchestra. Here’s the first draft:

Maestro
He sings along
When I play the piano
He hits the high notes
In perfect soprano.
He can hold it long
He can sing it low
Dogs follow the lead
Of my dog, Maestro.

Ok, I wasn't really happy with this poem--yet. Here are some reasons why.

Rhythm: This poem didn’t just roll off your tongue with that easy rhythm.

The stress fell on different syllables in the lines. I try to have each line stress the same syllable, either the first or the second usually, to make it easy to read. It doesn’t always work out that way, but at least it feels right when you read it out loud. The stress here falls on the second or third syllable, and doesn’t line up in order. The last line puts the stress on the word ‘my,’ which doesn’t feel natural. In addition, the lines don’t have the same number of syllables. It doesn’t always have to be exactly the same, but I felt that it was too far off.

Imagery: I didn’t feel that the end result put any special pictures or images in the reader’s mind. Ok, maybe a piano, maybe an orchestra conductor. Boring!

Language: Word choice, or language, is what creates the images that the readers see when they read a poem. It’s also what makes the reader feel something when they read a poem. I definitely thought I could do better here.

So I started to make my lists. I made a list of words of ways that a dog makes noise: bark, howl, yap, etc. I made a list of words that were synonyms for ‘sing:’ croon, tra-la-la, chant, hum, wail, moan…. I made a list of types of music: country, opera, pop, rock, rap…. I made a list of musical instruments: piano, saxophone, flute, violin….

I decided to re-name my dog Melody, after Mellie, who barked whenever someone came up the walk, and made her a girl like the real Mellie. I looked at my lists, and tried to relate the different words to a dog, in particular to a dog who liked to ‘sing.’ Here’s what I ended up with.

Melody
She sings when I play the piano.
She croons to the saxophone blues.
She wails to that sad country music
And moans to the nine o’clock news.
She boldly increases her volume,
enjoying the voice that she’s found,
And sings a duet with the doorbell—
That howling, melodious hound.

Poems are meant to be read out loud! I ended up with a much better rhythm, and a poem that was fun to read. The language was fun, too. And the images are there in every line for the reader to enjoy. I hope that you enjoy these poems, as well.  Read More 

Our newest inspiration was born on March 29th—baby girl, Claire Elise! Claire is beautiful. Of course, all babies are beautiful. But your own are the very best.

PapPap (my husband) and I had an amazing two weeks in Missouri at the beginning of the month. Two of our children live there with their young families. We spent time with the little ones and their parents. We celebrated the new birth. We babysat. We helped our daughter’s family move into their new house a week after their baby was born. And we enjoyed the warm weather!

I always come home inspired by the comments and observations of our four (now five) grandchildren who live there. Each comment is like a slice of life, a photograph taken from life’s scheme of things. Kind of like poetry, it’s just a little piece of the picture.

Some things I learned:

If you want to get your mother’s attention, stand on a sit and spin. --from the viewpoint of a one-year old.

Lock your bedroom door when you challenge a four-year old to a race to see who gets dressed first.

A little-girl sized umbrella will make a three-year old smile for a long time.

Big helium balloons are more fun than toys.

Running in circles in an empty house is more fun than toys.

“Avocado” can make a kid laugh just because it’s fun to say.

Coloring can be great fun, or overrated, depending on which four-year old you’re with.

A kitchen chair blocking the way will not keep a one-year old away from the cabinet with the horse statues—he just crawls underneath it.

A little boy might forget about a hurt knee if you tell him you’re going to get up the stairs before he does.

A two-year old will tell you he’s going to hide under the bed, and that you have to come and find him.
A four-year old makes you count to 35 and can hide in places you can’t get to.

A one-year old can’t wait to see the next page in the book, and turns the pages before you’re done reading all the words.
A three-year old will count every apple/ball/spot on every page of the book you’re reading.
A four-year old picks the book with the most words/pages for his bedtime story and tells you when you’ve missed any words.

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” --from an almost 5-year old, playing Candyland with his mother.

And writers who get to spend time with pre-schoolers are blessed.  Read More 

March has been a busy month for young authors! I've had a great time at school events, including the most recent at Starke County Young Artists Fair in North Judson, Boone Grove Young Authors Program in Boone Grove, and speaking to the students at Northview Elementary School in Valparaiso. Tomorrow I'll be speaking to the students at Fieler Elementary School in Merrillville. Kudos to the teachers and adults who plan these events for kids!

One student asked what the best thing about being an author was. My answer--to finally see my book published, and then to see a child reading it and know that they are loving it. And right up there on top is talking to kids about my books, about reading and about writing. Kids are fun to be around. They say what they're thinking. They're interesting. And they have great questions. I got to hang around with students during book signings, see the wonderful books that they created, and take silly pictures with the class. I also got to rub elbows with some of the teachers and staff(I'm wondering how that volleyball game turned out!). Obviously March was a good month for me.

Another perk of school events at times is seeing friends who write for children, and meeting other authors. Judy Roth was also a guest author at the Starke County Young Artists Fair. Her picture book, Good-Night, Dragon, will be out from Hyperion in December 2012.

Check out some more pictures here on the left.  Read More 

I attended a teriffic event for children's authors and illustrators in Carmel, Indiana on Saturday. The event honored Indiana children's authors and illustrators, and was the first event ever sponsored by Indiana SCBWI to honor PAL members. PAL stands for 'Published and Listed,' meaning books released by trade publishers.

Featured were fifteen Indiana authors and illustrators with books for children published in the past three years.

The morning began with a brunch at Bubs Burgers & Ice Cream, and yes, they serve breakfast foods. It was a great opportunity to chat with the others there, and the food was great. After breakfast, each of the featured authors or illustrators introduced themselves and said a few words about their latest book. The morning closed with Saundra Mitchell, who talked about online marketing, something that those with published books need to at least be aware of in today's digital times.

In the afternoon, B&N in Carmel teamed up with SCBWI to host a Children's Author & Illustrator Bookfair, with booksigning and panel discussions. Authors and illustrators were there to meet with patrons, autograph their books, and answer questions.

The afternoon began with two panels featuring Middle Grade and Young Adult authors. The authors shared information about their craft and answered questions.

At 1:00 pm it was time for the picture book crowd. Children's author Janna Mathies opened the first panel by leading a sing-along with a song that she had written about books and where they take us. Picture book authors then talked about their books, their craft, and answered questions about writing for children.

Lynn Rowe Reed, author and illustrator, kicked off the second panel with an illustration demonstration, followed by authors and illustrators who offered insight into writing and illustrating for children.

The afternoon was a great success. I loved meeting and talking with visitors to the bookstore as well as the friendly staff there. It's so rewarding to see so many people who stopped in for the bookfair. Thanks to everyone who went out of their way to be a part of the event, and those who helped bring it to life.  Read More 

Have you been to the zoo lately? Last fall, my husband and I went to Brookfield Zoo, just outside of Chicago, where we enjoyed one of the last nice days of the season. We went to spend time outside. We went for the exercise, the change of pace, and to see the animals. Our expectations were met. But an added surprise was to find poetry at the zoo! As we walked, we found poetry on stone, signs, and glass as well as in the beauty of nature.

Etched on a large rock:

Earth, people and poetry
are one and the same entity
bound together by mysterious
subterranean passageways.
When the earth flowers,
the people breathe freedom,
the poets sing and show the way.

Written on a wall:

To the earth, to the earth.
He has renewed our life,
He has taken pity on us.

I did a little bit of research on line and found this information.

Aside from majestic North American animals and beautiful exhibits, Great Bear Wilderness also embraces the “Language of Conservation,” an initiative aimed at deepening conservation awareness through poetry.

With the support of a $1 million National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Poets House (national literary center and poetry library headquartered in New York City) has partnered with five zoos to create approximately 200 unique poetry installations in New Orleans, Milwaukee, Little Rock, Jacksonville, and Chicago. The selected zoos have seamlessly woven poems into the habitats of animals such as polar bears, snakes and flamingos to inspire millions of zoo visitors to become better stewards of the environment.

If you are a poet at heart, and even if you aren’t, and you are near any of the areas near the zoos mentioned above, you won’t want to miss an afternoon of Poetry at the Zoo.  Read More 

On Saturday I attended the Children’s Literature Breakfast in Glen Ellyn, IL presented by Anderson’s Book Shops. Besides schmoozing with other children’s authors, teachers and librarians, I got to hear from authors Mark Teague, Tim Green, Kathryn Lasky, Trent Reedy and “Weird Al” Yankovic. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get an autographed copy of FIREHOUSE! by Mark Teague (my 4-year old grandsons love fire engines) and FOOTBALL HERO by Tim Green (to share with the football fans in our family).

The morning began with a hot breakfast, then continued with words of wisdom from the Keynote speakers.

Trent Reedy, author of WORDS IN THE DUST, gave a moving talk about ‘writing what you know,’ and how he came to write about an Afghani girl with a disfiguring cleft lip. His book is based on a girl named Zulaikha that he met while serving in Afghanistan.

Mark Teague, whose latest picture book is FIREHOUSE!, talked about how the illustrations for his book evolved, about how he layers the colors, and how curved lines in the pictures show more energy than straight lines.

Tim Green, former pro football player, lawyer and author of suspense novels for adults as well as middle grade students, spoke about wanting to be a football player and a writer, and the importance of education. He talked about how his children helped him to add humor, and keep his books on track for today’s young readers.

Kathryn Lasky, originally from Indiana, is the author of the GUARDIANS OF GA’HOOLE series and many other award-winning books for children. She said that although her recent books feature animals she is not comfortable around them, and gave a humorous account of dealing with her children’s pets, and some other animals.

Al Yankovic, singer, songwriter and architect, also known as “Weird Al,” answered questions submitted by the audience and talked about writing his first picture book, WHEN I GROW UP.

In addition to the great line-up of authors, Jan Dundon and Kathleen March from Anderson’s Bookshop gave us an overview of some favorite new children’s books. Throughout the morning, local authors visited different tables for author chats with those seated there. I was delighted to be one of the guest authors this year, and enjoyed meeting the teachers and librarians, writers and a couple of young readers, who I met as I moved between tables.

Anderson’s is an independent bookstore with locations in Naperville, Downers Grove and Aurora, Illinois. They feature many authors and programs at their bookstores, and this was their 9th annual Children’s Literature Breakfast. You can check out their programs and schedule of author visits at their website, www.andersonsbookshop.com.  Read More 

One of my goals this year is to read more blogs by others in the field of children’s writing and children’s books. Here’s just a small start with links to some blog sites that I especially like.

Kidlitosphere Central
http://www.kidlitosphere.org/
A community of reviewers, librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, parents, and other book enthusiasts who blog about children’s and young adult literature. Links to blog sites by category.

Team Blog: SCBWI’s Children’s Market Blog
http://scbwi.blogspot.com/
Join Alice Pope, former editor of the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market Book, and read interviews with agents, editors and authors. You’ll find lots of good information about writing and children’s publishing here.

Guide to Literary Agents Blog
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/
Everything you wanted to know about finding an agent. Find agent interviews, and who’s looking for what, as well as practical advice on searching for an agent. Written by the editor of the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market Book 2011.

TeachingAuthors
http://www.teachingauthors.com/
An award-winning blog by six children’s authors who also teach writing. Join them at their blog site and find writing exercises, teaching tips, author interviews, book reviews and answers to readers’ questions.

Wild About Nature
http://wildaboutnaturewriters.blogspot.com/
A Place to go wild about books and their creators, Wild About Nature is written by three authors and teachers of non-fiction for children. Features book reviews and interviews of authors of children’s books about nature.

Publisher’s Weekly
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/index.html
Keep up with books and what‘s going on in the world of publishing at the Publisher’s Weekly website. Sign up for newsletters of your choice, including those related to children’s books and publishing, and have them delivered to your e-mailbox.

Verla Kay’s Message Board for Children’s Writers & Illustrators
http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php
Register to become a member of the message board community. Browse through the site to find comments and information on topics related to writing, illustrating, publishers, contests, and much more.

I hope you enjoy these sites as much as I do.  Read More