Clean up your act!

In seventh grade the word “sucks” was a bad word. My mother hated it and my teachers did too. In fact my social studies teacher used to say he preferred the phrase "it inhales with great velocity". We all giggled, but it avoided a bad word which none of us kids in fact found bad. The problem is, the adults didn't like it. And when you’re talking about Middle Grade books, the adults are primarily doing the buying, (teachers, librarians, and parents) so you have to make them happy as well as the kids who read them. Which brings up a good point: what language is too far in Middle Grade? 

Honestly it's a tough call. A lot of the soft curse words like hell and damn are too much for Middle Grade. But you have to be true to the scope of the story. If it's something your character would say, use it. That said, don't abuse it.

 

So how do you get around the fact that bad language can be a big issue in Middle Grade lit? Well, one thing you can do it tone it down. Damn can become dang, and hell can become heck. Then there's words like sucks and freaking that can walk a fine line.

So what's a writer to do if they are worried about language? A single word change can sometimes kill your voice, which can be tricky. That's where the fun of story writing comes into play. If you can't change the language, use it to your advantage. Make up your own swear words or expressions. This is a great chance to not only stay within your age group, but also bring in some additional characterization, voice, and humor. If done right, a made up swear word can boost your story to the next level, help build your world, and enhance your voice.

Take The Mighty Ducks for example. The kids get feisty, but rather than using really awful names and swears, they make up their own terms like cake eater.

Another great example is the use of Merlin in Harry Potter. Merlin’s beard is often used in places where swear words could be instead. Phrases like Merlin’s beard work well within the context of the wizard world and add to the setting and voice.

So think about what makes you world unique and use nouns and/or verbs in combination to create your own expressions. Even people’s names, especially last names, can be used in the place of bad language!

Have a book in space?

Try words like comets, asteroids, and stars with other nouns and verbs.

1.) ZOOMING ASTEROIDS!

2.) EXPLODING STARS!

3.) Halley’s comet!

Have an adventure in a cave?

Try words like bats, mud, dark, and spelunking

1.) OH BATS!

2.) For all things dark spelunking

3.) Sneaky mud slingers

4.) What a pile of bat turds!

Honestly some of those probably don’t even make sense, but in the right context they could add to your story or bring humor into a scene. Point being, have fun with it and see what works in your story. Cause seriously, who wouldn't laugh if someone said something like flying cow farts or for the love of pig intestines! So give it a shot. You might find you like it! 

What are some of your favorite made up curse words and phrases?

 

Should You Traditionally Publish or Self-publish?

Once upon a time many writers didn't see this as a legitimate question. Authors would try as hard as they could to traditionally publish their work and only when they failed would they consider self-publishing. But that was then and this is now and the times they are a changing.

Today, not an insignificant number of authors choose self-publishing in one form or another as their preferred method of publishing. The rise of e-books and easy to use self publishing platforms like Amazon's KDP and Createspace (along with others like Smashwords) are allowing writers to put out a highly professional product without having to go through a traditional publishing company. Many authors love the ability to control their cover, the overall writing product itself, and their careers. With self-publishing, an author can release books whenever and however they want. Self-publishing writers are only constrained by their own ability to write well and write fast.

And write fast some of them do. Recently, two self publishing authors in particular have made news for their incredible productivity. Back in May of 2013, Novelist Elle Casey did a post about how she is able to write so many books (18) in just a short time (15 months). Russel Blake has recently been featured in a number of articles, including this one from the Wall Street Journal in which he also discusses how fast writing has helped his career.

A great way to learn more about self publishing is to follow popular blogs where self publishing writers gather. The largest single forum is probably the Kindle Boards Writers Cafe. Go there and look around at different posts and threads to learn more about what self publishers are up to. Or go check out self publishing super star authors JA Konrath or Hugh Howey.  Both Konrath and Howey are articulate champions of self publishing and following their posts and the discussion in the comments below the posts is a great way to learn more about the rise of self-publishing.

As someone who has been following the self-publishing story for a couple of years, there is one area in particular that's most interesting to me and probably to other followers of this blog. Is self-publishing a viable option for Middle Grade authors? We see writers of genre fiction, especially those writing Romance, Sci Fci, Fantasy, and Thrillers have great success in self publishing. But we rarely, if ever, hear of Chidlrens Fiction authors having great success self publishing.

The key seems to be that kids don't make the buying decisions in their home and the primary way self-publishers reach their audience is through the internet, not through bookstores and libraries. Even kids who read e-books on Kindles or e-readers usually aren't the ones making the buying decisions. While its easy for an adult power reader to buy books online, its not easy for kids to do this. Ultimately, kids continue to learn about new books from their friends, from their teachers, and from their librarians.

And so far, no self-published title in Childrens Fiction has broken through as a big hit. There is no self publishing superstar in the world of Children's Fiction.

For now, most writers of Middle Grade fiction are going to continue to pursue Traditional Publishing. The world hasn't yet changed so much that middle grade authors are making great incomes from self-publishing alone. But the world is also changing very fast. Who knows what will happen in the next year or two. All it takes is one incredibly popular title or incredibly popular author and the tide may shift for Middle Grade authors.

My goal? To do both. I will pursue traditional publishing for some of my books and when I have a project that just seems to be a better fit for self-publishing, I won't hesitate to do it. My ultimate goal isn't to be a traditionally published author or a self published author. My goal is to be an author - an author who makes a living from writing books. If having a foot in both worlds of publishing is ultimately the best and most efficient way for me to achieve this goal, then that's exactly what I will do.

Know your competition. (And what the heck is a "friendover"?)

Middle grade boys like to compete. Who's stronger? Who's faster? Who's smarter? They constantly gauge where they fit in among their "group", and I recently found that I do the same with myself among my fellow writers. And I have been found wanting.

But a while back, while researching agents for querying, I came across a piece of advice that has stuck with me. I can't remember the particular agent, or even the exact quote, but an agent had written something to the effect of "...eyes on your own paper." I believe she meant, "Don't compare yourself to the writers who surround you." And I've thought of that advice a lot lately.

But that's hard. And you know it!

Everywhere we look, there are writers with agents, writers with new book deals, writers throwing down 3,000 words (or more) a day and writers who we KNOW are succeeding with their goals and dreams.

But then there's me. If I get to write late at night a couple of days a week, I'm pumped! (I'm thinking of changing my twitter handle to "@MidnightWriter".)

If I wrote every day for a week, for even three hours each day, I'd be making great progress on the books which burn inside me!  But my house would look (and smell) like the city landfill and my wife and kids would disown me. (No, that's not true. Only my wife would disown me. My kids wouldn't notice the mess.)

So, thanks to that agent's bit of advice, I've given myself permission to be husband and dad first, and writer second. With that attitude, it's easer for me to be happy for another's success and not get down on myself. My writing life has more balance that way, and I'm more relaxed because of it.

It's not easy to not write when I want to so badly, but I have to face my reality.

Don't get me wrong. I'd love to be able to spend my day skipping from my computer (where the masterpiece unfolds) to the tea kettle or the back deck lounge chair with the furry feline companion purring contentedly on my lap while I contemplate a current plot twist, a clever play on words, or something equally literarily fulfilling. (Literarily is such a lyrical word. If it doesn't exist, it should.)

Instead, I juggle a baby, or a toddler, or a baby and a toddler and hop about picking up dirty dishes, spilled cereal, wet towels and filthy clothing while I pray that the baby and the toddler will have an overlapping nap. With that 30 minutes, I could slam down some serious wordage on the current ms!

And then I remember what is most important in my life. (And it's not a clean house.) Thanks to that agent's words, I allow myself to write in the fashion which works for me. A few minutes here and there. Maybe for an hour at the library or coffee shop - if I can get a babysitter for the little two.

But overall, I give thanks that I have a large, wild and untidy family with near constant sibling squabbles and tenacious teasing. When I lighten up and accept who I am as a writer, with the limitations imposed by choosing to have a large family, I begin to notice some pretty good material.

Not only do the middle graders in my family say and do some interesting stuff, but so do the "youngers." I observe how they interact, what they say and when they say it, their tantrums, jokes and tears. And when their friends come for play dates - I mean - "friendovers" (I was informed that "play dates" is a term used for the "little kids" in the family), I get more dynamics with interesting behaviors all around.

And if I stay up until 2:00 a.m. (or until one of the babies wakes up) punching down letters to a blog post or my latest WIP, then so be it. It's what I can do right now at this time in my life, and it will have to be good enough. So I'll be satisfied with enough.

After all, I'm only trying to make myself better, not beat you at the writing game. And while you're struggling with your own babies and spilled cereal, try to remember your reality, and let yourself write within it.

In it for the long haul....

Let me just say this. Being a writer is hard. In fact, it's down right torture sometimes.

Truth. It IS inconceivable that people actually choose this path. But we select few are a special breed.

A few days ago my wife sent me a link to this post on Chuck Wendig's incredible blog "Terribleminds" (now if you haven't been on this blog before, go do so now.) It was a guest post by author Kameron Hurley who talks about the struggles of becoming a writer, and actually just maintaining that career path. It's far from the fun and games some people might think it is.

Here's the link, so do yourself a favor and read this before reading mine and you'll understand why I had to write this post.

LINK --> On Persistence, And The Long Con Of Being A Successful Writer

As you guessed, this is going to be a little bit of a serious blog post. SHOCKING! I know, right? Coming from me, there really isn't much seriousness. I'm one of the biggest goof balls I know ( I think Brooks and I are tied actually..because we're that CRAAAAAAZYYYY).

Occasionally, it seems when I talk to my fellow writers I encounter moments of "Maybe I should just give up.", or "Is this right for me?" Trust me, folks. I think like this sometimes too. We all do. Even those who don't ADMIT that they've had these thoughts, have them. It's just the way things are in this crazy writing world of ours.

So I wanted to take this cold, blustery, Friday morning in the end of January to try to boost everyone's morale and let you know that if you're in the long haul with me, then by God we are going to take this writing world by storm.

Thanks, Westley. I couldn't have said it better myself, especially since it's true. Especially in the writing world you need to expect, and in fact anticipate a lot of downfalls.

From manuscripts being locked away in a drawer for all eternity, to the seemingly endless rejection e-mails during our dreaded query process, and the all so common stress of writers block and wanting to tear up your MS. These events will happen. And they will bring us down.

The sad part about it, is that our friends and family typically don't understand why we are down and out all the time. They don't understand the process and it's grueling nature. They think, "oh, you just wrote a book? So just get a publisher or something. Or publish it yourself." If ONLY it were that easy.

It took me ages to explain to my wife and my family the process I've been going through. They originally thought it's 1...2...3....BOOM I'm an AUTHOR! No, sorry. I wish it was that easy but I have years ahead of me still.

Being an author is a love / hate relationship. There are days when we absolutely love the words we've put on the page and think to ourselves, this is it. I HAVE A WINNER. Then there are days where we don't even want to THINK about touching our manuscript, since it's absolute garbage.

But I also think it's these feelings that make writing more rewarding than most other "hobbies." For me anyway, that's what I think it is. Just like my artwork. It's a means of expressing and entertaining myself, and if I'm lucky enough, I get to entertain other people with my work. It's a hobby for me. I love doing it, and not because I want to make millions off it (wouldn't hurt? LoL).

So, I'll say this too. If you're writing for the money, you need to change your mindset. You need to write because you love it. Because it's your passion. And if you're thinking of giving up just because it's too hard to get into the industry, or because you're not making the big bucks, then maybe it's not for you. You need to be able to sit down, and write for hours on end without even the thought of being the next J.K. Rowling popping into your head.

You need to write because you want people to hear your story. You want to share your thoughts and ideas with the world. And you don't care if you make a dime from it. You need to love all of it. Even the bad.

Well, that was rude. Anyway, I want to end this little rant with a little story. The reason why I love to write, and this just happened to me recently. I had just sent off my newest MG MS called "Lucas Peregrinus and the Escape from Manuki Island" to a couple of my most esteemed beta readers. I wasn't expecting much, especially since I know the MS is still in it's early stages. But I love the book, and I love the idea, and I was really hoping they would feel the same.

Less than a week later, I receive an e-mail back from one of my betas. She had given the manuscript to her 13 y/o son who apparently devoured the book in no time flat. The first thing that came out of his mouth was, "I can't wait for the next one!"

She had told me that he wasn't too patient when it came to reading books, and easily shoots most of them down. But with my MS he actually had to stop reading since it gotten so late and his dad forced him to turn off the lights. I asked for his feedback, and the amount of things he had to say about my MS that were positive made my week. In fact, it made my year. I'm not going to lie when I say this, but someone must have been cutting onions nearby.

It's moments like that, that make me so glad to be a writer. Someone, in my target audience, loved my work. A work, that I KNOW isn't even close to being perfect. But there I had it. Proof that I was doing something write. Proof that writing was the way to go for me.

So, I tell you this fellow writers. If you love writing...if you REALLY love writing, you will not let the little things such as rejections, or harsh critiques get to you. Because you'll know, deep down, that this is what you want to do. And you want the world to see what you're made of, one word at a time.

Danielle Smith of Foreword Literary gets Middle Grade Minded!

You've all heard of the her, folks.

She's part of the mega-awesome agency known as Foreword Literary. You can find her on Twitter, firing off tweets with the speed of a spur-wearing gunslinger. She's got a web presence that even John Green envies.

That's right--I'm talking about the book-loving, deal-making super-agent...

Danielle Smith!

Danielle was gracious enough to spend some time answering the most pressing MG questions we could fire at her. And she pretty much nailed it. Check out her amazing insights to the MG writing, agenting, and publishing world!

What do you look for in a MG Submission?

Emotions. That may seem like a very broad statement, but think back to your own middle grade years and I imagine you'll remember it was nothing if not an emotional roller coaster.

Initially, before I even read the manuscript I want the query to show some personality. This may be something specific to my own experience, but I've found that middle grade writers tend to exude a certain personality (that I love) that is very different from almost any genre. Either they're more considerate by personalizing the query carefully to me or it's simply a matter of having me in stitches before I'm finished with the query.

Within the manuscript I want to cry, laugh and feel so connected to the main character that I'd hug or high five them if I saw them in real life (of course not in front of all their friends though, perish the thought).
All of that said, I'm not asking for trained circus monkeys as clients and if the writing is good it will speak for itself.

What things do you think define Middle Grade and set it apart from the other age groups?

So much. More than any other time of life, that period from about 8 to 13 years old is a time when so many things change for the very first time in a child's life. Not to mention how often a huge wrench gets thrown into the mix, things like sickness, divorce of parents, friends moving or changing, etc. It's truly one of the very first times in a persons life when they actively recognize and move toward defining themselves.

All of this is why middle grade stands apart from other genres and age groups. Of course some of these things happen later or earlier in life, but this is truly a pivotal time in a persons experience and a time I love to relive through each character I encounter.

We frequently hear that MG voice is difficult to get right. Why do you think it's so tough? And what can a writer do to help nail down their MG voice?

An MG voice has to feel authentic. There is no faking the feeling of emptiness and despair that comes with having a parent pack up and move out in the middle the school year, especially when your best friend has abandoned you for the "cool kids" for the first time. It has to feel honest and true. This, more than any other genre in my opinion, cannot be faked.

My biggest and best suggestion beyond telling you to keep writing is to keep reading. Go to your local bookstore, pull off a dozen of the best middle grade books out there right now (think of authors like Anne Ursu, Adam Gidwitz, Holly Goldberg Sloan, Christopher Healy, etc.) and then read the first one to two pages of each. Hear the varying voices as you read. If you can, read them outloud or listen to someone read them to you. I promise, you will see very clearly how distinct those voices are and how it may help you with your own writing. I've always believed that one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read.

What are the most common mistakes you see in a MG submission?

I'd say there are a few basic things that any good researcher would likely already know. Things like excessive word counts stated in the query (ie. 120k for an MG is WAY too long), not addressing your query to the appropriate agent or simply not researching what it is I like. I get a number of queries also that are too long and detailed. I'm a fan of succinct queries, two or three paragraphs to get me hooked and tell me a little about you & your book is all I need.

In terms of the manuscripts I see in MG, my biggest concerns are with voice and point of view. These can often go hand in hand. Explore varying POVs if you think it might improve your voice. Also, a lacking supporting cast is another common problem I run into. Don't only focus on your main character, but be sure the friends and family in the background are also well developed. Great examples of this are books like THE FOURTH STALL by Chris Rhylander and PICKLE by Kim Baker, which are both favorites of mine.

What are you dying to see in your inbox?

At the very top of my list is a manuscript with magical realism. I am a big fan of the adult fiction author Sarah Addison Allen and the middle grade author, Laurel Snyder. I would love to see something in middle grade along those lines.

I'd really love a middle grade novel with a hilarious heroine that's not making fun of herself or others, often it's the boys that are the funny ones and I know that's not always the case in real life.

I'm also on the hunt for more great chapter books like IVY & BEAN by Annie Barrows and THE YEAR OF BILLY MILLER by Kevin Henkes. Basically anything that makes me feel all the emotions, I want to feel connected to the characters and disconnected from the world around me. Send me a book that I get completely lost in and I'll be over the moon.

***

Danielle Smith represents picture books and middle grade authors and illustrators. To check out her current wish list and submission requirements, visit the Foreword Literary website.

Reality Can Be Better Than Fiction

Sounds odd coming from a fiction writer, on a blog for fiction MG writers, right? But let me explain. I love fictions stories. But sometimes, the real world is even cooler than the things we can make up in our own heads. So why not use them?

We’re writing for 9-13 year olds and if there is one thing I know about that age is that they love to learn. Well, less that they like to learn, but more that they like to know things. Teachers and school? Bahaha. No. But being able to tell someone about the ice caves in Alaska? or the cliff mountains in China? Or the pink lake in Australia? Yes! 

So use the information around you (I’m a big google fan) to your advantage and pull in your readers in a way you never have before. Teach them something. Entertain them but show them how amazing the real world can really be. 

Topic One: settings. 

This is one of my favorite ways to take an average story and make it extraordinary. Because you can place nearly any story into a new setting to take it up a notch, or ten. 

Making a story stand out can sometimes be more difficult than we’d like. The story pulling at your heart strings might be a story that’s been done too many times. A story that you’re afraid won’t stand out enough in the slush pile or even on the shelves. Do you put it down and try something else? Maybe. But I’m a fan of following my heart. I think you should to.

So here’s plan B. Open up your browser, or walk into the book store, and start a little research. Maybe that quest your character must go on will take him to the pink lake in Africa (there’s also one in Australia) instead of a forest on the outskirts of town.  

Or maybe instead of growing up in a small town in the united states she grew up in the city in Bonn  germany where the tree’s form a roof over the town in the spring time.

Or instead of getting lost in the mountains, your character gets lost inside the selenite crystals of the Naici mines in Mexico.

Kids don’t want to feel like they’re being taught something, they want to experience something. Reading is the perfect way to do that. Give them the kind of adventure they won’t ever forget. The kind that could inspire curiosity for the world’s great places.

http://www.boredpanda.com/amazing-places/

New Year, New Goals

Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars. - Les Brown

It’s a new year and for many that means setting new goals—both in life and in writing. While we are often excited about those goals at the start of the year, as the months go on, they sometimes go by the wayside. So how do we set goals that we will keep up with? How do we stay on top of them?

Set Goals

First you have to set your goals. Think about the things you want to accomplish. No matter how big or small put them on the list. When setting goals, don’t focus on how hard they might be just focus on what you want for yourself and your writing. Once you have a list you can narrow it down to a few you really want to work on and achieve.

Set Mini Goals

Now that you have goals, take a look at them. Break the larger more daunting tasks into smaller more obtainable ones. You’re more likely to work on your goals and achieve them if they tasks feel smaller.

Example Goal: Write a book

Mini Goal: Write an outline

Mini Goal: Write character bios

Mini Goal: Write setting descriptions

Mini Goals: Write 250 words every day

Keep Yourself Accountable

Periodically pull out your goals and see how things are going. See if you are on track. If not maybe add in incentives to help you achieve those goals you are struggling with. Don’t let yourself off the hook. If you have to, schedule reminders or time aside to complete aspects of your goals so that you can keep working on them.

Re-evaluate

If things aren’t working out take a step back and ask yourself why. Is this really what you want? Have your priorities changed? Maybe you underestimated or overestimated the goal. It’s ok to change your goals midstream if you need to. There is no shame in putting a goal aside if it isn’t right for you or it isn’t the right time. Just make sure you are stepping back because it’s what you want/need not because you got lazy.

Get a Buddy

If you are really struggling (or even if you aren’t) get a goal buddy. They don’t have to have the same goals as you, but they do have to help keep you accountable for your work. If you have a buddy cheering you on and working by your side on their goals, it’s extra motivation to keep going. Not to mention you aren’t just letting yourself down if you start to slack. IT gives you more accountability. And if you are a competitive person like me, it can be a mini competition to see who gets their goals done first.

So all this talk about goals I thought I’d share some of my writing goals for 2014. For reference the numbers are my big goals, the letters are my mini goals.

1.)    Get an agent (and not just any agent, the right agent for me!)

a.       Polish my query/synopsis

b.      Make sure my manuscript is the best it can be

c.       Send queries

d.      Re-evaluate query package if necessary

2.)    Get my YA Sci Fi Thriller query ready.

a.      Work with beta readers to obtain feedback

b.      Edit the manuscript

c.       Get additional feedback

d.      Edit some more

e.       Rinse and repeat until it shines!

3.)    Write something new

a.       Brainstorm

b.      Outline

c.       Spend at least two days a week writing (as much as I love editing, I need to focus on writing something new this year)

4.)    Improve my craft

a.       Attend at least one writing conference

b.      Attend writing seminars/workshops

c.       Read writing blogs

5.)    Keep Going

a.       Whatever I do, rejections and discouraging news aside, I will keep writing, keep editing, and keep improving.

b.      I refuse to quit!

What kind of writing goals do you set and how do you keep up with them?