| janfields |
Night Open Forum begins
in five minutes -- night forums are open topic so anything you might
want to know about writing, feel free to ask.
|
| janfields |
Night Open Forum begins
in two minutes...hustle on in to the auditorium to chat about
writing. Please.
|
| janfields |
Welcome to Night Open
Forum...thanks for popping in. I have a couple questions already in
que but I'm hoping y'all have more.
|
| janfields |
I'm glad to see folks
here on this balmy spring night.
|
| janfields |
I wanted to apologize
for the weird eNews today...it has to pass from me to the techie
guy.
|
| janfields |
And he said I had to
cut it all short because it was not going to make it through the
spam filters.
|
| janfields |
I guess I was unusually
windy today!
|
| janfields |
Actually it was
probably all the links.
|
| janfields |
I hope everyone found
the online version okay and I'll see if we can't fix that for next
week.
|
| janfields |
It looked to me like
another example of how spam filters cause more problems than
spam!
|
| janfields |
So...let me jump on the
questions I have already.
|
| janfields |
Rainchain: Could you
explain what 'literary' picture book, mid-grade etc. means as
opposed to 'non-literary'?
|
| janfields |
Okay...a literary
picture book
|
| janfields |
will focus heavily on
language...on being poetic and lyrical
|
| janfields |
And literary picture
books are often quieter or about more serious
topics.
|
| janfields |
Miss Rumphillus would
be an example of a very well known literary picture
book
|
| janfields |
I probably spelled that
wrong, by the way.
|
| janfields |
The Oxcart Man is
another literary picture book.
|
| janfields |
David Small and his
wife did a very literary picture book last year.
|
| janfields |
It was basically a
memoir of the writer's childhood.
|
| janfields |
Literary picture books
often have older target audiences
|
| janfields |
Older kids...or even
adults.
|
| janfields |
They usually have more
word count than a more mass market picture book.
|
| janfields |
Often 1000 words or
more.
|
| janfields |
And today, they are
often done by "name" writers who already have some pull with the
publisher.
|
| janfields |
As in the example of
the David Small picture book.
|
| janfields |
Or they are done by
smaller houses that specialize in literary picture
books
|
| janfields |
Like Peachtree or
Charlesbridge.
|
| janfields |
Ummm...not exactly. The
Picture storybook type is usually long because the story is more
involved.
|
| janfields |
The literary picture
book is often longer because it is stylistically a bit wordy because
of
|
| janfields |
a lot of
imagery
|
| janfields |
Well, actually...pretty
much it's imagery...like with poetry
|
| janfields |
In a more traditional
picture book, we're cautioned not to do a lot of
imagery
|
| janfields |
and to let the
illustrator handle that
|
| janfields |
But with a literary
picture book, often there is a lot of imagery
|
| janfields |
But it's poetic rather
than "stage management"
|
| janfields |
So you won't get a lot
of lines about specific character movement
|
| janfields |
But you might be half a
page describing the sea
|
| janfields |
Literary picture books
used to win a lot of awards.
|
| janfields |
And you'll see that a
bit...but now it doesn't happen as much unless the author is also
the illustrator
|
| janfields |
Such as with KITTEN'S
FIRST FULL MOON by Kevin Henkes
|
| janfields |
Which wasn't a long
text but has that kind of stylistic literary tone and
handling
|
| janfields |
I'm afraid it's one of
those "I know it when I see it" categories.
|
| janfields |
I have a literary
picture book text that I wrote and one that is more
mainstream.
|
| janfields |
The difference tends to
be in the language.
|
| janfields |
I hope that helped a
little at least.
|
| janfields |
Wee Willie Winkie:
Question: If you could list five book author websites as a example
of what a website should be like, which ones would you
pick?
|
| janfields |
Okay, first I want to
tell what I think makes a great author website.
|
| janfields |
Then I'll give some
examples.
|
| janfields |
A great author website
increases your book sales
|
| janfields |
And your popularity as
a speaker.
|
| janfields |
So it will be visually
appealing
|
| janfields |
It will address itself
to the readers, and to teachers/librarians
|
| janfields |
It will also reflect
the personality of the author.
|
| janfields |
That's why my website,
for example, is not a good author website.
|
| janfields |
I address my site to
writers -- and writers don't pay me, so it's not really doing a job
for me.
|
| janfields |
Plus, it doesn't
reflect my personality...it's a bit stuffy actually
|
| janfields |
And not really
whimsical or pompous...either of which would be a better reflector
of my personality :-)
|
| janfields |
So...having said
that.
|
| janfields |
http://www.megcabot.com
|
| janfields |
Is an excellent author
website.
|
| janfields |
Now Meg doesn't do her
own site so it's kind of a cheat
|
| janfields |
But the good part is
that it HUGELY reflects her personality.
|
| janfields |
And it is very focused
on her readers.
|
| janfields |
She actually doesn't
address librarians/teachers as much.
|
| janfields |
Becuase most of her
books sell to readers, rather than libraries or
schools.
|
| janfields |
That's because she
sells a lot of books.
|
| janfields |
Another good YA site
that has a totally different look is
http://www.nancywerlin.com
|
| janfields |
Nancy is a totally
different personality from Meg
|
| janfields |
And her books are
totally different'
|
| janfields |
So the whole feel of
the site is different...more serious, more
intellectual.
|
| janfields |
Even the choice of
colors between the two authors reflect who they are and their
approach to writing.
|
| janfields |
As picture book sites,
two I love are
|
| janfields |
http://www.davidadler.com
|
| janfields |
http://www.tomie.com
|
| janfields |
Both sites have a lot
of information about the author...told in a light tone to reflect
the author's personalities.
|
| janfields |
That's because lots of
kids go to sites to learn more about the author
|
| janfields |
Or to write school
reports.
|
| janfields |
You'll also see book
covers...and on David Adler's site, you'll see info about the
books.
|
| janfields |
Actually that's only
four sites...but I think they're all keepers.
|
| blue
2 |
Would it help to get your
foot in the door to have a website
|
| janfields |
Oh...I see I can't type
tonight
|
| janfields |
http://www.davidaadler.com
|
| janfields |
The sad thing is I had
the URL right in front of me.
|
| janfields |
tsk tsk
tsk.
|
| janfields |
Now...about why you
might want a website.
|
| janfields |
If you want to do
assignment work -- work for hire
|
| janfields |
It's not a bad idea to
have a site with samples of your writing
|
| janfields |
And with your list of
publications
|
| janfields |
And with lots of
general information about you.
|
| janfields |
I've actually been
approached by publishers because of stuff on my
site.
|
| janfields |
And my site is
certainly not selling books...so they're judging by my resume
credits and general stuff they read.
|
| janfields |
But I've never been
contacted by anyone wanting me to write fiction.
|
| janfields |
I don't think websites
help you much as a fiction writer until you've got a
book
|
| janfields |
Except...well, it's
good practice to make one...and work on how best to reflect your
personality online.
|
| dino |
What is meant by
'real-life' fictional story?
|
| janfields |
A real-life fiction
story would be one that could actually happen...one reflecting real
life
|
| janfields |
They usually aren't
particularly comic
|
| janfields |
And often have themes
about relationships -- family, school, friends.
|
| janfields |
They are also sometimes
called "contemporary fiction"
|
| lauriet |
How does one get started
doing "leveled readers"?
|
| janfields |
You know, I don't
really know...I haven't done leveled readers...though I was
contacted by a publisher for them once
|
| janfields |
I think if the leveled
reader is done by a trade publisher
|
| janfields |
(Trade publishers being
the ones who sell mostly to consumers rather than
schools)
|
| janfields |
You can submit a
manuscript (many times) just like you would any other sort of
book.
|
| janfields |
But many levelled
readers are done through closed houses or by educational
publishers.
|
| janfields |
And those books are
often done by authors the publisher contacts
|
| janfields |
Or by authors who have
sent resumes to the publisher...and waited on a
response.
|
| janfields |
I would suggest, if you
have an interest in leveled reader writing
|
| janfields |
That you try to sell a
couple stories to SPIDER
|
| janfields |
Which is about the only
magazine publishing anything like reader level
stories
|
| janfields |
And then you can use
those stories as samples to send with resumes
|
| janfields |
to the educational
publishers.
|
| janfields |
Nonfiction leveled
readers often come from resumes...and I would do it the same
way
|
| janfields |
Only I would sell
Spider some articles.
|
| janfields |
There is a yahoogroup
called NFforKids
|
| janfields |
That has members who
have done levelled readers of nonfiction -- actually quite a few
folks who have.
|
| janfields |
And they may be able to
steer you toward how they did it...a lot of them work for
educaitonal publishers.
|
| coloradokate |
www.melissa-marr.com and
www.katedicamillo.com are particularly nice, too, I
think.
|
| janfields |
I haven't been to
Melissa's site but I do like Kate's quite a lot
|
| janfields |
Again...a good
reflection of the author's personality
|
| janfields |
And contains the basic
things an author site has to have these days
|
| janfields |
A good bio that gives
kids what they're looking for when writing reports.
|
| janfields |
A number of writers
give writer tips...and that's lovely.
|
| janfields |
And some writers gear
the tips toward the young writer...which also will get you loved by
readers.
|
| janfields |
You have to take care
not to let your site become too helpful for writer though because
it'll distract from it's primary purpose...though having said
that...mine focused on writer stuff.
|
| janfields |
And VerlaKay.com...a
writer who has tons of real books to sell
|
| janfields |
Uses a lot of her site
for writer help
|
| janfields |
Which is incredibly
generous.
|
| janfields |
And her career is
fine...though to be honest, a lot of Verla's sales come though
libraries and teachers...she's less of a consumer oriented
writer
|
| janfields |
So she has more
leeway...and being really really good helps too, of
course.
|
| ccollier |
Jan, do you think a cover
can sell a book?
|
| janfields |
The cover is very
important, of course.
|
| janfields |
And a bad cover can
seriously hurt a first book
|
| janfields |
I think a fantastic
cover will only get you so far though
|
| janfields |
Because so many books
are sold word of mouth...so the cover pulls in the first
readers
|
| janfields |
but if you're going to
get a lot of readers
|
| janfields |
It's what's in the
cover that really gets the buzz
|
| ccollier |
Which of CBHI magazine
gives the best chance of selling to
|
| janfields |
Last time I emailed
with the editor of Turtle, that magazine was still open a
crack.
|
| janfields |
I can't even get the
other CBHI editors to return my email
|
| janfields |
And that's for major
articles about the magazine industry
|
| janfields |
If you don't want ANY
attention from the industry...that doesn't usually mean you're
looking for a lot of submissions.
|
| janfields |
So...I tend to consider
them not a really easy in group.
|
| janfields |
I think if you sent
something the editor of Humpty Dumpty was wild about, you could get
in there.
|
| janfields |
Maybe U.S.Kids...but
again, if they won't talk to me...I'm suspecting they aren't really
eager for submissions.
|
| blue
2 |
any advice on writing
children's christian stories?
|
| janfields |
There is still a decent
market for Christian children's stories...
|
| janfields |
both in magazines and
in books.
|
| janfields |
Book publishing in the
Christian market is really really tough to get
into.
|
| janfields |
There are a lot of
closed houses...so it helps if you build up a lot of Christian
magazine credits before you try to get any book
attention.
|
| janfields |
The book side of
Christian publishing is honestly a very different creature than
secular book publishing.
|
| janfields |
HOWEVER
|
| janfields |
having said that...more
and more mainstream houses are showing interest in books with a
spiritual side.
|
| janfields |
So while the Christian
publishers are hard to break into
|
| janfields |
The secular publishers
are growing more receptive to Christian material as long as it's
extremely well written.
|
| janfields |
Now, in Christian
magazines, you really see some of the most extreme differences
between magazines.
|
| janfields |
For example, a story in
Clubhouse would almost certainly not sell to
Pockets
|
| janfields |
Even though they are
both Christian magazines...they have such a different tone and
approach.
|
| janfields |
And some magazines like
those from the Mennonite side have extremely strict
guidelines.
|
| janfields |
Plus, mix in how many
magazines are folding in Christian publishing and it's a little
scary.
|
| janfields |
If I wanted to break
in...I would read a number of issues of Pockets and of Clubhouse or
Clubhouse Jr...and I would sell to them because they're going to be
around forever
|
| janfields |
And all the publishers
are going to know them and those markets will give you credibility
that you'll not get as easily anywhere else.
|
| lizziegirl |
Should someone self
publish a PB or should they hold out?
|
| janfields |
I have seen some
gorgeous self-published picture books
|
| janfields |
And they are almost
always heart breaking because the sales numbers are so incredilibly
low
|
| janfields |
and the costs are so
incredibly high.
|
| janfields |
Now, the only exception
I've seen have come from self-published nonfiction picture
books
|
| janfields |
That are illustrated
solely with photos.
|
| janfields |
I've known some folks
who had very good success with those
|
| janfields |
selling them through
museums and other non-bookstore venues.
|
| janfields |
It's really hard to get
self-published books in bookstores.
|
| janfields |
And you have to decide
that you really want to pick up a full-time job of distributing and
pushing your book.
|
| janfields |
And considering you
probably have no idea how to do it.
|
| janfields |
It's a frustrating
business.
|
| janfields |
Unless you're
self-publishing nonfiction with a clear niche that would get your
into museums or other tourist venues
|
| janfields |
I would strongly
recommend against it...you won't get your investment
back.
|
| lauriet |
Besides yours (which I
love), what blogs do you like, and which would you recommend for
beginning writers, if any?
|
| janfields |
I read a lot of
blogs.
|
| janfields |
And I can't do
urls...but you can find them from Google
searches...
|
| janfields |
but I really like
Laurie Halsie Anderson's blog
|
| janfields |
I love Lois Lowry's
blog
|
| janfields |
Jane Yolen also has a
wonderful online journal.
|
| janfields |
Each of them has had
some wonderful things to say about writing
|
| janfields |
and about life...I
really find them very inspiring.
|
| janfields |
I like David Lubar's
blog because it makes me laugh.
|
| janfields |
I like Neil Gaiman
because he's just crazy and that's always fun.
|
| janfields |
But they don't spend as
much time on writing...just on life.
|
| rainchain |
what is the best way to
use interview material in an article
|
| rainchain |
as quotes? or just as
normal reference material? other?
|
| janfields |
It
depends.
|
| janfields |
Some magazines ...like
the Cricket group
|
| janfields |
Actually don't usually
use articles with direct quotes
|
| janfields |
So if I were targetting
them, I would use the info but not quote it.
|
| janfields |
Now Highlights, on the
other hand, it's almost impossible to sell to them without
quotes.
|
| janfields |
And teen/tween
magazines love quotes.
|
| janfields |
Also....I have to
decide how "quotable" my source is.
|
| janfields |
I had a great source
for my carnivorous caterpillar article
|
| janfields |
Really brilliant guy
who knew all about them.
|
| janfields |
But, whooooweee...he
used only technical terms.
|
| janfields |
And his quotes were
informative but dull...deadly dull
|
| janfields |
And nearly all of them
would require explaination to be understandable for
kids.
|
| janfields |
So I couldn't have used
any of his quotes.
|
| janfields |
As a result, the
article was destined for Cricket...I knew they wouldn't need the
quotes.
|
| janfields |
And with magazines that
do really short nonfiction, like Boys Quest, quotes take up space
that can usually be said quicker without them.
|
| janfields |
So for a magazine with
a 500 word limit...it's hard to use quotes.
|
| janfields |
Okay, guys...that's all
the questions in the que.
|
| janfields |
Anyone wanna ask one
more really fast?
|
| janfields |
Okay...I'm going to be
in the chat room this Tuesday afternoon. It won't be an open forum
but I'm totally open to hanging out and chatting.
|
| janfields |
Our next scheduled even
will be April 3rd...afternoon open
forum.
|