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“You enter the extraordinary by way of the ordinary.” ~Frederick Buechner
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults
“The victory, however, comes only very gradually, for it relates
directly to the slow and difficult process of accepting one’s self-knowledge
and coming to peaceful terms with it.” Mollie
Hunter
Internal
A story grows from the character’s emotional
core. What? Why? The issue is not the event itself but how the character
perceives and reacts to it. Makes his judgment and does this based on his own
feelings.
So to dive deep into your character it’s
important to know his motives, values, psychological profiles, and temperament.
Tension builds as the barriers you put up against these four categories creates
conflict and stretches your character from the inside out.
They don’t need to be dramatic or threatening
but they must be real to their inner character and the immediate situation they
are in. It’s a major decision for a two year old to decide to share his
favorite toy with a playmate. It’s a major decision for a teen to be at a party
that has gotten out of control.
So how do you get to know their hearts and
what choices they will make. Get to know them. Here are some possibilities
depending on what age you are writing for.
Write a
short monologue for your character, whether they are talking to themselves or
another. Do the conversation two ways; first showing something they care about,
and then showing a negative side of themselves. What kind of words do they pick
for either? For example, if your character has disrespect for lawyers they
might use adjectives such as, he’s like a fox or a shark, instead of saying she
has a sharp mind.
Write
journal entries for them for a day or a week or a month.
Give your character a chronology and then
from your character’s POV write a memory for each event: 1st day of
kindergarten, 1st day of high school. Notice if any changes have
occurred personality wise. Has a shy, quiet boy become a profane bully?
What do they dream about? What nightmares do
they have?
When they have to pack their backpack for a
day or a short trip what do they want inside?
Roots
The key to find internal patterns as plots is
to find the ones that honestly take root in personal experience. F.A. Rockwell
lists potential plot seeds from jokes, news, quotations, irritations, crisis,
values, Bible stories, Cinderella, Faust, classics, and values. She recommends
starting with clashing goals and then crisscrossing plots.
1.
Make a list of contrasting
values:
Hope vs
despair
Brotherly
love vs bigotry
Courage vs
Cowardice
2.
Once you choose the combination
that interest you, then work it out in different ways, such as the four Davis
versus Goliath possibilities. Will it end in tragedy or comedy? Depending
on your mood, material, market, and purpose, Rockwell suggests four ways to
develop a David and Goliath conflict, using real and fictional characters:
1. David
conquers Goliath. Erin Brockovich
2. David is
conquered by Goliath. Billy Budd
3. David
conquers Goliath but eventually becomes a new Goliath who threatens a new
David. The Godfather
4. David is
physically conquered by Goliath, but is undefeated morally and spiritually. Nelson Mandela
So look at your character’s situation or dilemma and ask
what is their Goliath and what personality traits and heart values will help
them overcome. In The Wild Things,
temper tantrum Max remembers love and is able to be sorry for his behavior. In Shadow Spinner, Marjan’s compassion and
gift of storytelling combine to save her mistress.
Action Steps:
Below are some general “What if?” questions to get you started.
Share: What makes your character laugh?
Read deep, marcy
What If Questions
Who is the main Character?
Who or what is the antagonist?
Who are the other people in the
story?
What does the main character
want?
How important is it for him to
get it?
What does the antagonist want?
How does he/it prevent the protagonist?
Results-initial action
Struggles lead to (crisis)
Climax
Outcome
Theme
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults
“It is important to remember that character is plot, that the plot
has to grow out of the characters, not be imposed upon them.” Jane Yolen
Characterization
In order to grow this kind of depth it is
necessary to know each key character thoroughly from the inside out, and to
know each minor character for the primary detail they contribute to the story. Whether
or not their personality, or moral character, will reflect or oppose their
external portrait first impressions matter.
Whether we mean to or not we often begin to
assess a new person from the moment we see
them. In addition to the basic criteria of size and age and gender we
consciously or unconsciously begin to make assumptions or at least make a
surface impression based on external details.
These external tags can silently add
atmosphere and focus with just a few specific phrases. What does their overall appearance
or choice of clothes suggest—are they sloppy or neat? What make you think that?
How does their speech indicate level of
education or geographic region? Are they friendly or do they scowl. What other possibilities
do their mannerisms suggest? What about attitude—do they appear shy or quiet—what
makes that difference. How do you indicate arrogance by tilt of head or
demeanor?
Each character needs one or two of these tags
to personalize themselves and your main protagonist and antagonist will need
more.
Minor Characters
Use a single, easily, identifiable
characteristic that is unique but not complex. Choose whether the character
should be flat or round. For example a bus driver may simply be flat because he
only drives the bus. However, if he has a stronger role then he, or she, might
smile or crack a joke or warning to your character as they pay, which adds
personality to them as a person. Conversely some minor characters may need to
be made flat because they really do not contribute to the heart of the story.
Whether you will use all the detail information
or not, each character needs at least a physical work-up for your own ‘visual’
impression. Is the cook young/old/from another culture? Why might any of those
versions matter or add to the plot?
Prepare to
be surprised as you write. Unexpected characters might show up and might become
minor characters instead of a flat one, or vice versa. Once you have a sense of
who your character is then you can use a chart or other methods to build up a
sense of who they are. Barely any of this will go into your story plot but you
will know them thoroughly, as well as a sibling or friend. And because you do
know them so well you will be able to pick out a telling characteristic exactly
when needed.
 Remember that real character have good and
bad qualities. And they change. Pippi is not considered to be a real child by
some because she never changes throughout all her stories.
We’ll look at internal details next week but
we must be able to identify the emotional core in your character. Choose a single core quality to focus
on at first. This is where the character will change and it comes about as a
result of what happens in the story. For example a clumsy dog saves the day.
But to begin with the reader first only sees a dog getting into trouble because
of his clumsiness. Later thought that same clumsiness causes a victory. It’s a
showing external key that grows the plot.
The key is to provide convincing motivation
for their behavior, whether helpful or destructive or contradictory. The
protagonist doesn’t need to be likeable, but must be someone the reader can
identify with, or at least be sympathetic to. Remember even the ‘bad’
characters believe they’re right. Their external details can be a mirror of their
personality or a disguise or a hint of another possibility.
Action Steps:
Develop
the look of four characters using each of the methods below for each one.
Choose two major characters and two minor ones.
1.Brainstorm
from scratch using a character chart and fill in the basics such as height,
weight, hair, skin tone, age and other basic facts.
2. Cut out
pictures from magazines and write a background for them. Or look for a person
that looks like your idea.
3. Take two
people you knew or know. Make a list of their characteristics. Now make a
single character mix and matching from their attributes. Reverse their
personality.
4. Or take
someone past or present. Change their age, their sex and completely reverse
their appearance style.
5. Bonus:
Sit in a public place for about five minutes and see whom you notice first.
Write down the physical or action characteristics that caught your attention.
Share: Which version did you find most
creative.
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults
Character Development
Here’s an exercise I’ve often used in workshops. It’s always
interesting to see what a variety of perspectives this simple prompt generates.
It’s as if everyone takes a verbal snapshot but their lens’ captures different
aspects.
1. Make
a simple quick list writing down a character’s gender—age—build—hair (type
& color) and core quality, such as honesty, hot temper, shyness, curious
etc.
2. Take a
separate sheet and across the top write: Name (leave blank)….. is waiting. In a
few sentences describe where, attitude, how character is dressed, why or for
what character is waiting.
3. Then go a
few lines down and write: if you changed this character into an animal what
would you choose?
4. Now take
the first sheet and pass it to the person on your right. Using the sheet you
just received write the paragraph exercise according to the list you’ve now
been given. Hand the sheet back.
5. Compare
your first interpretation with the other version. Are they similar? Different?
This is just
a beginning idea for a character.
Notice that each person can have a different ‘take’ on a character. And
that's fine. The reader needs to bring his/her own connections to the story.
However if a
particular characteristic is vitally important then remember that one feature must be
clearly established. Oscar on Sesame
Street is a grouch. If he doesn’t act grouchy then we know something is wrong.
We need to
build characters two ways: externally (next blog) and internally (the week
after). The most important thing is to get to know your characters inside and
out. They are to be characters and not caricatures.
Real
characters have good and bad qualities. Pippi is not a ‘real’ child because she
never changes. We’ll also look at some classics in a few weeks. It’s important
to identify the emotional core in your character. Start by choosing a single
core quality to focus on. This is the key point at which the character will change
and it comes about as a result of what happens in the story. For ex, a clumsy
dog who overcomes his weakness and saves the day.
 The key is
to provide convincing motivation for any character’s behavior, whether helpful
or destructive or contradictory. The protagonist doesn’t always need to be
likeable, but must be someone the reader can identify with or at least be
sympathetic to. In Where the Wild Things
Are by Maurice Sendak, Max begins in a temper tantrum and creates “havoc”.
Remember
even the ‘bad’ characters believe they’re right. So as you develop your main
characters look at them from all camera angles behavior wise.
Action Steps:
Return to the journal sheet and do this prompt from your
character’s perspective. Keep in mind
that every thing you can write for a journal entry for yourself can also be
written as a journal entry for your character.
- If
you had to choose a color to describe you today what would it be?
- Then
write a brief description of why?
- Now
write a few lines about whether this is a color you like or don’t or etc.
i.e. how do you feel about feeling this way today?
- If
you had to share this ‘color’ on your first day of school would you feel
good or nervous?
- Set
up a journal for your main character and whenever you have a few minutes
to brainstorm—write up a memory or question from their perspective.
Share: How would you personally feel if
you were your character sharing on the first day of school?
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children
and Young Adults
My apologies for the delay
on Part Four.
Are you ready to send your
article out? Have you lined up a list of potential markets? If one magazine
says no thanks, get ready to send it to the next and keep going down your list.
 At this point you’ve
revised the content, done a spell check, made sure your computer program used
the right word such as from and not form, checked for extra space breaks, had
an impartial reader give you feedback and have followed all the submission
requirements re word count, font size, and margins if required. Now take a
close look at overall clarity.
In his book, The First Five Pages, Noah Lukeman divides the primary reasons that
manuscripts get rejected by editors into three main categories: Preliminary
Problems, Dialogue, and The Bigger Picture.
Preliminary problems include the normal
spelling, grammar and punctuation but go beyond to include word choice, weak
sentences, presentation, style and Lukeman also adds sound, style, adjectives
and adverbs.
Basically look at your language to make sure
it said what you want it to say. Make your words count. Make your sentences
active with strong verbs.
Introduction
Does your opening include a clear topic plus your
position/attitude? Is it interesting? Create curiosity? Attract a reader’s
attention? Indicate a plan of development or a preview of points to be covered?
Why will your readers want to read more?
Paragraph Clarity
Unity: Is
there a clear opening statement of the main point?
Is the material
on target in support?
Support: Is
there specific evidence to support the opening point?
Is there enough specific evidence?
Clarity: Are
they distinct, easily and correctly understood, not only grammatically but also
in concept?
Coherence
Does the article have a clear method of
organization? Are transitions and other connecting words used to tie the
material together easily?
Closing
Is the conclusion satisfying? Did it tie up the article topic
without restating or summarizing the main points? Did it reach out to make
personal or universal observations about the implications of the theme? For the
age audience do you have next steps to suggest to build upon their curiosity?
Action Steps:
1.
Send out your article. :)
Share: What is your topic and age
category you chose? Or share your opening sentence.
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children
and Young Adults
Here is an excerpt from my
one sheet for my novel Lightbearer.
It was set on the left hand side of the page with my bio on the bottom right.
On the actual one sheet it is framed in an invisible box, which sets the
following material up almost as a poem in 28 lines. This was important to me as
it helped visualize the tone of the story.
You’ll notice that it
gives genre, age category (implied by young man), main character, and story
question. Basically enough to see if anyone is interested. It’s still general
because I don’t know under what circumstances it will be read, so I’m not
giving all the details yet.
Concrete specifics will
come in the proposal. Then you will need to give the plot line and ending. Note
too that some of this introduction material also appears later on the back
cover as well as marketing text.
In
the land of Lorica, in a place beyond time where prophecies
have been lost in
ancient history and only myth
and legend remain
intertwined with history, a Ka’hane arrives.
“Ask yourself what
would fill you with shame or shrink
your soul to do day
after day. Ask yourself what would be worth
dying for or even
harder, living, for, with no hope of reward
or recognition or
assurance you had chosen rightly. Especially
when the Darkness
returns. What will you choose then?”
Jonne, a young man on
the brink of vocation in Lorica,
is jolted by the
stranger’s piercing remarks which lead him
to emotional,
spiritual, and relational struggles as he tries to discover
the timeless question
of his purpose and identity by becoming
a Lightbearer, a
vocation people no longer even believe exists
or is relevant. The
Lightbearers are a faithful remnant that stand
as watchmen for El
Olam, God everlasting.
Share:
What is your first question re this story after reading this invitation to read
it? Or what details would cause you to say not interested?
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children
and Young Adults
One-Page Sell Sheet
1) To Pitch
Think of it as a visual pitch and cover
letter together, but with a shorter bio. Author Terry Burns says “it is a page with key information in that
an editor can pull out and take to a committee meeting to pitch the book.” He
includes an attention getting phrase or question as title. Once again: 1. This is my product.
2. Are you interested?
A potential series can be included here as
well as in the cover letter.
One editor I know occasionally opens the
calendar door for one-sheet submissions. He clearly states some specifics he
wants to see. If he is interested he then requests a brief proposal: a cover
letter, a one-page synopsis and three chapters. What I appreciate is the quick
response. It’s an immediate—yes or no possibility. One caution though when
submitting a one-sheet for a novel or longer non-fiction. Be sure the first or
even second draft is complete. When a publishing house asks for one-sheet
submissions they are usually looking for a completed project not an idea.
However often magazines and journals have
specific topics or set themes and are looking for fresh perspective. One author
I know writes regularly for a well-read audience but she has to wait for an
email invitation from the senior editor to pitch. The timing is tight. If they
say yes, she needs to be able to write up the article within a few weeks. So
she sends two or three different pitches in different categories, as she
doesn’t know where exactly the ‘holes’ are. Often her pitch might not fit the
required immediate timing, but often her ideas will get a follow up invitation
for the next edition.
2) To Prepare
Keep your own set of one-sheet
ideas. Then if an opportunity opens you will be ready.
For example, you’ve
noticed in your research that often the fall/winter issues that request nature
might use pieces on hibernation. You’ve followed all the guidelines and
polished your article till it shines. But they just bought one. No worries. Because
of your research you have two or three alternatives that would be related
without overlapping.
So whenever you research an
article, make one-sheet list of possible sidebar or additional ideas to keep
for your own file. When you have captured a child’s curiosity and hunger for
discovery the best question is what comes next or how or why or where?
Think of your articles as stepping-stones.
And from the research on your novel you will have a potential series of
non-fiction pieces for either magazines, or blog material, or marketing.
Just as a query letter, or
cover letter keep them succinct and inviting.
On Saturday I will post an
example from my novel.
Action Steps:
1.
Take
your query letter from the last blog and turn it into a one-sheet.
2.
Make
a list of side topics to go with your main pitch.
3.
Turn
them into one-sheets.
4.
Make
a list of any information you now need to fully develop these ideas angles into
article or a longer project.
Share: How many article angles do you
have from your original topic?
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children
and Young Adults
FIRST: Read the guidelines
for each publisher/agent before you send. This week agent Karen Ball described
what happens to your manuscript otherwise. And she is not only being very
honest, but kind as well. I have heard many other editors and agents give the
same advice but with a great deal more frustration due to time waste and misconnections
for themselves and the writers. See her article at: http://www.stevelaube.com/i-just-deleted-your-proposal-without-reading-it/
Query Letters/Proposals/One
Sheets will all contain some common material but the focus and presentation
will be slightly different in each. Three purposes are common ground for both
you and the potential publisher. Remember you are looking for a business match.
1.
This is my product. 2. Are you interested? 3. May I send you the full manuscript?
Query Letters.
 Query
letters are a quick way to find out whether your particular article,
theme, story, genre, will or will not connect with this particular
publisher. And for query letters you can send out several at a time as long as
you have researched the intended market.
Suppose
you have written an excellent article on the very first bicycle and your
audience target is ages 10 to 14. You are thinking of a spring launch that
might interest new riders for summer fun.
However,
even though you have followed all the directions accurately, you may not know
that the publisher has already purchased two or three articles already and are
full up. A quick rejection comes through and you both move on. Or joy, they say
send it.
Query
letters need to be short and succinct. Opening: if you met the editor or
attended a presentation where they were say so. I enjoyed meeting you at…Thank you for your invitation to query… .
Or let them know you’ve done your homework. I
see in your guidelines you are interested in… I have been reading your
magazines over the past year and have not seen this aspect of your requested subject…
mentioned.
Next,
the body: My article is for ages…..
My subject is…. My focus point is…My qualifications are….(only if it needs
some authority) Give a brief bio
that connects you in some way to your topic if possible. Example I have been working at a camp for teens and
run the bicycle trips… Or I have written/published…Otherwise just say who
you are.
Close
with a thank you. Your contact information should be in the header but if there
is anything else pertinent to contact put it here. Don’t include your telephone
number unless you have a concrete reason. But be sure to have email, blog,
website contacts if available.
Set
up a simple tracking method for all your correspondence: title, sent to, date,
return, sent to next market, purchased, published, paid. Make it as easy as
possible to maintain. One-sheets and proposals next week.
Action Steps:
1.
Choose
five possible markets for your article in process.
2.
Re-read
their guidelines.
3.
Write
up a query letter for each of them.
Share: What main difference or similarity
did you see in the guidelines you checked?
Read deep, marcy
Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children
and Young Adults
There are two ways to
approach studying the market as an overview. One is to look through relevant
publishing news and see what the publishers are looking for. Another is to know
your genre well and then search the markets that match.
Remember though that a
particular hot topic can become easily saturated, or a quick phase. By the time
you prepare to write and submit the interest has moved on to another. I suggest going deep in your particular
genre or age category or heart story. Follow industry blogs. Attend conferences,
especially one-day ones that organizations offer such as Society of Children’s
Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Writers, Romance Writers of
America, and many others. Most welcome guests so you can check out what is
available in your area without an immediate commitment. Most of them have resources to connect
you to critique groups as well.
Search the web for
publishing houses and follow their blogs and newsletters. Publisher’s Weekly
offers free weekly news updates in different categories. Check it out at PW
Children's Bookshelf <ChildrensBookshelf@email.publishersweekly.com>
Even if you are just
starting out choose one or two venues to begin to follow so that when you are
ready to market you already have an idea where to go. Keep lists of interesting
possibilities.
When you are ready to send
out queries and proposals you will already have some general publishers to
consider. Now get down to the details. Check their websites. Look at their
guidelines. LISTEN to what they don’t want.
For example one publisher
listed, “We publish pre-school
storybooks, concept book and middle grade and YA chapter books. No romance novels.” Another
non-fiction market listed, “No memoirs or personal stories.” Yet agents and editors are
continually sent projects that are directed towards the wrong publishers and
immediately returned. The publishers
know their audience and their market. It’s important to take the time to find
the right fit.
For the next few weeks
we’ll walk through the process for a non-fiction article as an example. If you
are writing fiction you are still doing research and you might find some
magazines or guest blogs that can help give you readers when your book
releases.
Here’s a sample of some
magazine non-fiction categories listed in Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s
Market: Animal, Arts/Crafts, Biography, Careers, Concept, Cooking, Fashion,
Geography, Health, History, Hobbies, How-To, Interview/Profile, Multicultural,
Nature/Environment, Religious, Science, Social Issues, Sports, and Travel
Action Steps:
1.
Sign
up for the free PW weekly email.
2.
Choose
a publisher you think you might be interested in and read their guidelines.
3.
Check
if the publisher offers sample articles to read online.
4.
Look
through the list above and see how many topics might apply to your fictional
character, or are of interest to you as a non-fiction writer.
Share: Which subject category listed above
looks the most enticing to you? Which topic did you most want to read growing up and/or still do?
Read deep, marcy
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