Project three – Dilemma

As you know, I’ve spent years and years, on and off with this project and the story itself is complete.  I went to format it for submission a few nights ago, and I realised I wasn’t happy with the title at all.  Trying not to go down the JK Rowling path and calling it “Person Personally and the things thing” is tricky because this is where my brain keeps taking me.  I’ve always known it to be its current title but I think it needs something more punchy, something memorable and now I’m stuck!

Presently, I’m at Starbucks, today with my tonsillitis riddled husband, so the plan is simple – get brainstorming, get feedback and then get submitting!

Advertisement

Resources For Writing

Over on the writing picture books website I’ve discovered a list of resources for writing for children, the most recent book amongst the collection is from 2012 but I think a helpful book is still just that, regardless of age.  I’ve listed them below but they are all listed fully on the main website.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books, by Harold D. Underdown and Lynne Rominger, Alpha Books, 2008

The Business of Writing for Children, by Aaron Shepard, Shepard Publications, 2000

Picture Writing:  A New Approach to Writing for Kids and Teens, by Anastasia Suen, Writers Digest Books, 2003

Writing With Pictures:  How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books, by Uri Shulevitz, Watson-Guptil, 1997

It’s a Bunny-Eat-Bunnny World:  A Writer’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Today’s Competitive Children’s Book Market, by Olga Litowinsky, Walker Books, 2001

The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children, by Nancy Lamb, Writer’s Digest Books, 2001

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Marketplace, published yearly by Writer’s Digest Books

Writing Fiction for Children:  Stories Only You Can Tell, by Judy K. Morris, University of Illinois Press, 2001

Children’s Picture Books: The Art of Visual Storytelling, by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles, Laurence King Publishers, 2012

Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew, by Ursala K. Le Guin, Eighth Mountain Press, 1998

Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg, Shambhala Library, 2010

Hopefully they’ll be useful to someone.

Writer’s Block

Typically I’m quite good at finding quirky names for people, places and things in my stories but I seem to be facing an obstacle with project three.  I need a name for an area of land and, to keep it short and sweet, I’m stumped!

It’s not stopping me from formatting the rest of it but it’s a bugbear, to say the least, so close to the end!

 

Project Three – Second Draft

Tuesdays are typically my Starbucks-Writing day.  Today I didn’t feel like going, whether it’s the weather – the lack of any sort of cold anywhere, or my ideas didn’t feel like being typed out with the help of a Latte, I’ll never know.  Instead, I ran a few errands and was home before 10am.  For the first time in days, I opened up Project Three and edited a bit more.

I think one more draft, and then it’ll be sent off for submission – if I’m honest, I think that’ll happen by the end of the week, it’s that close to the end.  I’m looking forward to having another piece of work sent out into the ether, waiting for a positive response.  It will happen one day.  It has to.

Project Three – First Draft

Tonight I’ve sat and gone through project three, my personal favourite for many reasons and I’m happy with the results so far.  Either tomorrow or in a few days I plan to go back to it and edit again, eliminate everything wrong with it etc.  As it’s a rhyming story it is somewhat harder to polish up as there are challenging restrictions but in two hours I’ve managed to do a significant rewrite on the original, so I’m going to leave it there and let the dust settle for now.

Currently, my google searches mostly consist of

• “What rhymes with …”
• “Synonyms for …”

They have helped massively.

If you’ve written a rhyming story, have you got any advice or tips you’d like to share?

 

 

 

 

Publisher’s Help

After browsing for an agent to submit my work to, I came across Maverick.  I won’t be able to send my current manuscript to them as the story does not fit their requirements BUT I did find some helpful tips for those who could do with a bit of guidance.

 

I think project three will be suitable for Maverick though, so let’s see what happens once that is ready for submitting.

Writing Project Three

With Project Robot, I’ve previously mentioned that it needs a lot of reshuffling around and a lot of work put into it.  At the minute, I feel like I need to let it rest and let my brain do the thinking so will shelve this project for a later date.

Which means I’m moving straight to project three – my favourite! It’s the story I’ve had for years and is inspired by my eldest.  I’m very excited to be editing as it does need doing but I feel it’s closer to completion which encourages me to get a move on with it.

How are your projects coming along?

Gym and Thoughts

I opted for the gym as it’s equally important to exercise my body as well as my mind and I can happily say, from a vigorous workout, I’ve been rethinking project robot.

Its nothing major but the first draft, I think, needs a bit of shuffling around somewhat so instead of just rewriting the sentences I should map it all out again and from that framework of view find the best way to get to the end.

As a short story it should still be accomplished within a couple of weeks.

Busy Bee At Work

More submitting – check

More over-thinking about the writing – check

More cookies eaten as a result – check

More happiness for getting work done – check

Good evening – check

Very Nearly There!

Good evening all!

I have completed project 1, once and for all! It’s been formatted accordingly and now ready for sending off.

I have spent today on the covering letter and this evening my caring and very supportive husband checked everything through but alas, tiredness has got the better of me.

So tomorrow, when I’m fully alert, I will triple-double-chocolate check it all and send then. There’s no point sending it when I’m focusing on keeping my eyes open, rather than acheiving a dream. Its not worth the risk right?

Will keep you posted. To reward myself for getting to this point I must see what is on my Amazon wishlist and purchase what my card will allow me to spend.

Keep on being creative everyone!