Yes, You Can - Writing Challenge Day 6

I have my story idea for the reptiles, now I have to figure out where to send it. I went to Amazon to find a list of children's magazines. This was very helpful. On the Amazon listing, it shows the target audience for the magazine and what it covers in the publication. Their list includes only ten or so options.

Now I need to go back online to find the writer's guidelines. I am amazed at how many publishers hide their guidelines. If you type in a search option on their site with "submissions" or "writer's guidelines" it comes up with nothing. However, if you click on the "contact us" it will then show you the writer's guidelines that didn't come up on their internal search engine or site map. With one major publication I couldn't find their details anywhere on their site. Then I did a google search with the magazine name and writer's guidelines and found it.

I also did some research at my library and the local Barnes & Noble to see what publications they stock. I found some wonderful choices and my two favorite for the best fit were Ranger Rick and National Geographic for Kids. I googled them and found that Ranger Rick is not even accepting queries and I could not find any info on submissions at all for Nat Geo. If it is that hard to find guidelines, I would think they really don't want any freelance work.

It looks like I have about four options. Now I need to review their publications to see what their style is. I picked up several magazines at the library and will start reading them. Some of these magazines set out a theme a year in advance for what each issue will cover. As a result, I had to check one publication off my list as they aren't dealing with reptiles in 2011.

Yes, You Can - Writing Challenge Day 3

I am using this book to help me focus. I get so excited about writing that I jump from one idea to another. Then I don't know which to work on. This dovetails somewhat into the idea that Nancy suggests in her book. This is to turn your weaknesses into strengths. But how do you turn a weakness of jumping about from one story idea to another into a strength? That she doesn't address.

So I will focus on what she does suggest. As an example, if you love to read books then use that love of reading to see if you can do a book review. That sounds doable to me. As I read lots of children's books I could see about doing a book review column. I have sent out queries to 6 ezines with that suggestion. Next I will try some local sources. What I am learning here is that writing entails research for not only your ideas but new sources where they can be placed. It is getting me to think outside the box as to other ways of writing.

The Benefits...This is getting me to focus on writing the dreaded "query" email. I re-wrote it three times from the first email to the sixth one. I also discovered there are a lot of ezines out there that already have book reviews, but that isn't stopping me. Even if I don't get a column I can still write reviews on Amazon and other sources. This will continue to hone my writing skills.

Yes, I am a Writer!

I do a lot of reading and research and at times, I feel I am a hamster on a spinning wheel. I feel I am going around in circles and getting nowhere. That’s when I remember a favorite phrase that keeps me focused, “Do the footwork and stay out of the results.”

This reminds me to do my part, keep at it, and let the results take care of themselves. This ties in nicely to an article I read in Writer’s Digest. Here is a short blurb from it that really caught my attention.

Take yourself seriously – Many beginning writers feel guilty about working so hard at something for which they haven’t been paid a cent. Immediate family members or friends may look on writing as a harmless little hobby, to be encouraged only when it doesn’t interfere with their own lives…You must emphatically demonstrate to yourself and to others that writing is a part of who you are, not just an amusing pastime. The measure of being a writer is not how much money you make, but how important writing is in your life.

This is part of the article entitled, The 10 Commandments of Fiction Writing. If you’d like to learn more, click here.

Wishing and Hoping in Anticipation

I’ve had a busy last two weeks. I’ve sent out 2 stories, entered 2 contests and done the first and second draft of a picture book. Now the waiting comes in. I can’t just sit back and wait for something to happen. It’s time for the next follow through. I have to do the research as to which publisher will be the best fit for my picture book. Unlike clothes, one size doesn’t fit all (and those one size clothes really don’t fit everyone). So it’s time to hit the bookstores and libraries to find publishers that fit my style. There are a ton of publishers out there!

However, if my first choice of publishers doesn’t agree with me, I can’t give up. I have to keep trying to find the right fit. Here’s a link to a piece about the importance of keeping your work circulating by Evelyn B. Christensen who is an award winning children’s author.