The New Jersey Children’s Writer’s Guild

What is a First Page Session?

A wise old adage cautions: You can only make a first impression once. Realtors would agree; most homes, they tell us, are sold (or not!) in the first fifteen-minutes that a prospective buyer tours a property. What does all of this have to do with First Page Sessions? A lot!
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Many parents today are looking for ways to give their children a head-start in a second language. For children’s authors, the growing interest in bilingual education offers exciting creative opportunities.

Whether you’re an author researching the current offerings in bilingual children’s literature or a parent searching for resources for your own child, member Sandra Koehler Lee’s Foreign Language Resources page should be a boon. In addition to an overview of Spanish, French, Chinese, etc., bilingual children’s books, Sandra also surveys software, DVD, and course offerings.

Thanks for the tip, Sandra!

Member Jennifer Ali has written in with some great web resources for authors - all treats and no tricks, we promise! Happy Halloween!

Jennifer Ali:
This is a bunch of my favorite haunts. Many link to each other or offer other interesting links to investigate. (more…)

Member Marvin Mayer Offers Advice for Aspiring Authors

Within the membership of The New Jersey Children’s Writers Guild, I’m probably not the most qualified person to be giving advice about writing for publication. I have yet to have a book published! (Editor’s Note: While Marvin has not yet been published by a mainstream press, his work is available at Kids Books By Marvin) However, I would like to share a few thoughts about my experiences as a writer thus far. So with all due humility, here are some of the things I have learned over the course of my first two years in writing. (more…)

Although timeless subjects abound in Children’s Literature, Editor Randi Rivers reminds us that it’s never a bad idea for a writer to ask herself what new perspective or idea is offered by her work:

Unfortunately, many submissions tend to be familiar story types. Bedtime stories, fairy tales, stories about an outcast whose bad trait makes him/her the hero, Tooth Fairy tales, and birthday stories top the list of overdone types. A lot of stories have the sole aim of teaching a lesson, but stories should be stories first—they should entertain.

If you have a fresh idea or a unique way to tell a story, that’s what catches an editor’s eye. Think about your writing style and your story’s presentation. Decide how your tale stands out from the pack and capitalize on that. If you write nonfiction, then decide what holes it fills or how it’s different from other similar books. Keep revising until you’re ready to submit. Be your own toughest critic.

If you’re attracted to an archetypical figure or theme, don’t despair: remember that classics are frequently ripe for reinterpretation or a new spin.

Randi Rivers is a playwright and former publisher currently working as an editor for Charlesbridge Publishing, where she “acquires and edits eight to ten children’s books per year.”

Trying to find the inspiration for a story?  Award winning author and poet Eileen Spinelli has a quick tip for brainstorming new ideas from her Highlights Foundation Writers workshop:

Begin by asking yourself some questions:

Who was my favorite relative when I was a child? Why? What is my first cooking memory? Where did I keep my secret treasures? What did I collect?

Think about the things that haunt you. For me it is the ocean, snow, the moon, dancing. Pay attention to images from your daily life—a bowl of soup, my grandmother’s cut-glass cake stand, the hummingbird in our garden.

When an idea “makes a sound in your heart,” explore it. Fish around. Take risks. Play. Write from your own soul. Your own heart. Learn to trust your own deep self.

Don’t discount the narrative gems of your own life!  The events and experiences that have stuck with you are likely to make an impression on your readers, too.

~ Sheila

Timeless themes and conflicts will forever remain a staple of children’s writing, but Highlights for Children contributor Andrew Gutelle reminds us that a savvy children’s writer also keeps her finger on the pulse of current events:

Content is king. For today’s kids this includes everything from old standbys like dinosaurs and horses to new passions like cell phones and iPods. Since publishing companies are eager to produce what kids want, it is critical that you stay current on the subject of reader interests.

Because they must attract and hold an audience every month, editors of children’s magazines are on the frontline when it comes to interpreting the likes and dislikes of kids. Be sure to check several different magazines regularly. Even general interest publications have a particular point of view, and you want to consider kids from different perspectives. Whichever ones you choose, pay close attention to letters to the editor, advice columns, and other departments where readers can openly express their thoughts in their own words.

Among other accomplishments, Andrew Gutelle ”is a writer, editor, and editorial consultant who has participated in the development of many publishing projects for children,” as well as a five-time Emmy nominee for his work on Reading Rainbow.

~ Joshua

Having trouble bringing a scene to life?  Here’s a technique from Highlights for Children editor Kim Griswell that might help you discover unexplored possibilities for richer prose:

You’ve probably been told a thousand times that writers must show, not tell in their stories. What does that really mean? Showing means writing all five senses into your story: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

To find out if you’re using all five senses, get a set of five highlighters, each in a different color. Go through your text and highlight all the sensory details, using a different color for each sense: sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. You’ll be able to see right away if you’re favoring one sense to the exclusion of others. Sight is the sense most of us favor, though if asked what stays in the memory longest, smells, tastes, or sounds often come to the fore. If your writing leaves a sensory vacuum, go back and add sensory images to enrich your story and allow readers to experience it as if they were there.

This tip comes from a workshop given by Kim at the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. For more information about this workshop or her upcoming Founders Workshop, Finding Your Voice, visit www.highlightsfoundation.org. Please feel free to pass this tip on to others who may be interested.

Kim T. Griswell spent six years as the coordinating editor of Highlights. She currently serves as senior editor, special projects, for Highlights for Children, Inc. Her service has spanned the worlds of publishing and teaching, leading her to positions as senior editor, book development manager, a university instructor, and a teacher with the Institute of Children’s Literature. She holds master’s degrees in teaching writing and in literature. A prolific writer and committed editor, Kim has published more than two hundred short stories, articles, and columns. Her children’s book, Carnivorous Plants, was published by Kidhaven Press in 2002.

~The Highlights Foundation