a few
Children's
Magazines that accept submissions
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Last
time we saw some sample illustrators & writer's book images
I did a little research into the Children's book writing process.
Looking at the Society links to writers & Illustrators web sites,
I was struck by the similarities. Almost every writer and illustrator
began the same way - writing short stories and tales for aggregate
publications. (collected story compendiums and periodical publications.
The key is to keep writing. Practice and use your skills to improve
them and keep up your "hand".
Every
writer has a writing process that enables the creation and completion
of books. In other competitive disciplines we are told to keep our
eyes on the prize. Ball players keep their eye on the ball. Yet
the ultimate goal must be ever present in our consciousness. We
toil to gain that ultimate goal of seeing our work acknowledged
and our work published. Remember this when mundane matters might
keep you from your work, or neighbors friends or family think you
are not working because you work at home or are available by phone.
No one will respect your serious attention to writing unless you
make them. Set limits and make others respect the quiet contemplative
time that writing demands. It is a necessary part of your process.
As to
writing the book, we can begin with the entire story, or a character
study & situation. Once the characters are well crafted, some
authors claim that the stories almost write themselves, but allowing
time for the process to proceed is your mandate.
If
you can find a "perfect book to use as an example or template
for our writing, give yourself the goal of improvement, and varying
or straying from the path laid out before you. Remember that this
is an artificial construct, scaffolding that you use to fabricate
your story or stories. You are not building a perfect replica of
your model. Create an elegy, but carefully avoid any appearance
of plagiarism. Inspiration and kick starting the process, are your
intentions.
This
translates in a different way into a potential problem if we try
to please someone else: friend, spouse publisher or our "audience".
We try to write what will be appreciated by everyone, yet we must
remain true to our own voice, our own vision. Learn to walk that
fine edge and keep your balance.
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