Ten Nitty-Gritty Facts for Children's Writers

1. Writing for children is not a starting place for a writer to work on their craft nor for the faint of heart. A lot of children’s stories consist of approximately 800 words or a 16-200 page book. Within this framework you've got to have realistic characters, an enthusiastic storyline, a believable plot and dialogue. Also, the child protagonist has to be the one who solves the problem---not the adult.

2. Never talk down to a child reader. Don't assume they can't understand above their level. Children need and want challenge to learn and grow in their reading. Give them real problems that can captivate them.

3. Understand a child’s needs. Children need to be loved, to have friends, to feel secure, to learn and grow, to find entertainment just as adults do.

4. Always show them a good time and you will have a reader for life.

5. The characters of your story will grow as they experience their adventure, and your readers may grow as well. Children can learn that life is not always fair but there are ways to survive and have hope. They can understand that it is normal to be jealous, afraid, angry or lonely. Through your words children can see how an attitude can change their life. However, don't fall into the trap of "preaching" to them. If you let them see a young thief grow and change they will have learned a lesson in a non-threatening way.

6. Understand the market. The children's market is tight and the competition is fierce. Read good and bad books that are being read by kids. Have a talk with your local librarian. She or he will be able to point you to the most popular books children are reading. Join the Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators (http://www.scbwi.org/).

7. Nonfiction does not need to be boring. Remember how you despised those dry history and science books? A creative children’s writer can spice up the dullest history books with a little action thrown in and a well-written story line will enthrall the kids to the point they will not realize they are even learning.

8. Unless you or your cousin are a clone of Steven Kellogg, let the editor choose an illustrator for your picture book. Editors have the final say so on artwork and may not like it if you push a packaged deal.

9. What if you are not around children every day? No problem. Spend some time at a playground with a notepad then eavesdrop and observe. You can also go to a restaurant popular with kids. Volunteer some time in a classroom. Watch how the kids react with each other. Study body language and listen to conversation.

10. Read, read, and read lots of magazine stories and nonfiction for kids. You will get a feel for genres, story lengths and what is popular. Get to know your reader and they will want to know you.

This post was inspired by children's author Kathryn Lay.

Write it down,

Carma

Dick and Jane Don't Cut it Anymore

If you are interested in writing and or illustrating children’s books, young adult books, fiction, or non-fiction, you will need to study various aspects of the industry before you try to find a publisher.

I ran across a great site for Children’s authors, published or not. America Writes 4 Kids. There are just loads of links for anyone looking for some good quality resources. The Children’s Book Council, Highlights Foundation and more. The recommended read for February is “Can You Keep a Secret” by P.J. Petersen. Click here to visit his web page and take a look at the books he has written. Titles like “The Sub” and “I Hate Weddings”

I also found some great do’s at America Writes 4Kids to help guide you on the way to success. I’m going to follow them myself.

DO:

1. Learn the market. Spend lots of time in your local bookstore and library, reading through current bestsellers.

2. Perfect your craft. Before worrying about seeing your name in print, really learn how to write. Take courses, read "how-to" books, join a writing group, and so on. Master dialogue, characterization and plot. Write for the sake of writing, and enjoy the journey -- you'll have plenty of time to chase a publishing contract later.

3. Focus your attention on "hot" areas in children's publishing. Publishers continue to look for multicultural stories, nonfiction for all ages, horror stories and easy readers.

4. Request publisher guidelines and catalogs before submitting your work to a publisher. Study these to make sure your work is what the publisher is currently seeking.

5. Learn to write a crisp, upbeat query letter that will grab the attention of a harried editor.

6. Be persistent. Success as a writer rarely comes easily or quickly. Don't get discouraged by rejection...just keep writing!

Another very important DO is to join the Children’s Writers Coaching Club where you can learn all of the above from inspiring professionals. Learn to create a part or full time writing career of your dreams. Click here.

Now that you know WHAT to do, here is what NOT to do.

DON'T

1. Assume today's kids' books are just like the ones you read as a child. Juvenile literature is more sophisticated, creative and far-ranging than ever before. Dick & Jane don't cut it anymore!

2. Get bogged down in clichés. Editors are sick of cute talking animals, "ugly duckling" stories about shy wallflowers who save the day, and moralistic tales that shout "it's OK to be different!" Strive for originality.

3. Treat kids like babies. Don't talk down to your readers. Use rich and interesting language that evokes strong visual images.

4. Preach. Your job as a writer is to entertain. If your story has a message, tell it through the plot and characters, not by a "moral" tacked on to the end.

Write it down,

Carma

Blogging Versus Writing

I was reading Dwaud Miracle’s post about “I’d like to blog but I can’t write” and was moved to put in my 2 cents on my blog instead of commenting on his. Besides maybe a new reader will stop by and check out his blog, therefore spreading the link love.

I agree that someone who maintains and develops a blog does not have to be a writer. The crème de la crème of writing a blog is the message. Communicate your message effectively and passionately and the mechanics of writing will develop naturally.

What we believe will determine our attitudes toward that one thing. Since whatever you believe about yourself will end up affecting what you do, you can be sure that if you believe you are not a writer, your belief will turn out to be correct, true or not.

Belief does not require that something be true, it only requires that YOU believe it to be true.

If you believe you are a writer, then by golly you ARE a writer. Just because you can’t spell good doesn’t mean you can’t write substance. After all that is why there are people in the business of editing.

What you believe can also work against you. Let’s say you believed you had trouble being accepted easily by others. As a result you found yourself standing back at parties and unsure of yourself. This can harm your self esteem. Most of the beliefs we have of ourselves are not true but our mind will believe if we let it.

Are our beliefs like birth marks? Do our beliefs one day spring out of no where? Our beliefs are not accidents of nature.

Write it down,

Carma

The Gift of Permission

When you make the decision to move forward in your writing career, it will be the first of many. You will hit many obstacles and frankly, it will be tempting to turn back.

"It’s too hard you say."

"I didn’t know it would take so much time."

This thought comes to mind: Do you truly want to reach your destination?

It is in this moment of decision that your destiny is shaped.

These decisions are YOURS to make. Remind yourself why you began this journey in the first place.

Give yourself the gift of Permission: The permission to fail, doubt and succeed, then open that gift of permission and recognize that you are moving toward your goal and you have made the right choice. A quitter never feels true commitment and will never know the glory of success.

Write it down,

Carma

Let Me In Coach

There is still time to catch a free coaching session on Friday December 7 at 12 noon PST with Lisa Gates of Design Your Writing Life. Don't hesitate. To sign up click here.

This is a rare treat to have time with Lisa at her cost. Don't miss it. As a former client I will attest to the benefits of having Lisa as your coach.

Write it down,
Carma

Have A Little Soul

I ran across a wonderful website. Heather Blakely is the webmaster of Soul Food Café which houses Dailywriting.net and more. The Soul Food Café is a labyrinth offering a wealth of creative stimuli and a multitude of links from writing prompts, inspirations, stories, writing motivation, imaginations and much more. When you visit the Soul Food Café, you can read about its Seven layers.

This site is full of inspiration for writers and artists who are looking to revive their passion. It is an experience one must experience personally. It can take you deep into cyber space but you will not care.

It may take a long time to go through the amazing layers but you will not want to rush. Take your time. This novice blogger plans too.

Write it down,

Carma

The Myth of Motivation

After a trip to the local library I came across this wonderful book “What To Say When You Talk To Yourself” by Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D. I was instantly inspired and became a fan. Helmstetter’s perspective on motivation and the definition of responsibility are quite enriching.

The term “The Motivation Myth” intrigued me and it answered my long nagging question “Why don’t motivational speeches and classes work for me?”

There are different kinds of motivation and different kinds of motivators. The most familiar type of motivation consists of an audience of anxious listeners, sitting entranced while a dynamic enthusiastic speaker weaves a web of pure magic, the spun gold of riches and success. For an hour or two (and in some cases days) the listeners are shown a new destiny, a grand new vision of their unlimited potential. All they have to do is believe. They leave the conference with new and uplifting, life-changing self-esteem. Tomorrow they will break all the barriers of defeat.

If you have ever attended a motivational meeting or conference, you have felt the contagious spirit a popular and experienced speaker can compel you to embrace. These speakers are like pied pipers and for the most part they do their job… They motivate, but it is temporary. It is external. External motivation works against us.

We may believe this external motivation for a time but the Motivator goes home and we face the next day alone, again. Our poorly fed internal motivator waits patiently for us to come down to earth and believe what we have fed it for years. “No!...you cannot (insert word).

How about being your own motivator? Take charge and put yourself back into control. You can do this by learning that the only kind of motivation you can depend on is internal motivation. Imagine being able to rely on yourself and never again need anyone else to prod or push you into activating your own best efforts.

Read about self-motivation. Then write about it.

One of Helmstetter’s self-talk mantras is “I accept the responsibility for living my life in a way which creates my strengths, my happiness, my positive, healthy beliefs, and for my past, my present and my future.”

If this is a little too lofty try “I like how I feel, and I like how I think and I like how I do things. I approve of me and I approve of who I am.”

Write it down,
Carma

You Might As Well Have Written Nothing

This is what Skellie, guest poster for Brian Clark of Copyblogger said when he brought up the point that readers need to understand what you write. Read the post in its entirety.

When you have an earth shattering idea the world needs to hear, it won't mean a thing if readers cannot understand it.

Skellie elaborates on five tactics to help you write clearly and expressively.

Another important detail to learn how to become a better writer is to follow Brian Clark's 10 steps. You will be amazed by the simplicity of it all.

Write it down,

Carma

Should You Believe Statistics?

Should we let them rule our life and/or dissuade us from writing or publishing?

Will you let this information influence your professional writing life or will you make your own statistics?

Or will you take the viewpoint of Benjamin Disraeli?

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics" -Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman.

Writers and Authors

81% of the population feels they have a book inside them.

27% would write fiction.

28% would write on personal development

27% would write history, biography, etc.

20% would do a picture book, cookbook, etc.

6 million have written a manuscript.

6 million manuscripts are making the rounds.

Out of every 10,000 children's books, 3 get published.

Jerrold Jenkins. 15 May 99. http://www.JenkinsGroup.com

While the US Population is growing and education levels are rising, book sales are not....due to heavy media competition for leisure time.

--Business Trend Analysts, Inc. as reported in Publishers Weekly, October 27, 1997. http://www.businesstrendanalysts.com/ http://www.PublishersWeekly.com

Who is your audience?

Women buy 68% of all books. -Lou Aronica, Senior V-P Avon Books. Publishers Weekly, March 22, 1999. http://www.PublishersWeekly.com

The median household income for book buyers is $41,600, compared to $35,300 for all adults. -Bookselling This Week, November 10, 1997. http://news.bookweb.org/

Men are more likely to shop in chain stores than women. Women are more likely to shop in discount stores and supermarkets than men. --Publishers Weekly, May 12, 1997, page 13. http://www.PublishersWeekly.com

The above information was obtained from Para Publishing web site at http://parapub.com/sites/para/resources/statistics.cfm

Write it down,

Carma

Book Shopping -

Thanks to Chris Brogan who wrote 100 Blog Topics I Hope YOU Write, I have a topic to write about today. Thanks Chris for sharing such a wealth of jump starts.

It has been pretty tough these last few days to come up with ANYTHING to write about! I was thrown off my quill when I had to go attend to my adult daughter who had surgery last week.

What writer doesn’t love book stores? When you walk into your local book store and see all the newly released books proudly displayed on the front table, do you picture your book there? I do. Visualization is a great tool to motivate and activate your sluggish momentum that has been dragging you down.

Someone might want to know what kinds of books writers read. I like true life stories, self help, motivational and biographies. Recently I bought (and am reading) “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell, The power of thinking without Thinking. Who wants to spend all their time thinking? If you are like me, you want your ideas to pop in with out any effort and you want to be able to make sound and accurate decisions in the blink of an eye. This book promises to be mind opening reading.

A couple of other interesting books recently purchased by me are “The Nazi Officer’s Wife” How one Jewish Woman survived the Holocaust and “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health” which is being released nation wide tomorrow, September 25. This is a collaborative book with 101 authors from radically different branches of the healing profession to help you overcome unhealthy habits. The authors were selected by David Riklan and Dr. Joseph Cilea.

One of the authors, Shayn Cutino from Anja Health Center, is a dear friend of mine. Visit Shayn’s website and discover how you can improve your self esteem. She and I are also co-authoring a new book that will blend the implementation of hypnosis and the insight of philosophy. More news on that is forth coming.

Reading is an important part of writing and there have been times when I feel I don’t have time to read. Today, my mantra is "I don’t have time NOT to read". Well it is off to the library to do research on my book proposal. Treading new waters is exciting and scary but remember nothing happens with out action.

Write it down,
Carma

Is Blogging a Spectator Sport?

“I want to watch you blog” my grown-up daughter said. I laughed out loud because I had not thought of blogging as a spectator sport. When I think spectator I think football and tennis, not blogging. I also wondered how many people do not understand what blogging is? When I began this year, I did not have a clue, but I have come to love it. Blogging gives me opportunity to write to and for others.

Let’s imagine for a moment that blogging is a spectator sport. How would a spectator cheer you, the Blogger, on? I don’t know about you but I would be distracted if someone sitting next to me or standing over my shoulder, as I wrote, cheered me on.

“Hooray! That’s a great sentence”

“Wow you type so fast! You’re awesome, Rah, rah, sis boom bah.”

I must admit that I am no different than most. I love to receive lavish praise but not while I am writing. Blogging is personal… private…my space… until I publish my words. Plus it would be distracting and take away my creative ability.

The best way for blogging spectators (supporters) to cheer for their favorite blogger is to read their writing and comment on their blogs. In addition to that, read their books and Ebooks, subscribe to their blog. Blogging is not a spectator sport, it is a writer’s life and most bloggers are striving to improve their blogs on a regular basis. One way is to read other blogs.

For instance Ben Yoskovitz of Instigator blog was a guest blogger for Brian Clark at Copywriter.com the other day and He discusses the reality of using links and provides 5 types of links that are regularly used each with a different purpose. Jump over there and check it out.

The above is a fine example of how to learn, improve and educate yourself about blogging.

Write it down,
Carma

Write as if You Were Dying

“Write as if you were dying. At the same time, assume you write for an
audience consisting solely of terminal patients. That is, after all, the case.
What would you begin writing if you knew you would die soon? What could you say
to a dying person that would not enrage by its triviality?”

(Annie Dillard)

Barbara Demarco-Barrett of Pen on Fire, is responsible for me finding the essay Write Till You Drop, by Annie Dillard which was published in the New York Times May 28, 1989. I know that was quite sometime ago, but some words are timeless and I think Dillard's are just as relevant to the 21st Century as then.

Dillard says that every book has an inherent impossibility, which is what a writer will notice as soon as the excitement for the project begins to dwindle. You write in spite of it. You have an idea, a plot, THE story, it has come to you on wings with your name on it, maybe just one line at a time but it is there nonetheless. I love Dillard’s words, “It’s like something you memorized once, and forgot.”

What do you write? Complex stories, poems, articles, essays? They all have the same difficulty as does a long novel. But do you think it is better to throw yourself into a bunch of little projects or should you exhaust your energy into one big book? Dillard says you should spend it all in one long project.

You know the saying “use it or lose it”. Creativity should not be bottled up or saved for another time. Ideas are saved and planned but when the words begin to flow don’t try to stop it. Give everything you have. Don’t lock it up. Write about winter in the summer.

Remember the last time a line or a few words were delivered to you magically, or so it seemed, and your fingers went flying over the keys. You couldn’t stop until you had spent all that you had received. This is the experience I am talking about. You are sitting at the keyboard or writing pad. Tapping your toe; thinking; “I wonder if Diane is going to call me.” Your mind is wandering from one place to the next like the balls in a lotto drum going round and round and never landing. You never see the words coming until they are in your face. You write till you drop.

Further, as writers we are also readers, so what do you look for in a writer? Are you looking for wisdom or courage? Why else do you read? I must admit I read for knowledge and entertainment. I am always inspired by other people’s words.

Write it down,

Carma

Writing Is Like Dancing

Everyone wants it but not everyone is willing to do what it takes to be successful.

With hair neatly pulled back in slick shiny pony tails, sparkling black patent tap shoes gleaming from their feet, I drove my talented twin girls to the local dance studio. They danced around the house all the time and I knew they were full of natural talent.

Soon my fantasy turned into the reality of turned in toes, bent knees, rounded backs and $400 a month! This was not the picture I had of my little darlings in the limelight. Stardom was going to take a little longer than I had imagined.

I filled out the enrollment form for the weekly 4:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon combination class.

Week one: Ballet, jazz and tap all taught in 55 minutes. (what did I know?) At this rate they would learn one dance in nine months that would be performed at the annual recital.

Week two: Flap, flap, ball chain, shuffle, grapevine… Dance slang… So exciting… I was learning more than my seven year olds. My feet were itching to get out there with them.

Week three: My daughters were beginners but they had talent. I am sure the teacher would recognize it if she would just take her eyes off the Shirley Temple Clone in the cutsie leotard.

Week four: At last! The individual attention I had been waiting for. Each child was to gracefully walk across the floor on their little tippy toes while holding their arms as if they were carrying a large beach ball, with heads high and shoulders down…. It was obvious my darlings had never carried a large beach ball.

Week five: Repetition of weeks, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Thirty-six more weeks to go.

Before the thirty-six weeks were half over, I knew that one dance class a week was not going to make anyone in that class a dancer. In order to become good at what you do, you must do it daily. This is what dance taught me and my daughters.

Six years after that first week, one daughter was dancing with the Theatre Ballet of San Francisco and performed in their Nutcracker for two seasons. Also she performed with the Oakland Ballet Nutcracker five seasons. She is now fulfilling her passion as a ballet teacher.

The second twin’s passion was not dance but she loved the discipline it taught her and performing. Dance helped her to overcome her shyness when she tried out for Cheerleader and nailed a place on the team.

Writing is like dancing. It is a discipline and it must be practiced daily.

Write it down,

Carma

Win Up To $500 in Writing Contest!

Dina Santorelli is publisher of the bi-monthly online magazine, W.H.Y. (work.home.you), a magazine dedicated to entrepreneurs of all types, work at homers, telecommuters, and part time work at homers. W.H.Y. is conducting their first annual writing contest.

You don't have to be a work at homer or even a writer. If you have an interesting story, fiction or non-fiction you can.....well don't listen to me. W.H.Y. can explain it much better. Go here to find out all the details.

While you are there take a look around W.H.Y. Their articles are upbeat and they have the latest scoop on work, home and you.

Write it down,

Carma

Are Article Directories Worth Your Time?

The answer is Yes!

Especially for the beginning writer. Where else can a novice go to publish their words? There is a line in a song sung by Jerry Lee Lewis that says (loosely translated) “I keep giving my music to the man, he doesn’t know that I would sing to him for free” and many times when I am walking my trail and listening to my favorite walking songs, this one in particular inspires me because I feel the same passion about my writing that Jerry Lee felt when he sang about giving his talent away.

Well, “the man” does know we will write for free in the beginning and that is why there are article directories like Ezine Article Directory available. I do understand that some article directories will pay and also there are some that get more exposure than others. There is always a need for good content and article directories are one place to look for it.

Since I have been having conversations with the group of authors who are participating in the LKarticlechallenge, my learning curve is growing. Chris Smith of TecknoCoach graciously compiled a list of article directories in order of their ranking. What a great resource this is for writers who are looking to get their name out there. You can view it here.

Yet, there is an element of danger in submitting your writing for free to article directories. Plagiarism! Even though the instructions are quite clear that an author’s resource box must be included with any article that is published by someone else on another site or blog, this does not mean it will not happen. We all know that in the real world, unethical people are waiting around the corner to steal from you.

I took the risk and began submitting articles to Ezine. It was a daunting step for me because of the unfamiliarity I have with article submissions. As in my post about Pulverizing Procrastination by Andrew Grant taking the first bite of the elephant is the most important step of pulverizing the beast. I encourage you to read Andrew Grant’s seven tips to pulverize procrastination again and move forward with your writing.

Also I have two articles that have been accepted to Ezine thus far. You can click here for #1 and click here for #2. I would love to hear your comments. Your input is important to me.

Write it down,
Carma

Achieve Success - Hire A Coach

A writer needs a coach for the same reason an athlete does. For instance, consider Joe Blanton, pitcher for the Oakland A’s. He did not tie an Oakland rookie record of 12 wins in 2005 with out a coach, nor did he throw his first shutout on May 31 against the Royals without a pitching coach.

I am not a coach, but I am a “coach-ee” and my “coach-er” is Lisa Gates from Design Your Writing Life. I met Lisa right here in the blogosphere and she taught me how to define the difference between the “I have to’s” and the “I am committed to’s” for my writing career and personal life (among other things).

I have to…oops…I am committed to writing my book proposal by September. See what I mean?

Are you finding yourself spending time on unproductive work? What is unproductive work? For me it is washing dishes, cooking, or cleaning house. All of these things can be hired out. Why should you do anything that you can pay someone else to do or have your partner do? Thus, freeing up more time to spend on your writing.

Are you earning enough money? Of course not but a coach will show you ways to improve in that area.

Are you good at what you do but you are not getting the desired results? This is probably true for most of us. A coach will show you how to get the desired result.

Coaches smooth the progress for their clients in gaining confidence, establishing goals, building a strong foundation and becoming successful. Through Lisa’s coaching I was able to come up with a dynamite motto which will inform my target audience what I do. When I fine tune it, I will be ready to publish.

Hiring a writing coach is not about having someone check grammar and punctuation, although they are quite capable and experienced in that field. A coach gives support, listens and teaches. Furthermore, the objectivity they provide is tremendous because they are not so embedded in your trees that they can’t see your forest.

Write it down,

Carma

Take A Bite From the Billion Dollar Book Pie

This incredible information came from Billie Williams at Printed Words

290,000 books were published in 2006 – makes you feel like a needle in a haystack if you are an author. Where do you fit, how can you possibly hope to compete? Take heart!31 Billion dollars a year is, according to a recent survey, spent on book purchases. That’s a lot of change. I imagine some are purchased for schools, but many of their textbooks are used year after year with minimal replacement. So, you have to think that most books are purchased for personal reasons. All you have to do is write the book you are passionate about, market it like there is no tomorrow, and you may carve out your slice of that Billion dollar pie.

And here is a daunting thought:

Speaking of writing — did you know that if you have an idea that you think sounds like a great first line, gets you unstuck on your current WIP (Works in Progress) or just takes your breath away—you only have 37 seconds to capture that fleeting pellet of wisdom before it floats away on the ether? And even if you can recall bits and pieces of it — within 7 minutes it will be gone forever.

I know all of us have experienced the familiar panic attack when a “WOW” idea hits us and there is NOTHING to write on or what about the time the title of your book popped in your head and you KNEW this was IT and you were lathered up in the shower? What did you do?

I used to place one of those notepads with a rubber suction cup on the dashboard of my car. Other than looking nerdy, I think the sight of it chased my muse away. Day after day the blank paper on the note pad glared at me. Finally, I got rid of it.

Now when I am in the car, I carry a personal digital recorder in my purse. It isn’t much bigger than a lipstick case and it works great. Not only does it record my bright ideas, it records the inflection of my tone and mood. I love that part. When I am at home, I have pen and paper in every room of the house.

If you get a chance click on over to the Printed Word and read Billie’s post in its entirety.

Billie A Williams, Award winning author of over two dozen fiction works, plus non-fiction and poetry books, articles, columns and recently a 3-Act Play to be released July 2007. http://www.billiewilliams.com/ http://www.word-mage.com/ (where you can visit other authors of her Word Mage writing group)

Write it down,

Carma

Plumbers Versus Writers

When I became a plumbing contractor I had no skills but I had knowledge. When I became a writer, I had skills but no knowledge. (Carma Dutra)

I have been a plumbing contractor for 25 years and I have been a writer for 6 months...professionally speaking that is. Following are some similarities between plumbing and writing.

Plumbers are specialists. Plumbers apprentice for numerous years before being recognized as a journeyman plumber. Plumbers are the health of the nation.

Writers are specialists and apprentice their craft by attending workshops and submitting oodles of proposals for a lot of years before being recognized and published.

Scores of plumbing contractors own their own business and service customers.

Countless writers own their business and work for clients.

What about image? Not all writers are as well known as Stephen King and the fickle public tends to discount you as a professional if you’re not on the top 10 sellers list.

You have heard about the infamous “Plumber’s crack” which is the image the world envisions when thinking of plumbers (thanks to the media)

The price that a writer or a plumber charges for their work is exorbitant if you believe the non-professional. There are numerous people who think a writer or a plumber can work for minimal wage?

In order to have work approved and accepted, plumbers submit their work to an inspector while a writer submits book proposals to editors in anticipation of approval and acceptance.

There are obvious differences. Plumbers have to crawl under houses; fight their way through cob webs, wrestle with black widows and bypass rats. They also clean roots and other paraphernalia from sewers and toilets. Their tools turn black and become crusted with gunk.

A writer does not need to undergo this type of “hands-on” experience. A stroke of the key board will suffice and replicate these experiences from the comfort of their home or office.

What’s it all about Alfie? Commitment, desire, pride, and work ethics. What other analogies can you come up with? Are you committed to yourself?

Over at http://www.bloggrrl.com/ Michelle Cepeda has a great analogy. She had me laughing.

Write it down,

Carma

BLow YOur DRess UP COntest

Lisa Gates from Design Your Writing Life made a great discovery about a new writing contest. Shelly Kneupper of This Eclectic Life is running it. The name of the contest blows me away. It is This Blog Blows My Dress Up. Hurry to enter because the deadline is June 15.

If you like wit and humor and good story telling then you need to go here.

Write it down,
Carma

Inspiration is Everywhere

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." (Jack London)

This is a quote I ran across while looking for inspiration to write this evening. Inspiration is all around us. A word, a song, or a picture can propel us forward to greatness.

When is your best time or where is your best place to be receptive to inspiration?

For me music is my main source of inspiration and next to that is reading. I can't count the number of times I have been driving with the stereo belting out my favorites and a thought or idea will pop right into my head.

Where are you when brilliant ideas pop in your head? I carry a small personal recorder with me in my purse. Now if you are in the shower that may be a little difficult but if you have pen and paper on your vanity, you could dry off your writing hand and write down your idea or run dripping wet to the computer and type it in.

Are you feeling stuck? Going to the park is a great way to meditate and prepare your mind to receive great thoughts. On weekends, I like to take bike rides very early in the mornings so that I can "hear" the quite and "see" the Forrest with out the trees.

Write it down,

Carma