Get the Lead Out! Sign up for the Working Writer's 2008 Fall Boot Camp

I am nearing the end of the Working Writers 2008 Summer Boot Camp directed by the Working Writer’s Coach, Suzanne Lieurance. This twelve week intensive writing course is one of the best writing courses I ever invested in.

Before Boot Camp I did not know how to stay focused and I did not know how to use a marketing plan to organize my time in a productive manner.

Under Suzanne’s direction I learned how to focus and more importantly I was able to identify my niche. Instead of waffling all around, I gained a sense of purpose.

Boot Camp is not a solitary venture. You meet other writers who want to get off the fence they are straddling and/or seasoned writers who have hit a slump. You form a support network with first-rate writers and develop lasting friendships. Additionally, you are exposed to published authors from several genres through the many online classes available. And of course your writing improves dramatically. Further, you practice the craft of writing.

You’ll be happy to know that a new Boot Camp is beginning September 2, 2008. There are a limited number of spaces available. Don’t delay. Click on the Working Writer’s Coach link below and then click on the Boot Camp tab to find out more information.

Become a “Working” Freelance Writer!


Write it down,
Carma

Loser: A Book Review

Title: Loser

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: HarperTrophy (July 29, 2003)
Hardcover: 218 pages
ISBN-10: 0060540745
ISBN-13: 978-0060540746

Jerry Spinelli’s Loser is a special book. The first sentence “You grow up with a kid but you never really notice him” hints that this story may be about a kid with low self esteem or about a bully who beats up on a kid. Well the book is not about either one of these scenarios. The book is about a kid who really likes himself and accepts himself as he is despite the cruelty of his classmates.

At first he sounds like a kid who has ADD. Donald does not like to wait on anything. He has trouble being still and thinks he runs faster than anybody. He is the first one at school every day. You might think a kid who loves school this much would be a straight A student. Not so for Donald Zinkhoff. His writing is sloppy, he can’t stop giggling in class when the teacher says a funny word, he’s clumsy, can’t play the flute, “Twice during the number Zinkhoff’s flute yips like a pinched sister. …and Zinkhoff never notices.”

However, it doesn’t take much to make Donald happy. He wants to sit in the front row but because of his last name, Zinkhoff, he is always last in everything until 4th grade when his favorite teacher reverses the seating order. “Yahoo” Donald says!

The story chronicles Donald’s progression from first through sixth grade. It is a journey of a boy with a lot of social problems. Most of them diminish but never disappear. I kept waiting for Donald to triumph in some way but the author did not have that in mind for Donald. His poor performance at sports makes him an outcast. When he blows a race that costs the school the championship, the other kids name Donald Loser!

This story is more for adult readers because I don’t think many teenagers would want to read about a 12 year old and not many 9 to 12 year olds want to read a slow action story. Middle grade kids will enjoy this book when read with adults. There is some action at the end when Donald gets lost in a snow storm and doesn’t even know it.

The book does demonstrate the pure love of his parents and sister and I do believe it shows that a strong family unit can overcome imperfections that all of us exhibit at one time or another. Also, I think this is the reason Donald is a success in a losing way. He may not measure up to what other kids and adults think he should be but because of the love of his family he will survive in a hard world.

About the author: Jerry Spinelli is the author of more than a dozen books for young readers, including Maniac Magee, winner of the Newbery Medal; Wringer, a Newbery Honor Book; Crash; and Knots in My Yo-Yo String, his autobiography. He grew up in Norristown, Pennsylvania, where he once dreamed of becoming a major league baseball player. All of this changed at age 16, when his poem about a football game was published in the local newspaper. From then on, he wanted to become a writer.

Write it down,

Carma

The Power of the Verb is a Must for Children's Writers

Children love action stories. The best way to pull a young reader into your story is to use power verbs with the active voice and your story will come alive. Active voice is when the subject is doing the action. “Mike drove the car into a ditch.”

In college I learned to use the wonderful heavy, intellectual passive voice. I loved to write out the “where to’s”, “moreover’s”, “in as much as’s”, “to be’s” and so on. Very dry but very impressive with the sound of authority. However, these particular passive words are not good choices for a children’s story if you want to grab their attention.

Sometimes it is necessary and OK to use boring verbs because they get the job done quickly but they should be only about 5% of your writing and be spread through out the story. Do not concentrate them all in one chapter or paragraph.

When you are writing your next article or story and are stumped, check out the Power Verb list. Feel free to print out this post and place it near your computer. Just for fun see how many can be used as a sentence. For instance Act! Choose! Drive!

Here Are Your 104 Power Verbs To Read Out Loud

Abolish, Accelerate, Achieve, Act, Adopt, Align, Anticipate, Apply, Assess, Avoid,

Boost, Break, Bridge, Build, Burn, Capture, Change, Choose, Clarify, Clobber, Confront, Connect, Conquer, Convert, Create,

Decide, Define, Defuse, Deliver, Deploy, Design, Develop, Diagnose, Discover, Drive

Eliminate, Ensure, Establish, Evaluate, Exploit, Explore, Filter, Finalize, Find, Focus, Foresee

Gain, Gather, Generate, Grasp, Identify, Ignite, Implement, Improve, Increase, Innovate, Inspire, Intensify

Lead, Learn, Leverage, Manage, Master, Maximize, Measure, Mobilize, Motivate, Overcome, Penetrate, Persuade, Plan, Position, Prepare, Prevent, Profit,

Raise, Reconsider, Reduce, Refresh, Replace, Resist, Respond, Retain,

Save, Scan, Shatter, Shave-off, Sidestep, Simplify, Slash, Solve, Stimulate, Stop, Stretch, Succeed, Supplement

Take, Transfer, Transform, Understand, Unleash, Unravel, Use, Win.

“Words are, of course, the most powerful
drug used by mankind.”

~ Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936), English author

Write it down,

Carma

Why Writing For Children Can Be the Perfect Job for You

Read on to find out what the Perfect Job for Stay-at-home moms could be.

If you're a stay-at-home mom with small children, writing for kids can be the perfect part-time job for you. Here's why:

1) You're in contact with kids 24/7, so you know what kids think about and how they talk. This can be very helpful when trying to develop story lines that kids would enjoy reading. It will also help you write dialogue that sounds like things kids would actually say these days.

As a mom, you probably also read many picture books to your own child or children. And, as every writer knows, one of the best ways to learn to write picture books and other stories for children, is to READ these types of materials. So just think - each time you read to your child, you'll also be doing something to develop your own career as a writer.

2) Since your full time job is taking care of your family, you'll probably only have short snatches of time during the day and evening to write. But this is perfect for writing short works for kids - things like picture books, easy readers, and even magazine articles and short-stories.

And, if you carry a pocket-size notebook with you during the day, while you're watching the kids play at the park, or supervising them as they go about their daily chores, you can take notes for story or articles ideas. And, please note, it IS important to jot down a few notes about your ideas. Otherwise, by the end of the day you will have forgotten them.

3) In addition to writing stories and articles FOR kids, you will also develop a wealth of topics for writing ABOUT kids - articles for parenting magazines, for example, or even tips for classroom teachers.

And, there are usually at least a couple of small regional parenting publications in every large city, so you can gain publishing credits by starting out writing for these publications. If you're good at it, you might even eventually gain your own regular column in one of these publications.

4) You can develop professional connections and associations with other moms who write, so you'll have other adults to communicate with on a regular basis every day. Many moms can feel isolated when their only contact during the day is with their children. But as a children's writer and mom, you can become part of a professional network of other stay-at-home moms who write for children.

5) You'll build up your writing skills and publishing credits through the years, so by the time your children have grown and left the nest, you will probably be able to make the transition from part time children's writer to full time children's writer fairly easily if you so desire.
As you can see, for moms who like to write, writing for children offers the perfect part-time career.

Click here to join the Children's Writer's Coaching Club and learn how to write for children.

Learn to write for children


Find out how you can get a free ebook called "Tricks of the Trade: How to Write for Children," plus additional information about writing for kids, by visiting the National Writing for Children Center at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com or Suzanne Lieurance's website at http://www.suzannelieurance.com

Brilliante Weblog Promo - 2008 Award

I am honored that Donna McDine of Write What Inspires You awarded me the honor of the Brilliante Weblog Promo -2008 Award.

Donna and I were part of the Children's Writing Coaching Club earlier this year. Donna's career is taking off like gang busters. Every time I look around she is getting accepted. Her most recent acceptance was her article "Sports Buddies" for Hopscotch for Girls to be published 2014.

That seems like a long way off but I learned from Donna that it is common for many publishers to plan years ahead. It does give a writer a good sense of security. In addition this also means that Donna's words are timeless and will always be applicable. Congratulations Donna.

To learn more about Donna, visit her at http://donna-mcdine.blogspot.com/

Following are my nominations for the Brilliante Weblog Promo Award 2008

Terri Forehand


http://heartfeltwords4kids.blogspot.com/


Dorothy Massey


http://kidsbooksuk.blogspot.com/



Here are the rules for the next recipients of the Brillante Weblog Promo 2008 Award, established in 2005:

l. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
2. Add a link to the person who you received the award from.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.
4. Then add their links to your blog.
5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on to in the comments section of their blog.

Write it down,

Carma

A Single Shard: YA Novel Book Review

Title: A Single Shard

Author: Linda Sue Park

Publisher: Clarion books (April 23 2001)

Hardcover: 152 pages

Age Group: 9 to 12

ISBN: 10-0395978270

ISBN: 13-978-0395978276

Historical fiction novel, A Single Shard, is the 2002 Newbery Medal award winner. Sometimes you can get a hint of a story by the title. At first glance the title threw me off because it did not sound like the type of book a ten or 12-year old would read. Linda Sue Park gives readers insight to an unfamiliar period of twelfth-century Korea which chronicles the life of an orphan, a homeless man and a talented potter.

Tree-ear was named for a “mushroom that grows without benefit of parents” by Crane Man who was so called because of his one shriveled leg. No one knows where Tree-ear came from. Rumor had it that his parents were killed in an accident.

In order to survive Tree-ear rummages through garbage dumps and scavenges for food every day and if he is lucky he is able to pick up some left over rice that no one wants. Crain-man, who is a straw weaver, tries to do his part but because of his disability he is only able to manage some scavenging near the rivers edge where they live. Crane-man is the only family Tree-ear has ever known.

Tree-ear made a habit of stopping at potter Min’s outdoor studio to watch him create delicate celadon pottery. One day Tree-ear accidentally breaks a pot. In order to pay for damages, Tree-ear goes into servitude for nine days and ends up working full time for the potter. Naturally Tree-ear hopes Min will teach him the pottery trade but Min has no intention of training a boy who is not related to him. Min and Tree-ear begin a precarious relationship. This is a well-developed account of triumph of a boy who shouldn't have overcome the odds but did.

This story is well worth reading. The passages describing how this beautiful celadon pottery was made over 700 years ago will intrigue any reader. Park’s dialogue and prose are a prime example of the adage for writers. “Show don’t tell.”

About the Author: Linda Sue Park

Linda Sue Park was born and raised in Illinois. The daughter of Korean immigrants, she has been writing poems and stories since she was 4 years old, and her favorite thing to do as a child was read.

Park was first published when she was 9 years old. She was paid one whole dollar for a haiku that ran in a children's magazine. Her father still has the one-dollar check in a frame above his desk.

Write it down,

Carma

How To Make Money Writing How To's

Are you an article writer with all kinds of helpful hints but don't know how to organize them? Surf on over to 3Questions...and Answers blog and read her article "Website Wants You...to Write How-To" It is full of examples, a How-To template and well researched information.

In addition, check out her interview with Journalist/novelist Janice Harayda. A few good links are scattered through out plus you can go over to Janice's website and look around.

Write it down,

Carma