When Does Freelance Equal Expert?

A few days ago members of the Children’s Writing Coaching Club were discussing how beginning writers can become viewed as experts. What exactly makes an expert? Do you need a degree? Do you have to have thirty years experience?

Our writing coach, Suzanne Lieurance tells us we can become experts when we write about issues that are specific to our focal point on a regular basis. For instance, parenting, education and so on. Soon people will come to our blog or website first to find out the latest news. We each have it within ourselves to become experts.

Jeffrey Way also writes a great post about how to qualify as an expert. Go to Freelance Folder and read the entire post.

Write it down,
Carma

Writing is Like Dancing

Writing is like dancing. Everyone wants the trophy but not everyone is willing to do what it takes to get it. I knew my girls had “it” because they danced around the house all the time.

With their hair neatly pulled back into a dinner roll bun shape, sparkling black patent tap shoes, I drove my talented twin girls to the local dance studio.

Soon my fantasy turned into reality. 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 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 to 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 began to vibrate with each tap.

Week three: My daughters had talent. I am sure the teacher would recognize it if she would just take her eyes off the Shirley Temple Clone in the red sequined 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 realized one dance class a week was not going to make anyone a dancer. In order to become good at what you do, you must do it daily.

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

Write it down,

Carma

Book Review: Holes

Title: Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 233 pages
Publisher: Dell Yearling (May 2000)
An imprint of Random House Children’s Books
ISBN: 0-440-41480-6

Holes is the 1999 Newbery Medal winner and joins the ranks of classic children’s literature. I have been reviewing Newbery Medal winner's for the past couple of months now and am hoping to instill a renewal of love for these incredible classics.

To read the rest of this review visit Suzanne Lieurance's The National Writing for Children Center

I highly recommend this book for parents and children from eight on up.

About the Author: Louis Sachar was born on 20 March 1954, in East Meadow, New York. In 1976, he went to the University of California, where he studied economics. While at university he became a teacher's aide to gain extra credit; it turned out to be his favorite class and inspired him to write children's books. After graduation he worked in a sweater warehouse in Connecticut and wrote at night. After he was fired from that job he moved on to law school. In his first week of study, Sideways Stories from Wayside was published. After completing his studies in 1980 he became a part-time lawyer but was compelled to concentrate on his writing full-time.

Write it down,

Carma

Writer's Block: Free UP Your Creativity With Writing Prompts

Do you need a swift kick in the pants to banish the writer’s block in your head? When you look at a blank page does your mind respond with blankness? I know all writers have been there so I have a little help for you today.

Practice free writing from the five prompts below. Take ten minutes and don’t think about punctuation, grammar or anything like that. Free writing is one of the best tools for blasting writer’s block and filling up empty space in your mind. Choose one for today and save the others for later.

1. Electricity is a recent discovery. Think of 12 things to do when there is no power.

2. Write about the color of hunger.

3. A picture is worth more than a blank page. Take out those dusty photo albums and pick out photo number 14. Start your count on any page you want but make sure you stop at photo #14. Look at the photo for 2 or 3 minutes. Then for 10 minutes write all the feelings that photograph made you feel. Don’t censor yourself. Just write.

4. What are things you can do in 3 minutes? List them.

5. In 200 words describe a hot day.

OK, that was easy. After you have written your piece set it aside until tomorrow. Begin your writing session tomorrow by rewriting your work that you did today. You will be surprised at how many more ideas will pop into your head just from that one prompt. Before you know it you will have a short story or perhaps the first chapter of a novel.

Write it down,

Carma

First Kiss: Ten Reasons Girls Should Never Kiss Boys

1. At what age did you experience your first boy-girl kiss? Mine was at the age of six. However, the beneficiary of my affection was not a happy camper. I knew this how? Because, after I tackled him, I plastered smooches all over his face. His arms were flapping up and down and the weight of my body on top of his kept him from running away. Parents, save yourself and your daughter some embarrassing moments.
   
   Ten Reasons Why Girls Should Never Kiss Boys:
   
   1. You don’t know what he had in his mouth before he came to school.
   
   2. Your daughter’s teacher is filming the first day of school and the kissing incident becomes the leading story on the six-0-clock news.
   
   3. His father MIGHT be the principal of the school.
   
   4. His father IS the chief of police.
   
   5. The boy will bite her nose.
   
   6. The boy’s parents will take you to court for assault.
   
   7. Your daughter will be expelled from kindergarten.
   
   8. Her teacher will make you come to the class room and write on the blackboard 100 times: “I will never rip film from the teacher’s camera again.”
   
   9. You will be banned from the PTA.
   
   10. Last but not least your daughter will develop a kissing phobia that will send the entire family into therapy for five years.
   
   This is based on a true story. The real reasons have been changed to protect the guilty. It may be necessary for parents to warn their daughters that kissing can cause cooties. However, when she turns twelve, you will have to explain why you lied.

Write it down,

Carma

Monday: Writing Links For the Curious Writer

Here are some direct links to some articles I know you will enjoy. However, don't try to read them all in one day. Spread it out over several days then apply what you learn.

Writing-World.com is a fabulous website and is for writers of all genres.

Editing Secrets by Laura Backes will help you make your work shine if you want to get it in front of the editor's eyes. This article has the low-down.

Writing for Young Readers by Eugie Foster is also an eye opener.

Check out the FAQ's that will take the mystery out of some misdirected rumors.

Writing-World also has departments for Beginners World, Business World and I really like the Freelancer’s World. Tips Queries, submissions. Everything you need to get started.

Verla Kay is a veteran children's author and always has a wealth of information on her site. I ran across a character chart she developed that works for her, she says. Go here to see it. It's detailed right down to the TV shows they watch. Now that's developing.

Have fun.

Write it down,

Carma

Book Review: A Year Down Yonder

Title: A Year Down Yonder
Author: Richard Peck
Reading level: Ages 10-14
Hardcover: 130 pages
Publisher: Dial books for Young Readers
a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.
Jacket cover by Steve Cieslawski
Publication: 2000
ISBN-0-8037-2518-3

I loved this book. Humor, sorrow and triumph span the range of emotions. The year was 1937 and fifteen year old Mary Alice was sent from the big city of Chicago to rural Illinois to live for one year with her Grandma Dowdel. Mary Alice was no stranger to rural Illinois because she and her brother Joey would visit there every summer with Grandma Dowdel. But this was to be for a whole year. Mary Alice would have to attend the one room school house and be the outsider and “rich girl” from Chicago in spite of her worn coat.

Grandma Dowdel was a very intimidating woman according to Mary Alice’s description of her. “As the train pulled out behind me, there came Grandma up the platform steps. My goodness, she was a big woman. I’d forgotten. And taller still with her spidery old umbrella held up to keep off the sun of high noon. A fan of white hair escaped the big bun on the back of her head. She drew nearer till she blotted out the day.”

However, the tough exterior of Grandma Dowdel is softened as the reader discovers her warm heart and gentleness which is hidden from everyone except Mary Alice. Grandma Dowdel is full of surprises. When she agrees to make cherry tarts for Mrs. Weidenbach’s DAR celebration of George Washington’s birthday, no one could have known the surprise guest Grandma had in store. Not to mention the special ingredient of Old Turkey Bourbon for the punch. By the end of the party an impostor was exposed and long lost sisters were united and you are left rolling on the floor with laughter.

About the Author.
Richard Peck captured the voice of a teenage girl flawlessly. His immersion into the teen age mind and heart was excellent. Richard Peck has produced over twenty-five acclaimed novels. A Long Way from Chicago was named the 1999 Newbery Honor Book, a National Book Award finalist, and an ALA Best Book for young Adults. From these pages Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel made their debut in A Year Down Yonder the 2001 Newbery Award winner.

Write it down,

Carma