Mentorship lessons and Upcoming Writing Contest

Two things I wanted to share tonight.

• Number one, I started my picture book mentorship. Hurray! I wanted to pass on some of the tips I've found useful so far:

•  A great resource for picture book writers who enjoy writing rhyme is http://www.writingrhymeandmeter.com/ It's been great searching through the site and getting a better understanding of meter, metrical feet and all that jazz.

• Another wonderful resource filled with all-things Kidlit is http://www.underdown.org/. They've got everything on that site!

• If you are interested in writing a picture book series, use the same basic formula for each book. Formula example: character wants something really bad, many things stop her from getting it, she becomes discouraged, then she changes her work ethic and she obtains her goal.

• If you are a rhyming picture book writer, always always always have fresh eyes read your story out-loud to you, so you can hear where it's not flowing. (I think when I do this, I may record it!) A lot of times, we writers can't pick out the choppy parts of our stories since we are reading it with a certain musical element in our own heads - music that no one else can hear but us. It's important to write rhymes that anyone can read smoothly. 

• Don't be afraid to submit to publishing houses that are accepting open submissions without an agent. In fact, on the purple crayon website I mentioned above, I read that it can be harder as a picture book writer to find an agent than it is to find a publisher! Wow. Other genres may be a different story, but as for picture books, don't be afraid to submit to everyone and anyone that you think would be a good fit whether you have an agent or not! (AFTER, of course, you are positive your work is ready to submit). 

• Number two, I'm planning to enter this super fun writing contest!  https://susannahill.com/2017/01/28/announcing-the-2nd-annual-valentiny-writing-contest/ (P.S. You should too! It's short and sweet - perfect for writers like me who don't have a lot of free time). If you look on the submission guidelines, applicants are supposed to post their stories on their blogs, so here's a heads up: I will be posting my submissions in just two days! ...And yes I am submitting two...So stay tuned for a couple of Valentines Day stories coming up on February 10th!