CHAPTER 3

Do You Have What It Takes?

Though you may have toyed with the idea of becoming a children's book author and possibly have a few stories already, if you are serious about wanting to break into the field, you need to first determine your motives and goals. This chapter will help you determine whether you have what it takes to become a children's writer.

Your Motives

Children's books may seem easier to write than adult books, but they are not. A lot of hard work, time, and thought goes into each and every one. So what motivates writers to dedicate themselves and put so much effort into a book? Everyone has his own reasons. What are yours?

If you want to contribute to the world of children's literature, you first need to figure out why. Your reasons and sources of motivation will affect your writing, even if only in the smallest way. You need to be aware of this before you can take an objective look at your work.

Fame and Fortune

If you think writing children's books is a quick way to travel down the road to fame and fortune, think again. Though the media may glamorize the life of an author with whirlwind book tours, fancy houses, and limousine service, this isn't typical. Go to a library or bookstore and take a look around. How many books do you see? Now how many authors do you hear about in the media? The numbers don't equate. Many people are published, but few make a complete living from their work.

This isn't to say that you won't be one of the lucky few who do reach fame and fortune; it just means that you shouldn't let this be your driving force. If money provides an incentive to get to work, that's fine. But you should probably have other motivations spurring you on as well if you hope to be happy writing for children.

Writing solely to gain fame and fortune will affect what you write. You will most likely be influenced by the media and the trends it pushes. If you are able to catch a trend and ride it with your work, you might make a pretty penny. However, catching a trend in the publishing industry is a difficult thing to do. Books take several months to years to reach the shelves from the original idea. As you well know, trends are often short-lived and pass by quickly. What was hot yesterday could be lame today.

Passion and Self-Expression

Some people write because they have to. It is more than a hobby; it is a way of life. They find satisfaction in sitting down every day with pen and paper, or at the computer, simply to express themselves. Writing can be very therapeutic and a lot of fun.

Those who are driven by passion and self-expression are very close to their work. If you fall into this category, you should be aware that while loving your work is a good thing, you might sometimes find it difficult to accept criticism. Criticism will be a part of your publishing experience and you will have to learn to accept criticism of your work and not take it as a personal insult.

Sending your work to literary agents or editors is like sending “your baby” off to kindergarten. Agents and editors may be critical or view your work in a different light. They may have suggestions for improvement or flat-out reject it. While this can be discouraging, you should learn from it and move on. Try to take a step back and look at your work objectively. Don't give up!

To Teach or Communicate

Some people set out to become authors of children's books because they want to communicate with a wide audience of children. They feel they have something important to say or teach, and they want to influence and inspire. This is an admirable reason to write children's books, but like the other motives we've just mentioned, it can affect the quality, style, and strength of your work.

If you want to reach children with a message, don't preach to them. They will spot a stand-in parent within the very first line and simply disregard the book. Weave your message into a story line and make it entertaining.

When you feel very strongly about a message you want to convey, sometimes your fervor can stand in the way of your storytelling technique and abilities. Perhaps you become so caught up in the importance of the message that you fail to make the book entertaining. Or maybe you write an entertaining story but are so worried that the kids won't get the message that you reiterate constantly. Sometimes the story may be left out altogether and the issue at hand engulfs your writing.

This isn't to say that you should sugarcoat issues. Children are aware of the problems in today's world. If you want to communicate an issue or message to a child, have the characters in your story explore the issue. Allow the characters to suffer consequences of their actions, but also allow the characters to figure out and solve the problem. Try to write a story in which you never state your message outright. Convey the message through dramatization, humor, exaggeration, or point of view.

Self-Discipline

Writing for children takes a lot of hard work and determination. Whether your goal is to build a writing career or simply to publish one book, it all begins with self-discipline. Writing is a strange activity, because it is both work and play. While you certainly may derive great amounts of pleasure from writing, it's not playtime. You have to set goals, be strict with yourself, and resist the temptation to put it aside when you're frustrated.

Making Time

You must learn how to relax and allow subconscious thoughts and feelings to emerge. Yet you must keep to a schedule, and not simply wait around for inspiration. How can you have it both ways? There are only two ways to write: either on a strict schedule or when inspiration strikes. Each method offers an important path to creative accomplishment.

It is almost impossible to find time to write during the day. Meetings run long, the kids need to be picked up and dropped off, unexpected crises catch us off guard, and the housework is always waiting to be done. How are you supposed to find the time to sit down and write? You won't; you need to make the time and put yourself on a strict schedule.

You must take your writing seriously and elevate it to a level of importance. Don't consider it a leisure activity; make it a part of your day — every day. If you use some type of daily planner, pencil in an allotted time to write. If you live day by day without a schedule, consider getting up earlier or going to bed later and use that extra time to write.

When are you most productive? Are you a morning person or a night owl? Use part of your most productive time to write, even if it's only an hour while the baby sleeps. Some highly accomplished and successful writers of children's books started that way. Making time for your writing may seem even more daunting than the writing itself, but you must do it. It is better to have a short writing period when you are at your best than a long one when you are tired or distracted.

Once you have established a specific time to write and stick to it every day, you will be surprised how much more productive you will become. Your brain gets used to that time when it is “supposed” to open channels to your imagination. It “knows” you won't be interrupted, and it will begin to drop its normal anxiety about handling your busy life.

If your life seems harried and unorganized and you don't believe it is possible to set aside writing time every day, you may want to consider making use of a time management system. There are several books and courses that will help you to take control of your time and increase the quality of life.

Even if you prefer to write on a strict schedule, sometimes a great idea will come to you at an inconvenient time. You might be falling asleep after a long hard day, for instance. If you want to reap the benefits of this gift from your subconscious to your conscious mind, you must get up and write it down! Keep your notebook and pen available at all times. It might not take long to jot down an idea, or you might be swept into your story and write for hours.

Learn to use both methods, because the strict schedule method is necessary for finishing projects and managing a career, and the “inspiration strikes” method will reveal your most creative thoughts. The first method requires steady determination; its virtue is patience. The second method requires alertness to your imagination; its virtue is self-trust.

Setting Goals

Your ultimate goal is to write a good book. Always keep that in focus. An important secondary goal is to get published. To accomplish both goals, break them down into smaller goals or milestones. Your sense of accomplishment in reaching each of the smaller goals will help motivate you through the next one. For instance, important goals in the early stages of writing include research, writing character biographies, and experimenting with storytelling viewpoints. Another goal may be to create an outline for your story. Some writers work best from brief outlines; others thrive only on elaborate ones.

Be realistic when setting your goals. Set a deadline for yourself and work solely on just one of these steps. Don't push yourself too hard, and remember that goals are not set in stone. You may find that you need more time with a particular goal. Sometimes a writer just needs to sit and stare, day-dream, and let an image or line of dialogue float into consciousness. Only by focusing on baby steps, one at a time, will you discover the writing process that works best for you.

Think of your imagination as a creative child locked in a room. When she looks out the window she sees you managing your day — planning meals, caring for others, driving a car, or becoming distracted by radio or television. She waits for the Strict Schedule Method and the Inspiration Strikes Methods to unlock the door and let her outside to play.

Rewarding Yourself

While you should definitely take your writing seriously and work hard, this doesn't mean that there isn't room for a little fun. You should reward yourself for accomplishments. Set up a reward system that complements the tasks completed. For instance, when you complete an initial draft outline of your book, treat yourself: go out for an ice cream, take a walk or a bike ride on a beautiful day, or watch a favorite movie.

Tools of the Trade

In theory, all you really need to have to write a children's story is a pen and a piece of paper — and in fact, this is all you need to get started. But these days, a computer has become the one truly necessary piece of equipment for a writer — at least for a writer with hopes of getting published. Editors require either printed or e-mailed manuscripts, so regardless of your preferences during the writing process, you will eventually have to type your work.

Computer Savvy?

While you may wish to compose first drafts using pen and notebook, typing your story into a computer's word processing program makes revision much easier. When your draft appears on the screen it becomes easier to visualize as a book, and you can enter changes quickly. If you haven't already done this, invest a little time each day learning to type properly. Once your fingers have the feel of the keys, ideas fly quickly from your mind to the page. Many writers find this less tiring than working with a pen. If typing is not your thing, one of the newer technologies you may wish to try is voice-recognition software. If you record a story digitally, using the microphone in your computer or an external mic, there are software programs that can instantly translate your audio into written text.

Of course, while you might be comfortable making up stories for kids, and you might enjoy oral storytelling, when you're all alone in a room you might find it difficult to talk to a computer. Like learning to tell stories aloud, and learning to write stories with a pen or a keyboard, learning to compose while speaking into a recording device takes a little practice. But think of the advantages. You are out for a walk, and you see squirrels chasing each other; then you notice blue jays chasing each other, and the next thing you know, bunnies are chasing each other. You pull out your little digital recorder with its built-in mic, and start talking: “Story idea. Animals chasing animals. Squirrels chase each other like streaks of gray in the leaves, over the grass and the moss, up in trees and out in the breeze. Blue jays are raucous and squawkous; they are streaks of blue in the sky. Bunnies dash around without sound; they chase each other in circles on the ground.”

When you get home, plug your recorder into your computer, just as you would download pictures from your camera, and transfer your story notes to your word processing program. Later you can view the text, push a key and cast it into a favorite font such as Courier, and add more lines. Soon you have the draft of a picture book that you'd never have captured without that little digital recorder. As you become used to working this way, you may be able to dictate much longer stories.

Practical Tips

Along with the computer, you will need a printer. While it is fairly common to e-mail manuscripts to editors, some editors work entirely on hard copy. You will also need a printer for cover letters and other correspondence. Save your work in two places: on the hard drive of your computer and on an external drive. This can be an expensive unit capable of storing copies of everything on your hard drive, or an inexpensive USB flash drive that weighs about one ounce, stores up to 250 GB, and can be carried in your pocket.

Internet access provides a wonderful helping hand to writers. You will use it to research the market, publishing companies, and background for your story. The Internet has a wealth of information readily available. Plus, it offers websites, message boards, and social media groups dedicated to children's writing, which may be able to answer some of your questions and help you with the writing process.

Don't rely solely on the Internet for all of your research needs. Anyone can create a website, and not every site offers accurate information. Double check your sources if you choose to use the Internet for research information.

If you are lucky enough to sell your book to a publisher, you will probably communicate with your editor via e-mail. Editors find that e-mail is less time-consuming than telephone calls or letters. Remember to keep copies of all of your correspondence, including e-mail. Back up your files frequently so that you have a record of all communications.

Writer's References

There are several reference books you will need to have on hand to take you through the writing process. If you want to present a clean manuscript to an editor, these books will certainly come in handy. Building your own library will save you time and energy, as you will probably refer to these books often.

First of all, you need a comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary. The pocket dictionaries will not do. There is a certain comfort in seeing a large, hardbound, complete dictionary and knowing that thousands of words are available to you. If you use the dictionary in your word processing program or a free one on the Internet, be sure to check more than one source.

Almost hand in hand with a dictionary is a thesaurus. It is satisfying to own a comprehensive hardbound edition, but you will find good ones in your software and free ones online.

The Chicago Manual of Style is used by many publishing houses. Visit the website of the University of Chicago Press for an extensive list of resource books for writers. A great little book to refer to for style and grammar is Strunk and White's Elements of Style. If you have ever taken a writing class, you probably already own this. It is a concise book that reviews the rules of style, punctuation, and grammar.

You will find many helpful sources by typing words like “copyright,” “children's publishers,” “grammar,” and “writer's resources” into a search engine. Feel free to make use of Wikipedia, but bear in mind that it is publicly created. It's great for an introduction to a subject, but double check information that is crucial to your project.

Dedicated Space

Not only will you need to dedicate time to writing, but you will also need to dedicate space. If you want to do your best work, you will need to concentrate solely on your writing, at least for specified periods of time. This is best accomplished by dedicating a particular area of your home to a workstation. Looking around you, you may think that this is next to impossible. Well, it just may be time to do a little rearranging.

If you have a spare room or study, the task will be an easy one. However, if you don't have that extra rarely used space, you will have to get creative. Maybe you have an attic or basement that could be turned into a small home office. If not, take a good look at the space available in the other rooms of your home. Do your children have a playroom? Perhaps you could work in there while the children are at school or after they have gone to bed.

Look for the least used areas of the house. Setting up a workstation in the living room may not be such a great idea if the rest of your family spends most of their time there. (You also wouldn't want the added distraction or temptation of the television.) Do you have a dining room that is used only in the evenings? Or maybe you could rearrange your bedroom furniture and designate a corner of the room as your workstation.

Once you have chosen an area, you need to organize it to make the best use of the space. At the very least, you will need a desk and good lighting. You may also want to make room for a filing cabinet and bookcase. You will want all of your reference materials within reach so you don't waste time and concentration getting up and walking across the room for needed materials.

If you choose to use an attic or basement as your dedicated writing space, make sure you have plenty of good light. Often these two places don't get as much natural light as does the rest of the house. Poor lighting will create eyestrain and headaches.

If your family is home during your scheduled writing time, talk to them and stress how important it is that you are not disturbed when you are at your workstation. But don't expect too much. Families never leave writers in peace for very long, so be careful not to blame them for interrupting you. Your goal, however, should be a time and place of true solitude — as soon as you can manage it. Whether you write behind a closed door, or after everyone goes to sleep, or before they wake up, it is up to you to make it happen.

A Realistic Outlook

If you are serious about writing children's books, it helps to know what you are getting into. At the risk of sounding discouraging, the world of children's publishing is not for everyone. You must be patient, persistent, hardworking, and certainly have a bit of talent. There are talented authors out there who haven't been published though they have done their homework and know the market inside and out.

Children's publishers receive thousands of manuscripts a year and only a small percentage of those make it to print. To be able to compete with and stand out from these thousands of other writers, you have to write, revise, and send out your work. Put these three words on a note card above your desk:“Write, revise, send.” They are the three essential activities, and you must develop a schedule, a place, and the discipline to execute them every week.

Don't Quit Your Day Job

Children's publishing is not the way to an overnight fortune. Even if you believe in your ability to write successfully, now is not the time to quit your current job. You will need the money to survive while you struggle through the obstacles every writer faces.

It often takes writers several years and several published books before they are able to become full-time writers. As a writer you won't receive a steady income that you can predict and rely upon. Writing is hard enough. If you add the stress and pressure of relying on a book to be a moneymaker, your work will be affected and you won't be able to give 100 percent to it.

If you work as a full-time writer, decide on how many hours a day you will work and stick to it. Treat your writing as you would any other job and respect work time as well as personal time. If you haven't mastered the art of self-discipline, it can be easy to fall behind in your work.

A Lonely Life

Let's say that after years of blood, sweat, and tears, you achieve your goal: You are a full-time writer. Certainly you should be thrilled about your success and celebrate appropriately, but after all the party guests have gone, you might find yourself sitting down to a very lonely occupation.

If you made time to write while maintaining a full-time job, you know that peace and quiet are moments to be treasured and taken advantage of. However, if you quit your job to become a full-time writer, you may find that the peace and quiet you once treasured soon becomes an annoyance.

Especially if you have just come from a busy office environment, the silence, broken only by the hum of your computer, can be quite distracting. The lack of human interaction may take its toll on you and affect your work. You may find yourself wanting to do the laundry, wash the dishes, or even watch talk shows on television — anything other than sitting in the quiet staring at a blank screen.

Writing is something you have to do on your own; there's really no getting around it. You have to be someone who can concentrate while spending several hours alone. Does this sound like you? You need to take this into consideration before taking the plunge into full-time writing. Knowing what to expect may help to make that transition a little easier.

Words of Encouragement

So you've made it through a reality check without backing out. Good. Don't give up. Writing for children is a rewarding experience on many levels. Keep focused on your pleasure in writing, the fun of researching a topic that moves you, and the joy in finishing a story. Cultivate and learn to enjoy the revision process. Take the tasks of researching agents and publishers as a challenge, and meet it with spirit.

There are thousands of writers on the same path as you. But you may not realize that only a small percentage of these writers conduct the proper research to find a publisher that fits their book. Only a few do the needed market research. Only a few follow the individual submission guidelines of the publishers. Only a few write and rewrite constantly until they get it just right.

Thousands of children's books are published each year, which means that thousands of writers are needed each year. If you play by the rules and learn all you can about children's publishing, you stand a chance at success.

Most important of all, remember that your well-written story is a source of pride. It's an accomplishment that is hard to beat, regardless of how it fares in the marketplace.