Fall 2007

Hello, fellow members!

By now, you've received brochures for our 5Th Annual Fall Conference! This is a "must attend" event for a pile of reasons! Our brand new format this year offers 2 hour Tracks for every genre!

If you are deeply immersed in writing for YA, attend Cinda Chima's two-hour session on writing for teens. If Picture Books are your thing, the track for you is Laurie Knowlton's PB presentation. Christine Taylor-Butler is our expert on Early Readers, and Katherine Ayres will be teaching Middle Grade novels.

If you're wondering how to use that fabulous idea you are nurturing, attend Sally Lucas's expert session on finding the best place for your ideas. And Mark Haverstock tells all in two sessions on writing things other than books.

Illustrators will want to hear Karen Maizel's info on staying afloat as a freelance artist, and her expertise on creating award-winning picture books.

We have editor Stacey Barney from Penguin, and Assistant Editor Abby Ranger from Scholastic, ready to share their insider tips with you! We have Paula Morrow, former executive editor with Cricket G roup and present owner of Morrow Manuscript Services with well-seasoned advice for you!

Every speaker is an award-winner. Every speaker will accept critique assignments. Critiques are assigned as they are received. Be sure that your registration form is mailed in NOW to get the critique you want.

See you at the conference.

Best from Blossom Farm,

Annette Sheldon
RA Northern Ohio SCBWI

Spring 2007

Hello, Northern Ohio SCBWI Members and Friends! I am still somewhat startled to find myself your new Regional Advisor!

I assure you that this appointment came about as a result of attrition, not ambition! Anyway, here I am, hoping to lead you as gracefully as I can through a year of fabulous topic-driven meetings and the Best Conference Yet.

The new meeting topics are the result of hard work by Jean Daigneau, who has chosen to be Assistant Regional Advisor, which makes her our Events Coordinator. We are also busy with negotiating with headliners and breakout speakers for the Fall Conference. Cristina Bruce-Kaiser is working on the special Illustrator's Event in May.

Please share your ideas for meeting topics, speakers for the Fall Conference, and any other details we need to know. Make it your goal this year to attend each meeting, and scoop up all the knowledge you can. Your writing will love it.

Best from Blossom Farm,

Annette Sheldon
RA Northern Ohio SCBWI

October-December 2006

For most writers I know, and certainly for many who have not yet achieved significant success, writing often takes a backseat to the other important issues in life. It's hard to justify holing up in front of your computer when the kids are crying, the laundry is piling up, the lawn needs mowed, and the cat just puked in the den.

How is it then that some people can juggle so many things and still have time to write, while others never seem to have time for it? In Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's pen on fire, she talks about how easy it is to get out of sync and lose the momentum to write and how important it is to stay connected. Her thought is to forget all those stories you hear of authors that produce a minimum of 1,000 words a day, or write eight hours at a time, or who won't stop until they've finished three or four pages daily. Instead, DeMarco-Barret suggests that you take advantage of any extra minutes in your day, and aim for one 15-minute increment.

She maintains that when you set aside a minimal time to write, eventually you understand that that time is too dear to waste and you often manage to produce something because you don't have time for writer's block. While she understands how daunting it can be to face the blank page, she believes that often when we have tons of time ahead of us, we often produce the least, as we wile away the hours doing anything BUT writing. As DeMarco-Barret says, "Very little of writing, in my opinion, is waiting for the muse to hit you….Some days you write beautifully and other days you just know you're cranking out garbage. But, it's always easier to edit garbage than to edit a blank page."

I'm like many of my writer friends - I work a job outside my home, have other hobbies and interests and a family, and I'm involved in my church and other professional organizations. Some days I have very little time for writing. But I always try to take a few minutes at night to read something in the genre I'm working in before I go to bed. Not necessarily writing, but learning to be a better writer. My sister carries a paperback in her purse. When she's standing in line at the grocery store or sitting in the drive-through at the bank, she's reading. Her collection of paperback novels - all of which she's read - is immense.

I also walk about four to five miles several mornings a week. After the spiritual exercise I go through as I walk, I usually have some fifteen or twenty minutes before I get home. I take advantage of that time to get to know a main character, try to work through plot problems, think about a scene that I'm struggling with. The other day I came up with a new idea for a picture book and drafted much of it in my head.

I've also started taking my laptop to work with me. It's rather a pain to lug it inside along with everything else I schlep back and forth, but on a rare occasion, I have a few minutes during my lunch break to boot it up and work on a current project.

My husband and I frequently take long drives in our '51 Chevy. Sometimes we talk non-stop. Other times we're lost in our own worlds. I never go anywhere without my cross-stitch and a notebook. While the creative juices are flowing beneath my fingers, my mind wanders to more literary pursuits. I've sold a couple greeting cards with ideas I've jotted down in the car. Then again, I often run across something that triggers a writing idea when we visit any of a number of historical places we enjoy.

DeMarco-Barrett mentions one writer who woke up 2-hours earlier every morning to write because he believes writing is about taking time not making time. He's produced three published novels and a non-fiction book while continuing to work a very demanding full-time job and raise a family.

Do you need to wake up 2 hours early just to write? I don't believe so. But think about the 15-minute increments of time in your day that could do double duty. It could be as simple as jotting a list of character traits of your current protagonist as you wait for a train or scribbling a few ideas for a magazine article while you grill hamburgers. Even the busiest person usually has a small amount of down time in his or her day. And 15 minutes even five days a week adds up to 65 hours in a year. Enough to write a novel? Perhaps not. But certainly time that could be more productively spent pursuing a career as a writer.

I have my own theory about sitting down at the computer and producing day in and day out. I believe that, like anything we do regularly, the more we do it, the more it becomes a habit. Thus, just the act of sitting at the computer will eventually help keep us focused, which lends itself well to those15-minute daily increments. My idea comes from Pavlov's theory - one of the few things I remember from Psychology 101. If Pavlov can get a dog to salivate simply at the sound of a bell, then I believe I can get my muse to awaken by the mere act of sitting down at my computer on a daily basis and expecting that to happen.

Of course in my case, I have to figure out how to undo my desire to play solitaire AND eat chocolate every time my butt hits the chair and my fingers hit the keyboard. Darn that Pavlov anyway!!

Write on!

Jean Daigneau

June-August 2006

Ideas.
Without one, a writer can't write, right :O)?
Seriously now, do you ever wonder where some children's writers get their ideas? How is it that some writers seem to ooze ideas out of every pore while some of us struggle to come up with even one? (And this question applies to illustrators, too.)

First of all, you have to give some credit to the gene pool and accept the fact that we're all naturally talented in different areas. I have decorated birthday cakes to look like a piano, a Big Mac, and a pair of ballet slippers; sewn my daughter's wedding dress; and won awards for my cross-stitch projects, but don't ask me to sing at your daughter's wedding, swim across a kiddie pool, or fix anything that takes the least bit of mechanical inclination. Some people have natural abilities, and some of those talented people are fortunate enough to have recognized that innate talent early on and capitalized on it. Good for them.

But not being a "born writer" certainly doesn't mean that if you are somewhat talented or have a passion for what you're doing that you can't become a better writer, and likely even a very good writer at that. But you still have to have ideas. So, where DO ideas come from?

One of the things I've noticed is that the more you immerse yourself in children's writing, the more you start to think like a writer and act like one. That means that while you might not be putting pen to paper (or fingers to computer) your mind can still be analyzing ideas, thinking through plot problems, discovering new characters. Whether you're sitting in traffic, taking your morning walk, or waiting for your son's soccer game to start, utilize those moments to write, even if it's only in your head.

Secondly, you have to accept the fact (and you've heard this before), that you absolutely, positively must read, read, read. Recently a friend asked about the stack of middle grade books I had sitting on a cabinet in the dining room. "Why are YOU reading KIDS' books?" she asked. Without hesitation I answered that to write children's books you have to read children's books. Period. End of discussion.

Another thing to consider is that as you start to think in terms of writing, your mind gets much more in tune with writing. That's when I think you start living the writer's life. I can't tell you how many times I've said or thought, "THAT would make a GREAT kids' story" or magazine article or book when I've read something, seen something, or experienced something. Ideas are all around us, but we have to be open to them in order to recognize them for what they are.
Sometimes, too, you'll find that researching one topic gives way to information that would work well, but in another manuscript. Whatever works for you--whether it's to keep an "idea" file on the computer or in a notebook or in a manila folder--don't let those great ideas get away. Even if you don't use them the way you first expected, they might just show up sometime, somewhere, in something you write.

Finally, let me put this in perspective for you. At a conference I attended years ago, Jane Yolen talked about her personal writing schedule. She believes that a writer should have no less than 12 submittals making the rounds at any given time. Yes, you read right! Twelve! Many of us don't have 12 things written, including the latest note to our first grader's teacher and the grocery list, let alone 12 manuscripts that are good enough to submit. But that's Jane's philosophy, and with over 300 books to her credit, it obviously works for her.

At another conference, Newbery Award winner Linda Sue Park was the guest of honor. (Kudos to the committee who scheduled her before she was announced the recipient!) She spoke on this very topic - about where writers get ideas. Her response was straightforward and simple. At the time she had had four ideas for books and she had written four books. That was it. She was hoping to come up with a fifth idea.

So whatever you do, don't compare yourself to another writer, whether you're lucky enough to be the prolific one or the writer who's every book is a struggle. Just remember, though, that if you start to live the writer's life, soon you'll live the life of a writer and before you know it, you'll be like Jane Yolen and have more ideas than you have lifetimes left to write them.
Write on!

April-May 2006

"Unless you live in a cave, you've heard of American Idol." That was a recent comment made by a morning news anchor prior to a clip about the latest American Idol poll.

I don't profess to living in a cave, although if you've seen my office you might suggest I should, and the more isolated the better. But, seriously, she's right. I love music, but I rarely watch the show. But I will admit to talent envy because I couldn't sing my way out of a shower. But that's another story.

During each new season as we watch the early (and mostly awful) auditions on the morning news, my husband and I always ask the same questions: Do some of those people actually think they can sing? Do their families love them that much, or perhaps not, that they'll let them make fools of themselves in front of millions of viewers, simply to claim their 15 minutes of fame or follow their dreams?

When you think about it, though, it's a lot like writing. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything you write is nothing short of wonderful. After all, the grandchildren (friends, family, students, etc.) said so, right? But, what would you expect them to say? "Gee, Noni, I love you, but you can't write worth a darn. Maybe you should take up cross stitching!" (I have, by the way.)

Unfortunately many writers are fooled into thinking there is simply little room for improvement. It happens on national television, in front of millions of people every season and any editor will tell you it happens in slush piles every day. And remember, while an agent can help you become a published writer, he or she can't necessarily make you a better writer, unless you're willing to work at it.

So, how do you know if you've got potential or even raw talent? As always, anything worth doing is worth doing well, so continually striving to hone your skills and learn your craft are vital, whether you're published or not. Joining a critique group or having one tried and true friend who will be honest about your work is invaluable. Attending conferences and workshops is another way to rub elbows with people who have risen to the top, can share a wealth of information, or who are dreaming right along with you.

Of course, getting rejection after rejection after rejection without a word of positive feedback from an editor or nothing other than form letters year after year might also be a clue about where your career is headed. But that goes back to the idea that a good writer has to want it bad enough to work at it. I can guarantee that the Jerry Spinelli's of the world paid their dues and labored in obscurity, too, before getting that one break that changed everything.
Do I advocate giving up on your dream if it's something you are really and truly passionate about? Of course not. But I think being realistic about your talents and how they play into your dreams or can alter them is absolutely essential. After all, if it didn't take natural talent or dedication or plain old sweat equity, we'd all be famous.

But consider this: Would you play a Steinway at Carnegie Hall if you'd never tickled the 88s before? How about piloting a plane without a lesson? No medical school? Not to worry. But I think I'll pass on your offer to remove this wart for me.

To misquote children's author, David Greenberg, "Anything less than your absolute best isn't good enough." And in the mantra of writers everywhere that means read, read, read, write, write, write, revise, revise, revise.

Of course, if you don't see the need to work at being your best, then you, my friend, are a perfect candidate for American Idol. I'll let you know when the next casting call is, because if the writing thing doesn't pan out for me, I just might be in line. If I can sing my way out of the shower, that is.

January-March 2006

The first day of the new year is already fading and my holidays are, at best, a wonderful memory, save for the storage tubs of decorations that still need put away. By now, many of you may already have broken those resolutions that were made with such sincerity not that long ago. For me, I've found the best solution is to not make resolutions in the first place - no room for self-recrimination, guilt, or feelings of failure later on. Of course, the year still begins with my own personal challenges - lose weight, exercise more, clean out the toxic dump I call my office, blah, blah, blah. But resolutions? No. Which might explain why I'm overweight, haven't walked as much as I should, and do most of my writing in a space that could tie for first in the "world's messiest office" contest.

At the start of last year, however, a very good friend suggested to a very small and very dear group of other friends (who all just happen to be children's writers) that we band together with the goal of offering support and encouragement to each other; providing inspiration and empathy; and sharing ideas, information, and opportunities to bring our writing to a higher level. Very similar to what a lot of critique groups provide, but on a much more intimate level. She was insistent that we not make resolutions, but simply lay out a schedule for things we wanted to achieve.

The idea was to send these personal goals to each other - submit to a new market, write every day, etc. - and to provide updates on whatever schedule we chose whether it was monthly, weekly, or daily. The group called itself Jambalaya (or Jambies for short) because as one member suggested, we were a mix of many diverse interests and talents, but all together we made a wonderful "stew." We posted our goals on our Jambies' listserv and members responded - or not - as their own schedules permitted.

In the summer, we had a daylong get-together at my cottage on the Mahoning River beginning with breakfast at a local eatery. Although (too) much of the discussion was about the Northern Ohio SCBWI conference, it was a wonderful day to bounce ideas off each other, share frustrations and dreams, and critique works in progress. Of course, there was also the added excitement (and plenty of laughs) involving a (newly installed and very expensive) composting toilet, someone taking antibiotics (a definite no-no with all those hardworking microbes), and a bucket - actually a leaky bucket, to boot! Then too, we all enjoyed the talents of one Jambie performance artist who can still take off her bra without removing her shirt. Geez, I couldn't do that at an age when I should have been able to do that! But I'll spare you the details on those events AND some Jambie embarrassment!

As fall approached, we were all caught up in our own lives and the annual conference and did not stay connected as much as I would have liked. But for me, I continued to read, read, read (one of my major goals outlined in January) and I far surpassed my original expectations. Still, it was nice to know that the connection was there and could be picked up at a moment's notice when that one rejection that makes you want to give it all up arrives.

This year I hope the Jambies again share their goals with each other before the new year becomes too old. And I definitely want to host Jambiefest 2006, with less emphasis on the conference and more emphasis on each other.

For the rest of you, I hope that instead of resolutions, you resolve to connect with some fellow writers (better yet if they also happen to be friends) and to share those things that make the field of children's writing so much more enjoyable.

And for those of you who are wondering, the talented Jambie performance artist does not do bachelor parties…although with the way the children's market pays, she might make an exception!

Winter 2005

At the recent Northern Ohio SCBWI publication party, I shared a story that to me typifies what writing for children is all about. At the risk of being redundant (but as a way to take advantage of the fact that I don't have to write another article right now!), here's my story.

In the village of Chalatenango, El Salvador, Andrea lives with the local village priest. Fr. Rafael came into her life when she was near death as a toddler and he was asked to give her a final blessing before she died. He insisted on taking her to the local hospital where she spent a month fighting for her life. Besides being raised on coffee instead of milk, Andrea was being abused by her father, so instead of returning home, her mother asked Father Rafael to take her.

Andrea is now a relatively healthy five-year-old, but a handful to her caregivers. In spite of Father Rafael's unending patience, she is regularly disciplined for her bad behavior by those around her. Oftentimes the people taking care of her don't have children and haven't a clue how children can behave and often because her impulsive behavior puts her in harm's way.

My school (St. Patrick in Kent) has adopted Father Rafael's former parish in Chalatenango and sends money on a monthly basis to pay for several students' education. One first grade class has adopted a book project, and when students order books from their monthly book vendor, they are encouraged to donate money to buy books in Spanish for the children of their sister parish, El Dulce Nombre de Jesus (Sweet Name of Jesus).

The first time Andrea saw a book, she had no idea what to do with it, and used it to fan herself. She does, however, know that visitors often bring candy, so is always begging for "dulce." Over the last couple years whenever she visits, my mentor, friend, and colleague in the school library (Jean Kreyche) has tried to educate Andrea about the joys of reading, mostly to no avail. Jean decided that books would be a much better addition to Andrea's diet than candy. Until recently, Andrea has no patience for looking at pictures, and even less to sitting still and listening to words. Until...

David Shannon's books (No, David; David Gets in Trouble; and David Goes to School) were introduced. Andrea delighted in the stories and went into absolute fits of laughter at the pictures. Obviously, she could relate to the admonitions that David constantly receives from the adults in his life. Not only did Andrea enjoy having the stories read to her, she now has memorized them and runs around shouting lines from the books, such as "Esperate, David!" ("Wait, David") and "No toques, David!" ("Don't touch, David!").

In my mind, if this isn't the highpoint of what writing and illustrating for children is all about, nothing is. So keep on following your dreams and some day, you might touch the life of a child, whether that child is at your local school, in another state, or 1800 miles away in a tiny village in El Salvador. "Write on!"

Fall 2005

Planning a conference for the Northern OH SCBWI -
EXHILIRATING

Worrying about whether we'll have enough registrants to pay the bills -
FRIGHTENING

Getting up at 5:00 a.m. to make late registrants' nametags and packet labels -
TIRING

Going the extra mile to hold hands with a registrant who has never had a critique, forgot to request a vegetarian meal for the schmooze, or can't remember whether or not he sent his registration check -
SATISFYING

Getting a frantic e-mail three days before the conference from a new writer who "absolutely must" have a critique with Erin Clarke because she's sure Erin will offer her a contract on the spot -
AMUSING

Trying to remember every last thing on your "to do" list and everything you need to bring to the hotel for the conference
OVERWHELMING

Misplacing the key to the hotel safe where all the bookstore proceeds were stashed
HEART-STOPPING (and STUPID!!)

The satisfaction of putting on a successful event with a conference committee and group of volunteers who are hardworking, capable, dependable and just plain awesome -
PRICELESS

Spring 2005

On my son's 21st birthday, he celebrated by taking his first parachute jump. This was not the way I wanted him to celebrate his birthday, and I was a nervous wreck plus angry that he caused me so much worry. It was hard to remember that when I graduated from high school, I celebrated with a trip to the Boston and New York area with two friends. The exciting part of the trip was that we didn't have a clue where we were staying (of course, our parents didn't know that), and spent one night in a men's dorm at Yale and one night crashed on the floor of some young musician's home that we had met on the street.

Recently a friend and I were talking about "taking risks" and how your perspectives change as you get older. We were riding home from a meeting and as I was fretting that my gas gauge had dipped below an eighth of a tank, we laughed about the fact that risk at our age means driving until your "low gas" light comes on.

Writing has a lot to do with taking risks and anyone who has been published knows that. While getting a contract can be exciting, there is still that fear that showing that very personal part of you can mean getting panned. Bruce Coville once likened it to passing around your baby's picture and having someone tell you quite frankly that you produced one, ugly kid!

But, if you're going to write or illustrate, and it doesn't seem to matter if you're new or more seasoned in the profession, you better learn to roll with the punches, grow an extra layer of skin, and believe in yourself, or you might as well take up a new profession. Skydiving, anyone?

2004

As you may know, I've been given the privilege of leading this great organization as your new regional advisor. Filling Michelle Laliberte's shoes is no small feat, but if enthusiasm and dedication help, then I'm up for the task. Fortunately for me, I'm serving with an executive board dedicated to both the field of children's writing and illustrating and our region.

I typically don't make promises, but I CAN promise you that my board and I are committed to the interests and concerns of every member of this organization. (On second thought, maybe my board should be committed for agreeing to serve with me!) One way we plan to do that is with an incredible line-up for our 2004 conference, Fall Into the Magic of Children’s Publishing, in September.

Don't hesitate to let us know what you'd like to see in the way of writing and illustrating events and to share any thoughts you have for making the Northern Ohio region even better. I'm sure you've heard from other groups you may have been involved with that an organization is only as strong as its members. If you'd like to get involved from the start, we still need a volunteer coordinator for the board. I'd love to hear from you.

I say with sincere honesty that I am honored to be serving as your regional advisor and I hope that you will not hesitate to get in touch with me, using the form below, should you have any ideas to share, comments to make, or concerns to address.

Here's hoping for a creative and productive year for us all! Write on!

Jean Daigneau