New to this game

kardiac00 · Feb 2, 2009

Hello everyone,

I'm so new to all of this and I'm a little concerned. I've been doing some research, as well as reading your posts, and I realized that writing a children's book is a struggle. So why am I not struggling enough? I just finished my first children's book about a little boy who "goes to the moon," but the moon is metaphoric for his death. The story is based on my son's death last year due to premature birth. The story is upbeat from a child's perspective, but from an adult's perspective, it highlights the struggles some parents may face in losing a sick child. I only know the "youth" perspective because I teach English to middle school students. I guess what I'm asking is, how many times did you revise your book? (I've revised only 4 or 5 times now.) Also, how long was it before you realized it was worthy of submitting to publishers? Lastly, how can I get honest critiques on this story? I'm open to any suggestions, even though the story is close to my heart since it's something I experienced. Thanks for any feedback you can provide!

Marissa

Momento Mori · Feb 3, 2009

Hi, kardiac00, and welcome to AW.

kardiac00:
I guess what I'm asking is, how many times did you revise your book? (I've revised only 4 or 5 times now.)

There's no hard and fast answer to this. You just have to revise it until you feel that it's the best you can get it and it tells the story that you want to tell.

kardiac00:
Also, how long was it before you realized it was worthy of submitting to publishers?

Again, there's no hard and fast answer. Once you've got it to the stage where you don't think you can improve it any more, then you should start researching suitable publishers and agents and begin the query process.

kardiac00: Lastly, how can I get honest critiques on this story?

I'd suggest the Share Your Work forum here on AW as a starting place but you could also look at whether there are any writing groups in your area.

MM

Danthia · Feb 3, 2009

kardiac00 said:
So why am I not struggling enough?

Who says you have to struggle? Writing can be hard at times, and sometimes you'll struggle over a particular point, but that's not how it is all the time for everyone. It's always been fairly easy for me, even when I run into plot points or structural issues that need working out. I think you'll find a lot of writers have no troubles. It just seems that way because people post when they have a problem, but don't post to say "everything's fine and dandy"

kardiac00 said:
I guess what I'm asking is, how many times did you revise your book?

As many as it needed. I know that sounds like a cop out, but it isn't. 4 or 5 times sounds about average, but it's all subjective. I start every writing session re-reading and revising the pages I did the day before. By the end of my first draft, I've technically revised every page at least once, but I don't count that as a revision. It's just the way I write. It isn't until I have a finished manuscript and I go back to tweak that I start counting revisions. (And I don't really count them per se). I'd say three to four is what I do on average, though some books need more work and some less.

kardiac00 said:
Also, how long was it before you realized it was worthy of submitting to publishers?

I knew by chapter two of the book I sold. I knew I had to finish it of course, and it would need polishing, but it felt different from anything I'd written before. I have other books I started and knew by chapter three it wasn't going to work and started over, or set them aside until I can figure out how to fix them. I wish I could give you a rule to use, but you never really know for sure, especially with that first book. I thought my first book was awesome when I sent it out (and got rejected by everyone). I look back now and cringe. I see the things now I had no clue about then. It takes a lot of writing before you develop that objective eye for your own work. Until then, you just make it the best you can and send it out there.

kardiac00 said:
Lastly, how can I get honest critiques on this story?

You can post some in the Share Your Work section here. Or you can look for critique groups in your area or online. Try SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), look for any writer's organizations near you. They usually have a way to connect writers with crit groups.

Kitty Pryde · Feb 3, 2009

Welcome to AW!
Check out this thread with lots of good resources for childrens writers.

A few things to think about while you're still early in the writing process:
What age group is this book for? 3-6, 5-7, 8-10, 10-12? Is it a picture book, a chapter book, a middle grade novel? Picture books must have a limited number of words and pages. Vocabulary and concepts always need to be appropriate for the target audience.

Keep in mind that kids books are always written for kids, and never for adults. There shouldn't be stuff added solely for the benefit of adult readers.

I second the suggestion to post your work in our Share Your Work forum to get some feedback. It's very helpful to get feedback from other writers, because feedback from friends and family tends to be along the lines of, 'uhh, yeah, it was good, and stuff.'

kardiac00 · Feb 3, 2009

Thank you everyone for the great feedback! I plan to post the work online for sure, when I know it's ready for you all to tear it apart.

As for the targeted audience, it is definitely a picture book for ages 3-7. It has roughly 650 words and about 23 pages. I agree that the material should not be written for adults. I do feel the material is enjoyable for children, and it teaches lessons about being small, yet accomplishing your goals; however, the story is metaphoric. My character's trip to the moon is not really just an average trip to the moon: It's his death. I know this sounds morbid, but the context of the story is not. Is it wrong then to have this metaphoric plot, though it can still be entertaining to kids?

morningsong · Feb 3, 2009

[Is it wrong then to have this metaphoric plot, though it can still be entertaining to kids?[/quote]

Absolutly not! Think of the classics..Chronicles of Narnia, The Lorax, Lord of the Ring...Deep metaphoric plots and superb entertainment. Don't be squeamish. "Be bold, be bold. In all you do be bold" (eh, or something like that. Not sure of the exact quote. ; )

MsJudy · Feb 3, 2009

Of course it's not wrong to have a metaphorical plot. Like any art form, there is no "right" and "wrong." There is only what works for your story.

OLD TURTLE would be a good example of a metaphorical picture book. It deals with religion, faith and the true nature of God--heavy themes for children, but the story works.

I second what everyone else has said. I'm a terribly slow, laborious writer. I can never just move on and write the next chapter if there's something wrong with this one...so I revise a lot as I go along. But I find that the more I write, the better the first drafts are. Some days are easier than others, some stories are easier than others. There's really no "typical" way to do things.

That said, I do have to admit that it got a lot harder before it got easier. At first I just wrote. Then I started to learn more about structure, plotting, pacing, transitions, story arcs, the difference between plot and action, theme, subplots, etc.... the more I knew, the more I had to think about, and it took a while before some of it became automatic enough that I could forget about them and just write.

Anyway, welcome to AW! It's a great place to learn.
Judy

Kitty Pryde · Feb 3, 2009

Yeah, metaphor and hidden meaning are good. But that said, you've only got 650 words to tell your story. You can't waste them on anything that is for the benefit of the moms and dads reading the story to their little ones.

New to this game

kardiac00

Momento Mori

Tired and Disillusioned

Danthia

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

kardiac00

morningsong

MsJudy

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue