Blog Archives

See Your Story with Fresh Eyes (Without the Wait)

9/29/2020

By Maggie Lauren Brown

When it comes to revision advice, you have likely heard that’s it’s a good idea to let your manuscript sit for awhile so you can come back to it with fresh eyes. Of course, this is true. But there are also strategies to help see your story in a new light without the waiting period. Many of these ideas are meant for picture books, but some can be used for longer novels as well.

First, make sure to read your story aloud. This will help you notice awkward wording, areas that drag, or unrealistic dialogue.

Have someone else read your story to you. It’s better if they haven’t read the story before, and even better if you can find a willing kid! You’ll hear areas that trip them up, or places that they read in a way you weren’t expecting.

If you can’t find anyone to help, Word documents can read your story to you. If you go to Review -> Read Aloud or use the shortcut Alt + Control + Space, Word will read your document aloud. Even a computerized voice can be enlightening!

Another strategy is using the Voice Memo app in your phone—record yourself reading your story and then listen to it back.

The next method is to switch up how you see your story. If you’re used to reading on a computer screen, print it out. You could even create a dummy to see where the text would be broken into page turns. Try switching up your font—you’d be surprised how small changes can help you notice things you haven’t before.

Next, try changing your environment. If you’re used to working in a home office, bring a copy of your story outside. What if you walk around while you read it? Even something as simple as changing rooms can change your perspective. If you’re used to working during the day, give nighttime a try.

The biggest take away here: switch it up! Shaking things up will help you see your work in new ways. Happy revising!

Maggie's Story:
Once upon a time, Maggie Lauren Brown performed as a synchronized swimmer, mermaid-for-hire, and high school English teacher. Now, she writes about her adventures in children’s books. Maggie is an SCBWI and 12x12 member, a Children's Book Academy course assistant, and is represented by Adria Goetz of Martin Literary Management. Maggie's debut picture book, JOY THE PANDACORN, releases next year with Clear Fork Publishing.

Connect:
www.MaggieLaurenBrown.com
www.twitter.com/ByMaggieBrown

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Two Creative Approaches to Storytelling

9/21/2020

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by Bryan Patrick Avery

There’s more than way to perform any particular magic trick. There must be at least 50 ways to vanish a coin, for instance. Why so many, you ask? One word: Creativity. Every magician brings their own skill, style, and sensibilities to the art. This leads to many variations on the same theme, but it also means the creation of new pieces of magical art that delight and inspire us.

The same can be said about writing. There are many ways to tell a story, and our individual approach to telling a story makes all the difference. This month, we’ll look at two creative approaches to storytelling that create a magical experience for the reader.

I’m a fan of all things Neil Gaiman but FORTUNATELY, THE MILK is one of my favorites. A brother and sister wait at the kitchen table as their father goes to the store to fetch milk for breakfast. He takes forever and, when he returns, the kids quiz him about why the trip took so long. What follows is the most entertaining, outlandish, and creative story.

The father explains his adventures (which include alien abduction, a stegosaurus inventor, piranhas, ponies, and time travel). The veracity of the father’s story may be called into question, but the quality of his story is not. What’s unique about this story (besides the rather odd cast of characters) is that, though kids will love it, a kid isn’t the main character. In fact, we scarcely hear from the kids as the father tells his tale, with the exception of a few interruptions along the way to ask clarifying questions. FORTUNATELY, THE MILK is an entertaining tale and a great example of storytelling (Neil’s and the father’s) at its best.

As a kid, I loved the CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE books. I also loved mysteries and I confess to being more than just a little disappointed that I could never find any good mysteries where I controlled the action. Lauren Magaziner made my dreams come true with CASE CLOSED #1: MYSTERY AT THE MANSION. Carlos, his best friend Eliza, and her little brother Jack set out to solve a mystery in hopes of saving Carlos’ mother’s struggling detective agency.

The case? Figure out who is threatening a rich widow.
The challenge? The reader is in charge of the action.

You decide who to question, what to investigate, and who to accuse. Along the way, you encounter danger, find clues, and solve puzzles. Choose wisely and you just might solve the case. Choose wrong? Well, let’s just say I ended up as a human dog, got locked out of the client’s house, and ended up a sidekick to an evil villain before I finally made the right choices and solved the case. It was a blast, and this is a book that readers can come back to over and over again.

If, by chance, you make it through all the permutations, Lauren has two more books in the CASE CLOSED series, including the recently released CASE CLOSED: HAUNTING AT THE HOTEL. Though you might never write a book in this style, it is helpful to reflect on the level of detail that goes into creating a book where the narrative is in the hands of the reader. Simply thinking through your story in this level of detail can help you craft better stories.

Well that’s all for this month. Happy writing, stay safe, and have a magical month.

Bryan Patrick Avery discovered a love of magic and mystery at the age of four, after receiving a magic set and his first Bobbsey Twins Mystery book. Today, he is an award-winning poet and author, and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Mystery Writers of America. He's also a life member of the Society of American Magicians (which was once led by Harry Houdini) and charter member of the International Association of Black Magical Artists. Bryan's greatest joy is making stories appear out of thin air.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT – END OF SUMMER WRITING PROMPTS

9/14/2020

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By Melissa Stoller

Where I live, it’s still beach weather, although we can tell the end of summer is approaching. Back to school routines (whatever those look like in 2020!), cooler evenings, and a bountiful harvest of tomatoes and corn on the table, all mark the transition from summer to autumn. Wherever you are in your creative process, this time of year can signal a fresh start to your writing routine.

Here are some prompts that can set you up for a bountiful harvest of creativity:

1) Think about your back-to-school routine from childhood. What was your favorite part – maybe it was shopping for school supplies or picking a new outfit? Or going to the library to choose new books? Perhaps it was packing your backpack. Can those memories, or new routines of today, help spark a story idea?

2) What end of summer events do you take part in (even if you are not participating this year). Do you enjoy certain recipes using end of summer foods – how do they smell and taste? Do you take one last swim in the sea or a lake? Maybe it’s one final family road trip before work and school resume? Write about some of these memories.

3) Do you have any mementos from this summer or past summers? Do you create photo albums or scrapbooks? Do you enjoy a seashell collection, some pressed flowers, or a box of other summer treasures? Take some time to closely observe one summer item and use it to spark an idea.

I hope these prompts help ignite your writing life this fall. Let me know in the comments, and enjoy the last days of summer!

BIO:

Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla! (Clear Fork, Fall 2018). Upcoming books include Sadie’s Shabbat Stories and Return of the Magic Paintbrush (CFP). Melissa is a Blogger and Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, a Moderator for the Debut Picture Book Study Group, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, and a founding member of The Book Meshuggenahs. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and long beach walks.

CONNECT:

https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller
http://www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
http://www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller

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