Thinking Thursday

How about a story, with a twist?

Take your favorite story. What would it be? Cinderella? The Three Pigs? The Wizard of Oz? Jack and the Bean Stalk? The Three Bears? Now, write it from a different angle! Or think of the main character in a different time or setting. What would / could happen then?

Cinderella – How about the point of view of one of the step-sisters? How about her loosing her father at a young age? What about the fairy godmother, what kind of training has she had to go through to get to where she is now?

The Three Pigs - What do the towns people think of the mess that is going on? What is the wolf’s motivation? Are we getting the whole story???

The Wizard of Oz – Why is the wicked witch of the east so mean? What happened to the Little People? What did the farmer who made the scarecrow do when his scarecrow disappeared? Did Toto like the roller coaster of a ride in the tornado?

Jack and the Bean Stalk – Can you give the giants perspective? What about the farmer who gave the bean seed away? Was their money in the stalk industry? What about the day the stalk market crashed because Jack chopped it down? *yes, the pun was intended*

The Three Bears – What did the bears do when they left their house? What did they do after Goldie Locks left… Did they install a security system? Enforce a neighborhood watch? Did the other animals notice the crime spree?

On and on you can go. Creating your own twist is making the story yours! And maybe finding that gem in your words that can be cut and polished and become a diamond.

KEEP WRITING!!!

Tips on a Tuesday

Support each other.

Do you have a favorite author or illustrator? You know what I mean… you will read anything and everything that person put out??? You buy their work, you study it, you get the creepy am-I-stalking-them feeling every now and then… }:0)

Why don’t you write an article about that person or that book or that movie that you so enjoy? Go in depth and get to the heart of “WHY” you like it. Give them a shout out on social media, maybe even turn that article into some questions and approach that particular individual for an interview. *just try not to have the stalker-look going*

People LIKE to know they are appreciated and that their work has touched someone. People like to have an unexpected nod in their direction. And you know what… It comes back to you.

So don’t be afraid to support each other in your works. On top of it all, it’s nice to be reminded that you are not alone.

www.Wednesday

Today I’m highlighting one of the first websites I ever clicked on when I started my professional writing journey. *yes, I can remember that far back*

http://www.underdown.org/

Harold Underdown is a pro out there that doesn’t mind us writers picking his brain. *Thanks Harold!* He is constantly updating his web site and has put out a “Dummies” books called, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books
” that most of us can’t stop ohhhing and ahhhing over.

His website has pointer that everyone from Newbie to Oldie can learn from. His “Who’s Moving Where” page is priceless as he helps us keep up with the ever changing publishing world we are consumed with.

This is one of the main sites I point everyone to who wants to know how to start.
Hope you find it a jewel too!

THANKS HAROLD FOR A GREAT RESOURCE!

Marketing Monday…

One thing I am learning is that it is okay to toot your own horn. *yes, finally… It had to soak through all the layers of my thick skull okay*

After being published in 2009 I told a few people the good news. It wasn’t that I wasn’t proud of what I had done. I just felt ackward about tooting that horn of mine. Well buzz forward 3 years and I am still having trouble putting my name out there along with my books. WHY? I don’t know… really. Then my monther-in-law and I came up with a great idea. She is a cake designer. Yep, just like the ones you see on TV, but better. :0D She also bakes cookies. So we came up with Sweet Story Time, where you can purchase 1 dozen sugar cookies and chose 1 of my picture books for $15.00. Not bad, huh! Well, I began posting on FaceBook and we have begun to get some orders in. *\o/* YAY *\o/* But here is the kicker… A friend of mine told me she had been waiting for me to advertise my books.

WAITING ON ME TO ADVERTISE! You know, put my name and my books out there?
Who would of thunk it!
*head + desk = BANG*

It is only common sense. Who else do you think will get out there and promote you better than you. I mean, I HAD to believe in myself enough to put my stories out there for editor after editor to reject it. Right? And I HAD to believe in myself enough not to give up until I finally revised enough and found the perfect fit. Right?   RIGHT!

So, that is my marketing tip for today. Pull out that old horn and start tooting, blowing, honk-honk-honking away! Here’s to your first sale, or your 100th. Now get out there and get going!

Thinking Thursday

Brain storming for new concepts can be hard! Let’s face it. So how did I come up with a few of my ideas?

Shaping Up the Year

I was taking an online class and we had to think of something we come across everyday and how we can incorporate it into a learning experience. Well, it was around a holiday and I kept seeing shapes (basic and not-so-basic). You know squares, circles, rectangles… And then I got the idea of looking at the holidays we have through out the year and BLAM-O! Shaping Up The Year came into focus. I took the shapes and thought how they help us think of either that holiday or something pertaining to it…

New Years’s Eve… The ball that drops and we count down the moment… circle = ball
St. Patrick’s Day… Four-Leaf Clovers… four hearts = clover
Christmas… Presents… Squares = wrapped presents

Now for another one I would like to share, the idea came looking at a publishers book catalog. You use a book catalog to see what the publisher was currently selling and it’s mid and back lists. You would either pick these up at conferences or order them through the mail. Now publishers have them on their web site’s. YAY for the digital age!!!!
I was looking through a catalog of someone I was interested in submitting to and trying to get a feel for what they liked. They had four pages of Alphabet Books. I KID YOU NOT! (Mind you, I think alphabet book have been done and done and redone and done some more. Haha.) While flipping through the pages I saw firemen, butterflies, bikes, cloud jumpers, insects. For some reason I thought, “Hmm, don’t have one on spiders.” WHY, OH WHY, WOULD I THINK OF THAT?!? (Note to readers: I DONOT like spiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Well, the idea would not go away. So for the next nine months what did I do? I researched SPIDERS. UGH! Talk about a labor of love. hahahha. You have got to love the mind of a writer. :0) I found my material and spent another six months writing and revising, working with my critique group and with someone in the field of study and finally came up with… (and to be release later this year)

Arachnabet

See how crazy ideas can form? From a simple writing exercise to flipping through a catalog to LIFE!

So put on your thinking caps today and make it happen!

Til next time,
~t

Tips on a Tuesday

Good morning all.

Following my post on FaceBook… I thought I would post on being open.

As an artist (yes, writers are artists. :0D) , you have to be open to your surroundings and bring what you see, hear, smell, feel into your work.

As everyone knows, I’m participating in the 12x12x12 challenge this year. That’s where we will write 12 complete first drafts in 12 months of 2012. Which doesn’t seem like much? Or maybe it seems like a lot???

For January, my inspiration came from a birthday card I rec’d over a year ago. It had a legend on the back of the card and it intrigued me enough for me to look it up. When I discovered I liked the story, I searched for other books that had the same back story. I found not many. (AND THAT’S A GOOD SIGN!)
For February, my inspiration came from some incidences that has been going on in the news. What could be kid worthy in the news? I know you are asking this, but there are things towards kids. Things children and adults need to be aware of and think about before hand. I got my idea going and again researched to see how many other books are out there that have my angle. There is one! That’s all. WOW!
Now I know it’s not March yet, but while writing February’s draft this past weekend, inspiration struck again. A cow was mooing like mad. The funny thing was it sounded like it was warming up to sing. You know, going up and down the scales!!! FUNNY!!!! Needless to say, the cow kept mooing (for at least 5 minutes this way) and I kept getting tickled. Then an idea came. Before I knew it I had an outline done. When I finished my February draft, I started on March’s.

See what I mean about being open? A card, situations, sounds… all of it can lead to a new story for you.

Here’s to finding inspiration this morning!

www.Wednesday

Good morning folks. Here is a challenge for the new year…

What does this mean???   I am challenging myself to write 12 new picture books in 2012.   Sounds daunting?   Well break it down…   1 pb each month for 12 months = 12 new drafts!!!   Now that doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

You can join too. There’s a web site:

http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/

By signing up, you will be inspired each month (by guest bloggers) and entered into rewards for each month too!   Can you do it?   I say this is the year of the writer!!!!
RAAAAAW-ROR!

Good luck and Best wishes,

~t

~WELCOME 2012~

Happy New Year Everyone!

Are you feeling inspired by the new year? I always do. It is after all a new beginning. :0)

My favorite inspiration writers story is about Dr. Seuss…
He had a list, an editors list. You see, he had wrote a story about a cat and a hat, and he believed in that story. So he sent it out to the first editor on his list. It came back with a rejection and you know he had to be sad. But he didn’t give up. He crossed off the editors name and sent it out to the second editor on his list. It came back with another rejection and you know he had to be at least a little more sad. But he didn’t give up. He crossed off that editors name and sent it out to the third editor on his list. It came back with another rejection and may be he felt like he wasn’t so sure in his story. But he didn’t give up. He sent it out to the four editor, then the fifth, the sixth, and on and on. Each time crossing off that particular editor name. Then after over 40 rejections someone saw something in this story, someone else believed in his work. And now so many someones enjoy his stories every year. All because he refused to give up!

But he is not the only famous person who didn’t give up. Here’s a video I stole from Elizabeth Dulemba. Hopefully to inspire you. Whatever you are doing… Dream, Believe, and Reach For The Stars!

Happy New Year All!
Best wishes,

~t

Monday Marketing…

Hello everyone & HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope each of you are having a great day in celebration of our country’s independence. I know we are. :0)

I thought of a great marketing strategy for today… TIE-INs.   Can you think of something that is going on with your community or country that can tie in with your story, article, book??? Why not use it to your advantage then? Some people will look at “this day in history” articles and find inspiration for new stories. If you know of an anniversary of something why not write about it. It could lead to a sale!

That being said…

Did you know that The 4th of July is included in Shaping Up the Year? Think of all the shapes that help make up today.

HAhahahahahhahahahahaaa. Hope this holiday ‘shapes up’ to be a safe and happy one for each of you.
til next time,
~t

Thinking Thursday… building up story characters

Hey there everyone.  Hope you are ready to get your thinking caps back on with me.

Today I thought I would try to help get those writing juices flowing by working on characters. Who is that character, what has happened to them, where are the going, when did this take place, why – just why, and how are they going to over come?

Great questions, but where to get the character. Well, why not real life. Now I’m not saying to use your Aunt Susie’s sisters daughters cousin. No, no way infact. I’m mean do you really want your whole family coming down on you??? No, I didn’t think so. So, what you need to do is go for a walk, take a bus ride, go to the store, anywhere where there are people. Now, choose a stranger and imagine just on looks what is going on with them.

Yes, I’m basically asking you to judge a book on it’s cover… ban me. *hahaha* But really and truly. This is a safe way to find characters and who knows WHAT story will explode out of your description.

Have fun!!!
~t