Hey there fellow writers.

Here’s a link to the CWIM online!!! It’s a great resource. I get the book every year! Love to read all the interviews and articles they include.
Check it out. I’ve all ready signed up and recieve my monthly newletter:
CWIM newsletter

Hey all.

Don’t mind all the boxes, newspapers, and bubble wrap.

I’m moving some/most of my myspace blog posts over to here.
I like to have everything in one place.
I’ll still leave it up at my myspace page too.

Thanks.
~~~Tracey

I ran across another thing. This is some GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT advice given by Verla Kay over on her Blue Board .

“Some things to consider when looking at a picture book
manuscript are these:Does the story start in the middle of the action?  Does it
pull readers right into the problem immediately?

Does it have between 16 and 22 solid “scenes” that
“demand” to be illustrated? And are they all different?
(You normally don’t want 16 scenes all in the kitchen
of the refrigerator door!  There’s just not enough variety
for that to be a good picture book.)

Are the scenes fairly evenly spaced in the manuscript?  In
other words, do you have four paragraphs of one scene
and then two sentences for the next one?  You only want
that if it’s a climax of the story or for some other very
specific reason.  Otherwise, there should be about the
same amount of text for each scene in the book.

Does the main character have a problem that is so
important it’s life-changing or life-threatening?  If not, it
might not be “meaty” enough for a solid picture book.

Are there three important “setbacks” that your main
character experiences in trying to solve his problem? 
Is the last one so major that readers feel he’ll never
solve his dilemma? (That’s the climax.)

Is the ending totally satisfying and does it feel “right”
to readers?  Does the solution to the problem come
naturally from the events and personalities of the
characters in the book? Does the reader think, “Of
course! Why didn’t I think of that?” when the story is
done?Regardless of whether or not it’s written in rhyme, all
picture books need to have a “rhythmic feel” to them.
Can it be read aloud effortlessly, without anyone
stumbling over words or phrases — even the very first
time someone sees and reads the story?

Is the plot different from the thousands of other picture
books already on the market? (Check with Books in Print
- the children’s version for the answer to this question, or
look up the subject matter on the internet to see what else
is out there.)

Is your writing style unique?  Does it feel like YOU wrote
the story, and not just anyone?  Did you use fun, different
words that tickle the tongue and the mind?  Does the story
delight readers and make them want to read it again and
again?

Was the story told with the absolute minimum of words? 
Is each scene succinct and clear — easy for young readers
to understand?

These are all very important things to consider when
looking at a picture book manuscript.

A magazine story only has 4 to 8 illustration possibilities.
It has one problem with normally one setback.  It may
have less characters. It doesn’t need that “read me again
and again” quality of a picture book story. It doesn’t cost
a publisher $50,000 to $80,000 to publish it for the first
time.

I hope this helps you to understand a little better the
differences between these two kinds of stories.”

Great info, huh! If you’ve never been, go and check it out. There’s more than this there!I’ve found it to be a great resource, full of friendly people!

Enjoy!
~~~Tracey

OK, now that 2008 has had a bit to get going I’ve been thinking about all I want to do this year:

• READ. Yes, that again. My goal is at least one picture book a day. 2 if I’m feeling spunky. haha.
• SUBMIT. My goal with submissions will be targeting more magazines for the beginning of the year. I really want to try and build up my credits more.
• AGENT RESEARCH. I talked with one of my m-i-l friends daughter who contracts with different publishing houses. ***squeeling here. I can’t believe I actually did this!!!*** I was told the best thing a writer can do is have an agent. This person told me that agents know this business inside and out, better than lawyers. I know it can be just as hard to get an agent as it is to be published, but that is where I’m putting my efforts now.
• CLASSES. I have officially started my classes with ICL!!! After being accepted five years ago. I am looking forward to this so much. I know I can write, and write well. I just need that little extra that I haven’t figured out yet. I believe this will help me find that bit.

2008, I am ready for it! I hope you are too.

Wow! What a year 2007 was for me!
REALLY!

I was sitting today looking over my submission track sheet and thinking about how I wanted to approach 2008 and I just sat there in wonder.
Eight years (not including the time off I took —about a year, year-and-a-half) that’s how long I’ve been writing — er, seriously that is. And I think I’ve done well.

I had a better ratio of personal rejections -to- form rejections this year. Yay! Like a little better than 3:5. Double yay! Eight acceptances… that floored me. I hadn’t counted them until today. But EIGHT! YAY w/ a cheesy grin! And all those acceptances began coming in August. My head has been in a whirl the last part of the year.

I still have about a third of what I sent out still out there. But I can’t help that. That’s in the editors hands. But all that will go into this years pot. And I’m still waiting on Highlights for atleast one of mine they are holding. *squeel. HL, I’m still excited about that.*

I had one close call for a printed book. AGAIN! This is the second time this one has almost sold. I can get them to open the door, just can’t get them to let me in. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! ‘Who is that strange person knocking?’ They ask. So, I keep trudging and knocking on other doors. I know eventually I’ll find someone who likes me. “You like me? You really like me!” *me blowing kisses to everyone.

I have made some new and great friends this year. I got back into a critique group, started a regional critique group, and wound up joining one other. Three critique groups. Whew! That can sometimes get a person busy, but I like it. I love being thrown into so many stories and seeing them expand and take new turns and twists. And learning, learning, learning. I never learn enough, and the great people who have come into my life this year are teaching me some great things. I still have some people in my older groups that I talk to and I treasure them too. What a great group of people I get to be associated with!!! Children’s Writers really are top notched.

Yes, I’ve definitely had some great highlights for the year. Great personal rejections, almost getting there, friends who are like family, on and on.

I hope you all have had a great year. I am looking forward to 2008. And hey! It’s here all ready so I might as well be ready for it. I’m getting my goals in order and setting up my game plan. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has in store either.

Best wishes,
~~~Tracey

Hello all.
And thanks for following me over to here.
I am trying WordPress to see if I like it better than my myspace blog. If so, I’ll be moving over here permanently.

Best wishes,
~~~Tracey