I get another question asked of me frequently… well two actually:

1. Where do you get your ideas from?
2. Where do you write?

WHERE DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM:
They come from everything, everyone, and everywhere. The old addage:

Write what you know.

is true. Which is basically telling you to draw from your own experiences and memories. A lot of my ideas come from when I was younger. I also have written a few articles for adults drawing on my experiences as a writer. I also get ideas from snippets I see or overhear. The newspaper is full of ideas waiting to hatch. Going to the mall or library or park, where you run into people, can be interesting too. You never know what may or may not happen. The main thing I try to do is keep an open mind to what all is going around me. And just because I found something TOTALLY worth writing about, doesn’t mean that you (sitting right by me) would want to write about it too.
That goes into our interests. When you are interested about something, it holds your attention longer and you’re able to focus on it more. I love sports, wrestling in particular. My sons have wrestled, my middle one still does for his school. I have SEVERAL stories on wrestling… fictional and non-fictional stories and articles. Within a Circle was published in June, 2008 by Stories for Children Magazine. That’s what is great about writing… figure out what you like and go for it.

WHERE DO I WRITE:
*me laughing out loud here* Where ever I can! Seriously. I write in the kitchen, the livingroom, on the computer, at ball games, in between matches at a tournament, and on and on and on I could go. I’m a mom of three boys (all still in school), a wife, I work, and there is still food to cook and a house to take care of. *although I’ll admit… the house does get neglected from time to time. hahaha*
The thing is to make time for your writing. This is your passion, what you want to do, and if you want it bad enough you can find time. I don’t have a certain block of time that I write. I don’t even have a goal of writing “said hours” a day. The thing that I do (that has worked for me) is writing when I can and being as productive as I can when I do find that time. It may be a few minutes here, 10 minutes there, and 40 minutes during another time. BUT I GET IT DONE!
It’s hard to juggle everything, but get things in order. I take care of my family, they are first in my life. And so what if the house didn’t get vaccumed today. If you have to look that hard to find dust, then you’re being too nosey. *teehee*
One thing that helps me is that I try to keep a notebook handy at all times. Mind you, that means I may have 4 or 5 notebooks going. I have one in my car in a totebag, one by my bed, one at my computer, another I do my school work in, and a few more scattered around. I also carry a hand-held tape recorder with me for when I’m in the car. The people around my small town don’t think I’m crazy anymore when they see me ‘talking to myself’ as I’m driving now. Most of them know I’m a writer and will talk into my recorder as I’m driving. Afterall, writing and driving don’t mix. That’s my take on DUI (driving under inspiration) *no, I’m not making fun of drunk driving either. so please no hate mail on this* I will carry my recorder when I go on walks too.
I found that my muse (inspiration) doesn’t have a time limit on when it may hit. But when ever it does, I try to be ready.

I hope the WHERE in your life happens today. Be it while you’re in the shower, driving to work, making dinner, or where ever.

Happy writing folks!

As a writer, I get asked this frequently.
The simple answer is that my ideas won’t shut up until I get them wrote down. But even that doesn’t stop them from haunting me. (hahaha) I will wake up in the middle of the night and think ‘Oh, that’s how I can improve that.’ Or I have been talking to someone (my poor husband usually) and the idea will hit. (poor hubby, teehee) It happens at odd time, like when I’m driving, or taking my walk.  I’ve gotten into the habit of either taking a tape recorder OR I’ll use my phone to record snippets whenever they occur.

Getting back to my topic of why…
Just because! I feel the need to put my words on paper. I love seeing them form sentences, paragraphs, a plot, a beginning, middle and end. And then I can go into the fact that you connect to people that you don’t even know. It doesn’t matter what genre you write, you connect with your readers, you take them into your world as they take in your words.
It’s amazing to me.

My best experience with my work so far as been two children that don’t even know what they did for me. You can read about it on my website: Tracey M. Cox and click on ‘my greatest experience’ to see what happened. This happened early in my writing career, but it has made the greatest impact. I have had other experiences… doing school visits, reading at the library… seeing little children’s faces light up at something I had a hand in is one of the best feelings in the world for a children’s writer. I love the comment s and questions they come with too.

That’s why I write.  How about you?

Hello all.

I got my response for the publishing house that had my revision…
It was a “no” BUT… she thought that I should keep persuing other houses AND she edited my manuscript.

Now, I’m not much for squeeling, but     S Q U E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E!    I am so excited. Definitely doing a snoopy dance here. Now I’ve got to sit down and decide where to send this next. Decisions, decisions.

I have been working on this story for a long time. It’s nice to see your hard work begin to pay off.

Hope all of you get to hear some good news with your writing too!

Best wishes,
~~~Tracey

Has anyone ever said that to you?

I’ve had that said to me many times. More times than I can count on my fingers. More times than I can count really. WHY? I know the reason, but I still ask myself that question anyway. The reason is because they think all you have to do is slap down a few words and viola! you have a story that children will love.
Well, it’s not that easy. That is like saying raising a child is easy. Or teaching a child how to act is that easy. No, it takes time, thought, and care to get a story down right. To captivate an audience, and get them to want to read it over and over again.
I think the main reason most people think this way is because a story (esp. for younger children) seems so effortless. The story flows from the pages, the illustrations mesh, and everything pops into your head and takes you into the plot. But that’s is what a truely done right ms is SUPPOSED to do! You’re not supposed to see the hours, days, and months put into the story. You’re not supposed to feel the stutter or jolt of a sentence being out of place. Or have them stop and reread where a scene doesn’t seem to be in the right place or not in the story at all. No, as a reader, all they are supposed to see, hear, and feel is the polished product of a writer’s (illustrator’s) hard work. So it does seem effortless and easy to do… to them.

I’ve learned to hold my head up when I hear that comment. It means I have a high standard to live up to with my writing. And hopefully will hold others up to it too when I’ve gotten my own books out. I feel that writing for children is a great privilege. You have a part of shaping that child, even for an instant. With a book you can help a child relate to certain situations, help them laugh, or open their eyes up to a new idea. It never ceases to amaze me what a book can do. Or how much it can influence a person, even the little ones known as children!

So, the next time someone says… ‘Oh, you write for children.’
Remember to smile, and say “Yes, I’m doing what I can to help shape the future.”

Hello all.

Just so you know. I have a new page to the side, titled “my trip”. Hubby and I went to NYC for the 4th. Wow, I’m still pumped from it. We did so much, but still didn’t do all we wanted too. haha. How much can one city have?!? We packed as much as we could though. My feet protested for two days after we got home. I want to go back already. *teehee* What can I say… once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker. Be sure to check out my page though. I even managed to put up pictures. *don’t faint here* No, they’re not arranged exactly the way I wanted them to be, but hey, I got them up. Which I was totally pleased with myself.

I’ve been busy writing too. Yeah! I’ve gotten some of my older mss to come alive. Get that dust off! Woohoo! I even got a story out that I’ve been playing around with for I don’t know how long in my head. I just couldn’t get it down on paper. It wouldn’t come out at all. So I’ve been playing with it… over and over in my head. Finally, FINALLY to get it out and down on paper. WHEW!

I wonder… do other writers do that? I’m sure there are some that do. May be a majority even. At least I know it’s worth persuing. If an idea sticks in my head, I’ll get it out… eventually. *cough, cough*

So here I am. Enjoying summer. Getting psyched! Feeling inspired by being in one of the heartbeats of the publishing industries. It’s a great feeling. This year has already been great to me and my writing. And think, I still have half of it waiting to unfold. Crossing my fingers that I’ll be doing more snoopy dances as the year progresses.

Enjoy your writing journey!

Best wishes,
               ~~~Tracey