Writing the Right Way

by Fran Hodgkins

 

 

Everyone hopes to give their manuscript the best possible chance at being published. We check and doublecheck our grammar and spelling, search bookstores for comps, and scour the internet for agents or editors who might fall in love with our creations. Sometimes it can be stressful, and a lot of the time it can be discouraging. Perhaps you’ve thought, “If only I knew the right way to write.”

If only you had the magic formula. The “open sesame” that would unlock the door to your dreams.

But I will tell you a secret: there’s no one way to write. And because there’s no one way, that means there’s no right way.

Am I dismissing all the books about writing that are out there? Of course not. Not every book’s method will be a good fit for you. Writing is very individual, very personal. No two writers work exactly the same way because no two writers are identical.

What you need is to find what works for you.

Photo by Helena Lopes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-sitting-on-chairs-in-front-of-each-other-887723/Photo by Helena Lopes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-sitting-on-chairs-in-front-of-each-other-887723/Photo by Helena Lopes, via Pexels
 

For example, your writing environment can be a major factor.

·               Some people prefer to work in silence, or as close as they can get to it. For these folks, the library and noise-cancelling headphones are great choices.

·               Others prefer music, or just the normal sounds of life around them. Working at home may suit you, or writing in a café or coffee shop.

·               Some people prefer to write alone, while others enjoy getting together either in person or online for a quiet group writing session.

How do you find out what works for you? Try them all! You may find that the library is too quiet, and the local coffee shop is a bit too loud. Maybe it’s not the place, but the time. I just Googled my local coffee shop and checked the “popular times” chart. It’s quite busy on Sundays between 10 and noon, but on Monday afternoons, it’s not too bad. So it might be worth checking out on those less-busy days.

For me, writing is best done at home. I’m fortunate enough to have an office (which right at this moment is also occupied by two cats and a dog). I can close the door to cut down interruptions, but everyone in the house is old enough to be busy doing their own thing without Mom to entertain them. And just in case things get noisy, I have noise-cancelling headphones.

 

“How much should I write every day?” writers ask. We’ve all heard the advice:

You must do morning pages.

You must carry a notebook at all times.

You must stay at the keyboard until you’ve written X number of words.

You must sit in front of your screen until X minutes or hours have passed.

Nonsense.

Each of these rules has those writers who adhere to it. Some swear by morning pages, which is fantastic. But what if you’re a single parent trying to get your kids out the door to school and then get to work? Not everyone’s life accommodates these rules. I used to write on the train, in longhand, going in to work; it was great. But what if I had been driving to work? Not so productive!

 

If you can write every day, great. If you can’t, don’t beat yourself up. But even if you can’t write five or seven days a week, do your best to make time for your writing. Maybe it will be just a paragraph or two before you fall asleep with a cat in your lap after a long day. Maybe it will be a chapter every time you escape to the library or coffee shop, or when you have a chance to have your home to yourself. (Note: When family members/roommates are absent, please please please don’t spend your time doing laundry or cleaning out the fridge! These opportunities are gifts and they must be seized!)

And guess what? Thinking counts! That time in the shower when you’re puzzling about the best name for your character, or the time standing in line at the DMV thinking about your main character’s favorite color — it all counts. Writing is as much an effort of the mind as it is an effort of the fingers tapping across the keyboard. And as a result, sometimes you may find that 500 or 1000 to 2000 word-goal that you had for your writing that day stays frustratingly out of reach. To me, that means that you need to do more thinking. Shut off the computer or close the notebook. Do something else – take the dog for a walk, dig in the garden, go food shopping. Try different things. Try different tools, environments, genres. Try getting up early or staying up late. You need to give your mind time to lay the groundwork while you explore. When the groundwork is ready, the words will come. And then you can decide on what goal works for you – the number of words, the number of hours. Because you will have found your own right way to write.

And don’t forget – have fun.

Sarah Kurpiel and A LITTLE LIKE MAGIC: Review and Craft chat by Kathy Halsey

 

A LITTLE LIKE MAGIC BOOK REVIEW

Author-illustrator Sarah Kurpiel weaves spare text with a limited color palette to share a heartfelt story of a young girl overcoming her fears to find the everyday magic our world holds, if we give it a chance. 

We’ve all been in our young main character’s shoes: a bit grumpy, a bit whiny, and we just don’t want to go where we are supposed to go. But, after she dons her scratchy coat, and pockets her trusty plastic horse, she and Mom join a group of people to witness ice carving until it gets too cold, even with hot chocolate. 

On the way home, our main character wonders about all the fuss over ice. But when she discovers her toy horse is gone, she and Mom go back to the exhibit. It’s colder, more crowded, but NOW she’s OK. This time there’s “only light and ice and stars” as she sees the glowing magic of ice animals and ventures out to find an ice foal, and at its feet, her tiny horse. Yes, the ice melts, the seasons change, but the memory of that special night stays with her.

Writers will appreciate the weight and care that simple words and perfect pacing deliver to create a poignant story. Educators and librarians can dive into the SEL themes of perseverance and seeing things with a different point of view with their students.They could even go on a wonder walk to look at ordinary things and see the extraordinary. While the main character is in a wheel-chair, it is noteworthy that being differently-abled is not the story's focus. We can all walk in wonder with this picture book.  

Craft Chat with Sarah Kurpiel

Kathy: Tell me more about how your real-life experience as a child watching ice sculpting competitions and how inspired this book. Did you have a toy horse? 

Sarah: Hi there! Thanks so much for welcoming me onto the GROG! A Little Like Magic is about a young girl who visits an ice festival with her mother. It’s a story about art, memory, and the way venturing outside our comfort zone can sometimes lead to special experiences. The book is loosely based on an experience I had as a kid. When I was a few years older than the main character, my hometown hosted a professional ice sculpting competition. It was the only time I ever saw ice carving in-person, and it’s always stuck with me. 

One of the most memorable moments (which I didn’t include in the book) is when an unfinished sculpture collapsed. At competitions, sculptors often take risks with the ice, and then there’s the weather to contend with. For us onlookers, it was surprising and sad to see so much work come crashing down. I also remember the sculptures melting, which is something that worries the young girl in A Little Like Magic. She tends to worry and feel nervous, which is why she carries a familiar toy horse with her when she goes out. I didn’t have a favorite toy horse as a child, but I did have a favorite stuffed animal–a little bison that I got as a souvenir on a family vacation–which I certainly thought about as I wrote the story.

Kathy: As an author-illustrator what comes first for you - images or story? What informed your choices for the color palette? The color feels cold, until it feels cozy blue, and then “lit” up with white light as you illuminate the sculptures.

Sarah: Great question! Usually, I start with a loose concept and then thumbnail the story before working out the final words. Then, revise, revise, revise. In this case, however, the words and pictures emerged at the same time. It felt like the story was fully formed from the start. (I sure hope that happens to me again one day!) 

As for the color palette, at first I wanted to make the whole book monochromatic in blue, which seemed fitting for a wintery book about the power of memories. I love books that use a minimal limited palette, and I thought it might work well with this story. But, in the end, the story called for more colors, especially to show seasonal change and the difference between inside and outside. So, I changed course. But as you’ve noticed, the book still has a lot of blue. Even as her outfits change, the main character is always wearing blue, and the base of her wheelchair is a shade of blue as well. 

Kathy: I love the simplicity and pacing of the story. For writers only, like me, how can we play with pacing? I admire how two sentences can fill a whole spread! Example:  

“It's not there when I wake up

or while I'm playing and with my friends.

 It's not sitting on my knee 

or getting ready to go out.”

Sarah: Thank you. I think thumbnailing is one of the best ways to feel the pacing–even if you’re not the illustrator. It helps me find the natural page turns–like a setting change or a small cliffhanger–and helps me see where I want readers to speed up or slow down. There’s a particular moment in A Little Like Magic where I wanted readers to really slow down and linger for a while. On that page, I still kept the sentences short to retain a childlike voice, but I wrote them in a way that allowed me to insert several commas to create extra pauses. 

It’s a tiny, sentence-level thing, but I think all those tiny things, once added up, can make a difference. This was my first time writing a story in first-person using a childlike lyrical voice. I tried as much as possible to stay true to that voice throughout. If, during revision, a sentence became too long or too poetic, I’d ask myself, “Would a kid ever really say anything like this?” If the answer was, “Definitely not,” I looked for another way.

Kathy: How long have you been drawing? What are your favorite mediums? how would you suggest interested readers begin teaching themselves art?

Sarah: I’ve been drawing as a hobby for as a long as I can remember, but I didn’t start drawing digitally until 2016. I often sketch in pencil or pen, but I create my final illustrations digitally using a Wacom tablet connected to my computer. I tend to use digital dry media brushes because I like the rough textures they offer. Lately, though, I’ve been playing with some new techniques and digital brushes, which I’m enjoying quite a bit. 

Doodling for fun is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes it leads me to new characters and potential story ideas. I try to carve out time for doodling regularly because it both relaxes and re-energizes me, especially when I’m feeling discouraged. I know I’m not a highly skilled artist, but I love creating and learning new things, and that’s what I try to focus on–the enjoyment of it all. 

For readers interested in teaching themselves art, I suggest asking yourself what kind of art you enjoy looking at most and what specifically you like about it. Then, dive right in! Don’t wait for permission to start. Just start. Get a sketchbook or notebook (if you’re like me, the cheaper the better so you don’t get too worried about “wasting” pages) and keep it handy. 

If you’re not sure what to draw or paint or collage, try a fun art prompt list–October has some of the best, like Artober, Calmtober, and Peachtober. Pour over your favorite picture book illustrations, explore portfolios of your favorite illustrators, watch free art tutorials online, check out art handbooks from the library–whatever helps and inspires you most. But mostly, play around. Experiment. 

Make the art you want to see. And if, like me, you have a disability or limitation that makes it difficult to use a certain medium, tool, or technique, try a different one. Find what works for you. Sometimes it’s our limitations that help us find our unique style.

Kathy: Did you consciously think of the SEL aspect of the main character's personality, or am I reading that into the story?  I'm noticing phrases like “heavy coats, itchy hats, cold winds, the sounds of whirrings and  brr-ings.” (Great language by the way!) 

Sarah: While I didn’t consciously think about SEL as I wrote A Little Like Magic, I did think about the main character’s emotional arc. She starts off nervous and worried. Everything feels uncomfortable–possibly because she’s nervous or possibly because she’s sensitive to certain clothing, temperatures, and sounds. Either way, going to new places isn’t an easy thing for her. To help, she brings along her favorite toy horse, a little piece of home in her pocket. Without giving away too much of the story, suffice it to say, by the end, she’s different–not miraculously different, but different enough to see the value of pushing through those challenging feelings.

Kathy: From your website, I see that you are a librarian and a self-taught artist. Tell us how being a librarian helps you write for children. 

Sarah: My background is in academic libraries, so I don’t (usually) get to work with children’s books. However, my first library job involved cataloging children’s books used by college students studying to become teachers. That’s how I came to read A Sick Day for Amos McGee, which is the book that set me on a path toward making books myself. 

Later, I worked as a librarian at a small college that had a fairly large picture book collection–which I made ample use of as I was learning to write and illustrate books. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, since I work in the library field, I’m engaged in conversations on topics like information literacy, intellectual property, universal design, accessible design, and the freedom to read, all very relevant in the world of children’s publishing.

Kathy: What are you working on now and do you have any events where we can find you in person or online?

Sarah: Thanks for asking! I’m working on final art for my next picture book, which is about a kid struggling to say goodbye to a beloved old oak tree. It’s currently scheduled to come out next year from Rocky Pond Books. I’m also always working on personal art, which I share on Instagram and Bluesky. If you’re interested in learning more, consider subscribing to my monthly email newsletter.

More about Sarah

 Sarah Kurpiel is a self-taught picture book author and illustrator. Her debut book, Lone Wolf, received a starred review from the School Library Journal, while her books Original Cat, Copy Cat and Snake's Big Mistake were Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. Her latest book, A Little Like Magic, was published in Fall 2024.

A librarian by day, Sarah lives in the Midwest. Her stories are inspired by animals, nature, and moments of wonder in everyday life. She hopes her work brings a bit of happiness into the world—and a bit of disability representation too. Sarah uses a power wheelchair and considers her disability an important part of her identity.

Learn more at sarahkurpiel.com

A Biography to Inspire Future Astronauts!

by Sue Heavenrich

Our very own Fran Hodgkins has a book coming out in January! The title, She Went to Space: Maine Astronaut Jessica Meir is self-explanatory. The book is 32 pages, written for ages 5-8 and published by ‎Down East Books.

Astronaut Jessica Meir hails from Caribou, Maine, the second-largest city in Aroostoock County and just 12 miles from the Canadian border. The county itself is huge, about the size of Rhode Island plus Connecticut, and well-known for potatoes, timber, and tourism. Now Caribou can add “birthplace of an astronaut” to its list. 

Not just any astronaut. In 2019, Jessica and her partner-in-space Christina Koch made history completing the first spacewalk made solely by women. They spent more than seven hours outside the International Space Station replacing a broken power unit. You can watch the NASA video here.

Writing a biography about a famous astronaut wasn’t something Fran had on her to-do list, but when the editor of Down East reached out to her about working on this book, Fran said yes. 

“It sounded like it would be a fun project,” Fran said. “and I was interested in writing about Jessica for a couple of reasons. Unlike a lot of famous people, she hadn’t yet been the subject of a book yet, and I wanted to show how someone who grew up in such an unlikely place as Caribou, Maine could reach for the stars.”

Becoming an astronaut is not the sort of goal kids from rural Maine normally aspire to. “Sometimes when you’re in a rural area, you face limits because the people around you kind of impose their own limits on you,” muses Fran. “Fortunately, Jessica’s parents were well-educated and very supportive of education. That opened up possibilities.”

At the core of writing nonfiction is research. Fran began by doing a general search for basic information. “The internet has made finding information easier, and because she’s a celebrity there’s an incredible amount of information out there.” Fran had no trouble finding articles in Maine papers, the Boston Globe, and other media. 

“Jessica had done video interviews with TV stations, and there are videos about her on YouTube,” Fran says. “Not only that, she has published scientific papers about oxygen use in birds during high-altitude flight and articles about deep dives. She’s one of those people you could research forever and never feel you know everything!”

One especially valuable source for Fran was the transcript of an interview Jessica had with an archivist at the Brown University’s Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women. 

“What a treasure trove! Because it had been conducted by an archivist, the interview was very thorough and professional, covering everything from Jessica’s family to her experience aboard the ISS.” Finding that interview, Fran explained, saved her weeks of research.

A lot of research is digital, but Fran still likes her old-school methods. “I have files downloaded and printed out. I guess having a stack of paper makes you feel like you've done your homework!” Fran also has about fifty PDFs of online sources on her hard drive, “though not as organized as they could have been,” she admits. But they allowed her to highlight particular facts she wanted to include in Jessica’s biography, and easily locate them in a search.

Fran wrote the book during 2023, and each time she sat down to work on it she asked herself: “If you wanted to be an astronaut, what are the things that would eliminate you?” She focuses on some of these challenges throughout the book – even providing some interactive moments for readers to find out if they have what it takes to become an astronaut.

“I wanted to write a book that kids from anywhere can see themselves in,” says Fran. “Books were important to me as a kid. They inspired me. That’s why I write for children.”

In addition to writing books for kids and posts for the GROG, Fran was previously guest at our Annual Arthropod Roundtable and is a member of SCBWI. You can read her profile and see some of her books here.

Children's Book Festivals ~ tips from Christy Mihaly

Meeting a young festival-goer

It's fall book festival season! Are you a regular at these events? Do you have a favorite? Or are you new to the concept? Whether you're an author, illustrator, reader, parent, or educator -- there's something for you at your local book festival. If you haven't thought of participating, think again!

Books and Book Creators

Book Festivals come in many flavors. I've attended mostly children's book festivals. Other festivals focus on science fiction or nonfiction or mysteries ... while some welcome all books and authors. Some are a single day; others are multi-day affairs.  

I got to participate in the
Children's Literature Festival, Truman State Univ. (MO) 2023

Some festivals, like the Children's Literature Festival at Truman State, Missouri, bring in students from local schools as part of the program. All participating authors present to them. 

The main festival ingredient is always -- of course -- books. And authors and illustrators. And book lovers.

Below I'm sharing a few things to know about children's book festivals. 

A common book festival format involves row upon row of authors sitting at long tables with piles of their books in a gym or outdoors under tents. Visitors swarm past and pause to scan books and meet authors. Authors and illustrators may sell books and sign them. 

If this sounds grim for a book creator, it isn't! I've found festivals are a great opportunity to engage with the people that we write for -- kids and their adults. I've enjoyed many interactions and learned a lot about what works and doesn't work in books, and what kinds of books kids are looking for.

Warwick Children's Book Festival (NY) on a chilly fall day, 2022

And Other Stuff

Most festivals feature readings, author interviews, and/or special events and activities for kids. Many have great music. There are often story times or workshops. 

I recently participated in the Bath Book Bash, in Maine, a children's book festival that featured a children's costume parade and contest -- so cool! There was also a speed-drawing contest in which three illustrators made a series of quick sketches in response to prompts. You wouldn't want to miss that!  There were also a variety of workshops: I offered a poetry workshop, other authors shared crafts, and illustrators taught drawing tips. And, as a bonus -- I was seated next to fellow GROGger Fran Hodgkins, whom I know online but had not yet met in real life!

The multi-day Fall for the Book Festival, held on the campus of George Mason University in Virginia, draws big-name authors of adult books. There are kids' books too as part of a children's program. The children's authors provide presentations and offer craft activities on Saturday.

Bath Book Bash parade!  Maine ~2024

Tips for Attending (as a Book Fan)

1. Go early! Festivals can get crowded. If there's a particular author you want to see, you'll probably have a nicer visit with them earlier in the day (well, after their first cup of coffee) before they're exhausted -- and before they sell out of the book you want.

2. Check out the schedule for special events. Which authors are reading? What are the illustrators offering? Organize your plan of attack!

Author Maria Gianferrari entertaining kids at
Fall for the Book 2018 (she showed me the festival ropes!)

3. The Cost? Usually, there's no fee to enter. But do feel free to buy books and fill your bags full of autographed books!

Tips for Participating Authors 

1. Take the initiative. You may think you can attend a festival only if you are specially invited with an engraved card carried by a snowy owl. Not so. 

If you have published and you're interested in a festival, particularly in your local area, contact the organizers and tell them about yourself and your books. Usually, festivals prefer to feature recently released books. It's best if you have a book that will be published within a year before the festival date. Some festivals publish the publication dates that they are seeking. 

Organizers plan for months in advance, so think ahead and email early. Even if you aren't invited the first time you try, ask to be placed on the festival mailing list and try again. Festivals need authors every year! They often seek new ones and local people, rather than repeating the same ones year after year.

Catching up with author friend
Laurie Wallmark at the
Rye (NY) Children's Book Festival

2. If you are invited to participate: Say yes! And keep a positive attitude. Before asking a lot of questions, read the materials provided. Remember that many festivals are organized by (overworked and harried) volunteers, often librarians who are doing this on top of all their other important work. They love books and they love authors. Be helpful, kind, and patient.

3. Do your homework. Make sure you understand how books will be sold at the festival. Will you need to handle your own sales through Square? What about sales taxes? Or does the festival provide a bookseller, leaving you blissfully free of that headache?

Also -- After the list of authors/illustrators is announced, check out which other book creators are coming, and plan who you want to talk with during the day. Review the events to see if you want to stop in on those. And think about (and maybe practice) how you want to book-talk your books to the hordes of fans!

4. Things to bring: Water! In a reusable bottle! Festivals usually provide some plastic water bottles, but I have regretfully run out, and prefer to use my own container. If you'll be sitting at a table for signing, bring post-its to write down people's names so you don't misspell them in the books you're  signing. Maybe add some goodies to attract people to your table: individually wrapped candies, stickers, bookmarks and the like. Don't forget your favorite pens for signing! Bookstands can be helpful, though some festivals provide them and you might want to check. Many folks bring other decorative, book-related items for their table. 

5: What to wear: First, comfortable shoes! And layers for changes in the weather. I've been both too hot and too cold, sometimes the same day. Most people dress casually, though some book creators wear costumes or funny hats. I love Diana Murray's unicorn headband. 

Modeling my "author shirt" at Bookstock, 
in Woodstock VT ("Pay no attention to 
my browsing history ... I'm a writer ...)

Above all, join the spirit of festival fun. It's inspiring to spend a day hanging out with KidLit people.

Some of the many book festivals around the country are collected in this listing -- but there are plenty more. 

Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite book festival -- and add any tips or pointers you may have. And thanks for reading!