Writing for Publication (and Payment) – by Christy Mihaly

CSFTS: published Feb. 9, 2016

A story I wrote is included in a book to be released tomorrow by Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Dog. This is my first foray into the world of CSFTS. Opening the book, I was excited to see a story written by fellow children’s writer, Kathleen Birmingham. 

I asked Kathleen about her experience with the Chicken Soup books. Here's what she said: 

I find CSFTS to be a great place to submit essays that are rattling around in my head. This is my third story published with them. I have a friend who has been in 25 or 30 of their books! To me, writing and submitting is the name of the game. I write because I love to write, and when I find a place interested in publishing and paying me for my work it's a great combo.

Are you interested in publishing a short story or article? Or, are you reluctant to take time away from your novel-length Work In Progress? Consider these benefits of writing and submitting a short work:

• Practice: Writing a focused piece for a target market is great practice. Choose an interesting topic, craft a brief and engaging story, and polish. It keeps your writing nimble and helps hone your voice. And you know about those 10,000 hours you have to put in? These count.
  
• Money: You write for love (of course!), but being paid affirms the value of your work. It means you are a "working writer," and helps support your "writing habit." It might even make you love writing more!
• Colleagues:  By submitting your work, you develop working relationships with editors, and meet other writers doing similar work. This builds your writing community. 
  
• Credits: Publishing means you have credits on your resume. A list of publications shows that you're serious about writing, as a craft and a business.  
• Awards:  You never know. A friend of mine with multiple books published was excited to receive a SCBWI award for her magazine story. Who wouldn’t be?

Inspiration: Most of all, I've found that getting published helps keep the inspiration flowing. In the face of those inevitable rejections, seeing your work in print is validating. 

So . . . if you're interested in exploring publication now, while you’re waiting for that big seven-book deal to come through . . . here are some tips about three markets that I've enjoyed writing for.

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul: CSFTS's books are popular and well-regarded, and they’re always looking for stories. Chicken Soup stories are first-person true tales and essays. Maximum word length is 1200 words, a great luxury if you’ve been trying to whittle your picture book manuscript down to 350 words or so. You can find theme lists for future books, and detailed information about what they’re seeking at the Chicken Soup website. They pay $200 per story. That buys a few stamps!

My CSFTS experience was quite positive. I submitted my dog story through the online form in August, and received an email in November saying I was in the final round of consideration for the book. A few weeks later, CSFTS emailed me the final, slightly edited version of my story for my final approval. I asked for a couple of tweaks, which they incorporated, sending me the final, final version the next week. In January, my box of ten complimentary books arrived. They say I'll receive the check within 30 days.

2. Professional publications: Many children’s writers are librarians or teachers by day. This opens doors to other writing-for-publication opportunities such as teachers’ journals and educational magazines. Perhaps you can share ideas about techniques that work well for you in your classroom, or training opportunities. If your field is science or history, consider writing for your local historical society, or a science magazine. I have a children’s-writer friend who has published several pieces in home-schooling magazines. And another (a certain children's-librarian superstar) is writing a chapter in a forthcoming ALA sourcebook, as his print publishing debut.

Cover Art by Gilbert Ford

Or – if you’re a children’s writer, you’re a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, right? How about submitting an article to the SCBWI Bulletin? If you have an idea, SCBWI asks that you email the topic and a quick bio to: bulletin[at]scbwi.org. And don’t you love the fun poems the Bulletin publishes about writing for children, and the writer’s life? When I was inspired to pen such a poem (“Muse”), it found a great home at the Bulletin. When I e-mailed SCBWI, I received a quick and positive response. And as a SCBWI contributor, I received a thank-you check and I retain the rights to my work. Yay, SCBWI!

3. Parenting Newspapers: Does your area have one of those regional parent-oriented papers, full of tips for local kid-oriented activities and attractions, along with articles, essays, and Q&A’s? They're the ones with names  like “Atlanta Parent,” “Chesapeake Family,” “Indy’s Child,” “NOLA Baby and Family,” “Raising Arizona Kids,” or my own excellent local paper, “Kids VT.”

Cover Art by Jeff Drew

As a regular reader, I'd noticed that Kids VT runs a column called “Use Your Words,” featuring essays by local writers. I had an idea and emailed it to the editor, who liked it and gave me an assignment. This was early in my writing career, and the experience of working with a great editor to revise and get my essay published helped confirm that I really liked this writing gig.

If you want to stick with writing for kids, think about submitting your work to children's magazines. Important note: Always check the latest magazine listings and websites, because this market is ever-changing. For example, I've confirmed that "Boys' Quest" and "Hopscotch" were recently closed and folded into "Fun for Kidz." There's always a need for good articles out there, though, so if you want to investigate magazines, this old GROG post provides the basics.

Good luck! And keep on submitting.

Critique Mystic: What I've Learned by Kathy Halsey

What are the elements of a good group? How do you find a great critique group? How do you keep a good group going?  In this "Kat Chat," I'll explain what I've learned in the last 2.5 years.

 The Not-So-Good

As a new writer, I joined an eclectic group at my local indie bookstore. I had to drive 45 minutes each way once a month to get advice like "fun," "good title," "main character needs work." This group included those who wrote YA, adult, erotic, flash fiction, short stories, and romance. When I heard that a WIP about my Corgi should be in the shape of a dog, I knew I was driving too far for too little. 

A picture book in the shape of Wiley Corgi? I think not.

What I Learned

1. It can be important to be with those who write in your own genre, especially in the beginner's stage.

2. Input and output should be somewhat equal or at least substantive. My feedback did not equal the drive time.

3. Trust your instinct when it's time to go. I parted amicably with this group as I lucked into an all picture book critique group with a published author.

A MUCH Better Fit

I landed in a group of four other picture book writers who found each other via our SCBWI chapter. Dianne White and I had met at SCBWI event and hit it off. We joined forces with an illustrator/writer, a middle grade/picture book writer, a writer going through a formal program, and one more seasoned writer. We met monthly at the same indie bookstore as my former group and were able to attend SCBWI LA in 2014 and celebrate Dianne's first book, BLUE ON BLUE. Sadly, I had to leave these fab writers behind due to a cross-country move.

Dianne White, Kathy, and Elizabeth Saba, SCBWI LA 2014

The Takeaways Here

1. If one can meet face-to-face with a potential critique partner before joining a group, it is easier to see if you "jive."

2. Join a group with writers with more experience than you. 
3. Join a group with writers who have different experiences, too. Tanja Bauerle, our illustrator/writer, shared so much. She helped us see the illustrator's POV in our discussions.

The In-between

I have usually been in more than one critique group at a time. Some of the online groups fizzled out for various reasons: moves, re-evaluation of writing goals, lack of commitment to a group, or life changes. These groups served their purposes at the time and were valuable to me.

More Knowledge

1. Know that groups may naturally fizzle out or even reconnect in time.

2. Make an effort to stay connected in some way to members whose work you admire or whose critiques improve your craft. Andrea J. Loney, Lee and Low New Voices Winner, Pam Vaughn, and Lindsay Bonilla are still writer friends I can go to with any work in progress. 

3. Don't assume that critique partners will necessarily be friends (It's a bonus if you become friends), or that you did something "wrong" if a group breaks up.

The Present- A Real Present

Through my connections with Kristen Fulton's WOW nonficpic FB group, I met most of my current critique partners. We added members over time, we critique in smaller groups or on a one-to-one basis, and we all came together this year at the WOW Retreat 2015 in Georgia. We have some sort of magic glue that keeps us bound. People were even wondering how they could join our group! (Pam Courtney, Jackie Wellington, Kathleen Birmingham, Stephanie Thompson Box, and now Mona Pease.) This group of "sistas" as I call them are friends and honest, talented partners who help me grow. 

Pam and Kathy, Wow Retreat 2014

Kathleen and Mona, Wow Retreat 2015

The Critique Mystic

1. We all hail from different parts of the country: Mississippi, Atlanta, Ohio, Phoenix, Maine, Florida. This added a very unique regional component.

2. We have established rules and a formula to critique thanks to a super session at WOW Retreat 2015 by Kendra Marcus and Minju Chang. (One nugget: You are a consumer. Get what you need from your critique group.) 

3. We are dedicated to the goal of finishing each other's manuscripts  so that they are submission-worthy.

4. We bring different skills to the table: plot whisper, fixer of overall problems, lens of a former librarian, and 2 teachers of little ones.

I hope this post helps you see the components good critique groups  and what you can learn from your former groups. I would love to hear your critique group stories or suggestions in the comments.