Keys to Writing Success

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Kid: "Mom, I want to grow up and be a writer!"
Mom: "Sorry, honey. You can't do both!"

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That's an old joke, but in a lot of ways it's true. Writers need "childish" traits like curiosity, stubbornness and an imagination to succeed. Since you happen to be a kid, you're already miles ahead of all the adults who've outgrown their imaginations. All you need are a few pointers to get you off to a good start.

How Writing Works

First, how do you turn your ideas into articles, poems or books that people will want to read-- and publishers will want to print? There are six basic steps (although they don't always occur in this order):

1. You get an idea for a story/article/book/whatever
2. You write to publishers till you find one interested in your idea
3. You write your story (or article, or whatever)
4. You submit it (send it in) to the publisher
5. You revise it if the publisher asks you to
6. You get paid!

Sounds easy, right? The problem is, where do you find your ideas? How do you know which publishers to write to? What if none of them are interested? What if you send something in and they don't like it? You'll find answers to all those questions if you do your...

Homework

No, no, I'm not talking about school homework! (Although, come to think of it, that's not an entirely bad idea.) I'm talking about learning the basics of how to send off for writer's guidelines from different publishers, how to write good query letters and how to type up your manuscript. Here are some tips to get your started:

Always read writer's guidelines. Before you send a story to a publisher, make sure you've read their guidelines for submission. To get a copy of their guidelines, just write a note saying, "Please send me your writer's guidelines". Remember to enclose a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope)!

Work hard on your query letter. A "query" is a question, so a "query letter" is simply a letter asking an editor if he's interested in a certain idea or story. Think of it as a sales letter. It should be fun, friendly, but not foolish! Let your writing do the "talking" for you. For more details, buy or check out How to Write Irresistible Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool, or browse Inkspot's "Resources for Young Writers". (There's a link to Inkspot on the Clubhouse "Links" page.)

Make sure your manuscript is typed correctly. A "manuscript" is what you actually send in to the publisher. It needs to be typewritten (double-spaced) on clean white paper, with nice, wide margins at the top, bottom, left and right edges of each page. Only type on one side of each page, and don't use funny-looking fonts. It might look boring to you, but that's the way editors want it. It's your writing that should be exciting, not the paper! For more details about manuscripts, buy or check out the Market Guide for Young Writers by Kathy Henderson, or read the Beginning Writer's FAQ available at Inkspot. For questions about grammar, where to put commas, sentence structure and things like that, go browse through The Elements of Style, an excellent online reference book. For a step-by-step guide to preparing a fantastic book proposal, buy or check out Jeff Herman's Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold and Why.

Once you start doing your writing homework, you'll find that certain "tools" can be very helpful. Here are some of the most important:

Tools of the Trade

• Market Guide for Young Writers. This is a book written especially for writers 8 to 18. It lists publishers' addresses & phone numbers, tells you exactly what they're looking for, and gives you step-by-step instructions about how to type up and send in your stories, poems, books, etc. You can buy it at any bookstore for $16.99, or check your local library. You can also order it online. (Just use your "Back" button to return to this page.) The "adult" version, Writer's Market, costs about $27, but it's bigger and lists a lot more publishers. There's also a Poet's Market.

• A Computer. You're using one to read this page. But you should learn how to use a good word-processing program, and also how to touch-type (type without looking at the keys). And of course, you should keep exploring the Internet. Many publishers have their own websites now.

• Your School. Believe it or not, there are things you can learn in school that will make you a better writer! Spelling and vocabulary are important, and so are all those pesky reading and writing assignments. If your school doesn't already have a Young Author's program, ask your librarian if one can be started. Ask about writing contests you can enter. Ask if local writers can be brought in to talk to the students. Most librarians (and teachers) are happy to help young writers any way they can.

• Databases. Many public libraries have Newsbank and InfoTrac databases. Go play with them if you get a chance. You just type in key words like "shark attack" or "volcano", and all the newspaper and magazine stories about those subjects pop up. You'll find all kinds of weird things that will give you great ideas. Besides, it's fun!

When my oldest daughter was 12, she was swimming in the pool one night when she suddenly noticed that the underwater light made her arms and legs look funny-- kind of green and wavy. That gave her a story idea. She jumped out of the pool yelling, "MOM! I need something to write on!" I handed her a pencil and a napkin, and she started scribbling furiously. What she wrote that night turned into a poem called "The Mermaid", which won first place in our district poetry competition.

What do you do when an idea hits you? What do you really like to write? How can you improve your writing? Here are some tips:

• Keep a notebook. Do you get ideas for stories, then forget them because you didn't write them down? Try keeping a little notepad with you so you don't lose any great ideas.

• Experiment! What kind of writing is the most fun for you? Do you like making up science fiction? Horror? Funny stories that make people laugh? Experiment with different kinds of writing. If it's fun for you to write, it'll usually be fun for others to read!

• Write something every day. It doesn't have to be great; it just has to be something. If you don't have a story idea in mind that excites you, write something about your day. What made you laugh? What was your mom wearing? Did you overhear an interesting conversation while you were in the grocery store, or restaurant, or mall? (Most writers are terrible eavesdroppers. We don't try to listen, but interesting comments just jump into our ears.) Form a "writing habit", and work to sharpen your observation skills.

• Read a lot. The more you read, the easier it will be for you to pick up the "feel" of good writing. Notice what you like and dislike about certain books. Write to your favorite authors and ask them for tips. You'll be surprised at how many will write back!

• Form a writer's group. Do you have any friends who also like to write? Then think about forming a small writer's group where you can help each other. You can read each other's stories, then share your honest (but not mean!) opinions about them. Sometimes it helps to hear what others think about something you've written, and to get their advice. And of course, you can always join the Young Writer's Clubhouse Critique Group.

• Enter Writing Contests. Market Guide for Young Writers lists many contests, and so does Inkspot's "Resources for Young Writers". Your school and local newspaper will also announce national writing contests. Enter as many as you can. Not only will it give you good practice writing and following guidelines, you can win money, prizes, and often get your work published. (One of my favorites is the "NATIONAL WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED BY..." contest, where the winners in each age group have their books published and earn royalties. For entry rules, write to: Lankmark Editions, 1402 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64127.) And of course you should enter all the Young Writers Contests we sponsor here in the Clubhouse, which are designed to teach you specific writing techniques.

• Don't get discouraged. Whether you're writing something just for fun or trying to get your first story published in Highlights magazine, you can't give up if things don't go well the first time-- or even the 50th! I'll tell you a secret: my office trash can is covered with rejection slips (letters from publishers who said they didn't want something I was writing). Why do you think I laminated those rejections onto my trash can? Because that's where rejections belong-- in the trash! The writers who succeed are the ones who keep writing. I hope you'll be one of them!

My office trash can...