The act of writing is the key element for any writer. But, it’s important to put that activity in context. In the case of writing for children, it’s essential to interact with the audience – with kids. That’s why I’ll be working in some classrooms this year at a local elementary school as a visiting author and fellow writer. I’ll be sharing my ideas and work as well as listening and providing feedback to kids. My first visit was yesterday; I introduced myself and some of my books, then the kids wrote introductions. I am enjoying reading them, and I look forward to working with the fourth graders at Willagillespie Elementary School, in Eugene.
Archive for Educators
First days
First days of school are mystical. A few are memorable. The most memorable one for me was not my own but my son’s. Tyler’s first day of kindergarten was a landmark: our first child going off to public school for the first time. Excitement, anxiety, and hope for the future filled the air at our house.
After the obligatory photos that would become a family tradition (Tyler with Mom, Tyler with Dad, Tyler with the dog), I drove Tyler the two miles to school. We talked easily on the drive, about the fun he would have and about the games we would play when school was over.
The school was buzzing with cars and busses and parents and kids. Tyler and I walked hand-in-hand to his classroom. He looked around, wide-eyed at the activity. As we neared his classroom our pace slowed. When we were about 10 feet away from the door, Tyler dropped to his knees on the ground and pulled me with him.
“Whatsa’ matter, Tyler?” I whispered in his ear.
“I’m a little scared,” a small voice replied.
I let that sink in.
“Me, too,” I told him.
We stayed frozen a while then Tyler turned to face me. His blue eyes glistened as he wrapped his arms around me. Then he stood up straight, walked past the parents that hovered outside the classroom door, and into into his new world.
What “First Day” stands out for you?
Where Ya Been?
I haven’t been far. Actually I’ve been right here at the sight, but working on setting up an online class. You’ll see it on my homepage tab bar. Just roll your mouse over the tab and you’ll see the class name. You can click on the class name and get to the entry of the class, which will only be available to people who register for the class. This class focuses on the six traits of writing and how to integrate them into classrooms to help kids improve their writing. The class is aimed at teachers of grades through eight, and will be offered through Portland State University starting winter term. Hope I can get it all ready by then!
Publishing #4
Producing a book with a publisher has advantages…and disadvantages.
The major advantage that I see is that the publisher takes the financial risk of producing the book. They are responsible (and pay) for everything: the artwork, design, editing, printing, and marketing. That’s quite huge, and there’s more. They pay for your words, too. They may pay you a flat fee or a royalty, a percentage of the sale of the book. My preference is a royalty and, if possible, a royalty on the retail cost of the book rather than the “net” (what they sell it for, which is usually less than retail). I feel much more a part of the “team” when getting a royalty, and I operate on the hopes on many different printings, which will yield more money. Reality check-in: This does not always happen.
Finding a publisher willing to take on your book in this highly competitive market is very challenging. If you are fortunate to get one, I see two main disadvantages. The first is that, since the publisher has the main responsibility for producing the book, they also are going to make most of the decisions about the book (size, what it looks like, number of copies, hard or soft cover). My experience has been that most are open to feedback from the author, but the ultimate decisions will be theirs. It makes sense, though, given they are the ones taking the risk.
However, the decisions publishers make can cause repercussions for authors. Case in point: I wrote a beginning bio of Christopher Columbus. In it, the editor had cut out some of the text about when Columbus and his crew landed in the “New World.” The deleted text had to do with the people (Tainos) who were already living. In addition, the illustrator did not show any of those people in his artwork. Result: I was criticized for the oversight. Was it my fault that this happened? No. But people assume that the person whose name is on the book is responsible for all its contents. Lesson learned for me.
The other main disadvantage of working with a publisher is that the author only makes a small percentage of the price of each book. With self-publishing, all the money goes to the author. However, much of that money will be going to pay the costs of producing the book.
My personal preference has been to work with a publisher in producing books, but to keep an open mind and be willing to “put your money where your mouth is” when appropriate. I am grateful to have had positive experiences in both realms, and I am very pleased that the stigma of self-published books (low quality, unprofessional) has improved over time. Some highly successful authors are now choosing to self-publish despite lucrative contracts offered by publishers. The popularity of e-books is making a huge impact on the publishing industry and I would suggest exploring that avenue as you consider options for your work.
In the end, as in the beginning, anyone can get a book published. It’s all about how you want to do it. And I hope you will. Good luck!
Hard at work on the next book.
Start….and Stop
I’ve been exploring an idea for a picture book that involves General Santa Anna, of Alamo fame, and Thomas Adams, a would-be New York inventor. As the story goes, these two men met in 1870, with Santa Anna handing over a chuck of chicle, a gooey tree resin from Mexico, to Adams in hopes that the inventor could use it as a substitute for rubber. Such an invention would have made the men the two men filthy rich, and Santa Anna was planning to use his share to raise and army to overthrow the Mexican government. But the invention was not to be, and Santa Anna lost interest and left, while Adams kept at it until he had his invention – not a rubber substitute but a new, improved chewing gum.
I have tried the story several different ways, but none seem to work. After a few weeks on the project, I am officially putting all my drafts and notes into a folder and gently filing it away. A possibility for another time. A wasted two weeks? Absolutely not! This was time well-spent doing some basic research as well as shaping the information into some sort of story. That it didn’t work out, while frustrating, is a necessary tool for creating something that will be worthy of others reading.
Onward…
The Battle of Gettysburg
What do authors do when they’re not writing books? They write other things, in this case a web album about the battle of Gettysburg. I had been to the battlefield as a kid on my eighth grade class trip in 1965. Forty-five years later I returned with a more “seasoned” interest. I developed this album as a way to make a personal connection to the place and the event. Check it out and feel free to use with your classes, or to partially satisfy your curiosity about one of the Civil War’s most important battles.
Here’s the link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/areswhy/Gettysburg?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP683KP06drCYg&feat=directlink
Publishing #3
Self-publishing may be for you if:
You have a book that HAS to be published, no matter what.
You want total control of the final product.
Your book will have a clearly defined market that can easily be reached.
Self-publishing in not for you if:
You don’t have the financial resources to pay for the project (i.e. illustrations, design/layout, editing, printing).
You are not detail-oriented (since you will be responsible for overseeing the project).
You do not want to take the time and energy to market your book.
Believe me, self-publishing is risky. You put up all the money to complete the book, then spend the next few years trying to make your money back, and maybe even a profit, by selling the books. If money is not an issue, you can just give the books away and all is well. Your ideas, stories, and/or information is out there. If, on the other hand, you need or want to make money on the book, you can do it if you work hard and have a bit of luck.You can also have someone else distribute your books (although that takes away a chunk of the money that would otherwise be going to you).
An example: A few years back, I wrote a children’s book about the Lewis & Clark expedition. It was an interactive book in that kids completed drawings and colored in the book as well as wrote the answers to questions. Publishers did not show much interest due to the interactive nature of the book. I had a defined market (8 to 11 year olds) and the topic was timely since it was during the lead-up to the bicentennial. So, I self-published. I worked really hard, driving the Lewis & Clark Trail, stopping at bookstores and museums along the way. Those places ordered, two or three, maybe five at one time, but it was slow going. And then I got lucky. The state’s National Guard decided to develop a Lewis & Clark program and present it to schools. They wanted to hand out my books to their student audiences. Bingo! They ordered 2,000 books, which required another print run which I was more than happy to do since the books were presold.
There are many other self-publishing stories, both inspiring and frightening. The key is to have an awareness of what you’re getting into…before you get into it.
Next time…working with a publisher.
Nonfiction Toolbox update
Ahhh…those lazy, hazy days of summer. NOT! There is no haze here (it’s clear as crystal) and no laze, either. There is much work to be done. I’m not composing these days, but tightening and readying. Barry Lane and I have been working on The Nonfiction Toolbox for the past century…er…four years and it’s soon-to-be-published. It’s a book of nonfiction reading and writing lessons grouped by grade levels. I’ve been working on tightening up some of the entries (= editing and revising) as well as connecting the lessons to the six traits of effective writing. that way, if a teacher is looking for a lesson to support the trait of Organization, she can look one up in the index rather than having to page through the book and figure out which lesson will support that trait skill. Making the trait connections is not difficult, just tedious given that there are nearly 150 lessons n the book. There will also be a bibliography of nonfiction picture books that connect to the traits. These can be used as mentor texts by teachers. Our plan is to update the listing of books overtime, and to do it on the Discover Writing website. Clever, huh?
Summer!
Summer has arrived, and with it, rain. This should come as no surprise, this being Oregon and all. Yes, we’ve have some beautiful, warm sunny days. This particular day happens to be a reminder of the long, squishy-damp winters we have here. A perfect day to stay inside and write!
This wonderful day finds me happily working away in my writing office. I’m fine-tuning a couple of e-books that will be put up soon on eReadia (www.ereadia.com/publishing), getting out specs for artwork on an educational activity book I’m working on, and doing some groundwork on an update for my Game Day book that’s 10+ years old. You know, getting a licensing agreement with Major league Baseball, things like that.
While I’m not actually doing writing per-se (well, right now I am), I’m doing a lot of writing-related tasks. Do I count these things as writing? Absolutely not! But each of them is necessary nonetheless. After recently completing my picture book bio of Yogi Berra, now I’m trying to find it a publishing home. I scour my contacts file as well as my publisher catalogs, notes, and market surveys done by various groups. Right now I have seven different publishers targeted. Now I need to go onliine to make sure the info is current (hopefully their websites are updated), then start sending things out. And yes, I have a query letter all ready. Yes, I’ll send the complete manuscript when asked for, and yes, I’ll send it to more than one publisher (and tell them what I’m doing) unless they specifically forbid it, in which case I’ll wait and send to them later.
Enough talk; it’s time for action!
Happy June!
And a very happy June it is! Although rain and clouds dominate the Oregon skies, there is good in the air. My sixtieth birthday is creeping closer (the 9th) and I’m given to a bit of reflection. Having once said, “I can’t ever imagine myself being thirty years old,” in a week I’ll be double that! How curious. I am absolutely amazed at how the time has passed so quickly. I can still remember sitting in high school wishing for time to go faster, wishing for my driver’s license, wishing to go off to college, wishing for my own car. Fortunately, my wishing disease healed over time, and so I’ve chosen to make my adult life about “doing” rather than “wishing.” Oh, there’s been a lot of dreaming, but that’s what often powers the “doing.” I am grateful for the friends, family, and colleagues who continue to touch my life as the journey continues.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention another June happening. I’ll be retiring at the end of the month. I have been working in education since graduating college in 1973. I’ve worked as a classroom teacher in grades 2 through 8 as well as a language arts staff development specialist and grant director. I’m pleased I chose the route of education, and I leave proud of the work I’ve done.
I won’t be going far, though. I’ll continue to do consulting work with schools around writing. I’ll keep doing author visits, too. And make no mistake about it, I’ll be writing as well. All the projects I’ve put “on hold” for past ___ years, I’ll be pulling out of the files, evaluating them, and choosing to develop the ones in which I’m most interested. This will be hard. But, who said writing was supposed to be easy!
