Would You like to Follow Christine’s Odyssey?

Christine’s Odyssey

Joy L Campbell is launching her latest book, “Christine’s Odyssey.” I hope her book does well, because a good writer and super blog-friend like her deserves all the success she gets. Her main character, Christine, is visiting Daily (w)rite today. Take it away, Christine!

——–

Howdy. I’m glad you’ve stopped in. My name is Christine and although I’m only eleven, I’m what some adults might call precocious. A lot has happened in my life, some of it bad, but like my dad used to say, good things can result from the bad stuff that happens to us.

To help me celebrate overcoming my challenges, a great gang of authors have teamed up and will be giving away copies of their books. Sweet, yes?

Christine’s Odyssey Launch

For a chance to win a pair of the books listed, you can do anything included on the Rafflecopter or on Facebook on this page. However, for those who’d like to win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Voucher, hop on over to the Jamaican Kid Lit Blog to enter for that.

Anyway, I tend to talk a lot, so before I carried away, here’s my story:

Raised in a hotbed of arguments and fights, eleven-year-old Christine Simms is the victim of her mother’s cruelty. A domestic dispute ends in tragedy, sending the family into a tailspin. 

A shocking discovery sends Christine on a quest to find the stranger who left her behind in Jamaica. Determined to unravel the mystery of her birth, Christine uses every tool at her disposal and treads with courage where no child should. 

Thanks so much for dropping in! I hope you win the novels of your choice. I should tell you that you get to choose books based on how the Rafflecopter does the drawing of the winners. So, if your name comes up first, you get to say which pack you want.

Available in ebook format at AmazonUS.

Joy L Campbell

J.L. Campbell is a proud Jamaican, who is always on the hunt for story-making material. She writes romantic suspense, women’s fiction and young adult novels. She is the also the author of Contraband, Dissolution, Distraction, Don’t Get Mad…Get Even, Giving up the Dream, Retribution and Hardware (written under the pen name Jayda McTyson).

Joy is not only a fantastic writer but also an awesome blog-friend, and I wish her and this book all kinds of success! Please join the giveaway and help Christine’s Odyssey climb the charts.

Manto, and Why Indians and Pakistanis need to read him

I’ve been reading the books sent to me by Random House India, but what with life, and my novel and the A to Z Challenge preparations, I haven’t posted reviews. I read Manto about four months ago, so my memory is a little hazy. I stuck in post-it notes though, which are now helping me remember details as I read some of the stories again.

My Declared Bias: I read and write Literary, and love short stories.

——

It is possible to review some books without a mention of the context in which they were written, but it is impossible to do so with the works of Saadat Hasan Manto, a writer born in undivided India, who died in Pakistan.

Had he lived, he would have turned 100 last year, but he drank himself to death at the age of 43, eight years after the Partition that created India and Pakistan, after a series of trials where his writing was charged with obscenity. This was  one of the best periods of his work, but one of the worst in personal and financial terms.

Manto: Selected Short Stories

As such, a lot of history and context is  (rightly, or wrongly) read into his work, and one of the simplest ways to understand this in a short span of time would be to read the introduction by Aatish Taseer, Manto’s grandson, who has translated the stories curated into this book.

Taseer has taken great care to retain the rhythm of the original Urdu in his translation, and no reader can deny the resonance of Manto’s voice that comes through. The originals might, I imagine, have a certain colloquial touch to them, like this example from the story, “My Name is Radha“, one of my favorites from this book:

“The studio owner Harmzji Framji, a fat, red-cheeked bon vivant of sorts, was madly in love with a middle-aged actress who looked like a transvestite. His favourite pastime was sizing up the breasts of every newly-arrived actress. Another Muslim hooker from Calcutta’s Bow Bazaar carried on affairs simultaneously with her director, sound recordist, and scriptwriter. The point of these affairs, of course, was to ensure that all three remained in love with her.”

While this reads clunky in English, I can hear it spoken in Urdu (a language I don’t speak, and understand very little of,  but admire nevertheless) with a sort of cheekiness and a common touch, which is, imho, fairly impossible to translate.

Manto was writing at a time when a preachy morality was important in the entire sub-continent, and frank sexuality was frowned upon. So it is quite obvious why the author’s matter-of-fact emphasis on the body was interpreted by his contemporary society as lewdness.

Of course a few of his stories can strike us as sentimental, especially those playing heavily on the drama of the Partition of India (and Pakistan), because our sensibilities are used to the spareness of modern fiction.

But the irony of a stray dog in “The Dog of Tithwal” that befriends both enemy camps (Indian and Pakistani) at a border post and is subsequently shot, is not lost on the reader, nor is the pathos of a madman’s refusal (and subsequent death) in “Toba Tek Singh” when an attempt is made to ‘return’ him to his native town, which, after the Partition, no longer lay in Pakistan, but instead in India. In stories like these, Manto questions the very definitions of ‘country’, ‘borders’ and ‘sanity.’

Why you could read it: It is an easy read, and if you are interested in the Indian sub-continent and its history, you could do worse than read this book.

Why you could give it a miss: If you like your fiction to be spare and unsentimental, this book is not for you. As with most translated fiction, the beauty of the original does not fully translate into English, despite the sincerity of the translator.

My crib:

The typos strewn through the book bothered me (e.g. Pg 28- ‘smoth’  instead of ‘smooth’). The book has some instances of repeated words ( e.g. Pg. 20 “fed fed up”) and other proofreading howlers. If they come up with another edition, they need a better proofreader who would do justice to such an important writer of the Indian sub-continent.

—–

Saadat Hasan Manto

I enjoyed this book, and if you happen to pick it up, the least you should do is read the introduction, which is a modern piece of extremely educational writing, and no less poignant for it. You would not be disappointed, I promise you that.

After I read up on Manto, I realized that he has been marginalized in India, to the extent that I had never heard of him growing up, or even as an adult, and had not read him before this book.

All Indian and Pakistani readers deserve to read more of this writer, because the issues that informed Manto’s work continue to be relevant in the society and politics of both these countries.

It is a shame that this author is not better known in India, and kudos to Random House in attempting to change that.

Only, the next time, I wish they would hire a proofreader worth their time.

—

What would you like to see any  changes in the  review format? Was this review helpful? Would you read this book?

 

Desperate in Dubai

Desperate in Dubai by Ameera Al Hakawati

I’ve been reading the books sent to me by Random House India (Desperate in Dubai being one of them), but what with the December hiatus and things that kept me worked up and worked out in January, I haven’t posted reviews.

I read Desperate in Dubai about two months ago, so my memory is a little hazy. I stuck in post-it notes though, which are now helping me remember details. You can read an excerpt here.

My Declared Bias: I read and write Literary, and only occasionally read Chick Lit. Since Desperate in Dubai is a sort of cross between chick lit and women’s contemporary writing, that might influence my view of it a little.

——

This is the story of four women and their somewhat interconnected lives. Lady Luxe, a Dubai heiress; Leila, an opportunistic social climber; Nadia, a betrayed wife, and Sugar, a victim of tragic circumstances.

Of these, the most interesting is definitely Lady Luxe, who leads a double life, one as burkha-clad traditional daughter of the family; and the other as a hedonist, no stranger to alcohol, men, and high jinks. Her voice is also the most powerful.

The slightly grey character of Leila is also well-sketched with the right amount of details:

Fully aware that a designer ensemble compared to an ordinary outfit is like the difference between Nobu and a filet-o-fish burger at McDonald’s, she unconsciously tugs at her Top-Shop leopard print boob tube dress and runs her fingers through her big blonde hair.

Though, imho, the writing could be better. Does the author mean ‘self-consciously’? Do we need that adverb at all? The author is already showing Leila’s state of mind through the action: ‘tugs at her Top-Shop leopard print boob tube dress and runs her fingers through her big blonde hair.’

In the very next para the author moves into Lady Luxe’s head, which leads to a series of head-hopping passages that could be avoided. Either stick to 3rd person, or omniscient point-of-view, can’t have both. It confuses readers and make them dizzy. (Hope it wasn’t just me.)

Sugar and Nadia, despite their tragic situations, failed to elicit any empathy,  perhaps because of their tired story-lines (which the author has tried to enliven through interconnection). It could also be because I’m a major fan of ‘voice’ and both of these ladies lacked luster.

Why you could read it: It is an easy read, and if you’re fascinated by the Middle East and its culture, the nuances of contemporary life, and the status of women, this might be a fascinating read. This may not be representative of the entire Arab world, but it is a good glimpse.

Why you could give it a miss: I imagine women finding this book interesting, but most men I know steer clear of contemporary women’s writing. And Chick lit. Just saying.

My cribs:

1. The head-hopping annoyed me. The whole book could easily have been edited to avoid this.

2. I didn’t like the use of pseudonyms for Lady Luxe and Sugar, seemed like a deliberate ploy to maintain surprises/ twists. Unnecessary.

3. For a book with feminist undertones/ overtones — the ending disappointed me. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that the ending for each character’s story is where I found a conflict between a chick-lit and women’s contemporary writing. The genre-blending did not work at this point.

To sum it up, this book is good as an in-flight read, or if you’re in the mood for light reading. I enjoyed the glimpses into Dubai society, and duly hated all the men as I was meant to — excellent portrait of a patriarchal setup. The only truly sympathetic man in the whole book is Lady Luxe’s step-brother.

Overall, this is an auspicious debut, with excellent premise. I only hope the author finds herself a better editor for her next book.

———-

My second review here is just as unvarnished as the first, but I realized I was also reading like a writer, and not merely a reader.  As a result, I’m not sure the review format worked.

What would you like to see changed in the format? Was this review helpful?

  Inspired by the fascinating lives of the women who dominated the glamorous city, Ameera Al Hakawati put pen to paper and created Desperate in Dubai, a blog that soon became an internet sensation among the expatriate community in Dubai. Desperate in Dubai is Ameera’s first novel published by Random House India. You can buy the book here.

Lion and Panther in London

Aerogrammes by Tania James
Source: Random House India

In recent weeks, I’ve been talking about books sent to me by Random House India, for review on Daily (w)rite.

Today, I’ll talk about  Aerogrammes and Other Stories, by Tania James. As I said in my earlier posts, this would be my entirely subjective take.

My Declared Bias: I read and write Literary, and I love short stories.

——

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you I didn’t read this collection at a go. Not because I couldn’t make the time, but because of two things:

1. The stories are all set in different (real) worlds, and each so transports you to its setting, you don’t immediately feel like entering another one.

2. The stories are rather sad (poignantly so), and I could only take so much of it each time.

The first story, a retelling of the history of India’s Gama pehelwan was so steeped in a kind of honor and strength and courage that we don’t see any more, that it made me tear up at times. The second one, a story set in Sierra Leone and the US, of how a chimpanzee completes a human family, had me thinking about Bruno Littlemore. I wish this one were a book of its own, because it felt like a novel cramped in the body of a short story.

My absolute favorite was “The Gulf”, told from the point-of-view of a little girl, not just for subtext between a child and adult world (something James does very well in the other stories like “Ethnic Ken”, a story of a girl’s love for the Ken from Barbie dolls, and how she outgrows it) but also because of the writing:

“After my mother leaves, my father puts his elbows on his knees and leans forward, his eyes closed. I wonder if he is dozing off. The song in the radio softens and slows, at which point my father takes an imaginary violin in his left arm, pointing it downward, and tilts his chin against it. He draws his invisible bow along with the single, smooth note from the radio’s violin, his face perfectly still, as if listening for his own pulse. The slipper with the exposed toe begins to tap against the orange carpet. The melody gathers force, and he dives into his performance, elbowing the air, rocking back and forth as he inscribes the space between us with song. The music climbs inside his body, takes possession of him like a long charge of electricity.”

James, like Jhumpa Lahiri, talks of the immigrant experience, but her assessment is less clinical, more given to emotion, in stories like “Light and Luminous” where a talented, middle-aged Indian dance teacher falls prey to the very thing she’s fought all her life, the temptation to bleach her dark skin, or a delusional old man who thinks his grand-daughter is his wife reincarnated, and wonders “Why am I here?”

I smiled at James’ tart commentary on contemporary life (in America):

“The most popular magazines at Foodfest are the ones that offer help. The experts grin from every corner, beaming with the relief that anyone can drop fifty pounds or build their own patio or achieve a positive outlook.”

Why you could read it: If you like literary stories, by the likes of Jhumpa Lahiri or Yiyun Li, you’ll love it. If you read more genre than literary, this book could be a good bridge: some of the stories have an other-worldly quality to them, and unlike most literary stories, satisfy the reader who wants to know ‘what happened in the end’.

Why you might avoid it: This isn’t light reading, so pick it up if you want to be entertained, but be prepared to be moved to sadness at the same time.

My cribs: My only crib was the the juxtaposition of the stories: “Girl Marries Ghost” felt like the weakest , added in as an afterthought at the end. It did not come across as subtle and spare as the rest of them. Personally, I liked “Lion and Panther in London” better than “Aerogrammes”, for its combination of humor, irony and pathos, and thought it might have made a better title story.

Over all, I enjoyed the book, and though I took my time reading this collection, it felt like time well-spent.

———-

I played this first review by ear, giving you my unvarnished thoughts as a reader, and letting the format emerge on its own . What would you like to see changed in the format? Was this review helpful?

What sort of book reviews do You like?

Which book of the 14 is missing in the picture?

Over the next few months, I’m going to talk about a few books on this blog, sent to me by Random House, India. I guess I’ll call them book reviews, for want of a better term, but I’m not totally convinced I would be ‘reviewing’ them, just giving out my very honest, and very subjective, opinion.

I’m two things, a reader and a writer. More and more, I find myself being kinder to writers because I know the back-breaking work involved in writing a book. That sometimes affects my judgment as a reader, because if I find a book insufferable, I still plod on for a few pages before dumping it — poor author has worked so hard, let me give the book a few more pages to prove itself.

So, I’ll be a one hell of a conflicted  ‘reviewer’. These are the books I’m currently reading for review:

1. -          Aerogrammes by Tania James
2. -          Selected Stories by Saadat Hasan Manto 
3. -          Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
4. -          Life of Pi by Yann Martel
5. -          Quarantine by Rahul Mehta
6. -          Wanted by Lee Child
7. -          Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch
8. -          Desperate in Dubai by Ameera Al Hakawati
9. -          Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup
10. -          Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
11. -          Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam
12. -          Cutting for Stone by Abraham Varghese
13. -          Tell All by Chuck Palahniuk
14. -          The Sirens of Baghdad by Yasmina Khadra

As usual, I’m reading 4 books at the same time, which means I’ll possibly come up with reviews randomly as I finish the books and the mood takes me. I haven’t decided on a schedule yet (I hate schedules) but I aim to read a book a week on average, and then post a review.

The 14 books are a mixed bag, from a Pakistani writer who wrote in undivided India and got tried several times for obscenity, to a writer of transgressive fiction, more than one Booker prize winner and shortlister,  a Dubai-based blogger whose book was banned for a while this year, a Pulitzer and Frank O’Connor prize winner, an Indian American novelist who has won some acclaim, as well as several New York Times bestsellers.

With the current controversy on book bloggers which I highlighted in one of my recent posts, I ought to be a little wary, but I think I’ve blogged long enough not to care. I may have damaged the reading world beyond repair already so no point in acting shy now.

I know I’m going to be honest, and pretty much personal in my opinions. And if I can’t finish a book despite trying, I’m going to say it. For me, I read reviews, but seldom base my book purchases on them — so I don’t expect anyone to be influenced by my opinions either.

But before I begin on my review series, I’m curious: what sort of book reviews do You like?

 

Should a Book Stab You, Or Make You Happy?

“I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we’re reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. That is my belief.”

— Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka and Books that Stab you

I read this quote today on Goodreads, and began discussing it with a few friends on Facebook. Opinions veered on one side or the other.

Personally, I think there will always be those who read to be provoked into thought, and those who read to escape. Both are equally valid reasons for reading, in my opinion, and I alternate between the two.

When it comes to my own writing, however, I aspire to Kafka’s recommended genre. I would die happy if  I could write books “that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.”

What sort of book would You rather read? Why? And if you’re a writer, what sort of book would you rather write?

In Which the Ninja Cap’n tells you Why Critique Partners Rock!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh has been amazing blog-friend since April last year, when I met him as one of the hosts of the A To Z Challenge. We’re co-hosts this year  and his warm, friendly presence has been a big source of support for me and the entire team.

He’s now coming out with a new book—CassaFire, the sequel to his first book, CassaStar. Today’s he is a guest on this blog, telling us all about critique partners and his experience with them…visit him and leave a comment during his book tour for a chance to win CassaFire, CassaStar, and a CassaFire tote bag and mug.

——

Critique partners are important. Maybe not as vital as air, but to a writer, they are definitely in the top ten.

For CassaStar, I had two test readers. They weren’t writers, just readers who enjoyed science fiction. They provided some great feedback, but neither could offer detailed writing tips. (Although one is still my go-to guy for dialogue.)

After completing revisions on my second book, I knew I needed more. (I was really feeling the pressure to make CassaFire better.) I put out a call for help on my blog and eventually selected Rusty, Jeffrey, and Anne. Trust me, it was the best writing decision I ever made. Now I have three critique partners who rock!

What are the advantages? Your critique partners see mistakes you don’t. They notice repetitions of words and phrases. They catch when something seems out of place or awkward. They come to the manuscript fresh, so they don’t read what you meant, only what you wrote. And they’ll be able to suggest how to fix the problems since they are writers as well.

If you’ve never sent work to a critique partner, there is always a sense of fear. What if he hates it? What if I suck? What if he rips it to shreds? Rest assured, if you selected a good critique partner, you’ll be all right. Yes, you could end up with a bad partner. (That’s when you say thanks and find someone else!) But critiques are rarely harsh or demeaning. The comment are meant to make your manuscript better. And you’ll often discover strengths you never knew you possessed.

My three critique partners were awesome and added so much to the quality of my writing. I considered every suggestion and never felt threatened or angry with the comments. Besides, how could one be angry when you see a comment like this:

  “We’ll have to play when you’re not rusty then.” – “Hey! That’s my name! Woo hoo! I’m in your book.”

Now, go find yourself a critique partner or two!

And if you already have critique partners, let me know why they rock. The Ninja Captain wants to know…

——————————–

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend – to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Available now!

Science fiction – space opera/adventure

Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6×9 Trade paperback, 240 pages

EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, available in all formats

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” – Library Journal

Visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassafire-alex-j-cavanaugh/1034742568

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/0982713940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329417150&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-ebook/dp/B007A2TSNG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329663355&sr=1-1

 

When Was the Last Time You Spent a Day at the Library?

At the Library

Some of the best times in my life have been spent at a library. It was the one place I could find silence, the freedom to take out umpteen books, and leave them on the table after skimming through a few pages, forget about the world outside and the state of my life in it.

I still run to libraries when I need my space—and yesterday I did just that. After a work-related meeting I decided to spend the entire afternoon and evening at the Singapore National library, at its big central division, which is home to one of the most diverse collections I’ve seen in a library so far.

I felt a little guilty, sitting at the reference section (I needed to look through one book, but nothing serious), working on my fiction while intermittently browsing through random books—maybe I was taking up the space that someone doing genuine research needed. I sat there long enough–till the time I realized all other seats were taken up, and then vacated mine—hoping an eager research scholar would take it up!

I walked out for a meal, came back, and headed to the lending section…deciding that some of the blocks in the story I was writing came from a lack of research. I needed to know a few facts before I could get on with my narration. I love the that this library lets you search its catalog on your phone—the catalog is on a free library wi-fi network. Having picked up the books I needed I went in search of a chair and found one at the far end, surrounded by about 20 other chairs in different clusters.

To say that the first book I picked up was an absorbing read would be to insult it–it talks about a hugely successful individual coping with multiple personality disorder–each of the 13 individual personalities inside him has a chapter in his/her voice. I finished it in the 8 hours I sat at the library, without much movement, and only the occasional glance around me.

It is this morning, when I look back on the evening that I remember what I saw in those glances, but did not register at the time: an old man sleeping, open-mouthed, behind a newspaper, a middle-aged-gap-toothed woman in a cheong-sam sitting with a book on feng-shui while fitting her small body cross-legged on a chair—apparently meditating,  a young man in office attire with a laptop bag and headphones, dozing behind a book titled Sex after Fifty, a pair of schoolkids snogging behind one of the bookshelves (I thought the library had cameras and frowned on such activity, but apparently not), a woman of indeterminate age in heavy make-up sitting with a shoe magazine, periodically receiving low-beeping calls and repeating/ writing down dates and times in a breathy falsetto, while a hearing impaired young couple to my right kept up a sprightly conversation full of excited gesturing.

With all those images returning to me, I feel less guilty about hogging a seat I didn’t really need. Not because other people did it too, with lot less serious preoccupations than mine—but because watching this pantomime of unabashed humanity in a country known for its lifestyle governed by rules, that too at a strait-laced place like a library, was not only a treat for a writer like me, but could also be safely termed ‘research’.

When was the last time you spent a day at the library? How much of that time did you spend people-watching?

 

 

Writers, How Do You Advertise Your Book?

The Golden Sky

For the months of November and December, Daily (w)rite is being taken over by some talented writers who will dole out advice on writing, publishing and marketing.

Today, Elisa Hirsch talks to you about advertising your book, which is now part of a writer’s job, whether self-published or published traditionally.

So, take it away, Elisa!

How to Advertise Your Book

    Advertising is a huge part of being a successful writer.  Once, when I had a booming sewing business, I had someone ask me, “What are the most important aspects of advertising?”

     I thought for a moment.  “Well, utilizing the internet helps.  Then I’d say, consistency and reciprocity.  But most of all, I think you need to know your audience.”  Of course that doesn’t encompass everything, but those are very important aspects that I would like to write about today.

    In sewing, as long as I listed a new outfit each week and interacted with customers, I was sure people would come back to see my items and spread the word about my products.  I found my audience and joined groups where mothers loved handmade clothes.  I did that for two years straight, and my company became the fifth largest kids’ custom clothing business on ebay.

    The same is true with writing.  

    If you blog, write consistently.  Make it something interesting, whether it’s a snippet about your day, or how things are going with your writing.  When someone comments, go visit them.  Not only will you make friends, but you might end up finding great resources (such as goodreads groups, book blogs and bloggy moms) as well.

    The other things I mentioned are that you need to utilize the internet and know your audience.  

 

Hourglass Memories

  This is a great time to be a writer.  You have free advertising at your fingertips–take advantage of it.  For example, my novel “The Golden Sky” is about my little boy who passed away because of birth defects.  I know my main audience is families who have lost loved ones.  I’ve been able to join online support groups and find people who need reading material to help them through hard times.

    I’ve also researched google keywords to find out what titles I need to use in order to bring the right crowds to my blog.  Key phrases such as “infant loss,” “grief counseling,” “what happens when we die,” have been very helpful for bringing the right people to my blog.

    Several months ago, I worked on a children’s book with a friend.  She needed exposure, and I found out that “Rapunzel and Tangled” were popular search terms.  Since that would pull in the right audience, and I knew she was consistent, I helped her write a blog using those words in the title and the post.  She went from getting 300 hits a day to 1000 hits just from those key words.  

    So, on top of knowing your audience, being consistent and reciprocal, try using your resources, and find out the importance of keywords.

    Remember that the internet is your friend!  If you use it the right way, you can pull in quite a crowd.  Good luck.
———————–

Elisa Hirsch, Author

Elisa spends most of her time taking care of four rambunctious kids who are better than green eggs and ham.  They’re pretty darn fun, but despite that, after she had kids, her boobs shrunk, she lost hair, but gained a greater sense of humor!
When she’s not scavenging through the vents, which her son (the Zombie Elf) thinks are the best place to hide things, she’s sewing, playing her violin, or writing.

• Blog: The Crazy Life of a Writing Mom
• Twitter: @ECwrites

Do You Want to Write Books for Children?

Chris Eboch: Writing for Children: The Eyes of Pharaoh

Writing books for kids is no child’s play. It requires a special skill-set to write books that will engage children as well as educate or entertain them. I’ve always been curious about writing for children, and today children’s author Chris Eboch shares some of the basics of writing for kids. Take it away, Chris!

—————–

Damyanti asked me to talk about writing for children. That’s a big subject, butI’ll cover a couple of important points. Besides publishing a dozen children’s books myself, I’ve taught hundreds of students and critique thousands of manuscripts, so I’ll look at a few common misconceptions and mistakes.

Chris Eboch: Writing for Children: The Well of Sacrifice

Misconception: Children’s books are easier than other forms of writing.

Truth: Writing for children is in many ways harder than writing for grown-ups. In both cases, you have to have interesting and relatable characters, dramatic plots, and smooth writing. For children, you have to do everything in fewer words. Picture books are typically less than 1000 words, with less than 500 words preferred. Short stories are usually under 1200 words (under 800 for Highlights magazine), while stories for the younger children may be under 400 words. Even novels are shorter and the writing must be tight, to appeal to busy and restless readers. You also have to have an appropriate language level. Learning to write well for children can take years (though they can be fun years!).

Common Mistake: Writing a story with no conflict, a slice of life or something quiet.

Solution: Children’s stories need a strong conflict like every story does. The character should have a problem or a goal. For very young children, it can be a simple goal, like making a new friend or staying up late. For young adult novels, it can be as serious as dealing with abuse or addiction. But children’s stories need plot, and plot comes from conflict.

Common Mistake: Writing a story where the adult solves the problem – a parent, grandparent, teacher, fairy godmother, ghost, or some other creature steps into fix the situation or tell the child what to do.

Solution: The main character should solve his or her own problem. In some cases it’s all right to ask an adult for help or advice, but the child must control the story, make a final decision about what to do, and be responsible for the end result. Kids are inspired by reading about other children who tackle challenges and succeed. It’s not as satisfying if someone else steps in to fix things (or worse, scolds the child for misbehaving and tells them what they should have done instead). Avoid preaching!

Common Mistake: Writing for children without reading modern children’s stories.  (This gets back to that misconception that children’s books are easy to write. Or in some cases the writer is basing their stories on what they remember reading as a child, which may have been many decades ago.) This leads to an outdated tone, inappropriate language level, stories lacking interest for today’s kids, or formats totally inappropriate for the market (such as 3000 word picture books).

Solution: All writers need to read widely in their genre. That helps you understand the parameters of that genre and see what has already been done. You’ll also start to internalize the language and pacing of children’s books. Stories have changed over the last century, so it’s important to read recent books or magazines to understand both what children find interesting, and how modern stories are styled. Reading can also help you with market research if you pay attention to the publishers.

Damyanti also asked about tips for breaking in to the children’s market. The best advice I can give you is to take time to learn how to write well, and to understand the market, before you start submitting your work.

Take courses (the Institute of Children’s Literature offers a correspondence course through mail or e-mail, and you may be able to find a local community college course).

Attend workshops or conferences (SCBWI, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, has regional groups around the country and the world, many offering annual conferences or retreats and more frequent small workshops or meetings).

Read books or magazines on writing (including mine for novelists, Advanced Plotting).

Join a critique group, sign up for a critique at a conference, and/or hire an editor to review your work. (SCBWI can be a resource for finding critique groups and also offers a list of freelance editors – or you can see my rates and recommendations.)

Basically, don’t rush things. Starting a new career takes time and education, so take the time to learn and enjoy the process. Have fun with the writing, and your readers are more likely to have fun with the reading.

————-

Chris Eboch: Books for Kids

Learn more about Chris and read excerpts of her work at www.chriseboch.com (for children’s books) or www.krisbock.com (for adult romantic suspense written under the name Kris Bock) or see her Amazon page. You can also read excerpts from Advance Plotting and get other writing craft advice on her blog.

——–

Through the months of November and December, some fab writers would take over Daily (w)rite. At least twice a week, this blog would host posts on writing, by writers.

I still have a few slots open for December, so I would welcome guest posts by writers who have something to say about the art, craft, and business of writing. Write me a mail at atozstories at gmail dot com to discuss this.