1. Stop being an adult telling a story and become a child living it!
2. Don't expect perfection from your first - or even fifth - draft.
3. Give yourself permission to write badly!
4. Focus on being the best writer YOU can be.
5. Don't worry about being better or more prolific than someone else.
6. Forge a path for yourself, for your own creative journey. Don't feel you need to race against others.
8. Read, read, read
9. Study recent issues of publications that interest you if you want to write for a children's periodical.
10. Study the publishers' current and recent catalogs.
11. Attend a writer's conference.
12. Make connections.
13. Observe children; play with children; listen to children and discover what interests them.
14. Don't preach (intentionally)
15. Don't teach (intentionally)
16. Challenge a child with new vocabulary but make sure you are writing at the correct level.
17. Know your audience
18. Join a writer's group for critiquing and encouragement
19. Write
20. Pray. Pray again.
Dear Glynis. I missed your sweet face at Write! Canada this year. I just found this blog on Vanyiek's Last Stand. Thank you for having such a generous spirit and sharing what you have learned here. I'll be sucking it up like a sponge.
ReplyDeleteI recently wrote about Jean Little, "She teaches children to love what is good without preaching a word." And then I read your wonderful advice above, confirming what a gift that is. Love & blessings!