Children's Writer Newsletter

Every monthly issue of Children's Writer brings you pointers from experts and current market tips like these:

Tip: According to our annual surveys of juvenile publishing, over 100 children's book imprints and magazines are withdrawn every year while 125-150 are added. Children's Writer reports these important comings and goings in every issue.

Tip: We report on all the new publisher launches. For example, we've just reported that Amulet Books is the new imprint of Harry N. Abrams. It wants to build a list of novels and nonfiction for middle-graders and young adults. Brown Barn Books is a new publisher looking for crossover fiction for young adults, especially very original mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy. Mirrorstone Books is a new imprint specializing in paperback series fantasy.

Tip: Board books, concept books, novelty books, and picture books for the very young look simple. They're not. What they are is very popular. Children's Writer keeps you on top of all that is happening in these exciting categories.

Tip: Guideposts for Teens has just changed its name to Guideposts Sweet 16. While keeping its trademark first-person stories, it will include more pop culture, celebrity covers, and fashion and beauty topics to better serve its readers ages 11 to 19.

Tip: Sports Illustrated For Kids Editor Neil Cohen sees opportunities for freelancers. He advises that you pitch a story that reflects familiarity with the magazine. "Stories about kid athletes with a strong human interest angle also are appreciated because we could use freelancers' help to find those stories." Go to its website and click on "media kit" to see the monthly editorial calendar. Send clips with your query.

Tip: Short folktales, fairy tales, and rewritten myths will find a market in today's children's magazines as long as the "enchantment" factor is high. So say editors from Highlights for Children, Cricket and Spider, Jack And Jill, Skipping Stones, U*S*Kids, and others, in a recent issue of Children's Writer.

Tip: Editors are generally not looking for writers to propose series like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. For fiction, most editors want one solid story, and the possibility for more books can come later. These series are shorter now and more edgy. For many publishers of nonfiction, ideas for a series--or several additions to an existing series--are welcome.

Tip: Inspirational writing is a booming market, including nonfiction, anthologies and essay collections, and magazines. Poetry, personal experience pieces, nostalgia, humor, profiles, as-told-to stories, and action/adventure true stories are all in demand.

Tip: Nonfiction picture books are on the upswing. Editors from the Bebop Books imprint of Lee & Low, Dorling Kindersley, the Calkins Creek Books imprint of Boyds Mills Press, and Charlesbridge review what works best.

Tip: Meriwether Publishing is looking for plays and books with theater-related themes for middle school and high school drama classes. Comedy, farce, and parody are its favorite styles for school plays.

Tip: New Moon celebrates the diversity of girls age 8 to 14. It publishes work from girls and women only. Girls write feature articles and several of its departments. Adults can submit fiction with strong girl characters, and articles about women in history and careers, about caring for your body, and about science.

Tip: Many a writer is intrigued by the
idea of having an agent. What can one
do for you? How do you approach them? How do you choose one? What's standard compensation? Children's Writer follows agents and tells you what's what.

Tip: When Eve Bunting's Smoky Night, set in the Los Angeles riots, won the Caldecott Medal, the controversy started. Should picture books avoid troublesome social issues? Children's Writer concluded that writers can and should address social issues, but without assaulting young readers' tender sensibilities.

Tip: The teenage market is booming behind the surge in their numbers, already 80 million strong and not peaking until after 2005. Editors from HarperCollins, Simon Pulse at Simon & Schuster, Greenwillow, and Walker Books say that they especially want books on relationships, friendships, and romance.

Month after month you'll get valuable

market tips and expert pointers on writing:

•	Ten pointers on how to effectively work with picture book editors.

•	Experts review the basics of rhyming texts for picture books. Sample advice: read poetry aloud; listen to other people read it to train your ear; and concentrate on your verbs while eliminating adjectives.

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Experts review the basics of rhyming texts for picture books. Sample advice: read poetry aloud; listen to other people read it to train your ear; and concentrate on your verbs while eliminating adjectives.

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Biographies are important because they make history specific, personal, and accessible to children. Editors from Chelsea House, Little, Brown and Company, Morgan Reynolds, The Oliver Press, and Scholastic Book Clubs discuss what is most relevant in crafting marketable biographies for children.

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Work-for-hire contracts may not be writer-friendly, but they are increasingly popular with publishers. What do you do when confronted with one?

•	Many local and regional book publishers have strong marketing niches that local writers can fill best, where homegrown perspective and an insider's point of view are needed. The good news: there are several such publishers near you.

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National Geographic Kids Executive Editor Julie Agnone reports that its "mission is to entertain children while educating and exciting them about their world." Targeted to ages 8 to 14, NGK uses articles on animals, geography, nature, and science. Agnone also wants "story ideas for the Amazing Animals and Kids Did IT! sections . . . specifically about kids who have triumphed over adversity."

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Most Christian publishers want a good story with believable characters and a strong plot first; then the message will tell itself. Heavy-handed is out; subtle is in. As a result, lots of good fiction is appearing in these markets. Children's Writer tells you which book publishers and magazines you should consider.

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Writers' contests are great training grounds for writers: you have to write to a spec and on a deadline. That's why Children's Writer conducts two contests a year with cash prizes up to $500 per manuscript. But there are lots of other excellent contests. We spoke with editors, judges, and entrants, and evaluated the major contests for you.

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How to squeeze more writing time out of every 24 hours: The advantages of very early or very late--The remarkable notebook--Investing in exercise--Good habits and better habits--When to get help--What you should never talk about--and 10 more down-to-earth, practical tips to help you get more down on paper every day.

•	Writing puzzles and rebuses can be fun . . . and profitable too.
•	Good adventure stories are always in demand. Learn what publishers want now.
•	You can have a real impact in Pre-K fiction, but it requires skill and care to write for these kids.
•	Story picture books for slightly older readers are booming. Learn all about them.
•	Openings are key to attracting readers . . . and editors too. Learn some tricks from the pros.
•	How to set up and conduct telephone interviews for your articles.
•	How to make an effective picture book dummy.
•	Early reader books are fun to read and more fun to write. We explore all the options.
•	How to create really productive writing time.
•	Protecting your ideas is important . . . and easy.
•	Brainstorming and other ways to generate ideas.
•	Children's Writer's own writing contests--two a year--with cash prizes up to $500 and publication of the winning entries.