KEEPING IT SIMPLE
Part of building any story or magazine article is translating what you know and what you’ve researched in usable information for your characters and your readers.
In fiction, your character may long to be an astronaut, so you need to be able take that extended process and explain it to your young reader in manageable bits.
In nonfiction, it may be taking the technical jargon of how a chocolate factory works and breaking it down into words your audience understands. Inspired by an ICL market guide article written by Devyani Borade, today we are taking complex subjects and keeping them simple.
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GETTING ORGANIZED FOR THE LONG HAUL
You might think the first draft is the first step in your story's life and for some it might be. However, there are steps you can take before you put pen to paper that will help you out on the journey ahead.
Today we talk about researching (for nonfiction and fiction!), getting to know your characters through prewriting, and managing your time to get your project over the finish line.
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BUILDING YOUR STORY
Let’s do something a little different today. February is Build Your Story Month at ICL. So, today I’m going to walk you through one of our writing exercises in our Writing for Children and Teens course. Download the show notes here to follow along with the photos.
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INTERVIEW WITH CAROLYN CRIMI
Carolyn Crimi is the author of numerous picture books, including Boris and Bella, Where's My Mummy?, and Don't Need Friends. Carolyn Crimi received the Prairie State Award in her home state of Illinois for her body of work and her book, There Might Be Lobsters, won the Golden Kite Award in 2018. She was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and now lives in Illinois with her husband and pug.
We talk about:
Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your work so it shines in your submissions to agents and publishers! Get started here!