WILL MY MANUSCRIPT MATTER?

Happy Monday Morning!
In a few minutes I'm going to Manor Care Nursing Home to be the Story Lady, complete with costume.
But first--SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WRITING:
A few questions to ask yourself about your manuscript:
1. Will this book matter to kids, their parents, an editor, a publisher, to the universe?
2. Can I evoke a (wonderful, scary, exciting, sad-then-glad) reaction in a child or adult with my story?
3. Does the first sentence grab the reader?
4. Will my reader keep reading after the first page?
5. Does the reader soon know the setting and time frame of the story?

These are just five things to think about as you begin writing your Novel, MG, YA, Early Chapter Book or Picture Book.

Have a Happpy RE-writing Day!

For Which Age Group Should I Write?

Good morning!
I promised I'd specify the levels/age groups for picture books - also other books for youth.
Remember, this could vary--according to which book(s) you read.
Here's the leveling I like:
Early Picture Book - 500 words
Picture Book - 1,000 words (or fewer) 4 - 8 year olds
Non-fiction Picture Book - 2,000 words maximum
Early Reader - 3,500 words maximum
Chapter Books - 10,000 words maximum
Middle Grade Novels - 8 - 11 year-olds, 20,000-40,000 words
Young Adult Novels 70,000 words - age ranges vary
This is a guide to help you decide for whom you want to write and to begin your journey.
Happy Writing and Rewriting!

It's my own fault, I know.

It's my own fault, I know.
On my first blog I had 24 people who read and/or responded. Then, I didn't keep it up.
This month I began blogging again. I posted 6 or so blogs. To my knowledge, no one has read any of those posts. Same with my various tweets this month.

Anyway, when I tweeted today I said that I'd mention writing for children in my blog. So, here goes.

What do we know about the different age groups in children's writing? It's according to which article you read. But here's what I've found:

Middle Grade Novels are for 9 to 12 year-olds
Chapter Books or Early Readers are for 6 to 8 year-olds
Teen Novels 12 years and up
YA or Young Adult novels deal with controversial subject matter (NOT my genre!)

Another reference I perused stated that:
Middle Grade Novels are for 8 to 12 years old. They should have 12 to 15 chapters with 6 to 8 pages per chapter and approximately 1200 words per chapter.

Upper Middle Grade are for 10 - 14 year-olds.

So, as you can see, not every publisher agrees. But these are "ballpark" figures so you can be more on target and knowledgable when you begin to write. BUT--as the market changes, so will these category designations, I believe.

Happy Writing and Rewriting!
Mary Ann Duke

Have you ever felt like an idiom?

I taught idioms in 4th grade. An idiom is a word or group of words that say one thing, but mean something else.
An example: It's raining cats and dogs. It means that it's raining very hard. But, it does not mean that cats and dogs are coming down with the liquid drops.
Idioms can be difficult because they're largely cultural. However some are universal.
While a fiction writer probably wouldn't use them for the narrator, she/he may have the characters use one once in awhile. It spices up the dialogue. Kids seem to really enjoy the word and the colloquial phrases that accompany.
So, keep in touch, because I'm all ears. Don't get cold feet or feel like a fish out of water by writing to me. You'll get a kick out of it. Well, I'm going to call it a day and make like a tree and leave(s).
Or something like that!

Valanee's Author Signing + Main Characters

It's after midnight, so it's October 16, 2015. I will write anyway.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015 I hosted an Author Signing for my friend, Valanee Eriksen.
Valanee has a new book published. CHRISTMAS BELLS and HERO TAILS is 90 pages of delight.
Buddy the Rat fears for his life, meets and makes friends at Christmas. 
I decorated my house Christmas-y. I made and served Christmas sugar cookies with sprinkles. Buddy discovers those on page 46 of the book. I scattered "crystal" snowflakes on Valanee's signing table as crystal snowflakes are a part of the story.
I'm crossing my fingers I'll get a contract soon.
Here are my main characters of my six different manuscripts:

Tillie
Ruby
Billy
Troy
Goldie (a dog)
Carolina and Uncle Mortimer

 I won't give the book titles, though. Just because. 

Good Night!
Mary Ann Duke

Hello--Again

Friends and family, writers and readers,

Writing----Today I submitted three manuscripts to different publishers. Each time I submit, I am soooooo hopeful. Full of hope. Never do I feel hopeless. Then, three months later (or three years) I get a rejection. Then, I'm sad. But, alas and alack, I can now work to make it better. I will persevere.

 I'm excited tonight because we're planning a trip to Hawaii. My husband, our daughter, and three grandchildren are going. It will be fun.

An article I read today said that writers should put their e-mails on their blog, website or twitter so publishers or agents can contact them.

My email address is: DrMad92@verizon.net. There you have it. 

Have a great weekend. I wish you success in your endeavors, whatever they may be.

Mary Ann Duke

DrMad92@verizon.net