Hana Calvez, a WriTeen who has written for us in the past, has been published two additional times now! The reprint of her original Innovative piece will appear in KidMagWriters.com in January, and a poem she wrote ("The Moon") is currently published in Stories for Children (www.storiesforchildren.tripod.com).
Congratulations, Hana! Keep going!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Getting Started
I recently wrote this to someone who asked for advice on getting started with story publication. Thought it might be of interest!
...
1. Stop writing. No, not "stop writing forever." Just pause for a week so that you can spend your writing time learning about publication, so that when you *do* write you can write with publishers in mind.
2. Think about what you love to write. It sounds like you enjoy short stories-- but maybe articles can be interesting too? Nonfiction is much easier to get published, although fiction is by no means impossible. For now, I would write out 3 things that you love to write: say, "Girl stories" "Mysteries" "Articles about dogs."
3. Next, find magazines and/or contests. If you're writing a book, put that on hold because it's a whole different ballgame for short-term publication. In response to your original question, you can do BOTH. Publication is kind of like soccer, or any sport. You don't just learn one trick, you learn loads. The best way to find magazines is to a) go to the library and read some, or b) spend some time on Google, searching for "Young Writer's Guidelines." Innovative often spotlights different markets (a word for places that publish you) that publish young writers' work. I have some books to recommend that are "market guides", places that are literally lists of magazines that publish young wriers.
4. READ THE GUIDELINES. The worst mistake I see teen writers make (and one I've made myself) is just being SO excited about getting publish that they send just about any old story to any old magazine, without being smart. Would you submit your science project to your history teacher? Nope (or you'll get an F.) Treat publishing like a "match" card game: match a story or article to a publication. This might seem abstract, but it's not. If you've written a girl mystery, and you find a magazine that says: "We love mysteries with girls," then that's a match.
5. FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES. Again, big mistake if you don't. Magazines will tell you what information to send (your age, email address, things like that) or whether to email it or mail it, etc. READ THEM AND FOLLOW THEM.
6. Make a plan for the long run. This last tip is something I'll be covering in the new year for Innovative so I'm not going to write much about it now. I've been published about twenty times, in both really small magazines and big ones that have paid me almost $200 for an article-- and I'm still in high school. You *can* do it, just be patient and be smart about it. If you have any more questions, please feel free to email me.
Off the top of my head, here are some zines to look at (that publish young writers' fiction):
Stories for Children (www.storiesforchildren.tripod.com) publishes stories *for* kids age 3-12 but accept pieces *by* kids up to age 17. They don't pay but are always looking for young writers to write (better chance of getting published.)
New Moon: Magazine for Girls and their Dreams (www.newmoon.org) publishes fiction and articles by girls up to age 14. They pay .06-.12 cents a word, but it's competitive.
ChixLIT (www.chixlit.com): I would *REALLY* encourage you to submit a piece to them. It's a very small magazine, and you don't get paid, but then you will be PUBLISHED and that always helps when you submit to bigger magazines. They publish loads of stories and articles by girls ages 7-17.
...
...
1. Stop writing. No, not "stop writing forever." Just pause for a week so that you can spend your writing time learning about publication, so that when you *do* write you can write with publishers in mind.
2. Think about what you love to write. It sounds like you enjoy short stories-- but maybe articles can be interesting too? Nonfiction is much easier to get published, although fiction is by no means impossible. For now, I would write out 3 things that you love to write: say, "Girl stories" "Mysteries" "Articles about dogs."
3. Next, find magazines and/or contests. If you're writing a book, put that on hold because it's a whole different ballgame for short-term publication. In response to your original question, you can do BOTH. Publication is kind of like soccer, or any sport. You don't just learn one trick, you learn loads. The best way to find magazines is to a) go to the library and read some, or b) spend some time on Google, searching for "Young Writer's Guidelines." Innovative often spotlights different markets (a word for places that publish you) that publish young writers' work. I have some books to recommend that are "market guides", places that are literally lists of magazines that publish young wriers.
4. READ THE GUIDELINES. The worst mistake I see teen writers make (and one I've made myself) is just being SO excited about getting publish that they send just about any old story to any old magazine, without being smart. Would you submit your science project to your history teacher? Nope (or you'll get an F.) Treat publishing like a "match" card game: match a story or article to a publication. This might seem abstract, but it's not. If you've written a girl mystery, and you find a magazine that says: "We love mysteries with girls," then that's a match.
5. FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES. Again, big mistake if you don't. Magazines will tell you what information to send (your age, email address, things like that) or whether to email it or mail it, etc. READ THEM AND FOLLOW THEM.
6. Make a plan for the long run. This last tip is something I'll be covering in the new year for Innovative so I'm not going to write much about it now. I've been published about twenty times, in both really small magazines and big ones that have paid me almost $200 for an article-- and I'm still in high school. You *can* do it, just be patient and be smart about it. If you have any more questions, please feel free to email me.
Off the top of my head, here are some zines to look at (that publish young writers' fiction):
Stories for Children (www.storiesforchildren.tripod.com) publishes stories *for* kids age 3-12 but accept pieces *by* kids up to age 17. They don't pay but are always looking for young writers to write (better chance of getting published.)
New Moon: Magazine for Girls and their Dreams (www.newmoon.org) publishes fiction and articles by girls up to age 14. They pay .06-.12 cents a word, but it's competitive.
ChixLIT (www.chixlit.com): I would *REALLY* encourage you to submit a piece to them. It's a very small magazine, and you don't get paid, but then you will be PUBLISHED and that always helps when you submit to bigger magazines. They publish loads of stories and articles by girls ages 7-17.
...
Saturday, December 29, 2007
The WD Market Guides
The Writer's Digest "Market Guides" are those big heavy books that are lists of places that publish certain kinds of writers. Writer's Market Deluxe costs about $50.00, last I checked, and is a comprehensive collection of more than a thousand markets. There are other market guides, like Children's Writers and Illustrators' Markets that are about $25 and worth getting. If you have the spare change and are looking to really get serious about publication, I would aim for the WM Deluxe or see if your local library has a copy.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Best Buys for WriTeens
If you have holiday cash and are looking for ways to spend it, I recommend...
BOOKS! Treat yourself to the Writer's Section of your local bookstore. There are loads of great writing books on every subject from Freelancing 101 to the finer nuances of queries. Enjoy!
PENS AND NOTEBOOKS! Really nice ones. Buy beautiful pens.
DOMAIN SPACE. If you're serious about freelancing, your own webspace (preferably yourname.com) is a must.
CHOCOLATE or OTHER SWEET FOOD. Books and chocolate (sweet food) just go together. Writers were never meant to watch their weight, otherwise we could burn calories by sitting on our bums all day, typing.
SAVE FOR INSPIRATIONAL TRIP. Planning to go to Italy next year? Start saving!
More later, folks, and happy hols!
BOOKS! Treat yourself to the Writer's Section of your local bookstore. There are loads of great writing books on every subject from Freelancing 101 to the finer nuances of queries. Enjoy!
PENS AND NOTEBOOKS! Really nice ones. Buy beautiful pens.
DOMAIN SPACE. If you're serious about freelancing, your own webspace (preferably yourname.com) is a must.
CHOCOLATE or OTHER SWEET FOOD. Books and chocolate (sweet food) just go together. Writers were never meant to watch their weight, otherwise we could burn calories by sitting on our bums all day, typing.
SAVE FOR INSPIRATIONAL TRIP. Planning to go to Italy next year? Start saving!
More later, folks, and happy hols!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
If You Want to Write...
More! More! More! in our weekly blog series on what to do if you want to write...
Suggestions for Holiday Reading
I am still amazed at the power of stories. My two friends and I ganged up on a fourth friend and gave her the complete Twilight series for her birthday, forcing to read them. Much to our delight, she has fallen completely in love with Edward and Bella before reaching page 150. Books can just do that to you.
Here are some of my recommendations.
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes (Lyrical, beautiful, fantastic.)
The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer (I read this book three times in a week.)
Teen Angst? Naah... by Ned Vizzini (Hilarious, sarcastic essays by a teen author.)
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (... Edward...)
Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman (Fun, point-making, more fun...)
Queen Geeks in Love by Laura Preble (Quirky, awkward, lovable)
This is What I Did: by Ann Dee Clark (Brief and heartbreaking)
The Overachievers by Alexandra Robbins (Life-changingly true)
Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman (Ditto)
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner (Fabulous, wonderful story for PG13 readers. Movie's good too.)
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner (I'm a huge Weiner fan)
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (Beautiful, simple story for any girl, with an Asian twist)
And a list of some books I'm attempting to buy this season:
The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
What I Meant... by Marie Lamba
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
I'm pledging that in 2008, I will buy 25 books. For a booklover of my magnitude, I buy embarrasingly few books. I am pledging to support the book industry and the wonderful authors who write these wonderful books, by purchasing 25 over the next year. I hope to vamp it up each year.
We will be zooming in on books during our "If You Want to Writes" this holidays. Future topics may include bestsellers I don't understand, debut authors I'd love to interview, books I've bought... think personal and literary.
Happy Hols!
Suggestions for Holiday Reading
I am still amazed at the power of stories. My two friends and I ganged up on a fourth friend and gave her the complete Twilight series for her birthday, forcing to read them. Much to our delight, she has fallen completely in love with Edward and Bella before reaching page 150. Books can just do that to you.
Here are some of my recommendations.
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes (Lyrical, beautiful, fantastic.)
The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer (I read this book three times in a week.)
Teen Angst? Naah... by Ned Vizzini (Hilarious, sarcastic essays by a teen author.)
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (... Edward...)
Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman (Fun, point-making, more fun...)
Queen Geeks in Love by Laura Preble (Quirky, awkward, lovable)
This is What I Did: by Ann Dee Clark (Brief and heartbreaking)
The Overachievers by Alexandra Robbins (Life-changingly true)
Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman (Ditto)
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner (Fabulous, wonderful story for PG13 readers. Movie's good too.)
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner (I'm a huge Weiner fan)
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (Beautiful, simple story for any girl, with an Asian twist)
And a list of some books I'm attempting to buy this season:
The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
What I Meant... by Marie Lamba
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
I'm pledging that in 2008, I will buy 25 books. For a booklover of my magnitude, I buy embarrasingly few books. I am pledging to support the book industry and the wonderful authors who write these wonderful books, by purchasing 25 over the next year. I hope to vamp it up each year.
We will be zooming in on books during our "If You Want to Writes" this holidays. Future topics may include bestsellers I don't understand, debut authors I'd love to interview, books I've bought... think personal and literary.
Happy Hols!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Innovative: A Word for the WriTeen
An E-Zine for Teens who Write, and Those who Support Them
Edited by Gabrielle Linnell
WORD
How to Use those Holiday Hours
by Gabrielle Linnell
For me, Christmas break is already here (YES!) and for many of us school-bound WriTeens, the evil of daily education will cease shortly, for a short period of time. What are you going to do with your free days? Lounge around watching A Christmas Story three times? No, you are going to read and write your little merry heart out. Here are some excellent ideas.
Make a daily goal. This is a fantastic time to force yourself to finish THAT BIG PROJECT. If you're only 25 pages into your 365-page fantasy epic, then perhaps don't finish it. But maybe you set a goal that by the time you return to school, you will have written 125 pages, or 10 pages a day, etc. Finishing smaller, short-term projects is also a great idea. I'm dedicating three hours a day until I leave on vacation, and after that probably more like 1.5 hours.
Read, read, read. This is a great time to max out your library card and discover authors you haven't read before. I would recommend finding one or two classic authors (brush up on Jane Austen and Shakespeare!), some books by authors you know, and at least one YA book by an unknown author.
Punish yourself if you don't meet your goal. Whether you ask a friend to make you accountable, or tell yourself you won't be able to spend any gift cards unless you finish a first draft, FORCE YOURSELF TO DO IT. If you do, you will look back at a fun, relaxing holiday that also helped you in your writing career.
Reward yourself for finishing! Need I say more?
Use your gift cards or holiday-earned cash. The best uses of your money will be for writing magazines (email me for suggestions), two or three notebooks, some pens, and books. Buy lots of books. Authors and your imagination will thank you.
Make this a holiday to remember: by watching A Christmas Story AND finishing your project.*
bookshelf
Interview with Laura Preble, author of The Queen Geek Social Club, Lica's Angel and most recently Queen Geeks in Love
Laura Preble, who does not own a robot of her own, grew up in Lima,Ohio and attended the Ohio State University, the only college with a poisonous nut as a mascot. She is the author of Queen Geek Social Club, Queen Geeks in Love, Lica's Angel (self-published), and Prom Queen Geeks, to be released in 2008. She was the winner of a Kurt Vonnegut Fiction Prize in 2005, and is also an award-winning journalist and teacher.
INN: Can you tell us about Queen Geeks in Love?
LP: It's basically the continuation of QUEEN GEEK SOCIAL CLUB, but with a fewmore layers and complications. In this book, the girls have to learn to balance their friendships with increasingly serious interactions with guys, something that I think is a real challenge to girls in high school. Plus, there is a Halloween party, a festival of geekiness, and karaoke.
INN: What's been the most surprising thing about the Queen Geek adventure?
LP: Well, to me, the most surprising thing was that I finally got to see a book with my name on it in the bookstore. I've been trying to do that since I was 16. As far as the characters go, the most surprising thing to me was how they sort of take over their own stories and even if I have a plan, they sometimes change it.
INN: How and where do you like to write?
LP: I'd love to write in Hawaii, in a romantic beachside apartment, but I don't. I write in my office, which used to be my son's nursery, and which is also our family's storage closet. We are remodeling, though, and I'm getting an office on the second floor, where I can barricade myself in with stacks of comic books.
INN: Do you like bad sci-fi as much as Shelby and Becca do, and if so, what's your favorite sci-fi movie?
LP: I love bad sci fi. I grew up on it. My dad and I used to watch old Star Trek reruns, and he took me to all the PLANET OF THE APES movies when I was a kid. My favorite bad sci fi movies are the same ones the Queen Geeks like, actually; Plan 9 from Outer Space for sheer badness, The Day the Earth Stood Still for a really good movie, and the Gila Monster for the worst special effects and misuse of an unwilling amphibian. I am also a huge fan of the old Mystery Science Theatre 3000, and some of the best bad sci fi was aired on that show.
INN: What's your favorite book (published in the last five years)?
LP: I love Christopher Moore's LAMB and also his A DIRTY JOB. He is a hilarious writer (although not young adult), and is both irreverent and spiritual. Iam also a huge fan of Jim Butchers' THE DRESDEN FILES.
INN: Any advice for teen writers?
LP: KEEP WRITING. I wrote for years and years and had stacks of rejection letters before I got a contract. I think you have to write because you need to or want to, not because you're looking to get published. That's definitely a nice bonus, of course, but I wrote even when I didn't think anyone would see it except my friends. The other thing is to read other writers you admire and try to see why they're good, and also to write things that you'd like to read.
Thank you, Laura!
You can buy Queen Geeks in Love on Amazon.com by clicking http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Geeks-Love-Laura-Preble/dp/0425217175/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197819143&sr=8-1 . This makes a great present for a lovable geek in your life! And don't forget to visit Laura at www.queengeeksocialclub.com. *
NEXT TIME: On January 6th, we'll talk fashion AND publishing with Melissa Walker, debut author of Violet on the Runway.
innovative housekeeping
As always, if you have a question or comment, feel free to email me at innovativeteen@gmail.com. We're still looking for a male interviewer/reviewer.
Our next issue will be on January 6th, although If You Want to Write... will continue to be posted.
Thanks to Laura Preble for being a wonderful interviewee!
Logo designed by Katie Beth Groover.
Friday, December 14, 2007
WOW! Update
This is a few days late, but the fabulous female e-zine WOW! Women-on-Writing (www.wow-womenonwriting.com) has published their December issue. Men: if you close your eyes and just click on the fantastic articles they have there, you might be OK.
AND just as a reminder, we will be publishing an interview with the marvelous author of the geeky but wonderful series, The Queen Geek Social Club, Laura Preble herself-- on Sunday.
AND just as a reminder, we will be publishing an interview with the marvelous author of the geeky but wonderful series, The Queen Geek Social Club, Laura Preble herself-- on Sunday.
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