Social Responsibility or Write What Sells?

Part of writing is reading. "Read what you write," is the saying among authors. I've heard it and read it hundreds of times. This is okay with me, since I thoroughly enjoy kid lit.

My first, as yet unpublished novel, is a middle grade fantasy adventure for girls, so I read a lot of middle grade fantasies. The book I am now working on is quite different. It's for older teens, and it's not a fantasy. It's a story about grief, pain, and relationships. Over the past year, I've followed the writers' rule. I've been reading teen fiction that covers the same theme.

I've learned a few things from the books I've read, but I've also been disappointed. Sickened may actually be a better choice of words to accurately describe it. What I didn't know, and what I'm pretty sure most parents don't know, is that some of these seemingly innocent books have graphically detailed sex scenes in them.

It's made me think about my responsibility as a writer. Do I even have a responsibility or should I simply write what will sell? That's a question each writer has to ask his/herself, but personally, I've come to the conclusion that I'm okay if I don't hit the bestseller list. I have a social conscience. I care about the kids for whom I'm writing. I'm not writing just to sell. I'm writing to encourage another generation. I'm writing to give them hope. I'm writing to tell them that they are stronger than they think, braver than they know. They can stand up against the tide and be who they were created to be.

I may not ever hit the New York Times' Bestseller list, and that's okay with me as long as my words bring hope, encouragement, and strength to someone in the next generation.

So You Want to be a Writer? WRRBJ!

I had no idea what I was getting into when I applied for an on-line writing course several years ago. I thought the road to publication was fairly simple: write, send it to a publisher or two or three, one of them accepts my brilliant piece and voila! I'm published. End of story.

If only it was that simple. If only it was that easy. If only I knew then what I know now, I'd do it all over again.

I can't count how many would-be writers have talked to me over the past few years. They're full of enthusiasm and the same blind optimism that saturated me way back when. They've never read a book on writing, taken a class, listened to a lecture, or attended a conference and neither had I at that point. They want to glean from me, from my vast experience. The problem is that I don't have vast experience. I'm still a novice. These eyes that look up to me like baby birds waiting to be fed feels a tad overwhelming.

So, here is my basic advice to those who have the desire to write but don't know how to take the first step - WRRBJ:
* WRITE! This is the first and most important thing I can encourage you to do. Pick up your pen, your notebook, your tablet, your PC, your scraps of paper and write!
* RESEARCH the writing craft. There is SO much to learn, and there are blogs, websites, and books galore that address every aspect of writing, publishing, and marketing. A few books that I've found very helpful and encouraging are: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott; A Writer's Book of Days by Judy Reeves; Create Your Writer's Life by Cynthia Morris; and Write Away by Elizabeth George.
*READ like a writer. Read books in the genre in which you want to write. Read with a critical eye. What works? What doesn't work? Why? What made this a bestseller? Why isn't this a bestseller?
* BUILD a public presence before you submit your book to a publisher or agent. Use Twitter, Facebook, and a blog to build a fan base. Editors and publishers will check our your website/blog. If they like what they've read, they'll want to know more about you before offering you a deal (or so I've been told).
*JOIN a writers' group. This is essential to maintain your stamina in this highly competitive field!

Anyone can write, but to build a writers' life, to be published, and to actually sell your work takes determination and tenacity. It takes humility to listen to others as they criticize your work and not become defensive but be willing to make changes. It takes a willingness to learn and to grow. It takes time, and it most definitely takes patience.

Destroy Checklist. Check.

I'm a planner and a doer. I make lists, and I check things off. Oh, that feels so good - to start the day with a list and to end the day with a check mark by everything on that list. Change the sheets. Check. Bake muffins. Check. Make out a menu and grocery list. Check. Clean storage area. Check. Find a publisher...Write the next ten pages of My Boyfriend The Jerk...

Some things aren't quite so easy to check off the list.

I haven't written much since Thanksgiving. I'd like to blame it all on the holidays and on the busyness of my job during the month of January, but it wouldn't be the truth, at least not the whole truth. The whole truth is that I've been avoiding it.

Six months ago, I submitted my first novel to an editor at Viking Children's Books. I did not expect her to accept it. I'd met with her at a writers' retreat, and it was obvious that she didn't like my story. It was a far cry from the type of book she typically chooses, but everyone at the retreat was invited to submit their finished work, so I did. And I recently got the answer I expected. At the same time, a writer-friend of mine hybrid-published a nonfiction book (semi-self-published/semi-traditional). I followed her progress: the book signings and school visits, the continual self-promotion. I was exhausted just hearing it all. And somewhere in there, I read a blog that sealed the publication-disillisionment deal for me. The author wrote that after she had reached the end-all goal of every writer (that of being published), she did the book signings, school visits, and interviews, and all she could think about was how much she wished she was home, writing.

It all made me ask myself, do I even want to be published?

I honestly don't know anymore.

What I do know is that I need to toss my writers' checklist in the bonfire. I need to switch gears, take my eyes off the goal and begin to savor the journey: enjoy the people I meet and the friendships I make; treasure the creative process; have a blast getting to know my characters, spend time with them, learn all that I can about them before I put them in my story.  It will take discipline on my part - to focus on the journey instead of the goal. It's not who I am. I do goals. I plan. I map a route and stick to it. This is a little scarey. I don't know where I'm going to end up, but you can be sure of one thing: I'm going to have fun getting there!

What about you? What goals do you need to chuck in the fire in order to enjoy the journey?

Kid Lit Picks: Picture Books & Early Readers

With Christmas being just a week from today (yikes! or yay! depending upon the status of your Christmas-to-do list), I'll combine my favorites for picture books, early readers, and chapter books. Rather than write a summary, I'll provide an Amazon link.

Here goes! In no particular order, my favorites for the younger set are:

A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (series)

Skippyjon Jones (series) by Judy Schrachner

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day  by Judith Viorst

The Complete Tales (Peter Rabbit) by Beatrix Potter

The Bernstein Bears (series) by Jan & Stan Bernstein

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Brown

Amelia Bedilia (series) by Peggy Parish

Frog and Toad (series) by Arnold Lobel

Corduroy (series)by Dan Freeman

Curious George (series) by H.A.Rey

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

Madeline (series) by Ludwig Benelmans

Five Little Monkeys (series) by Eileen Christelow

Rosie's Walk byPat Hutchins

Little Quack (series) by Lauren Thompson

I hope my kid lit picks these past few weeks have been helpful - if not for gift-buying, then to add to your reading list (unlike the bartender, librarians won't card you to check your age!).

Merry Christmas!

Kid Lit Picks: YA

As promised, here are ten more of my favorite kid lit books. I'm completely incapable of choosing my top ten, so these are simply ten of my favorites. They fall into the YA (Young Adult) age range, but since many adults enjoy YA novels without even realizing they're reading a YA novel, you may have read some of these or may want to put them on your to-read list and than give them as gifts:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Join a young Bilbo on his adventure-the adventure that brings the "ring of power" into The Shire.

The Lord of The Rings (trilogy) by J.R.R. Tolkien - I know I just said that I can't choose my top ten, but this is the one exception. This series definitely takes the number one slot in my all-time-favorites list. If you don't know the story, I'm not sure where you've been the past twelve years! The movies have brought these books into virtually every book store in the states.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - It's WWII Nazi Germany, an orphaned girl picks up and delivers laundry for her foster mother. One of the homes she visits is the mayor's who has a room full of books.

The Giver by Lois Lowry - A dystopian future in which everyone is numbed by taking a pill every day from the time they hit puberty. Except The Giver. His job differs from that of everyone else's.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - A humorously written story about a very common guy with a friend who isn't as human as he looks and who saves his life by hitching a ride or two around the galaxy.

Anne of Green Gables (series) by Lucy Maud Montgomery - Growing up on St. Edward Island as an orphan (with red hair no less) and living with her aged aunt and uncle has its trials and joys.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - An orphaned girl discovers a neglected garden on her uncle's estate.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - A story of racism and kindness.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins - Difficult to read because of the subject matter and based on the author's experience with her daughter, Crank is an eye-opening look into a teen drug-addict's world and how quickly a "good" girl can become a part of that world.

The Call of The Wild by Jack London - A story of tenacity and courage.

Happy Reading!

Kid Lit Picks: Middle-grade

We all have favorites: favorite places, people, foods, traditions, games, sports, colors, ice cream flavors, etc etc etc. With the gift-giving season upon us, I thought I'd take the opportunity over the next few weeks to share with you some of my favorite kid lit; and since I'm particularly fond of middle-grade fiction (8 - 12 years-old), I'll start there. Here are ten books/book series that top my list but most definitely do not exhaust it:

Harry Potter - an obvious pick.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is an eight-book, fantasy meets sci-fi, series with cyber-savvy fairies, an underage criminal mastermind, characters you gotta love, humor, and plenty of action.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl - James escapes his solitary life as the only child living with two spinster aunts. He faces many dangers and makes new friends as he travels inside a giant peach with giant insects. The audio version, read by the author, is especially fun.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Levine - I can't resist a story based on my favorite fairy tale. In Ella Enchanted, Ella struggles against the curse to obey every order she's given.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - As a child, long before I'd ever heard of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, I had imagined that one of the closets in my childhood home led into another world. Reading C.S. Lewis' classic series simply confirmed it. Sadly, I wasn't adventurous enough as a child to test my theory.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren - Pippi is definitely a glass-half-full kind of gal. Her mother watches after her from a "peep hole in the sky," and her father is away at sea. Pippi is sweet, fun-loving, and always up for an adventure.

Matilda by Roald Dahl - a brilliant little girl with parents who are quite the opposite and a headmistress who hates her. Matilda's life is challenging to say the least. Fortunately, she has the brains and knows just what to do.


A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin travel through space and time in search of Meg and Charles Wallace's father.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black - The Grace children and their mother are forced to move into an old family mansion-one that hasn't been a home for quite some time. As the children explore the many rooms and the grounds, they find much more than dusty old furniture.

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder - The story of the Ingalls family as they survive and thrive and love and grow together in the untamed Midwest of the 1800s.

Happy reading!

Stories are Gifts

I've heard people refer to their love of reading fiction as a "guilty pleasure." They're only half joking. In the constant hustle of our wealth-seeking, have-it-all, do-it-all culture, to immerse oneself in a good story can sometimes feel like an indulgence worthy of the guillotine.But can you imagine a life without stories?

People love a good story, and not without reason. We aren't robots. We aren't simply data-collecting entities that suck in information and spit out productivity. We're human, which means we're relational. We love to hear about other humans, and we love to hear it as a story rather than an enumerated list of dates and times and facts. We want the details. We want to be drawn in. We want to become a part of a story that isn't ours. We want to feel, to smell, to touch, to taste, and to hear another world, another time.

A couple of years ago, a Starbucks barrista handed me the soy vanilla latte that I'd ordered. The cardboard sleeve wrapped around it read, "Stories are gifts. SHARE." I still have that sleeve on the bulletin board above my writing desk. It reminds me that what I do, when creating a fictitious childhood world, isn't an enabling of guilty pleasures at an early age. It isn't frivolous. Stories are as necessary to life as flowers, birdsong, art, and music. These things enrich our lives. They are all gifts.

Fiction makes life and truth palatable and understandable. Even Jesus used figurative speech and told stories, and whether an author intends to make a particular point or not, points are made and lessons are taught in every piece of fiction. Whether it's encouragement to embrace change (as in The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy) or the ever-popular good-triumphs-over-evil (as in Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Fablehaven, etc. etc. etc.), novels make their points, regardless of however silly or sinister the plot and characters might be. They teach and encourage, and they make it fun.

So, keep reading! Keep writing! You'll make yourself and our world a better place.