April 2001

How Do I Come Up With Ideas?

I have always wanted to write children's books. I have one problem -- I can't come up with ideas. Once I have an idea I can write pretty well (in my opinion). Getting to the idea is my downfall. In high school, I almost failed an English class due to my inability to come up for a topic for a short story. I can't get this craving to write out of my head and my heart, so how do I find the right topic for ME?

Also, how do new writers overcome the embarrassment of having others read their work?

Authors are continually asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" Here's what the pros said:

Karleen Bradford, author of Lionheart's Scribe and Dragonfire, responds:

How often have I been asked that question! It seems people think a writer is a person who walks around, or sits around, waiting until an idea strikes. Pow! The idea hits, floods through the brain and out the fingertips onto the computer keys and a story is born. Just like that. Those of you who have struggled to write know better.

I like to think of a writer as a walking sponge. Going through life open to everything that is happening around him or her, aware of everything that is going on. Listening, smelling, tasting, always thinking the writer's magic words: What if...? That's how you get ideas.

These questions were posed to Katherine Paterson: "How were you able to come up with two such totally unrelated ideas as The Great Gilly Hopkins and Bridge to Terabithia? Did anything happen in your life, or did something you read, inspire you to write any of your books?"

Paterson responded, "Both Bridge and Gilly grew out of real life experiences. I wrote Bridge because our son David's best friend, an eight-year-old named Lisa Hill, was struck and killed by lightning. I wrote the book to try to make sense out of a tragedy that seemed senseless. I wrote Gilly after I'd been a foster mother for a couple of months and didn't feel as though I'd been such a great one, so I tried to imagine how it might be to be a foster child. How would I feel if I thought the rest of the world thought of me as disposable?"

Finally, the best way to overcome the embarrassment of having others read your work is to join a writer's group. Look for writer's groups locally through colleges or universities, and community arts councils. For online writer's groups search Yahoo! Groups and Topica.

Where Do I Find An Illustrator?

I am a freelance writer living in Renton, Washington and am interested in self-publishing some children's works I have written. My question is do you know where I can connect with a publishing company that can assist me in locating a Graphic Designer to handle the illustration portion of my works?

Take a look around your community. Is there an art school nearby? Or a college with an art department? Talk to the owner of an art gallery. High schools usually employ art teachers. Local artists are often talented, experienced, and eager to collaborate on new independent projects.

If you don't know any local artists who would be interested in illustrating your books, try Mole Search, a new search engine guide to the publishing world. Under "Services," I found Pneuma Books, a book design, book editing, and book marketing agency for self publishing writers, which offers limited graphic design services.

Look up "children's book illustrators" in any search engine and you'll find links to web sites like The Illustrators Net and The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, plus other sites listing illustrators you can contact and ask if they're interested in illustrating your book.

How Can I Find An Agent for My Children's Novel?

I have written a children's novel that I would like to have published (not self-published). I have sent it around to a few large publishers, but it has not been accepted. I would like to find an agent who would help me with this process. How can I find an agent who would be a good match for my book?

It can very difficult to find an agent to represent one children's novel. Unfortunately, many agents charge fees to new writers. Consider joining the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. Members may submit their manuscripts directly to publishers, without an agent. SCBWI publishes a bi-monthly bulletin with market news and also an annual publishers update.

Some writers query agents while they're sending their manuscript around to publishing houses. Querying agents can be a learning experience in itself. Here at Writing-World you'll find a page devoted to links to Literary Agents. Also featured are two excellent resources, The Guide to Literary Agents, by Donya Dickerson, and Literary Agents: What They Do, How They Do It, and How to Find and Work with the Right One for You, by Michael Larsen. Spend time researching agencies to find out which ones will consider children's novels. Always query agents first.

For More Information:

Clustering/Sample Vignettes

http://www.gabrielerico.com/Main/ClusteringSampleVignettes.htm

Where Do You Get Your Ideas? by Karleen Bradford

http://www.makersgallery.com/bradford/howto.html#ideas

Interview with Katherine Paterson

http://www.terabithia.com/questions.htm

Yahoo! Groups

http://groups.yahoo.com/

Topica

http://www.topica.com/

Pneuma Books

http://www.pneumadesign.com/books/info.htm

The Illustrators Net

http://www.theillustrators.net/

The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators

http://www.scbwi.org/

Agents: A Primer, by Harold Underdown

http://www.underdown.org/agents.htm

Writing-World Links: Literary Agents

http://www.writing-world.com/links/agents.shtml

Writing-World Links: Resources for Children's Writers and Illustrators

http://www.writing-world.com/links/children.shtml

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