It’s an interesting fall, because I don’t have any print book assignments! I’ve done a lot of assessment and e-book writing this year, actually, through both assessment companies and book packagers. Right now, I’m working on a kindergarten-level shared reader that will be published in digital form (though schools that purchase the digital form can also, I believe, print out a pdf version for the students to reference). The idea is that the text is perfect for teacher and students to read together–whether it’s back and forth or together or echoed or…
The book is on a topic I’m not very knowledgeable about, BUT the angle I’ve proposed is (I think) fun and different. We’ll see what the client says! It’s $600 work-for-hire, which is not a lot. But it’s only 125 to 150 words. I think it will pan out to be worth it–but who knows! I’ve done several of these before (Robots All Around and Quack! Quack! Will Duck Get Back? are two I did late last year/early this year), and they took varying amounts of time. The rhyming ones take longer because if you have to revise a rhyming manuscript, you basically have to rewrite it! But I do love writing in rhyme…
Anyway, I’m waiting for feedback on my outline (yes–an outline, even for a book this short!), and then I’ll have just one to two weeks to write it. And that’s what I’m working on under contract at the moment.
Addendum: Just got an email from my editor, and the client did not approve the outline. Bummer. The editor liked it, but the client was worried my fun angle would take the emphasis too far from the actual topic of the book, and that topic is the high-interest one they hope will draw kids in. I can see her point, but I’m still bummed. So, add to today’s to-do list: Create a new outline. I know the approach I’m taking, so this should go fairly quickly. (Isn’t that what a writer always says before a catastrophe? Ha!)
Interested in writing informational books for the educational market? If so, check out my textbook, Writing Children’s Nonfiction Books for the Educational Market.
What are you working on right now? Would love to hear what you’re up to if you are able to share!
I love hearing about all your different projects, and am amazed at how versatile you are in terms of writing about just about anything! I think I would have difficulty with things like assessments and e-books.
I just got my assignment for two more readers for Level 3 of All About Reading, 14 stories in all. Spent the weekend brainstorming the first seven with my husband, then had another session with the publisher yesterday. It’s funny because we have different styles, and my ideas are always on the quirky side — I’m never quite sure how they’ll go over, but the session was great! (Phew!) Drafting the first story today, about a rainforest snail on an adventure.
I wondered re: writing your own poetry and PB manuscripts, how many of those do you have going on at any given time? I just can’t seem to find time for my personal projects!
A rainforest snail sounds delightful, Renee! That’s a lot of pressure all at once, good luck!
Thanks, Renee–I didn’t start out doing all of this, believe me! As I got more comfortable with writing work-for-hire, I started becoming aware of various little specific niches within the industry. If opportunities came up, I said yes. Some of them I’ve loved, and some I’ve discovered aren’t really for me. But I do like the variety!
Wow, 14 stories! That’s great that you and your husband can brainstorm together. I like to bounce ideas off mine, too. Love the idea of a snail adventure!
I hear you on the lack of time. What has worked for me best has been to always be working daily on one of my own projects for at least 45 minutes. Then the rest of my work day is work-for-hire stuff, school visit stuff, marketing junk, business tasks, etc. I usually have 3-5 of my own projects in rotation. I might focus on one for a month, then set it aside to germinate while I work on a new work the next month, or a revision of a previous piece that’s been sitting aside on its own for a while. For the work-for-hire projects, I’m usually juggling anywhere from 1-3 of those at a time. Keeps my workdays interesting!
Have fun with your 14 (gulp) stories!
:>)
The 45 minutes a day is a good rule of thumb and seems totally doable (though I’m already afraid of how many of those minutes will be spent staring into space). Last night my husband suggested we brainstorm ideas for a half hour a day, which would be a good start for me, an un-prolific writer. I think my issue is time management and my total lack of skill in that area! Must. get. better. I’m going to try your method!
It seems like so little time, doesn’t it? Like we should be able to fit in way more than that. But it’s really all I can commit to for my own projects, and I have to do it pretty early in the morning. Otherwise, it ALWAYS ends up being the thing I didn’t get to on my list. And staring into space is totally allowed, right? That’s a crucial part of the process. That’s why I commit to a block of time, not an end result. That’s my 45 minutes to do whatever–idea brainstorm, work on drafts, play with a brand new project. There’s no wrong answer! Love your husband’s idea.
And I saw you Liked my status about PiBoIdMo. I found that to be a fantastic idea generator last year! Can’t wait to start again.
Yup, it’s the thing that falls through the no-time crack, always. I did PiBoIdMo last year for the first time and came up with ideas, then joined the 12×12 in 2012 challenge — but mine is more a 3×12… Signed up again this year, so we’ll see how it goes! Finished the snail story first draft at 976 words – I never write such long things, and it just came out so easily! Why doesn’t that happen with my own projects!? 🙂
Hey, 3×12 is better than 0x12 :>)
And writing on demand is so much easier, sometimes. Not as much invested in making MY vision come true, I think, for me.
Very good point.
I love hearing about all your different projects, and am amazed at how versatile you are in terms of writing about just about anything! I think I would have difficulty with things like assessments and e-books.
I just got my assignment for two more readers for Level 3 of All About Reading, 14 stories in all. Spent the weekend brainstorming the first seven with my husband, then had another session with the publisher yesterday. It’s funny because we have different styles, and my ideas are always on the quirky side — I’m never quite sure how they’ll go over, but the session was great! (Phew!) Drafting the first story today, about a rainforest snail on an adventure.
I wondered re: writing your own poetry and PB manuscripts, how many of those do you have going on at any given time? I just can’t seem to find time for my personal projects!
A rainforest snail sounds delightful, Renee! That’s a lot of pressure all at once, good luck!
Thanks, Renee–I didn’t start out doing all of this, believe me! As I got more comfortable with writing work-for-hire, I started becoming aware of various little specific niches within the industry. If opportunities came up, I said yes. Some of them I’ve loved, and some I’ve discovered aren’t really for me. But I do like the variety!
Wow, 14 stories! That’s great that you and your husband can brainstorm together. I like to bounce ideas off mine, too. Love the idea of a snail adventure!
I hear you on the lack of time. What has worked for me best has been to always be working daily on one of my own projects for at least 45 minutes. Then the rest of my work day is work-for-hire stuff, school visit stuff, marketing junk, business tasks, etc. I usually have 3-5 of my own projects in rotation. I might focus on one for a month, then set it aside to germinate while I work on a new work the next month, or a revision of a previous piece that’s been sitting aside on its own for a while. For the work-for-hire projects, I’m usually juggling anywhere from 1-3 of those at a time. Keeps my workdays interesting!
Have fun with your 14 (gulp) stories!
:>)
The 45 minutes a day is a good rule of thumb and seems totally doable (though I’m already afraid of how many of those minutes will be spent staring into space). Last night my husband suggested we brainstorm ideas for a half hour a day, which would be a good start for me, an un-prolific writer. I think my issue is time management and my total lack of skill in that area! Must. get. better. I’m going to try your method!
It seems like so little time, doesn’t it? Like we should be able to fit in way more than that. But it’s really all I can commit to for my own projects, and I have to do it pretty early in the morning. Otherwise, it ALWAYS ends up being the thing I didn’t get to on my list. And staring into space is totally allowed, right? That’s a crucial part of the process. That’s why I commit to a block of time, not an end result. That’s my 45 minutes to do whatever–idea brainstorm, work on drafts, play with a brand new project. There’s no wrong answer! Love your husband’s idea.
And I saw you Liked my status about PiBoIdMo. I found that to be a fantastic idea generator last year! Can’t wait to start again.
Yup, it’s the thing that falls through the no-time crack, always. I did PiBoIdMo last year for the first time and came up with ideas, then joined the 12×12 in 2012 challenge — but mine is more a 3×12… Signed up again this year, so we’ll see how it goes! Finished the snail story first draft at 976 words – I never write such long things, and it just came out so easily! Why doesn’t that happen with my own projects!? 🙂
Hey, 3×12 is better than 0x12 :>)
And writing on demand is so much easier, sometimes. Not as much invested in making MY vision come true, I think, for me.
Very good point.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Laura. I hope they like your next one. Writing for school kids seems to be the way to go. I saw them on book day at school and they were so enthusiastic.
I am seriously looking into turning a few picture book mss into early readers since I have so many and pbs are a hard sell right now. I have two abandoned (for the moment) poetry collections on the go, so i might as well try and get some of the poems published individually for now. I am guessing collaborations are a better way to go. I am focusing my attention on the early readers and when I have time I’ll go back to poetry.
Just emailed off the revised outline–fingers crossed. Picture books are definitely a rough market right now…though easy readers are, too! It’s good to try lots of different forms and genres, to me. Poetry is my favorite, but, boy, it’s hard to publish. I’m trying to submit more of my poems individually, too! Have fun with your early readers:>)
Well since someone else told me that this morning too, we have held off on changing any stories to early readers. I submitted a pb last week and have another ready this week, so I might as well sub them even though it’s a tough market. Better sending them to a tough market than no market. i think it’s hard for us poets/children’s writers who can’t just start writing novels to bring some money in. It’s a whole different thing to write longer works.
Poetry is my favorite, but I found a new CP for picture books so we have been through all of our drafts. I miss poems already. It’s a shame you can’t attach them to a fall leaf and a wage pops through your door 😉
Good luck! Let us know when you hear something 🙂
Oh, dear:>( I agree–I have attempted a couple of novels, but my brain doesn’t seem to work that way. I LOVE your fall leaf+poem=money equation! Good luck to you, too!
And of course it would be wonderful to write a novel in verse! They’ll be out of fashion by the time I do one lol. Thanks Laura 🙂
Thanks for sharing this with us, Laura. I hope they like your next one. Writing for school kids seems to be the way to go. I saw them on book day at school and they were so enthusiastic.
I am seriously looking into turning a few picture book mss into early readers since I have so many and pbs are a hard sell right now. I have two abandoned (for the moment) poetry collections on the go, so i might as well try and get some of the poems published individually for now. I am guessing collaborations are a better way to go. I am focusing my attention on the early readers and when I have time I’ll go back to poetry.
Just emailed off the revised outline–fingers crossed. Picture books are definitely a rough market right now…though easy readers are, too! It’s good to try lots of different forms and genres, to me. Poetry is my favorite, but, boy, it’s hard to publish. I’m trying to submit more of my poems individually, too! Have fun with your early readers:>)
Well since someone else told me that this morning too, we have held off on changing any stories to early readers. I submitted a pb last week and have another ready this week, so I might as well sub them even though it’s a tough market. Better sending them to a tough market than no market. i think it’s hard for us poets/children’s writers who can’t just start writing novels to bring some money in. It’s a whole different thing to write longer works.
Poetry is my favorite, but I found a new CP for picture books so we have been through all of our drafts. I miss poems already. It’s a shame you can’t attach them to a fall leaf and a wage pops through your door 😉
Good luck! Let us know when you hear something 🙂
Oh, dear:>( I agree–I have attempted a couple of novels, but my brain doesn’t seem to work that way. I LOVE your fall leaf+poem=money equation! Good luck to you, too!
And of course it would be wonderful to write a novel in verse! They’ll be out of fashion by the time I do one lol. Thanks Laura 🙂
Hope they’ll like the new outline! Thanks for sharing more about what you’re up to ~ I find it interesting.
Thanks, Janelle! Editor liked the new one–we’ll see what the client says…
Hope they’ll like the new outline! Thanks for sharing more about what you’re up to ~ I find it interesting.
Thanks, Janelle! Editor liked the new one–we’ll see what the client says…