Story-Boarding for Writers -- with Author Mary Carroll Moore

Having trouble with plotting?  Consider using a story-board as a visual outline of the ups and downs of your book's story and plot.

Here author Mary Carroll Moore explains the technique.  (The video takes about 5 minutes to load.)

Happy Plotting!

Winners Announced - Writermorphosis Summer Comments Contest!

It's Official!  After a summer of commenting, the winners of the Writermorphosis Comments Contest are being announced today!

As per the rules of the contest, each time you wrote a comment on the blog this summer your name was entered into the Comments Contest Jar.  The more comments you made, the more chances you had to win!

After all comments were collected the names of the commenters were mixed together (your name was entered once for every comment you made,) and then they were somewhat "re-shuffled" by our panel of expert Contests Assistants as seen in the brief video below:

After a thorough shuffling of the names, Contest Assistant One-Dot-Black-Nose chose the winning names.

Of course Linda A was our first winner!  Linda you have been a huge supporter of Writermorphosis throughout the summer, commenting on every post! And it has paid off!

CONGRATULATIONS LINDA! 

You win the wonderful book Ron's Big Mission Illustrated by Expert Author/Illustrator Don Tate!

Our second winner is Carol Baldwin! 

CONGRATULATIONS CAROL! Thanks for commenting!

You win a copy of Non-fiction Expert Author Steve Sheinkin's recently released YA book Lincoln's Grave Robbers!

Each book will contain a writing tip from that author on the inside cover!

CONGRATS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

And THANKS TO the 1400 writers who continue to read this blog every month! 

Stay tuned for more expert Author Interviews coming up this fall!

- Janelle

Kurt Vonnegut on How to Write a Short Story

Today we have some advice from one of the Masters!  If you're thinking of writing a short story, this minute and 1/2 long video is a great starting point!

Final Week to Enter : Win a Book and a Tip by one of our Expert Children's/YA Authors

This is it! It's the LAST week to enter the "Comments Contest" for your chance to win a book by one of our Expert Authors or Illustrators who gave tips on the blog this summer!

Each Book comes with a writing tip from the author inside!

Linda A is the clear front-runner in the Comments Contest at this point -- GO LINDA!

But there will be 2 winners, so your chances are still good!

How to win? 

Place a relevant comment on any posts that were written on this blog from June through the end of August of this year (2013).   Every time you comment your name will be entered into the jar for the drawing. 

2 lucky winners will each win a book by one of our expert authors, 

with a writing tip from that author inside!

Winners' names will be posted the 2nd Saturday in September!

There have been lots of diverse posts this summer -- comment on any of them!  Each one will enter your name in the jar! The more comments, the more chances to win.

So, to help you, here are links to some of the posts you may have missed this summer:

1.)  Newberry Honor winning Non-Fictin Author Steve Sheinkin -- on Writing "Interesting" Non-fictin for teens (Interview).

2.) Writing Non-Fiction Books for Kids and Teens: With Author Steve Sheinkin (part 1).

3.) Four Literary Agents Tell You What They're Looking For (Video pitch sessions)

4.) Two New Small Publishers are Looking for Your Book!

5.) Artist Valentin Acosta's Art School: Training Up Kids in Art and Life

6.) Opportunities for Poets - Contests 2013

7.) Judith Curr of Atria Books Talks about Bilingual Publishing in the U.S. today (Video)

8. ) Editor Jane Friedman's Thoughts on Your Author Platform.

9.) Live Streaming of Book Expo America Publishing Industry Presentations

And though these last 2 are actually from May, and not June-August, I'll throw them in as a bonus and count comments made on them for the contest as well -- because Don Tate's thoughts are definitely worth reading! :)

10.) Author/Illustrator Don Tate - On Writing Multicultural Picture Books/Biographies

11.) Author/Illustrator Don Tate - On why Multicultural Children's Books are Important.

So, have fun reading and commenting this week!  

Good luck to all who are entering the 

WRITERMORPHOSIS COMMENTS CONTEST 

this summer!

4 Literary Agents Tell You What They're Looking For!

Today on Write-On-Con we're featuring two literary agencies and listening to what they are and are not looking for in MG, YA, and New Adult Book submissions this Fall!

These are pitch videos from last week's Write On Con to 4 agents from 3 literary agencies. The agents explain at the beginning of each video what types of manuscript submissions they are looking for, and after that they each listen to pitch after pitch from write on can and say why they think it's a good pitch or not, and why - based on that pitch and their submission interests - they would request more info. on that manuscript or not.  

Click the links in blue to find info. and submissions guidelines for the 3 agencies.

The agents in the second video are particularly hilarious.

Enjoy!

1.) New Leaf Literary - Agents Susie Townsend and Liz Ortiz

2.) Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency - Agent MacKenzie Brady

3.) Aragi Inc - Agent Duvall Osteen

Pitches & Queries -- Professional Presentations at Write On Con!

 

In case you missed this year's WriteOnCon Free Online Writer's Conference, here are a few of the great Presentations on the industry and the craft that you missed! Enjoy! - Janelle

 

 

Here's one on how to write a Great Query Letter:

 

 

 

 

See where these pitches to Editors at Spencer Hill Contemporary (YA) and Spencer Hill Press either won the editor's interest or fell flat and needed revision:

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Online Writing Conference and Critiques - August 13th & 14th, 2013!

Have you attended Write On Con?  If not, it's a great opportunity for YA and Children's Writers1

Write On Con is a FREE ONLINE WRITERS CONFERENCE. 

I attended last year and was very impressed by the quality and broad list of topics for the  presentations given by well-published authors and industry professionals at the event.  You can also get your query letter and your manuscript synopsis critiqued, and the various agents and editors who sneak in can see your query letter there and give tips or express interest in your book!

Plus you'll find new writer friends in the online chat-rooms.

It's well worth the time to attend!

The next Write On Con is AUGUST 13th-14th (and you want to sign up early if you plan to attend.)

 

Information can be found here:

 

WRITE ON CON, August 2013