Cover Stories

by Margaret Welwood

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is one adage that doesn’t work for young children. So how do we get these powerful little judges on our side?

Reading to children is an incredibly rich source of feedback on illustrations, plot, pacing, and wording. Cover artists also do well by offering young audiences a choice of covers for consideration.

Here I offer a few observations on other authors’ covers, gleaned during my story times:

I offered my after school care group a choice of five stories one day, but we only had time to read four before they became restless. The one that didn’t get picked was written by a renowned husband and wife author team. I talked about the stories each time I let a child choose—why did this one get left out?

I think I might have an answer. The authors’ names are at the top, over the title, and the names and book title are in a fairly large box, over a third of the cover—and most young children don’t read much. The cover picture is full of activity in an interesting setting, but it’s done in lovely pastels.

So, what did they pick? I believe Woof and the Haunted House by Danae Dobson was first. The house on the cover looks haunted too, especially against the garish orange sunset.

When I introduced this book I explained that I didn’t like spooky stories, but I liked this one because it had a happy ending. I remember the doubt on one little boy’s face. Could he trust me or not?

Turned out he could.

Self-Control by Henrietta Gambill and Caring by Jane Belk Moncure were also chosen. I was a little surprised at this, but I shouldn’t have been. They’re older books, but young children wouldn’t notice that. The cover pictures are simple, clear and bright.

The fourth book chosen, The Unplanned Voyage by Barbara Davoll, has large writing on the front cover, but the picture is brighter than that of the book that wasn’t chosen—and it’s very cute. The plot is relatively complex, but it was easy to tell the story using the lovely bright pictures of Christopher Churchmouse and his little family.

Christmas story readings at the museum yielded some real encouragement to indie authors. I lined up a group of religious and “gently secular” books, and had the young audiences choose what they would like to hear. The indie book covers were just as popular as those of traditionally published books. Johnny Boyd’s The Mouse in the Manger and my own books held their own or surpassed the traditionally published children’s books.

Our target market has much to tell us about defying the old adage—and judging a book by its cover!

Margaret Welwood loved teaching English as a Second Language, writing magazine articles, and editing a business magazine and adult non-fiction books (one an Amazon #1 best seller, the other a Writer’s Digest award winner). However, with the arrival of grandchildren and their welcome request—“Grandma, can you tell me a story?”—she began writing and editing picture books for children. This is now her favorite genre.

Please visit eBookChristian to learn about Margaret’s picture books for children (both print and digital), and her Authors Community (AC) vendor page for her editing services.

Margaret has been working with AC author Terri Martin on Happy’s Surprise, a charming tale of a little rabbit, his grandpa (think Grandparents Day), and an important life lesson learned the easy way! For those of us who have learned too many lessons the hard way, this is a refreshing and comforting story.

If you’re an aspiring children’s book writer, please check out the benefits of a free membership in the Authors Community, and the value in the Manuscript Bundle.

Novel Starting Point: Where, oh, Where to Start?

by Sarah Tun

In recent posts we’ve been discussing flashbacks and general structure of a longer piece of writing. Today, I’d like to raise some thoughts about choosing the starting point for a novel.

I have completed several full length manuscripts. Each time I’ve developed a story line, I’ve begun with the focus on my central character. I’ve written several drafts of any piece of fiction that I’ve published, and sometimes each re-write (or partial re-write) has begun from a different point in the character’s story, until finally I’ve found the best place for my story to take flight.

What I’m drawing attention to is that wherever the story begins in the timeline of the character’s life is crucial to sharing the plot effectively, as well as creating an engaging atmosphere, and allowing setting and supporting characters to develop, so that a round and full piece is composed. Like a symphony, a written story must flow from one scene to the next, with engaging and meaningful moments strung together, providing clues and suspense along the way, and building towards a series of moments that reveal more about the character, until finally all interaction in the story builds to the climax of tension, before descending to a satisfying resolution.

For me, character is key to any story, and where the story begins in the main character’s life will trigger the movement and flow of the story thereafter.

Questions to flush out my story:

1. Who is the main character? (Never take anything for granted. I’m currently finishing a piece where the antagonist has become a different character in the story, and the central figure, while still the same person, has a very different thought process to the one I originally planned.)
2. What does this main character desire most. Think deep!
3. Who is blocking that desire being fulfilled? Which one of these two characters will succeed?
4. “Why?”… Asking an almost never-ending stream of “why’s” will lead you to unveil the story from the main character’s point of view.
5. What is the central message or theme you want to convey to the readers?
6. Consider the life of the main character. Where is the best place to start his or her journey, in order to share their journey, step by thrilling step, to its logical conclusion?

Why dig deep?

There are no right or wrong answers, but digging deeply into the nature and motivation of the main character will help you to begin your story in the best place possible. You want to take your reader on an exciting journey. Building from the foundation of character is an excellent place to start.

I’d be delighted to read how others develop their stories and for us to share more about our writing experiences…. For example,

1. What’s the most number of drafts you’ve written before moving to the editing stage for publication?
2. How many of us start with story, or with character?
3. Have you ever started out thinking your story was a tragedy and it ended up with a happy ending (or vice versa)?

 

Blessings, Sarah

 

Sarah Tun is an author, developmental editor as well as a professional voice for voice overs and narrations. She’s been a Vendor Partner with Authors Community since 2017.

The End Game

by Steven M. Moore, Contributer

If you’re a reader, do you peruse what’s at the end of a book? Many authors only include a short bio, but you might like a bit more. What can authors add to that for you, especially authors of indie books and those writing for indie publishers (small presses)? Consider it a bit of dessert after that full meal corresponding to the book you just read.

I’ll go through the back material I’d like to see as a reader.  For the first page:

A thank you to the reader.  Here’s an example: “Thank you for reading The Vienna Gig. There are so many good authors and good books, I’m honored you chose mine.” The advantage of such a message is that it’s the perfect place to continue to ask for a review on Amazon: “If you have the time, please write a short review on Amazon—other readers and I would find such a review beneficial.”  If the reader has finished your book and arrived at this message, s/he probably liked the book, so it’s also likely the review will be positive.  This message is also a good lead-in to…

A list of your similar books.  You can start this list with something like “If you enjoyed this book, you might also enjoy:”  If the book is in genre X and you also write genre Y, I’d just list the genre-X books, but that’s up to you.  Many authors put the list of other books in front. I’d do one or the other, but not both, and something like “Other books by John Q. Author:” sounds a wee bit cold at the start of the book.

Your website.  I’d end this first page of back material with “For more information, visit my website: http://JohnQAuthor.com.

Notes, Disclaimers, and Acknowledgments. In the next section of back material I suggest, you can include material about how you came to write the book, your sources if you did research for the book, and reasons why you didn’t do X when writing the story (create an ET language, have Y marry Z, and so forth).

You might not have any of that, but there are always people who helped you put the book together and you should acknowledge them—your agent, chief editor, copy editor, cover artist, and beta-readers. You might also want to acknowledge those who inspired you to write the book. And don’t forget your significant other is you have one—that person has to live with a nerd who’s always writing!

Author bio. Can’t forget that!  You don’t want to write a memoir here, just a few paragraphs containing the essentials: where you were born, where you live now, what experiences you had that might relate to your writing, and so forth.  Don’t include your mailing address or telephone number, but do indicate your website (yes, again), author page on Facebook or other social media, and your contact info if your website doesn’t have a contact page (say if does if you do).

This isn’t a place to be a name-dropper.  Maybe you live next door to superstar author X or were a ghost writer for politician Y, but I’d leave them out—the reader might hate X and Y!  For the same reason, don’t say that your goal in your writing life is to write like Z.

Will your readers care about any of this?  Maybe not, but none of it can hurt either.  All authors need to learn to include interesting back material because some readers love this.  I know I do.  It’s a fitting end for the journey I’ve made as a reader of the author’s book.

 

Steven M. Moore

http://stevenmmoore.com

[Editor’s Note: My deep apologies to Steven. This blog post was submitted last year and was to be published last year. It got lost in the dead blog files, ACK!!!]

Writing a Picture Book for Children? Consult an Army…

by Margaret Welwood

Photo by Tarra Young

Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14, NKJV)

Most of us are flattered when someone asks for our opinion, especially if we know the request is sincere. I have found adults and children alike to be so open in their responses—and often the reasons for them—when I’ve sought their input.

The Cover

Children who judge a book by its cover and the adults who strive to please them have much to teach us!

Please take a look at my little slide show for the cover of Marie and Mr. Bee here. (Interestingly, there were no comments on this blog post; my answers came from in-person conversations and social media contacts.)

Here’s a sample of the helpful comments:

Cover A (Marie and all her forest friends under the old oak tree)

“All kids love animals.” (foreign student/chef)

“Softer, friendly.” (library staff)

“I like the animals with the chair.” (guardian of a young man with a disability)

“I like how the orange color frames the picture.” (arts center staff)

“The chair is not the focus.” (arts center staff)

“Kids will see a fox, bear, and squirrels. It looks friendly and inviting.” (dad of a three-year-old)

“It shows the story.” (college staff)

Cover B (Rescue mission—Marie is wheeling back to her cabin with the ailing Mr. Bee on her lap)

“I’d be most inclined to pick this one off the shelf.” (acting children’s librarian)

“Tells more of the story, piques curiosity.” (library staff)

“I like the colors better.” (Christian bookstore staff)

“Marie is bigger.” (college staff, photo contest winner)

“It jumps out more. The chair is noteworthy.” (college instructor)

“I like the flowers on the wheel, and the bee.” (kindergartner)

“The bee is on her lap and it’s not stinging her.” (kindergartner)

“It looks really interesting. It looks like fall. I’m probably going to do something in the fall.” (grade two student)

Cover C (Marie and Mr. Bee are playing Helper Bee, a board game)

“I like the characters. It makes me curious about the story.” (store clerk)

“I really love this one. They’re playing a board game. It’s reminiscent of a classic book.” (bookstore manager)

“She’s playing a game with the bee.” (kindergartner)

“I like playing board games with my daughter.” (store clerk)

“I really like bees.” (grade two student)

“The bee is playing a board game.” (grade two student)

Cover A was the clear winner, but those who liked B and C were still able to enjoy their favorite pictures in the book.

I also sought feedback on the cover for my first book, Scissortown. Once the cover picture you see here was chosen from two options, my son designed a more intricate scissors border. I offered a cover with this border and a scissors-free cover for feedback. Now the focus was on the scissors! This feature certainly captured people’s attention, but they were also afraid that scissors-happy children would cut along the dotted line! Perhaps the defining moment came when a former college instructor said, “Children will like it because they can cut it.” The scissors border was relegated to the “Creative Ideas Not to Use” file.

The Title

 Feedback on the title of my second book was also highly instructive. I liked Marie and Mr. Drone better than Marie and Mr. Bee. However, I was happy to change the title when most of my Facebook contacts—including the children of a beekeeper and despite the picture of a little girl and a bee on the cover—thought the drone was a machine!

The Font

I sent out samples of the Scissortown cover with a few different fonts. I also tested fonts for the pages of the story. This time there was no contest; the fonts you see in the book won hands down, and I used it for my other books as well.

So there you have it. No doubt the people in your circles will be as pleased to help you as my contacts have been to help me. And the finished product will be something you know will resonate with readers.

Margaret Welwood loved teaching English as a Second Language, writing magazine articles, and editing a business magazine and adult non-fiction books (one an Amazon #1 best seller, the other a Writer’s Digest award winner). However, with the arrival of grandchildren and their welcome request—“Grandma, can you tell me a story?”—she began writing and editing picture books for children. This is now her favorite genre.

Please visit eBookChristian to learn about Margaret’s picture books for children (both print and digital), and her Authors Community (AC) vendor page for her editing services.

Margaret is now working with AC author Terri Martin on Happy’s Surprise, a charming tale of a little rabbit, his grandpa (think Grandparents Day), and an important life lesson learned the easy way! For those of us who have learned too many lessons the hard way, this is a refreshing and comforting story.

If you’re an aspiring children’s book writer, please check out the benefits of a free membership in the Authors Community, and the value in the Manuscript Bundle.

Reaping and Sowing

by Sarah Tun

We reap what we sow. Isn’t that right? Here at Authors Community it is easy to reap first from the great blog posts, and newsletters, and even from eBookChristian.com. Those are all free right into our inbox.

Jesus said some seeds yielded one hundred fold, sixty fold, and thirty fold. That’s a lot of fruit and perhaps we all are not reaping everything we possibly can if all we are doing is reaping the surface stuff.

So here’s how I encourage us all, myself included, to pour into Authors Community in order to reap what we need from it.

Writing is, generally speaking, a solitary experience. Here at Authors Community, we are a collective of individuals, accustomed to working primarily alone, but learning to tap into the blessing we can receive by connecting with others.

Let’s pursue that diligently, and earnestly this week, in three steps.

1. Consider: “Why did I join?” Perhaps it was to network, or to get writing or marketing tips. Perhaps because you know someone involved, you decided to join because of his or her endorsement. Certainly that’s what got me started! Or perhaps you’re not quite sure why you joined, but you were hopeful Authors Community would give something to your career that you need. If you’ve received, will you share about it? If you haven’t, could it be because you’ve not sown into it?
2. Once you have an idea of why you joined, how about making a contribution of your time (and wordsmith gift) by posting a blog post about your aims, frustrations, successes, challenges… or confirmation that you are quite simply on the course or road the LORD has put you on and now, step-by-step, you’re discovering your destiny (you can send it if you’re not sure where to post it: laruspress@gmail.com or send it in to Gina@authorscommunity.net).
3. Can’t think of what to share? Can you ask your questions on the Forum, or offer an answer to someone else’s question? By the way: What is the Fellowship Forum? It is the chat room or discussion place on the Authors Community site where you can air your concerns, queries, and questions about your work or life as a writer, and all its nuances.

When we get involved, we are sowing into our work and that of others. Then we will reap — receive, benefit, harvest from that involvement.

Soon we will start a regular live face-face-to-face group meeting as part of the Forum. We’ll meet to discuss a particular topic posted in advance, or several; we can pray into the industry and share our experiences so that others can benefit and be encouraged. Difficulties are just as valuable as achievements and breakthroughs. But we need a fellowship that meets to bring together all of our experiences and makes us a stronger, more connected group. AC is not just for today, but for the future… a future where many obstacles can be faced and overcome. Together we’re stronger. Let’s sow so we can reap all that the Father has for us. He doesn’t work alone, and neither should we:)

GOD BLESS the work of your hands…

Sarah Tun is a narrator for audio books and videos, a story coach, and a developmental editor. You can contact her at the email address in the body of this post or use our Request Services form.

Shed the Extra Weight

by Cherrilynn Bisbano

Summer is around the corner and I want to shed the winter ten. The pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, and chocolates were irresistible, and it shows in my stomach and thighs. Can you relate?

Now, I must cut out the sugar and fat in my diet to be fit and lose the extra pounds. The process is grueling and takes time and commitment. Especially if I want to keep up with my seventeen-year-old son.

My body is not the only place I need to trim the fat to be fit. I learned that my manuscript was not fit to publish because it was fat with extra words. Some of my favorite words are, was, have, and up.

Just like I invest time to exercise, I need to spend energy reading my manuscript to find the excess. My extra weight slows me down, just like unnecessary words can cause the reader to yield, thus losing interest in the story.

For healthy writing, here are a few words to eliminate from a manuscript.

That, really, very, just, then

totally, completely, absolutely, literally, every

definitely, certainly, probably, actually, basically, virtually

was, is, are, am, all

start, important

used to, never, often, almost

big, small, large, tiny

begin, began, begun

Rather, quite, somewhat, somehow

Down, up, in, out, under, over

Wonder, ponder, think, thought, seem

feel, felt, understand, realize

breathe, inhale, exhale

Shrug, nod, reach

Stuff, things, got, and many adverbs.

Are you thinking, pondering, or wondering why certain words made the list? Did you shrug your shoulders and exhale loudly because you use many of these words? Deleting these words is all part of editing your manuscript. professionals tend to consider these words tell and not show. The concept, Show Don’t Tell, is one of the trickiest things for writers to grasp.

Don’t write this: The girl’s phone rang; she looked at the screen but didn’t answer.

Write this: She grabbed the ringing phone out of her Gucci purse, glanced at the screen then stuffed it back into her bag.

Don’t write this: His jeans were dirty, and his hair was messy.

Write this: The mud on his jeans matched the color of his matted brown hair.

Let’s look at a few examples in dialogue, to clarify.

“I wondered whether Cyle was the murderer,” could be, “Was Cyle the murderer?”

She thought he was lying, could be, “Are you lying?”

An adverbial dialogue tag is when an adverb modifies the verb, we use to denote dialogue. For example, he said gruffly, she said hastily, they asked excitedly.

Using them takes the power away from their spoken words. If they say something angrily or gently, emotions and body language become less important. The words are considered telling words. Professional writers are able to show the characters emotionss with tags describing the character’s actions.

Example:

“You are intruding on my property,” Tom said angrily.

Could be written, “You are intruding on my property,” Tom said as he shook his fist, then pointed at the boys.

Creating vivid characters with distinct voices and clear motivates makes numerous adverbs unnecessary. As in exercise we don’t want to be all tell and no action. We won’t get the result necessary to lose the extra pounds.

Weight loss is grueling, but better with friends. Have a friend or your critique group read your manuscript to see if you use the same phrases, or any of the listed words. If the sentence flows better, without the word, delete it. If you use one word often, try rewriting the sentence with a different word.

Let’s remove the fat from our writing to speed up the pace of action and dialogue.

What fat words add weight to your manuscript? Is there a word I should add to the list? Do you agree or disagree about adverbs?

Cherrilynn Bisbano is a book proposal writer, a vendor partner, and Authors Community Advisory Council Member. You can contact her through the Contact Us form or the Authors Community Request Form.