The "Ask The Education Consultant" Blog Hop Wrap-Up and A WINNER!!!

First off, I want to thank each one of my gracious hostesses who asked such wonderful, thought-filled questions on my Blog Hop.  It was an absolute pleasure to be a visitor on each one of the blogs, but boy am I tired!

I have done my best to respond to all comments left on the posts and I encourage everyone to go read them if you have not already.  I feel like we created quite a little "ins and outs" of picture book education.

You can find all of the posts here:

Rosanne Kurstedt
Lauri Meyers
Darshana Khiani
Joanne Roberts
Tina Cho
Julie Hedlund

Thank you again, ladies for a wonderful month!  Your support and enthusiasm means so much to me.

Please also continue to share the Picture Book Month Teacher's Guide.  Picture Book Month might be over, but the crusade lives on.  :)

And now for our winner of the One Hour One-on-One Education Consultation (chosen from Random.org)

(drumroll please)

JULIE HEDLUND!!!!!!!!

Congrats, Julie. 

In this consultation, Julie will receive:

• a thorough evaluation of her existing School Visits and education materials
• a strategic plan on how to better position her books for the classroom market
• activity and lesson plan ideas which align her books to the Common Core State Standards
• A $150 VALUE for FREE!!!

In 2014 I will be launching my Consultation Services.  I look forward to starting with Julie.  Stick around for more information on how you, too, can benefit from a One-on-One Consultation!

From Skeptic to Backer: An EXCLUSIVE "Hot-Seat" Interview with Julie Hedlund, and Why I Decided to "Back" Her Kickstarter Campaign

I am not always the most open-minded person.  I admit that. So when my good friend, Julie Hedlund, announced that she would be testing a new "hybrid model for publishing" and launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund her next picture book, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN, I was grumpy leary.

Quickly, within my writing community, I started to hear others talk of their own confusion with Julie's project.  Others had questions too.  It was then that I approached Julie, who graciously answered every single one of my interrogations questions.

Julie was able to answer all of my questions, relieve any doubts I had and EVEN turned me from skeptic to backer!

It is my pleasure today to be able to share all of this with you, as Julie has offered to answer my questions (and maybe your's) on the blog.  That's right!  Today, I put my friend in the Hot Seat.

I hope you can read this interview with an open-mind.  There is a lot of good information here.  And with 6 days left to Julie's campaign, perhaps you can find it in you to join me as a backer for this very special project!

Welcome, Julie....


"Wood Ducks" by Susan Eaddy, illustration for MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN

I understand how this project is not self-publishing, seeing as you have a publisher behind you. However, how is this project different from publishing with a vanity press?

Great question! The author/crowdfunding consultant I’ve been working with throughout this campaign, Scott James, defined hybrid publishing as the following:

1. The publisher has the right to accept or reject the manuscript

2. The publisher has the ability to distribute the manuscript widely to online and physical bookstores.

3. The publisher offers all services required for publishing, including editing, book design, graphic design, art direction, etc.

Little Bahalia, of course, meets all three of those criteria, and I’m glad they accepted my manuscript! In my mind, the biggest difference between hybrid publishing and publishing with a vanity press (or self-publishing), is that you pay the vanity press or self-publishing service and they publish the work without regard to the content. Which by the way, doesn’t mean the content is bad, it just means it’s not vetted by the company offering the publishing services.

What roles have your agent and the publisher played in this project?

My agent was heavily involved in helping me negotiate the contracts between myself and the publisher and the illustrator. Likewise, Little Bahalia played a huge role in providing the contractual structure for the project since it some of the initial financial terms are different from a traditional deal.

Little Bahalia also provided editing of the manuscript, and is now doing art direction with the illustrator, Susan Eaddy. Once the illustrations are complete, they will design the book, produce it, and print it - just as all publishers do.

What about the Kickstarter model was of interest to your publisher? To your agent? And why was Little Bahalia not able to take this on traditionally?

For my agent, this provided a way for her to help me get a book published that we both felt had merit and would be well-received by readers, but for reasons I explain in this video, might not have been picked up by a major publisher. By assisting me in this non-traditional, hybrid deal, she’s kept herself relevant to me, to my career, and she will of course earn her standard 15% commission once the book is in print.

For Little Bahalia, this was an opportunity for them to publish a title they loved but was a bit outside their typical publishing model (digital-first, then print). As an indie publisher with limited resources, as much as they loved the manuscript, Little Bahalia would not have been able to front the initial costs of publishing due to their existing commitments and the nature of their list.

So it really did end up a win-win-win for everyone. I get to publish another book, my agent earns a commission while at the same time learning how to navigate the waters of hybrid publishing contracts, and the publisher gets to publish a book they love and believe will sell once it is in print.

Today publishers are asking their authors to do so much more in terms of promotion for their book. Do you see this model as yet another way that the bulk of “the work” falls on the author?

Absolutely!

But make no mistake. Unless you are already a well-established, multiple bestselling author (and in some cases even then), authors must work if they want their books to do well. We can cry all we want about it, but while writing is an art, publishing is a business. I don’t feel I’ve done less work to support A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS than I have crowdfunding MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN.

In other words, the way we work and advocate may vary from book to book, but the fact that we must work and advocate changes not. :-)

What I think is exciting about crowdfunding is that, while it is certainly a huge amount of work, it is an empowering option for authors with great books, solid platforms, and the willingness to “just do it.”

This model sounds like a ton of work and in some cases, stress. What is the benefit for authors versus the traditional publishing model?

In my “Why I am Crowdfunding My Next Picture Book” series on my blog, I discuss several major benefits of crowdfunding (I believe I’ve already addressed the amount of work in the previous question.) They include: creative control; experimenting with new publishing models and sharing with other authors in the process, the time to market, and the ability to demonstrate demand prior to publication. I would encourage your readers to go through that series if they are interested in all of the details.

I am in love with my kidlit writing community. However, my biggest concern is that the writing community becomes a place where fellow writers are constantly asking me for money for their projects. What are your thoughts on this?

Well, when authors promote their books, they’re asking you to buy them. In other words, they’re asking you for money. Crowdfunding is no different except that the request for $ comes earlier in the publication process. In the same way that we couldn’t buy everyone’s book in the kidlit community, even if we wanted to, we can’t contribute to every project that comes along. We buy the ones, or back the ones that resonate the most with us and/or were written by the people closest to us.

The number of people in my network/platform is in the thousands. As I write this post today, there are 154 backers of MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN. Some of them didn’t even come from my network. Clearly there are MANY people in my orbit who chose not to back this project (or never got the word on it or forgot, etc. etc.). And you know what? That’s perfectly okay! I certainly did not have the expectation that everyone I knew would back this project, and I take ZERO offense. I really mean that.

Besides, given the amount of work and initiative it takes to pull off a successful crowdfunding campaign, I think we’re still quite a ways away from it becoming a “commonplace” strategy for authors.

Often a complaint about self-published books is that they “published” before they are “ready.” How does this model uphold the high quality standard that publishers have had in children’s literature?

This model is quite traditional in that the publisher had to accept/acquire the manuscript on its merit.

Furthermore, my agent would not have elected to take this on if she did not believe the book was “ready.” And again, although the funding comes from a different source, everything else (editing, art direction, book design, production) remains the same - conducted by a publisher with vast professional experience with these skills.

Here I must add that all of this CAN be done well with self-published books too. The key is that the author must put together a team to make sure every piece of the publishing puzzle is handled with the same level of expertise and professionalism that comes from a traditional publisher. Some authors may possess some of those skills themselves, but where they are lacking, they need to hire experts to fill in the gaps.

There are very few distribution options for self-published books. Will your book be available in Barnes & Noble, indie bookstores, etc?

Yes, yes, and yes! One advantage of having a publisher is that the published books go into the major book distribution databases and become available to every online or physical book retail in the country.

Julie Hedlund is a Children’s author. She’s had two books published as interactive storybook apps for the iPad by Little Bahalia Publishing -- A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS and A SHIVER OF SHARKS. A print version of TROOP was released in fall 2013.

Julie is the creator of Julie Hedlund’s Template for Storybook App Proposals and the founder and host of the 12 x 12 picture book writing challenge, with more than 500 members. She is a monthly contributor on Katie Davis’ Brain Burps About Books children’s literature podcast, a PAL member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and a contributing editor on the subject of 21st Century Publishing for Children’s Book Insider (CBI). She has been a speaker at SCBWI, O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing, and other industry events.

The "Ask the Education Consultant" Blog Hop!

Happy November, everyone! 

This month I am embarking on a Blog Hop about all things Education.

So be sure to check me out on these fabulous blogs this month.  And don't forget to download the Picture Book Month Teacher's Guide: Why Picture Books Belong in Our Classrooms!

Thurs Nov 7      
Lauri Meyers

 

Mon Nov 11      
Jean Reidy

 

Wed Nov 13      
Darshana Khiani

 

Wed Nov 20      
Joanne Roberts

 

Mon Nov 25     
Tina Cho

 

Wed Dec 4        
Julie Hedlund

And for an added treat, check out my interview on Rosanne Kurstedt's blog from last week!

Ask the Education Consultant: A Picture Book Month Blog Hop (with giveaway!)

Its almost November!  And therefore, its almost Picture Book Month!!!

Have you registered to be an Ambassador yet?  All set to celebrate?  Visit www.picturebookmonth.com to get started.

This year I am super excited because I have joined the Picture Book Month Team as the Education Consultant. 

I am also extremely proud to introduce you all to the Teacher's Guide I created for the intitiative called "Why Picture Books Belong in Our Classrooms". 

This comprehensive Teacher's Guide aims to validate and inspire teachers to include picture books in their curriculum, while also providing evidence that picture books do, in fact, fulfill the learning standards of the Common Core.  You are going to want to download it here.

So, in celebration of Picture Book Month and "Why Picture Books Belong in Our Classrooms", I will be embarking on a blog hop!

How does it work?

1)  Email me at marciecolleen@gmail.com , letting me know you want to host me on the blog hop.

2)  Together we will pick a date for your post to publish.

3)  At least 3 days before your date, you  need to send me 5 questions that you want to "Ask the Education Consultant".  These questions can be about the Common Core, picture books, Teacher's Guide, marketing for school visits, classroom practice, etc. Its up to you!

4)  I will send my answers asap.

5)  Publish our interview on the date selected.

One lucky host will win...

 a One hour One-on-One Education Consultation on the Phone, in which you will be able to get advice on your own classroom practice, school visits, or manuscripts (published or unpublished). Maybe you just want to know how you fit into all of this Common Core stuff.  Whatever it is, be you a writer, a teacher or a librarian, this phone consultation will be chock full of advice and tips.

Ready?  Let's get hopping...

The Value of "Fresh Eyes"

You only get one chance to make a first impression, right?

It's true for dating.  It's true for job interviews.  And its true for...

wait for it...

writing.

Recently, during a phone conversation with my agent, I asked when in the process is it best for me to send work to her.  I found her answer brilliant. 

She said, "It's up to you.  But just remember that you only get my fresh eyes once."

Wow.

I hadn't thought of it that way. 

Writers need critiquers because we need eyes that are not so "close" to the story.  We need "unbiased" readers. However, each time a critiquer reads a piece they become closer and closer to it, whether they realize it or not.  And THEN if they actually contribute to some of the revision, you are dealing with a VERY close critiquer.

I might go as far as saying that having someone look at your piece more than twice is dangerous.

So, what are my tips for keeping my critiquers "fresh"?

1)  Belong to more than one critique group.  Of course, these are time consuming, however maybe belong to one in-person group and one online group.  And remember, critiquing other's work will informs your's, too.

2)  Have a few critiquers who are better than you.  That sounds weird, but I have a few published friends who I admire so much.  And once in awhile, when a piece gets to a certain level, I ask one of them if they can read it.  But remember, always respect other people's time.  Do not abuse this relationship.

3)  Pay for critiques.  There are people who do this sort of thing.  Find them online.  Find them at conferences and workshops.  Splurge. 

4)  Use Rate Your Story.  It's a free service.  And although you can't be guaranteed a thorough critique, it's a start.

5)  Don't rush to submit.  Do the work.  Do the heavy lifting first.  Don't abuse your submitting power.  It's better to delay giving your manuscript to ANYONE and wait til its ready. Put your best work out there ALWAYS!

Children's Author Blog Hop!

Wow.  I haven't been posting a lot lately.  Things seem to be happening at super speed and I just haven't had time to make sense of it all for myself, let alone blog about it.

Rosanne Kurstedt

But, I have been asked by friend and fellow author, Rosanne Kurstedt, to participate in a Children's Author Blog Hop and I thought it would be a perfect way to fill you all in to what I have been busy doing.

First, I want to thank Rosanne for bringing me along for the Hop.  Rosanne and I met at a New Jersey SCBWI event last November and have become friends.  I have had the honor of reading some of her writing and it is always a joy.  Rosanne also has her PhD in Education and is an Adjunct Professor, Fordham University, co-author of Teaching Writing with Picture Books as Models (Scholastic, 2000) and former upper elementary school teacher.  Quite a cool lady.  You can read her Blog Hop post at http://rlkurstedt.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/childrens-author-blog-hop-2/.

For this Blog Hop participating authors answer four identical questions and then invite three more kidlit authors to join in the “Hop.”

And now...my responses....

What are you working on right now?

Well, I recently went out on submission for the first time!  I know, right?  Super cool!  Shout out to my amazing agent, Susan Hawk of The Bent Agency.  So...my job right now is to not think about the fact that I am out of submission.  Not sure I am succeeding.  But I try.

I am working on revising a few other manuscripts and gearing up to mine for more ideas during PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) in November.  If you have never participated, you will want to this year!  Check it out at www.taralazar.com/piboidmo. 


How does it differ from other works in the genre?

My stories are usually pretty quirky...yet on the sweet side.  One of my WIPs (works-in-progress), however, is quietly sweet.  No jokes, really.  So, I am not sure it is very different from other works in the genre, but it feels good to branch out and try something new for myself.  It is also based loosely on a true event that happened in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.  So that is new for me, as well.

Why do you write what you do?

I have always been drawn to picture books.  In fact, even when I taught High School English, I created an elective class on Children's Literature in which we studied the themes and issues in picture books. 

I also love that picture books are little packages.  I don't have commitment issues, but they seem more accessible to me than sitting down to write a 75,000 word novel.

AND, I love being incredibly silly and acting like I am 5 years old.  So, why not  be 5 and get paid for it!?

What is the hardest part about writing?

Taking my incredibly active and silly imagination and making it translate on to paper.  In words.  Sometimes I have such amazing ideas, but the words fail me. 

Its important to have patience.  Let the idea simmer and sautee for a bit.  Play with some words.  Jot down ideas.  Don't force them.  Trust your personal process.  That's when the magic happens.

Alright!  Now I get to introduce you to three very special ladies who I am tagging on this Blog Hop!


Joanna Marple

Joanna Marple has been telling stories ever since she learnt to speak - long and short stories, true and not-so-true stories, stories to entertain friends and children. Now she is busy writing these stories into books - picture books and YA, almost always with a strong element of adventure and multicultural locations and characters. She is now living on her third continent, studying for an MFA in Creative Writing at Stony Brook University, New York. Follow Joanna's blog, Miss Marple's Musings at www.joannamarple.com and on twitter @joannamarple.

Jen Hill

Jen Hill is the illustrator of THE BOY WITH PINK HAIR by Perez Hilton, and the author and PERCY AND TUMTUM: A TALE OF TWO DOGS.
Jen's award-winning career as an animator, illustrator, and writer of children's books undoubtedly informs her jovial fine art paintings. In her gouache compositions, Jen uses folkloric characters to drive playful narratives rife with mischief, humor and mystery. Her work is a pictorial encapsulation of the creepy charm that ghost stories, tall tales, folklore, and fairy tales make us nostalgic for.
Jen is also an animator. Her children’s television credits include Time Warp Trio (Discovery Kids Channel), Home Movies (Cartoon Network), and Sesame Street.
Jen is a graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied children's book illustration with David Macaulay and Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Visit her at www.jenhillstudio.com.

Amber Alvarez

Amber Alvarez is a Hawaiian-girl gone Brooklyn. A graduate of New York's Pratt Institute, she has had the good fortune to slip behind the wizard's curtain and give life to heart-warming characters everywhere from Scholastic Entertainment to Sesame Workshop.  A passion for K-3 education lead her to a development position at BrainPOP Jr. There she helped create award winning animated content currently seen in classrooms across the world. She now lends her creativity to the role of senior games designer at BrainPOP's GameUp. Amber is currently channeling more than a decade of experience in award winning children's content into the dream role of picture book author/illustrator. Find her on twitter @SheSureis.


Alright, these ladies are super fabulous!  Follow their blogs and to see their answers!  Blog Hop away!

Alliteration: what are your thoughts?

This past Sunday I had the great opportunity to attend a workshop in Princeton, NJ which was sponsored by the NJ Chapter of SCBWI.  The workshop was taught by the extraordinary, Ame Dyckman and was officially titled a PB Word Count SMACKDOWN!  And Ame indeed did provide many awesome tips to keeping that word count low.

Ame Dyckman is a wonderful presenter.  If you ever get the chance to attend a workshop taught by her...run to it!  She is just dynamite in her knowledge and energy.  And is the the perfect person to teach a workshop on word count.  Her own picture books, including the ever-popular BOY + BOT usually weigh in around 300 words or less.  Yet, no one can argue that her stories do not pack a whole lotta heart and punch in those few words.  In fact, my first  encounter with Ame was when I found BOY + BOT on the shelves of my local indie bookstore.  I was compelled right away to write this blog post: BOY + BOT: A lesson in simplicity.

And then I was lucky enough to become FRIENDS with Ame and she graciously appeared on the blog again for the WriWOPi (Writing Without Pictures series).  The post is one of my most popular on the blog to this very day.  You can read it here.

Anyway, you get the picture.  Ame Dyckman knows her stuff when it comes to word count.

So...this workshop not only included listening to Ame and her tips to SMACKDOWN word count, it also gave participants the opportunity to have their "long" manuscripts read aloud and to have Ame weigh in on how to slice 'em up a bit.

Which brings me to the idea of alliteration.

I use alliteration.  Its one of my Picture Book tools like onomatopoeia.  I use it to spice up a manuscript.  It makes the wording "fun".

However, in this workshop it became very clear that reading alliteration aloud can sometimes bog down a story and make it seem longer than it is.

Perhaps alliteration does the exact opposite of what we want it to do.

In a few manuscript examples which were read aloud, alliteration slowed down the reader.

Back in June I had Ame critique one of my manuscripts at conference and she flagged my moments of alliteration with this very thought.  And to be honest, I didn't really listen to her...until Sunday.  It was so obvious that the alliteration seemed forced...too literary in a way. 

I think to the SKIPPYJON JONES books.  They are packed with alliteration and internal-rhyme.  Of course they also weigh in extremely long at over 1000 words.  However, when I read them aloud I get tired, my tongue gets twisted and the kids get a little lost.  It is only when I pop in the cd that comes with the book that I enjoy the story.

So, I wanted to start a dialogue.  What do you think of alliteration?  Do you use it?  What are your experiences? Let's talk...