Author Archives: Vicky L. Lorencen

Jan29

nine picture book topics to avoid

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By Leslie Helakoski Boyds Mills Press

By Leslie Helakoski
Boyds Mills Press

While we’re still knee-deep in winter, it helps to have something GREAT to look forward to. Here’s what I high-as-a-snowbank highly recommend . . .

Children’s book author Darcy Pattison and children’s book author/illustrator Leslie Helakoski will co-lead a unique workshop, PB&J: Picture Books and All That Jazz at Highlight’s Foundation in Honesdale, PA on April 23-26, 2015. Join them and learn how to make your story rise above the fierce competition.

For a taste of what’s to come at the PB&J workshop, here’s a wisdom-filled article written by Darcy and Leslie . . . 

When people think about writing a children’s picture book, clichéd topics pop up. These classic themes are based on universal childhood experiences. It’s not that these topics are taboo. Instead, they are so common that competition is fierce. As they say, children’s publishing is a bunny-eat-bunny world.

Here are the top 9 topics to avoid. Also listed is a children’s book, published within the last 5 years, that is a fresh take on the topic. If you are considering writing a picture book about one of these topics, it will be a harder sale unless you can find an original way to approach it.

1. First Day of School. Everyone wants to get kids ready for the first day of school, and it’s hard to find a fresh approach.

Updated title that works:

Dad’s First Day (July, 2015), written and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka.

2. Tooth fairy. People have 32 teeth, and losing baby teeth in early elementary school is a universal experience. The tooth fairy often has a place in a family story, which makes it a perennial topic for a children’s book.

Updated title that works:

The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy (2013) by Martha Brockenbrough, illustrated by Israel Sanchez.

3. Christmas/Halloween. Major holidays are often the focus on children’s books.

Updated Titles that Work:

Christmas Parade (2012) written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton.

Smudge and the Book of Mistakes: A Christmas Story (2013), by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Stephen Costanza.

 4. Wanting a pet. From gerbils to dogs, cats to chinchillas—humans love their pets. It’s a natural topic for a children’s book.

Updated titles that work:

I Want a Dog: My Opinion Essay (2015) by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Ewa O’Neill.

I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay (2015) by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Ewa O’Neill.

5. Dealing with a disability. With today’s cultural emphasis on diversity (#WeNeedDiversity), libraries are looking for stories with disabled characters.

Updated title that works:

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay (2015) by Cari Best, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.

6. Visiting Grandma and Grandpa. Who buys books for children? Grandparents! And of course, grandparents want to encourage a close relationship with their grandchildren. Do this topic with humor and honest emotion and you’ll have a winner.

Updated titles that work:

How to Babysit a Grandpa (2012) by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish.

How to Babysit a Grandma (2014) by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish.

 7. New baby in the family. Young children often have to move over and make room for a new sibling. Books helps them work through the complicated emotions when a new baby arrives

Updated title that works:

You Were the First (2013) by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin.

8. Barnyard stories/rural nostalgia. The rural roots of America are ever-present in children’s books. One of the first things kids learn is the sounds made by farm animals. From there, chickens and pigs rule!

Updated title that works:

Big Pigs (2014), written and illustrated by Leslie Helakoski.

9. Bedtime stories. Kids who are read to become better readers. What better time to read than bedtime? And if the story ends on a quiet note that encourages the kids to go to sleep faster, parents will love you.

Updated title that works:

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (2012) by Sherry Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lictenheld.

Not convinced that you should avoid these topics? Then put on your A-Game! Because the competition for children’s picture books about these topics is fierce. Yet, if you write a fantastic story about one of these topics, it might just become a classic.

Jan24

how to give your writing shine, volume and manageability

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

You’ve seen the commercials. There’s a woman with limpity blahsville hair. Her shoulders, schlumpy. Her eyes, rolled. She blows a puff of air upward from her lower lip and ruffles her scruffy bangs–the universal breath of disgust. Then, some product whooshes onto the screen. It’s a bottle of glamorous, sexy-smelling hope for hair. Ms. Lackluster snatches the wunderproduct, suds it through her sorry locks and voila! Cue the fans to blow a mane so magnificent as to make Fabio throw in the towel.

What if there was a “product” that could do the same–give shine, volume and manageability–to your writing? Good news! There is. It’s called Critique Group.

Here’s how this amazing product works:

Shine. Nothing will give your writing that dazzling sheen you desire like a robust critique. Your group can help you snip those dry, split ends created by worn or useless verbiage, identify stronger verbs and methodically polish your work.

Volume. Receiving regular feedback on your work helps to fuel your momentum, which hopefully, results in higher word counts and more pages than you may have accumulated as a solo act. So luxurious!

Manageability. Critique groups, regardless of how you arrange them, typically come with a schedule for sharing your work. Knowing you have these deadlines can help you plan, set goals and make the whole writing process more aimful instead of aimless.

You say you don’t have a critique group of your very own? Instead of pulling out your hair, let’s find you a group ASAP.

Consider these ideas for either starting or connecting with an established group:

  • Use social media. Let Facebook friends or Twitter followers know you’d like to join or start a group.
  • Visit discussion boards and search “critique groups” to see who’s seeking. For example, you could start with the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and explore the Resources section.
  • Talk with your local children’s librarian or a writing instructor at your local community college about your desire to form a group. You may learn about others who have expressed the same. If there’s a public bulletin board at the library or community college, post a “Want Ad” there.
  • Go to writing conferences or take writing classes and do a little friendly snooping to find out about the groups of your fellow attendees. Who knows, they may be hoping to add a new member.
  • Ask other writing friends for ideas. Ask how they decided between joining a face-to-face or online group (and the advantages/disadvantages of each), how their group is structured and if they know of a group with an opening. If your friend is groupless, ask about starting a new group of your own.

If you’re already in a group and have more ideas, tips for how to structure or improve a critique group, please share.

Wishing you gorgeous “hair” days ahead!

You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children. ~ Madeleine L’Engle
Jan10

the one right way to find an agent

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

To date, there are 487 wrong ways to hunt for an agent. There is but one right way. And that, my friends, is the way that

is best for you. If you’re still finding your way to your way, and you don’t mind me meddling a bit, I’d like to pass along a few fibrous tips to help your process go more smoothly. Do not mistake me for an expert. I myself am a hunter, but I have learned a thing or three so far and I’m happy to share. M’kay, here we go . . .

Track yourself. Do identify a way to log your queries. Otherwise, you’ll be asking yourself who you asked. Such silliness that would be.

Me? Well, I have a simple three list system–but you do what works for you.

List 1: I keep a list of agents who are currently considering my query. You may want to compile more detail, but I just include the agent and agency, when I queried and when I can anticipate a response (many agents will indicate this in their submission policies). I don’t just say six weeks; I actually indicate an expiration date. No word by then? NEXT!

List 2: This is comprised of agents who are ready to move up to the first list as soon as I receive a no from an agent (or the query expires). I add to this second list of names as I discover a new possibility via FB or a friend (but only after I have run the agent through the good-fit test). Don’t just make a list of names. Do your homework first.

List 3: Sure, as you’d expect, I have a list of agents who have declined. With this, I indicate if the agent actually declined or was simply a “no response.”

Go public. Hunting for an agent and expecting not to be rejected is like walking onto a used car lot and expecting not to be hounded. Because of this, it’s scary to tell people you’re looking. I know. Trust me, I know. But here’s what I’ve learned–the more people I tell about my search, the more friends I have hunting for me. It’s rare for a week to pass without getting a tip–“Just heard Agent X is looking,” “Saw this on Twitter and thought of you,” “Have you queried Agent XYZ yet? He’d be a great fit for you.” So, don’t keep your hunt hush-hush. You don’t have to blab to the world. Simply sharing your agent pursuit with a circle of trusted comrades will more than double your search party. G’head. Do it. (And be sure to reciprocate!)

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Keep moving. Can’t lie. So far, there have been a couple of rejections that have bruised a bit. But truly, and maybe I’ve developed a kind of literary immunity, but I don’t fuss much over a decline any more. It’s just part of the process. If it does hurt, I give myself a day to feel schlumpy and then I jump back on the hunt. Having that second list of pre-approved agents is the trick. To insure I have about five queries out at all times, I prepare a new query as soon as a rejection arrives. It keeps my momentum humming and prevents me from poor-me-stinating. (Poor-me-stinating is similar to procrastinating, but more pathetic looking–think Sarah McLachlan rescue animal commercial pathetic–I know. So bad.)

Now, what about you? You got any ideas you’d like to share? Please do. And happy hunting!

Beware of advice—even this. ~ Carl Sandburg

Dec30

diagnosis: chronic “stupbornness”

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Art Institute of Chicago, photo by Vicky Lorencen

Art Institute of Chicago, photo by Vicky Lorencen

When you’re stupborn, you’re stupid and stubborn. I know because that’s what I am. At least that’s what I surmise. The lab tests are inconclusive, but a decade of firsthand observation cannot be ignored.

After more than ten years of writing, revising, reading, work-shopping, conference-going, networking, critique-grouping, class-taking, submitting and querying, I am still without a book contract. A smarter, less bull-headed person would have given up by now.

And why not? No one is forcing me into this pursuit. It’s self-inflicted without question. Yet, here I am peering into the shiny, giddy-go-lucky face of a new year and I am trudging ahead. I am not buoyed by hope or spurred by optimism. In fact, I feel quite hopeless. But my chronic stupbornness will not permit me to retreat or resign.

 

 

How about you?

Are you stupborn too?

You are? Oh, bless your heart. You need a cookie and a nap. But first, I’ve culled these quotes to encourage you:

There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me. ~  Jane Austen

I promise I shall never give up, and that I’ll die yelling and laughing, and that until then I’ll rush around this world I insist is holy and pull at everyone’s lapel and make them confess to me and to all. ~ Jack Kerouac

It gives me great pleasure indeed to see the stubbornness of an incorrigible nonconformist warmly acclaimed. ~ Albert Einstein

Happy New Year, my dear, sweet, stupid, stubborn friends. (And yes, yes, certainly, warm wishes to my smart friends too.)

Let’s show 2015 what we’re made of!

Dec22

happy 2nd anniversary to frog on a dime!

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Can’t believe Frog on a Dime is celebrating its second year!

My warmest–gooey in the center–thanks to my followers and to everyone who  commented, gifted me with suggestions, invited friends to hop on over, and most of all, dolloped me with encouragement. My goal was to encourage you, but oftentimes, I’m the recipient and I am so grateful!

If you have ideas for future post-ibilities, topics you wish to see covered here or quotes you’d like to pass along, please do.

So excited to be heading into year three with all of you! There’s more encouragement on its way.

Wishing you an outrageously productive, creative, inspired New Year. I mean, the blow your socks off variety. Why not? You deserve it.

Happy, hoppy Holidays from Frog on a Dime!

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust

Dec13

congratulations to the winners of the jumpin’ jolly triple-triple-triple (holy holly this title is long) giveaway to giveaway!

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Giveaway goodies!

Giveaway goodies!

Congratulations to . . .

  • Randy Bulla, winner of JAKE and LILY by Jerry Spinelli.
  • Danielle Hammelef, winner of FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo.
  • Erin Fanning, winner of EXTRA YARN by Marc Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Winners, please contact me with your mailing address and let me know if you’d like to take me up on the free gift wrapping option.

Whether you decide to experience the joy of giving away your giveaway prize or cherishing it yourself (and who could blame you?), I hope this special treat adds fun to your holiday.

Many thanks to everyone who entered–and invited friends to follow Frog on a Dime. I understand a few squirrels may be added to the list (thank you, Randy!)

Wishing you all a lovely holiday season, filled with laughter, craziness (the jolly kind), moments for quiet reflection (and of course, reading) and much joy!

Oh, and cookies. Can’t forget those.

Merry Reading from Frog on a Dime! Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Merry Reading from Frog on a Dime!
Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Dec8

it’s the frog on a dime jumpin’ jolly triple-triple-triple (holy holly this title is long) giveaway to giveaway!

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

One of the ways I “still” myself during the holiday season is to sit and sip tea while perusing my collection of favorite and familiar Christmas and wintry books. There’s something magically lulling about those beloved images and the lilting language. Looking at the covers, I can almost hear a cheery “welcome back” before I even turn the first page.

Knowing you love children’s book and might very well love to give a book to a child you love, Frog on a Dime is offering a very special holiday giveaway for you to giveaway!

There are three outstanding children’s books up for grabs . . .

Giveaway goodies!

Giveaway goodies!

JAKE and LILY by Jerry Spinelli

FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo

EXTRA YARN by Marc Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

To enter:

Step 1: Invite a friend to follow Frog on a Dime.

Step 2: Leave a comment on this post to let me know which book you’d prefer (with a 2nd choice, just in case) AND let me know that you’ve invited a friend. You don’t have to name names. We’ll be on the honor system. (Just remember, “he” knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake.)

I will draw three names on Friday, December 12 at Noon. Each winner will receive a book—and I’ll even gift wrap it with my own little hands, if you like. Then I’ll send them off to the lucky winners spit-spot!

Enter today!

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! ~ Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (1836)

Nov30

4 simple ways to keep writing over the holidays

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

No, my little sugar plums, I haven’t been sampling the “enriched” eggnog. There really are at least four simple ways to keep putting one snowshoe in front of the other (writing-wise) through the holiday season.

Now, I know some of you actually first-drafted an entire novel in November (HUZZAH!), but instead of taking a well-deserved break, why not keep that keyboard humming? And if you’re like me, and didn’t exactly knock out an entire book last month, maybe you’ll want to try these ideas to keep your writing muscles from going fudgy and flabby.

To keep writing a part of the holiday season without turning into a stark raving nutty fruitcake:

  1. Have a way to capture thoughts/quotes/ideas with you at all times. Time spent with friends and relatives over the holidays can be golden opportunities for writers. Jot down details, mannerisms, expressions, dynamics, kid’s questions–in an inconspicuous way, of course! These notes will make fabulous fodder to kick-start your January writing.
  2. Use the time doing semi-mindless tasks, such as gift wrapping, cookie baking or waiting for wee ones to finish pageant practice, to think about your writing. Ponder how to make a character’s personality fresher or concoct a new barrier to put in his path. You could untangle a knotty plot problem while you untangle the Christmas tree lights. Or use your noodle to dream up the perfect title or a character’s name.
  3. Give yourself the gift of 30 minutes three times a week to write. If you have a day job, you could use your lunch hour. It’s not really so much about word count as it is maintaining forward momentum. It’ll make it a lot easier to charge ahead in January. And while we’re on the subject, try idea number four.
  4. Compile a list of writing goals for the New Year. Go for realistic and specific. Say adios to the grandiose.

DSC02577Sound like too much? Just try one or two of the ideas. Or come up with your own (and please share!)

Oh, and remember to write yourself a thank you note. You’re so amazing!

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. ~ Lucille Ball

 

Nov24

encouragement is like hot buttered toast (gluten-free, of course)

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Last week I sent the opening pages of my third middle grade novel to my critique group. My accompanying email read:

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Here are the first measly, tender baby words of my new middle grade novel. Now, I will be completely transparent and say I’m really looking for encouragement here, but not the fake kind where you’re just making stuff up to make me feel good. I want you to be honest, but mostly focus on what’s going right (if anything no matter how small), so I can do more of that. You will be welcome to be much, much tougher once I’m further along.

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my new baby. Remember to support her head, and for Gerber’s sake, keep your dang thumb away from that soft spot on her head would ya? (And I apologize in advance if she smells like poopy.)

Is it just me? You’ve been there, right? I was so vulnerable and needy (one of my all-time favorite states of being for sure). I knew my critique group would be fair and kind, but I was not prepared for the first comments I got back.

I got dark chocolate covered, name in neon lights, to Neptune and back, crazy ENCOURAGEMENT!!!

How did that make me feel?

Hopeful!

Energized!

Confident to push ahead!

As I see it, encouragement is more than good cheer or offering support. It’s fortifying a friend who is afraid–afraid to act, afraid to take a risk, afraid to speak up or afraid to ask. In other words, encouragement provides courage (See there? It’s right in the word itself. How ’bout that?) And that’s what my group gave me.

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Encouragement is like . . .

  • Jumping through the sprinkler on an August scorcher.
  • Finding $20 tucked in your wallet.
  • Scoring a gorgeous pair of shoes (at 75% off).
  • Savoring a well-timed cup of tea (with a scone, of course).
  • Receiving an unexpected hug (or a wink).
  • Admiring December’s first snow.

Encouragement makes your soul say, ahhhhhh. You feel full, different, better and ready to take the next step. Little wonder Frog on a Dime‘s primary goal is to provide encouragement to writers.

Who’s been your biggest encourager lately? Who will you encourage today?

Remember, man does not live on bread alone: sometimes he needs a little buttering up. ~  John C. Maxwell

Nov18

a gentle suggestion for literary agents

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Photo by Vicky Lorencen Painting by Sir James Jebusa Shannon, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo by Vicky Lorencen
Painting by Sir James Jebusa Shannon, Metropolitan Museum of Art

I’d like to ever-so-gently suggest a best practice for agents to consider. Writer friends, see what you think of this.

In case you’re not familiar, a best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown superior results. This method can then be used to create a standard way of doing things. Best practices are identified in manufacturing, health care, agriculture and laboratory science, so why not literary representation? I mean, really, why the heck not?

I’m in the midst of my first full-on agent search and I’m experiencing a fairly new practice agents have adopted regarding query responses. In lieu a personal email or even a form rejection, agents specify the number of weeks a query will be under consideration. If no response is received in that time, the author should consider the query declined. I can understand this practice. Really, I can. Like editors, agents are incredibly busy people who need to make the most efficient use of their time. Devoting fewer hours to follow-up on queries that hold no interest equates to more time to devote to clients, networking, considering queries (and hopefully dining, showering and sleeping).

But here’s where I think this no reply practice can be refined into a best practice–I would love to see it become an industry standard to provide an automated confirmation of receipt to all email queries. Receiving this kind of response would let someone like me know, okay, the meter’s running now. She really got my query. I’ll wait six weeks per her guidelines. If there’s no reply, I’ll move on. Without such a receipt, it leaves room for nagging, festering, niggling doubt–what if she never got my email and that’s why she’s not responding. Should I check in even though she says not to? Of course, some authors do, and that just adds to the agent’s Mt. Everest of emails.

To their credit, a number of the agents I’ve queried have provided an automated response. I offer my wholehearted thanks to those agents for practicing what I hope will become a best practice.

To be fair, we writers must do our part to uphold our best practices too, such as:

  • Following an agent’s submission guidelines like we were assembling a nuclear warhead. No fudging on the details.
  • Always, always, always being polite, kind and respectful at all points of contact with an agent. Just like proper spelling and punctuation, professionalism matters.
  • Abiding by the agent’s follow-up rules—if he says to check in after 8 weeks, then do it. If he says no word from me in 6 weeks equals a pass, then it’s a pass. Don’t stand there fogging up the glass. Git along little dogie.

So, that’s it. That’s what I want to suggest–oh so gently–to agents. Thank you again to the best practice practitioners. You are appreciated.

And as for my writer friends, just because you’re cute as a button on a ladybug’s vest, I want to give you this. Go ahead. Open it. It’s helpful.

You’re welcome.

I wish to be cremated. One-tenth of my ashes shall be given to my agent, as written in our contract. ~ Groucho Marx