Mary Kole – By Word of Beth

Mary Kole is FOR WRITERS!

4 Comments / For Writers!, From the Writing Room, Writers' Resources, Writing / By Beth

At least once a month, I plan to do a post specifically FOR WRITERS as we sit in our respective Writing Rooms, highlighting writer resources, educators, opportunities and more. This, the first of these posts, highlights editor, educator, writer, and former agent MARY KOLE. I first became aware of Mary when I read her excellent writer’s-craft book, WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT, subtitled The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers. That subtitle describes the book perfectly. It is a full course in writing for YA and MG – a course you can hold in your hand and refer to again and again. Mary has a WEBSITE, kidlit.com, where she has shared a plethora of writing craft information over the years. If you have a question about writing, whether for kids or grownups, Mary’s site is bound to have the answer. Scroll down the sidebar of the home page of her website to find the “search archives” box to find that answer. As a fabulous bonus for subscribing to her informative and fun posts, you will receive a pdf “Manuscript Submission Cheat Sheet.” It is packed with helpful information. The opportunities to learn from Mary don’t end there, though. There is so much more available! Here’s a mini Heads-Up! Mary runs a small group writing workshop, all online, over the course of six months, called STORY MASTERMIND. You can consider it a mini-MFA, accessible and doable. The next cohort is coming up soon, and the deadline to apply for that upcoming cohort is October 8, 2021. For more information, and the link to apply, click HERE. If you’re most interested in submission information, Mary created the MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION BLUEPRINT, part of the excellent offerings of Children’s Book Insider’s many Manuscript Blueprint courses. This will lead you step by step through the submission process, and it’s something you can go back to again and again. Like other Manuscript Blueprint courses, there’s a free sample so you can see if it’s what you’re looking for. You can find out more about it at this link, as well as being able to look around and see what else Manuscript Blueprint has to offer. Mary offers seven courses through Udemy. I have taken her course in Crafting Dynamic Characters through Udemy, and it was fabulous. I would highly recommend it. Here’s the link where you can learn more about these learning opportunities. Are you still with me? Because there is even MORE! Mary has also teamed with others to form the GOOD STORY COMPANY, which seeks to educate, offer a variety of editorial services, connect writers and readers into community, and above all, “help writers unlock their potential.” You can learn more by clicking on this link to Good Story Company. And as you might expect, with all her experience and editorial expertise, she is also a freelance editor, at MARY KOLE EDITORIAL. From a one-time consultation to an in-depth analysis of your manuscript, and with many options in between, Mary is ready to help you take your manuscript to the highest level possible. Find out more about how you can work with Mary on your manuscript at this link. For a taste of what Mary is like, you can hear her talking with Laura Backes Bard on the fabulous KidLit Distancing Social (now KidLit Social). She was Laura’s guest for the seventh Social on May 14, 2020. At that time, Mary talked about submitting your work to agents and editors. You can watch the full replay at this link. Thanks for joining me for this spotlight on Mary Kole’s work. I hope you’ve found something that will benefit you in your writing life. (And now, I have some resources to add to my Writer’s Resources page, haven’t I?) I hope you’ll come back next week, when I’ll be talking about Rajani Larocca’s writing in general, and her MG novel MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL in particular.

The Importance of Taking Stock and Setting Goals in a Writer’s Life

1 Comment / Looking Back and Moving Forward, This Writer's Voice series / By Beth

In this brief time before the end of the current year and the beginning of the New Year, I like to pause and look back over what I have achieved – and what I haven’t achieved – and what I want to do in the coming year. I do this in a variety of ways. I create a vision board that includes my writing goals, hopes, and plans for the coming year as well as my goals in other areas of my life. I’m in the process of doing that now. This year, since I’ve had a writing accountability buddy (post coming in the new year) we may be able to do some evaluation together. I’m also always brainstorming with my first reader/critique partner on all my writing goals. For the past few years, I have found Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas for Writers to be invaluable for the process of looking back and making plans to move forward with my writing. Every year as December approaches, I start wondering if Julie will offer this opportunity again. The all-too-brief time of the 12 Days focuses on clarifying successes and non-successes from the past year, clarifying just what we want to build on in the coming year, giving and receiving support in a group of other writers who are going through the daily exercises, and above all, having FUN together! In Julie’s words, from her blog post about last year’s 12 Days, it’s to “keep the holidays going even after the New Year begins,” and “to start your writing year from a place of inspiration, illumination, and optimism.” If Julie decides to offer The 12 Days of Christmas for Writers in 2018, I’ll update my blog with a brief post to let you know. In the meantime, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. This year, I’ll also be participating in a free webinar about looking back and moving forward, presented by freelance editor and former agent Mary Kole. The webinar is entitled Rock Your Writing Goals, and will take place Saturday, December 29, at 11 a.m. CST. It will run for about an hour. In Mary’s words, “Let’s spend an hour together this last weekend of December and do some creative brainstorming for the year to come. … I’ll discuss creativity, actionable steps for achieving your writing or publishing goals this year, and send you off into 2019 with a bang!” Learn more about Mary’s webinars and sign up at this link. How do you prepare for the year-to-come? I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Here’s to a great 2019!

The Value of Courses, Challenges, and Community for Writers

13 Comments / Emma Walton Hamilton, In The Spotlight, Julie Foster Hedlund, Just Want to Say, Susanna Leonard Hill, This Writer's Voice series, Writers' Resources, Writing / By Beth

Most of us cannot get where we want to be on our own. We need to learn from others, to be challenged by others, and to be supported and encouraged by others. The same is true for writing. At first, I was too nervous to share my writing (except my hymn texts) with anyone but close friends and family. Finally, I realized that I needed more. I needed to reach out to others who were more experienced writers, to learn from them, to challenge myself to grow as a writer and as a person. I began by signing up for Emma Walton Hamilton’s Just Write for Kids, an online picture book writing course intended to be worked through over the period of eight weeks, but still self-paced (if you need more time on any section, that’s fine.) I found Emma to be not only knowledgeable and a good teacher, but also supportive and encouraging. I have since taken her Just Write for Middle Grade, which has become available in the years since I took Just Write for Kids. Not long after I took JWFK, Emma launched a community for children’s writers called the Children’s Book Hub, which lives on in the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group. Through the Hub, I met other writers all over the world, heard interviews with experts in many areas of children’s writing and publishing, and learned an incredible amount about the kidlit world. At Emma’s urging, I became a member of SCBWI – the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators – an international organization that promotes education, connection, and community. I was able to attend the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles in 2011, and some day will be able to be there again. As I became connected with more and more writers online, I learned of Tara Lazar’s Picture Book Idea Month, PiBoIdMo, which at that time was held in November each year. By participating in that month-long event, not only did I generate more than 30 ideas for possible writing projects, I became even more connected with the writing community. PiBoIdMo has morphed into StoryStorm, is now held in January each year, and now has a broader focus than just picture book idea generation. All writers are welcome. When, after that challenge, Julie Hedlund decided to start a year-long picture book writing challenge which she would call 12×12 in 2012 (with the aim of writing 12 picture book drafts in 12 months) I decided to join. Being a part of 12×12 for three years brought me much more knowledge, deepened my writing, and deepened my connection to wonderful people – writers and illustrators – all over the globe. I’m now focused more on Middle Grade writing and adult fiction, so I’m no longer a member, but I still recommend this challenge/community/experience wholeheartedly. With Facebook becoming more and more the place where writers and illustrators gathered, I became involved in first the 12×12 Facebook Group, the PiBoIdMo Facebook Group, and then the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group, which Emma Walton Hamilton and I administer together. I’ve also had the pleasure of attending the Stony Brook Southampton Children’s Literature Conference, which is held in Southampton, NY on Long Island every July. Twelve writers in each of Picture Books, Middle Grade Novels, and Young Adult Novels, are taught by stellar authors in five intense days which include morning workshops in the intensive, plus “cross pollinating” with optional afternoon and evening workshops with attendees from the larger Southampton Writers’ Summer. It is an amazing time of learning. Southampton Children’s Literature also has an MFA program, and a year-long mentorship program called the Children’s Lit Fellows. Since those initial experiences, I have participated in and learned from several other groups, courses, webinars, and I highly recommend that if you are serious about growing as a writer, you do the same, to the extent that your budget will allow. Emma Walton Hamilton’s courses and other learning opportunities are available year-round, and can be completed on your schedule. You can find them all – Just Write for Kids, Just Write for Middle Grade, Just Write for Young Adults, Editor-in-a-Box, School Visit Wizard, and others – at her website. (Note that The Complete Picture Book Submission System is only offered a couple of times a year – watch for the next time it’s open to registration.) There is a cost involved, but it is well worth it. If you’re a writer or illustrator of kids’ books, whether you’re just starting out or you have books published, you will be welcomed in our Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group.There is no charge. As stated in the publicly-viewable information, “This private group is for established and aspiring children’s book authors, illustrators and editors. It is intended to facilitate news and discussion about all things pertaining to writing and publishing books for children and young adults.” Just go to this link, and request to become a member. You’ll be prompted to answer a few simple questions to indicate your involvement in the children’s book world. Once you’ve answered those, I will be able to approve your request and welcome you to the group. Tara Lazar will, I am sure, soon be gearing up for StoryStorm 2019, which will take place in January. The purpose of StoryStorm as stated on her website is “to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. You don’t have to write a manuscript (but you can if the mood strikes). You don’t need potential best-seller ideas. You might think of a clever title. Or a name for a character. Or just a silly thing like “purple polka-dot pony.” The object is to heighten your idea-generating senses.” There is no charge to participate. It’s all on the honor system. You don’t post, share or divulge your ideas at all. Registration will begin in late December and continue through the beginning of January. If you are registered, and create 30 ideas over the course of the month, you will not only …

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