~By Amanda Smith

When I spend a day in a classroom as a substitute teacher, I always feel as if I’m the one learning something new. A couple of weeks ago, when I was elementary art teacher for the day, I was reminded of some very important writing truths.

The art teacher had left instructions for the Kindergarten class to add a few finishing touches to their art projects. When they were done, I dismissed them to “free draw.” All of them huddled around the big, round open studio table, grabbing scissors, glue, string, construction paper and markers. All except one boy. He clenched the Sharpie he had used for his art project tightly in his fist and asked if he could write a story instead.

“Go for it.” I said.

“The Troll Sbardee,” he wrote.

“The Troll Story,” I read.

“Oh, I got that right? I wasn’t sure,” he said.

“Well, actually, that’s not quite how you spell it, but when we write for fun, that doesn’t matter so much,” I said.

He beamed. Ah, a kindred spirit.

He went to work writing his sbardee, and I roamed the room, admiring art work, untangling balls of yarn,  and reminding kids not to run with scissors. Towards the end of the period my little writer came up to me, proudly waving a paper. Happy clusters of black Sharpie letters danced on both sides of the page.

“I finished!” he said. “I finished my story.”

“That’s wonderful. Will you read it to me?”

He held the paper in both his little hands and in a ceremonial voice, read his story of the princess troll. It was funny. It was action packed. And someone got eaten. It was perfect.

“That is a great story,” I said. “You have some interesting characters. I would love to see what they look like. Do you think you can draw a picture of them?”

He scrutinized me, with a most serious little face. And then he said, “This is a word story. This is not a story for pictures. I don’t have time for that.”
 
Lessons learned, dear fellow writers:
 1. Write for fun! Get the story on the page in happy word clusters. You’ll have plenty of time during the revision stage to worry about spelling, sentence structure, arc, pacing, and all those other academic things. But first, just enjoy the act of creating.

2. Know what you’re writing. You might not know what you are creating when you start, but sometime during the process, ask the important questions.

• What genre am I writing?
• Who is my audience?
• What is the heart of my story?

3. Stick to your guns. Critique partners are gifts from heaven. Great feedback can place you squarely on the right track. But ultimately, you know what you want to accomplish, and where you want your story to go. Suggestions are just that. Make sure to stay true to your vision.

4. Manage your time wisely.
​
But mostly. Have fun writing those sbardees!

 ~ By Amanda Smith
 
Upon returning my novel, my one critique partner pointed out I had a couple of high-frequency words. She suggested I word search them, just to see how often they come up.

At first I thought it would be a quick exercise of replacing a couple of “saunters” with something better, but her simple suggestion sent me on a two-week mission to find and eliminate high frequency and weak words from my novel.

This exercise helped me realize something about my drafting process. When I first drafted the novel, I sometimes put in commonplace reactions, such as “she smiled” or “he frowned”, because my instinct tells me the character will have some kind of reaction. The thing is, when I am in the midst of drafting, my characters’ emotional arc, as well as their personalities, are not yet fully developed.

It was only in the revision stages that I really knew exactly who each character was, and where a particular scene or reaction fell in their emotional arc. Going back to all those “smiles” and “shrugs” and “frowns” via a word search, I now had the bigger view to fill out the descriptors with more personal, meaningful reactions. Sometimes that meant adding a paragraph, and in some places a scene, that was missing to complete the emotional arc of the character.

Doing word searches also allowed me to designate certain words or traits to specific characters. We all have words we love to use – our personal vocabulary. I made sure that certain words (especially slang or teen expressions) were used sparingly and only by certain characters.

How do you do a word search?
If you write in Scrivener, the search box is in the top right hand corner of your screen.

• Make sure “Manuscript” is selected in your binder to ensure Scrivener will search your whole manuscript and not just a selected scene. Type the word you want to search in there, e.g. smile
• By clicking on the drop-down menu (arrow next to magnifying glass), you can select if you want to search for whole words, phrases etc.
• A list of the scenes containing that word will appear in your binder on the left-hand side. When you click on a scene, your search word will be highlighted. You can edit the scene right there, and Scrivener will save your edits.
• When you are done with that word, click on the x in the search box to clear your search. You are now set to type in the next word in your search.

If you write in Word, “Find” is in a box on the top right of your screen.

• When you click on "Find", a Navigation box will open on your left-hand side, with a list of all the places you used that word.
• The search word will be highlighted in your text.
• You can navigate your search with the arrows, and you can edit in the document as you go. 
• Clear the search by clicking on the x.

 
Where do you start?
There are some words that are high frequency for most writers. Start with that list. Here are a few I searched:
Walk                                                                        Nod                                                     Turn
Smile                                                                       Laugh                                                   Just
Go                                                                            Little                                                    Tiny
Really                                                                      Very                                                     Look

Then there are some words more specific to your own writing. These are some of the ones I searched:
Saunter                                                                   Snort                                                      Dorky
Stroll                                                                       Gaze                                                        Like
Feel                                                                          Seems

Word searches are also handy to make sure you consistently spell character names the same way. Minor characters in particular, like the teacher that appears maybe twice in a novel, or a tricky last name, can trip you up

~ by Amanda Smith

As I prepared my yearly goals for 2017, I studied my 2016 goals, asking myself which goals I met and why. More importantly I pondered which I goals eluded me, and why. In Take Control of your Goals in the New Year, Annie blogged about setting goals that are within your power. Her aggressive 2016 goals were hard to accomplish because of factors beyond her control.

Some of my goals for last year, were sunk by, wait for it... phrasing. I aimed for 50 rejections during the year. Having heard of other writers who set this goal, I figured aiming for rejections would motivate me to submit more queries. It worked for the first two months, until those rejections started pouring in. All I could think was, “Ten more months of this?!” The rejections completely stopped me in my querying tracks. For months, I sent NO queries, even though I had multiple submission-ready Picture Book manuscripts. What I thought was a cutesy, fun, roundabout goal, turned out to be a complete switch-off. Collecting rejections might spur on some writers. I am not that writer.

This year my writing goals include very specific submission goals: To send novel queries out in batches of 10 during certain months. I took into account school vacations and busy times of the year to determine which months I will send out these queries. This goal focuses on the part of the process that is my responsibility. My ultimate goal is, after all, to get yesses. Of course, there will be rejections, but my goal still highlights progress, and requires action from me.

This year, as you set your writing and submission goals consider the following:

• Know who you are. What motivates you? What deflates you?
• Focus your goals on what you can control.
• Phrase your goals positively. They are, after all, meant to inspire.
• Remember to reward yourself with a carrot as you meet each goal  

We have posted our writing goals for 2017 under the Goals tab. Feel free to browse our ambition, and set your own positive, achievable goals.

~by Amanda Smith
Usually we share our best writing advice, inspire you to set goals, and help you find strategies to meet those goals. We’ll be back to that soon enough, but it is December. Snow has fallen. Trees are decorated, cookies baked, gifts wrapped, and candles lit. So grab a cup of hot chocolate and a candy cane because December is a time of…

​Reflection:
This season let’s take time to ponder our accomplishments and the goals checked off the list, our disappointments, and our triumphs in writing. Also, let’s reflect on what worked and why. Thomas Carlyle said, “The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.” Let’s look into our mirrors, acknowledge what we see, and start planning new writing goals for 2017.

 Family:
 That being said, this season is also a time for family. Let’s trust our work, our  characters, and our muse to still be there in the new year. For a few glorious  days let’s enjoy the small moments with our families – the movies, the baking,  the games, the songs, and celebrations. Let’s allow ourselves guilt-free time  away from writing so that we can soak up all the precious expressions; gleeful  laughter; teenage snark; fiercely frustrating, absolutely infuriating, delightfully  humorous family interactions. (And don’t be surprised if some of those show up  in future writing projects.)

​We look forward to a productive new year filled with goals and writing tips, but for now, from our 24 Carrot Family to yours, Happy Holidays!

~By Amanda Smith

​​November 22, 2016. For real! If your household is anything like mine, you are probably in the middle of pie making, turkey prepping, house cleaning, and all things Thanksgiving. I love this time of year. It has pie! But also, it is a time to reflect on all the good in my life, all the things that fill my heart with gratitude. And as a writer, my soul sings its very own list of writing thank yous.

I am thankful for books. Physical paper and ink books. The feeling of a book in my hands. The rustle of the pages. The dusty, inky smell. The covers. The words. The negative space. The illustrations. Thank you for books!

​I am thankful for readers of said books. For fellow book lovers. For children piled on couches, spilled on carpets, sprawled in bean bags, reading, giggling, and delighting in books.

I am thankful for writers of books and their fabulous stories, both on page and in real life. My heart overflows with gratitude for the greater writing community, for the support and education they offer. SCBWI, The Writer’s Loft, Unlikely Story, Blue Bunny Books and Toys, local libraries, online groups, workshops, craft talks, meet-ups, book clubs: Countless opportunities to grow, learn, connect, and share.

I am thankful for agents who stay up ‘till the wee hours of the night to read through thousands of queries and countless manuscripts, who represent their clients with integrity, and who generously offer advice and help. Thanks for having our backs. I am thankful for editors who are industry gatekeepers. Thank you for your passion to bring quality books to young readers. Thank you for pushing us to write our very best.

I am thankful for my writer inner-circle: My fellow 24 Carrot Writers and my critique partners. Thank you for your honesty, accountability, and faith in my writing ability when I don’t feel it. Thank you for coaxing me out of my comfort zone and inspiring me to be brave with your own stories of bravery. I am thankful for my husband who supports me on this crazy adventure, who gives me the space to follow the stories in my head, and who gently prods me when I procrastinate.

I am thankful for the lessons learned upon this road: Lessons about submissions, synopsis writing, formatting, new software. Lessons about digging deeper, setting goals, upping the ante, balance, characters, and story arcs. Lessons about my voice, my growth, and who I am.

I am thankful for creativity, imagination and STORY. For the empathy and understanding that grows through sharing stories. I am thankful for hope: the hope that our stories will help shape and grow children into healthy, compassionate, confident adults. The hope that imagination will always have its place in a pragmatic world.  The hope that one day my stories will touch a child’s heart.

At 24 Carrot Writing, we are also thankful for you!

What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving all! 

By Amanda Smith

Last Saturday five fabulous speakers and almost eighty eager writers gathered at Mount Wachusett Community College. Every year NESCBWI offers a one-day mini conference in the fall where the cream of the crop from the Spring conference present their workshops. This year, for the first time, NESCBWI offered two Encore events, to make these valuable workshops available to more writers.

Even though all the speakers’ presentations were excellent and full of practical and eye opening advice, often the most honest, most useful tidbits are shared once the presenters go off script. These bite size bits of revelation are what I would like to share with you.

Anna Staniszsewski (Power Down, Little Robot, Once Upon a Cruise) spoke about finding the emotional heart of your picture book. She urged us to ask the hard questions before we start drafting. Knowing the heart of your story will keep you on track as you write. She also reminded us not to teach a moral. “Your point will get across if you tell a good story.”

Kristine Carlson Asselin (Any Way You Slice It) gave an excellent presentation on query letters. My biggest take away from her talk is that there are rules, and ways to break them, but above all, your query letter should be professional and appropriate. Her workshop connected well with Anna’s in that as writers we have to know the heart of our story in order to pitch our work project convincingly and effectively. She summed it up with this quote by Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

With humor, music, and some boss handouts, Annie (AC) Gaughen (The Scarlet Trilogy) lead us to discover our antagonist’s story. It was a fascinating exercise to dig into my antagonist’s background, character traits and motivations. Through Annie’s guidance, I discovered that what the protagonist views as his strengths, are often his greatest weaknesses in the eyes of the antagonist. That contradiction lies at the heart of your story and exploring it builds strong conflict.

Erin Dionne (Ollie & the Science of Treasure Hunting, Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking) helped us become better critique givers and receivers. Sticking to the unwritten theme of the day, she challenged us to identify the core of our story. “What is the thing, that if you take it away, makes your story collapse?” she asked. One of her most helpful off script tips was to keep a different note book for every book you are working on. Why didn’t I think of this before? No more flipping through three different notebooks containing conference notes, and free writing, and research on multiple projects to find a hurried note scribbled down in the middle of the night. No more filling through folders with slips of paper flying everywhere. Thank you, Erin! You have changed my life!

To end our full day, Trisha Leaver(The Secrets We Keep) challenged us to bleed onto the pages, to dig deep and discover the emotion behind each action. She encouraged us to explore senses  and perceptions, and how they are colored by emotion.

Even though I have a notebook filled with advice from Encore II, my biggest take away is this: Do not underestimate the power of the writing community. I walked into that room on Saturday feeling overwhelmed by synopsis writing and the querying process, doubting the worth of my work. By listening to these presenters, and discussing ideas with my peers, and being in a room filled with creative energy, I was pulled out of my funk. Some workshops confirmed what I was doing right, others gave me the tools to go fix what I was not yet doing right, but most of all I am refocused.

I would like to urge you to get with your writing community. Find a workshop in your area, check out SCBWI’s website for regional meet-ups, have coffee with your writing group, join an online group. It will do your heart good! We cannot be lone rangers in this endeavor.

~by Amanda Smith
​On our way to school one morning, my son noticed the particularly enormous, jacked up Ford F150 in front of us. Honestly, one couldn’t miss it. The sun danced on its shimmering black body, with shiny silver decals, and its upgraded suspension revealed a dazzling chrome plated differential.

“Why do people do that?” my sensible son asked.
“Why do you think people do that?” I stalled while reaching for my sunglasses.
“Maybe to go off road?” Mr. Practical said.
“Because it looks cool,” the young idealist in the back seat chimed in. In silence we considered the brilliant black beast. As it veered to our right we pondered the larger-than-life wheels, their chrome rims happily casting sun stars in our eyes.
“Well,” said Mr. Practical, “it certainly adds interest.”

And with that he got me thinking. A pick-up truck is the ultimate utility vehicle. America’s workhorse. Full-on functionality. The contractors’ reliable staple. Like plot.

Plot is the writer’s Ford F150. It steadily carries all our tools, our characters, our story, and our devices. But just like pick-up trucks, plots can do with a little bling. So how can we add a lift-kit, decals, or some chrome plating to our writing?

• Add descriptors. A few carefully placed descriptors can clarify a character and endear that character to the reader. For example, take Louisiana Elefante from Kate DiCamillo’s RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE. The second time the reader encounters Louisiana, she has six pink bunny barrettes scattered in her hair. “I remember that girl,” I thought as I read. Those barrettes defined Louisiana better than any lengthy description ever could. They appeared throughout the story, not essential to the plot, but certainly adding interest and defining character.
• Add character traits. We all have little traits, or facial expressions, or tells. Incorporate those in your novel. Does your character play with her jewelry when she is nervous? Does he walk with his hands in his pockets? Sprinkle those traits, like carefully placed decals, throughout your narrative to help define your characters.
• Repetition, a pattern, or a chorus also add interest. In THE SEVENTH WISH Kate Messner uses the serenity prayer repeatedly, in different forms. Seeing what those words represent to different characters, brings another layer, and helps the reader embrace the end. She also uses the “word game” as a chorus, at first for comical relief, but later in the book as exposition of the characters’ thoughts and emotions.
• Revisiting themes and weaving a symbol or metaphor all the way through a novel are other ways to soup up a story.

A little goes a long way with these devices, just as with chrome, so be mindful in how you use them. Let’s subtly add interest, without causing our readers to reach for their sunglasses.

~ by Amanda Smith
​​ In writing, there are things we call “weak words”. Words that hinder more than they help. Words that are flabby and unnecessary because they contribute nothing to the writing. If you have ever written anything longer than a grocery list, you know these words well: actually, basically, obviously, really, very, quite well.  They jump into every sentence.

We are blind to our own weak words. They often escape our edits until we mindfully weed them out. Here’s the thing, though, when we get out our red pens and purposefully cross out the weak words, our narrative becomes more interesting, more convincing.

There is a weak word that has become the bee in the bonnet of 24 Carrot Writing. During our monthly follow-up meetings, the conversation often went like this:
“This month I just finished my revision, and subbed to three agents, and went to a craft chat.”
“I just wrote a new picture book manuscript and revised two others.”
“I just finished the first draft of a new novel.”
Wait. Say what?
JUST?!

We became acutely aware of how we are undermining our work and worth as writers by using that despicable word. We set our Just-o-meters to high alert and called each other out on it every time. We banned “just” from the meetings, along with his annoying twin, “only”. And we learned to celebrate each of our accomplishments, every goal met.

Recently at a writers and illustrators event my super sensitive Just-o-meter beeped off the charts.
 “I just took that one course in illustrating.”
“I just wrote one novel.”
“I’m just researching agents.”
“I just do a sketchbook challenge each day.”
“I write for just an hour in the morning, because I have to go to work.”
JUST STOP!

Practice with me:
“I wrote one novel.”
“I took a course in illustrating.”
Doesn’t that feel better? Much more affirming, right?
“I do a sketchbook challenge each day, because I am a rock star!”
“I write for an hour before I go to work, because I believe in my dream. Now hand me my superhero cape.”
Now you get it!

If you have plotted out a story, or put words to paper, or created a world, or thought up engaging characters, you have done something. If you have taken classes to learn and hone your craft, you have done something. If you have explored a new medium and made a delightful mess in your studio, even if it didn’t turn out the way you thought it would, you have done something. If you have spent a whole day chasing a story idea, only to discover at the end of the day that story isn’t yours to write, you have done something. If you have written a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, you have done something. If you have pulled that story apart in a gazillion different ways to make it better, you have done something. If you have drawn up a query letter; if you have pressed that send button; if you have boldly (quivering) sent your creation into this world, you have done something. Don’t just it. Don’t undermine it. Affirm it.
​
Mindfully weed out the flabby, weak words from your vocabulary. They don’t contribute anything, but devalue your work. In your conversations, give your work a rightful place, then others will take it seriously too. Let your narrative of your work, your passion, and your accomplishments be engaging and convincing.

​~ by Amanda Smith

Last week we focused on using basic plotting techniques to help organize scenes that were random and unconnected, like a hand full of beads. If you missed last week's post, you can find it here. What if you're done drafting, though? Does that mean you have no more use for plotting techniques? 

Writers often use note cards to block out scenes. For me the note card technique worked well after I finished my second draft. I combined the information from a mapping workshop, taught by Katie L. Caroll (Elixer Bound) and a workshop on non-sequential writing by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. (One for the Murphys, Fish in a Tree) to come up with a note card that served my purpose for revision. 

• Use one card per scene. Give a scene heading and a temporary number.
• If you have multiple narrators, write down the POV.
• Note the setting of the scene.
• Jot down the main moment/ event/ quote from that scene.
• What is the purpose of this scene. Does it develop plot or character? 
• What kind of scene is it? Action, back story, mood, flashback, character development, inciting incident, tension building, climatic scenes? What is the emotional intensity of this scene?
• Which characters are present in the scene? I color code my characters so it is easy to track them.
• The number at the top is added much later once you are happy with the final order of your scenes.

 Revision time is also a good stage to implement character interviews, another plotting technique. There are multiple character interviews online that you can tweak to meet your needs. After filling out interview questions, add descriptors and specifics to enhance characters, and check for character consistency. I found it very enlightening to also interview all secondary characters. Going back and adding the smallest of details can enrich secondary characters and make them feel like real people.
​Many authors have a treasure trove of plot development strategies on their websites. Don’t feel overwhelmed by them. Take these plotting devices and adapt them to work for you and your process. And it is a process! Use some before you start, some during drafting, and some during revisions until all your scenes are perfectly placed like beads on a string.