NF 4 NF Handout: Four Steps to a Stronger Manuscript

Vibrant Verbs: Books to Study

Baboons by Melissa Stewart

Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Porcupines by Judith Jango-Cohen

Sensory Details: Books to Study

Army Ant Parade by April Pulley Sayre

Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey

Up Your Nose! The Secrets of Schnozes and Snouts by Melissa Stewart

Comparisons: Books to Study
Dolphins by Melissa Stewart

If You Hopped Like a Frog by David Schwartz

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

Language Devices: Books to Study

When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart

The Story Goes On by Aileen Fischer

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre

NF for NF Handout: Got Motivation?

You’ve probably heard that the secret to completing a manuscript is as easy as BIC—Butt in Chair. But with such busy lives, it can be hard to find the time and, more importantly, the motivation to stick to the writing goals we set for ourselves. How can we make writing a top priority day after day, week after week, month after month—until our manuscript is finally done?

Here are some tips and tools to stay motivated as you pursue a writing life.

Don’t think about achieving success or being successful. Don’t compare yourself to others who you think are more successful. That kind of thinking is toxic. No one ever thinks they are successful.

It’s better to focus on motivation. Because:

1. We can control it.

2. It helps us remember that we’re on a journey.

3. It lets us know when something is wrong.

Know the Why: If you aren’t clear on why you’re doing something, it’s easy to give up. Take the time to figure out why you’re doing what you’re doing and how it benefits you, your family, and your community.

 

Motivation has three main components:

1. Focusing on your BIG dream.

2. Setting goals.

3. Staying positive.

Here's each step in greater detail:

 

1. What is your BIG dream is? Write it down. Create a vision of what you want your life to be. A vision board can help. Lots of people swear by them. 

 

I use an idea board instead of a vision board. It works better for me. It’s a place to store and keep track of ideas for future books and marketing plans. Looking at what’s up there helps me set priorities quickly.

Want to know more about my idea board? Watch this video of my nieces giving a tour of my office.

Be sure to rehearse your BIG dream. Daydream as you drift off to sleep, while in the shower, while walking the dog, etc.

2. Set 4-5 goals per year. They should be specific, achievable, and measurable. Write them down in the following format: By ____ (date), I will ______.

If you only have one or two goals, it may help to break them into smaller steps.

If you have so many goals that you feel paralyzed, you have created a to-do list, not goals. Think bigger picture and try again.

If addressing writer’s block is one of your goals, try switching to a different writing project when you feel stuck. Getting stuck is a natural part of the process, but you can stay productive if you devote your time and energy to a different project.

If you’re wondering how to prioritize your goals, listen to your heart. Which goal are you most passionate about?

 

I post my goals in the upper right-hand corner of my idea board and look at them every day. You can see my goals in the photo above. I usually write them on the back of a receipt. No reason to waste paper.

Think of your goals as an action plan.

Once you have a plan, stay the course. Every time someone asks you to do something or you have an opportunity, ask yourself: Does this serve one of my goals? Does this serve my BIG dream?

 

Find a friend to help you stay accountable. A buddy can:

—Help you set deadlines

—Act as a sounding board

—Highlight your blind spots

—Be a cheerleader

—Celebrate successes (big and small)

 

3. To stay positive:

—Surround yourself with upbeat, constructive people.

—Focus on what you can control.
—Commit to improving your mindset.

Go forth and contribute. You can make it happen.

Behind the Books: What an Informational Book ISN’T

In last week’s post, I outlined the origin and meanings of the three contradictory definitions for “informational book” that are currently is use. There is also a fourth use floating around out there, but it is without foundation.

Let’s face it. Writing engaging nonfiction isn’t easy. Because you can’t make anything up, you have to rely on the information that’s available, and sometimes the information a writer would like to include simply doesn’t exist.

It can be tempting to invent dialog or rearrange chronology a bit to improve a story arc. So tempting that some writers would love a term that justifies doing so. That’s why it’s no surprise that some people misuse the term “informational book,” thinking it is a kind of nonfiction that is based on true information but takes occasional liberties with the verifiable facts.

But this is NOT a legitimate use of the term “informational book”. NONE of the three accepted definitions make room for made-up material with the goal of strengthening a story. NONE.

If you make up anything, anything at all, you are writing fiction. Period.

So why does this mis-definition persist? There are a couple of reasons. I’ll discuss the first of them next week.

TCRWP Handout: The Power of Voice in Nonfiction Writing

Nonfiction voice options span a continuum, from lively to lyrical. Your topic and the approach you take to it will dictate the best voice choice for a particular manuscript.

What's the difference between voice and tone? Check out this blog post.

 

Some Characteristics of a Lively Nonfiction Voice

• Second person point of view
• Figurative language, including alliteration/assonance, similes and metaphors, onomatopoeia
• Sensory details
• Strong, surprising verbs
• Irresistible facts

Some Characteristics of a Lyrical Nonfiction Voice

• Figurative language, including alliteration/assonance, opposition, similes and metaphors
• Repetition
• Internal rhyme
• Strong, surprising verbs

Great Books with a Lively Voice

Works well for expository surveys and some picture-book biographies

Animal Grossapedia by Melissa Stewart

Army Ant Parade by April Pulley Sayre

A Black Hole Is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano

Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons by Sarah Levine

 

Bugged: How Insects Changed the World by Sarah Albee

Deadliest Animals by Melissa Stewart

It’s Spit-acular by Melissa Stewart

Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

Now Hear This by Melissa Stewart

Pink Is for Blobfish by Jess Keating 

 

See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman

 

What to Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley

What to Expect When You’re Expecting Larvae: A Guide for Insect Parents (and Curious Kids) by Bridget Heos

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson

 

Great Books with a Lyrical Voice

Works well for nature-themed picture books and some biographies

Ballet for Martha by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan

Beneath the Sun by Melissa Stewart

Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferari

 

Dave the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill

 

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston Hutts

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart

Frog Song by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Lightship by Brian Floca

 

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola

The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass

Step Gently Out by Helen Frost

Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan

When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre

Great Books with a Neutral Voice

Eye to Eye by Steve Jenkins

 

Frogs by Nic Bishop

Move by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

My First Day by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Neo Leo by Gene Barretta

Now & Ben by Gene Barretta

Redwoods by Jason Chin

Timeless Thomas by Gene Baretta

Disturbing Dewey: It’s a Good Thing

If you’re a book nerd and you’ve been reading my recent Wednesday posts, you might think it’s interesting that when patrons were having trouble finding novels amongst all the other literature, early twentieth-century librarians pulled them (and short story collections) out of their “proper” Dewey Decimal order and created a separate fiction section.

Yet, when librarians later began using the term “informational books” to describe everything in the nonfiction section except folktales, poetry, drama, etc., they didn’t create separate sections for the outliers. Why not have separate sections for poetry or drama or folktales?

Maybe librarians thought that would be too complicated. Or maybe, by then, the Dewey system was so established that librarians were reluctant to mess with it.

Well, they’re messing with it now. And the results are terrific.

 

In recent years, some children’s librarians have taken a close look at their nonfiction collections and done some rearranging to better serve the needs of their young, curious patrons.

For example, Judi Paradis, the fantastic teacher-librarian at Plympton Elementary School in Waltham, MA, has rearranged her collection so that students interested in mummies, U.S. states, and outer space can find the full range of books on each of these topics more easily.

Judi noticed that most books about outer space have Dewey Decimal numbers between 520 and 525. But rockets are at 629. Since children interested in planets might also want to know more about rockets, Judi now shelves books about rockets at 520.

Most books about mummies have Dewey Decimal numbers in the 360s, but Egyptian mummies are in the 930s. Judi decided to shelve all the mummy books in the 930s and doesn't worry about the South American mummies getting upset.

I think these are great changes and would encourage more children’s librarians to take a close look at their collections and consider moving books to places where curious young mind can find them most easily.

Behind the Books: What Does "Informational Book" Really Mean?

There are three contradictory definitions floating around, and they are causing a lot of confusion.

Since 1970 or so, the librarian community has used the term “informational books” to describe everything in the nonfiction section except poetry, drama, and folktales.

Beginning in the 1980s and solidified in 2000 by a landmark paper by Nell Duke, the literacy education community has used the term “informational books” to describe a narrow subset of nonfiction books that present information about science, history, and other content areas. According to this definition, informational books do not include biography, how-to descriptions, or any kind of narrative writing. This definition is roughly equivalent to the more useful term “expository nonfiction.”

In 2010, the Common Core State Standards introduced a third definition that is much broader. It includes all narrative and expository nonfiction books plus reference books, directions, forms, maps, persuasive essays, etc.

In my opinion, if a term doesn’t have a standard, universal definition, then it’s useless. That’s why I avoid using “informational book.” I just use "nonfiction."

 

And yet, it seems like the confusing term is here to stay, so it’s important to know all its possible meanings.

A Sneak Peek

Wow, wow, wow! I’m so excited to share a sneak peek of the upcoming book Can an Aardvark Bark?, illustrated by the uber-talented Steve Jenkins (Beach Lane Books, Summer 2017). It’s a fun, interactive look at all the amazing ways animals use sounds to communicate.

Here’s the title page:

 

And here’s a sketch and final art for one of the pages:

I can hardly wait to hold a copy in my hands.