Gwen Neiman Levy’s Student/Writer Success Story + Book Giveaway!

 Oh, how Time flies when we’re realizing our Dreams!

You first met Gwen Neiman Levy, the star of today’s Student Success Story, here, in my March, 2020 post, when I lauded her determination for pursuing her Dream to write and publish a picture book about 2 BFFFs – 2 Best Feathered Friends Forever.

The true story of two unlikely friends, a Duck and a Turkey, had been living inside her head, her heart and her computer for more years than she could count.

Fast-forward 2 ½ years to today’s post celebrating the September release of Gwen’s timely picture book What the Cluck? (SimonSawyerPublishers), beautifully illustrated by Anna Curry.

Gwen knew: she was publishing this story!  There was truly no stopping her!

Throughout the time Gwen and I worked together, first in class, then next independently, her steadfastness to her Dream, no matter the obstacles, kept me leaping and keepin’ on.

I’m certain reading her Writer’s story will inspire you to do the same.

As for the story she wrote and published? Just enter our Book Giveaway at the end of this post to win your very own copy of What the Cluck?

Though it might sound tongue-in-cheek, I applaud Gwen’s pluck pursuing her Dream to publish a story about two feathered friends.

We all know how stultifying it is to begin at Step One in pursuit of any endeavor, artistic or not.

Yet Gwen continued forward, first learning her craft, honing her craft, fine-tuning her story, readying her story for readers, only to then need to learn  - as well as - conquer the ins and out of independent book publishing.

Again, and fortunately, there was truly no stopping her.

Take heart from Gwen’s story, as well as that of Myles’ and Sophie’s.  Then be sure to enter our Book Giveaway of Gwen’s debut picture book What the Cluck?

Oh, and thanks to our former TeachingAuthor Laura Purdie Salas for hosting today’s Poetry Friday at Small Readers for Brighter Days.  

Happy Dream Pursuing!

Esther Hershenhorn

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Readers will be happy to learn: there's a REAL Sophie and Myles! Please share how this story came to be.

The inspiration for What the Cluck? began with my fascination watching a friendship grow between a duck and a turkey on a small farm in Sawyer, Michigan.  My children and I visited the farm on weekends so they could come to know life on the farm.  Isobella, Myles and Sophie are the names of my beloved grandchildren.

Why do you think this "unlikely friendship" story is especially relevant today?

What the Cluck? tells a story about inclusion, acceptance, befriending those who are different - all necessary mind-sets for today's children in a world filled with uncertainty and prejudices.  I personally know that lessons of inclusion can begin at an early age.  Rogers and Hammerstein wrote "South Pacific" in 1949.  Both the song "You Have to Be Carefully Taught" and the musical received scrutiny for addressing the subject of relationships between difference races and ethnic groups.  I was 10 years old when I first heard the song. I am now 82 and certainly not enough progress has been made in the last 72 years.  However, we must not lose hope.  I know we will have peace and harmony some day.

YOU are new to writing for children. Yet you chose one of the most challenging formats to master - the Picture Book. What were some of your biggest challenges in telling this story to young readers?

When I began seriously working on the story that had sat unfinished in my computer for several years, I knew absolutely not one single thing about the world of authors, illustrators, publishers, book designers, website designers, public relations - and - writing.  All I knew was: I needed help!

Then...Esther Hershenhorn came into my life! I took her one-night-only class at the University of Chicago's Graham School's Writer's Studio and realized I'd found the person to help me finish my story.

Once the manuscript was ready for publication, I faced the challenge of putting together a team to help me independently publish the book.  When Anna finished her illustrations, TLC Book Design helped me put the book together so it was ready for printing.

Though a picture book is 50% words + 50% illustrations, the two elements miraculously total 150%. Please share how you discovered Anna Curry and how you worked with her as she brought Myles and Sophie and your story to the page.

Midway through the process I decided to change illustrators. I spent hours on the computer surfing the net. I must have looked at the portfolios of a thousand illustrators.  Finally, I narrowed my choice to two, then decided on Anna, who is represented by Shannon and Associates in New York.

Anna grew up on a farm in northern England and still resides on a farm.  She was the perfect illustrator to capture the essence and spirit of my characters.  She does not computer-generate her images.  All of her work is original and hand painted.  Each character is unique and expressive.

The long distance between us created delays and many emails suggesting additions and corrections.  But we worked well together, sharing ZOOM calls with my TLC team.

The final paintings are just wonderful.  They bring life to my words.

You worked non-stop, 24/7 to realize your Dream of bringing What the Cluck? to the hands and hearts of readers.  What Joys have you experienced, both expected and unexpected?

I feel such joy because I made my Dream come true! I published my children's book! Being 82 was a challenge. I needed to learn additional computer skills to communicate with my team members.  But I did it!

I realize now that if you have an idea and you are determined to develop it, your age doesn't matter.  You can do it!  It takes patience, concentration, research, finances and the love for what you are creating, whatever that art form.

I've received unexpected joy from my family's and friends' compliments and support.  When they say they are proud of me and my accomplishment, I tell them I am proud of me too!

And now that I know how to write a picture book and publish it independently, I am ready to write and publish Book Number Two!

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YAY! It's time to enter our Book Giveaway drawing! Use the Rafflecopter widget below.  You may enter via 1, 2, or all 3 options. (Note: if the widget doesn't appear, click on the link at the end of this post that says "a Rafflecopter giveaway" to enter)

If you choose option 2, you MUST leave a comment on TODAY’S blog post or on our TeachingAuthors Facebook page.  If you haven’t already “liked” our Facebook page, please do so today!

If you prefer,, you may submit your comment via email to: teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com.

Note: if you submit your comments via email or Facebook, YOU MUST STILL ENTER THE DRAWING VIA RAFFLECOPTER BELOW.  The giveaway ends October 1, 2021 and is open to US. Residents only.

If you’ve never entered a Rafflecopter giveaway, here’s info on how to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway and the difference between signing in with Facebook vs. with an email address.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday Writing Workout: How to Fantastically Capture Your Historical Novel's Spirit in Four Easy Steps!

In 87 lifetimes I could never come to know the terrific and talented writers from all walks of life my teaching and coaching continue to bring me.
Teachers and librarians, of course.  Journalists. Booksellers.  Performance artists.  Actors and actresses.  Doctors. Lawyers. A tribal chief!  Environmentalists.  Venture capitalists. Activists. Politicians.  Entrepreneurs.  Inventors.  Technological wizards.  Cartoonists. Fine artists.  Print makers. Graphic designers.  A cosmetologist. And oh, several members of the clergy, including a Franciscan monk.
But never had I worked with a tried-and-true Egyptologist, especially one who was scaffolding her time-travel middle grade series on the Armarna Period whilst featuring a biracial boy from Chicago’s South Side!
Lucky me. 😊
And, now lucky you, because that Egyptologist is none other than Malayna Evans, the debut author of JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH (Month9Books) and the generous creator of today’s Wednesday Writing Workout.
If Malayna learned anything as she wrote – and rewrote – Book One in her series, it was how to fantastically capture the spirit of an historical period in the telling of a story.

And what a story!
“Jagger Jones is a whiz kid from Chicago's South Side. Ask him anything about Ancient Egypt, and Jagger can fill hours describing all that he knows. But when he and his precocious little sister Aria fall more than three thousand years back in time to the court of Amarna, Egypt, Jagger discovers a truth that rocks his world: books don't teach you everything there is to know. Mummies, pyramids, and cool hieroglyphics make awesome movie props, but the ancient court of Amarna is full of over-sized scorpions, magical amulets, and evil deities determined to scare unwanted visitors away. If Jagger and Aria are to return safely home, they must find nine soul-infested gemstones, defeat an evil general, save the royal family, and figure out how to rescue themselves! Armed only with Jagger's knowledge of history and a few modern objects mined from his pockets and Aria's sparkly purse, the siblings have exactly one week to solve supernatural riddles and rescue the royal family. If they can pull it off, Jagger Jones just might return to Chicago a hero.”

A Utah native, Malayna now lives in Oak Park, Illinois.  She earned MA degrees in Greek and Roman history and the history of the ancient Near East before earning her Ph.D. in Egyptian history from the University of Chicago.  Along the way she created two children – whom she considers her real accomplishment – and started a marketing company she still runs today.  She’s represented by Liza Fleissig of the Liza Royce Agency and blogs with fellow debut children’s book creators at On the Scene in 19.

Malayna indeed succeeded in capturing the spirit of the Armarna Period in this heart-stopping time-travel adventure, but she also infused a whole lot of her own singular positive Spirit – with a deserved capital “S” – into the telling, and IMHO – that’s why JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH truly succeeds.

Thank you, Malayna, for sharing your writing adventure as well as your story and your smarts with our TeachingAuthors readers!

I wish you - and our readers, too - ankh, wedja, seneb.

Happy Spirit Capturing!

Esther Hershenhorn
P.S.
Don't forget to enter our Book Giveaway of Gwendolyn Hooks' ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS!

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HOW TO FANTASTICALLY CAPTURE YOUR HISTORICAL NOVEL'S SPIRIT IN FOUR EASY STEPS!

One thing I learned during the many years it took me to earn my Ph.D. in ancient Egyptian history, was how to be pedantic. So when my nine-year-old son suggested I write a book about a biracial kid like him lost in ancient Egypt, I brought my full knowledge of the ancient world to the task. And I ended up with … a snoozer!

No, really. It was dull, dreary, boring! There might be a middle grade reader out there somewhere who would have found my esoteric theories on Amarna Period genealogy thoughtful. But let’s be honest, probably not.

Fortunately, in addition to knowing how to be pedantic, I’ve also learned how to take advice. So when TeachingAuthors' own Esther Hershenhorn suggested I highlight all the history in my book yellow, then edit some of the unnecessary bits out, well, let’s just say version one might as well have been printed on yellow paper.

In the end, that first manuscript landed in the trashcan and very little of it survives in the book’s final form. Don’t get me wrong: there’s still an awful lot of history in the series. The magic spells are based on real spells, most of the people are historically attested, the places and setting details are real, and the artifacts, which are the heart of my story, can be found in museums across the globe. Even the plot was influenced by real upheavals of the time, as well as a specific tomb I’m partial to. History was the scaffolding I hung my story on.

But rather than lose myself in small historical details, on my second attempt, I focused on the fantasy, the story, and the spirit of ancient Egypt. Okay yeah, spirit is a pretty loose concept. So what do I mean by it? Well, I mean I tried to capture the vibe of ancient Egypt in big and small and, above all, well-integrated ways.

To capture the spirit in a big way, I needed a theme that would resonate authentically with an ancient Egyptian worldview. And I wanted something big, something like … the meaning of life itself. So I turned to an old blessing: ankh, wedja, seneb, which means (may you have) life, prosperity and health. Book one of the three book series tackles ancient notions of life, contrasting them with modern notions. That’s a wordy way to say I took the old boy-saves-princess storyline and aligned it with the spirit of ancient Egypt. So it’s not the princess’s life Jagger must save, but her afterlife. (Cue spooky music here.) Meanwhile, our South Side Chicago heroes are fighting for their own survival. (Books two and three similarly juxtapose ancient and modern notions of prosperity and health respectively.)

I also crafted a series of fantastical challenges based on things your average ancient Egyptian might have had nightmares about. Then, I amped those scary things up to fantasy level. So, for example, throughout the series, my brother-sister duo face over-sized scorpions, an obstinate sphinx, a mummy army, angry baboons, animated temple statues, a gravity-defying Nile, and the ultimate bad guy, an evil sun god. Every time I threw a problem at my main characters, I worked to ensure it was tethered to ancient beliefs. And then I let my characters combine ancient artifacts and magic with modern objects, Jagger’s book smarts, and Aria’s street smarts to problem solve.

On a micro level, I captured the spirit by weaving in various aspects of daily life that strike me as uniquely ancient Egyptian. Some of this was as easy as having my American kids learn to play a popular board game or sleep on the wooden headrests ancient Egyptians used as pillows. But I wanted to dig deeper. I wanted to incorporate aspects of ancient life that could really trigger the senses.

Anyone who has spent as much time studying ancient Egypt as I have will tell you it must have been a very smelly place. Yes, the world is fully of smelly places. But one senses the ancient Egyptians took their smells extra seriously. Scents show up in texts, poetry, and images. Pictures of women with lumps on their heads, for example, are believed to portray scented wax hats that would melt throughout the hot day and keep the wearer smelling yummy.

Unlike Jagger and his little sister Aria, I can’t travel back to the place and time that fascinates me so much and enjoy the sounds and smells. But as a storyteller, I can assign smells I associate with ancient Egypt to magic spells cast by my magician characters. As an historian, I’m pretty sure you can’t ward off giant crocodiles with gum from a little girl's purse and the scent of lotus blossoms, which is exactly why I eventually let Storyteller Malayna take the wheel.

You ready to try integrating history into your story? Okay, let’s do this.

1. First, get out your favorite highlighters and pens. Try reading through your WIP, highlighting all the bits of history in one color. If those bits are unnecessary for your story, underline them as well. Now take the fabulous Coco Chanel’s advice and “take one thing off" and lose most of the bits that are both highlighted and underlined. Consider limiting the number of unnecessary historical details to something like three or four sentences per chapter, max.

Good start. But what to do about all that highlighted history that is necessary? Well, here are a few exercises that might help you better integrate those bits.

2. Think about your story’s theme. Now think about the period in time your story is set in. How would a person in that time-frame think about the theme? Are you sure the theme would resonate for your characters the same way it does for you? If not, there might be an opportunity to level up there.
3. Make a long list of artifacts from the period. Think about how they functioned, either in reality, or, if your story is fantasy, in theory. Can any of those artifacts help propel your plot forward? Employing objects in challenges, solutions, and plot twists can be a fun way to merge the history with the plot.
4. Finally, make a list of things people from your period would fear on the left side of a wall or oversized paper. On the right side, write out the challenges your characters face. Are the things on the right side also on the left? If not, consider choosing challenges that are more authentic to the period by throwing some left-side terrors in your protagonist’s path.

In the end, the thing I’m most proud of with this book is the integration of real history into an over-the-top, fantastical hero tale. My greatest hope for the series is that readers will get lost in the adventure … and barely notice all the history they soak up on the way.

WEDNESDAY WRITING WORKOUT: FACT vs. FICTION

Meet my long-ago writer and debut middle grade novelist Naomi Milliner of Olney, Maryland, the creator of today’s WEDNESDAY WRITING WORKOUT!

Naomi’s talent was a given.  Her stories were her stories, but they were stories that would resound in young readers’ hearts, stories that could make a difference.  Running Press and her agent Liza Fleissig obviously agreed!  On May 7, Running Press released SUPER JAKE & THE KING OF CHAOS, and to stellar reviews.

I first met this novel’s magician-Hero Ethan in an earlier incarnation in a very early draft. Much of course has changed in the plot since we first worked together. Fortunately for readers, however, the story’s heart remains the same, thanks to Naomi’s real-life experiences with her young son who had Cerebellar hypoplasia, a rare condition that causes a baby’s cerebellum to be smaller than usual or missing, and her willingness to lovingly share those experiences.  Fact vs. fiction? Naomi knows that writer dilemma first-hand.

Running Press' catalogue copy says it all: “A debut contemporary novel about 11-year-old aspiring magician Ethan, who discovers that heroes come in all sizes, and real magic can be found in the most unexpected places.” Love and hope, it turns out, may be the best magic of all.

In a starred review, Booklist described SUPER JAKE & THE KING OF CHAOS as “…charming, heartwarming….funny…moving.”
SLJ agreed.  “A strong family story for realistic middle grade fiction shelves.”
The Kirkus reviewer lauded the book. “The Millers' love for one another radiates throughout Ethan's witty, introspective narration. Jake is never a burden; his family members include him in fun activities and everyday life as best they can.... A warm, hopeful debut.”

Oh, to be teaching fifth grade again, so I could gift my students with Ethan’s authentically-told story.

IMHO: SUPER JAKE is also ripe for consideration by ALA’s Schneider Family Award Committee.

Just as Ethan’s hard work and patience pay off in this novel, Naomi’s hard work and patience have done the same.
Read Alex Villasante’s interview with Naomi at the Love Your Shelf Class2k19Books blog to learn just how many years Naomi stayed on task so Ethan could be in the world today.
Her debut novel’s success proves the truth of the cross-stitched motto that hangs in her living room: “Dreams have no expiration date.”
I’m sure Naomi’s character Daisy McKay, hopefully the star of her next novel, agrees. 😊

Naomi also blogs at BOOKS, BROTHERS, AND BUTTERFLIES.

Thank you, Naomi, for gifting the world with SUPER JAKE & THE KING OF CHAOS – and – for gifting our TeachingAuthors readers with today’s Wednesday Writing Workout.

Happy Wednesday Writing!

Esther Hershenhorn

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FACT vs. FICTION

     My debut middle grade novel, SUPER JAKE & THE KING OF CHAOS, is about an 11-year-old magician named Ethan and his family, including his youngest brother Jake, who has special needs. Because Super Jake is inspired by my own family, a lot of the characters and events are real. However, it is a work of fiction, not a memoir.
I worked on this book for many years, and with every new draft, two things happened: there were more and more made-up characters and events – and - the book became stronger as a result. Fictionalizing the facts made for a much stronger story!
Try it yourself!

Think of a real event you experienced – something recent, not necessarily anything remarkable.

Write about it, describe it, in a few paragraphs, just as it happened, exactly as it unfolded.
Be sure to include REAL people, AUTHENTIC dialogue and a SETTING you know well. Include lots of concrete details.

Next, REWRITE the paragraphs changing any of the key elements – the people, the dialogue, the setting.

Decide:

What impact did the changes make? Did they add humor? Suspense? Fantasy?
Which version do you prefer and why?

Now try this exercise with another person or group of persons who shared an experience with you.
Describe the REAL story as it unfolded.
Then take turns changing the key elements – the people, the dialogue, the setting.

Sounds of Summer...

For the next few weeks we Teaching Authors are exploring how the summer season might affect our writing, work plans and/or schedule.
We’re also offering readers the opportunity to win an autographed copy of Patricia Karwatowicz’s HP? WHO’S HE? Be sure to read the details at the end of this post.
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I’m proud to say, I spend my days - and often nights - growing writers, seeding and feeding human beings who want to tell their stories to children.
Like farming, it’s a four-season endeavor, not to mention, fortunately, a labor of love.

Often while planting and fertilizing, each crop’s possibilities have me pinching myself.
Canadian writer Brian Brett wrote, “Farming is a profession of hope.”
Writing for children is one in the same.  Indeed, isn’t the offering of hope what defines a children’s book?
(My own writing, when I find or finally make the time, can be similarly described.) 😊

So,
this summer,
I’ve simply kept on keepin’ on. I’ve turned page after page to feed myself the newest books - sighing, laughing, crying and ah-ing whilst watering and sunning my writers 'til the cows come home.
As always, I continue to LOUDLY thank the Universe, for my writers as well as for my teaching opportunities – specifically, this summer’s Advanced Picture Book Workshop at Chicago’s Newberry Library, the one-week July Manuscript Workshop in Landgrove, Vermont and my current participation in Judson University’s Doctor of Education in Literacy program.

I’d decided last December to mainly utilize children’s books published in 2018 in my teaching and coaching throughout this year.  Showcasing the marketplace is always a plus. Writers need to know the books being published.  Writers also need to know, though, publishing happens.  Debut authors offer pure Inspiration.

Let’s hear it for these rich resources that continue to help me feed my writers:

• Epic Eighteen Authors and Illustrators
• The Electric Eighteens (debut mg and ya authors)
• Kids Indy Next Lists (seasonal)
• The Nerdy Book Club
• Mr. Schu Reads (Twitter)
• ALA Booklist (Twitter)
• PW’s Children’s Book Issues/Children’s Bookshelf

And let’s hear it, too, for my Chicago Public Library’s budget and reserve system that placed each season’s books in my welcoming hands.

Finally, that sound you hear is me enthusiastically applauding Juana Martinez-Neal, Lindsey Stoddard and Adrienne Kisner, authors respectively of these three debut cream of the crop 2018 books – the picture book ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME (Candlewick Press), the middle grade novel JUST LIKE JACKIE (HarperCollins) and the YA novel DEAR RACHEL MADDOW (Feiwel and Friends).  Their characters – Alma, Robbie and Brynn - opened my heart and their stellar craft opened my eyes, enabling me to further fortify my writers and students.

Hands together clappin’ and Happy Growin’- all-year-long!

Oh, and be sure to click HERE to enter our Book Giveaway of Patricia Karwatowicz’s HP? WHO’S HE? Today’s the last day!

Thanks to Mary Lee and Franki at A Year of Reading for hosting today’s Poetry Friday AND helping me feed my writers.

Esther Hershenhorn

P.S.
Here’s a photo of Epic Eighteen debut picture book author Christy Mihaly sharing her Holiday House picture book HEY! HEY! HAY! with 3 of my Vermont Manuscript Workshop writers (from left to right Laurie Stein, Nancy Ramsey, Christy, me, Cheryl Sullivan) this July.

Kate Hannigan's Story-Building Recipe: Today's Wednesday Writing Workout

Today’s Wednesday Writing Workout on how to turn an idea into a satisfying story was cooked up by Chicago debut novelist Kate Hannigan.  The timing is perfect: Kate’s CUPCAKE COUSINS (Disney-Hyperion) releases this Friday, May 9, with an official 2:30 pm cupcakes-included launch at 57^th Street Books in Hyde Park in Chicago, if anyone’s in the area (1301 E. 57^th St.) J

Kate also blogs at Author Of, interviewing fellow authors of books for young readers of all ages.

Illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes, CUPCAKE COUSINS tells the story of almost-10-year-old cousins Willow and Delia who have been asked to be flower girls and wear bright pink dresses for their aunt’s upcoming wedding.  But the cousins would much rather don white aprons and be flour girls, whipping up some culinary magic to share with their entire family.  Scrumptious recipes for whoopee pies, peach pancakes and other tasty treats are included.

Kate’s next release is in April 2015: THE DETECTIVE’S ASSISTANT (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), an historical fiction middle grade novel.

Kate also co-authored with Karen Duncan the community service book THE GOOD FUN! BOOK (Blue Marlin) which offers 12 months of parties kids can throw to help their communities and the world.

Thanks to Kate, for sharing her writer’s recipe for story-building with our TeachingAuthors readers. Her tips are write-on!

Finally I can say, what I knew I'd say some day,

having had the honor of working with Kate on earlier manuscripts:

Hurrah! Hooray! 

Kate's on her way!

Esther Hershenhorn

PS: Reminder from Carmela: If you haven't entered our current giveaway yet, when you're done reading Kate's terrific WWW, be sure to check out Jill Esbaum's post about her most recent publication, Angry Birds Playground: Rain Forest (National Geographic Books), and enter for a chance to win your own autographed copy. 

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Kate Hannigan’s WWW

A hot mess.

Whenever I’m just starting out with an idea, but it’s got no shape or clear direction, I call it a hot mess. It’s a bubbling stew of characters and plot twists and good intentions. But it’s definitely not a story yet.

So how do we take a hot mess of a book idea and turn it into an actual manuscript?

Lots of writers have ideas and techniques that work: You can find sites that offer up tools for outlining or worksheets or even fancy methods with clever names. But you also might benefit from a simpler, broad-based sketch. You’ll know what works best for you as you try them out.

I have a few exercises that help me move from brain hiccups to first drafts, and I’ll share them here. They involve distilling ideas to their essence, literally sketching out the story arcs with little arrows and rainbow curves, and old-school outlining.

When I came up with the idea for Cupcake Cousins, I was driving on the highway between Chicago and Western Michigan, where the book is set, and letting my mind wander. But it wasn’t until I had quiet time to put pencil to paper that I could begin to see an actual story take shape.

You’ll hear plenty of naysayers who distrust the notion of outlining. “It’s too confining,” they complain. “I like to let my characters take me wherever they’re going,” they declare. Sure, but remember that those are the kind of people who run with scissors, who leave the house without a hat and eat high-cholesterol dinners.

Let ’em partake in such risky behavior. Because as they’re enjoying the wind-in-the-hair rush of chasing their unruly characters, you’ll be too busy getting yours lovelies from Point A to Point Z to pay them any notice. And before long, you’ll have a solid first draft of a manuscript while they’re still lost on a literary back road.

I’m a Type A person trapped in a Type B body, so you won’t hear me advocating for a rigid outlining regimen. But I will say that distilling, sketching, and outlining saved me and my stories. And I won’t begin a project without first coming up with the wire hanger on which to hang my story.

Here’s a simple three-part exercise I do when I want to get my middle-grade story started, moving from hot mess of an idea to tangible first draft in hand.

1. Start with one sentence. Distill your book into one simple sentence. Two cousins are tired of being treated like babies, so they try to prove themselves through amazing feats of baking. This helps you focus in on the essence of your book. And simple language can be repeated: imagine your potential book editor walking down the hall to another cubicle and pitching your one-sentence summary to her neighbor.

2. Sketch out your story arcs. Seriously, grab a paper and pencil and start drawing curvy arcs. What does your main character learn over the long journey of your book? She starts out at Point A as what kind of person? And where is she at the story’s end? What about sub-characters? What do they want? How are they changed?

If you’re a visual learner like me, you might benefit from seeing the way these story arcs rise and fall. And if you are setting up a lot of story threads, these sketches can help you make sure when and where you’re going to tie them off.

3. Flesh out your idea with an outline. Going from one-sentence summary to 30,000-word novel is an overwhelming notion. If you’re like me, you might get completely flummoxed at this point and bail on your project entirely. Don’t. Instead, create a simple outline of the book.

And start by giving yourself some parameters, like word count. Early middle-grade books tend to hit about the same length. Let’s say you’re shooting for 28,000 words. Divide that total over 10 chapters, and you’re looking at writing 2, 800 words for each chapter. That’s a manageable target, right? Now you have a daily writing goal.

But what do you want to say? Before you begin doing the writing, you have to do some heavy lifting – think of it as arranging the furniture. What are the 10 touch points you want to hit on in your book? Build your outline by writing down a quick one- or two-sentence summary of what needs to happen in each chapter as you move from the story’s beginning to end.

Chapter 1: Willow stares at the ugly flower girl dress and determines she won’t wear it for the wedding. She and Delia can’t wait to get into the kitchen so they can cook their way out of these dreadful gowns.

Chapter 2: Cat the new caterer appears in the kitchen, and she’s intimidating. But Willow and Delia aren’t convinced Cat knows how to make things as good as they do, so they “fix” her lemonade. The results are disastrous.

And so on.

Be flexible. Say you decide your chapters are too long for the pace you’re setting. So instead of 10 chapters of roughly 2,800 words each, you’re going to write about 20 chapters with 1,400 words per chapter and zip right along.

Go back to your original outline and divide each chapter idea in half:

Chapter 1: Willow stares at hideous pink dress and determines she won’t wear it for the wedding. Family heads off for vacation in Michigan with Willow feeling frustrated.

Chapter 2: Willow and Delia meet up, extended family too. Aunt Rosie is crazy for the pink dresses while Willow and Delia are plotting NOT to wear them. They race off to the kitchen together, where they believe their true talents can flourish.

Chapter 3: Inside the kitchen. The girls hear the screen door open, and they meet the new caterer, Cat. She poses a threat to their plan for cooking their way out of the ugly dresses.

            Chapter 4: The cousins tinker with Cat’s lemonade to disastrous results, getting    
            them off on the wrong foot with her and ousted from her kitchen.

And so on.

Outline as roadmap. Creating a reliable, functional outline doesn’t have to lock you in. There is still the freedom to let your creative voice take you places. But it does help you stay focused on your destination. While we might enjoy a Sunday drive in the country, we eventually need to get to where we’re going, right? Let the outline serve as your roadmap.

Flesh out your ideas even more with each pass. As you refine your outline, flesh out the ideas for each chapter in greater and greater detail, making sure to pace out the tension and conflict as you go. With each pass, your outline details should grow from just a few sentences into a few longer paragraphs.

Almost writing itself. When it comes time to sit down and begin writing your manuscript, you’ll might be surprised how clearly focused your story is. The book could almost right itself! Okay, that’s not true, but you are in good shape because of your outline. You can see where your action peaks and where you provide the reader a rest. You can see where you’ve laid in turning points and tension, and where you’ve set up and then resolved the conflict.

Outline into manuscript. As you keep refining your outline and begin the writing process that makes the chapters hang together, you’ll see your great idea transform into a real story. And that story will soon take the shape of a solid, working draft.

And from there, you can just imagine the book it will soon become. You’re off and running! But not with scissors; you’re too smart for that.