There are a few fundamental rules every writer should practice with diligence:
1. Know the business
Before you submit your manuscript, short story, etc., learn a little about how the industry works and what editors and agents are looking for (if you're active on Twitter, many editors and agents will post #mswl, shorthand for Manuscript Wish Lists).
Publishers, unfortunately, aren't in the business to make your dreams come true. They're in it to make money (though they'd also like to make your dreams come true in the process). If your story isn't something that they believe can bring in a profit, they'll probably decline.
But how do you get them to even look at the manuscript?
Depending on the publishing house, you need to submit a query letter (nowadays a query email), synopsis, or the entire manuscript to an acquisitions editor. For more exclusive houses, you'll need an agent to submit your story for you. To determine how and to whom you should send your story, consult a reference guide like the most recent Writer's Digest Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. It also helps to belong to a professional writing organization. When you embark on your writing career, you'll come across unfamiliar terms and situations that these two resources will be able to help you with.
Your story needs a strong hook--something that grabs the editor or agent's interest. This is also sometimes referred to as an elevator pitch. Basically, it's the part of your story that sets it apart from others in its category. For example, you might have a vampire story (of which there are many) but YOUR vampires are also Shoguns. Comp titles (already published novels similar to yours) come in handy in this situation. "It's like Twilight meets Blade of the Immortal."
You should also know what genre (fantasy, mystery, romance) and age range (picture book, middle grade, young adult) you're writing for.
2. Know your audience
YOU NEED TO READ! This is the easiest way to get into the headspace of your audience.
Kids today enjoy mysteries, fantasies, ghost stories…just like you did. But though the genres stay the same, the style of the stories has changed over the years. Graphic novels, for example, are far more popular than they once were. To fully understand and appreciate these transformations, you need to read!
Connect with your target audience by reading award winners like the ones mentioned by the American Library Association or even the bestseller's shelves at your local bookstore. Or find out what books have the longest hold lists at your library. Figure out what they can tell you about your audience. If you have time, volunteer for a story hour or sign up to be a chaperone for one of your child's field trips to gain firsthand experience. What better way is there to study how children/teenagers act and react to one another in various environments?
Reading also helps familiarize you with the voice of your target audience. What do I mean by voice? Readers have to feel as if the story is authentic, as if it's coming from someone their age, speaking in their voice or a voice that's familiar to them.
3. Know how to write
Reading lots of books will help with this, as you start to see what works and what doesn't in storytelling.
For example, you can't write stories exactly as you speak.
Bobby was really happy about going to the ballgame, but when he looked out the window it was raining cats and dogs. Bobby thought this was a bummer like the time he had wanted to go to the zoo but it had been closed. He loved going to the zoo and seeing the funny animals. Of course, his mom told him he couldn't go to the ballgame and should clean his room instead, and that's where his adventure began.
A paragraph like the one above reads poorly and is littered with novice writing mistakes (cliches, telling vs. showing). Every sentence must serve a purpose in your story, either by moving the plot forward, setting a mood, or conveying necessary information. If this story about Bobby, for example, never deals with him going to the zoo, there's no need to include those details.
4. Know yourself
This may sound contradictory to what I wrote about knowing your audience and playing to their interests, but if you don't feel comfortable writing on a particular subject or in a particular genre, then research until you do feel comfortable OR don't write about it.
Forced writing looks forced.
Yes, from time to time, a particular genre might be more popular than another, but if you hate aliens, don't try to write about them just because it's what's selling. It can be difficult enough to pull together a story on a topic you love, but pulling together a story about something you have no interest in?
Write about what you enjoy or what you'd enjoy learning about.
1. Know the business
Before you submit your manuscript, short story, etc., learn a little about how the industry works and what editors and agents are looking for (if you're active on Twitter, many editors and agents will post #mswl, shorthand for Manuscript Wish Lists).
Publishers, unfortunately, aren't in the business to make your dreams come true. They're in it to make money (though they'd also like to make your dreams come true in the process). If your story isn't something that they believe can bring in a profit, they'll probably decline.
But how do you get them to even look at the manuscript?
Depending on the publishing house, you need to submit a query letter (nowadays a query email), synopsis, or the entire manuscript to an acquisitions editor. For more exclusive houses, you'll need an agent to submit your story for you. To determine how and to whom you should send your story, consult a reference guide like the most recent Writer's Digest Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. It also helps to belong to a professional writing organization. When you embark on your writing career, you'll come across unfamiliar terms and situations that these two resources will be able to help you with.
Your story needs a strong hook--something that grabs the editor or agent's interest. This is also sometimes referred to as an elevator pitch. Basically, it's the part of your story that sets it apart from others in its category. For example, you might have a vampire story (of which there are many) but YOUR vampires are also Shoguns. Comp titles (already published novels similar to yours) come in handy in this situation. "It's like Twilight meets Blade of the Immortal."
You should also know what genre (fantasy, mystery, romance) and age range (picture book, middle grade, young adult) you're writing for.
2. Know your audience
YOU NEED TO READ! This is the easiest way to get into the headspace of your audience.
Kids today enjoy mysteries, fantasies, ghost stories…just like you did. But though the genres stay the same, the style of the stories has changed over the years. Graphic novels, for example, are far more popular than they once were. To fully understand and appreciate these transformations, you need to read!
Connect with your target audience by reading award winners like the ones mentioned by the American Library Association or even the bestseller's shelves at your local bookstore. Or find out what books have the longest hold lists at your library. Figure out what they can tell you about your audience. If you have time, volunteer for a story hour or sign up to be a chaperone for one of your child's field trips to gain firsthand experience. What better way is there to study how children/teenagers act and react to one another in various environments?
Reading also helps familiarize you with the voice of your target audience. What do I mean by voice? Readers have to feel as if the story is authentic, as if it's coming from someone their age, speaking in their voice or a voice that's familiar to them.
3. Know how to write
Reading lots of books will help with this, as you start to see what works and what doesn't in storytelling.
For example, you can't write stories exactly as you speak.
Bobby was really happy about going to the ballgame, but when he looked out the window it was raining cats and dogs. Bobby thought this was a bummer like the time he had wanted to go to the zoo but it had been closed. He loved going to the zoo and seeing the funny animals. Of course, his mom told him he couldn't go to the ballgame and should clean his room instead, and that's where his adventure began.
A paragraph like the one above reads poorly and is littered with novice writing mistakes (cliches, telling vs. showing). Every sentence must serve a purpose in your story, either by moving the plot forward, setting a mood, or conveying necessary information. If this story about Bobby, for example, never deals with him going to the zoo, there's no need to include those details.
4. Know yourself
This may sound contradictory to what I wrote about knowing your audience and playing to their interests, but if you don't feel comfortable writing on a particular subject or in a particular genre, then research until you do feel comfortable OR don't write about it.
Forced writing looks forced.
Yes, from time to time, a particular genre might be more popular than another, but if you hate aliens, don't try to write about them just because it's what's selling. It can be difficult enough to pull together a story on a topic you love, but pulling together a story about something you have no interest in?
Write about what you enjoy or what you'd enjoy learning about.