OPEN LETTER TO A HOPEFUL WRITER

A few days ago, my email delivered a brief letter from a casual friend along with an attached picture book manuscript. The letter said my friend would understand if I declared the story to be hopeless. Should I pronounce it the greatest thing since sliced bread, though, that would be terrific.

In the story, a character—let’s call it a raindrop—feels alone and unloved because it doesn’t look exactly like the others. Finally, another raindrop points out that the lonely one sparkles even more brightly, so brightly the others hesitate to approach. Suddenly all the others crowd around wanting to become friends. The author concludes that everyone is special.

Many published writers understandably refuse to read unpublished manuscripts for fear of inadvertently using a kernel of an idea from one in their own future work—or of seeming to do so. In the long run, who am I to declare a manuscript either sliced bread or trash? Exceptions prove the rule and occasionally a book is published and even acclaimed while I reread it saying, “What?”

I’ll turn my friend toward www.scbwi.org and other helpful websites. For the rest of you, here is an open letter to:

Dear Hopeful Writer,

Congratulations on your tenacity in finishing your story and your courage in sending it out to be critiqued. Writing is a difficult business that seems to become more difficult by the year. With technology changing rapidly in the field of entertainment, today’s reader has an abundance of choices. Even very young children (lamentably, I think) watch hours of TV. Surprisingly young children are adept at using computers.

For all of us, television offers myriad channels. Movies on DVD bring absorbing stories into our home. Computer gaming, both solo and online can take over a life, not to mention the time one can spend delving through a variety of blogs and other intriguing websites. The Japanese animation style of cartoon books called manga may be changing the book industry. And if our eyesight is tiring, we can listen to audio books. The demand for the entertainment dollar goes on and on—for even the very young.

All of this is my way of reminding you that criticism and rejection are not to be taken personally. Breaking in to today’s publishing world is not easy. Even those who are published often find it hard to sell a second or third book. So, while your book may feel like a part of you, please remember that it is not you. Criticism and rejection are not directed at the author, but at a manuscript which may not be strong enough for today’s book industry.

You’ve asked me to read your picture book. Here are my impressions.

Theme. You’ve selected a theme well loved and well used for generations, that of an anthropomorphic being feeling different and unloved. For this often told story to appeal today, the story must sparkle. It must be different.

It’s not enough to say the story character is not like the others and must come to terms with the difference. The story must show how the character’s very difference proves valuable to the others. Rudolf was appreciated when he used his red nose to guide Santa’s sleigh through the fog. In Elizabeth Spires’ more contemporary THE BIG MEOW, a noisy kitten is shunned until her big meow scares off an attacking dog. In an even newer story, COCK-A-DOODLE-HOOOOOOO! By Mick Manning, little Owl tries to be the rooster the hens expect but saves the day by reverting to his true self, a rat-catching owl.

Take a closer look at your story. Does the character’s difference solve a problem? I’m afraid in this case, another character simply points out that the hero is different only in that he’s prettier than the others. Nothing is risked. Nothing is solved. Nothing is gained. Suddenly, everyone becomes friends simply because now they all understand that every raindrop is special. A nice concept, but you have not turned it into a story.

Be careful of an all too common error among new authors writing for very young children. The last line: “Just as all of you are special” brings the author onstage to point out to the young listeners that there is a moral to this story. Let the kids figure that out. Or if need be, allow the person reading the story to guide the child to this conclusion.

Plot. Characters must be motivated. Why does this raindrop feel unloved? Why, when he is actually prettier, does he feel less than the others? Has someone said as much? Has something happened to discourage him? How does he know the others don’t like him? Has he made an effort to make friends and been turned away? In this story, the character just feels unloved until someone points out that he has no reason to feel that way and suddenly, all the others gather around wanting to be friends. We need to see the problem happening. Let us identify with the unloved character and root for him to work things out. And then let us celebrate his happy and satisfying ending.

Remember, a character must want something. Then he must do something about it, something that will probably make the problem worse. That forces him to try something else until at last, he succeeds in solving his problem and in so doing, learns a bit about himself and life.

You have a fresh idea in that the rest of us are often shy about approaching those perceived as “stars.” In that case, your raindrop must perform some action to show that he is as much one of the crowd as everyone else. A possible theme might be: To make friends, you must be a friend.

As an example of using a difference to solve a problem: in this story the other raindrops stay away because the main character is prettier. Suppose the sparkle that makes this raindrop special creates a glare that scares away a thirsty bird? This would happen after the raindrop has been shunned by the others and made unsuccessful efforts to win their friendship.

Illustrations. An editor won’t expect or want you to provide illustrations (unless you are a professional illustrator), but in writing for children and especially for picture books, your story must offer a number of varied possibilities. In this story of characters talking, I see just one picture possibility. Just one. True, an artist might add landscape changes as the raindrops fall, but as far as the characters are concerned, there is no action to illustrate.

To recap, characters must be motivated. The hero must want something and set out to achieve his/her goal. A story must have a plot with a beginning, middle and end. The character must gain his goal through his own action. (Not because another character points out his mistake).

I strongly urge you to study published picture books. Try to see why they work. How is your story like these others? How is it different? Does it bring something new to readers?

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators offers an abundance of helpful information including current market needs. You’ll find their website at www.scbwi.com. Above all, if you really love this work, don’t let anything discourage you. Keep writing

I would love to hear your feelings on this subject or on any other aspect of writing for children. Questions? Thoughts you’d care to share? Feel free to email me at shirleyp@softcom.net. My child and inner-child friendly website is now up at www.shirleyparenteau.com. “Hop on in” for a visit.