In addition to being a loving father and husband, Aaron Gansky is an award-winning novelist, teacher, and podcast host. In 2009, he earned his M.F.A in Fiction at the prestigious Antioch University of Los Angeles, one of the top five low-residency writing schools in the nation. Prior to that, he attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from California State University of San Bernardino, where he studied, in part, under Bret Anthony Johnston, now the Director of Creative Writing at Harvard University.
His first novel The Bargain (2013, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was a finalist for the Selah Award for debut novel. Two years later, The Book of Things to Come (2015, Brimstone Fiction), the first book in his Hand of Adonai YA Fantasy series, won the Selah Award for YA Fiction. He has written two books on the craft of fiction; Firsts in Fiction: First Lines and Write to Be Heard (with Diane Sherlock). To find out more about his books, visit AaronGansky.com.
As a Creative Writing teacher in California, he brings his expertise on the craft to several writing conferences around America where he speaks on a variety of topics.
In 2013 he began his Firsts in Fiction Podcast with Steve McLain. Shortly after, Heather Luby joined the line up. Lately, he chats with his father, novelist Alton Gansky, about elements of the craft. Each week they dispense practical, in-depth analyses of how to write powerful fiction.
You may find Aaron on Twitter (@adgansky) and Facebook.
Show Notes
Caleb: Why did you decide to write fantasy novels?
Aaron: Writing fantasy was not something that I had ever planned on doing. I had just completed my first novel, “The Bargain” and agonized over every word, every turn of phrase, every simile and every metaphor. I just really wanted that to be the Great American Novel. After that I thought, “fantasy sounds like fun!” I love the Final Fantasy series, and I was playing a lot of Skyrim, and I thought it would be fun to do a fantasy. I don’t have to worry about trying to be highbrow literary and worry about every turn of phrase. Turns out I still worry about every turn of phrase, and every chapter, and every word, and every sentence.
Caleb: What made you want to write a YA series? How does fantasy change when written for teenagers as opposed to adults?
Aaron: Typically, it’s the age of the protagonists. In Game of Thrones, your primary characters are all adults. For me, I was dealing with contemporary teenagers, and as a teacher I felt like that was a natural thing. Teenagers are interesting. They take things very, very seriously. There’s a lot of interpersonal conflict, a lot of self discovery that goes on as well as discovery of a new world. I felt like that was a natural way to increase the tension and then the stakes and the conflict in the story.
Caleb: What are some of the main characteristics of fantasy that publishers and readers will look for?
Aaron: Really what they’re looking for is kind of an epic scope. Fantasy readers are very big into setting and world building. They’re very in tune with that and they want to know what this new and strange world looks like. It’s discovery for them. They’re also pretty militant about rules – the rules that you set up in your world. They’re looking for usually some sort of swords and sorcery… elves and dwarves and things of that nature. But really, they want something that feels unique and original. Even if it’s familiar, they want something that’s going to be different enough.
Caleb: How does the structure of a novel change when you move into the fantasy genre with things like word count and story flow? I’ve heard that fantasy requires a longer length to account for things like world building.
Aaron: Fantasy readers are notoriously patient, shockingly so I would say. By and large in terms of word count you have a lot more room to play with. If you’re a new writer, I would default to the normal industry standards (75,000 to 95,000 words). If you look at the Sorcerer’s Stone (the first book in the Harry Potter Series), it’s much smaller than Deathly Hollows. Each book increased in length, and that’s because JK Rowling had developed a reputation and people would drop 30 or 45 bucks on her books. That was far less of a risk for the publisher.
Caleb: What are some things that you do to help with the world building process?
Aaron: I think I’m different than the normal fantasy author. I was intentionally writing to kind of challenge and perhaps even break a lot of the expectations, the rules and expected tropes of fantasy. I was going to write a standalone novel. I wasn’t going to write about politics and I wasn’t going to fall into writing 18 chapters of world building. When I started the novel, I wanted kind of a quick, fast paced story. I found out when I was writing that the genre really demands those things for a reason. I had to start putting in some political intrigue, and I had to start putting in some more of the world. I tried to do it a little more organically. A lot of people will sit down and world build first, and come up with their magic system and their rules. I just started writing. As I was writing my main story, I was also creating my story bible at the same time.
Caleb: Are you an organic writer or an outliner?
Aaron: I’m very much a discovery writer. If I know where my story is going, I feel like my readers know where my story is going. I don’t like to write things that are too wildly predictable. Give them something that they didn’t expect but that they like more than what they expected. I outline the next scene or two, if that, but it’s usually just the title of what’s going to happen in the scene and that’s about it.
Caleb: If you already have most of the story in your head, is there still a way to write organically?
Aaron: You can still be organic in that way. I’ve outlined an entire novel and then I didn’t follow the outline.
Caleb: I guess it’s just a matter of following what the character would naturally do as opposed to strictly following the outline?
Aaron: Right. What would my characters naturally do in this situation? My formula is very simple. It’s just to create characters that people love and then mess up their lives.
Caleb: You mentioned character development. Do you go about that organically as well, or do you like to use things like character sketches?
Aaron: A little bit of both. I will try to find out as much as I can about the characters. When I begin writing, I always challenge myself to put some sort of scene where a character does something that I don’t expect. A normal person would do A. This person is going to do B, and then I challenge myself to figure out why. What it does is it helps me understand that my characters are not my characters. They are their own people, making their own decisions, and there’s something that’s happened to them in their past that I don’t know.
Caleb: What are some of the common mistakes or clichés that newer writers might make with fantasy stories?
Aaron: I really think that the number one issue is the clichés. They rely too heavily on worlds that too closely resemble that of Tolkien or Narnia, or “insert favorite fantasy series here.” Fantasy readers like new and exciting things. It’s a problem that all writers have, especially when they’re beginning, is how to be inspired by something without copying something. My recommendation is to mix and match. What does Tolkien look like when you mix it with Narnia? Or in my case what does Jumanji look like when you mix it with Skyrim?
Caleb: If you had to give one piece of advice to an aspiring writer, what would that advice be?
Aaron: It’s hard to narrow it down to one, so I’ll make it a compound recommendation, and it’s the thing that really got me going. I was at the Blue Ridge Writer’s Conference, as a writer originally. I think it was Todd McNair who was talking, and he said something to the effect of you have to start thinking of yourself as a writer. He says if you sit down on a plane and the person next to you says “what do you do?” and you tell them what you do for your day job, maybe that’s not the right train of thought. I was telling people I was a teacher left and right. Now, when people ask what I do, I say “I’m a writer.” I also teach high school, but I define myself as a writer. The biggest thing is to think of yourself as a writer, and then to write. You have to read, and you have to consume as much information as humanly possible about how to become better at the craft.
Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer. She founded The Write Proposal after reading hundreds of book proposals with avoidable errors. These errors cost the author a contract or representation. As a submission reader and junior literary agent, Cherrilynn wants you to succeed. Her desire is to help you present a professional and memorable proposal. She has written proposals for Paws for Effect, a Hollywood movie company, and helped edit many proposals. As the managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.
Cherrilynn can be reached at editor@thewriteproposal.com For more information about the Write Proposal visit www.thewriteproposal.com
Show Notes:
Cherrilynn Bisbano is the founder of The Write Proposal, a company that specializes in coaching writers from around the world to creating professional book proposals for every genre of writing. Cherrilynn’s team includes freelance copyrighter and marketing strategist Holland Webb, and award winning editor Crystal Phelps. She was generous enough to share the basic structure of a book proposal and how the different elements change across genres. The book proposal is the first impression that publishers get about you, your writing, and your professionalism. Publishers don’t have the time or resources to get to know every submitting author individually, so the proposal works as a type of resume that gives insight into your book and skills as a writer.
When to start the process:
In nonfiction writing, some people recommend writing the book proposal ahead of time, because it can be an outline for the writing process. In fiction writing, parts of the proposal can be compiled as the book is being written, such as the biography and marketing research. However, the synopsis should be written after the first draft is finished, because the story often changes as the writing process progresses. The proposal for a children’s book should also be written after the book is completed, but the proposal for children’s books are much different than those for different genres. The first step is to go to the website of the agent or publisher to which the proposal is being submitted. If submitting directly to a publisher, make sure that they are accepting books proposals, and that they are interested in proposals for your particular genre. Always check the submission guidelines for that particular agent or publisher.
The following is a generalized format based on what the majority of agents and publishers expect in a book proposal.
The Title Page includes the author’s name, address, email, and the title and subtitle of the book. If working with an agent, their name should also be listed. Be sure to include the genre and word count of the book.
The Table of Contents is for the proposal itself, not for the book that is being submitted.
The One Page Sell Sheet should include the title, genre and word count. It should include a tagline to hook the agent or publisher’s attention. (This section is different from a One Sheet that is often presented at writer’s conferences.) This section should also include the back cover copy for the book. This is the opening summary of the story that is often found on the back cover or inside flap of published books, but should not give away the story’s ending. Include an abbreviated bio, which can detail facts about your writing experience and achievements. Lastly, the One Page Sell Sheet should explain why you are the person to write this book. The only graphic on this page should be a current headshot of the author.
The Biographical Sketch (a.k.a. the Author Page) functions as a resume for the author. This includes your writing experience, education and prior publishing history. You can also list the number of people you reach through social media platforms. Provide a current headshot. This is different from the One Page Sell Sheet, which provides one or two lines about the author. The Biographical Sketch gives much more detail.
The Story Synopsis or Chapter Review is different with fiction and non-fiction. For a fiction book, the synopsis is typically one to three pages summarizing the story from beginning to end. For non-fiction book proposals, this section should include a summary of each chapter in the book. For children’s books, each page of the book should be shown in spreads that include both the writing and illustrations.
The Market Analysis identifies the audience for the proposed book. It should include the identity of the audience, the age, gender, location and income level of the average reader in that audience. This is where a lot of research must be done in the genre. Statistics on sales of similar books should be included, as well as statistics on blogs and magazines with similar content. You must demonstrate that there is an audience for your book, and who that audience will be. Consider special interest groups that would be interested in reading the book. It’s also important to explain how your book meets a need for readers.
The Competitive Analysis deals heavily with current trends in the industry. This section compares your book with other successful books in the same genre. Make a list of seven to ten books that tell the same type of story or give the same type of information as your book. They should each have been written within the last five years. Make sure to compare your book to best sellers. Do not list any self-published books, unless that book has been wildly successful, selling eight thousand or more copies in its first year of publication.
The following information should be included about each book: – Title/subtitle – Author – Publisher – Copyright year – Number of pages – Format (paperback, hardback or ebook) – Retail price – ISBN
When comparing and contrasting each of these books to your own, ask the following questions: – How is my book similar? – How is my book different? – What promise does the author make to the reader? – What promise do I make to the reader that is different or similar? – How are my credentials similar to the author’s?
Make sure to never criticize the authors of these books, but simply compare and contrast their work to yours. It is not necessary to read each of the seven to ten books listed. Read as many as possible and make sure you are very familiar with each of them.
The Marketing Plan is the first place to which some agents and publishers look. This is where an in depth analysis of the author’s platform is given. First, give a general statement about the number of people in the author’s platform. Then, break down each element of the author platform to show how the large number was calculated. This section must prove that the author has a large enough following to sell eight to ten thousand books within the first year of publication. When calculating the platform reach, the author should include every avenue he or she has to publicize the book. This includes religious affiliation, Facebook groups, and social media followers. Ask Facebook and Twitter connections to help spread the word about your book when it is released. If these social media friends have large numbers of followers, that number can be included when calculating the platform reach. Local newspapers, alumni magazines and business newsletters can also provide additional marketing avenues.
Next, list any Endorsements for the book, and the History of the Manuscript.
Finally, provide three sample chapters of the book.
Sometimes, the proposal seems to require more work than the book itself, but a well crafted proposal is vital to the publication process. Without it, there is no way for the agent or publisher to learn about you or your book.
Susan M. Baganz chases after three Hobbits and is a native of Wisconsin. She is an Editor with Pelican Book Group specializing in bringing great romance novels and novellas to publication. Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical world-view. You can learn more by following her blog www.susanbaganz.com, her twitter feed @susanbaganz or her fan page, www.facebook.com/susanmbaganz
Show Notes
Caleb: How did you get started writing?
Susan: That started in 2009. I had a dream that God was telling me I should do National Novel Writing Month in November. I started to write what became The Virtuous Viscount, which was my first Regency [novel], and I had 110,000 words within 21 days. I was hooked! I’ve done NaNoWriMo 8 years in a row, now.
Caleb: Tell us more about Regency Novels. What time period constitutes Regency England? What are the characteristics that make it Gothic?
Susan: The Regency period is where King George had gone mad, and his son, who is also George, he petitioned to become Regent and it took a while for that to actually happen. So what it meant was that his father was incompetent to rule so he was the ruler. So he was made Prince Regent on February 5th 1811, and then his father died January 29th 1820. So that’s the period that’s known as Regency. And the Regent was known to be a man of excess. He was very charming, but he blew money like crazy. He wasn’t really known to be a great ruler per se, but he was known for his excesses.
If you listen to or read any of the Regency Romances, there was an author at that time called Radcliffe, and she wrote Gothic Romances. So these are the dark, spooky [novels.] You’ve some darkness to it. You’ve got some spookiness to it. There’s this overarching doom and gloom to it. I guess there’s something kind of fun about having this evil force that they’re fighting against, and it kind of permeates the books.
Caleb: Tell me a little about the romance element of it. That was a totally different time with different customs. How is writing a Contemporary Romance and writing a Regency Romance different? How does that affect their relationships?
Susan: When you’re writing a Contemporary Romance they can pick up a phone and call somebody. They can get in a car and drive. There’s not a lot of restrictions on how men and women interact in our society. We have freedom to do a lot of things. But in that time period, the rules prescribing their behavior were really rigid. A woman could not write a letter to a man who was not related to her, and of course they couldn’t pick up a phone to call. Now if they were engaged, they might be able to communicate. So if somebody got engaged and then went to war, they might be able to exchange letters. Within that society, especially for the upper 10,000 which was the aristocracy, the more wealthy, titled people, you had these strict rules. You couldn’t dance more than typically twice at a ball with the same man. You couldn’t be alone at all with them.
So you have these restrictions on what you can do, so it’s kind of fun to try to play them and throw them on their ear a little bit too. The other thing that’s different about Regencies, as opposed to Contemporaries is the way they express their faith. First of all, you would never use anything except for the King James Bible. That’s all they had back then. There were a lot of pockets of revival in the middle of a lot of unrest, because England was at war with France at the same time. There’s all kinds of things you can tap into, even spiritually, with the stories.
Caleb: What are some of the hallmarks of this genre that someone like an editor or an agent would expect to see?
Susan: I think the general structure of a story is the same regardless of what genre you’re writing in, especially with the romance. You would be looking at possibly some of the language of the day. You’re not going to hear anybody in a Regency use the word “okay”. It’s just not going to happen. They used a lot of French back then, too. They were at war with France, but they were also very enamored by French. They’ve got other words that are specific to that era that can add more color to the language, and you can also write with a larger vocabulary than you can in a contemporary. In Regency, those who read that genre know the words, and if it’s good enough, the context will tell you what it is.
Caleb: How did you do research for this time period?
Susan: First of all, I read hundreds of books in the genre. That alone is great research, but then you do go online and you do look up stuff. Different books just about even the clothing of the era. I’ve got a huge folder of stuff I’ve printed off online about titles and how you refer to people. So all that stuff has to be correct, because somebody who knows that genre is going to know when it’s wrong.
Caleb: Are you an organic writer or an outliner?
Susan: I do not plot out my novels. I let the story take me where it’s going to take me. The characters kind of take over for me.
Best-selling author. Award-winning filmmaker. To date, Bill Myers’ books and videos have sold over 8 million copies. Not bad for a man who never wanted to be a writer.
As author/screenwriter/director his work has won over 60 national and international awards, including the C.S. Lewis Honor Award. His DVDs and books have sold 8 million copies. His children’s DVD and book series, McGee and Me, has sold 4.5 million copies, has won 40 Gold and Platinum awards, and has been aired on ABC as well as in 80 countries. His My Life As… book series has sold 2.1 million copies. He has written, directed, and done voice work for Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey radio series and is the voice of Jesus in Zondervan’s NIV Audio Bible. As an author, several of his children’s book series and adult novels have made the bestseller list.
He is also managing partner of Amaris Media, International – a motion picture and media company currently developing several projects for both children and adults. The motion picture, The Wager, starring Randy Travis and based on Myers’ novel by the same name, was released in 2009.
Bill has been interviewed for Good Morning America, ABC Nightly News, The 700 Club, TBN, as well as hundreds of broadcast, internet and print organizations. He can be reached at bill@amarismedia.com
Show Notes:
Caleb: What inspired you to write Supernatural Suspense?
Bill: I got a call, quite a few years ago, from Tyndale House publishers. At that time there were a lot of horror books for teens, so they called me up and said, “Would you like to write a Christian horror series.” I said I would be happy to write about the supernatural, but I’m not going to write horror. Because there’s two sides to the supernatural, and I don’t get why we always have to deal with the devil and the demons and all the horror. That’s part of it, but there is this whole other side to the supernatural. I did a ton of research for the series… everything from UFOs to Ouija boards to possession. I became sort of a reluctant supernatural know-it-all.
Caleb: How did you research these wild topics?
Bill: To me, that’s the best part of writing. People always want to talk about themselves. I’ve interviewed everybody from the head of the CIA Psychic Research Division, to the Son of Sam Serial Killer, to people who claim they’ve been abducted by UFOs. I’ve talked to a lot of people that have prophetic gifts. I have one, who’s become a friend now, who does miracles on a regular basis. There’s a whole world out there that we kind of ignore, because we think it’s too “fantasy”. It’s not fantasy at all. For me the best part is research, and the hardest part about writing is writing. But I guess that comes with the territory.
Caleb: What does your writing process look like?
Bill: I’m really, really disciplined. I can think of dozens of writers more skilled than I am, but they don’t have the discipline to finish it. I write two thousand words a day. I write in three two-hour sessions. Now remember, this is full time. Most people don’t have that, but you can still carve out the time, and say “I’m going to write for this amount of time every day.” And somehow, it turns into a book.
Caleb: I’ve heard some writers say that they like to write organically, and some prefer to stick to an outline. Do you outline?
Bill: You bet! I know every scene before I start to write. It takes me a month to outline a book. But I do that, so I don’t go down some weird rabbit trail. It’s a craft. It’s not some inspirational art. For me, the inspiration happens within the confines of a structure.
A lot of people say to me, “Oh, I wish I was a full-time writer like you,” and my response is usually, “I don’t think you do.” The joys of people who write part-time is that you write from the joy.
Caleb: So after all that research, how do you choose what to weed out and what part to base your story on?
Bill: I always start with a premise, a concept that hopefully hasn’t been done before. I do something called Plot Webbing. I put a circle and write the basic thing, like “dead friend.” Then I put spokes out and say all the crazy things that could happen with that. And then I put another spoke and do all the crazy things, and then I fill up the whole page. Most of them are bad ideas. Before you know it you have pages of bad ideas, but every once in a while, there’s a good one. The next step is that I try to find characters that are engaging, that are original. The next step is to give that character a want that drives them. As soon as I’ve got that, then the rest is just hanging the story on how the person gets it, or doesn’t get it.
Caleb: How do you come up with your characters?
Bill: I ask my characters different questions. One of the most powerful questions I learned is from a movie director. I ask my characters “what are you afraid of?” They start to become vulnerable and they start to become three-dimensional, if I spend enough time with them. Once you give the character a want, once you’ve got a high concept, once you’ve got character’s that are engaging, the writing pretty much takes care of itself.
Caleb: I know you write in many different genres, for both adults and children. What are the biggest challenges when you switch from one to another?
Bill: It keeps me on my toes and stops me from being stale. I love writing children’s books. Most of my children’s books are comedies, and they just loosen my self-importance and make me a kid again. Screenplays are difficult because the people that pay you for screen plays don’t always know a good story. Artistically, it’s not nearly as rewarding as it is writing a book. But, I’ll tell you, writing screenplays has made me a better novelist. One of the first things they teach you in writing is to show something and don’t tell the audience about it, but show it in action. You have to do that on a screenplay, because that’s all there is.
Caleb: If you had one piece of advice you could give to an aspiring writer, what would that advice be?
Bill: To write. To write every day. To set aside that time. To write good or bad. It’s like going to the Olympics. Nobody drifts into the Olympics. They work out every day.
Bill Myers can be found on Facebook and on his website BillMyers.com.
Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association.
Author of over 80 books with close to 4 million books sold, Michelle’s works have been the recipients of a Maxwell Medal, 2 Illumination Awards and multiple Selah Awards.
Since graduating with a journalism degree from Indiana University, Michelle has written more than 1,000 articles for newspapers, magazines and websites; acted as a stringer for the Associated Press; written for a worldwide ministry; helped pen a New York Times Bestseller; served as a TV host for TBN’s “Joy in Our Town” show; judged writing contests for Writer’s Digest; and served as a blogger for Guideposts. Today, she is President of Platinum Literary Services—a premier full-service literary firm—and co-owner of PlatLit Books. She also serves as chairman of the board for Serious Writer Inc., and teaches courses for Serious Writer Academy (online education).
When not working on her own assignments, Michelle ghostwrites books for celebrities, politicians, and some of today’s most effective and popular ministers. Michelle is also a much sought after teacher at writers conferences and universities around the nation. In fact, she has taught at more than 100 writers conferences, including keynoting at Liberty University and the Todd Starnes Inaugural Fall Retreat at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Taylor University twice, teaching “Writing for Children” and is currently teaching again this Spring Semester. Michelle also loves speaking to women’s groups, youth groups, and congregations, encouraging others to discover their destinies in God.
Michelle is married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two grown daughters, Abby and Allyson, two son-in-laws, and one grandson, as well as a miniature dachshund, a rescue Shepherd/Collie mix, and two cats. When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team, the Chicago Cubbies, and the LA Kings.
Show Notes:
Caleb: Why did you choose to write in this genre?
Michelle: I’m a non-fiction girl by trade. I went to journalism school at Indiana University. I grew up in this non-fiction world because I truly like to interview people and tell their stories, and get the bottom line. It only made since that when I became a children’s writer I would still love to tell the truth in such a way that kids are enjoying it. It was really a natural fit for me to transition from writing non-fiction for adults to writing nonfiction for kids.
Caleb: How did those experiences help you in your research and in honing your craft?
Michelle: I always say the best training you could have as a writer is to work for a daily newspaper. You learn how to write accurately, and you learn how to write tight and very quickly. I think that really did set me up to be able to write for children, because I learned how to write tight and say a lot in a few words. And with kids, when their attention span is that of a fruit fly, you have to learn how to make it interesting.
Caleb: Is it easier to write for children or easier to write for adults?
Michelle: Having written for adults and children, I would say writing for kids is way harder. It’s also more rewarding. Now, it is more work because, especially with nonfiction you have to take facts, and figures and interesting things and make sure you write it in such a way that it doesn’t read like a report.
Michelle has written many types of Children’s Nonfiction, including celebrity biographies, activity books, coloring books and devotions for women and children.
Caleb: What inspired you to write devotions for children?
Michelle: I learned how to write tight early in my career. If you’ve written devotions, those are usually around 225 words, maybe 50 for the prayer and the scripture. You don’t have a lot of words there. I love to write for kids, and I love to write devotions. Let’s do devotions for kids! That was a no-brainer! Anytime you can take something that kids are fascinated with and make it into a scriptural lesson for them, that is a great way to make nonfiction fun.
Caleb: What are the Hallmarks of Children’s Nonfiction? What are things that editors, agents and publishers will be looking for? Also, what are some landmines that you’re going to want to avoid?
Michelle: You can use all of your fiction skills as a writer – the storytelling skills. It can be nonfiction and still be super interesting. Put me right there in the scene, and let me smell what you smell. Let me hear what you heard. Sometimes in nonfiction, people will take liberty that they shouldn’t. If it says “nonfiction” you have to just stick with the facts. That’s one of those red flags you’ve got to watch out for. If you can’t find it and back it up, don’t put it in there. You’ve got to have your source!
Caleb: Do you have any tips on how to properly conduct research for nonfiction?
Michelle: You want to have 2 to 3 sources for everything, so make sure you keep track of your sources in a separate file so that when you turn it in, you’ll be able to prove where everything came from. That’s one of the other things you’ve got to be careful of with nonfiction – you need to know where you got the information and make sure it’s a credible source. If Wikipedia is your main source, then you are never going to get another assigned work from that publisher.
Michelle suggests finding credible sources such as museum websites, other books that have been written about your topic, scholarly journals, university presses and the Library of Congress website.
Caleb: Most books for kids are significantly shorter than books written for adults. What are some other ways to compensate for a child’s short attention span?
Michelle: Always have a story. Draw them in with something they can relate to. Keep it funny.
Michelle uses the Children’s Writer’s Word Book by Alijandra and Tayopa Mogilner, which can be used to help children’s writers find words that are appropriate for their audience’s reading level.
Michelle: Keeping your sentences shorter will obviously make it for a lower grade level. But even when you’re doing that, I don’t like it to read choppy.
Caleb: Great advice! Just because something needs to be digestible, doesn’t mean it can’t be eloquent.
Michelle: I think some people think, “I can write nonfiction, and it doesn’t have to be as good.” No, it has to be better. It’s like digging for those pearls – those stories that maybe nobody else knows, or at least hasn’t been told in the way you’re telling it.
Sometimes in nonfiction books, they want you to provide activities so that you drive home the message in that chapter. I think that’s a great idea, because sometimes we don’t remember things until we apply them. There are also some topics that we call “evergreen.” Forever and ever people are going to need them (books about bullying, fear and concept books such as ABC and counting). Write about some of those hard issue needs, like what happens when somebody dies. That’s a nonfiction book that has to be written, because kids need to know what happens.
Caleb: Do you spend a lot of time around kids?
Michelle: I always say my best friends are 3 feet and under. Every summer I go to Camp Challenge, and I hang out with them for an entire week. I’m just listening to the kids and hearing how they phrase things, how they talk and things that are important to them. If you don’t love kids, this is not for you. You have to really love your audience. You should be reading what they’re reading.
Michelle can be found on social media and on her website, MichelleMedlockAdams.com.
Michelle’s newest book, “Dinosaur Devotions: 75 Dino Discoveries, Bible Truths, Fun Facts, and More!” is available for purchase on Amazon.
