Articles about Writing

WRITE 2 PUBLISH CHAT TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 12, 2006

Yesterday evening we had a wonderful session with Children's genre author Kelly Milner Halls. Only half of our W2P members showed up, however, many AOL chat regulars, plus some dedicated fans of Kelly's, filled the room with about 20 people.
We listened to her presentation, full of good practical advice, then asked a wide range of questions. The session went on for about fifteen minutes past the hour. :-D
Thanks to Tom for inviting Kelly, and for our fellow writer's chat host Lyn for making the introductions. Adam did the greeting, while I kept the protocol queue.

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(KELLY'S NOTE: I edited this version of the chat log for continuity. Hope that's okay.)

PHeeren: Hello, fellow w2pers and fellow writers. Thanks for coming to this special chat.

KellyMilnerH: Thank you for having me, Tom...if you meant me.

PHeeren: This is Kelly Milner Halls whose books about dinosaurs became famous for children worldwide. Is that correct, ma'am? Or limited to the States?

KellyMilnerH: Kids who love dinosaurs, sure. : ) And thanks Pheeren, I'm happy to be here. I studied journalism at college -- wanted to be Linda Ellerbee, which clearly dates me. I'll save you the trouble, I'm OLD. : ) Nearly 50. But when I got out of school, and started writing for an adult newspaper, it was boring. Pot hole stories, meals on wheels. I wasn't sure that was the kind of writing that would make me happy for a lifetime. So I worked for the YMCA -- before and after school care and summer camps -- for a while. It was a job where I could bring my kids. And it was GREAT fun. In the process, my kids started to read and I had an epiphany. Someone gets paid for kidstuff -- kids books, kids magazine articles, kids newspaper sections. I knew I'd found my calling, so I jumped in with both feet. Was it easy? No. It was hard work. But it COULD have been easier if I'd had ME to help ME. So I resolved to help new children's writers however I could, and that's why I'm here -- why I speak an conferences, why I mentor people. I love fiction, write a lot about children's fiction writers. But I love nonfiction. And I love WEIRD nonfiction best. I tell people I get paid for being weird and it's not far from the truth. I was a reluctant reader in my youth, so I grew up to write the books I wished I had 40 years ago. Should we open for questions or should I go on longer?

Mcphersontampa: go on please
Mallie1025: yes please go on

KellyMilnerH: Thanks Mcpherson. I guess I will. I started with a couple of articles. One was called PISTOL PACKING PALEONTOLOGIST. It was a good article about a dinosaur expert who also had a law enforcement degree. He specialized in protecting rare fossils against theft. Great pictures. It took me TWO YEARS to sell it...but it wasn't because the piece wasn't good. It was because I didn't know my kids magazine markets. When I finally accidentally submitted to the RIGHT magazine, which in this case was Child Digest, they bought it. Not a word was changed. I learned in that instant the business of writing was as important as the writing itself. Give an editor what they want most, and you better your odds at success in children's writing. I've made a living as a writer ever since, for the most part. I've taken some strange diversionary branches here and there -- working for iUniverse when the old Writer's Club first sold its soul. That was interesting. But for the most part, I have written for kids or about children's writers for the past 15 years, and survived to tell the tale. I write about what interests me -- and as luck would have it, most of what I like, kids like too. Dinosaurs, mummies, albino animals, bugs you can eat...that's my home turf. And I wouldn't change it for the world. NOW should we open it up for questions?

Rose1533: Which children's authors have you written about?

KellyMilnerH: Rose, I've been so lucky in my career. I helped create Kids Reads for the Book Reporter network. At the time, I had to review 10 books a week and do two interviews a month. I have interviewed the best of the best, from Eric Carle to Laura Numberoff to William Joyce to David Carter.

Rose1533: Have you done either Kevin Henkes or Kate Duke? (two of my faves)

KellyMilnerH: Avi, Chris Crutcher, Brian Jaques, dozens of writers. It's been like a children's literature course. Yes to Kevin. He was a very gracious man, very shy. No to Kate Duke.

Mallie1025: Have you written for Scholastic and other publications that schools use?

Mcphersontampa: Who found the illustrator/photographer for Albino Animals (great pics)?

KellyMilnerH: I wrote about Albino Animals for Scholastic's Science World magazine a year ago. It was a great piece. And it was my job to find the photos for the book. When I interviewed the experts, I asked if they had photos or knew of photographers with great pictures. My editor then did the negotiations. The book had a $10,000 photo budget, and it shows. I didn't make QUITE that much on my advance, but maybe someday it'll total out that way.

W2PSushi: You mentioned knowing Chris Crutcher. We've hosted several YA folks but no Children's until now. What would you say is the 'boundary' between these genres? They seem very different.

KellyMilnerH: They have protagonists -- main characters -- 16 or over. Middle grade characters are a bit younger. And YA tends to have the option of pushing the envelope a little more when it comes to mature content. Which is why Chris gets banned and why I love to help him fight the bans. <grin> I'm an enemy to censorship. I'll take on a fight if it's about free speech. See, Crutcher writes gritty stuff because he's been a therapist so many years. He sees how tough a kids life can be. And the stats, previously posted on the Bush-man's own Health and Human Services web site say one in three girls, one in seven boys will be sexually mistreated before the age of 18. That supports his annecdotal experience.

PatGuth: I teach in the inner city of Chicago and boy is that right

KellyMilnerH: He's writting gritty stories, because too many kids are living gritty lives. And those kids NEED to know they aren't alone, no matter how many people want to pretend bad things never happen. See? Told you I was a big mouth on that topic. And Pat, you're right. You've seen it.

PatGuth: Even in elementary school as young as in second grade

Mallie1025: Actually, I will ask again--do you write for schools-scholastic and chap books etc and what age range?

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, my books fit into that age range, but they're nonfiction. Not biography. So they tend to be broken into sections. We are writing for reluctant readers, trying to create a new scale of success. I write very much influenced by my magazine history. So when a kid picks up my book, he or she can read 600 words and feel successful. Finished, at least for that moment.

Mallie1025: Do you sell to schools and how?

KellyMilnerH: ALBINO ANIMALS was a Scholastic Book Fair selection, so schools bought them there. And all Darby Creek books are distributed by Lerner, which has
strong roots in the school markets.

PHeeren: Kelly, do you think of writing children's books about a child with a disability? I am disabled myself with profound deafness and cerebral palsy and I have a positive impact on my dear w2pers since I first came in 2003 (is it correct paul). I am writing some stories about disabled young adults based on me.

KellyMilnerH: I have, PH because I was 40% deaf when I was a kid. I've written about kids in wheel chairs, I look for kids who succeed however they can. So yes. That's part of where Albino Animals came from. I saw an African American albino girl and wondered how lonely she might be -- a minority within a minority. I wrote the book so kids like her would have something to hang on to.

PHeeren: Thanks and I am a volunteer in hospital

KellyMilnerH: One of the best books I've read on CP -- and I tutored a 3rd grader with CP between semesters at college -- is STUCK IN NEUTAL by Terry Trueman. But more needs to be out there. Tom, lots of editors are looking for that, so don't give it up.

PHeeren: I am an active hospital volunteer since December 1996 and earned 1000 hrs so far.

KellyMilnerH: PHeeren, are there any kid volunteers?

PHeeren: yes. Teenagers mostly for the summer.

KellyMilnerH: PH, consider profiling one special kid volunteer. Why does he do what he does?

ABSHRINK: THE HIDDEN YOU. As a psychologist it tells children about the unconscious -- a book my kids read long ago.

KellyMilnerH: Okay ABS...you're saying do I know that book?

ABSHRINK: Yes, read so long ago.

KellyMilnerH: I don't, but it sounds like a great read. I know my success ratio took leaps when I got in touch with who I really was and wrote from that place.

ABSHRINK: Also " A Wrinkle in Time." My kids loved them.

KellyMilnerH: AB, everyone loves that book don't they? Classic.

WriterOfDreamz: There's a movement here being spearheaded by Kids authors
for publishers to leave little or no gap between producing work in print, braille and audio so everyone can access it. It's only being extended to existing authors, how important do you feel it is for them to at least consider some older books which arent so widely available?

KellyMilnerH: Writer, I think people who know the kids should recommend older books of value. But when it comes to young readers, especially reluctant readers, they have to fall in love with story telling, fiction or nonfiction FIRST. My nephew read nothing. Then he read nothing but GOOSEBUMPS. People said, "Garbage," and I understood it. But the truth is, he learned to love STORY through GOOSEBUMPS. He got confidence. And he went from GOOSEBUMPS to REDWALL in one leap. Never underestimate the juicy NEW stuff and its power to help kids find their way to old classics.

WriterOfDreamz: well the campaign seems to be proving a success, kids who can't read print are finally getting the treatment they deserve.

KellyMilnerH: Hopefully, Writer...and your're right, the old classics count too.

W2PSushi: We are W 2 Publish, so let's talk $$$. What do the magazines pay? And book publishers?

KellyMilnerH: Children's magazines pay BADLY on the whole. I used to juggle
twelve articles a month to break even. It's getting a little better. $200 to $600 per article on the whole. $50 to $150 for briefs. Books, figure on $4000 to $6000 advance for a nonfiction picture book, 9 to 12. YA gets more, $10,000 for a first YA novel.

Mallie1025: Kelly, I read some chap books geared for 9 + yrs and was surprised byt the delicat issues they discussed--drunk fathers, etc.

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, very true.

PHeeren: Do editors usually feel awkward reading a short story about a disabled kid? times have changed but I am not sure if the editors have changed or is still prejudice towards disabled writers by editors?

KellyMilnerH: Tom, the answer applies to your question too. Good editors want good fiction, with and without disabilities. PHeeren, submit to the editors that have already shown a disabilities interest or sensitivity. I can't tell you the number of librarians who want good disability fiction characters. Do it well, and the editors will buy it. Trust me.

Mallie1025: Is this becoming the norm?

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, people are writing their truths, and editors are learning that sells.

Mallie1025: Yes but it this good for the kids?

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, it's good for the kids who are suffering. And it's good for the kids who know kids who are suffering. Kids SEE what's going on in the world. Talking about it -- good and bad -- makes them feel safer, prepared. Pretending there is nothing bad doesn't keep a kid safe.

Mallie1025: Thanks kelly--needed to lnow this as I am beginning to write
kids books now.

KellyMilnerH: Gotcha Mallie. And you should tell your truth, regardless. That's the authenticity that's missing from too many children's writer's submission. Try to write FOR a market, and it shows. Write what your heart tells you to write and it shows too. The authenticity SELLS.

Mcphersontampa: I recently answered an ad in SCBWI for an illustrator, it paid $7,000-$10,000 for 32 illustrations.

KellyMilnerH: Mcpherson, illustrators get more than writers very often.

ABSHRINK: Again is it foolish to try for publication without an agent? Book or magazine?

KellyMilnerH: ABS, no it's not foolish. And I have only sold one of my books -- of 14 -- through an agent. Magazine work for kids never requires an agent.

ABSHRINK: Scholastic I called -- only with literary agent. What's that?

KellyMilnerH: ABS, Scholastic and most houses would prefer an agent. But lots of houses will accept queries without agents. That's your letter asking if they'd like to see your book idea. If they say YES, you have permission to submit, even without an agent. If they say no, try someone else.

ABSHRINK: Literary agent. What's that?

KellyMilnerH: A Literary Agent is a third party representative that handles the negotiation. They are hired to do the submission and contractual part FOR the writer. They tend to know a lot of editors and they tend to be tougher when it comes to getting more money, so it's nice. But I like doing it myself.

Mallie1025: What is the average page count of your books/articles?

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, on my articles between 150 for briefs and 800 for articles. Books, they are averaging 64 pages.

Mallie1025: Excellent--just my size!! Thanks :)

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, there is a need for good books for kids -- honest, strong work. It's hard, but not impossible.

ABSHRINK: My story was submitted to possible agent. Do I need an agent approval first?

KellyMilnerH: ABS, not necessarily, but agents know what sells. So if you
can get his or her approval, you know you're on the right track.

Mallie1025: Kelly I read so many with the grandkids, that I feel I can write them without being tied to 400 pages in a novel.

KellyMilnerH: Exactly Mallie.

Mallie1025: And I do not write down to kids-tho mine grandsons says I have a child's mind--hoping that is good lol

KellyMilnerH: Perfect, Mallie...well done.

ABSHRINK: My story "A Visit to Grandma (at a nursing home) -- people want it.

KellyMilnerH: ABS, I hope you get it published. Consider Magination Press.

WriterOfDreamz: What's the best way to get published when writing for kids mags, just wing it and see if they want you?

KellyMilnerH: Writer, the fastest way to break into kids magazines is through nonfiction and HOLIDAY articles. Holidays are the toughest niches for editors to fill because it's alll been done. I'm known for my ODD holiday stuff, so I know that's a great way to break in. Come up with a new angle.

Mcphersontampa: Holidays for Animals!

KellyMilnerH: Exactly. I wrote about why we give hearts for Valentine's Day once. I mean, it's a body part. Turns out we thought at different times in history love came from other body parts. The liver, the spleen and the bowels. Body parts and kids -- a natural mix. So my weird Valentine's day story was a big hit.

OldAngler: Love comes from the bowels? What a bunch of crap...so to speak.

KellyMilnerH: Imagine giving paper bowels for Valentine's day. LOL Angler, you haven't changed a bit. So break in with new angles on old themes at the holidays. Remember there is a six month lag...submit six months before the holiday. But if it's a good idea, theylll buy it for NEXT year.

Mallie1025: Hey now science says the heart has a "brain" of its own--has to be a story there.

WriterOfDreamz: I'm one of those people who picks up weird information like magpies do glittery things lol

KellyMilnerH: Exactly Writer, so turn that into kidstuff.

Rose1533: Know of anyone writing about kids with ASDs?

KellyMilnerH: I don't Rose, not yet. But be sure you know the subject, then tackle it. And consider the parenting markets too.

WriterOfDreamz: ASDs?

Rose1533: Autism Spectrum Disorders. Including Asperger syndrome, which my daughter, Emily, has. I was thinking about kids books, to help those without understand what those with ASDs are going through.

WriterOfDreamz: Look at the popularity A Curious Incident of A Dog in the Night Time achieved - the protag has aspergers.

Rose1533: Yes, Writer, I know. I was thinking about a kids book, though. Actually, I think there was an argument about whether the protag actually had Asperger's or Autism. The kid was not as high functioning, as I understand it, as most Aspergers kids are.

WriterOfDreamz: Rose i thought he was incredibly high functioning, but seeing as the story is written as him telling it perhaps Haddon kept the story restrained on purpose?

MRSFRENCHY: I'm a Bk amp and would like to reach kids who are amps, but how would I reach them?

KellyMilnerH: amputee?

MRSFRENCHY: Yes.

KellyMilnerH: Frenchy, Crutcher has an amputee in his book WHALE TALK. And
I have to tell you, he's one of the most popular characters in all his books. Andy Mott, the one legged swimmer. If you write a story about a kid with an amputation, and you write him well -- a strong character with more than JUST a disability -- the librarians will LOVE you. They will help you find your audience. And if you write that book, it's easier to get press for, because it's a theme that hasn't been well covered yet. Crutcher wrote about it because when he coached swimming, he
had a one legged swimmer. He was able to make the kid REAL, not stereotypical. You could do it even better. So write it. Great idea.

MRSFRENCHY: I figure I'd have an advantage since I'm an amp

KellyMilnerH: Frenchy, you absolutely would. DO it.

PHeeren: kelly, what about writing short stories based in foreign lands? I wrote "Tennyson Bear meets the Easter Bunny" 12 yrs ago but I still cannot find my old rough draft...it takes place in london, btw. and also, an Easter story about two ducks learning about compassion in quondon (London).

KellyMilnerH: PH, I think that multicultural edge could be a winner, in a short story or nonfction article. Probably not enough for a whole book. Unless you looked at all the "Easter Bunny" type characters in other lands and at home. THAT could be a fun, quirky book.

Mallie1025: Kelly, what do you think of the books on "same parent" homes--caused quite a controversy at first.

KellyMilnerH: Mallie, I think kids in gay families MUST have books that reflect their lives. I think people who don't like them should not BUY or READ them. But they shouldn't bother anyone who DOES love them. I know the editor of KING AND KING. She said the letters she gets make her cry -- letters from kids who love that their lives are in a picture book.

Mallie1025: Yes I agree, just wanted your input--thanks

WriterOfDreamz: ::passing kelly a soap box to stand on...just in case::

W2PSushi: King and King got dumped on a LOT. I think many had not understood its intended audience, perhaps.

KellyMilnerH: KING AND KING was a target. But Tricycle Press stood behind it and that's as it should be.

Mcphersontampa: Well, it's 11 and the questions are still going strong. I think we need many more guests to speak about children's writing!

W2PSushi: If Lyn knows of any, we'll be happy to entertain further recommendations. :-D

KellyMilnerH: Mcpherson, thank you for coming. Thanks for liking my books. Cryptozoology -- bigfoot, loch ness monster, etc -- is next. Then Kid mummies.

Mcphersontampa: KELLY, THANK YOU! It's been a pleasure!

W2PSushi: wow! the time has flown.

KellyMilnerH: That it has, Sushi.

BrownDvs: It was nice meeting you, Kelly.

KellyMilnerH: Nice meeting your too Brown. Sushi, PHeeren, Lyn, did I do okay?

Mallie1025: Kelly we need you to come back soon--so many more questions

PHeeren: Anyway, I have enjoyed the chat and meeting with you, kelly. Yes, you did well. Be proud of yourself.

LynWriteBk: That was great, Kelly!

KellyMilnerH: Thanks.
KellyMilnerH: <---patting herself on the back. <g>

PHeeren: and I plan to write stories about disabled kids as well as redoing my Easter stories.

KellyMilnerH: PHeeren, I hope you will. Do it.

Mallie1025: Kelly, do you have a website?

KellyMilnerH: Yes Mallie. <grin> www.kellymilnerhalls.com

WriterOfDreamz: actually kel i think i have another q for you, if you don't mind :)

KellyMilnerH: I don't mind at all. Writer, your question?

WriterOfDreamz: Okay, I'm currently writing what is possibly the most insane project in the world - retelling cinderella through letters and notes sent between different characters we've been advised by one person to aim the project towards adults, do you agree, or should we consider the kids market?

KellyMilnerH: Writer, write it as it demands to be written. If it speaks to you in an adult voice, write it that way. If it speaks to you in a more child like voice, go with it. But trust YOUR instinct. Books cross over all the time. They cross over because they have multiple appeals, not because a target was aimed for and hit. It's more organic. Does that make sense?

WriterOfDreamz: Yup. So far its adult - but i dont know if thats His influence or our warped minds. LOL

KellyMilnerH: Look at Jon Sciescka's books. Stinky Cheese Man. Three Little Pigs, from the wolf's perspective. They are very adult stories, written for kids. They prove my point. Read Stinky Cheese man and you'll see what I mean. Write it as it needs to be written, and trust it to find it's audience. Have you see n that book Writer?

WriterOfDreamz: I dont think so but i have seen one of siescka's books, not sure which it was though.

KellyMilnerH: Writer, go to the library and get them all. Read them, study them, find out who edits and publishes them. That might be the editor you submit YOUR book to.

WriterOfDreamz: lol Kelly, unfortunately that one was from the library - it was the only one they had.

KellyMilnerH: Bummer, Writer. Are you a long way from a bookstore? You can read without buying.

WriterOfDreamz: i don't think he's so widely known over here kelly.

KellyMilnerH: LOL You're in the UK?

WriterOfDreamz: yup. I havent seen his books on sale anywhere.

KellyMilnerH: Hmmm...the Stinky Cheese Man might be worth the Amazon price
in your case. But the point remains...write it as your inner writer tells you to. Great idea, I think.

KellyMilnerH: Did I miss anyone's questions?

Mcphersontampa: <would willingly sit here all night and listen to Kelly

Mallie1025: Me too Mc

SoulofPanther2: Please excuse the color and bold - but I am in agreement with Mallie and Mac:)

KellyMilnerH: Ahhh....Mcpherson [all], I don't want you to get too tired. But you guys have my email address. If I can help, let me know.

Mcphersontampa: That reminded me of: Walter the Farting Dog....lol. They even made money off of Walter the Farting Dog plush toy....you squeezed it and it farted.

KellyMilnerH: Exactly Mcphearson, another great example.

WriterOfDreamz: we're still thinking we must be insane ;-)

KellyMilnerH: Insane works in kidstuff. Trust me.

Love2write4kidz: lol ... like muncsh

KellyMilnerH: Like Muncsh...or Seuss.

Love2write4kidz: love them both

Mallie1025: Yes, my grandson crack up over an obscene underwear kids book.

KellyMilnerH: Exactly, Mallie, Captain Underpants is HUGE.

WriterOfDreamz: Well how many books have been written jointly by two people who've never met?

KellyMilnerH: But see, Writer, that's a marketing point. That is somethign interesting to put on your press release.

Love2write4kidz: What about moral wacky stories, they say no preaching.

KellyMilnerH: No preaching, Love...just story telling. Let the kids draw their own conclusions.

Soulofawriter18: i'd like my students to critique some of the stories i've written, but I don't know which questions to ask of them...any help there?

KellyMilnerH: Soul, how old are your students?

Soulofawriter18: 9 and 10

KellyMilnerH: Okay, Soul, ask them to read the stories, if they aren't too long. Ask them what they liked, what they didn't like. Ask them if they ever thought, "No way that's could happen." Ask them when they got bored. Ask them if they like the characters...if not why not. Ask them how they'd like to see the story unfold differently. But be aware, if they are YOUR students, it'll be hard for them to tell you the truth. Might be better to trade with another writer/teacher.

WriterOfDreamz: unless you tell them it's not your story lol

KellyMilnerH: Your kids do HER stories, her kids do YOURS. That's an idea, WRiter.
KellyMilnerH: Say it's for a friend.

WriterOfDreamz: Tell them it belongs to someone else or even better get a friend to come in pretending its her story.

KellyMilnerH: Did that help, Soul?

Soulofawriter18: great suggestions guys...thanks...:) yes it did.

WriterOfDreamz: she can ask the kids the questions and have a handful of answers you've prepared for her.

KellyMilnerH: Good. Well, should we let poor Sushi go now? I better go work on this mummy book.

Love2write4kidz: kelly, do u critique stories

KellyMilnerH: I do when I have time, Love. Will have time after I finish this mummy book, this summer. My deadline is June 27.

Love2write4kidz: how would one sbmitt a story for u to look at?

KellyMilnerH: Love, my website is www.kellymilner.com. My email address is \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it href="mailto: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it "> This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , so feel free to write. Thanks ya'll.

SoulofPanther2: Kelly - you have given me much to think about - I write animal fiction but have not really considered children as my market until someone in here asked me to:)

KellyMilnerH: Soul, I'm glad. G'night everyone, thanks again. BYE. : )

Writer's Digest
October 2004
--cover story--

Unique story ideas
KIDS WILL LOVE
(and editors will buy)

by Kelly Milner Halls

Breaking into the world of freelance children’s writing can seem like an impossible dream, but so can an editor’s quest for fresh holiday-theme articles. After more than 15 years in the children’s writing business, I’ve earned a quirky reputation when it comes to holiday flair. I’m considered just slightly twisted, in the nicest possible way. Because when an editor says “holiday,” I think beyond Christmas trees, pumpkin patches and cut-out hearts. And that’s the key to catching an editor’s eye.

Brainstorming is the most effective train on the alternative track. List as many standard holiday keywords or themes as you can across the top of a sheet of paper. Then, under each word, list new words or short phrases about each of those individual themes. For example, if one of your themes is “Christmas tree,” you might list ornaments, pine, tinsel, colored lights, paper chains or popcorn strings underneath it.

Thanks to Internet search engines, researching is easier than ever. Ask yourself related questions, and prospective answers. Who invented the popcorn string as a holiday decoration? Why? You may find a 10-year-old prince or princess started the tradition, and that’s a great article topic. But even if you don’t find authentic, verifiable answers, you can still mine sheer inspiration. No clue on why popcorn strings were added in Christmases past? Then consider how they could be used in the future. Write “Christmas Is for the Birds,” an article on nature-friendly decorating to bring the holidays outdoors.

Ho, ho, oh no!

When the Chicago Tribune KidNews asked me to explore the season, my weird wheels were already turning. I made my list. I checked it twice. Rudolf was one of my keywords, so I started researching reindeer and discovered they were the focus of a new agricultural trend.

In just over 600 words, I offered reindeer ranching—from milk to meat to mittens—for readers under 16. Who knew the country of Finland considered reindeer ranching a vital source of commerce? And who knew ranchers in Colorado and Minnesota were trotting along the same frosty tracks? The Tribune’s youngest readers did—as soon as my article hit the section’s front page.

To my benefit, one of the ranchers had children’s author and illustrator Jan Brett as a frequent visitor, so I had a perfect sidebar. How DOES an illustrator ranch her reindeer drawing ideas? For young readers, it was the perfect short companion piece.

Talking turkey

When Guidepost for Kids asked for a hearty serving of Thanksgiving sass, I made a list of Turkey Day details—the big birds, pilgrims, Native Americans, parades. I researched turkey breeds and breeders, and came up with a few variations on the theme, including the New Preston, Connecticut, Turkey Olympics. For more than a decade, the Inn at Lake Waramaug had sponsored a series of costume contests for gobblers and their human partners. I interviewed participants and the hotel owners that hosted the event about the nature of the competition. Then I wrote a sidebar about animal rights activists opposed to the scene.

“I LOVE my Turkey” was my submission for the Chicago Tribune KidNews. It profiled people who had raised turkeys as pets rather than entrees. From 4-H members to people who came across turkey chicks on a whim, these poultry people admitted it was hard to eat the drumsticks if the rest of the body came running at the sound of your voice.

Holy Halloween horrors

Spooks rule the October skies, but how do you put a new face on an old monster? My research told me to do it with make-up and prosthetics, via an interview with Hollywood special-effects artist Rick Baker. Talking with the man who breathed life into Michael Jackson’s dead dancers (Thriller, 1980) and 2004’s alternative movie hero, Hellboy, took Halloween to a new level for the piece I wrote for online publication KidsReads.com.

Freezone/Curiocity for Kids, a syndicated children’s newspaper supplement, published my feature on phantom photos—how real-life ghostbusters take pictures of their flesh-challenged friends. “Dead End Jobs” won the Chicago Tribune Kidnews cover slot for Halloween, profiling six professions—from grave digging to forensic toxicology—in which dead bodies were required to get the job done.

Have a heart—or two

Conversation heart candies have been done to death during the season of amore, so I dug up rejected caption ideas for the Atlanta Journal Constitution News for Kids. But because I’d always wondered why we give hearts as a token of love, I dug deeper for the Chicago Tribune.

Thanks to an interview with a University of California at Santa Barbara professor who’d dedicated his professional life to the origins of symbolic love, I uncovered the truth. The bowels, the spleen, the liver, and the heart each had been symbols of love during different historical periods. So we illustrated the impact of that revelation on popular song titles like “I left my spleen in San Francisco”.

The next time you want to break into a children’s magazine market, put your Santa hat on inside-out and crack an ostrich egg at Easter. Turn things upside down and see what jumbled holiday thoughts come to mind.

Kelly Milner Halls is a full-time freelance writer in Spokane, Wash. Her work’s appeared in Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, Booklist, Highlights for Children, the Chicago Tribune and the Denver Post. Her last book, Dinosaur Mummies (Darby Creek Publishing, 2003) was a 2003 Booklist Top Ten Science Book for Young Readers. Her latest book is Albino Animals (Darby Creek Publishing, 2004).

Writing for Women's Magazines:

Write From the Heart

by Kelly Milner Halls

After a tough divorce and a stint at the Census Bureau, 39-year-old single mother Deanna Pease was ready for a job that would pay the bills and keep her available for her two children. Thanks to a mentor at Woman's World, freelance writing became her niche. "Since I was given my first assignment as a freelance writer in June of 1999," Pease says, "I have written more than 150 features." In addition to Woman's World, Parade and First for Women have answered her gender-specific query calls.

What special challenges set freelancing for women's magazines apart from other specialties?

You have to write from the heart. The women's markets want a lot of emotion, not just dry facts and statistics. You write scenes (show, not tell), and you must be able to weave the facts in while making the reader feel the heartbreaks and joys of the subject.

What kind of topics do you write most often for women's magazines? Are there staples in the industry that "always" sell?

I write "Real-Life Stories" for WW, and my work for First appeared in the "Women Like You" section.

How would you break into this specialty if you were a beginning freelancer?

First, study your market. Read several issues, cover-to-cover, even the ads. The ads tell you a lot about the target market you want to write for. Pampers or Depends? Mercedes or Chevy? Disneyland vacations or retirement condos? Then study back issues for a prevailing style. This was especially important for me, as the Real-Life Stories in Woman's World all embody the same very specific style. Once you identify such a common thread, practice writing that style until you are comfortable with it. Next, you start hunting for stories that are perfect for your target market. The Internet is an unlimited research tool, and newspapers or TV are good. Remember, every lead must have adequate contact information.

What are the most common mistakes freelancers in this arena make (and can avoid)?

The assigning editor at WW told me that the most common mistake would-be first-timers make is being unavailable. When she gets an approved lead in her hands, she wants to get it out to a writer as quickly as possible. Sometimes the assignment is a "super rush," and she needs it completed in three days. Every hour can be crucial. I learned that lesson the hard way when I returned home from grocery shopping one day with two messages on my voicemail. The first message, a $750 assignment, mine for the taking. The second, 45 minutes later, "Sorry, had to give it to another writer ...." Now, I carry a beeper!

Have you had a favorite assignment? If so, what was it and why was it so memorable?

I would have to say I have a favorite category. The Saved! features are rescue stories and are different from the other categories I write; the action of the stories take place over a much shorter time span, a day or a few hours, as opposed to the months or years that would be covered in most stories. It's a more dramatic, fast-paced kind of writing, making it more like fiction writing.

Have you experienced the nightmare of all nightmare assignments? Describe it.

I'm very fortunate in that I love my job and writing is usually not difficult for me. But since I had Valley Fever a few years ago, every cold brings on bouts of chronic fatigue. During those (fortunately rare) periods, every keystroke is like lifting a 20-pound weight with a finger. But it's a job, with a boss at the other end with expectations that must be met. So at times like those, you have to just sit down and do it. Missing a deadline, especially on a rush job, could easily be career suicide.

TOP TIP: "To get that very first assignment, you must learn to write query letters that will convince an editor in one page that you can do the job you're asking for. The query should read like a shorter version of the assignment you hope to write. It should conform to the style and format of the magazine you want to write for. It should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, not just be a jumble of facts. Still, that darned editor may throw away your first try. (Editors are often reluctant to take a chance on unproven writers.) So you send her another one the next week, and another the week after that. Don't give up easily, persistence pays in this business!"

Get Your Book E-Viewed!

By Kelly Milner Halls

With print book review sections on the decline, getting new authors exposed to the buying public is almost as hard as producing 40,000 salable words – even for high profile New York publishers. How can independent writers hope to compete? Boot up and go online.

Dozens of selective professional book review sources have popped up on the Internet to pick up the slack. And hundreds of amateur sites snap up tasty crumbs the pros leave behind.

Lay the foundation…

What first-step will help land cyber reviews? Apart from writing a superior book – line edited to perfection – an electronic brochure can be key. “To lay a foundation with staying power,” says Regina Pound (http://hometown.aol.com/reginapounds/index.html), “build a website of your own.” A website is a budding author’s online introduction – an effective way to herald your potential before you’re widely known.

According to independent publishing expert Dan Poynter (The Self-Publishing Manual, www.parapublishing.com), an author website should features information on both the writer and the books. Include an author photo and biography, book cover art, a short overview of the book’s contents or plotlines, an excerpt or sample chapter, reader comments and related press or informational links – including the links to the online bookstores selling your work.

“A website is very important,” echoes publicity expert Raleigh Pinskey (101 Ways to Sell Your Books on the Internet, www.promoteyourself.com), “because visibility is so important in today's global village. If they can't find you, they will buy someone else's book on the same topic.”

Search is on…

Homepage complete, it’s time to find websites willing to review and feature little known books and authors. “I go to my favorite search engine and type in key words that match those genres and topics key to my books,” says Pat Ballard (www.patballard.com). Because her trio of print-on-demand romance novels herald big, beautiful women, Ballard not only looks for book sites, but e-zines dedicated to plump ladies as well.

Using keywords “book” and “reviews” on www.google.com produces a whopping 2,740,000 possible listings, though not all are appropriate to the promotional cause. Typing the same keywords at www.yahoo.com calls up 2,218 related sites. Adding other topic specific keywords like “romance” or “self-help” narrows the search by design.

Ballard selects the websites with expert design and an active population of cyber visitors (based on sponsor support, message board postings and hit counters), then makes her first approach. “I email the Webmaster and ask if they would be interested in looking over my book and/or exchanging links.” She is careful to include her own URL so the web specialists she approaches will know her request is sincere. Dozens of sites have responded with reviews, features, serializations and reciprocal links. “It has really helped me build my reader base,” Ballard admits, “and sell more books.”

Romance author Regina Pound took a slightly different approach. “There are two kinds of reviewers,” she says. “Those who like to display their own wit by criticizing, and those who tell readers about good books.” Pound carefully perused book sites and reader reviews until she found writers likely to positively showcase her books.

“I first approached the best reviewer of all – Ms. Harriet Klausner,” Pound says. A Bronx-born librarian now living in Pennsylvania, Klausner regularly reviews books for BookBrowser.com, Eclectica.org, NewBookReviews.com and dozens of other sites. “Her email address is posted with her reviews. She responded favorably to my contact, so I sent her my books, ‘Theo’s Ghost’ and ‘Lord Eaglebeak.’ Her five-star reviews of both books can now be found all over the ‘Net.”

Major leagues…

Cracking commercial online review markets like the Midwest Book Review (http://www.execpc.com/~mbr/bookwatch/), ForeWordReviews.com, Bookreporter.com, and BookBrowse.com might take a little more muscle.

“The Midwest Book Review currently publishes three online review,” says editor-in-chief James Cox. Founded in 1976, the MBR promotes literacy and the continued health of small press and independent publication. Considering they receive 1,500 books a month for possible review, the odds of inclusion are stiff – but not impossible. “Self-published authors are given preferential consideration whenever possible because they have the highest hurdles to overcome in terms of publicity, promotion and marketing,” Cox says. “Ten of our 58 volunteer reviewers specialize in POD titles and ebooks.”

ForeWordReviews.com, an online offshoot of the respected trade journal ForeWord Magazine (www.forewordmagazine.com), hasn’t faced such overwhelming submission numbers. Created in the spring of 2001 by publisher Victoria Sutherland, this web-based service will review any author’s work – for a price.

Controversial from the get-go, ForeWord offers any book (submitted by any source) an unbiased, professionally written book review for a $295 (for $25 more, the review will appear beside the book cover art). Reviews are then archived in the informational database at Ingrams and Baker & Taylor – distribution giants within the publishing trade. That database, according to Sutherland, helps librarians and retail store book buyers select titles for purchase, making the service well worth its cost.

Pounded by publishing insiders, Sutherland deftly defends her ideal. “Our biggest critics are publications not even available to most of our customers,” she says – 1/3 books underwritten by well known publishers, 1/3 produced by small independent presses, and 1/3 experimental independents like POD or ebook authors. “They claim a distinguished and reputable legacy in reviewing, but how unbiased are they, really? They critcize us without knowing what the service is all about.”

Opportunity, according to Sutherland, is at the heart of the pay-per-review deal. While they can’t promise a good review (“I have the integrity of my magazine to uphold,” Sutherland says), they can promise an honest one. Professional freelance writers drawn from other trade publications like the Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly, comment objectively on each book’s strengths and weaknesses. “It’s a third party voice of benefit to the readers and the writers,” Sutherland says. “For many customers, that alone is worth the $295. So I don’t care really that the people in New York are pooh-poohing it. I’m here to help these people get exposure. My mission is to expose good books.”

BookBrowse.com – a remarkably well-designed book website launched in 1997 by Davina Morgan-Witts -- shares Sutherland’s mission, but with a staff of one. “I do feature POD books,” Witts says, “but very few – only those that can jump through all the submission guideline hoops or those who, through some cunning series of events, manage to get right under my nose.“

It isn’t that Witts sees no merit in independent titles. BookBrowse has prominently featured The Good American by Ursula Mandel and other outstanding iUniverse POD titles in their “Author’s First Book” section without hesitation. It’s more a matter of time and economics that precludes extended coverage.

“I cannot actively solicit POD books – or any books for that matter,” Witts says, “because I really do take a serious look at any book submitted, at least in terms of synopsis and first chapters. So realistically, I can only feature 3 to 4 independent authors each month – at the most. If I got more than that, I would have to turn almost all of them away.”

Other commercial online review sources like the pioneering Bookreporter.com, founded in 1996 as an AOL exclusive, aren’t prepared to accept POD or ebook submissions – yet. But the window of possibility may be open. “If someone found a way to present a very compelling topic to us,” says CEO Carol Fitzgerald, “that would draw out attention to POD. Non-POD titles are presented in a catalog from publishers or publicists who pitch them. Someone innovative in POD needs to break through the fray.”

Is it worth it?

Do e-views influence serious buyers? “They do,” says Bookreporter.com’s Fitzgerald. “We can see immediate sales results with clickthroughs to Amazon.com. And we continually get mail from readers who say they use our reviews as buying guides.”

Novelist M.J. Rose (www.mjrose.com) wholeheartedly supports Fitzgerald’s assertion. “Online reviews were directly responsible for the success of my first novel, ‘Lip Service,” she says. Reader reviews at Amazon.com caught the attention of an editor at Pocket Books who bought the self-published book and launched Rose’s career. “I still do a good percentage of my self-promotion online,” she says.

Promotional layering is key to Internet success, according to Fitzgerald. “Online mediums allow publishers to promote books outside of the typical first 42-day promotion period,” she says. “Readers can find books on their own agenda. A news topic can make a backlist title new again. With a few keystrokes, an older review is back up front again.”

Simply put, e-views, unlike print reviews, need never, ever fade away.

Writing About Entertainment

Get Your Clips Together

by Kelly Milner Halls

From drug-addicted actors to celebrity stalkers to Hollywood Scientologists, award-winning journalist and self-proclaimed "pit bull at heart," Mark Ebner has covered Los Angeles and the entertainment industry for almost two decades. Bylined in Premiere, Details, Spin, the News Times and dozens of other publications, he's worked his way up the freelancing ranks. Ebner has also written for film, television and comic books; hosted his own nationally syndicated radio show, and recently co-authored his first nonfiction book with Internet movie sneak and freak, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool?

What special challenges set freelancing for entertainment industry publications apart from other specialties?

"Entertainment journalism" is sort of an oxymoron in that most mainstream entertainment-oriented publications are practically vetted by movie studios and certainly beholden to the advertisers of the same ilk. I suppose the greatest challenge for the freelancer is the battle to see their honest, "warts and all" reportage make it to the published page. Brow-beating timid editors into submission is part of the game, as is the realization that 99 percent of what comes out of a celebrity publicist's mouth is a lie. Also, the thought of trying to pull a usable quote out of some spaced-out starlet makes a freelancer reach for the Pepto Bismol®. I don't know if entertainment journalism is all that different than other "specialty writing," but nowhere else will you find so much "spin," fear, greed, and so many egos.

What kind of topics do you write most often for entertainment magazines? Are there staples in the industry that "always" sell?

I'm the "down and dirty guy" who will spend months working on a Hollywood exposé that will more than likely get "killed" in favor of the publisher using the personality in question for an upcoming cover story. It's all politics, but there's a decent living to be made from "kill fees." I'm also the "go-to guy" when the publication is ready to hang a drug-addicted actor out to dry, or they need an exposé that every other career-conscious journalist is afraid to touch. The "staples" in the industry are "puff" celebrity profiles, lightweight stuff that any hack who can string quotes together is capable of. Which is not to say I'm above the occasional puff piece. They, too, pay the bills.

How would you break into this specialty if you were a beginning freelancer?

I hate to say it, but write for free. Find a glossy start-up magazine, or a local rag that features entertainment stuff, and get your clips together. Then find the mags that pay and start bugging editors. Hint: A "senior editor" on any masthead is the person to start bugging first. Find a story, or snag an interview that you can claim an exclusive on. Make the editor NEED you. Keep bugging them until you bag an assignment. Remember: Part of their gig is to be bugged by neophyte freelancers, so don't be put off by their occasional moods.

What is the general pay scale a freelancer can expect writing about entertainment topics?

Entertainment writers' wages vary, and they don't necessarily adjust for inflation or cost-of-living increases. Low-end, believe it or not, is still around 25¢ a word. Mid-range is a buck-a-word, and a successful freelancer brings down between $1.50 and $2.50 a word. If you think you're hot and want to sacrifice eventual ownership or copyright on your published stories, there are a handful of seldom-available "contract writer" positions out there. For instance, Dominick Dunne makes a comfortable high six-figure salary plus perks dishing the rich and famous at Vanity Fair. The key to making a decent living as a freelancer is to always have more assignments on your plate than you believe you can possibly handle, and never thinking that you're "above" an assignment. Never say "no."

What are the most common mistakes freelancers in this arena make (and can avoid)?

Not filing quarterly tax returns and consistently missing deadlines are good ways to "write" your way out of a career. Try and get your copy in on time and remember—the taxman is not kind to work-for-hire types who invoice for untaxed editorial fees.

Have you had a favorite assignment? If so, what was it and why was it so memorable?

My favorite assignments are ones that ultimately impart some sort of honorable, useful message off the printed page. Also, a story that might effect worthwhile changes regarding the often-sordid subjects that I cover is a bonus. Going on location on an assignment can be fun. After years of complaining about never getting gigs in exotic locales, I finally got dispatched to Paris to interview Gabriel Byrne on a movie set. Our interview went great, and he arranged for me to meet Catherine Deneuve at a dinner party. Need I say more?

Have you experienced the nightmare of all nightmare assignments? Describe it.

I don't know . . . The nightmare assignments are usually the "for-the-money" jobs that I'm not enthused about in the first place. True investigative journalism is always an exciting challenge, puff pieces are generally a headache. Unresponsive, self-important celebrities are always a nightmare. But then, one man's nightmare is another man's challenge.

TOP TIP: "Find a mentor. Someone who's been in the trenches long enough to realize that 'you've got to give it away to keep it.' I'm currently accepting pupils who are serious enough to have a sense of humor about the profession. I can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ."

David Carter's BIRTHDAY BUGS, 2004.

David Carter's HALLOWEEN BUGS.

FOR WRITER'S DIGEST, 2004

A HUNGRY, HEARTY CHILDREN’S NICHE: HOLIDAY FARE

By Kelly Milner Halls

Breaking into the realm of writing for young readers can be tough without finding a niche. But step into the world of seasonal or holiday books, and your relationship with acquiring editors could have the shelf life of a battery bunny. It could keep going, and going and going….

Consider, for example, the quirky zeal of author/illustrator David Carter’s pop-up holiday books. Carter has dedicated eleven of his 28 books to holiday themes, ten of them to fun natured, holiday bugs.

Why bugs? “I was asked to describe a day in the life of 8-year-old David Carter,” he says on fellow author/illustrator Robert Sabuda’s web site (robertsabuda.com). “I [said] I would spend hours on end searching the foothills and fields around my home in Bountiful, Utah, for rocks and boards.”

When bugs popped up from outdoor hiding places, Carter explained, so did creative ideas. And as an adult, holiday bugs took on a lucrative appeal.

Jingle Bugs, (Simon & Schuster, 1992), Carter’s first holiday venture (his third children’s book) was released with an initial print run of 225,000 copies according to Simon & Schuster, and a hefty advertising budget to go with it.

Holiday bugs joined the Carter parade through editorial brainstorming. “After the success of How Many Bugs in a Box? (Simon & Schuster, 1988),” Carter says, “we created a list of ideas and that list included a Christmas book. With a little nudge from my editor, Jingle Bugs became the third book in the Bugs series, which led to Love Bugs (Simon & Schuster, 1995) and the rest is history.”

Which holidays offer the most bookselling potential? Carter has mined almost every field. In addition to the two bug books that started his seasonal trend, he created The Twelve Bugs of Christmas in 1999, Easter Bugs in 2001, Chanukah Bugs in 2002, Halloween Bugs in 2003 and Birthday Bugs in 2004 – along with two other Christmas popup books not populated by insects at all. But is Christmas over sold?

“Though we often hear that the market is glutted with Christmas books, this holiday still drives the most sales,” says Stephanie Owens Lurie, President and Publisher of Dutton Children's Books. “But some holidays, such as Halloween, are good for lower-priced, mass market books, but not hardcovers. Mother's Day has been over-published, but not Father's Day, which is ironic, since Father's Day books tend to sell better (because mothers buy more books than fathers do).”

Owens Lurie agrees that Carter-like quirk can help capture a children’s book editor’s imagination. “Because the market is so crowded (approximately 9,000 new children's books are published each year), the more clever or fresh a story is, the more attention it may receive. On the other hand, if it is too quirky, it may have too limited an audience.”

To walk the fine line between traditional and unique, think craftsmanship. “We look for stories with distinct but sympathetic characters and a new twist on universal themes,” Owens Lurie confesses. “The best ones offer a memorable character who changes in the course of the story, a little bit of dramatic tension to keep readers turning the pages, and an element of magic or mystery to set the mood.”

Dennis R. Shealy, Director of Novelty Publishing and Licensed Publishing at Random House Books for Young Readers has a slightly different, mass-market perspective. “The majority of my titles are licensed, so I have almost no opportunity to take original titles,” he says. “For the few seasonal titles I publish that are not licensed, I usually mine the Golden Books backlist for old titles that are sweet and nostalgic. Or we might publish a mass (less expensive) version of a trade title or spruce up a mass title (better paper, larger size, etc.) that sold well the year before.”

When Shealy does take interest in a fresh author, he admits, a new twist on an old theme has potential, but not so much in terms of content. “My corner of the mass market is usually more of a place for quirky formats (some interesting new bell or whistle, pop-ups, things that light up and make sounds). In terms of content, the ‘quirk’ needs to tie in with a quirky new format. We are trying to reach a mass audience--so again, it has to be appealing to all types of people.”

Are there elements holiday editors do not want to see in their slush piles? Absolutely. “When I get submissions they are often based very specifically on the writer's family or some specific incident. For the kinds of mass market books that I publish, you need to be much more general, i.e., it will appeal to all children of all types,” according to Shealy.

Rhyming texts lead the list of tired submissions for Owens Lurie along with, “stories that borrow too much from familiar holiday stories, e.g. A Christmas Carol or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; stories written to teach a moral; overly long texts (over 2,000 words).”

Both industry experts agree market research can help prospective authors better their odds. “I think the biggest mistake writers make is just sending out manuscripts blindly,” Shealy says. “I was always impressed by writers who had sent it to me or the company for a specific reason--I loved Book X and if you published that book, here are three reasons why I think you will want to publish my manuscript; or I think my book would fit into this series for reasons x, y & z. Don't just say it, but do some research and know who you are sending your manuscript to and why.”

Owens Lurie agrees. “Read what is being published now. Look at various publishers' lists, either in catalogs at your local library, or in the Spring and Fall announcement issues of Publishers Weekly. Try to identify the best home for your work. Write from the heart and take time to hone your craft. Stay true to your own vision, but realize that creating a picture book is a very collaborative process. You'll need patience and perseverance in order to succeed in this business.”

But don’t forget the fun and the dazzle, Carter says. “It’s what this business is all about; that certain something that brings a smile to a child's face. I do it by imagining what would make a 5-year-old David Carter chuckle. So rely on your memories and create to please yourself.”