Children's Writers eNews
April 12, 2012
"The Write Words to Read"
The Institute of Children's Literature
http://www.institutechildrenslit.com
Editor: Jan Fields -- jan.fields@forums.institutechildrenslit.com
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The moment a man sets his thoughts down on paper, however secretly, he is in a sense writing for publication.
--Raymond Chandler
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
1. News For You: Writing Game with PRIZES!
2. New: "Writing Short Mysteries"
3. Vintage: "Mystery Plotting"
4. Workshop GOING ON NOW: "Writing for Parents and Families" with Karen Hammond
5. Chat Every Tuesday!
6. What's New At Kristi's?
7. Market Help
8. Webtastic Goodies
9. Essay
10.Good News
11.A Note for our users.
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1. Let's play a mystery writing game in honor of the new Children's Mystery Writing Contest from the Children's Writer! Imagine a first sentence for a scary or challenging or funny children's mystery and send it to me at jan.fields@forums.institutechildrenslit.com -- I'll run the top five in the next enews and send the winners a free copy of Kristi Holl's ebook WRITING MYSTERIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE -- http://www.kristiholl.com/Mystery%20Writing.htm
First line deadline: Deadline: MONDAY, APRIL 16th!
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2. "Writing Short Mysteries" by Jan Fields
http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/ws05/shortmystery.shtml
Short mysteries combine the fun of fiction with the whimsy of puzzles -- a perfect kid friendly package.
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3. "Mystery Plotting" with Kristin Wolden Nitz
http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/tr01/kristinwoldennitz2010.shtml
Yep, we're still feeling all mysterious for the upcoming mystery contest -- have you made your entry yet?
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4. April Workshop -- GOING ON RIGHT NOW
April 11-13, 2012 "Writing for Parents and Families" with Karen Hammond in the Writer's Retreat
http://institutechildrenslit.net/index.php

Although the number of print magazines for children is shrinking, the number of parent/family magazines continues to grow with new regionals opening every year. Since these markets also care about children, they can make terrific supplemental markets for children's writers. Learn how to write for these hungry markets.

Karen Hammond is an award winning feature writer, essayist and poet, and author of two books including the popular travel guide, Backroads & Byways of New England: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions (Countryman Press). Her feature articles have been published in leading national and international magazines and newspapers including  American Profiles, Family Circle, Family Life,  Runner's World, The American Lawyer, Weight Watchers Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Woman’s Day, Yoga Journal, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, Miami Herald, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, Vancouver Sun and many others. In addition, she has contributed poems and prose chapters to several anthologies. Karen began her career by writing brief articles for children. Today she writes primarily for the adult market in the areas of travel, food, and wine; popular culture; women’s health; parenting; and humor, as well as short fiction.

For many years Karen taught freelance magazine and newspaper writing at Binghamton University as a member of the adjunct faculty. She has been an instructor with Long Ridge for almost 19 years and is a popular speaker at writing seminars and conferences. Karen is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and earned a master’s degree at Binghamton University. To learn more about her, visit her website at www.karenhammond.com <http://www.karenhammond.com/>  or her blog at karenhammond.wordpress.com.
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5. Join us for Live Chat...
Every Tuesday we gather in the chat room to talk writing, selling, marketing, weather and bunnies! Whatever you want to chat with your fellow writers about -- come and have some fun!
http://institutechildrenslit.net/entry.htm
3-4PM Atlantic
2-3PM Eastern
1-2PM Central
Noon -1PM Mountain
11AM - Noon Pacific

Every Tuesday come and bring any writing questions you might have...or just hang out with people who share your same dreams.
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6. This Week at Kristi's

Kristi Holl's Writer's First Aid is so good -- it's like getting extra special writing advice in every visit.
http://institutechildrenslit.net/Writers-First-Aid-blog/

Wed., April 11: "Motivation or Committment? Part Two"
Committed writers don’t rely on constant motivation and “recharging.” Instead, they follow these four rules for getting the writing done.

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7. One Teen Story
http://www.oneteenstory.com/index.php?page=submit
"One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written for the young adult audience ages 14 and up. We’re open to all genres of literary fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words. Because of our format, we can only accept stories that are strong enough to stand alone."
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8. My Light Magazine
http://www.mylightmagazine.com
My Light is in need of volunteers to help run the magazine. Great experience opportunity! Immediate needs are an Art Editor and PDF assistant (who would help organize the issue for the pdf version.) Thanks so much! -- Jennifer Gladen, Editor in Chief, My Light Magazine

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9. Middle Grade Mystery Writing Contest
http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/af627/
Be sure to scroll down the page for exactly how to enter -- you can enter online or through the mail. Cash prizes for the top five winners!
Deadline: April 30, 2012
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10. Good News

Carol-Ann Hoyte: A five-question interview about my forthcoming book And the Crowd Goes Wild! A Global Gathering of Sports Poems will appear on Friday, April 13th on Sylvia Vardell's blog, Poetry for Children (poetryforchildren.blogspot.com <http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/> ). This independently-published anthology for children, which I created and am co-editing (with U.S. children's poet Heidi Bee Roemer), is illustrated by award-winning Canadian children's author-illustrator Kevin Sylvester. The collection features 50 poems written in 20 different poetic forms by 50 poets living in 10 countries (Canada, Wales, U.S., Liberia, Scotland, Australia, Ghana, Ireland, New Zealand, and England). And the Crowd Goes Wild! will be released in colour in both paperback and ebook (pdf file) formats in August 2012.


Dawn Pisturino: My creepy poem, "The Dentist," has been published in the April issue of Underneath the Juniper Tree, available online now.

Penny Estelle: I'm very excited to tell everybody that my story, A Float Down the Canal, is out!  Twelve-year old Pam Simpson's worst day every, becomes her best day, and it starts with a Float Down the Canal.  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140005

What's Your Good News? Send to jan.fields@forums.institutechildrenslit.com
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