Children's Story Writing Diploma
Module 10 : Advice on Improving Confidence and Sense of Purpose
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In this chapter we will cover the following topics in more detail:
- The problems that a writer will face
- How to improve self-esteem and banish your critical inner voice
- How to achieve your writing goals
- How to overcome writer's block
- How to improve your motivation to write
- Some thoughts on writing from published authors
10.1 Introduction
Most writers suffer from self-doubt, uncertainty, lack of motivation, or 'writer's block' at some point in the course of their work. For many of us these anxieties can be pretty debilitating, causing us to go for long periods without writing anything, or giving up altogether. If you are one of these people then hope is not lost.
Read on for some tips on how to improve your confidence and sense of purpose in your writing.
10.2 What Writers Are Up Against
It is an unfortunate truth that some people do not view writing as a 'proper' job. This is maybe because it is an intellectual activity that at times is pretty intangible for the observer; as writers we can spend days tapping away at the computer with nothing very physical to show for it. If you are an unpaid writer this opinion seems to grow in magnitude, with naysayers seeing writing as a hobby when it is really a career that has not yet come to fruition.
For most writers, our work is self-regulated. It is great that we can get up and make a cup of tea when we feel like it, fix our working hours to fit around whatever else is going on in life, and take holidays when we desire. But this also has its drawbacks; more often than not there is no boss giving us deadlines, or peering over our shoulder to see if we are doing a good job. No one will pull us up on it if we spend the morning absorbed in listless apathy, still in pyjamas and watching daytime TV, or wasting time on YouTube.
Added to this is the difficulty of getting published and the numerous rejection letters that are the inevitable reward for hundreds of hours of toil.
When you finally receive your acceptance letter, or see the finished product of your self-published work, these worries will melt away like they never existed. Until then, keep your morale up by following this advice.
10.3 Banishing the Critical Voice
Every writer has this inner demon, tormenting them with assertions that their work is not up to scratch, that they should give up and their writing will never amount to anything.
Sound familiar? Banish the paralysis that this insidious critical voice can bring on:
Remember how far you have come
When you feel like you are not getting anywhere, look back and remind yourself of your accomplishments so far. What have you had to overcome to get to this point? If you have already begun your book, tell yourself how much of an achievement that is by itself. If you are just starting out writing, think back five years to when your aspiration to be a writer was hidden under layers of self-doubt, and how well you have done to take this proactive first step to move towards your dream.
Accept responsibility
On face value this one seems a bit harsh, but you will find that once you sit and give yourself a firm talking to, you will feel quite liberated. Low self-esteem and your critical voice are a part of you, after all, and you do have a measure of control over what you allow your mind to tell you. Choose not to entertain those thoughts, and though they will still try and slip in, if you do not give them the time of day they will decrease in frequency and strength.
Plough on with the first draft
If you are ready to start writing tell yourself that you will switch off criticism for the amount of time that it takes you to write the first draft. Do not keep stopping and going back, rereading and giving yourself a chance to get paralysed by your critical voice. Get into the swing of writing and forge through to the end, at which point your sense of achievement will counteract any negativity you may be feeling while you go through and rewrite.
Share your work
Fear of what people will think and say often stops writers from sharing their creations. Start by showing something you like to someone you trust and whose opinion you value. Tell them if you are anxious about doing this and why. Once you have done this a few times, submit some short stories or similar to literary publications; you never know, you might get something published. If not, there is an opportunity for some helpful feedback.
Rethink rejection
When you are waiting for months for a reply to your submission and a brusque rejection letter arrives, it can be a blow to your self-esteem. Try and remember that there are hundreds of publishers out there and what you have got in your hand is just the opinion of one. Take their feedback on board if they give you any, but do not take the rejection as a judgement that your work is not good enough, just that you have not found the right editor yet.
Meditate
I know a lot of you might scoff in derision at this one, but if you can, give it a try. It does not have to be a deep spiritual experience, just some time in a calming environment to allow your mind to become quiet. There are many different types of meditation which have been shown to have hugely beneficial effects on self-esteem and general wellbeing.
10.4 Getting the Work Done
With the best intentions in the world there are days when we just cannot seem to get nose to grindstone and bash out a good few pages.
Here are some tips to help you get the work done.
Set goals
Many writers find that they can start projects, but don't finish them. This is often due to the critical voice we discussed above and it can be overcome by setting goals. Use the S.
M.
A.
R.
T. acronym here to make them specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based. Write your goals down somewhere prominent and hold yourself accountable to them, not forgetting to reward yourself when you complete one, however small.
Have a schedule
If you wait for the mood to take you, you won't find yourself getting much work done. Set aside time every single day to write, even if on busy days it is only 10 minutes, and scheduled in advance. Again, write this down so you cannot squirm out of it.
Write
You may find yourself surfing the Internet, looking for tips on writing, or reading book after book on how to write. Neither of these are negative, but be honest with yourself; are you avoiding getting down to the actual writing? When you finish this chapter, set yourself a goal to do some writing, it does not matter what. Get the creative juices flowing and you will feel really satisfied afterwards.
Remove distractions
The environment in which you write is very important. Not all of us have the space for a separate office, but you can get a folding screen and place it around a tidy, clear desk with plenty of light and a pleasant atmosphere. Writing should be something you look forward to and which deserves its own space. Hunched on the sofa while watching TV out of the corner of your eye will not promote a good working attitude.
10.5 Overcoming Writer's Block
The dreaded writer's block will assail most of us at some point in our writing career. It can be very disheartening to stare at a blank screen, for what seems like hours, with your mind blank.
- Go for a walk - A good long walk can often break through the lethargy.
- Do some exercise - Getting your blood pumping and returning to your desk filled with post-exercise endorphins can work a charm.
- Spend time with someone that makes you feel good - Choose someone who is supportive, interesting and boosts your self-confidence.
- Change your environment - Why not write at the local café, in the park, or in the library.
- Read a book - Choose a book that inspires you with its brilliance, or holds good memories.
- Brainstorm - Write down any and every idea that comes into your head; chances are, that without the pressure of having to craft your ideas as they arise, you will stumble upon something that makes you want to put pen to paper
- Free write - This is where you write down anything that comes into your head, without worrying about how it comes out. It does not have to be good and you can always throw it in the bin, but just breaking the paralysis can cause your writer's block to disappear.
- Do some writing exercises - Sometimes you need to take a break from working on your book. Spend a couple of sessions doing some writing exercises. There are plenty of ideas for this in a later chapter.
10.6 Get Motivated
Sometimes in can be difficult to give yourself that final push to sit down and write. When you get to your desk you feel listless and without purpose.
Here are some ideas to reinvigorate your writing.
Reassess your purpose
Think back to how you felt when you decided you wanted to write a book. Make a list of reasons why you love writing and what you hoped to achieve by doing it.
Get together
Sometimes the solitary nature of writing can make it difficult to stay motivated. Join a virtual office space or download a writing program on to your computer that keeps your writing window uncluttered and your mind focused. You can also take part in 'bookmarking' which is co-motivation through tracking your progress and announcing whether you have reached your goals. You can do this online via email or a site like twitter, or even just by texting or phoning a friend to tell them whether you have reached your goal.
Envisage your goal
Spend five minutes fully visualising the scene where you receive the letter accepting your manuscript for publication, or the point at which you hold the first copy of your book in your hands; you might find it does wonders for your motivation.
Keep learning
If you find yourself getting stagnant, take some time to hone your craft, whether through a writing workshop, a reputable online course, or a series of writing exercises.
10.7 Some Food for Thought
- Walt Whitman
- Erica Jong
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.'
- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ray Bradbury
but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.'
- G.
K. Chesterton
- Isaac Asimov
- Henri Matisse
- Nora Roberts
- Ernest Hemingway
- Barbara Kingsolver
- Stephen King
In Summary
Although writing is a great occupation, it has its challenges. It can be difficult to stay confident and motivated when there is only you to incentivise yourself.
If you have a critical inner voice expressing your low self-esteem, look back at your achievements, take responsibility for your own thoughts, share your work with someone you trust, and maybe try meditation.
If you have trouble staying motivated, suffer from writer's block, or cannot seem to get the work done, set yourself specific targets in a realistic schedule, have a pleasant working space, refresh your mind with a change of setting or format every now and then, and use communication with others to hold yourself accountable for your work.
If you are struggling, use the words of some other authors to get you through the rough patch.
Learning Topics
- What is it about writing children's books that appeals to you?
- Clearing up the myth that writing for kids is easier than writing for adults
- Some other common misconceptions about writing books for children
- What does writing a children's book actually entail?
Learning Topics
- Physical items you will need to start writing a book
- Managing your time efficiently
- Personal skills you need to succeed as a children’s writer
- Skills you can develop in order to write children’s literature
Learning Topics
- How to use other children's books in order to write your own
- A look at some famous picture books aimed at younger readers
- Excellent examples of first chapter books
- Books aimed at teenagers and young adults
Learning Topics
- The importance of writing for a particular age group
- How to choose an age group
- The most common age groupings used by publishers
- The various points of view you can use to narrate your book
Learning Topics
- The importance of the first page and first line
- Examples of some great first lines in existing children's books
- What you can do to make your first page stand out
- What not to do in a first page
Learning Topics
- Why creating good characters is important
- How to get ideas for characters
- How characters will differ depending on your target age range
- The qualities a character needs to be real and engaging
Learning Topics
- A definition of plot and why it is important
- How to come up with plot ideas
- The traditional plot structure
- How to develop your plot ideas
Learning Topics
- The definition of backstory
- Why backstory is important in children's literature
- What happens when backstory is employed incorrectly
- When to use backstory and when to avoid it
Learning Topics
- Why dialogue is important
- The uses of dialogue
- How to make your dialogue realistic
- How to make your dialogue engaging
Learning Topics
- The problems that a writer will face
- How to improve self-esteem and banish your critical inner voice
- How to achieve your writing goals
- How to overcome writer's block
Learning Topics
- Why writing exercises are useful
- Some writing exercises for different aspects of writing
- Some writing exercises to prompt your writing if you need ideas
- How blogging might help you as an emerging writer
Learning Topics
- The power of illustration
- The differing nature of illustration for different formats and age ranges
- How to submit a picture book for publication to a conventional publishing house
- How to choose and work with an illustrator
Learning Topics
- The importance of perfecting your manuscript before you submit it
- How conventional publishing and self-publishing compare
- The process of getting your book published by a publishing house
- Whether you need a literary agent
Module 1: A Course on How to Write Children's Books
Around 2.2 billion a year is spent on books in uk of which a fifth goes on childrens books.
Module 12 : Illustrating your Story and Working with Illustrators
storyboard
Society of Children's Book Authors and Illustrators and childrensillustrators.com
Module 2 : What you will need to Write Children's Literature in regards to Tools and Personal Skills
This chapter take a look at what tools and skills you need to possess in order to become a successful children's writer, and will cover the following important points:
- Physical items you will need to start writing a book
- Managing your time efficiently
- Personal skills you need to succeed as a children's writer
- Skills you can develop in order to write children's literature
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2.1 What is in a Writer's Toolbox?
Many writers keep a pen and pad by their bedside for those middle-of-the-night plot revelations, which are hopefully legible enough to make sense of the following morning.
2.2 How to Find the Time to Write
It is a good idea to have a regular time slot each day when you plan to write.
decide how much or how little time you have to write and make a promise to yourself that you will spend that set time writing every day
2.3 The Importance of Good Spelling and Grammar
Spelling mistakes can easily be checked with a word processing software, and some grammar mistakes can be picked up too.
2.4 Personal Skills You Should Have as a Writer
Apart from motivation, determination and patience you also need a lot of self-belief and confidence in your work
It is important to understand that you will have bad days and down days when you do not feel like carrying on. How you deal with those emotions will determine whether or not you will end up making it as a children's author. Letting the self-doubt and negativity eat you away will lead to a shelf full of half-finished stories. However, having self-belief will keep you going despite all the bad days, and having confidence will give you the courage to finish those stories and get them sent out to publishers.
2.5 Skills You Can Develop Further to Enhance Your Writing
Instead of snubbing criticism you should embrace it and learn from it.
In Summary
There are not many physical things a writer needs to start writing. All that is really required is something to write on and something to write with; however a computer or laptop is the most common tool for writers to use nowadays.
When it comes to personality a writer must have the right attitude in order to appreciate the learning process and not get dejected by criticism and rejection. Another really important quality is self-motivation, as writers need a lot of this to carry on writing, rewriting, and rewriting again every day when they sit down to work.
If motivation will get a writer sitting on a chair and writing, then determination will get their story finished, and self-belief and confidence will get their manuscript edited numerous times and sent off to numerous publishers.
There are many skills and qualities a children's writer needs but luckily many of them can be developed, improved upon and learnt so it really means that writing is something that anyone can do.
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Worksheets
Module 4: Selecting an Age Group Point of View: Who's Telling the Story
Module 5 : How to Get Started From Getting the First page Spot-on to Creating the Perfect Setting
Module PDF's
Module 1: A Course on How to Write Children's Books
Module 2 : What you will need to Write Children's Literature in regards to Tools and Personal Skills
Module 3 : Learn from the Best: Great Examples of What Other Children's Writers do Well
Module 4: Selecting an Age Group Point of View: Who's Telling the Story
Module 5 : How to Get Started From Getting the First page Spot-on to Creating the Perfect Setting
Module 6 : How to Build a Good Children's Book Character
Module 7 : How to Plan a Perfect Plot
Module 8 : How to Use Backstory Without Being Boring
Module 9 : How to Write Dialogue that makes your Story Flow
Module 10 : Advice on Improving Confidence and Sense of Purpose
Module 11 : Practical Writing Exercises
Module 12 : Illustrating your Story and Working with Illustrators
Module 13 : How to Deal with Publishers and Selling your Stories