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Archive for the ‘Writing for Kids’ Category

Lancaster Christian Writers Super Saturday

Posted in Craft of writing, Writer's Life, Writing Fiction, Writing for Kids on March 25, 2019| Leave a Comment »

I’m looking forward to another “Super Saturday” with Lancaster Christian Writers on April 6. Every year I bring my Write His Answer bookstore and spend the day meeting and praying with conferees. I hope to see you there!

LCW 2019

With just TWO WEEKS until Lancaster Christian Writers’ Super Saturday 2019!! April 6th, 2019, we are looking forward to a wonderful time with outstanding keynoters and workshop leaders such as bestselling novelist Ronie Kendig; agent, editor, author Dave Fessenden; historical novelist Rita Gerlach; editor and author Hope Flinchbaugh; publisher, maketing expert, and novelist JP Robinson. 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The conference schedule is now posted along with workshop and faculty descriptions, flyer, press release, as well as registration, and payment forms on LCW’s webpage (see right column) . Please help us get the word out by sharing FLYER, and PRESS RELEASE with your social, church, school, and family networks.

PREREGISTRATION: A reminder that the preregistration rate of $55 is due by Wednesday, April 3rd. This means actual payment. If you register online planning to pay day of event, cost will be the walk-in rate of $65. Seventh-twelfth grade aspiring writers are also welcome at a two-for-one rate, or half-off if accompanying a parent, which includes lunch buffet (inquire individually about attendance for students under 7th grade). Payment can be made online (http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/), or mail check/ money order payable to: Lancaster Christian Writers, c/o Jeanette Windle, 1776 Euclid Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE CONFERENCE:

  • Please pray with us that God will bring those conferees to whom this event will be a blessing.
  • Please pray as well as for the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of our faculty.
  • Please pray too for safe travel and arrival at LBC of our faculty, our conference bookstore director, and all our conferees.
  • Registrations are currently uncharacteristically low for this time frame before conference, so please pray with us that we will have enough conferees to at least cover costs of conference (and if you haven’t sent in YOUR registration, consider doing so soon!)

More information can be found at Lancaster Christian Writers Today (http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/) OR email LCW president Jeanette Windle at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com.

 

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Wanted: Fiction Writers for Kids

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Craft of writing, Writing for Kids on April 18, 2016| 1 Comment »

sheila_seifert

Wanted: Fiction Writers for Kids

Guest post by Sheila Seifert
Parenting Editor
Focus on the Family magazine

 

Have you heard the bad news? The children’s book market is down. Publishers aren’t buying kids’ fiction, and those who do almost don’t pay anything for it. [Insert heavy sighs and depressed teenage groans.]

 

Of course, I’ve heard these common complaints for decades, yes, 20 years. Those erroneous rumors didn’t stop me from co-authoring seven children’s books, with the newest being released this May: Bible Kidventures: Stories of Danger and Courage. But if you reckon those rumors are real, there are only two routes to take: Give up your dream or carry on with what God has called you to do — write.

 

All my children’s books sell as fiction, but five in this family are, in fact, creative nonfiction — stories that are factually true, in my case Bible stories, and written using literary techniques. Creative nonfiction, like a misunderstood child, is able to reveal truth about an experience. The best creative nonfiction starts with what really happened — in the Bible, science, history or even your own life. Then literary techniques are applied to it as a much-needed canvas-cover over stark tent poles.

 

Consider the presentation of David and Goliath in this free download. The way it is set up, not just the story, moves it into the arena of creative nonfiction. The genre itself includes not only personal essays, but also writings about food, travel and individuals. These articles and books range from the blog-like style of Ann Voscamp’s 1000 Gifts to personal reflections, memoirs and chronicles. Yet how the story is presented makes the nonfiction manuscript even more accessible to readers.

 

There is no limit to what you can write for children using nonfiction topics and fiction techniques. And the market for it continues to grow. Teachers need creative nonfiction in the classroom — in science, math, social studies and English classes. Sunday school teachers need it. Book clubs are looking for it. And parents like books that help their kids learn as they read. Children, teachers and parents make this market a burgeoning base of revenue.

 

So what makes good creative nonfiction for kids? Good research, the balance between knowing what you can fictionalize and what you can’t, and choosing the right fiction techniques for your story. If you’d like to learn more about this trending category of writing, consider coming to my Wednesday workshop at the 2016 Colorado Christian Writers Conference called “Writing Creative Nonfiction for Kids.” You won’t regret it.

 

And if you don’t believe me, here’s what Jessica Strawser wrote in an article on the Writers’ Digest Blog: “All nonfiction should be creative nonfiction.” I couldn’t agree more, especially when it’s written for kids.

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