My Manuscript Stinks Society

Magazine Short Story Writing

2011-09-10T19:14:00.001-07:00

Entwined by Heather Dixon (Released today, March 29, 2011)

2011-03-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

I met Heather Dixon in the creative writing classroom. Since then I've had the pleasure of learning more about her--things like, she's a generous person; she's always learning more about story-craft; and she works hard.

Entwined, as Betty Edit noted on her blog, is the kind of book that's hard to put down. It's so well-paced, emotionally engaging, and rich that you continue turning pages, against tiredness and life's deadlines, to see what you'll experience next.

There's a lot to love about Heather's writing and storytelling, but here are a few of my favorites:

1. She hits a range of emotional notes and chords. She can take you from laughing to afraid to crying to hoping--all in a single chapter if she chooses to.

2. She weaves humor into the story's pages and beautiful flourishes that delight the reader. Her writing is stylized and visual.

3. The story-threads and tiniest of details are all important to what unfolds. They weave in and out and merge with other threads to create a whole experience for the reader.

4. She knows what she writes (not writes what she knows, although she probably does that too). In other words, whatever she creates in words, she first imagines, thinks about, researches, understands. This is apparent in the authenticity of her characters, the story's rich settings, and the natural and cohesive way in which the story unfolds--not to mention the dancing!

Take a look at some of the major reviews for Entwined (under Critical Praise).

My Manuscript Stinks Society, 2011

2011-01-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

As promised, we've updated the look of the blog and added new content.

Check out the pages detailing the steps in the publishing process that run along the top of the blog. (We will be working on fleshing out this content for a while yet, but we do have the bones and a little bit of the meat up and ready to read). Also, make sure to participate in our survey on how you get rejected in 2011. (You may need to refresh your browser in order to vote multiple times.)

Soon, we'll be launching the Stink It Up challenge, so stay tuned.

We here at MMS are looking forward to a productive 2011 with many rejections and a bit of acceptance. We hope you are, too!

We're working on a new look and a writing challenge . . .

2010-11-24T04:14:00.000-08:00

. . . but because we're swamped, it probably won't be ready for a while. In the meantime, keep writing (of course!), and check back every once in a while. Some features that are available for use right now: the writing timer (it's a great way to get in at least 10 minutes a day of writing exercise); the magazine list (which includes submission guidelines to many children's and young adult markets); any of our previous posts; and links to literature on children's and young adult lit.

Writing Prompt: Playing with Food (aka Grocery Store Diction)

2010-01-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

A couple of us were wandering through the grocery store, looking for words on pre-packaged products that we could use to craft an inspiring message. We were looking for positive words, like Smart and Great and Stupendous. We did find Smart (Smart Food) and Great (“great recipes included inside” on a peanut butter cookie mix); we also found a whole lot of words that were unusable but funny.

So here’s the prompt. Go to the grocery store and wander down the cereal aisle, the cracker-cookie aisle, the candy aisle, and anywhere else that has pre-packaged goods. Scan the products for great words—scrumptious, hot, crunchy, cheesy, sloppy, sizzling, saucy—and then write either a humorous romance scene (or something else) using those words.

For an even more exciting experience, take a writer-friend along, and do the looking/writing/discussing aloud together. You may turn a few heads, but that’s the price you have to pay for art. :-)

We would love for you to post your scenes.

Welcome New MMS Associate Members

2009-12-09T21:02:00.001-08:00

We would like to extend a hearty welcome to your newest associate members, who earned rejection letters from Cricket, Spider, and Highlights for Children for short stories that didn't fit the publishers' present needs. Welcome! You're in good company.

In honor of our inductees, My Manuscript Stinks Society would like to invite members and readers to share their favorite rejection letter lines.

Or, if you're not in the mood for revisiting your painful past, take a moment and recommit to submitting your work to publishers. After all, 2010 is fast approaching and to remain in good MMS standing, you need to earn 1 credible rejection a year. Do your part: Submit & get rejected.

Of course, MMS also delights in celebrating successes (our motto, after all, is acceptance through rejection). We'd like to congratulate member Heather Dixon on her book deal with Greenwillow; her exquisitely crafted first novel will be published winter 2011. We'll keep you posted.

Happy writing!

P.S. We've just joined twitter.

100 DAYS! The end is in sight.

2009-11-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Days #95 - #100

Five goals:

1. Write for fifteen minutes: evaluate where your current writing project is and set specific goals for completing it.

2. Write for fifteen minutes: accomplish a goal that you set as part of #1.

3. Write for fifteen minutes: focus on description, imagery, sensory details.

4. Write for fifteen minutes: accomplish a goal that you set as part of #1.

5. Write for fifteen minutes: celebrate yourself--list what you're good at (e.g., character development, imagery, sentence structure, setting details). Then celebrate--go out to dinner, take a walk, buy something--the completion of 100 days.

Oh, and post however you did HERE. We'd love to hear the progress you made.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #19

2009-10-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 26 - Sunday, November 1 * Days 91-95

On at least one day this week, set your current project aside and write something entirely new and unplanned. In other words, this week, practice creativity.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #18

2009-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 19 - Sunday, October 25 * Days 86-90

This is the third to last week! You can do it!

If any of you are like me, there was most likely a prompt during these past 18 weeks that you thought looked interesting, but didn't do for one reason or another. This week's prompt is to do that prompt you didn't do.

For those of you who have done all the prompts, call me and I will buy you an ice cream cone.

Thanks to whirligigdaisy for this idea!

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #17

2009-10-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 12 - Sunday, October 18 * Days 81-85

We're down to the last four weeks! Time to shake things up a bit. This week's prompt:

If you primarily write using a computer, write by hand at least one day this week.

If you write primarily by hand, write on the computer one day this week.

If you use both methods equally, or are morally opposed to writing/typing (whichever is not your norm), try writing in a new location. This can be a new location in your home, a new location in your yard, a new location in your town, etc.

Post any interesting discoveries you make about your writing, an excerpt from your writing, or whatever you want.

Complete this prompt and you earn the title Ambicompositional.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #16

2009-10-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 5 - Sunday, October 11 * Days 76-80

Think of a scene you are working on that you would like to be more visual. Go to Google images and look up a dozen or so pictures for reference. Rewrite the scene after studying the pictures.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #15

2009-09-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 28 - Sunday, October 4 * Days 71-75

This week's prompt is autumn.

Do with it what you will.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #14

2009-09-22T06:59:00.001-07:00

Monday, September 21 - Sunday, September 27 * Days 66-70

Take a look at the magazine submission guidelines (markets) posted on the right of our website. Read through the submission guidelines for the ones of interest.

Brainstorm ideas for a short story, nonfiction piece (article, craft, activity, biography), poem, or rebus story. If you end up liking your idea, develop it, workshop and revise it, and submit it to a publisher.

Complete this prompt and you earn the title of Marketeer.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #13

2009-09-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 14 - Sunday, September 20 * Days 61-65

I believe we have hit the 100-day writing slump. Therefore, this week's prompt is not so much a writing prompt as an assignment:

Post a comment to this blog telling what motivates or energizes you to write when you are in a slump. What gets you going again? What inspires you? What makes you actually sit down and pick up the pen?

Complete this prompt and you earn the title of Bluesbuster.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #12

2009-09-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 7 - Sunday, September 13 * Days 56-60

Whew! It's amazing how time flies, isn't it? Speaking of time, it's time for this week's prompt. This week's prompt is meant to explore the relationship between setting and character. I know you are all just quivering in anticipation, so here it is:

Choose a setting with which you are familiar, preferably someplace you lived or grew up, and create a character from that setting. Explore the setting to draw your character out of it: what sorts of people exist in that setting? What might some of their challenges be? How would someone from that setting speak, talk, or think?

Then, post your character sketch or a brief scene.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #11

2009-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 31 - Sunday, September 6 * Days 51-55

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to select a portion of a work-in-progress and have someone else critique it. This someone else should ideally be a writer-type person, but can also be an unwitting friend, neighbor, family member, etc. To gain the most benefit from this exercise, ask the reader specific questions, such as:

What is the main character's motivation?

What is the central theme of the work?

Where do you see this scene/novel/character going?

What slowed you down?

What worked for you?

How would you improve it?

Don't forget to keep writing every day, just 15 minutes! You have 15 minutes, right? If not, try writing in 5-minute increments.

Week #10: 1/2 Way Mark

2009-08-25T00:14:00.000-07:00

This week, set a simple writing goal that you can achieve during the week. Also, set one writing goal that will carry you into the future.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #9

2009-08-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 17 - Sunday, August 23 * Days 41 - 45 (We're almost to the half way mark!)

This week's challenge is to write while listening to music. Choose a favorite album or playlist or even a single song, and write, letting the emotions in the scene be influenced by the music.

If you're up to it, post a snippet for us to read.

Happy writing!

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #8

2009-08-09T23:27:00.001-07:00

Monday, August 10 - Sunday, August 16, 2009 * Days #36-#40

This week, cut a scene (or a section of a scene, if you're so brilliant that you don't have an entire scene) that doesn't advance the plot or really belong in your story.

Thanks to Heather for the brilliant 100 Days illustration.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #7

2009-08-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 3-Sunday, August 9, 2009 * Days #31-#35

This week focus on making progress on your project: write for at least 15 minutes a day, on 5 separate days during the week.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #6

2009-07-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 27-Sunday, August 1, 2009 * Days #26-#30

Choose one of your characters, preferably one you need to develop. Take 15 minutes in a quiet setting to sit down with your character and interview her/him. You may do this however you best can: writing everything down cold, thinking through the interview and jotting down notes, speaking aloud in the voice of your character (you may get strange looks from other people if you do this in a public place), etc. Be sure to ask her/him important questions (such as goals, desires, and fears) which will deepen your novel and further plot development; but don't forget to ask silly questions too!

Then, post either part of the interview, or what your most startling discovery was. Don't forget to post your points!

Successfully complete this prompt and you earn the rank of Journalist. (Add this to your previous titles of: 1. Copycat, 2. Wordsmith, 3. Adaptor of Film, 4. Mad Fish, 5. Shrinking Adverb.)

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #5

2009-07-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 20-Sunday, July26, 2009 * Days #21-#25

Revise one paragraph of your novel or story so that each sentence does the following:

1. relies on strong, specific nouns and verbs

2. varies in structure

(Read the first page of Louise Erdrich's novel for a good example of this.)

Successfully complete this week's challenge and you earn the rank of Shrinking Adverb. (Add this to your previous titles of: 1. Copycat, 2. Wordsmith, 3. Adaptor of Film, 4. Mad Fish.)

Remember to post your points at the end of each week.

And keep writing! Even one day is better than none!

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #4

2009-07-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 13 – Sunday, July 19, 2009 * Days #16 - #20

Pick a scene from a book that has a particularly high amount of emotion or passion. It can be your current project, but I suggest not using your end climax. Then rewrite the most intense part, but switch the mood. example: Romantic=Horrific, Sad=Happy, Anger=Joy, vice versa, etc. You may change words around, or tweak what is said, as long as it is done so in the same style of said book. And then, somewhere, include a fish as a prop.

Successfully complete this week's challenge and you earn the rank of Mad Fish. (Add this to your previous titles of: 1. Copycat, 2. Wordsmith, 3. Adaptor of Film.)

Remember to post your points at the end of each week.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: PRIZES!

2009-07-04T23:22:00.001-07:00

Starting with week #3 (see subsequent posting for this week's prompt), we're going to have drawings every once in a while.

Here's how it works. Each week, all of us write and all of us earn points (even MMS Society officers can participate):

1 pt. for each day that you write for a minimum of 15 minutes (you can earn a maximum of 5 pts. since our goal is to write 5 days a week))

1 pt. for completing the week's writing prompt

1 pt. for exceeding our expectations in some way (writing for an extra15 minutes one day; writing for 6 days instead of 5; writing for 20 hours; etc.)

Then, post your total points (out of the 7 pts. possible) by the following Monday at noon, and MMS Society will turn each point into a ticket. That's right, we will hand-write your online name on a ticket, which we'll deposit in a container. Every once in a while, we'll draw a lucky writer's name and award a prize. And we'll certainly award prizes at the end of week #20, so you'll want to earn as many tickets as possible before then. (Tickets will accumulate from week to week. The only time one will be removed is if that person wins a prize.)

To kick things off, we are going to draw a ticket on Tuesday, 14 July. The prize will be an Amazon.com gift certificate, so that the hard-working writer can purchase a film or novel (in honor of this week's prompt) for a bit of R&R. The gift certificate will be emailed to you; you can provide us with your email address if you win.

So, what are you doing reading this blog? Get writing! (We have a rather large roll of tickets to use up.)

But first, it might be a good idea to read the instructions for week #3.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing: Week #3

2009-07-04T23:11:00.001-07:00

Monday, July 6 – Sunday July 12, 2009 * Days #11 - #15

This week's prompt: Take a short sequence from one of your favorite movies, and re-write it as a novel. Pay special attention to the camera shots and where it cuts, as though the movie would be made shot-by-shot from what you had written. So if the sequence begins as a wide-shot of a suburb street, be sure to describe what the camera takes in--the trees and houses in rows, etc.

Successfully complete this week's challenge and you earn the rank of Adaptor of Film.

This week's goal: Complete the prompt (1 point possible) and continue to write for at least 15-minutes a day on 5 separate days of the week (5 points possible). (If you exceed our goal in some way, you can earn 1 additional point.) Remember to post your total at the end of the week, along with any of your writing, thoughts, ideas.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing Challenge: Week #2

2009-06-27T23:46:00.001-07:00

Monday, June 29 – Sunday July 5, 2009  Days #6 - #10

Fifteen minutes a day helps your writing progress in amazing ways. :-)

Find a dictionary or encyclopedia--it MUST be paper, not online. Open it at random and, without looking at the words on the page, put a finger down on the page. Then, pick any word within a one-inch radius of your finger. Use that word as your writing prompt to create a scene for your current writing project. (If you can't find a print encyclopedia or dictionary (sad), then open up any book, magazine, or newspaper and follow the same instructions.)

For example, I got the word "expectations." Now I will create a scene that uses expectations in some way.

Successfully complete this week's challenge and you earn the rank of Wordsmith.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing Challenge: Week #1

2009-06-20T22:54:00.001-07:00

Monday, June 22 – Sunday June 28, 2009 § Days #1 - #5

Welcome to the first week of the 100 Days . . . Challenge, where we can write it, one minute at a time!

How to get started:

Download and print the tracker for weeks #1 – 5 (the link is on the right hand side of the blog)
Post the tracker on your fridge or wherever you will see it daily (consider giving yourself rewards for meeting weekly goals)
Start writing. All you need to do to meet this week's challenge is write on 5 separate days of the week for a minimum of 15 minutes each day and complete the weekly exercise (you can complete this during one of your 15-minute writing sessions, if you like)
Feel free to post a small section of your writing, tell us what you achieved during the week, or simply let us know that you met the weekly goal (this will help keep us inspired and moving forward)

This week's exercise: Select a novel or story that you love. Read a favorite paragraph several times. Then write for a minimum of fifteen minutes in that same style. This means you can copy tone, sentence structure, style, pacing, topic, or whatever you like most about the passage.

Successfully complete this week's challenge and you earn the rank of Copycat.

100 Days to More Brilliant Writing—JOIN US!

2009-06-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

Invitation to Participate in 100 Days to More Brilliant Writing

Want to get going on your writing again? Join us for 100 weekdays of writing-related exercises. If you complete all 100 days, you'll earn a prize.

We're officially starting on Monday, June 22, 2009, but we're kicking it off a week early, for those of you who religiously check this blog, on Monday, June 15, 2009.

Express your interest in joining the challenge by replying to this posting.

What We Hope to Achieve

After attending the BYU Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers workshop, we decided we wanted to improve our craft through one hundred weekdays of:

1. Seeing ourselves as writers:

develop/improve our general mindset and persona as a writer
go to conventions and workshops, meet with other writers, network
writing regularly

2. Constant vigilance in completing a project:

dedicate time each day to writing
workshop
submit polished work; advance in the writing industry

3. Regular reading and study of contemporary writing

read non-fiction on writing
read fiction and non-fiction with a critical eye and for pleasure

4. Daily writing to hone technical skills and develop artistry

perfect the technical aspects of writing such as narrative structure, character development, setting
develop virtuosity in our use of imagery, repetitions, voice, style, etc.
workshop and help others to hone their craft
successfully convey our artistic vision
have passion and soul

And, we wanted to invite you (and everyone you would like to invite) to join us in the journey toward more brilliant writing.

Here's How It Works

The 100 days will be broken up into 20 weeks. We're only counting weekdays, so the weekends can be used to catch up if necessary. Each week the My Manuscript Stinks Society* will post an exercise emphasizing one or more of the above points. The goal is to complete the weekly exercise, as well as a specific number of minutes of writing each day. You will set your own goal for how many minutes you will write each day; in order to qualify for a prize, your goal must be 15 or more minutes a day.

Throughout the 100 days, feel free to post your completed weekly exercise or updates of your progress. This will encourage each of us to keep going.

Keep track of your progress during the 100 days. If you successfully reach your daily minute goal as well as the weekly exercise, you will receive a prize of such greatness that you will be ecstatic for years to come (or something).

Remember, the 100 days will officially start on Monday, June 22, 2009.

Join us!

Pre-Week Writing Exercise for Monday, June 15 – Sunday, June 21: Character Week

This week, collect, study, and describe objects your character would own or use; jot down phrases your character would speak; visit and describe places that might be important to your character; try on clothes that your character would wear; eat or make foods that your character would enjoy/hate; find a photograph (online or elsewhere) of what your character looks like; research what your character's name means; research your character's job, school system, courses, lessons, extracurricular activities, etc.; research habits and qualities of animals they own; research your character's culture and locale; interview your character; observe real children/teens that are the age of your character; or invent your own character-related prompt. This week's goal is to get to know any of your characters better.

Pick something from the list to work on each day, or work on one item over several days. Remember to write descriptions, scenes, or notes on your findings. You should spend a minimum of 15 minutes writing each day. (In other words, you can't count surfing the internet looking for a picture of your character as writing.) Clarification: As long as you complete one character-related prompt during the week AND write for 15 minutes each day, you will meet this week's goal.

_____

*Attention My Manuscript Stinks Society board: Be thinking of great prompts to post.

Are you ready for a challenge?

2009-05-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

Yessssssssssssssss!

Challenge: complete the list and post the results:

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

2. What is your best advice on writing?

3. What do you value the very most in a story?

4. What writing have you been working on lately (you don't have to give too much away)?

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?

6. Anything else?

Random Manuscript Facts

2008-12-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

100 double-spaced manuscript pages, in Times New Roman 12 pt font, equals approximately 25,000 words
to figure out how many pages your manuscript might be in print, multiply the number of double-spaced manuscript pages you have (Times New Roman, 12 pt font) by 5; then, divide the total by 4. So 160 manuscript pages x 5 = 800; 800 / 4 = 200 published pages.
Even though most of us are not likely to write Star Trek novels, it might be a good idea to review the submission guidelines for them. The guidelines contain some good advice.

Winning Story in the Highlights Contest Coming Soon . . .

2008-11-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

. . . to a magazine stand near you. Click here to preview of our MMS Society Co-President's story, "Rotterdam Christmas."

Congratulations, Heather!

Monthly Writing Challenge: November 2008

2008-11-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

This month's challenge has three parts:

1. Write a poem. It doesn't have to be a good poem or a profound poem--it just needs to be a poem (line breaks, great sound quality, rhythm, imagery). If you want to use the season for inspiration, feel free.

2. Set some writing goals. November seems like a much better time to reflect on the year and where you'd like to go next than January does. (Plus, it's right now!) Writing goals can be simple--write for 15 minutes a day--or more involved: finish the novel by the end of the year, start a novel, set up a workshop group, write an article a month, etc.

3. Finish up an unfinished project and/or start something new.

Feel free to talk about or share your poems, goals, or progress here.

Monthly Writing Challenge: October 2008

2008-10-13T12:10:00.001-07:00

Who better to inspire October's writing prompt than R.L. Stine?

This month's challenge is to read "Meet R. L. Stine," look over some of his titles, and then write a scene for a kid's horror story that balances the scary with humor.

Feel free to post your scene here.

And the first place winner is . . . .

2008-10-07T14:34:00.001-07:00

. . . Brittany. Congratulations! Your writing has earned you an official award, writing supplies, and cheesecake.

(Brittany, send an email to mms.society@gmail.com with your mailing address and your name, as you would like it to appear on your official award certificate, and we'll send everything to you.)

Thanks to my current creative writing class who judged the contest entries. They liked all of the pieces, but in the end, the ACTION in Brittany's story is what secured her first place.

Monthly Writing Challenge: September 2008

2008-09-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Tell the story of this little guy. Or make up a story that's inspired by him.

Post your best entry by midnight September 30th 2008. Encourage your writer friends to post a story too!

Stories must be under 300 words and targeted to children or young adults.

They will be judged on: 1) originality; 2) appropriateness to the cheesecake creature theme; 3) use of language, imagery, sentence structure, paragraphing, and all that good stuff.

Prizes will be cheesecake- and writing-related . The number of prizes will depend upon the number of entries.

MMS Society officers may post entries, but they won't be officially entered in the competition.

Monthly Writing Challenge: August 2008

2008-08-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

Write and post a paragraph from anything that you're working on: a novel, short story, article, essay, etc.

Then, comment on someone else's paragraph.

Happy August!

Monthly Writing Challenge: July 2008

2008-07-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

Capture one strong image every single day in July. You can describe the image, create a metaphor with the image, explore the image philosophically.

Post and share some of your favorites here.

New Guidelines for Full Membership in MMS Society

2008-06-09T21:58:00.001-07:00

Our new full membership criteria are listed below:

You are eligible for full membership once you have earned 5 rejection letters for manuscripts for children or young adults (e.g., short stories, poems, crafts, activities, games, articles, picture books, novels or novel proposals). Announce your rank advancement by emailing MMS at MMS.Society@gmail.com. Full members are eligible to wear the official MMS Society button.

Monthly Writing Challenge: June 2008

2008-06-06T23:44:00.001-07:00

How times flies. It's 7 days into the month, and I haven't yet posted our writing prompt.

This month's challenge is to pull out those filed away first chapters and reevaluate them. In particular look at your main character and ask:

Is she so likeable that we want to go on a journey with her?
Is she more intriguing, more driven, and ultimately more daring than ordinary humans and characters?
Is she dynamic (able to change)?
Is she filled with desires, wants, and motivations, which will drive the action of the book?

After you've analyzed your first chapter, try a revision where you strengthen your main character.

Happy writing!

Congratulations to MMS Full Member, Heather

2008-05-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Heather's short story, "Rotterdam Christmas," is slated for publication in the December 2008 issue of Highlights for Children. Her story won Highlights' 2006 Fiction Contest and is an example of superior writing. Congratulations, Heather!

(Number of rejection letters collected for this particular story: 0.)

Monthly Writing Challenge: May 2008

2008-05-11T02:30:00.000-07:00

Write four scenes for a new novel or a novel-in-progress. Make sure that each scene creates a different emotion or group of emotions (e.g., scene 1) apprehension; scene 2) elation; scene 3) devastation; 4) joy, mixed with sorrow). Also, make sure that each scene features at least one strong image (try using all five of the senses).

Good luck! Feel free to post a note on how well you met this month's challenge.

Monthly Writing Challenge: April 2008

2008-04-21T21:04:00.001-07:00

Each month we will post a writing challenge that will ask you to write for various age groups and markets.

For this month, we have selected Babybug, a magazine for kids 6 months – 3 years old.

The challenge is to write either a “very simple and concrete” story in “4 to 6 short sentences” or a “rhythmic, rhyming” poem in 8 or fewer lines.

See Babybug’s complete submission guidelines at:

http://www.cricketmag.com/pages_content.asp?page_id=20

Read the Babybug description and sample issues at:

http://www.cricketmag.com/ProductDetail.asp?pid=10

(Make sure to click on the link that let’s you look through the magazine.)

To help you get started:

Reading tip: Read anything that has great rhythm or rhyme, especially poetry. Read several Babybug magazines (online or at your local Barnes and Noble—check in the kids or family section of the magazines). Read simple rhyming picture books by Lisa Wheeler, Verla Kay, Rick Walton, or Kate and James McMullan. Also, read Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson Against the Odds by Robert Burleigh.

Writing tip: Look for simple, natural rhymes at: http://rhymezone.com/

Workshop tip: Have several people read your stories/poems. Make sure that they are simple and fun, while dealing with topics important to this very young age group. You may post works-in-progress on this blog; however, keep in mind that this is a public space. You may wish to workshop via email, over Google Documents, or in person.

Submission tip: For stories, use regular double-spaced manuscript form. For poems, single-space the text; use the regular manuscript headings. You may wish to send 2 - 3 strong stories or poems at once; this is the norm for poetry submissions.

Happy writing!

Terms of Membership for My Manuscript Stinks Society

2008-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

1. You are eligible for honorary membership if you have submitted a manuscript to a publisher and been selected for induction into the society.

You are eligible for associate membership once you have earned a minimum of 1 rejection letter. Announce your rank advancement by emailing MMS at MMS.Society@gmail.com.

New! You are eligible for full membership once you have earned 5 rejection letters for manuscripts for children or young adults. Announce your rank advancement by emailing MMS at MMS.Society@gmail.com. Full members are eligible to wear the official MMMS Society button.

2. To remain in good standing, you must earn 1 credible rejection letter per year. Credible rejections are those earned after submitting a well-written manuscript in all earnestness to a carefully selected publisher.