All of the following "How Nots" are real behaviors Rocklin has witnessed.
1. Retain no memory of what it was like to be a child, and have no interest in accessing such feelings and memories.
2. Find children boring and rarely associate with them.
3. Believe it is your main duty as an author to teach those little critters to be smarter and better human beings.
4. Don't expect to be moved by anything you write for children; after all, this is not your "real" writing, only the superficial stuff you write for kids.
5. Be confident that you've got a hit because your children (grandchildren, students, neighbor's kids) have all loved your story and were influenced to donate money to environmental causes because of it. Rest assured that those 50 editors who rejected it know nothing; continue to send it out "as-is" until they see how wonderful it is.
6. Don't even bother to write the book. Instead send a list of sure-fire winning suggestions to editors. You can whip the book together after it's sold and paid for. (Examples of good ideas: the puppy who wanted a home; the boy who visited another planet but discovered it was a dream--except for the moon rock under his pillow!)
7. Don't waste time revising and improving your manuscript, as kids will never know the difference.
8. Don't research the market in terms of what publishers say they are looking for, and certainly never read a children's book to see what's currently being published. Never attend conferences to hear the perspectives of children's editors and illustrators and authors. And by all means do not join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators nor check out their website.
Copyright (c) 2011 by Susan K. Perry
Susan K. Perry, Ph.D., is a social psychologist, writer, and writing consultant. Among her books are Writing in Flow: Keys to Enhanced Creativity.
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How to handle difficult people.
