Cynthea Liu's Blog

Hello, WFCAT fans,

The pooch crew has been hard at work on an update of the Crash Course that started it all! Strap on your helmet. Buckle up! Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course has been updated in 2022. Please note: this link is an Amazon affiliate link and all proceeds go toward the crew’s kibble.

For those of you who are new to the site or know someone who needs to learn the ins and out of how this works, please share this great news with them.  Please note: this book is not only suitable for adults but also for determined young writers (age 12 and up, middle school and high school grades, too). If you have younger writers in the family or classroom, this is a fun resource for you to learn from to help answer their questions about how children’s book publishing works.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Happy writing,

Cynthea and the WFCAT Crew

The post Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course, Updated in 2022 first appeared on Writing for Children and Teens.

UPDATE 3/21/20: The event videos are now posted! If we missed your question or ms, please email cynthealiu AT gmail DOT com and let Cynthea know! Here are the links (2 videos), enjoy!

Part 1: #1 – 28 (PB, CB, MG and YA) https://www.facebook.com/cliubooks/videos/499764837380803/

Part 2: #29 – 41 (PB)
https://www.facebook.com/cliubooks/videos/149848876277801/

UPDATE AS OF 3/19 12:30 PM: We forgot to include a big option for you. If you would like to submit a query letter pitch only (see Anatomy of a Query Letter – we are referring to the section on “Pitch” in that article), you may. Please limit your pitch to 125 words for the purpose of this event. And see below for full instructions on how to submit your pitch instead for critique.

All right, WFCAT fans, we are back in action for yet another Free-tique event for folks who are feeling a little nutty because of #coronavirus. This is a time to buckle down and summon some writerly strength so we can subject ourselves to more torture by putting our manuscript through the C. Liu Wringer.

We were made for this, right?! RIGHT?!

As kids and teen book writers, we are tough. STRONG. Most of all, we are persistent in trying to write the best content out there for our readers. So let’s get on with it!

Here are the rules. PLEASE READ IN FULL BEFORE SUBMITTING OR RISK ELIMINATION. (Btw, this time there are NO prizes; we can’t even mail you anything right now, and the pooches and I are crushed with pandemic-related-activities, so we hope you will remember that YOU are already a prize because you do the great job of writing for children and teens.

Children’s or Teen Fiction Only.

There will be a question/submission deadline of 12 p.m. Central on Friday 3/20/20 to give the pooches plenty of time to gnaw on your material and render a verdict. If you are not submitting work, but asking general questions, you can do that, too. I ask that all questions also be submitted in advance so we can consider your most pressing questions and answer them during the event.

You do not need a Facebook account to view the live event. Anyone who goes to the link should be able to see it. It will occur at 4-5:30 p.n. Central on Friday 3/20/20, provided we aren’t invaded by an army of alien robots next) and it will happen on my author Facebook page here, The recording of the event will also appear on the page soon after it is over. Folks, if you’re friends with me on Facebook, my author Facebook page is different than my personal Facebook, so feel free to follow the page linked in this graph and/or set a notification if you’re worried you will miss it.

Here’s how to submit.

I will take submissions by email. Please do NOT send your submission to any email addresses I’ve used in the past. My email is getting totally revamped so that will not work.

I will provide the new email address at the end of this post.

Next, if you are submitting a sample of your ms for critique or a pitch, please do the following (scroll down for how to submit general questions only):

1) In the Subject Line of your email

For ms: Specify a) format PB, CB, MG, YA) and b) title (e.g. PB If You Give a Pooch a Pandemic). Please read the glossary if you don’t know what the abbreviations mean.

For a pitch: Specify a) PITCH: b) format as above. c) title as above.

2) In the body of your email

a) Copy and paste up to 125 words. Do not worry about formatting. Do your best. I can read hieroglyphics. You do not have to be super uptight about 125 words, but please don’t go over by much or you risk the pooches sending your words straight to the yard for immediate burial in their favorite spot by the oak tree.
b) You may also follow that with the ONE question that you hope to know about your submission. If you have no specific question, then skip this part.
c) Double-check the email address you are sending your work to.
d) Hit Send.

e) Wait until the Facebook Live event happens or is over. More details will be provided then. You will get a number as we have done in past rounds but it won’t happen right away; it will happen as your manuscript comes up for munching during the event, and it will arrive as a reply to your email.

If you are submitting a general pressing/vexing question (e.g. something about children’s book publishing, authorship, promotion, etc.) …

a) For your subject line: put the words QUESTION ONLY: [And then a brief specific summation of your question or the question itself] like so … QUESTION ONLY: How should pooches address the topic of bacon addiction to puppies?
b) In the body of your email: you can further elaborate upon this question in the body of your email.
c) Check for correct email address.
d) Hit Send.
e) Wait until the Facebook Live event happens or is over to get your question’s answer.

One submission and one general question per participant, please.

Here is the all-important email address: WFCATcrew AT gmail DOT com. Remember, your submission/questions are due before 12 p.m. Central on Friday, 3/20/20.

That’s it! If you need help with any of these rules or have any questions about the free-tique event process, please click on the message icon in the lower right of your screen and that will message us right away. Hopefully, we haven’t confused anyone. We will do our best to answer your question!

Happy Free-tiquing, everyone, and we’ll see you soon! Arf! Meow!

The post Free-tique Free-for-All on Facebook Live (3/20/20) 4 PM Central – VIDEOS POSTED first appeared on Writing for Children and Teens.

All right, WFCAT fans, we are back in action for yet another Free-tique event for folks who are feeling a little nutty because of #coronavirus. This is a time to buckle down and summon some writerly strength so we can subject ourselves to more torture by putting our manuscript through the C. Liu Wringer.

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Pan Five for Five Writing Challenge

Show the WFCAT team your writing chops in this fun writing challenge with five different categories of free-tique (a five-tique) for a great cause!

The author behind the Pan family in The Dare, Cynthea Liu:

Dear Writers, 

This year, to celebrate the release of the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Dare (formerly known as Paris Pan Takes the Dare), I am at it again. I want to show what this special book that means the world to me and my family through acts of kindness. 

For those of you who don’t know, The Dare was my first middle grade novel, and the novel that got me agented with the amazing Jen Rofe with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. It was welcomed by a world of agents, editors, and writers in an amazing launch called Take the Dare: Show You Care, where together, we raised money for an in-need school in the state of Oklahoma, the state where The Dare takes place. The launch was even written up in Publishers Weekly. All I could think was that I have no idea how The Dare will do in the marketplace, but at the very least, I know the book has already done a lot of good just by existing. 

Well, fast-forward ten years. As it turns out, The Dare did receive a lot of fans. Unfortunately, two different major trade reviewers commented on the Pan parents’ broken English with concern that the book was culturally insensitive for the way the dialogue depicted Frank and Dorothy’s English. I knew the reviewers were well-intentioned, but I just couldn’t imagine writing the book where the Pan parents, both immigrants from China, spoke perfect English. And instead of vocalizing how I felt to the reviewers directly, I whined on Facebook and to my friends. I didn’t dare to turn over the establishment as a new author.  

However, I did write privately to one of the trade reviewers years later and asked them to review the book a second time––this time for content and not commentary about how immigrants speak English. Although they agreed, I have yet to pursue a second review. I know reviewers matter, but so do other writers, friends, and family that understand who I am and what this book stands for.  I have yet to take them up on it because now, I know, that reviewers do matter, but they also don’t matter when you have lots of writers, friends, and family that get it. 

So with all that said, I will release The Dare to the world again. This time, in the name of a good cause and the chance for plenty of writing feedback. 

My father (upon which Papa Pan is loosely based) passed away in 2017. Before he passed, I had the opportunity to share with him the new cover of The Dare, illustrated by an amazing and kind woman named Beatrice Blue. My daddy, who was stricken with oral cancer that affected his ability to open his mouth and speak normally, took one look at the cover and said in his broken English, “So good, Baby! Wowowow!” The words came out all garbled and hard to understand, but in his Broken English. Knowing that my family came here for opportunity, worked crazy hard to get that for all of us, and simultaneously learned a new language to help them get through, their way of speaking should be embraced. 

I am dedicating this launch, and all the good it will do, to my father, Raymond Liu, who taught me to give and give back. 

I am excited to share that this launch will be raising “books” for the Off The Street Club, based in Chicago. I was introduced to this organization by Sheila Donovan, a long-standing supporter whose presence at book events encourage me to do something for this great organization that has been a big part of her life. What better way than to give a book for every $5 raised through this writing challenge?

Your $5 will not only get yourself the fabulous 10th anniversary edition of The Dare as an e-book, but it will also be turned around to give a physical copy of The Dare to the Off The Street Club AND you’ll get feedback on any writing you submit. Plus, there will be prizes and more surprises along the way!

Want the paperback? That’s two books that go toward the Off The Street Club. The organization serves over 3,000 children who need a safe place to have fun and participate in enrichment activities–– and what better way to enrich through reading great books that feature parents who speak broken English proudly?

So get ready! Please put aside $5 (That’s less than your a venti order of your fancy Starbucks, people) and get ready to play. 

, 

Cynthea Liu

Each Entry will receive personalized 

feedback from the WFCAT team. For this challenge, we’ve asked the dogs and the fish to take a break from free-tiques. In their place will be the Pan Family Five.

They are:

Frank

Dorothy

Athens

Verona

and Paris

Note: the Pans are a tough bunch. They promise to follow the WFCAT motto and pass everything through the Cynthea Liu wringer. They are not your typical pushover critiquers and are completely prepared to tell it like it is and give you the kick in the pants you need to take your work to the next level.

Rules of Gameplay

Purchase the Dare 

$5 Ebook = 1 entry

$10 Paperback = 2 Entries

You may enter as many times as you want (more books for more kids!)

Receipts for proof of purchase must be submitted on the WFCAT website or emailed to pan5for5@gmail.com with each challenge category in order to be considered 

See step-by-step instructions below

Here’s how it’s done:

Buy one or more copies of The Dare eBook or paperback here: Take a picture of your purchase receipt and it to our email at pan5for5@gmail.com or easily submit the photo via your phone through Drift on wfcat.com Receive a number which verifies your purchase.Submit your writing to any of the five writing challenge categories. Be sure to include your receipt number to be considered!Sit back and relax while you watch for your five points of feedback to appear here and here and in your email inbox.

The Five Categories

Title

The proposed title for your work. Be sure to identify the age range and general plot of the story and the Pan family will provide feedback on how eye-catching and marketable your book title will be. 

Concept Paragraph

A concept paragraph is a brief and general overview of a story, which identifies major themes or lessons to be contained in the book. Entries should be no more than 250 words. 

First Line/Last Line

The first line is what catches the reader’s attention and the last line is what keeps the reader thinking about your book long after they’ve put it down. Show us what you’ve got! Entries should be no more than two sentences. 

Pitch/Query Letter 

A pitch or query letter are often the first steps to getting your book published. A pitch is what will sell your title to a potential agent or publisher. It needs to be unique, catchy, and feature a captivating synopsis. In longer form, a query letter proposes your ideas in an interesting and succinct format. Your pitch should not exceed 50 words. Your query letter should not exceed 300 words. 

Main Character Sketch

What’s unique about your character? Where do they come from and what do they want or need? What do they fear? Tell us about the personality and attitude of your main character and the Pan family will provide five points of feedback on how kids are likely to respond to your character. 

Bonus Award Assembly

Every entry is entered into an Awards Assembly at the end of the Pan Five for Five Challenge by Papa Pan and the family, who will give out 5 awards in each of the five categories.

What are The Prizes?

1st Prize: Frank

Winners will win 1-hour Phone Consults w/Cynthea 

 (plus all the other prizes awarded for 2-5th place)

2nd Prize: Dorothy

30-minute phone consult, a special certificate

3rd Prize: Athens

An autographed copy of The Dare to give to their favorite 

child who thinks they have it worse than Paris.

4th Prize: Verona

(the 5th place plus this)

A Special Certificate to print and hang in their office to 

commemorate their Achievement in winning the Dorothy Prize 

in the Pan Five for Five Challenge – Autographed by the Author. Flashlight.

5th Prize: Paris

A Special Certificate to print and hang in their office to 

commemorate their Achievement in winning the Paris Prize 

in the Pan Five for Five Challenge – Autographed by the Author.

Don’t forget to tag #Pan5for5 on social media!

THIS ARTICLE APPLIES TO ALL CHILDREN’S BOOK MANUSCRIPTS – INCLUDING PICTURE BOOKS.

Here’s what I do in Microsoft Word. (If you need a visual, an example is included in the book version of my Crash Course.)

Font and Paragraphing

12 point font. Times New Roman. (Courier is another acceptable option – but that font hogs up the paper). Whatever you do, please don’t try to flag the attention of an editor by using splashy font. All that will do is make you look like an amateur.
Double space your manuscript. How? – hit ctrl+A to select the body of your text, then go to the menu at the top of Word and select Format->Paragraph. A new window will pop-up. Under Line Spacing: select EXACTLY. Under At: enter “25” Click OK. This will make your line spaces just over double your font size. And there you have it.

Page 1: Header information

You will want the header of the first page of your manuscript to be different than the rest of the manuscript. To accomplish this, go to File->Page Setup. Then click on the Layout tab. Check the Different First Page box. Now go to the first page of your document and put your contact information in the HEADER.

To get to the header, from the menu up top, click View->Header and Footer. Your header will “open” on the page.
On the left side, enter your first and last name. Hit enter.
Enter your street address. Hit enter.
Enter your city, state, and zip. Hit enter.
Enter your phone number. Hit enter.
Then your email address. Hit enter.

On the right side, you’ll want to specify your word count. Like “Word Count~ 500”. To place this statement on the first line of your header, you’ll need to set a Right Tab.

To do this, click on that first line after your last name so your cursor is there. Then select from the menu Format->Tab. A pop-up window will appear. Under Tab Stop Position: enter 6″. Under Alignment, click on Right. Then click the SET button in that window.
Now hit the tab key on your keyboard and notice what happens. Your cursor will flush right.
Enter your word count and click out of the header.

Title Your Work

Now hit Enter 10-12 times. You should be about half-way down the page. Enter your title in all caps. NO BOLDING. NO UNDERLINE. I never bother with a byline since it’s assumed from the header. Hit enter twice and begin. And please, DO NOT PUT A COPYRIGHT on there. There is no need and some say, the appearance of copyright on the manuscript will flag you as an amateur. Want to know why? Your text is automatically copyrighted as soon as you write it. So putting the symbol on your document only points out to an editor or an agent that you might not know this. If you want to know more on copyright, read this from Wikipedia.

Chapter Titles for Chaptered Books

If your book is chaptered, center the chapter title and write “CHAPTER ONE–CHAPTER TITLE” in all caps.

Then hit enter twice again. Your subsequent chapters should each begin a new page, so learn how to insert a page break. Select Insert-> Page Break. Click Page Break. Done. Eight hits to the enter key will be where you start with the chapter title. 2 Enters to start the text.

Your Story Text

Indent paragraphs. To indent, it’s as simple as hitting the Tab key on your keyboard. Please don’t hit the space bar 5 times. This is a real pain in the neck and totally unnecessary. This was the old school way of doing things before the arrival of the personal computer.

The same goes for spacing between sentences. ONE SPACE is the standard now. Two spaces is what you do on a typewriter. So with that in mind, if you ARE using a typewriter, then follow the old rules. But everything I am describing here assumes we have a computer and we’re using Word or Works.

Do not double-space (hit enter key twice) between paragraphs unless this is intentional for your story-telling.

Slug and Page Numbers

On Page 2 and every page thereafter, a slug (your last name, a slash, then keywords from the title) and a page number should appear in the header. To do this, click into the header as described before.

Enter your SLUG in the upper left. This is LAST NAME / KEYWORDS FROM TITLE. Like LIU / JOHNNY’S DAY OFF
Next, insert a page number by setting a right tab like we did before and clicking the # icon in the header/footer toolbar.

Now your slug and page number will appear in every page header after page one automatically.

Phew! You’re done!

For an example of what your final product might look like, see the paperback version of WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE.

If you’re taking my online crash course, you may return to Step Three – Write.

THIS ARTICLE APPLIES TO ALL CHILDREN’S BOOK MANUSCRIPTS – INCLUDING PICTURE BOOKS.

Here’s what I do in Microsoft Word. (If you need a visual, an example is included in the book version of my Crash Course.)

Font and Paragraphing

Twelve point font. Times New Roman. (Courier is another acceptable option – but that font hogs up the paper). Whatever you do, please don’t try to flag the attention of an editor by using splashy font. All that will do is make you look like an amateur.
Double space your manuscript. How? – hit ctrl+A to select the body of your text, then go to the menu at the top of Word and select Format->Paragraph. A new window will pop-up. Under Line Spacing: select EXACTLY. Under At: enter “25” Click OK. This will make your line spaces just over double your font size. And there you have it.

Page 1 Header information

You will want the header of the first page of your manuscript to be different than the rest of the manuscript. To accomplish this, go to File->Page Setup. Then click on the Layout tab. Check the Different First Page box. Now go to the first page of your document and put your contact information in the HEADER.

To get to the header, from the menu up top, click View->Header and Footer. Your header will “open” on the page.
On the left side, enter your first and last name. Hit enter.
Enter your street address. Hit enter.
Enter you city, state and zip. Hit enter.
Enter your phone number. Hit enter.
Then your email address. Hit enter.

On the right side, you’ll want to specify your word count. Like “Word Count~ 500”. To place this statement on the first line of your header, you’ll need to set a Right Tab.

To do this, click on that first line after your last name so your cursor is there. Then select from the menu Format->Tab. A pop-up window will appear. Under Tab Stop Position: enter 6″. Under Alignment, click on Right. Then click the SET button in that window.
Now hit the tab key on your keyboard and notice what happens. Your cursor will flush right.
Enter your word count and click out of the header.

Title your work

Now hit Enter 10-12 times. You should be about half-way down the page. Enter your title in all caps. NO BOLDING. NO UNDERLINE. I never bother with a byline since it’s assumed from the header. Hit enter twice and begin. And please, DO NOT PUT A COPYRIGHT on there. There is no need and some say, the appearance of a copyright on the manuscript will flag you as an amateur. Want to know why? Your text is automatically copyrighted as soon as you write it. So putting the symbol on your document only points out to an editor or an agent that you might not know this. If you want to know more on copyright, read this from Wikipedia.

Chapter Titles for Chaptered Books

If your book is chaptered, center the chapter title and write “CHAPTER ONE–CHAPTER TITLE” in all caps.

Then hit enter twice again. Your subsequent chapters should each begin a new page, so learn how to insert a page break. Select Insert-> Page Break. Click Page Break. Done. Eight hits to the enter key will be where you start with the chapter title. Two Enters to start the text.

Your story text

Indent paragraphs. To indent, it’s as simple as hitting the Tab key on your keyboard. Please don’t hit the space bar five times. This is a real pain in the neck and totally unnecessary. This was the old school way of doing things before the arrival of the personal computer.

The same goes for spacing between sentences. ONE SPACE is the standard now. Two spaces is what you do on a typewriter. So with that in mind, if you ARE using a typewriter, then follow the old rules. But everything I am describing here assumes we have a computer and we’re using Word or Works.

Do not double-space (hit enter key twice) between paragraphs unless this is intentional for your story-telling.

Slug and Page Numbers

On page 2 and every page thereafter, a slug (your last name, a slash, then keywords from the title) and a page number should appear in the header. To do this, click into the header as described before.

Enter your SLUG in the upper left. This is LAST NAME / KEYWORDS FROM TITLE. Like LIU / JOHNNY’S DAY OFF
Next, insert a page number by setting a right tab like we did before and clicking the # icon in the header/footer toolbar.

Now your slug and page number will appear in every page header after page one automatically.

Phew! Your done!

For an example of what your final product might look like, see the paperback version of WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE.

If you’re taking my online crash course, you may return to step three – write.

If you’re like many people you’ll wonder where you’re going to get that illustrator for your book. STOP RIGHT THERE. Unless you are a professional illustrator, do not try this at home, folks! This is the great thing about a writing career. You don’t have to know how to draw! So remember: writers write. Illustrators illustrate. For once something makes sense. Whooopee! I bet I know what your next question might be…

“Well, how will the publisher know what I want them to draw?” STOP RIGHT THERE. What did I just say? Your job is to write. If you know what you’re doing as an author, the illustrator will have plenty to work with. Why? Here’s the thinking on this: a picture book text is only half of the story. An editor will find the illustrator who will take your words and make the whole thing come alive visually. Now, who would be better at this? You or Mr. Rhode Island School of Design graduate?

The same holds true for easy readers, chapter books, and so on. You write. Let the experts handle the rest.

But if you’re an author and a professional illustrator, then whoopee! Best of both worlds. Hoorah. This is very hot these days.

If you’re taking the crash course, return to Step Three – Write.

Order WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE