Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Promote Your Children's Book by Creating a Teacher's Guide

Congratulations, you have written and published a children's book!
Now comes the hard part, promoting and selling your book.

          "My" Book ~ The Anthology Containing My Short Story
                                        "Dare Double Dare"
                                        The IWSG on Instagram 
                       Background Photo by Louise MacBeath Barbour
                                           

One way to do this is to create a user-friendly teacher's guide 
that you can use during school and library visits, in presentations
at conferences, or as an exhibiter at industry events.

Yes, it's fun to share your book with children, 
but make your book user-friendly for teachers  
and they will buy copies to use in their classrooms.
Also, parents who homeschool their children
will appreciate a good book with an easy-to-use guide.

I know.  I taught elementary students for twenty-five years,
and I bought hundreds and hundreds of children's books
to use for reading aloud, small groups, and whole class instruction.

I was constantly looking for good children's fiction and non-fiction
that I could use in all areas of my elementary curriculum.
When I found a good book, I would buy ten copies for small group use
or twenty-five books for a classroom set.  This was easier for me
than having a number of children share a book or assembling
a classroom set by borrowing copies from multiple libraries.


A teacher's most valuable
resource is time.
I quickly learned that a good teacher's
guide saved me lots of time
with its useful information 
and ready-to-use activities.


Writing a teacher's guide need not be intimidating.
You can start small and go from there.

I'll start small by giving you the basic tools to create a reproducible handout
as a teacher's guide.  This is easier and more cost-effective than a 32-page teacher's guide for publication.  Once you have this handout, you can decide if you want to invest the time, effort, and money in publishing a teacher's guide. Meanwhile you have a guide you can use in the short-term while you go big and create a guide for publication. 

Authors have used such handouts during presentations at schools, libraries, bookstores, and conferences, and I found them useful as a teacher.  My sister Roberta and I have created these handouts and used them to promote her published books.  For this teacher utility beats gloss every time.

Bertie (left) and I Presenting at CCIRA
(Colorado Council of the International Reading Association)
Denver, Colorado
February 2011
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



Let's Get Started!
There are several steps to take before writing your teacher's guide:

1.  Check your publishing contract and with your publisher to verify what material you can use from your book and how.  For example, with Voyagers,
my fellow authors and I may quote an excerpt up to 1,000 words in length to use in social media and other places to promote the book.  We can also use photographs, images, and other materials provided by our publisher. Otherwise, we are free to create and promote as we choose.  Different publishers will have different requirements, so be sure to check.  Of course,
all publishers want you to promote your books!

                                             An Image for My Short Story
                                               Provided by My Publisher
                                                    to Promote Voyagers
                                                 Dancing Lemur Press L.L.C.



2.  Decide how much time, effort, and money you are willing to invest in creating a teacher's guide.  

a)  Jackpot:  If you land a publishing contract with a traditional publisher,
they may publish a teacher's guide for you or publish your written guide
and sell it with your book in bookstores and education stores.  Your publisher
may also publish an on-line teacher's guide for you.
Here's an on-line example:  Penguin 
(https://www.penguin.com/school-library/teaching-guides-activity-kits/) 

Additionally, another company may publish a teacher's guide for your book. Pictured below is a teacher's guide that I bought near the beginning of my career for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, a book I used
over and over along with the guide.

 
A Resource I Used Over and Over as a Teacher
 Photo by Louise MacBeath Barbour


b)  Farm It Out:  Let's face it.  Not all authors land a publishing contract
with a publisher who will publish a teacher's guide for their book.
Another option is to hire someone to write a teacher's guide for you.
Here's an example of such a service I found on-line:
(This is an example only, not a recommendation one way or another.)
Marcie Colleen  (http://www.thisismarciecolleen.com/teachers-guides.html)

c) Do It Yourself:  Many of us will choose this option.  If you do, keep reading. 


3.  Next, determine what grades your book is suitable for. 
There are several ways you can do this:  ask a teacher or librarian,
visit a bookstore or education store and compare your book with
grade-leveled books, or search on-line for grade-leveling applications.
One calculator I have used a lot is the Fry Graph Readability Formula
(https://readabilityformulas.com/fry-graph-readability-formula.php).
A source with additional ideas is Wiki How
(https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-the-Reading-Level-of-a-Book). 

As a teacher I know that many classrooms contain students with a wide
range of reading abilities, from students who are reading at grade level
to students who are gifted, have learning disabilities or other challenges,
and English language learners.  Your book may be suitable for a number
of grades depending upon how a teacher uses it.

4.  Check out the education standards for your book's grade levels.
Teachers throughout the United States are accountable for their students
meeting grade level standards.  Student performance is measured by
state-mandated assessments.  Preparing students to meet these standards
and take these assessments makes huge demands on a teacher's time.
Including the appropriate standards in your teacher's guide will save
teachers time and make it more user-friendly.

Most states have adopted the Common Core State Standards,
and the Common Core State Standards Initiative, CCSSI,
is a good source for information on the standards.
CCSSI (http://www.corestandards.org)

You can find the English Language Arts Standards here
(http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/)
and find your state standards by clicking on your state on the map here.
(http://www.corestandards.org/standards-in-your-state/).

States that have not adopted the Common Core State Standards
will have their standards posted on-line.  For example, google
"Texas State Education Standards" and you'll find the site. 

                                    Flickr ~ US Department of Education ~ Licence



 Writing Your Guide:

1.  Start Small:  As I suggested earlier, start small by creating a reproducible handout as a teacher's guide, especially if this is your first attempt.  You can always go big later.  


2.  What to Include:  Again, this is a starting point on which you can build.
As a minimum I would include:

a)  About the Author:  A biography outlining who you are, what you have published, and any other information that you would like to include.

b)  Copyright Information:
      i.   For a teacher's guide handout, state that the handout may be used free of charge for educational purposes and that a teacher may reproduce copies of information and activities to use in his or her classroom.  Write "Reproducible" on each page of the teacher's guide suitable for classroom use.
     ii.  For a published teacher's guide, include standard industry copyright protections.  Typically teachers may make copies for educational purposes only and may not use the information or activities for other purposes without written permission from the publisher.

c)  Table of Contents:  List each section of the teacher's guide with page numbers.

d)  Standards:  
      i.   List the English Language Arts Standards for the targeted grades that connect to the activities you have in your teacher's guide.  Include the text of the standard, so the purpose of your activity is clear.
     ii.  If your book can be used in other areas of the curriculum, such as
science, math, or social studies, list the standards for those subject too.

e)  Story Summary:  Include a brief synopsis of the book
or an introduction to the book that doesn't contain spoilers.

f)  Vocabulary List:  Include a list of unfamiliar or challenging words
and their definitions that the teacher can use as he or she chooses.
For example, some words that I would put in a vocabulary list for my
short story "Dare Double Dare" are glacial erratic, fleur-de-lis, and disorienting.  

g)  Pre-reading Activities:  Usually teachers will introduce a book with
pre-reading activities to engage students and to increase their background
knowledge about the book's content.  These activities should be fun and
motivate the students to read the book.  Create four or five activities
so the teacher will have some choices, and connect each activity to an
appropriate educational standard.

Here is a brief example of a pre-reading activity for my "Dare Double Dare."
Whole Class Discussion:  Ask the students if they have ever dared someone
to do something or if they have ever taken a dare.  Call on students
to share what happened and whether or not the dare was a good idea.  
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B

Note:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B describes a grade-specific common core standard.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B means "Common Core State Standards.
English Language Arts-Literacy.  Speaking & Listening.  Grade 3.  Standard 1.  B."

The actual standard is "Follow agreed-upon rules for discussion (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion)."
CCSSI (http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/3/)
This is what I would put in the standards section of my teacher's guide.  I would include the short form, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B, with the activity. 

Some authors don't like being as specific with standards when writing a teacher's guide.  However, a teacher would appreciate the connection of an activity with a standard.

h)  Reading Activities:  A teacher chooses a book to use in the classroom thoughtfully, considering the abilities and interests of the students, the quality, content, and length of the book, and the requirements of the curriculum and standards.  Then he or she plans lessons to meet instructional goals.  For example, "Dare Double Dare" is one story in Voyagers, a book with adventurous tales appealing to middle grade readers.  The stories span the globe, time, and cultures, giving a teacher the opportunity to differentiate instruction in small groups and to use it across the curriculum, especially in social studies and history.  As a teacher, I would choose a story to read aloud to the whole class to introduce the book and to provide the class with a common experience.  Then I would branch out from there with other stories and reading activities appropriate for the instructional goals for my individual students.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.10

i) Post-reading Activities:  Following up reading a text with post-reading activities helps students organize their ideas, summarize what they have learned, and check their understanding.  The scope of possible activities is huge and can encompass other subjects in the curriculum, such as writing, math, science, history, and social studies.

Here's an example of a post-reading writing activity for "Dare Double Dare."
Individual Writing:  Write the first draft of an opinion piece for the writing prompt "If you could travel in time, when and where would you like to go? Why?"  
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.B

j)  Bibliography with Notes:  A bibliography containing print and on-line resources for teachers is a user-friendly resource.  Adding notes can increase its usefulness.  My short story in Voyagers includes characters who are French explorers and others who are Miꞌkmaq, and its setting is the Habitation at Port-Royal in Nova Scotia in 1605.  I would list resources for teachers and students and add explanatory notes.  

k)  Information on How to Purchase Your Book:  See an example for Voyagers at the end of this post.


3.  Go Big:  After creating a teacher's guide handout, you may decide to write and publish a teacher's guide for your book, or perhaps you would rather skip the handout and go straight to publishing a teacher's guide.  Either way, I recommend that you visit bookstores and education stores or search on-line for teacher's guides to review.  This process will give you a sense of the range of possibilities and inspire you to create a teacher's guide that works best for your book.   

If you live in the Denver area, as I do, I suggest that you visit the Tattered Cover and the Bookies bookstores.  If not, as authors, I bet you know all the great bookstores in your area!

Here are some good on-line resources to help you get started:
(https://carolhurst.com)
  
(https://www.hmhbooks.com/chrisvanallsburg/index.html)

(https://www.mthclassroomadventures.org)

Now Go Write That Teacher's Guide!





What to Do in the Time of Covid:
Currently we don't know when and how our schools will open.  One thing for sure is they won't operate as they have in the past.  Also, some libraries and bookstores are closed, and conferences and industry events are canceled or postponed.  What's an author to do? 

I see this Time of Covid as an opportunity.  Like many authors, I am preparing for the time I can physically go to these places again.  I am writing a teacher's guide for my short story "Dare Double Dare."  As a newly-published author, I am planning a website for my current and future publications.  On my website I will have an on-line, downloadable version of my teacher's guide and other resources for educators.  And, of course, I am writing!  In some ways, I am grateful for this time.  Other writers will have different goals, but we can all make the best use of this time and its opportunities.     


Coming on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, on Insecure Writer's Support Day: 
Chrys Fey will share her newly-released writing craft book Keep Writing with Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer's Block, Depression, and Burnout.  Chrys is the author of the Disaster Crimes Series and an editor for Dancing Lemur Press. She is also a moderator for  The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club on Goodreads.  




Till next time ~
Fundy Blue 





* * * * * * * * * *


A Basic Outline for Writing a Teacher's Guide:
Pre-Writing:
1.  Check your publishing contract and with your publisher.
2.  Decide how much time, money, and effort you will invest in the project.
3.  Determine what grades your book is suitable for.
4.  Check out the education standards for your book's grade levels.
Write Your Guide:
1.  About the Author
2.  Copyright Information
3.  Table of Contents
4.  Standards
5.  Story Summary
6.  Vocabulary List
7.  Pre-reading Activities
8.  Reading Activities
9.  Post-Reading Activities
10.  Bibliography with Notes
11.  Information on How to Purchase Your Book


* * * * * * * * * *
                                                          
  
Reviews of Voyagers: The Third Ghost:

1. Check out lots of reviews and ratings at Goodreads.





You can order a copy of
VOYAGERS: The Third Ghost 
at the links below.

Print 9781939844729 $13.95
EBook 9781939844736 $4.99

Juvenile Fiction - Historical / Action & Adventure /
Fantasy & Magic










Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Favorite Writing Craft Books ~ Part 2


This week we have more great writing craft books to recommend, with more Voyager writers and IWSG founder Alex J. Cavanaugh sharing favorite references of theirs.  I'm going to have to expand my writing references shelves in my study bookcase.  That's a great problem to have ~ LOL.  Enjoy!






Favorite Writing Craft Books ...






Bish Denham
"The Blind Ship"












Favorite Writing Craft Books
I have approximately 30 books on writing which include everything from books on the mechanics of writing (grammar, punctuation, editing etc) to structure (the nuts and bolts of plotting a story or novel) to inspiration (how to get inspired to write or how to generate ideas.) Here are three of my favorites from each category.

Mechanics: The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr and E.B. White

Structure: Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story by K.M. Weiland

Inspiration: My all time most very favorite book, Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You, by Ray Bradbury.




Bio
Bish Denham is from the U.S. Virgin Islands, where her family has lived for over a hundred years. The author of two middle grade novels and a collection of retold Jamaican Anansi stories, she says, “Growing up in the islands was like living inside a history book.”








  








Sherry Ellis
"The Ghosts of Pompeii"












Favorite Writing Craft Books
My favorite writing craft books are Save the Cat by Jessica Brody, which covers everything you need to know about writing novels and The Story Works Guide to Writing Character by Alida Winternheimer. This short book walks through how to create memorable, realistic characters who grow throughout a story. 

Bio
Ellis' books include Don't Feed the Elephant; Ten Zany Birds; That Mama is a Grouch; That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN; Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China; and Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information about her work, she invites you to visit her websites at www.sherryellis.org and www.bubbaandsquirt.org.
diverse 













Charles Kowalski
"Simon Grey and the Yamamba"











Favorite Writing Craft Books
One book I always have close at hand is Brenda Ueland's If You Want to Write - a classic that I find myself dipping into whenever my writer's soul needs recentering. An excerpt:

"What's the use, we say, of doing anything unless you make money or get applause? Socrates and the men of the Renaissance decided that one's life should be devoted to 'the tendance of the Soul' (including intelligence, imagination, spirit, understanding, and personality), for the soul, in all probability, lived eternally. And so now I have established reasons why you should work from now on until you die, with real love and imagination and intelligence, at your writing or whatever work it is that you care about. If you do that, out of the mountains that you write some molehills may be published. Or you may make a fortune and win the Nobel Prize. But if NOTHING is ever published at all and you never make a cent, just the same, it will be good that you have worked."

Bio
Charles Kowalski has published the full story of Simon, Oyuki and their adventures through haunted Japan in Simon Grey and the March of a Hundred Ghosts.  In addition to to middle-grade fantasy, Charles' thrillers for adults, Mind Virus and The Devil’s Son, have won prizes and nominations including the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' Colorado Gold Award, the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, and the Adventure Writers Grandmaster Award.












Rebecca M. Douglass
"A World of Trouble"












Favorite Writing Craft Books 
The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig. An irreverent, often potty-mouthed take on all aspects for writing from planning and plotting to the final polish, all delivered in one- to two-paragraph nuggets you can flag and return to as needed.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book focuses on what to do when the first draft is finished, and offers samples to illustrate the points about tight writing. It doesn’t help as much with the big-picture issues of plotting and story arc, but offers a lot for strengthening character and voice.

And for formatting an ebook so it works, Mark Coker’s Smashwords Style Guide. A free ebook that tells you exactly how to make your ebook pass the Smashwords “meat grinder” that is the gate-keeper for distribution to pretty much every market out there. It focuses on MS Word (their preferred document format) for both PC and Mac. I learned a lot in there about how my word processor works!


Bio
Rebecca is the author of the delightful Ninja Librarian books, as well as a picture book for outdoor families, a mystery series for the parents, and her middle-grade fantasy, Halitor the Hero.  After more than seventeen years working at the library, she has retired still without learning all the secrets of the Ninja Librarian.









Louise MacBeath Barbour
"Dare Double Dare"











Favorite Writing Craft Books
Like most authors I have many writing craft books that I consult frequently, and a number of them have been recommended by my fellow Voyagers authors.  Here are three favorites of mine that haven't been mentioned by the others:

On Writing:  A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King:
King is a genius as far as I am concerned, and I have returned to his memoir on writing over and over.  It's entertaining and jam-packed with information on the basic tools every writer needs.  I'll share one King quote that emphasizes what I think is something a writer must never forget:  "So, okay--there you are in your room with the shade down and the door shut and the plug pulled out of the base of your telephone.  You've blown up your TV and committed yourself to a thousand words a day, come help or high water.  Now comes the big question:  What are you going to write about?  And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want.  Anything at all ... as long as you tell the truth."  

Writing is a subject that many elementary teachers must teach.  Over my teaching career I was fortunate to learn from the best writing craft authors and children's book authors.  Often an excellent book about teaching writing to children taught me as well, because such a book explained writing concepts clearly, succinctly, and concretely.  There is nothing like teaching a subject to learn a subject!  Heinemann is the publisher for writing craft books for educators, and their authors are fabulous.  One of my favorites is Ralph Fletcher, and his classic book is What a Writer Needs.  One of the charms of this book is seeing examples of children's writing as  younger authors grapple with the same challenges I do as a writer.  Fletcher writes, "Of all the writer's habits, consistency may be the habit that matters most."  So very, very true!

I primarily write non-fiction, and I especially enjoy writing about science.  One of my favorite science craft writing books is Communicating Rocks:  Writing, Speaking, and Thinking About Geology by Peter Copeland.  Copeland does for geological writing what Struck and White do for general writing.  Copeland writes, "... the aphorism, attributed to Mark Twain, 'It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt' applies most of all to those who don't recognize that it does apply to them.  The good writer knows this might apply to her and works hard so that, most of the time, it doesn't."
Bio
Born in Nova Scotia and raised throughout eastern Canada, Louise is a writer and blogger who now lives in Colorado.  She writes fiction and nonfiction with the encouragement of her supportive husband.  "Dare Double Dare" is her first middle grade story.






Alex J. Cavanaugh
a.k.a. the Ninja Captain


Favorite Writing Craft Books 
A favorite of mine is Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder. It’s for screenwriting, but his fifteen beats fit novel writing perfectly. There’s also a sequel, Save the Cat! Strikes Back.  




Bio
All of us in the Insecure Writer's Support Group know and appreciate its founder Alex J. Cavanaugh, a.k.a. the Ninja Captain.  He is a fan of all things science fiction, and his interests range from books and movies to music and games.  Alex has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing.  Alex is the author of Amazon bestsellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars.


Coming on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 
Next week I'll share some tips for writing a Teacher's Guide for juvenile fiction.




Till next time ~
Fundy Blue 






* * * * * * * * * *

IWSG Members Supporting Fellow Members: 
The arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for Insecure Writer's Support Group members to promote and sell their books, because many conferences, conventions, and other events have been cancelled this year.  Yesterday, one of our members Chrys Fey had a great writing craft book released.  Chrys is the author of the Disaster Crimes Series and an editor for Dancing Lemur Press.  She is also a moderator for the The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club on Goodreads.  

When Chrys Fey shared her story about depression and burnout, it struck a chord with other writers. That put into perspective for her how desperate writers are to hear they aren’t alone. Many creative types experience these challenges, battling to recover. Let Keep Writing with Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer's Block, Depression, and Burnout guide you through:
·         Writer's block
·         Depression
·         Writer's burnout
·         What a writer doesn’t need to succeed
·         Finding creativity boosts
With these sparks, you can begin your journey of rediscovering your creativity and get back to what you love - writing. 

Please help spread the news about her latest book!

Release date – July 14, 2020
$17.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 256 pages
Print ISBN 9781939844729 / EBook ISBN 9781939844736
Writing / Self-Help: Depression – Stress Management



Reviews of Voyagers: The Third Ghost:

1. Check out lots of reviews and ratings at Goodreads.





You can order a copy of
VOYAGERS: The Third Ghost 
at the links below.

Print 9781939844729 $13.95
EBook 9781939844736 $4.99

Juvenile Fiction - Historical / Action & Adventure /
Fantasy & Magic