Читать книгу Writing Children's Books For Dummies - Peter Economy - Страница 14

After you write your first (or tenth) draft, you may be ready for the revising or editing process. Revising and editing aren’t just exercises to go through step by step; they are processes in which you, the writer, get to know your story inside and out. You flesh out characters, hone and sharpen the story, fine-tune the pacing, and buff and polish the writing. In Chapter 14, we guide you through the steps of revising and editing, addressing in detail how to fix everything from dialogue issues to awkward writing, advising when to adhere to the rules of grammar (and when it’s okay not to), and giving you a few simple questions to ask yourself to make the process much smoother and less complicated.

And what about illustrations? Should you illustrate your book yourself, or should you partner with or hire an illustrator to create the pictures you envision to complement and enhance your manuscript? For writers wondering about whether art should be included with their manuscript, we give you the pros and cons of partnering with an illustrator. For those with artistic talent to pair with their writing skills, Chapter 15 also provides step-by-step examples of what illustrating a picture book really looks like.

In the process of rewriting and editing your story, you may find that you have some serious questions about your manuscript, such as, “Is this really final, or does it need work?” or “Is this supporting character turning into more of a distraction than anything else?” Seek out feedback from others to help you find answers to any and all questions you may be asking. You can join (or start) a local writer’s group, attend book conferences or writing workshops, or participate in writing groups online. For the full scoop on all things feedback-related, see Chapter 16.

In the publishing world, first impressions carry a lot of weight. Your thoroughly revised, well-written, and engaging manuscript may fail to wow editors if it looks unprofessional. Trust us: Proper formatting goes a long way toward making your submission look as professional and enticing as possible. (Flip to Chapter 14 for some formatting tips.)