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Yesterday I received the contract for my next historical middle grade novel. The book is tentatively called Enemy Faces: Living Through the Japanese-American Internment.

I’m anxious to get started on this book. I really like the story I’ve created, and I hope kids will too.

On another note - please visit the National Writing for Children Center site today and help us choose a logo design for Book Bites for Kids, our weekly podcast.

Thanks and have a great day!

Suzanne

If you look around at the top performers today in any field - sports, sales, or even coaching itself - you’ll find that almost all of these top performers have at least one thing in common. They all had a coach at one time or another in their professional careers.

Whether your field is golf, tennis, running, sales, business management, or writing, a coach can help you perform at a much higher level. Here’s how:

1. A good coach will keep you motivated. Since you’ll have to report regularly to your coach, you’ll get constant feedback and encouragement, which will keep you motivated to achieve your best.

2. A good coach will offer a system for success. With a system in place, you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Plus, you won’t be taking just a hit-or-miss approach to success.

3. A good coach will help you learn to plan. Your coach will help you set goals that are realistic and design training that will help you achieve those goals. In other words, a good coach will keep you focused.

4. A good coach will offer you professional advice. After a while, you won’t rely on your coach for every decision you make about your career or performance. But you’ll still want the coach around when you need a little professional advice.

5. A good coach will help you get beyond certain plateaus when you no longer seem to be moving ahead and improving. Working alone, you might feel stuck at a certain point in your career. But a good coach will help you overcome those plateaus and move ahead to the next level of performance and accomplishment.

6. A good coach will help you accurately evaluate your progress. Sometimes it’s difficult to evaluate our own progress. We tend to focus on the negative, and only see our faults and failures. A good coach will help you see things more realistically.

7. A good coach will make the process fun. Let’s face it. What’s the sense in striving for your highest level of performance if you aren’t going to enjoy the process? Your coach will help you design a working schedule that won’t overwhelm you, so you’ll enjoy the entire process of achieving your best.

Top performers in all fields would probably tell you they wouldn’t be where they are today without a good coach.

Everyone needs a coach. So find a coach who is right for you. Then get ready to enjoy the climb to your top level of performance.

As a children’s author, many times when I speak at elementary schools it’s in conjunction with some writing project the students have been doing. Very often each student in the school has written a small book of his own, which is usually just a few pages of lined tablet paper, stapled together between two pages of colored construction paper, with colorful drawings or photos clipped from magazines to use as illustrations.

Most of the students enjoy making these books. And though they may be fairly simple projects, they are invaluable as far as being evaluation tools for the teacher. Which leads me to this literacy tip for preschool and elementary school teachers and parents. You’re probably already aware of this tip of you’re an elementary school teacher, but I think this is a worthwhile reminder for parents and teachers, so here goes.

Before you have students make their own books, spend some time with the class (or your own child, if you’re a parent helping the child at home) surveying several picture books. These don’t have to be children’s picture books. Beautiful “coffee table” books for adults can be also used.

Point out to the children the way the books are put together - usually in what the publishing world calls “spreads” with text on one page of the spread and an illustration on the opposite page of the spread - Or - a picture book might have the text and illustrations on the same page, all the way through the text.

Make sure the children realize that the illustrations they will later paste or draw in their own books should correspond to the text in the same way the pictures and illustrations do in a professionally published book. That is, pictures on a particular page should match up with the text (or action) on that same page.

This seems so simple. But so many young students miss this concept. When I look at their books during my school visits, I often notice that the illustrations on a particular page have nothing to do with the text or action on that page. As a teacher, when you see students doing this, it will let you know they are missing some of the visual clues and cues in books, which might be one reason they are having trouble reading (sounding out the words) or comprehending the text as well as they could be.

If you’re a parent, you should become aware of the same thing and help your child learn to more clearly understand the structure of books. Don’t assume that your young child will naturally know how to put together text and illustrations simply because you’ve read countless stories aloud to him or her (although, if you have, your child will probably be more aware of how those books are a perfect marriage of text and illustration).

Talk about books and the relationships between words and illustrations. This goes a long way in fostering emerging literacy, and you’ll notice a big difference in the way many students contruct their own books.

Although I usually write books for children, check out my latest book for adults:

I was one of 101 leading experts including Mark Victor Hansen, Les Brown, Bryon Katie, and Ken Blanchard who co-authored, 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life - Vol. 3.

Order the book here and you’ll receive all sorts of special bonuses!

This month, children’s writer Margot Finke will present a special teleclass for members of the Children’s Writers Coaching Club. Margot will talk about How to Self-Edit Your Middle Grade Novel.

Margot Finke is an Aussie who writes mid grade adventure fiction, ghost mysteries, and rhyming picture books. For the past 25 years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. She began serious writing the day her youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot says, “I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. You are my heroes!”

Her “Musings,” column can be read monthly in The Purple Crayon and the SCBWI NewsWorthy magazine. Her Critique Service helps writers iron out plot and character problems. “Nothing gives me a greater thrill than to find out an editor bought a book I helped polish.” Early on, many people offered Margot help with her writing. These days, she tries to return the favor whenever she can. Her workshops, at writer’s conferences, are enhanced by the use of a PowerPoint presentation, as are her frequent school visits.

Margot’s series of 6 rhyming picture books are available as downloads or on CD: “Kangaroo Clues” - “Never Say BOO to a Frilly” - “Humdinger Hummers” - “Mama Grizzly Bear” & “Don’t Eat Platypus Stew” - “Prairie dog’s Play Day” - published by Writers Exchange E-Publishing. Fun and educational, they bring kids closer to neat animals in the US and Australia. VIEW excerpts, illustrations and great reviews on her BOOKS page, along with instructions on how to BUY
Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between her writing. Her husband, Alan, is supportive, and their three children are now grown and doing well out on their own. Visit her website for more information about her writing and writing services.

How to Self-Edit Your Middle Grade Novel will take place on Wednesday night, July 25, at 7:00 p.m. (Central time). To join the Children’s Writers Coaching Club and attend this special teleclass, click here.

Several times a year fellow freelance writer, Kristen King and I co-host article challenges, where we challenge other writers to write and submit articles to article directories as part of their marketing plans.

The Lieurance-King Spring Article Challenge 2007 ended on June 30, and we had one writer who met the challenge of writing 30 articles between May 1st and June 30.

Visit the Working Writer’s Coach site and listen to a short audio clip as Kristen and I present winner, Stephenie Hovland, with the Golden Pjs Award.

You’ll also find out when the Lieurance-King Summer Article Challenge 2007 begins.

Congratulations, Stephenie!

If you missed last night’s teleseminar where author and book publishing coach, Diane Eble was the host for my virtual product tour, you can listen to a replay of the teleseminar here.

I enjoyed answering all your questions about writing and publishing your own stories, articles, and books for children.

And it’s not too late to ask a question.

Go to the replay page here and submit your question.

I’ll answer it at some point here on my site or in an email - so be sure to join my mailing list (top left of this page).

I’m excited about tonight’s free teleclass! I’ll answer questions about writing and publishing for today’s competitive children’s magazine and book markets.

I’ve received some important questions from readers just like you.

Questions aspiring children’s writers need answers for - if they’re going to become published writers.

It’s not too late to submit your question.

Go to AskSuzanneNow and type it in the space provided.

When you do, you’ll receive an email with the call-in information you’ll need tonight to take part in this free teleclass.

Children’s illustrator/author Elizabeth O. Dulemba is the recent Grand Price W.I.N.NER of the 2007 Write It Now! Competition,sponsored by SmartWriters.com for her illustration entry, Lula’s Brew.

Lula’s Brew by Elizabeth O. Dulemba

Dulemba was the guest speaker for our monthly teleclass with a successful children’s illustrator last month at the Children’s Writers Coaching Club. So, I’m not a bit surprised to see that she won this competition. Her work is outstanding!

For a list of all the winners, go to SmartWriters.com.

Congratulations to them all!

If you’re a children’s author and need help with your current middle grade novel, you won’t want to miss this special teleclass with children’s author Margot Finke.

On Wednesday night, July 25, at 7:00 p.m. (Central time), Margot will present a special 55-minute workshop called How to Self-Edit Your Middle Grade Novel for all members of the Children’s Writers Coaching Club.

To learn more about this workshop, and to find out how to join the Children’s Writers Coaching Club to attend this special teleclass, click here.