A Crash Course in Submitting a Manuscript

While the submission process may feel like second nature to experienced writers, it’s easy to forget that newcomers aren’t aware of the specific procedures. And since everyone can benefit from a refresher course now and then, here’s a rundown of the steps:

First, collect addresses of appropriate publishers by perusing market guides like Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market , industry newsletters such as Children’s Book Insider, and looking through similar books at the store or library. Then send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the publisher asking for writer’s guidelines (you can start this process while you’re still writing your book as it may take a few weeks to receive a response). Review the guidelines carefully to make sure your manuscript fits with what the publisher is looking for.

Most publishers want to see the entire manuscript for picture books. Type your manuscript on white paper, double spaced, indenting at the beginning of each paragraph. Use at least one inch margins on each side, and justify the left margin only. Put your name and the title of the book at the top of each page, and number the pages consecutively. Your name, address, phone number and email should appear in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. Center the title of the manuscript about a third of the way down on page 1, skip a line, and then start the text.

Don’t break the text up into pages as it would appear in the finished book, and don’t include illustrations unless you’re a professional artist (in which case, send a black and white dummy with a sketch of each illustration and 2-3 copies of finished color illustrations along with the typed manuscript). Send with a brief cover letter stating the title, intended age group, and word count of the story. Add any previous publishing experience and memberships to writing organizations (if you don’t have such experience, leave this section out). Mention if this is a simultaneous submission (sending the manuscript to several publishers at once), and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with enough postage to return the manuscript if necessary.

For longer fiction, publishers often want a query letter and sample chapters. The query starts out with the same basic information as the cover letter above, but also includes a brief synopsis of the plot. Try to write the query in the same style as the manuscript, and include information on the main characters, the conflict and the resolution of the plot. Add your publishing experience, and tell the editor you can send the entire manuscript if she’s interested. Ideally, the entire query letter will fit on one page. Send with the first two chapters of the manuscript and a SASE.

For longer nonfiction, a book proposal is generally requested. This gives a brief overview of the book (one or two paragraphs describing the tone and slant of the information), and a chapter-by-chapter outline (with a sentence or two listing the information covered in each chapter). Attach the first two chapters if it’s requested in the writer’s guidelines, and also a bibliography of your resources. In your cover letter, list the target audience, the estimated length of the finished manuscript, why your book is different from others on the market on the same subject, and your expertise on the topic. Send with a SASE.

Nonfiction picture book publishers may require a query (in which case you’d outline the book in one or two paragraphs and also include the information from the nonfiction cover letter above), or the entire manuscript. If sending the whole manuscript, attach a brief cover letter as with fiction picture books, but also mention how your book fits into the current market and your credentials on the topic.

Following the proper submission procedures gets easier with practice, and ensures that your manuscript will get a serious look. Take the time to give each editor exactly what she wants, and she’ll give your work closer consideration.

Note: For much more information on writing cover letters, query letters and book proposals, see Author to Editor: Query Letter Secrets of the Pros, edited by Linda Arms White. It includes over 30 actual queries used by authors to sell everything from picture books to young adult nonfiction. Go to http://write4kids.com/a2e.html for all the details.

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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A Common Pitfall: Expository Dialogue

Dialogue adds to the narrative by allowing your characters to speak for themselves. It’s not simply narrative surrounded by quotation marks. I’ve read manuscripts where the main character says something like:

“I don’t know where I am. I’ve never been in this part of the city before. I think I’ll walk down the street and turn left at this corner. Maybe I’ll see someone who I can ask for directions. It sure is cold out.”

When the character is explaining his actions to the reader, the dialogue is not adding to the story. Dialogue should hint at events in the plot by showing your character’s reaction to his situation. It also encompasses broad strokes of action. Any small details necessary to the story can be shown tough brief narrative passages. If you were this character, what would you say out loud, what would you think, and what would you simply do? Here’s how the above example could be rewritten:

Josh looked at the unfamiliar buildings and finally admitted that he was lost. “Where are all the people?” he asked himself. “Maybe I’lI find someone around the corner who can tell me how to get home. ” He blew on his hands, trying to warm them. “Mom told me to bring my coat”, he thought. “I hate it when she’s right.”

By showing your character’s reaction to his situation, you give details to the reader about who this character is. You can also provide information about other characters in your story through the main character’s speech, as Lois Lowry does in “Anastasia on Her Own”:

(Anastasia)dropped her schoolbooks on the kitchen table with a thump. “What’s for dinner?” she asked her mother. “Why are you just standing there with that sort of frown on your face? And your lips are green. Why are your lips green?”

Because Anastasia doesn’t miss a beat before asking her mother about her green lips, the reader gets the impression that this is not an unusual event in the Krupnik household.

When writing for young children, it’s especially important that the dialogue be very active, constantly moving the story forward. Consider this example from “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss. The cat has just walked in and asked the children why they are sitting around on a rainy day.

“I know some good games we could play,” Said the cat. “I know some new tricks, ” Said the Cat in the Hat. “A lot of good tricks. I will show them to you. Your mother Will not mind at all if I do, ”

In this brief passage we learn a bit about the cat’s personality, what he has planned for the afternoon and how he feels about parental rules, all without a drop of narrative.

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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A First Time Author’s Publicity Kit Materials

If you’re a new author that has been requested to send publicist materials, you may feel left in the dark on what to send. Here’s a list of the usual items.

1. Author Bio
This is no place for modesty. You’re competing with many other authors out there and need to show how your hot and worth it. Remember to include your accomplishments and give a little background information. Often readers want to know about the author’s interests..

2. A photo
This is optional, but if you want to get your face out there, this could help. Keep in mind that not every editor will use your photo.

3. Interviews
Any newspaper/magazine clippings may be include if it’s related to you and your writing, awards an accomplishments. Clippings about your personal life may bore the editor requesting your materials.

4. Reviews
If you have any reviews for your latest release, have them printed on clear 8.5 X 11 paper and include them in your kit.

5. Promotional Items
It may also be requested that you send any promotional items. Examples would be: Posters, pens with your web address, buttons, bookmarks,etc…

As time goes on, you’ll expand your PR kit. A great idea is to have a press kit right on your website to save editors time and money. You may want to have all your current materials in one easy to download PDF file. Each time you have something new to add update the file.

About the Author: Free writing reprint articles available in Espanol and Italiano. Read more articles written by Ms. Laura Hickey and her children's book Mysterious Chills and Thrills E-book for Kids. Ten Short Stories to Tickle the Imagination. "Spooky" "Awesome" "Unpredictable" Isn't it time you entered the world where shadows lurk and each page turn could be your doom... http://www.laurahickey.com

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A Letter from an Agent to an Author

Dear Writer,

I know you’re feeling really optimistic about your work and excited about the possibility of becoming a published author. I’m excited for you. The passion you bring to your work makes it a real pleasure to work with you and others like you.

I hate to sound a negative note, but I feel I must be realistic and warn you that the path to publication is, as they say, a bumpy ride. You are about to face a big challenge, and a lot of rejection. Is your skin toughened? Are you ready to persevere, and not to take rejection personally? OK, then, let’s begin.

I ran my own literary agency for eight years. Over that time, I received hundreds (maybe thousands) of queries from writers like you, people who want to get a book published, be it a first book or just a new book. You’ve been instructed that you need an agent to help you. And while once I would have told you that an enterprising author could go it alone, now I would say that obtaining the representation of an agent is the wisest course. A good agent will make the process easier, and most publishers prefer to work with agents.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

Before you even begin to contact agents, you should know something about the process of getting published. The more informed you are, the better you will be able to negotiate this course, and the better an impression you will make.

There’s nothing I appreciated more than an intelligent query letter and a knowledgeable potential client. There are many good books available about getting published. Familiarize yourself with some of these books and learn the steps a book takes from manuscript to publication. You’ll find some of my favorite books in the WriteDirections.com book store: http://www.WriteDirections.com/bookstore_wd.html.

Step 2: Prepare a Proposal

This step takes a lot of time and work. What you submit to an agent has to be good. Once I received a query letter that said: “I know my book needs more editing, but I wanted to show it to you and see what you thought.” Not! If you know your book needs more work, do the work before you take up an agent’s time. Send it out when you think it’s perfect. Which is not to say you won’t then receive editorial critiques, but at least the agent will be reading a polished work.

If you are submitting fiction, your proposal is your manuscript, or several sample chapters, along with a good cover letter and perhaps a synopsis. If you are submitting nonfiction, your proposal includes an overview; a section on marketing and competition; a section on you, the author; a brief chapter-by-chapter outline; and some sample chapters. Again, consult some of the many good books on proposal writing, as you’ll find in the WriteDirections.com bookstore (http://www.WriteDirections.com/bookstore_wd.html).

Step 3: Compile a List of Agents

How do you classify what you are writing? Is it genre fiction: romance, mystery, science fiction? Is it narrative journalism? Self-help? Try and fit your work into a general category for the purpose of identifying the appropriate agents to approach.

Start by taking a careful look through several of the books that list agents. In most of these books, the listings include a description of the type of book agents are seeking. Pay attention to this, and only send them what they say they want. I rejected 50 percent of the proposals I received because they were for types of books I didn’t represent. You could be the next Julia Child, but I’d probably have rejected you because I didn’t represent cookbooks.

Add to your list of possible agents by networking. Ask for referrals from other writers you know, or find names from other sources like writers’ conferences and Web sites. Another great technique—look at published books that are in your category and that you admire. Check the acknowledgments page and see who the agent is—they’re usually thanked! When you write to them, be sure to mention the book in which you found their name and why you admire it.

Step 4: Send out your submission

You’ve got your proposal ready, along with your list of agents. Time to get it in the mail!

Most agents prefer mail queries. Most also strongly dislike telephone queries. (My least favorite were authors who deliberately called after hours, so that I would have to call them back on my dime. I didn’t!) I liked to sit down on my own schedule with a pile of queries, and a letter gave me an immediate sense of how a potential client wrote.

There’s some question about whether a query letter should go alone or with a proposal/writing sample. A letter alone is quicker and saves postage. That way, if the agent isn’t interested, he or she can tell you immediately not to bother shipping a whole lot of paper. But if I liked an idea, I wanted to see the proposal immediately. If I had to wait for it in return mail, I sometimes lost my enthusiasm. Therefore, I always preferred getting a proposal and samples as part of the initial query.

In any case, always write an intelligent, realistic cover letter. Tell concisely what you are writing and what your qualifications are in relation to your topic. Don’t tell an agent you’re sending me “a guaranteed bestseller” (spare them!), or tell me that all your family and friends think you’re a great writer (of course they do!). Just be straightforward, and tell the agent what you think is distinct about the book.

And always, always, include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). If agents are giving you their time and trained editorial judgment for free, the least you can do is pay the postage!

Of course you don’t have to be concerned about postage and SASEs if you are planning an electronic submission. I think e-mail query letters are a good thing—faster and more efficient. No paper and less time wasted. And an agent can write you back quickly with an informal note, making it a friendlier exchange.

However, I know many people who are unwilling to download anything from strangers because of fears of viruses. Because of this, I’d still recommend, when it comes to submitting your lengthy proposal or manuscript, going the old-fashioned snail mail route.

A note on simultaneous submissions: I didn’t object to this—I think it’s more realistic. Just be sure to tell the agents that you are doing this. Say something in your query letter like: “Several other agents are also considering this proposal.”

Step 5: Follow Up

After a period of time has passed after submission (1 month to 6 weeks), I think a follow-up phone call is appropriate. Keep it brief and polite. Call to say you’re following up to find out the status of your submission. A polite call from an author often caused me to elevate a proposal to the top of the stack (and do keep in mind how tall this stack was!).

Step 6: Persevere

Unless you’re very lucky, it’s going to take a while. You’ll get a bunch of rejections and maybe some agents won’t respond at all. Many who are considering your submission may take longer to do so than you would like. But if you believe in yourself and your work, and persevere, you will ultimately prevail.

Once you’ve succeeded in finding an agent, the process will begin all over again when your agent makes submissions to publishers. However, you’ll then have your agent as your advocate, to guide you successfully through to publication.

Good luck!

Sincerely,
Lynn Rosen

(c) 2001 Lynn Rosen

Lynn Rosen is a book producer with The Stonesong Press in New York. A former agent, she has also worked as an editor and creative director for several Big Apple publishing houses. She can be contacted via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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A Look At Current Trends

In the constantly-changing world of children’s book publishing, it’s often hard to keep up with what’s hot. While strong writing and an author’s passion for the subject will always prevail, here are some areas where editors are currently buying:

Poetry is more prevalent than in years past, especially collections from a single author with a theme or hook. Check out Behind the Wheel: Poems About Driving by Janet Wong (McElderry) and An Old Shell: Poems of the Galapagos by Tony Johnston, illustrated with photos by Tom Pohrt (FSG). The latter also falls under the multicultural and nonfiction categories.

While the market appears to be saturated with folktales, story collections are still popular (such as Grandmothers’ Stories: Wise Woman Tales from Many Cultures by Burleigh Muten and Sian Bailey, from Barefoot Books) and folktales from less-familiar cultures (Aaron Shepard’s Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran, illustrated by Alisher Dianov, from Clarion Books).

Board books and picture books with short texts for children under five years old are booming in both fiction and nonfiction.

Picture books for ages four to eight are still going strong, especially silly, wacky stories. Despite what you’ve heard recently at writers’ conferences, talking animals seem to be back in style, as long as the characters have very strong, distinct personalities (realistic and humorous stories about bears are the most popular).

Stories with dragons, wizards, gnomes and other mythical creatures abound (possibly because of the success of the Harry Potter books). I’ve seen several books about fathers and their relationship with their children. Also, books that combine fiction and nonfiction are a new way to teach subjects such as history, biography or art (as with Neil Waldman’s The Starry Night published by Boyds Mills Press, about a boy who meets Vincent Van Gogh in Central Park).

Historical fiction is still big for middle grade readers, though lengthy series seem to be giving way to single titles and shorter series (three or four books). Biographies, humorous contemporary stories, and mysteries (especially historical or adventure/mysteries) are always hot. I think fantasy for this age group will be the next big trend.

Young adult fiction is stronger than it has been for years, with time-travel, fantasy, adventure, problem novels, and realistic contemporary fiction topping the list.

Editors have expressed a need for more creative nonfiction for all ages. Board books and young picture books favor subjects from children’s everyday life (pets, backyard nature, how their bodies work). For all ages, instead of covering a broad subject, focus on an interesting or unexplored aspect of the topic.

Examples of creative nonfiction include Bananas! by Jacqueline Farmer, illustrated by Page Eastburn O’Rourke (Charlesbridge, all ages), Lost Treasures of the Inca by Peter Lourie (Boyds Mills Press, age 8-up), and One- Room School by Raymond Bial (Houghton Mifflin, ages 8-12).

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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A Mentor, A Coach or A Therapist: Do You Need All Three?

A woman recently asked me “What’s the difference between a coach and a therapist?”  In answering her I realized I had to distinguish between these and a mentor.  If you are ever stuck, it would be wise to think about whether you need a mentor, a coach, or a therapist.

A mentor is usually someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience with something you want to be better at.  A mentor combines teaching, guiding and leading.  They pass on their knowledge and know-how. If you are starting a retail business, for example, you might seek out someone with a lot of experience in starting retail operations to mentor you as you develop your business.  In this example the mentor has specialized knowledge.

You could hire a mentor with more generalized knowledge to guide you through a transition, for example, from regular employment to self-employment. Some people will hire a mentor to help them through a life transition, because they know that person’s wisdom comes from consciousness and broad life experience.

A coach is a little different.  A coach asks you questions and prods you to focus on what you are trying to achieve.  He or she will assist you in gaining a deeper self-understanding, wherever you are going.  A coach could work with you on improving your sales or public speaking skills or your golf.

You could hire a coach to help you get through some obstacle to your personal or spiritual growth.  You could hire a marriage coach to help you solve a communication problem or to help you find a mate. 

A coach may or may not have specialized knowledge in the task you are pursuing, and sometimes lack of specialized knowledge can be an advantage.  You do not seek a coach because there is something wrong with you; you just want to be more successful at what you are doing.

A therapist (psychologist, counsellor) is someone who is specifically trained and licensed to help people with psychological or emotional problems.  You would seek out a therapist if you were dealing with depression, anxiety, grieving, traumatic life events, abuse, addiction or marital conflict.  You would find a therapist if you were unable to handle the emotional impact of a sudden disability or a serious disease.

In short you would look for a therapist if there’s something going on inside of you that leaves you feeling stuck or unhappy.

Choosing a mentor, coach or therapist is complicated by the fact that some professionals are able to function in a combination of the three, depending on skills and client needs.  Others may be strictly a therapist or strictly a coach.

Furthermore, your needs may shift during the work.  For example, a client sought me as a psychologist/therapist because she had been unable to stop her compulsive drinking.  We dealt with anxiety, anger, shame, self-sabotage and limiting beliefs.  Our work soon evolved into relationship coaching and then business coaching.  Now we have shifted into mentoring.  But when a psychological block arises, we are able to shift temporarily back into a therapist-client relationship, clear the block, and moveback into coaching or mentoring.

In conclusion, when you are considering getting help with making your life better, think carefully about whether you need a mentor, a coach or a therapist, or all three, and be aware that your needs may shift over time.

Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active general psychology practice including addictions work. He writes regular newspaper and magazine columns on psychological healing and self help. His goal is to facilitate growth in human consciousness and increase the human store of hope, happiness and generosity of spirit. Subscribe to his newsletter, Dr. Neill Neill's Practical Psychology and check out his blogs, Living with Alcoholism and Practical Psychology.

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A Quick Guide to ISBNs for Self-Publishers

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a code assigned to every published book that uniquely identifies it in the marketplace. ISBNs make it easier and more efficient for libraries, booksellers and others in the publishing industry to order, distribute and catalog books.

When To Use an ISBN

You need to assign an ISBN to any content you intend to distribute through outside channels such as bookstores, catalogues or libraries. ISBNs should be placed on
— print books
— electronic books
— videos
— audio cassettes and CDs
— CD-ROMs, and
— other items as detailed by the International ISBN Agency.

You need to issue a separate ISBN for each edition of your book and for every format. For example, if you issued the same book as a print book, e-book, audio book and Braille book, you would require a separate identifier for each. If one year later, you updated the manuscript and re-issued the book, you would assign new ISBNs to this second edition in each of its different formats.

Deciphering the Numbering System

All ISBNs are currently 10 digits. (The industry will slowly be transitioning to a 13-digit system starting in 2005. See http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/transition.asp for more information on the change.)

The digits identify
— the group (country, area or language area of the publisher)
— the publisher, and
— the title of the item.

The last digit is a check digit.

The group number is comprised of one to three digits. Zero is the number for the English language group that includes the United States, English-speaking Canada, the U.K., Australia and other countries.

The publisher number is comprised of two to seven digits. The more ISBNs a publisher uses, the small their publisher number.

Publishers that use more than 100,000 ISBNs are given a publisher number of only two digits. If you apply for 10 or fewer ISBNs, you will be assigned a publisher number with seven digits.

Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle.

Thus anyone in the book trade can look at an ISBN and know roughly how big you are as a publisher by the number of ISBNs you have applied to use. This is why self-publishing gurus like Dan Poynter recommend acquiring your ISBNs in blocks of 100 to avoid being labeled “small potatoes.”

Poynter further recommends that you use an ISBN from the middle of your list of 100 for your first book, since a 0 or 1 as your title number will reveal you as a first-timer.

The check digits range from one to 10. Since there is space for only one check digit, the number 10 is represented by an X.

How To Acquire ISBNs

ISBNs in the United States are administered by R.R. Bowker. Bowker charges a fee to process your application. Ten ISBNs cost $225; 100 ISBNs cost $800. Visit www.bowker.com for more information, or to complete an application.

ISBNs in Canada are administered by the National Public Library as a free service. Visit http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/isbn/index-e.html for more information or to apply on-line.

For more information on the ISBN system and how it works, visit www.isbn.org.

Article source: http://www.superfeature.com

Juiced Consulting helps business owners package what they know into information products –- such as books, audiotapes and teleclasses –- that they can sell to generate new business revenue. For a free newsletter and other resources, visit www.juicedconsulting.com. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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A Story to Tell: A Quick Guide to Narrative Writing

“So what happened?”

When someone asks you that, what do you say? You respond by telling a story – when it happened, where it happened, how it happened and why it happened.

This is what we call narration.

If descriptive writing aims to appeal to your reader’s five senses, narrative writing aims to tell an event that occurred by providing details.

Description and narration, when used correctly in writing, greatly contribute to a story’s success.

Ingredients for an effective (good) narration

1. Supply all significant details or events. They are important in building up and supporting your main idea or story.

2. Flush out insignificant details. Don’t start talking about how expensive your cousin’s lipstick is if you’re narrating her job interview disaster.

3. Narrate in a logical and organized way. Don’t go from one detail to the next without providing any obvious transitions to aid comprehension.

4. Pace your narration. Don’t let it drag. Otherwise, you’ll risk boring your readers.

5. Make a point or lead to a conclusion.

Your Narrative Detail

What should you include in your narration? It’s always effective to begin by identifying the who, what, when, where, why and how.

However, some writers get carried away and end up including too many details to suit their readers.

Instead of overcrowding your narrative with details, decide which ones are vital to your story, which ones you should emphasize, and which ones are minor but significant details.

Your Readers Influence Your Narrative

Your target readers largely determine the details you include in your narration.

Ask yourself –

1. Who would be likely to read my story?

2. Who could benefit and/or learn from my story?

3. Who are the people I’d like to share my story with?

Arranging Your Details and Using Conversation

The most logical way to present details in your story is by chronologically narrating them. But it’s also possible to begin your narrative using flash back and other similar literary devices. The important thing is that your narrative is cohesive and the details are organized.

Dialogues enhance and advance the meaning of your story so don’t be afraid to include them in your narrative.

Now It’s Your Turn

And now it’s your turn. Write short narratives using the following prompts –

1. a memorable event

2. the strangest thing you’ve experienced

3. what happened to you earlier today

4. an embarrassing moment

5. your birthday last year

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

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A Story Writer and Teller Delineates How We Process Information

If we look at how people process information, perhaps from an audience member’s perspective there really isn’t all that much difference between a read story and a heard story. (heresy in the storytelling world because we don’t read stories to audiences, we tell them, but perhaps because it’s considered heresy it deserves a closer look) Everything I say in this article about readers could be true about a story listener too.

Editor’s (Chris King’s) note: Not only is this one of the most informative articles I have read about how readers and listeners process information, it is also beautifully written and incredibly fun to read. Don’t skip it! You will miss a perfect and useful metaphor.

What are the different ways a child (or even an adult) reads?

• You have your visual readers, who read quickly, processing sentences and even paragraphs at a time. The whole chapter is a painting for them, vivid and complete before their eyes, because as their eyes absorb the words on the page, they create the painting in their mind of the possible intentions of the words.
• You have the auditory readers, who perhaps move their lips as they read. They are repeating the words they are reading in that echo chamber in their head. They create this beautiful music in their heads with the words on the page. They love beautiful sounding sentences, and often want to read one out loud or read parts to other folks.
• You have your tactile readers, who move their fingers across the page as they read. (or even move their bodies as they read). They are touching each sentence, establishing intimate contact with every word their eyes and fingers lead them over. They dance with the words and the story, and they will perspire and swoon and even tingle with the story action.

Now the great writer (or teller for that matter) knows he or she is appealing to each of the types of readers above in every story, and he or she also realizes that there may be combinations of all of the above, and that in addition, the description of a smell or scent easily invades each type of reader. The great writer allows for all of the processing modes above in writing each story, because for a visual reader, getting them to touch the words or experience a tactile meaning is a new, exciting experience. Same for the tactile reader; to visualize is a new and exciting experience. And the auditory reader can add sight and touch to his or her sounds. The combinations vary with every sentence. And we all at one time or another use each mode and many combinations of modes to receive communication.

So any good book or story establishes rapport with the reader/listener in many modes (sight, sound, tactile, olfactory, etc.) and if successful, transitions the reader/listener along with unfolding the story to begin experiencing the story in all of the modes. The goal is to immerse, submerge, capture, and captivate the reader/listener in the story, so that they are running on all cylinders. For everyone is visual in experiencing something, and tactile in others areas, or auditory, and every combination for everything we do. How we experience a story read or told is the process of HOW we experience that particular communication.

The writer who hammers the reader with every physical feeling in a story will not establish rapport with those who strongly desire to have their experiences come in a less physical way, a gentle unfolding of story. If I describe an apple pie hitting you in the face, the force of the blow reeling your head backwards, the goo of the syrup clogging your nose, the sticking of your eyelids, the crust that makes its way onto your neck and under your shirt collar, and say nothing of the warmth of the apples, or the loud slap of surprise, or the scent of Grandma’s Golden Delicious recipe, you may only take the physical act as hostile or threatening. If, as author or teller, I wanted you to take the act as threatening, I might leave out the scent and warmth and surprise.

The storyteller controls the meaning in the story with how the story is communicated and how the story is communicated is in how we appeal to each and all of the above combinations AFTER establishing rapport. The wider your audience, the more one might find worthwhile encompassing many modes to begin with. Once you have a visual listener with description, the action comes easily to them. Once you have a auditory listener with sound, the visual emerges easily. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Now my warm apple pie above that sent your head reeling was followed by a sharp inhale of surprise from you which bordered on a sigh, for you knew, as you giggled and wiped the goo from your eyes, that the table before you had at least one blueberry pie with your friend’s name on it. And your friend, who was semi-confidently hiding his giggle, stood there ready to receive the warmth of love as you returned the favor of his communication with the launching of your own communication. And everyone around you would get it too, for there was a table full of pies.

In conclusion, there is little difference between a read story and a heard story because the responsibility of any communication is in HOW anything is communicated in the first place. Establish rapport and then lead. Throwing a pie with a smile is the answer to good communication. Throwing it with a furrowed brow is another thing entirely.

Hungry now?

Original source: http://www.creativekeys.net/StorytellingPower/article1068.html

Gregory Leifel, author of the novel, The Day I Met Walt Whitman, and Storytelling audio CD, Go Ahead and Jump and Other Stories, may be found at http://www.ThrivingMoss.com

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