Zooming Along - An Update on the Progress of My Kids' Book

With my kids on summer holidays at the moment, I’d thought that progress on my writing journey was going to go along at plodding speed for a few weeks.  Unexpectedly though, I've found myself zooming along the path at dizzying speed instead!

I started drafting this post a week ago.  Since then I’ve had to seriously amend it once, then decide to split it into two separate posts – one as an update for my kids’ book, the other for my YA writing.

I haven’t done an official progress update for nearly 3 months, so for those of you interested enough to be here (thank you!) this is where I'm at with my children’s book (Young Adult post coming on Thursday).

Concise Update 

Finished draft 3 of B4 (shorthand for the book title - realised I shouldn't broadcast it on web for now)

Gave it to 2 families – great feedback received from one, other one coming soon

First 4,000 words given to published children’s’ writer for critique – received last week and discussed in person on Sunday, very constructive and helpful

Hoping to complete fourth draft as early in September as possible and start to send out to literary agents

Went to Swanwick Writers’ Summer School on Sunday and will go again tomorrow – so useful and inspiring

Detailed Update 

I finished the third draft of my kids' book a few weeks ago, which was a very exciting moment as I seem to have been working on it for aaaaages. With slightly less trepidation than last time I handed it over to a couple of friends, who have boys of the right age, for reading and feedback.

One family are part way through it and the son is apparently enjoying it despite having just read the first two Harry Potter books (high praise to compete even vaguely with those!).  They raised an issue needing clarification, which – combined with other feedback below - has helped me rewrite the first chapter already and make it more pacey and accessible (essential characteristics for a first chapter!).

I received the other family’s feedback at the weekend and it made me cry!  Thankfully not coz it said that my work was complete rubbish and should be used to get the BBQ going, but because it was so helpful and encouraging.  As well as general feedback, the mum had marked on the manuscript the bits that made the boys (10&8) laugh or tense or jump up and down and act things out.  I loved it, such a great insight!

What got me crying though were the boys’ feedback sheets.  They told me themselves what they liked best and what they didn’t, and there was something really special about seeing it in their own handwriting.  The 10-year-old wanted to know if I was gonna write a sequel (the ultimate compliment?)  and marked the story out of 100.  Apparently 0 = the worst book ever, 50 = a good book and 100 = the best book imaginable.  I got 92/100!!!!!!  I’m definitely aiming for full marks with the next edit :-)

To be well received by the target audience is the biggest encouragement imaginable. If kids like the characters and the premise of the story, then any issues with the writing or details can be easily rectified as far as I'm concerned.  I was so touched by those feedback sheets that when I get my own writing space I’m gonna frame them and put them on the wall!

I also sent the first 4,000 words to Steve Hartley, a published children's writer, for a paid critique as part of the Swanwick Writers' Summer School.  He's the first person in the business to have read any of the manuscript so I was seriously excited - and terrified! - about getting his critique.  But it was great!  Not in terms of “this is the best piece of children’s literature I’ve EVER seen and every publisher will rip your arm off for the opportunity to publish it!” sadly ;-)  However, the areas he highlighted for improvement were so spot on and helpful that I instantly knew exactly what to do to make the manuscript even better.

This email critique was followed up with a chat with Steve at Swanwick on Sunday, which was fun.  He’s also running a course on writing children’s fiction there and I got along to Sunday’s session on humour.  I picked up lots of great hints and tips from that too, e.g. using funny words, timing.  Plus I’m back at Swanwick on Wednesday and Steve is going to save his session on pace (the key area for me to work on) until then for me, bless him, yay!

My fingers have been twitching ever since getting all this feedback and thankfully I was able to do some serious work on the manuscript yesterday (hurray for holiday sports camps!).  I feel like Frankenstein.  I’ve already cut out 1,000 words and moved whole sections around to improve the pace.  Hopefully when they’re all settled in their new positions they’ll fit perfectly and look a helluva lot better than the patchworking of Frankenstein’s Monster though!  I’m chuffed with how it’s shaping up already. 

My plan now is to complete the fourth edit as soon as I can and start sending it out to literary agents in September to see if anyone would be interested in representing me, Ben and Ned to the publishers :-)  That would be such a major step on my writing journey, it makes my heart lodge in my throat every time I think about it!!  Knowing my time-keeping record with writing goals that may not end up happening until October, although there are good reasons why I need to push myself to get it done asap….(to be continued ;-) )