Christine Kohler

Jan 17, 2013 8:46 AM EST

Hello Christine
What a wonderful idea to write shorter ways to get published during hectic times. I also need to look at the US children's market for more places to send queries. Love your blog!
Thanks ever so much Rita

- Rita Antoinette Borg

Jan 17, 2013 8:55 AM EST

Thanks Rita! The best children's magazine market book I've found is published by the Institute of Children's Literature. (ICL doesn't pay me to say that. :-) For those of us that are book writers, such as you are, it can be a long time between publications. Smaller markets are a good way to keep your name in the reader's mind, stay current on clips, and make some money.
http://www.writersbookstore.com/Books_on_Writing_for_Children.htm

- Christine Kohler

Jan 21, 2013 6:59 AM EST

Great post, Christine! I love the goals group idea, and the fact that the group is really only a goals group. I find that I'm becoming more 'goal' oriented as I go along. I used to make goals, then promptly forget about them. Now I refer to the list often, which keeps me on track.

- Pam Beres

Jan 22, 2013 5:18 AM EST

lol, Pam, I think that is all of us! Just yesterday a couple of new pieces of writing business came up and I was fussing about what I needed to do the next day. Suddenly I realized that because I'm waiting for a contract and revision notes, that I didn't know what I could/should be doing this week. I referred back to what I had written to my goals group for the weekend and got my mind back on track. But if I hadn't had to write down and send a plan for the week, I could have just as easily frittered it away on facebook all week.

As for being dedicated as a goals group, we do occasionally discuss writing business as issues come up. But one year another woman joined us and she had lots and lots of writing questions. That's not what we designed our group for, and not what we had time for. We answered her questions and didn't say anything, but after about six months she decided to leave. This type of group is not for everyone. The four of us have become close friends, but we don't spend a lot of time chatting, except for brief explanations of how happenings in our family or work life hindered or sidetracked us from achieving the goals. (One professor went through a major flood in her town. I was surprised she got any writing done that year! But she was a real trooper.)

- Christine Kohler