IS IT MALPRACTICE?

Yesterday I received a letter from the Alliance for Childhood organization regarding Boot Camps for pre-schoolers. See the website below:

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/newsroom

What is being done at the early childhood level in our public schools is a disgrace. In order to get children ready to read, we have taken a step backward and forgotten all the tenets of a good early childhood program.  Academics seem to be the total focus in our kindergarten classrooms (and now pushed down even further to our four-year-olds). Our government officals and administrators have forgotten their duty to address the needs of the “whole child.”  Our young children need to develop cognitively, but also socially, physically and emotionally.  To miss any piece of this is developmentally inappropriate and harmful.  Friedrich Froebel, the father of kindergarten, would weep at what has happened to his “garden of children.”  In our country, today’s four and five year olds and their teachers are held prisoner by politicians and school administrators who think play is a waste of time and recess interferes with time better put to use for academic pursuits.  Nonsense!

Play, the very essence of childhood, has become a dirty word in our schools.  In an era where childhood obesity has become a problem, recess has been eliminated.  

So much is being written about the dangers of too much, too soon. But, alas, our government won't listen. How sad for our young children. 

DO THINGS REALLY HAPPEN IN THREES?

Do things really happen in threes? In my experience -- yes.

So, if it holds true to my expectations, the mailman will not be bringing me any more Christmas cards this week. He will plop another rejection in my mailbox.

I've received two so far.

The first one I expected. It was for a position on a committee dealing with curriculum for our local school board. I got a big fat NO earlier this week in the form of a "We appreciate your interest...yadda, yadda, yadda--yeah, yeah, yeah..." letter.

Years ago I was told by people-in-the-know (I wonder how they get in-the-know) that the school board will never appoint teachers to any advisory positions. Hey, I'm no longer a teacher in the system, just an ordinary citizen ready to help. NO!!! Rejection....

The second one came from a children's magazine. I wrote a smokin' hot article tailored to their needs. It was really, really, really good. Or, so I thought. I got another big fat NO in the form of a "Thank you for your submission...yadda, yadda, yadda...good luck on your writing quest...yeah, yeah, yeah..." letter.

I can handle rejection. But, two in one week is a blow to the ego.

Truthfully, I was grateful that I didn't get chosen to sit on the curriculum committee. I think it's time to drop that part of my life and seek other venues.

The rejection of my manuscript hurt. It makes me question myself as a writer. Am I good enough? Am I fooling myself? Should I pursue something else?

Then I quiet down and listen to my inner voice. I have learned in life that if I ignore what it is telling me I am going in the wrong direction. So I listen. It tells me to keep trying. To write. To write what is in my heart. So I continue...

I have a saying that I read periodically. It say: Be courageous -- walk by faith, not sight.

OUT OF ORDER

I like to lead an orderly life. My day has order, my house has order, even my closet has order. My writing definitely has an orderly structure to it. I live my stories as if the events were happening--in order--one day, one scene, one problem at a time. 

Until yesterday.

I am presently writing a YA novel. It's 3/4 of the way completed. Then I tripped--I hit a roadblock. I was stuck--I didn't like the way I was taking my character and didn't know what she was going to do next. She was hiding from me, wouldn't even talk to me--God, teenagers can be touchy. So, I gave her some space to figure it out.

She's still avoiding me (what a brat), but on my morning walk (and it's downright cold here in South Florida, but I digress) my muse whispered to me and I knew how the story would end. YIKES--there goes my orderly world. How could I write the ending when I hadn't even finished the middle of the book?

Easy peasy - I sat my butt down at the computer and let my thoughts flow through my fingers to the keyboard. And, there it was--the ending...and a good one if I say so myself.

Now what do I do. I decided to practice out-of-order writing and write the story backwards. This should give my brain some good discipline.

I've got an idea stirring around for my next novel. Maybe--just--maybe I will try to write that one end to beginning.

Out-of-order writing--now there's a foreign concept to my orderly world.

QUERY LETTERS

Writing a book is a piece of cake!! Really, it is. It's the editing and revision that the real work begins. At least that's been my experience until....

I had to write a query letter. You know that letter that is suppose grab an editor or agent with a brilliantly ten worded sentence that tells them what my 100,000 word manuscript is all about...God, it's impossible. I spent the past two days trying to write an enticing, cleverly worded, intelligent query letter. I went on the internet and read all the advice on how to write one. I combed over the examples of excellent letters. I wrote and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote. And, still I couldn't get it right. So, you know what I did....

I sent it anyway.

Why???

I have a theory about all this writing and publishing stuff. I've heard that publishing through traditional means (as opposed to self-publishing) is like trying to win the Powerball Lottery. But, one cannot win the lottery unless one buys a ticket. So, I do the best I can and buy a ticket...or rather send in queries and manuscripts. One day, I may just be lucky enough to hit the jackpot!

If you are stuck in the fear of rejection, you have already been rejected. Think about it.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

I have written a fabulous book. A multicultural themed story that can be translated in any language - international appeal, how cool is that?? Even the query letter was easy to write. What a sell - finally the one book that will open doors for me.

Of course, I know the drill. I googled the category to see if there were any books like mine. NONE!!! Yeah, I am really onto something. $$$$$$$$.

I was just about to take this one to my critique group. Oh, they would be amazed by my creativity, my genius, my discovery! Then I had a thought - I'd better google the title - just in case.

AND THERE IT WAS - the title of my book. The exact words. What! This can't be. It was my idea!! My title. My book. But, it wasn't a book, it was a song. Unfortunately for me, it was a song with the same title as my book.

PSSST. That's the sound of my ego deflating. My creative genius took a nose dive. I read the words to the song - different than my manuscript. It didn't matter - the idea, the title, were already taken.

I've always like the expression: A day late and a dollar short. For me, as a writer, I was a year late and a title short. The song was written in 2009 - close but no cigar.

How do I deal with this blow. I will start over. The idea is good - Okay, maybe not creative or genius, but I can make it work. How? Think of a new title. And re-write the story. And, hope the new title doesn't come up when I google it.

I should have known - it was too easy to write. Too easy to come up with the perfect query letter. Nothing worthwhile in this life comes easy. So it's back to the drawing board...or the computer for me.

BTW: My brother and I are in competion to see who gets published first. He has finished his first book and it's a good one...really, really well written. I secretly hope it is published soon. I love my brother and think he is a genius when it comes to putting words on paper. But, don't tell him I said so.

GETTING INVOLVED

As if I don't have enough on my plate at the moment, I just put in an application to be on a subcommittee for my local School Board. I won't get it, but it's fun to let them know I'm still around.

You see, as a former classroom teacher, I know what is important to the children and teachers in my community. The school board unfortunately listens to administrators that haven't been in a classroom in years, if ever. And that's where things get dicey.

People want to know what's wrong with education. It's this: Teachers, the ones closest to the children, are told what to teach, how to teach and when to teach it by administrator who never taught it. (Wow, now that is a confusing sentence - but true). Even if it goes against good practices, teachers are not allowed to do what they know is best for children.

I"m not afraid to express my opinions - and that can make me -- well, a bit unpopular.  That is the reason I won't get chosen for the school system's subcommittee. I have written articles for my local newspaper regarding educational issues. The school board and adminstrators know who I am and where I live. And they don't like what I have to say.

I always remember to: Say what I mean, mean what I say, but don't say it mean. I always back up everything I do with research so they can't dispute my words. I am careful.

I think it's important to use my skills as a writer for good. I think it's important to be involved in my community.

What do you do to make a difference in your community?

Remember what Edmund Burke said: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (or women) to do nothing.