wayfinding | ˈwāˌfīndiNG | noun the process or activity of ascertaining one’s position and planning and following a route
No single blog post can put us firmly on our individual career paths, but this week’s post can help us discover our routes by putting us in closer touch with folks who will help us shape them. These colleagues, teachers, and friends are the members of our own SCBWI community. For those new to the organization or the area, and for those who haven’t fully delved into the new website or aren’t yet familiar with the Kite Tales blog, here’s some 2025 wayfinding to help you get where you want.
Marie Kondo has inspired millions of people to simplify and streamline their lives by assessing their belongings and keeping only what sparks joy in their life’s story. Are you ready to do the same for the stories you write?
by Cara J. Stevens
The author is downsizing while also welcoming a new book into her life.
I’m in the process of packing up our house for a move. We’re downsizing from a large cozy, suburban house to a sparkling new, small apartment in the city. We’re also becoming empty-nesters as our son is moving into his first apartment and our daughter is happily settled across the country. To prepare for this new chapter, I’ve been systematically going from room to room, sorting our belongings into piles: keep, donate, sell, send off with the kids, and throw out. What has helped me through this potentially overwhelming task is Marie Kondo’s transformational book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
At the same time, I’ve been working with clients struggling to edit their picture book manuscripts. They’re having trouble “killing their darlings.” It hit me, as I was elbow-deep in memorabilia, that downsizing a home and downsizing a manuscript share striking similarities. Both require looking objectively and lovingly at what has brought you to this moment and assessing its usefulness for the journey ahead.
The first time I submitted a manuscript, it was rejected within 24 hours. “This story is more instructional than engaging,” the editor said, and went on to suggest that it would make a great article. I was dismayed and confused. I thought I had written a story that hit all the notes of a good picture book. I wondered where I had gone wrong.
I reached out to a colleague who used to be a children’s book agent. “Your main character has no agency,” he pointed out. “If your main character has a problem and someone else solves it, then he’s not really your main character.” My mind was sufficiently blown. As soon as he said it, I saw it so clearly! After a lifetime of reading and exploring picture books, how could I have missed that?
Toni with the Fiji crew – field producing Under One Roof
Welcome back to our third and final “episode”! In my earlier articles, I shared how the wild and wonderful world of reality TV can help authors improve their stories, but now it’s time to face two of the toughest challenges of all: editing, and accepting notes.
Reality TV might be a guilty pleasure for many, but believe it or not, there are storytelling secrets in those wild, dramatic, and silly shows that can truly improve your writing. How do I know?
Well, I had two middle grade novels published by Random House while I worked as an Executive Producer on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! And after working for almost 30 (gulp) years in the business, I have seen how the rules of reality TV can punch up a story in need. Hopefully, the things I’ve learned can help you too.
You may have heard about writer’s block, or have gotten stuck mid-way through a story or a sketch. Maybe you’ve redrawn the same scene multiple times only to have to throw away the paper after you’ve erased right through it. These times can be tough, and it’s hard to pick up that pencil and keep going. But that’s what you’ve got to do.
“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our quarterly Kite Tales blog.
Hi Christine – My grammar and mechanics skills helped me get good grades in school but they often cause me trouble when I’m revising fiction. How do I keep from editing the voice out of my manuscript?
Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment on What to Take on Your Writer’s Journey.
Now that you are prioritizing feedback with your community of writers and hopefully scratching the surface on — if not digging to the core of — answering the question “why must you write this book?” from my earlier articles, let’s talk about the most important step in being a writer: revisions, many revisions.
Jumping from journalism to editing, Sara Schonfeld never strayed far from children’s stories. She joined Katherine Tegen Books in 2019 and has recently taken on the role of Associate Editor for the imprint. Her list includes everything from picture books to young adult novels from authors such as Alice Walker, Cristina Fernandez, and Ally Malinenko (author of the forthcoming Ghost Girl).
A rabbit lover and fan of anything Marvel, this “Bunny Boss” is looking for stories that are uplifting and affirming, showing the power of relationships, identity, and self for young readers.
Sara will be sharing insights on rejection letters and how to make the most of them in her presentation during SCBWI-L.A.’s Writers Day 2021. She has given us a preview of some of those tips here on Kite Tales, but you can still register for the event here to get the full scoop.
Kite Tales 