| I recently receive a "Jackpot Grant" from the Nevada | | | | major publisher. If they do not like the manuscript, |
| Arts Council to attend a writing workshop presented | | | | I'm confident that another publisher will like it. |
| by the Society of Children's Bookwriters and | | | | Objective 3: Provide a long-term benefit for the |
| Illustrators. Having attended the conference, I realized | | | | Nevada Arts Council and for children who reside in |
| that there were benefits, to myself and the | | | | Nevada. |
| community. In this article, I'll briefly recap some of | | | | - I have begun a publicity campaign that will help |
| those benefits. I'll go over some of the objectives | | | | children become more literate by using the book and |
| that I submitted when I applied for the grant. | | | | CD, which contains several different languages. Since |
| Objective 1: Improve Writing Skills and Open Creative | | | | the Nevada Arts Council paid for my travel expenses |
| Horizons | | | | to the SCBWI workshop, I will have some available |
| - I attended several workshops run by Bruce Coville, | | | | to provide free copies of the book to libraries in |
| who writes middle-grade fantasy novels. As a result, | | | | Nevada, and fully intend to make donations. Also, the |
| I started work on a series of books that are primarily | | | | book will be made available to literacy programs. |
| aimed at boys, with a cross over appeal to girls. | | | | - The prestige associated with receiving a grant from |
| - I discussed a picture book on potty training, and | | | | the Nevada Arts Council is making it more attractive |
| created a draft of it. The manuscript has been well | | | | for a teacher who home schooled her child to |
| received on the Society of Children's Bookwriters and | | | | evaluate whether she is interested in bring the book |
| Illustrator's Manuscript Exchange discussion forum. I | | | | CD/website to the attention of other home-schooling |
| am refining it, and will soon submit it for publication. | | | | parents. |
| Objective 2: Establishing Networking Contacts for | | | | - One of the illustrators that I met is enthusiastic |
| future projects. | | | | about preparing a teacher's curriculum for my existing |
| - I met a number of illustrators, and have established | | | | books. |
| contacts with them. These may lead to future | | | | - To build self esteem in children I will launch an |
| collaborations, or at least to preferred introductions | | | | internet radio show where children can discuss my |
| to publishers. (It is possible that a well-established | | | | books and CDs with their teachers, parents and |
| illustrator will suggest a manuscript that they will | | | | other children. I have already implemented a service |
| enjoy illustrating to a publisher.) | | | | that displays pictures that children draw and a service |
| - I met a number of writers who may be interested | | | | that allows them to make digital tape recordings of |
| in writing teacher's guides to accompany my existing | | | | stories. |
| books. | | | | If you're a writer, I encourage you to apply for |
| - I listened to presentations by various editors and | | | | grants. You may be surprised at the benefits that |
| submitted a manuscript for a children's book to a | | | | you, and others, receive from the process. |