Are Adjectives The Spice of Life?

I’ve come to the conclusion that I lead a really boring life. I’ve been living in the same city for 40 years, the same house for 37 years, and I’ve had the same husband for 46 years! My days are filled with everyday routines. There’s the food shopping, house cleaning, carpooling, cooking and writing. Do I sometimes wish things could be different and that I could spice up my life? Sure, it would be exciting to sail around the world, live in an exotic country or act in a Broadway show. However, these things are not likely to happen. But what I can do is to spice up my writing by using adjectives, and lots of them.

Here are a few examples:

Appearance adjectives: adorable, sparkling, unsightly, clean, drab

Condition adjectives: alive, shy, rich, odd, careful, musty, clever

Feelings adjectives: grumpy, panicky, helpless, itch, victorious, angry, calm

Shape adjectives: deep, curved, flat, skinny, chubby, low, narrow

Size adjectives: colossal, petite, teeny, mammoth, large, tiny

Sound adjectives: cooing, purring, thundering, noisy, faint, raspy, hissing

Go online to find more adjectives. They may not spice up your life but they’ll spice up your writing!

IS IT HOT OR NOT?

Is It Hot Or Not? By Judy Press

O.K., I admit I’m not a fashionista nor do I care to be one. My wardrobe consists of comfortable outfits pulled from the clearance rack of a discount clothing store. Hey, it may be last year’s style but I can’t resist a bargain. In the Sunday Style section of the New York Times Bill Cunningham trolls the streets of Manhattan photographing people on the go wearing the latest fashion trends. Two Sunday’s ago fashion forward New Yorkers were all dressed in black. Heck, that could have been me! Today I’m wearing black slacks, a black hoodie and black flip-flops. Next time I visit NYC I’ll be sure to put my best foot forward and wear all black. Of course with my luck the “hot” color will probably be purple! And take a look at our four of my blogger friends who showed up for a recent meeting coincidently dressed in the same shade of green! Trends come and go and the same can be said for children’s books. Does the adage, “write what you know” still apply when you write picture books and some agents and publishers won’t touch them with a ten foot pole? And what if you loved to write YA and your main character was a vampire? Yesterday your manuscript would have been hot, not so in today’s over-saturated market. So how do agents and publishers figure out what will be “in” two or three years from now? I’m not sure they can. Yes, the trend lately has been for shorter picture books aimed at two to five year olds, along with fewer words, strong characters and potential for a series. As far as YA, it’s anybodies guess which cult figure looms on the horizon and will captivate young adults. So, my advice is the following: be true to yourself and focus on what really matters to you, incorporate timeless themes into your writing and most importantly write from your heart. If it touches you in some shape or form it will strike a chord in your readers, and maybe even a publisher or two.

Don’t Sweat the Rejections by Judy Press

Over the years I’ve pitched dozens of manuscripts to agents and children’s book editors. And I’ve received tons of rejection letters. Now don’t get me wrong, some of the rejections I received were encouraging: “Dear Ms. Press, I enjoyed reading your work, and think you have a great voice for the middle great market, and it is clear you really understand a kid's world and what would appeal to young readers.”  But then there’s the dreaded: “I’m sorry that we are unable to offer you representation at this time.” Or, “We regret that your manuscript does not fit our publication needs at this time.” And sometimes there’s a few helpful words: “the “doodle” approach to this sort of illustrated kid’s book is really clever—I almost felt like it could be more of a centerpiece, could drive the story forward more, where the doodles are part and parcel of the plot, etc.” But O.K. so why am I still toiling away at this business of writing? It’s simple: I get great satisfaction from putting into words the ideas that float around in my head. So maybe it’s really all about the creative process that drives me. Sure, I’d like to get published, but if it’s not in the cards today, then maybe it’ll happen tomorrow. So, file away those rejections dear writers, along with your self-doubt, and keep on writing!