Writing Your Chapter Book by Melissa Stoller #ChaBooCha

For those of you getting a late start to your ChaBooCha story or needing to start from scratch, or even those who need some new, fresh ideas to keep their story going, we have this great post from Melissa Stoller to share with you today.

Image by Willgard Krause on Pixabay

WRITING YOUR CHAPTER BOOK 

by Melissa Stoller 

If it’s March – it must be Chapter Book Challenge 2020! I have written several posts for the Chapter Book Challenge, including Working Your Way Through Chapter Book Challenge 2017, How to Start Writing Your Chapter Book, How to Write a Chapter Book Series, and Brainstorming Ideas.  

In this post, I will offer some strategies for brainstorming, researching, and drafting your chapter book this month. Ready, set, CHABOOCHA! 

Determine the Book’s World – Brainstorm some specifics about the setting of your story’s world. Is it fiction? Are there non-fiction or historical elements? What are the rules in this world? How does it all work? Writing reference points for your story setting will enable you to remain true to your story’s world, and offer enriching details in your chapter book. 

Draft a Character Study – Know as much as possible about your characters before you write. What are their likes, dislikes, and goals? What are their favorite foods, games, books, movies, and friends? What are their quirks, fears, and embarrassments? How do they speak and relate to each other? Before I start writing, I do a character sketch and interview each main character. As I write, I refer back to these notes to ensure that my characters are interesting, relatable, and consistent throughout my books. 

 

For example, in my chapter book series THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION, Simon loves games, especially cards, food, and adventure. His twin sister Emma loves solving puzzles, chatting with people, and taking chances. They both love Molly, their grandmother’s dog. I use these characteristics and more as I draft scenes and dialogue. 

Plot Your Plot – Every story needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. What obstacles will your characters face? How will they overcome those obstacles? What growth will take place during the story, both in the characters’ external journeys and also their internal journeys? Also, what themes are your including in your story? Think about how your plot and themes will resonate with young readers. 

 

Research – While my chapter book series is fiction, the stories also include historical elements. If possible, I visit the locations where the books take place. For example, when working on the first book in the series, RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, I visited Coney Island and the famous Cyclone roller coaster (but didn’t ride!). I also visited the Liberty Bell while writing THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, the second book in the series (releasing soon!). Recently, I travelled to Washington, D.C. to research at the Library of Congress while working on the third book in the series which is set there. 

If you can’t research in person, you can also research online. Book Two of my series also takes place in San Francisco, which I didn’t visit, but I did extensive research online using Google Maps, Newspapers.com, the U.S. National Archives online, and other sources. 

Outline Your Story – I start each book in my series with an outline of ten chapters, assuming each chapter will be roughly 500 words each. Even of you don’t normally outline, it might be helpful. As long as I have a detailed outline (which I often revise as I go along), I know that I’m headed in the right direction. 

Sit Down and Write – I usually start writing chapter one first, but when I move toward the middle of the story, I find that sometimes it’s easier to write the chapters out of order. Make sure you have page-turning transitions between chapters so the reader will keep reading, and enough action to move the story forward. I often put my chapter book project away between chapters so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. As I move along, I always think about setting, characters, plot, and themes, and I use my research and my outline to write. 

I hope this is a helpful framework in which to approach your chapter book project during the Chapter Book Challenge this month. 

Cheers to creativity! 

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The first book in Melissa Stoller's chapter book series, The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection: Return to Coney Island was published by Clear Fork Publishing in 2017, and Book Two: The Liberty Bell Train Ride releases soon! Her picture books, Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush, Ready, Set and GOrilla! were published by Clear Fork in 2018. In other chapters of her life, she has worked as a lawyer, legal research and writing instructor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a volunteer with SCBWI/Metro NY, a blogger and Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for the Chapter Book Challenge, and a Moderator for the Debut Picture Book Study Group. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and their puppy Molly, who is a character in her chapter book series! http://www.melissastoller.com 

Connect with Melissa: 

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Pinterest 

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Melissa has offered, as today's two separate prizes,a signed copy of her chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION - RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, plus a critique of the first three chapters of a chapter book manuscript. You must be a signed-up member of the challenge and comment on this post in order to be added to the drawing. The winners will be chosen by a random number generator at noon on March 31st, 2020 and announced later that day.

Brainstorming Chapter Book Ideas by Melissa Stoller #ChaBooCha

Image by mohamed_hassan on Pixabay

BRAINSTORMING CHAPTER BOOK IDEAS

It’s March and that means it’s time for the annual Chapter Book Challenge. I’m so glad to be posting again this year. You can read some of my previous posts for ChaBookCha and ChaBooChaLite here – including “Working Your Way Through ChapterBook Challenge 2017," “How to Start Writing Your Chapter Book,” and “How to Write a Chapter Book Series.” 

This year, I’m writing about generating ideas for a chapter book project.

BRAINSTORMING IDEAS:

1) Think about characters – Quite often, readers will gravitate toward a chapter book because they can relate in some way to the main character. When trying to harness chapter book ideas, ask yourself some questions about a potential MC. Perhaps jot down character traits and see where that leads you. For example, do you envision a lovable character? Someone with quirks and imperfections that children can identify with? Maybe a character who struggles, is funny, or silly, or who is trying to find his or her place in the world. In my chapter book series, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION (illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith, Clear Fork Publishing), the main characters are nine-year old adventurous twins who are interested in finding out more about their ancestors and making a difference. I chose boy and girl twins so that, hopefully, the story would have broad appeal. The main characters, Emma and Simon, have different personality traits, and I hope that readers will identify with them both.

2) Think about settings – Aside from memorable main characters, chapter books usually feature memorable backdrops. To help gather ideas, do some research and write down a list of potential settings. Some typical settings for the chapter book age range are: home, school, camp, a magical/fantastical location, a big city, a country locale, or a historical setting. Maybe the main character loves horses and the setting is a horse barn. Or maybe the MC is an animal living in a forest, in a setting with other forest animals. RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, the first book in my time-travel chapter book series, features an amusement park in Coney Island in 1928. My second book, THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, features the Liberty Bell and the World’s Fair, in 1915 Philadelphia and San Francisco. And my third book in the series features Washington, DC and the Library of Congress. When I was planning the book series, I researched cities and historical attractions, and mapped out the settings to help create an interesting adventure arc. I am planning on two more American cities, and then hopefully the twins will get out their passports for more far-flung adventures. And maybe I’ll go along too for research purposes!

3) Think about situations – You can generate ideas by asking “what if” questions about the situation the characters might be involved in. Is it the first day of school, and then the whole school year can be written about in various chapters? Is the protagonist starting summer camp, and then you have the summer to tell your tale? Is the main character a mermaid living in her own undersea world, with lots of adventures awaiting? Or maybe the MC is a penguin living in Antarctica, who has his family and friends and a whole story waiting for you to explore. The situation in which you place your MC can definitely jump-start your brainstorming.

4) Think about underlying themes – It may be helpful to list out the themes for your book in a pitch or “book mission statement” as that may provide some idea inspiration. My chapter books include themes of family connection with ancestors, understanding history, and using courage to both make things happen and make good choices. I hope that children and adults will enjoy these themes and that the books spark discussion and connection between generations. As you brainstorm about themes, maybe one will spark a potential plot.

5) Think about a story that has series potential – Not all chapter books turn into a series, but it doesn’t hurt to keep this in the back of your mind as you gather your ideas and plan out your book. If you hit on a great idea that has series potential, keep planning and organizing your chapters to capitalize on the possibility that your characters can move into different adventures in an expanding series.

Good luck gathering ideas for your chapter book! I look forward to reading your stories!

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Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island and Book Two:The Liberty Bell Train Ride (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017 and 2019); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla! (Clear Fork, 2018). Upcoming releases include Return of the Magic Paintbrush and Sadie’s Shabbat Stories (Clear Fork, 2019). She is also the co-author of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Assistant and Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Moderator for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and a volunteer with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators/MetroNY. Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Hewitt School and at Temple Shaaray Tefila. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. 
 
CONNECT:  
 
www.MelissaStoller.com
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller
http://www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
http://www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller

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Give-away

Melissa Stoller has generously offered a signed copy of THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND and some book swag to one lucky person! All you need to do to be entered into the drawing for this prize if you are already a singed-up member of the challenge is to comment on this blog post. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator on March 31st and announced at noon GMT the same day.

How to Write a Chapter Book Series by Melissa Stoller #ChaBooCha

HOW TO WRITE A CHAPTER BOOK SERIES

Are you considering writing a chapter book series? Maybe you’re already working on book number two, three, or more? My first chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith), released in August 2017 with Clear Fork Publishing. My second book in the series, THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, will be chugging down the tracks in 2018. There are many points to consider when writing multiple books in a chapter book series. Read on for practical tips about using mentor texts, and ensuring that your characters, voice, plot, heart, humor, and research stay consistent throughout your chapter book series.

MENTOR TEXTS:

I have written several pieces about writing chapter books: “Working Your Way Through ChaBooCha 2017” http://bit.ly/2FhbEEl; “Top Ten Chapter Book Writing Tips” http://bit.ly/2FXoGUk; and “How to Start Writing Your Chapter Book During ChaBooCha Lite 2017” http://bit.ly/2D4Xksq. I refer to these posts, and to other craft pieces about chapter books, as I draft my stories.

While writing Book Two, THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, I carefully considered how to make this second book consistent with the first. I started by re-reading Book One, RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND. I also read the first two books in other chapter book series. These mentor texts helped me determine how other authors handled writing the second book in a series. Here are some of my favorite chapter books and the areas of writing they helped with:

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne (time travel, characterization, heart)

Sparkle Spa by Jill Santopolo (voice)

Super Happy Party Bears by Marcie Colleen (humor)

The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler (plot)

The Fantastic Frame by Lin Oliver (dialogue, adventure, time travel plot)

CONSISTENCY PREPARATION:

Then I prepared in the following big-picture areas:

1) CHARACTERS:

I interviewed my main characters again. I asked questions about their favorite colors, foods, friends, books, movies and TV shows, hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes, pets, school experiences, family life moments, and other basic questions. Much of the material I collected didn’t find its way into Book Two, but I wanted to know my characters and add to their personalities.

2) VOICE:

I identified the voice of each main character. What were their quirks? Did they speak in certain ways? How did they dress? What were their habits? What were their goals and objectives? I maintained a detailed list to make sure I kept their voices consistent in Book Two.

3) PLOT DETAILS:

My plot entails time travel to a historical period, an adventure, and a meeting and connection with an ancestor. I outlined the story with the goal that the second book have a similar well-defined adventure in a different time period and a compelling meeting with an ancestor.

I almost made one plot-detail mistake! In my first book, I wrote that the snow globes were kept in a large, locked curio cabinet, and Nana had the key. In the second book manuscript, I wrote that the twins simply opened the curio cabinet door. I forgot that it was locked. Luckily, I went back and re-read the first book and then noticed and corrected that detail.

4) HEART:

It’s so important to ensure that each book in a series has heart . . . that almost intangible factor that makes the reader smile or sigh. In the first book, it was easy to capture heart because I was writing about how my grandparents met on a trolley in 1928 Coney Island. I tried hard in Book Two to ensure that the main characters would interact with each other and with the new characters in a satisfying way that would endear all the characters to the reader.

5) HUMOR:

I included some humor in the first book, and wanted to do the same in the second. Re-reading helped remind me of the characters’ senses of humor and how they would react in different situations. And I added in what I hope is fresh humor that is consistent with the characters’ personalities.

6) RESEARCH:

For Book One, I researched Coney Island in 1928 and I visited the world-famous Cyclone Roller Coaster (although I didn’t take a ride!), the Coney Island Boardwalk, and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. For Book Two, I researched Philadelphia and San Francisco in 1915, at the time of the Liberty Bell’s last cross-country train ride to the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition. I also traveled to Philadelphia several times to visit the Liberty Bell for some first-hand research. I’m hoping to visit San Francisco as well!

CONCLUSION:

During Chapter Book Challenge 2018, I’m working on Book Three in my series. It will be set in Washington, D.C. with the Library of Congress as a backdrop for the adventure. I’ll be using mentor texts, researching, and considering characters, voice, plot, heart, and humor as I’m drafting and revising.

Good luck working your way through ChaBooCha 2018. Whether you’re writing your first chapter book or the fifth in a series, I look forward to seeing your stories in bookstores and libraries soon!

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Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island and Book Two: The Liberty Bell Train Ride (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017 and Summer 2018); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla! (Clear Fork, Fall 2018). She is also the co-author of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY. Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Hewitt School and at Temple Shaaray Tefila. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, traveling, and adding treasures to her collections.

CONNECT with Melissa: 

www.MelissaStoller.com

http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller

http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller

http://www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller

http://www.pinterest.com/melissastoller 

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Give-away

Melissa has generously offered two prizes to give away:  a signed copy of her chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND and a critique of the first 3 chapters of a chapter book.  If you are a signed-up member of ChaBooCha, all you have to do to enter to win one of the prizes is comment on this post. The winner will be selected by a random number generator at noon on March 31st and announced within one day of the selection. Two winners will be selected: the first chosen by the number generator will win the signed book and the second chosen by the number generators will win the critique.

How to Start Writing Your Chapter Book During ChaBooCha Lite by Melissa Stoller #ChaBooChaLite #ChaBooCha

HOW TO START WRITING YOUR CHAPTER BOOK DURING CHABOOCHA LITE

You made it! You’re here, in Chapter Book Challenge Lite – ChaBooCha Lite! You’re ready to start writing your chapter book. Now what?

I’ve written several posts for Chapter Book Challenge with tips about writing chapter books at http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2017/03/working-your-way-through-chaboocha-2017.html
http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-release-enchanted-snow-globe.html and http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2017/05/cover-reveal-enchanted-snow-globe.html

I also wrote a post as a guest blogger on Alayne Kay Christian’s blog about how to decide if your story is better suited to be a picture book or a chapter book. https://alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com/2017/09/09/melissa-stollers-top-ten-chapter-book-writing-tips/

And I’m thrilled that my debut chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, released this summer from Clear Fork Publishing/Spork, with beautiful illustrations by Callie Metler-Smith. I enjoyed the writing journey and I’m working on finalizing book two during this ChaBooCha Lite month.

Thank you so much, Becky, for inviting me to blog during ChaBooCha Lite. I love the community you have created, and I look forward to spending much more time learning with everyone involved!

For now, members of this special community, here’s a LITE post to help you get started on your chapter book writing journey.

START WRITING YOUR CHAPTER BOOK:

1) READ MENTOR TEXTS: Read some books in the chapter book genre. Go to your local library or bookstore and study at least five recent chapter books that you can use as mentor texts. As you are reading, note the following: what topics lend themselves to chapter books? What lengths are the books? How old are the book’s protagonists? What is the suggested reading age? Think about the writing style, the pacing, the use of illustration, the story arc, and more. I also recommend reading chapter books that have different settings so you can get ideas and see what resonates with you.

2) BRAINSTORM IDEAS: Spend some time thinking about your actual story. That may seem elemental, but it is really important to develop workable ideas. Who are your main characters? What is the conflict that they face? How will they grow or change throughout the story? Who are the secondary characters? Are there any subplots? Is the story funny, touching, scary, creepy, or some combination? What is the setting – family and home, a school, summer camp, another planet? Is the story set in the past, present, or future? What are the broader themes you hope to focus on? It may take some time for your ideas to marinate, simmer, and finally gel.

3) OUTLINE YOUR BOOK: I know that not everyone enjoys writing with plot outlines, but I suggest giving it a try if you are new to chapter book writing. Many chapter books use the ten-chapter format, so start there. Try to outline how your book starts, what happens in the middle section, and how it ends. Your approach and storytelling may change as you write, but at least you have a starting point to help you keep the plot moving forward. And, with an outline, you can always write the chapters out of order if one area, such as the middle, is giving you trouble or making you feel stuck. You can always discard your outline, but at least it gives you a starting point and a roadmap to follow.

4) CHECK OPENING LINES AND CHAPTER TRANSITIONS: Think about how you will hook the reader right from the beginning. How will your first line, paragraph, page, and chapter keep the reader excited about turning pages and continuing to read your story. And remember that each chapter can work almost as a mini-story, with its own story arc with a beginning, middle, and end. And each chapter ending should contain a transition, almost a cliffhanger, that keeps the reader engaged and wanting more.

5) JUST GET STARTED:  Sit down and start writing! It’s been said before but it’s worth repeating: it’s much easier to edit words that are already written than to stare at a blank page or screen. Try to write without editing yourself too much as you go along. Maybe try writing freely until you have a chapter or two and then go back and make some edits. At some point, you will send your draft to your critique partners (maybe even another writer you meet this month in this writing group!). But for now, just keep going and get the story written.

Good luck with your chapter book writing this month during CHABOOCHA LITE and in the future! I look forward to finding your books in libraries and bookstores and to reading them all!

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Melissa Stoller is the author of the debut chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (Clear Fork Publishing, July 2017); the debut picture book SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Clear Fork, 2018); and THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE (Clear Fork, 2018).  She is also the co-author of THE PARENT-CHILD BOOK CLUB: CONNECTING WITH YOUR KIDS THROUGH READING (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, an Assistant for Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy, and a volunteer with SCBWI-MetroNY. Melissa writes parenting articles, and in previous chapters of her life, she has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, travelling, and adding treasures to her collections.

 Connect with Melissa online at www.MelissaStoller.com, MelissaBergerStoller (Facebook),  @MelissaStoller (Twitter), and Melissa_Stoller (Instagram).

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GIVE-AWAY

Melissa is happy to send a signed copy of THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND to one lucky winner. Please comment on this post to be eligible.

Book Release: The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island by Melissa Stoller

I'm happy to be able to have ChaBooCha member Melissa Stoller announce her book release here (see below).

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BOOK RELEASE POST – THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION –

BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND

By Melissa Stoller

Illustrations by Callie Metler-Smith

Release date July 24, 2017

On March 16, 2017, I wrote a blog post during The Chapter Book Challenge titled “Working Your Way Through ChaBooCha 2017." On May 23, 2017, Chapter Book Challenge hosted my cover reveal. And now I couldn’t be happier to announce the book birthday for my debut chapter book series THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND!

It’s a story about nine-year-old twins Emma and Simon who thought they were going on an ordinary sleepover. But when they shake a snow globe from their grandmother’s collection, they are transported to Coney Island in 1928. After a series of adventures, including a ride on the world-famous Cyclone roller coaster, they must help their great-grandparents meet according to family legend on the Coney Island trolley. Otherwise the twins might never be born! This story is very dear to me as it’s based on the meeting of my own grandparents, Jessie and Jack. I pitched the manuscript to Callie Metler-Smith, Publisher at Clear Fork Publishing/Spork, as The Magic Tree House book series meets the Back to the Future movies. And luckily she loved the story as much as I did!

After many years of writing picture book drafts and collecting rejections (with time in between writing parenting articles and a parenting resource book), I finally got back to writing for children. I started to write this story as a picture book but realized that a longer story was just waiting to be told. So I turned to the chapter book format – and that made all the difference. The Chapter Book Challenge and courses such as The Chapter Book Alchemist with Hillary Homzie (through Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy) helped me hone my craft. And my critique groups – I can’t say enough about my writing pals who worked with me through various drafts of this project! The love and support from my husband, Larry, and three daughters Zoe, Jessie, and Maddie, inspired and encouraged me to keep going! And my mother Connie (Jessie and Jack’s daughter) has always been my first and best reader and editor! Check out my Dedication and Author’s Note to learn more!

Wait until you all see the wonderful illustrations by Callie Metler-Smith. Aside from being my publisher at Spork, Callie is also an incredibly talented illustrator. I had ideas about what the characters and scenes would look like, but Callie’s imagination and vision for this project surpassed my expectations and really brought the story to life!

And now this book is out in the world! What started as a story based on the lives of my grandparents will hopefully touch the hearts of many children. I’m so excited to start doing school visits and book signings. I hope the children I meet will realize they can “make good things happen” in their everyday lives, just as the twins Emma and Simon did in the story. And I hope the book will inspire children and their families to dig deeper into their own histories. I include a Book Club Guide so families can connect through discussion questions and enrichment activities, an easy snow globe project, a recipe, and ideas for further topic research.

Stay tuned for BOOK TWO – THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, where the twins shake another snow globe from their grandmother’s collection and are transported back to Philadelphia and San Francisco in 1915. Along with a young Great-Great-Aunt Lucy, they must help the Liberty Bell get back on track. Releasing from Spork in April 2018!

And finally, a huge thank you to Becky Fyfe for hosting the Chapter Book Challenge and for featuring me on her blog! And cheers to everyone writing chapter books . . . I look forward to seeing where this journey takes you!

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Melissa Stoller is thrilled to be a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge! She is also an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group. Melissa is the author of the debut chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (Clear Fork Publishing, July 24, 2017); the debut picture book OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Clear Fork, March, 2018; and THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE (Clear Fork, April 2018).  She is also the co-author of THE PARENT-CHILD BOOK CLUB: CONNECTING WITH YOUR KIDS THROUGH READING (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa writes parenting articles, and has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, and early childhood educator. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, travelling, and adding treasures to her collections. Find Melissa online at www.MelissaStoller.com, MelissaBerger Stoller (Facebook), @Melissa Stoller (Twitter), and Melissa_Stoller (Instagram).

Cover Reveal: The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island by Melissa Stoller

I’m so excited to announce the cover reveal for my debut chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND. The book releases on July 25, 2017!

It’s very appropriate that Becky is hosting this reveal because I wrote the first early draft of the manuscript during the Chapter Book Challenge in 2016! I participated in the challenge as an author new to the process of writing chapter books. I really enjoyed spending the month brainstorming ideas and writing alongside others who were pursuing the same goals and facing the same obstacles. Next, I enrolled in The Chapter Book Alchemist course with Hillary Homzie through Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy. Hillary’s online course and critique helped me with character development, pacing a chapter book, and so much more. I subsequently enrolled in the Chapter Book Blueprint course, further refining my work. In Chapter Book Challenge 2017, I made great progress on the manuscript for Book Two: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE!

I’m so grateful to the Chapter Book Challenge community – everyone is incredibly supportive and it's heartwarming to know that an entire group of like-minded authors is rooting for you to succeed. So thank you to Becky, and to the rest of this wonderful community. I can't wait for next year’s challenge and for ChaBooCha Lite in September!

So here it is, the cover, illustrated by the very talented Callie Metler-Smith. Callie is also my publisher at Clear Fork Publishing. I’m thankful to Callie for publishing this book series, and for contributing her beautiful art. I love how Callie captured the Cyclone Roller Coaster that’s featured in the story. The Cyclone is encased in the snow globe and it also forms the background of the cover, representing the worlds inside and outside the snow globe. I feel like Callie read my mind about what Emma and Simon should look like – their expressions are perfect. And I’m so happy with the fonts and the glittery snow in the globe and at the upper left corner. Callie includes so many evocative details . . . I can’t wait for you all to see the inside illustrations as well!

I’m thrilled to include a sneak peek of the back cover draft text as well:

They thought it was an ordinary sleepover . . .

When nine-year-old twins Emma and Simon shake a snow globe from their grandmother’s enchanted collection, they’re transported back to Coney Island, New York, on June 24, 1928. According to family legend, that’s the day their great-grandparents meet. But if events don't work exactly as they’re supposed to, the meeting won't take place and the twins might never be born. After a day of adventures – from the Cyclone Roller Coaster to the boardwalk arcade and finally to the fateful Coney Island trolley ride – will the twins help make it happen? VOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the Libert

VOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the Libert

I hope you’ll follow my writing journey at www.MelissaStoller.com and sign up for my blog at www.MelissaStoller.com/blog. And of course l hope you look for my book starting on July 25^th!

Cheers to all the authors working on their own chapter books! I look forward to reading your stories!

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Melissa Stoller is an avid collector of snow globes, sea shells, stories, and other treasures. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and a mischievous puppy. THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND is Melissa’s debut chapter book. Her debut picture book, OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH, will be published in March, 2018, also by Clear Fork Publishing/Spork. Melissa is delighted to be a Regional Ambassador for the Chapter Book Challenge!

Connect with Melissa at:

Facebook – Melissa Berger Stoller

Twitter - @MelissaStoller

Instagram – Melissa_Stoller

Pinterest – Melissa_Stoller 

Working Your Way Through ChaBooCha 2017 by Melissa Stoller #ChaBooCha

So you're working on a chapter book this month with ChaBooCha. It may be your first attempt at a chapter book or it may be the fifth in a series.

Here are a few tips to help you work your way through the challenge:

HARNESS YOUR IDEAS

There are many posts about how to brainstorm ideas, and even a challenge dedicated to this topic called StoryStorm by Tara Lazar (https://taralazar.com/storystorm/). Grab a notebook and start thinking about ideas that you could use to kick-start this challenge!

Or maybe you have a picture book that sounds like a chapter book because the ideas are too mature for a younger reader. Perhaps you are writing a middle grade novel but your main character is too young or the situations would be more suitable for the younger audience of a chapter book. Try working one of those ideas into this challenge.

Pick one idea and get started. Write the idea on your computer or on paper, or dictate the idea into your phone. The main point is to harness the ideas from your mind and actually see them in writing. It’s much easier to edit a draft that exists than to stare at a blank page or screen.

OUTLINE YOUR CHAPTER BOOK

I realize that not everyone likes the idea of outlining, but I found this process very helpful for chapter book writing:

- Try breaking the story into 10 chapters (the classic number of chapters for a chapter book). This will resonate if you are a planner like me. Outline each of your 10 chapters very loosely in your actual document. Develop your plot and see how each chapter unfolds.

-Each time you go back to write your chapter book, work on one of the chapters. I worked in a linear fashion, so I started from the beginning and kept going. But, somewhere in the middle around chapter 5, I realized that I didn’t have a clear sense of what would happen in the middle. So I moved on to the ending chapters, and skipped over chapters 5, 6 and 7.  I worked on the three remaining chapters and then went back to the middle. For this particular book, this method worked for me. I had a clear vision of the beginning, and a somewhat clear vision of the end, but the middle was totally murky. Instead of getting bogged down and stuck in the middle, I worked around it.

-Don’t worry if your first draft isn’t great. Just keep writing. Getting your ideas on paper will really motivate you to continue writing and moving forward.

WORK ON YOUR CRAFT

Read, read, read! – Read chapter books. Try to read several chapter books each week of this challenge and beyond. Get to know the genre. What makes a chapter book different from a picture book or from a middle grade novel? Does your idea work for the age group of the targeted audience? Some chapter books I have been reading include: The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne; The Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka; Super Happy Party Bears by Marcie Colleen; The Fantastic Frame by Lin Oliver; Clementine by Sara Pennypacker; Dragon Slayers Academy by Kate McMullan; The Ballpark Mysteries by David A. Kelly; Mermaid Tales by Debbie Dadey; A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy; Sparkle Spa by Jill Santopolo; and The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler. There are many more – your local library or bookstore are good places to see what’s popular with young readers and what’s selling.

First few sentences – Make sure the beginning of the story grabs the reader right from the start. Here are a few examples from the chapter books listed above: “Welcome to the Grumpy Woods! Just Kidding. No one is welcome here. Turn around and go back.” (Super Happy Party Bears); “Ready! . . . Aim! . . . Wait!” yelled Sam. (The Time Warp Trio); “I can’t believe it!” Echo said. “It’s finally happening.” (Mermaid Tales); “I saw a giant orange pig on our swing set this morning,” said my little sister, Maggie. (The Fantastic Frame); “The school bell rang, and Aly raced out the door, holding on tight to her backpack straps.” (Sparkle Spa). These openers will keep me reading!

First chapter – What is the hook that will draw in your reader? Make sure that even after the reader is initially hooked, she will want to stick around and read the entire chapter and the rest of the book.

Chapter transitions – These last sentences in each chapter will pull the reader along seamlessly to the next chapter, all the way through to the end of the book. For example: “Then with a loud slurp, the quicksand swallowed up the wizard, this time hat and all.” (Dragon Slayers’ Academy); “The door blew closed behind them, and Kaz was trapped in this little room.  Trapped with a solid girl who could see him.” (The Haunted Library); “They dashed around the corner – just in time to see the cat disappear through a hole in the pyramid” (The Magic Tree House); “What are we going to do?” I asked. “I mean for real?” (Clementine). Don’t you want to read more!

The ending – Endings are so hard to get right! You want the reader to say Wow! Or sigh and smile! Or laugh! Or display another strong emotion. And if you are planning to write a chapter book series, you want to reader to come back for more. In my case, the last page of my first book features a snow globe from another location that is calling out to the main characters. Hopefully readers will be excited about the time-travel concept and ready to follow the characters to another adventure.

World building – do readers want to inhabit your book? What makes your book special? Does everything work consistently in your world? For example, if writing about kids living in outer space and attending a school at a space station, would the school need some type of oxygen filtration system? Would the kids be able to venture out without special suits and masks? What would gravity be like in this world? What kind of food and water would be available? You can design the rules for your world but it becomes believable when those rules work consistently and reliably.

Research – If you are writing about another time, are the little details correct? For example, if writing about medieval times, are the details about clothing worn and food eaten accurate for that timeframe? The first book in my ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION SERIES, RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, takes place in 1928 Coney Island.  I researched the clothing of the time, as well as details about the amusement park, the Cyclone roller coaster, trolleys from 1928, whether Nathan’s hot dog stand was opened yet (it was!), and whether the game skee-ball was invented yet (yes!).  I also researched the exact day and date that the story was taking place to make sure that was consistent.

REVISE!!!

The real work starts in the revision process! Revise for big picture and small picture points such as:

-Does your plot have a clear arc with a strong beginning, a middle that keeps the audience reading, and a satisfying ending?  Is the plot believable and consistent? Is the world that the characters inhabit plausible? If necessary, is your research about your world complete?

-Are your characters relatable? Will the reader care about them? Do they have well-defined personalities and perhaps some quirks and/or flaws that make them lovable? Is there heart and/or humor in the book?

-Is there a well-defined conflict? Are the stakes high enough? Will the reader care whether the main characters solve the conflict?

-Look at dialogue . . . does it flow naturally? Do the characters have strong voices? Are their styles of speaking consistent?

-Does the pacing work? Does the story flow smoothly through all the chapters to the end? Are there compelling transitions between chapters? Does each scene in the book move the story forward in some way?

-Review for finer points like proper grammar, sentence structure, and lyrical language.

LISTEN TO THE PROS

Aside from the amazing Chapter Book Challenge, I have participated in these excellent courses and other resources and each has helped tremendously with my chapter book writing:

The Chapter Book Blueprint – taught by Alice Kuipers through the Children’s Book Insider with Jon Bard and Laura Backes  (http://writingblueprints.com/p/chapter-book-blueprint-vip-power-bundle).

The Chapter Book Alchemist -- Co-taught by Mira Reisberg and Hillary Homzie through the Children’s Book Academy (http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/the-chapter-book-alchemist.html).

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (www.SCBWI.org). Join and interact with the large organization and with your local chapter.

Attend conferences and participate in online challenges such as Storystorm (https://taralazar.com/storystorm/).

Interact with your writing community on Facebook and Twitter.

JOIN OR START YOUR OWN CHAPTER BOOK CRITIQUE GROUP

Find a group of like-minded writers from this challenge, or from another challenge, group, or class you may be involved with. Work with them to start a critique group to comment on each other’s work as you write your chapter books.

You can also look for critique partners in the KidLit411 and Sub It Club manuscript exchanges through Facebook. I found my chapter book critique group through a class we were all taking through the Children’s Book Academy and we all participated in The Chapter Book Alchemist Class together (see above for details). We each posted a synopsis of our work in progress, and swapped chapters of our manuscripts as we went along. Thanks for all the helpful insights, ladies, you know who you are!

KEEP GOING

You will only know if you enjoy writing chapter books if you keep going! Don’t give up. You may not finish the challenge with a perfectly crafted chapter book (chances are you won’t!) but hopefully by the end of the month you will have harnessed a great idea and you will have made good progress on your writing. Set a goal to continue and finish!

I really look forward to seeing many chapter books that are generated from CHABOOCHA 2017 in libraries and bookstores very soon!

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Melissa Stoller is thrilled to be a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge! She is also an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group. Melissa is the author of the chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (Clear Fork Publishing, April, 2017), and the debut picture book OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Clear Fork, March, 2018).  She is also the co-author of THE PARENT-CHILD BOOK CLUB: CONNECTING WITH YOUR KIDS THROUGH READING (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009, www.ParentChildBookClub.com). Melissa writes parenting articles, and has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, and early childhood educator. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters and one puppy. When not writing or reading, Melissa can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, travelling, walking on the beach, and finding treasures to add to her collections. Find her online at www.MelissaStoller.com, MelissaBerger Stoller (Facebook), @Melissa Stoller (Twitter), and Melissa_Stoller (Instagram). 

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Give-away

Melissa has offered a truly amazing couple of prizes, so there will be two give-aways with this post. Melissa is offering a critique of the first two chapters of one person's chapter book manuscript as well as a copy of her soon-to-be released chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION -- BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND. All you need to do to enter in the prize drawing is be a signed-up ChaBooCha member and comment on this post. The winners will be drawn by a random number generator and announced on March 31st.