tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77045993959841699622024-02-20T15:53:03.152-08:00Ask Authors' PageYou must write for children the same way you write for adults, only better.
—Maxim GorkyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-32812889746177992242018-04-24T15:11:00.002-07:002018-04-24T15:11:26.713-07:00Cricket looking for Editor in ChiefCricket Media (the company that publishes Cricket) is currently looking for a clever, cunning, talented Editor in Chief. See the full listing at Indeed.com; spread the word!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-84280410169047923072018-03-30T09:59:00.000-07:002018-03-30T14:39:15.538-07:002018 ThemesThemes for 2019 Ask are here! This year we're wondering about soccer, inventing, why we need clothes, and what lives in the deep dark ocean. And if we can invent some cool clothes to go play soccer down there. Look down in the right corner for the full list—and if you have a great idea for a story that isn't on the list, send it anyway! We're always looking for cool stories, and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-11696855455350443592017-11-17T14:55:00.000-08:002018-03-30T14:59:51.717-07:00Shout Out to Elizabeth Preston!A big, thrilled, !!!!!!!!! shout out to our old friend and fellow editor Elizabeth Preston, who has won the Kavli Science Journalism Gold Award in the Children's Writing category for her story "A New Way to See," from in the September 2016 (Meet Your Brain) issue of Ask. Elizabeth writes for the Atlantic, Wired, and National Geographic, among others, and you can also find her at Inkfish Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-23269119277079739472015-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:002018-03-30T15:00:33.677-07:00Tips from a proGood tips on science writing for kids! Check out the latest post from Elizabeth Preston, science writer and former editor of MUSE, at the Open Notebook:
http://www.theopennotebook.com/2015/09/29/writing-young-crafting-science-stories-for-kids/Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-77029558891899517462014-11-30T20:32:00.003-08:002016-03-31T09:40:19.454-07:00Got Narrative Nonfiction?I'm often asked if there's anything in particular I'm looking for—usually the answer is just "good stories." But I am looking for more narrative nonfiction, telling true stories like fiction—this approach has great appeal for younger readers, and I'd like to get more of it in Ask. It could be the unfolding of a moment in science history, or a Flatland-type math adventure, or a classmate of Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-85970727599477524512013-05-07T15:11:00.002-07:002013-05-07T15:11:42.369-07:00SubmittablesIf email is just too old-fashioned, you can now also pitch to Ask online at Submittables, https://cricketmag.submittable.com/submit. We're working on the automatic telepathy platform, but it may be a few years yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-83858996964480638102013-01-23T10:35:00.000-08:002017-12-13T20:02:08.458-08:00Writing for Kids #6
Those Big Words
Learning impressive new words is one of the joys of reading.
At the same time, when you meet a bunch in a row that you don’t know, it can be
discouraging. So don’t be afraid of of using technical words where they are the
clearest way of naming something, or that give kids a badge into a new field that will make them feel clever. When you are talking about amphibians, say
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-91610818005588720902013-01-15T16:05:00.000-08:002017-12-13T19:43:20.776-08:00Writing for Kids #5
Connecting with Your Audience
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-83113561121618477512013-01-08T15:30:00.000-08:002017-12-13T20:03:20.550-08:00Writing for Kids #4
How long can my sentences be?
You may have heard the old saw to use as many words per sentence as
your readers are old. Eight word sentences for eight-year-olds! Next year, they
can read nine words! This, of course, is silly. Good prose will always have
varied sentences, even for eight year olds.
Vigorous sentences fit their purpose. Short sentences for impact. Longer sentences for Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-63422296954759409672012-12-20T16:38:00.000-08:002017-12-13T20:04:08.001-08:00Writing for Kids #3
Clear, vibrant, vigorous, varied!
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-60546571901806959542012-12-13T19:33:00.000-08:002017-12-13T20:10:15.972-08:00Writing for Kids #2As in all good writing, keep the focus tight.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-77841547839079243882012-09-27T12:28:00.000-07:002017-12-13T20:10:55.454-08:00Writing for Kids #1Choose Your Topic
What to write about? The best magazine pieces (and books) are particular stories that open out into larger questions or fundamentals. Start with what kids are curious about, and questions
that they have. Ignore topics that you (or other grownups) think
kids “ought to know.” Instead, follow what kids WONDER about and find cool. Or that they might think is cool if only they Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-13170776776904464792010-07-25T21:07:00.000-07:002011-05-13T11:59:56.458-07:00And Then What?So you've sent me your pitch, and then...what happens? When it's time to set the issue contents, we look through everything to come up with a good mix that will make a really interesting and varied read. Eventually, after some pie throwing, we get an issue set, and I'll let you know if we want you to write something for us.
But what about the pitches we don't use? Ask gets a lot of pitches, Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-84349763790070458912010-05-11T10:20:00.000-07:002010-05-11T10:21:57.237-07:00PitchingIf anything on the article theme list grabs your interest, send me a pitch! At this early stage of the game, before we set the issue contents, I'm looking for anything and everything that might make an interesting magazine. The wackier and more thought-provoking the better!
If you're new to pitching, a pitch is just an email telling briefly me about your idea for the article in very generalUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704599395984169962.post-45885760808704731462010-05-10T15:03:00.002-07:002012-04-12T10:31:19.142-07:00Welcome!Welcome to the Ask author's page. I'm hoping this will be a simple way for the Ask editor (me) to share things with you, the cunning and talented Ask authors. I've put the issue theme list is in it's own little box over there on the right, which I'll update as we get through the editorial year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com