Author shares her publishing tips

By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

Children's book author Barbara Bietz wants to help other writers learn how to get their works published. The Oak Park resident will lead a six-week class on writing books for children at the Oak Park Community Center from Oct. 5 to Nov. 10.

No experience is necessary for the introductory class, which is geared toward anyone interested in writing for children, including picture books, young adult and middle grade readers, and chapter books.

"Every time I talk to people about writing, so often I get like a whisper: 'You know, I've always wanted to write a children's book.' But nobody knows how to get started. I thought, rather than talk to everyone individually, I would teach a class," Bietz said.

The class will begin with an overview of children's literature and the various genres. Bietz will provide the writing guidelines for each genre.

"There are things people need to know before they begin the creative process. For example, picture books are 32 pages, so you can't have 10,000 words. . . . It's not appropriate to write a book for middle grades about a five-year-old," Bietz said. "There are so many (misunderstandings) about how the process works."

Bietz will provide writing exercises, and will encourage sharing and critiquing of students' work and ideas, although anyone who prefers not to share will not have to, she said.

"Writing can be a lonely process, and you only have your own eye to look at it. People can give you ideas and put you on a better track," Bietz said. "To be a writer you need to be willing to be vulnerable, and you do feel vulnerable when you share your work, but at the same time it's very empowering."

Learning to critique, which she says is an art, is another subject she will cover.

"It's not just, 'This is good and this is bad' but being able to look at a story and break it down into elements and be able to give people something to help move them forward," Bietz said.

Bietz is the author of "Like a Maccabee," a middle grade chapter book that earned the 2006 Midwest Independent Publishers Association Merit Award for Children/ Young Adult Fiction. She is a member of the Sydney Taylor National Jewish Book Award committee that reviews and recognizes the best in Jewish children's literature. Bietz writes a monthly column for FamiliesOnlineMagazine.com and contributes to Jewish Book World.

"When I was growing up books were so important to me, and that never left me. I like adult books, too, but I would rather pick up a middle grade or young adult book. I think my internal self is 12," Bietz said. "I ask people what their inside age is— whatever age is in their head, that's what age they write for."

The course is $60. Visit www.rsrpd.org or call (818) 865-9304.