The Write Stuff - Ann Deiterich

Today on “The Write Stuff,” we have Ann Deiterich author of “The Tryouts.” Here’s what she had to say;

How did you hear about Bumples Magazine?
I learned about Bumples Magazine through a chat room hosted by the Institute of Children's Literature. I've recently completed their "Basic" course, and still try to sit in on the chat room whenever I can.

Do you have other stories published?
Although I've had a large number of articles published online through Demand Media, "The Tryouts" is my first published story for kids. I'm thrilled about that!

Could you tell us what your story is about?
"The Tryouts" is about a boy obsessed with practicing basketball in order to make the team despite interruptions from his young neighbour, but things, of course, don't quite go as planned! The characters in the story are based on two boys in my own neighbourhood.

Did you always love writing?
I'd have to say "yes," but I've only been pursuing it professionally for about a year. My college degree is in journalism, and with those studies I came to realize that I enjoyed the production end more than the reporting, so I had a 24-year detour in the graphic arts field. Due to the economic downturn and a company merger, I was forced to "decide what I wanted to be when I grew up" and returned to writing. After more than twenty-five years, I finally got around to taking the ICL course. I'm now working as a solo freelancer doing a lot of copy writing and ghost writing for small businesses. My freelance site is: http://writewordforyou.com/

What's the first story/poem that you ever wrote?
Oh, gosh... that's hard to remember! I know I wrote stories through elementary and high school, but the first one I distinctly remember was "Laces" which I wrote for a college creative writing class about a very young girl learning to tie her shoes.

How long have you been writing?
Really, since I was a kid. I always enjoyed it and that's what put me on the journalism track. I figured that would be the right career choice for me. Although I didn't start writing professionally until the last year or so, I've been keeping a journal for over 20 years. That's been my outlet for writing. While I still write in my journal (a wire-ring notebook... and I've got about a dozen of them now), I have started a blog as well. The link is: http://writewordforyou.blogspot.com/.

The blog serves as a bit of a soapbox as well as a great reason to write topical essays on subjects that interest me and when the mood strikes.

Any advice you'd like to share with those still struggling to get published?
Have "rhino skin"... of course I mean that figuratively and not literally! :-) Having that attitude has been my stated goal since I began submitting for publication last year. I never take the rejections personally. If one magazine says "no," I re-evaluate the story and send on to the next one on the list.
The 2nd bit of advice is "be patient." After more than twenty years in printing where deadlines came up at warp speed, it was a HUGE adjustment to enter the world of publishing. The whole "4 to 6 months" for a reply has been a bit frustrating.

What's next for you?
Well, I've got several stories and articles sitting on slush piles at various publications right now, and I've written a children's picture book. I'm currently reviewing publishers who might be the right fit for it. Researching for submission is really the toughest part.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Just my best wishes for continued success at Bumples!

Check out Bumples Magazine at; http://www.bumples.com/

The Write Stuff - Kelly Hashway

Bumples Magazine wouldn't be the same without all the talented writers that lend their skills to us. So in honour of these great folks we have started "The Write Stuff." Here we will showcase the writers that make Bumples Magazine fun to read.

Our first writer is Kelly Hashway (The Christmas Bunny - March Issue). Here is what she had to say...

How did you hear about Bumples Magazine?
I am a student at the Institute of Children's Literature and I first learned about Bumples Magazine through the school's news letter. I loved the fact that the magazine is interactive and couples stories with facts. It really gives kids a little bit of everything. I immediately knew it was a market that I wanted to submit to.

Do you have other stories published?
I've had five short stories previously published in a variety of children's magazines and have two more coming out soon--including a running story in the May issue of Bumples. I love writing about all topics from fantasy to realistic fiction to humor. I write for children ages six through young adult.

Could you give us hint about what Easter Bunny is about?
I actually wrote "The Christmas Bunny" because my daughter said she wanted to hear a story about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. It was around Christmas time and I started to wonder what would happen if the Easter Bunny decided to take over Christmas because he thought kids loved Santa more than him.

Did you always love writing?
Yes! When I was in elementary school, I wrote stories all the time, about everything. I even tried to write a novel, which I remember was all one long paragraph! Being a writer has been my dream for as long as I can remember.

What's the first story/poem that you ever wrote?
Wow! The first thing I ever wrote had to have been a poem. I loved writing silly poems when I was very little. But the first story I ever sold for publication was a ghost story. It was about a ghost who couldn't scare anyone and had to learn how in order to graduate from Ghoul School.

How long have you been writing?
While I've written all my life, I really started working at it as a career in 2004. I decided that I wasn't happy just writing as a hobby. I wanted to be a serious writer. I started working on a novel and eventually enrolled in the Institute of Children's Literature to improve my skills.

Any advice you'd like to share with those still struggling to get published?
The best advice I could give is to keep writing and keep reading. Never stop trying to improve your skills, and above all, continue to submit your writing despite rejections. You can't ever get published if you don't put yourself out there.

What's next for you?
I'm continuing to write and submit short stories for children's magazines. Also, I'm querying literary agents with my first middle grade fantasy.

Anything else you'd like to add?
For more information about my short stories and novel, visit my website at http://www.kellyhashway.webs.com/.