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WOW! Women On Writing
Classes & Workshops
Spotlight Newsletter: Writing for Children: Short Stories, Articles & Fillers
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Greetings!
Have you ever thought about writing for children's magazines? We invite you to check out Writing for Children: Everything You Need to Know About Short Stories, Articles, and Fillers. This class is taught by WOW !'s editor, Margo L. Dill, who is passionate about children's writing and has been published in numerous children's magazines. The class starts Tuesday, May 24th and is limited to 15 students. In the article below, Margo shares some tips on getting started with fillers. They're a great way to break in to a publication and you'll probably have a lot of fun coming up with them! But that's only a small portion of Margo's course. This course is about writing and getting published. Be sure to check out the week-by-week description here. We also have several classes that start today: Finding Experts and Interviewing Them with Jodi Webb, Bring Out the Story-Teller in You with Karlyn Thayer, and Writing the Middle-Grade Novel with Margo L. Dill. If you'd like to participate, you can still join in over the next couple of days. To view all of our upcoming courses click here. Happy writing! Angela & Marcia  Angela & Marcia Classroom Managers WOW! Classes & Workshopsclassroom@wow-womenonwriting.com
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Fillers are  Fun
Especially for Kids!
By Margo L. Dill
Look at any children's magazine or website, and you will find fillers: puzzles, games, riddles, and crafts. Someone has to create these pieces, and many publications pay you for these. If you are an aspiring children's writer of either books, short stories, or articles, fillers are a way to break into a publication, gather publication credits, get experience submitting your work, and earn a few dollars at the same time. So, where do you start?
First, find a few children's magazines or e-zines that publish fillers. (You can find many free copies of magazines at the public library.) Look through the magazines to see which types they publish. Then check out the writers' guidelines either online or in a writer's market book to determine which types of fillers the publication accepts from freelancers. There will also be information on payment. Just remember before you write and send anything in to the magazine, it's important to be familiar with the publication first. A filler for Highlights for Children will not be the same as a filler for Fun for Kidz.
What are some examples of fillers for children's publications?
- Logic puzzles
- Search-a-word puzzles
- Crossword puzzles
- Scrambled words
- Solving a code
- Riddles
- Jokes
- Short poems
- Easy craft projects
- Kid-friendly recipes
- Games (for groups and two players)
- Quick science experiments
As you can see, the possibilities are endless. So, now you know what fillers are, why they can help your career and your wallet, and how to find publications to send to. But what happens if you don't know what to write? Can you write fillers about anything?
Yes and no. This is where studying the publication and reading the guidelines are important again. Ask yourself the following questions as you figure out the subject matter for your filler.
1. Does the magazine publish a list of upcoming themes I could write a filler to fit? 2. Is there an overall theme to the magazine, such as science, religion, or healthy lifestyles? Should my filler fit this theme? 3. What is the age range for the magazine? 4. What topics are children in this age range interested in? 5. What are some subjects these students study at school?
So, why not try fillers? Once you get the hang of them, you can write them rather quickly and send several in each month. They are a great way to break into a magazine and show editors you have creativity and professionalism. But the best part, kids will be reading your fillers and having fun while they work your puzzles, create your craft ideas or play your games!
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Writing for Children:  Everything You Need to Know About Short Stories, Articles, and Fillers
Instructor: Margo L. Dill
Workshop Length: 7 Weeks
Price: $200
Start Date: May 24, 2011
Limit 15 Students
Course Description: This class will teach the basics of writing for children's magazines, crafting short stories, nonfiction articles, poetry, and fillers. The student will come away with a short story and cover letter, nonfiction query letter, and a filler or poem. She will also have a list of potential markets, fitting her manuscripts. The instructor will also share an organizational tool for submissions and information on finding other children's writers and networking. A few writing prompts are provided for feedback and creativity. Students also receive a free story and filler critique from the instructor ($50 value); a free query and cover letter critique from instructor ($25 value); and private e-mail consultations with instructor as needed.
Visit the Classroom Page for a complete listing, testimonials, and what you'll be learning week by week. 
About the Instructor: Margo L. Dill has written for children since she completed a course from the Institute of Children's Literature ten years ago. Her children's writing has won awards, including an honorable mention in the annual Writer's Digest contest. She has had articles, short stories, poetry, activities, and recipes accepted and published in various publications such as Fun for Kidz, Pockets, Cuivre River Anthology III, Characters, Highlights for Children, and Calliope: A Writer's Workshop. She has taught children's writing at the University YMCA in Champaign, IL. She also teaches teleclasses for the Children's Writing Coaching Club. She has spoken to writing groups on subjects such as writing articles, networking, and short stories, and she was the children's writing coordinator for Saturday Writes in St. Peters, MO for six years. Margo is also a contributing editor and columnist for WOW! Women On Writing. |
Upcoming Classes & Workshops
All the classes operate online--whether through email, website, chat room, or group listserv, depending on the instructor's preferences--so you do not need to be present at any particular time (unless a phone chat is scheduled and arranged with your instructor). You can work at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. If you have any questions, please reply to this email or email us at: classroom@wow-womenonwriting.com Enjoy!
May 11 - Today! You can still enroll:
Finding Experts and Interviewing Them | 6 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 10 Students
Bring Out the Story-Teller in You | 6 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students
Writing a Middle-Grade Novel | 6 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 20 Students
May 24
Writing for Children: Everything You Need to Know About Short Stories, Articles, and Fillers | 7 Weeks | $200 | Limit: 15 Students
May 25
The Unwilling Grammarian | 4 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students
May 31
Independent Publishing: The Definitive Course On Achieving Self-Publishing Excellence and Profitability New! | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students
June 3
How to Write Children's Picture Books and Get Published New! | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 15 Students
June 6
Empower Your Muse, Empower Your Writing Self | 4 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 25 Students
Introduction to the Craft of Screenwriting | 6 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 10 Students
Introduction to Playwriting | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students June 10 Intro to Book Reviewing | 4 Weeks | $100 | Limit: 16 Students
Click here to see all of our upcoming workshops |
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