Podcast appearances and mentions of jan fields

LAUNCHING A STORY FROM A TITLE Chances are you fall into one of two camps when it comes to titles: You either love creating them or you dread trying to think up something clever that will catch a reader’s eye. Thanks to Jan Fields, today we’re going to have some fun creating titles. So much fun your new titles just might launch a new story. This is Katie's last episode of the podcast, but not the last episode of the podcast. We're working to bring you new episodes in the coming months with the same high standards of teaching we strive for with our courses.

TOP THREE NARRATIVE NONFICTION MISSTEPS Nonfiction is basically broken into two broad types. Expository nonfiction describes, explains, and informs. Narrative nonfiction uses story elements to convey a factual experience. Narrative nonfiction tells a story through carefully researched, factual recounting. Not all nonfiction books are strictly expository or strictly narrative. Some in fact contain both, but for now, Jan Fields has given us a lead on common missteps when writing narrative nonfiction.

On her way to an interview for a secretarial position in Dayton, Ohio, in 1978, Jan Fields stopped at a McDonald's. A "Now Hiring" sign touting flexible hours led her to fill out an application. She was hired on the spot and spent the rest of her career with the fast food restaurant. We're sharing highlights from our interview, including what it's like to be one of only a handful of women to run a Fortune 500 company and the secrets behind scaling a business the size of McDonald's. Stick around to find out what happened that time McDonald's tried to get into the pizza game.

SUBMISSIONS It’s the beginning of a new year. A time that we as writers like to set goals for our writing success and dream about what our writing career will look like next year at this time. Maybe one of your goals this year is to submit your work to agents or editors. It can seem like a Herculean task, but like the old joke goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. In this episode, based on an article from our own Jan Fields, we’re going to talk about what you should worry about most in your submissions and when it’s okay to press the send button.  

PLANNING YOUR NOVEL At any time you speak to a writer, they may easily be either planning a novel, writing a novel, or revising a novel. Always. And sometimes a writer could be doing more than one of those at a time. As a result, a fairly streamlined process for novel creation can develop––for that writer, anyway––and Jan Fields’ process is a good one to share here. Make your novel the best it can be. Check out our self-led course Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

HOW STRUCTURED IS YOUR PICTURE BOOK? One of the major problems editors encounter when reading picture book submissions is the lack of plot, or even purposeful organization. Today’s podcast is inspired by something Jan Fields did for us: a primer on picture book structure and how choosing a structure can help you make plot decisions. Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

PLAYING FAIR WITH PLOT Good stories have lots of moving parts. Inspired by an article from our own Jan Fields, this episode challenges us to get all the parts to come together in a way that works. Many writers understand that a good plot requires giving your main character something to want or need, and that the character then needs to do stuff. A story without action of any kind isn't much of a story and most writers get that pretty early in the process of learning to write fiction. And we also realize early on that a good story eventually fulfills the want or need for the main character. But there's a bit more to it than that, and one additional element is that you must play fair with the reader. Let’s look at what that means. Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

Jan Fields spent 35 years at McDonald’s working her way up from making French Fries to serving as President of McDonald’s USA.  Jan shares her career journey including leadership and life lessons learned along the way.  Jan also talks about her transition from Corporate Executive to Corporate Board Member.

ELEMENTS OF SETTING If you’re going to build a whole new world in your story, you have got to get the setting right. Today’s episode explores the elements of setting with contributions from Jan Fields. Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

MISUNDERSTOOD VERBS When you’re polishing and perfecting your work, one big thing to pay attention to is your verbs. Inspired by an article from Jan Fields, we’re going to come to a greater understanding of these action words. Verbs are the powerhouse of the sentence. Because of that, understanding how verbs work will help you tremendously in the revision process. It's only by knowing what verbs are all about that you can make them do their tricks. So with that in mind, let's look at some of the most misunderstood verbs. Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

6 STEPS TO SUBMISSION SUCCESS These days a vast majority of publishers and agents accept submissions online, whether through email or a website form. There are a few holdouts, but these days it sounds strange to hear anyone say they don't take digital submissions. This means we all need to learn how to put our best foot forward in online submissions. Adapted from an article by Jan Fields, here are six steps to submission success. Want to come to our amazing Revision Power webinar? Sign up at writingforchildren.com/revisionpower

Paula and Jan discuss the difference between writing for trade versus writing for the educational market. In their workshop, students learn how to navigate this area of writing and market themselves to educational publishers. Paula and Jan also discuss the needs in this industry and how a writer can soar to success.

Paula and Jan discuss the difference between writing for trade versus writing for the educational market. In their workshop, students learn how to navigate this area of writing and market themselves to educational publishers. Paula and Jan also discuss the needs in this industry and how a writer can soar to success.

ROCHELLE WISOFF-FIELDS an author, artist, and illustrator from Missouri, called in to discuss her latest release, "A Stone for the Journey". From her Bio: "I attended the Kansas City Art Institute and still consider my greatest works of art to be my three grown sons. Of course I didn’t create them alone. I’ve been married to their father, Jan Fields or over 40 years.My first book, This, That and Sometimes the Other, an eclectic collection of short stories and original artwork was published by High Hill Press in 2011." For more information on Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and to order her books, please visit her website at: https://rochellewisoff.com

Jan Fields is an original and a role-model in so many ways. Smart. Direct. Practical. Passionate. She rose quickly through the ranks at McDonald’s - from manning the french fry station to being the first female President of McDonald’s USA. It’s no surprise that today Jan is a much sought after advisor and board member, serving on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Chico’s, Monsanto, and Ronald McDonald House. Listen in to Your Career, Your Terms®: Pivot Points® as Jan shares how she makes big decisions by evaluating the best that can happen and the worst that can happen. If you liked what you heard, please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes or Stitcher. And, share your suggestions with us on Twitter @yrcareeryrterms, Facebook @yourcareeryourterms, or by emailing perry@yourcareeryourterms.com. For more information, visit yourcareeryourterms.com.

Jan Fields is an original and a role-model in so many ways. Smart. Direct. Practical. Passionate. She rose quickly through the ranks at McDonald’s - from manning the french fry station to being the first female President of McDonald’s USA. It’s no surprise that today Jan is a much sought after advisor and board member, serving on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Chico’s, Monsanto, and Ronald McDonald House. Today on Your Career, Your Terms®: Pivot Points®, Jan shares her experience being a career-minded single mom; creating supportive relationships professionally and personally; and how to survive and thrive failure. If you liked what you heard, please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes or Stitcher. And, share your suggestions with us on Twitter @yrcareeryrterms, Facebook @yourcareeryourterms, or by emailing perry@yourcareeryourterms.com. For more information, visit yourcareeryourterms.com.

CREATING A REVISION PLAN Some writers love revision. In fact, for many, the rough draft is something to be rushed through to get to the real "fun," the revision. Some writers don't like the revision part at all, but they know it's necessary if their book has a chance of getting a contract. Our contributor Jan Fields is one of those writers. Jan admits revision might be something she would skimp on if she didn't enter into revision with a plan. Here's how to create your own plan. START WRITING YOUR BOOK. Learn how to write publishable manuscripts with your own one-on-one mentor, an experienced professional author. To see if you qualify, go to writingforchildren.com/iamready

Brain Burps About Books Podcast #245 Stuff That Gets in the Way of Writing Announcements Just a quick note to let you know that I’m starting a new podcast soon called Writing for Children (if I haven’t already started by the time you hear this). Want to know more? It’s going to be pretty awesome and very different from this show. Go to writingforchildren.com to learn more. Learn to write and earn college credit with a home study course from our sponsor Institute for Children's Literature. Take the free aptitude test HERE. The Physics of Fantasy writing, a free word count chart and more in this week's newsletter from Jan Fields at the Institute for Children's Literature. Don't miss this great resource. Sign up HERE. This week we're talking about stuff that gets in the way of writing Everyone has distractions: Kids (of all ages!) Moving Tech issues Illness - you or someone you love How can you find time to spend on your writing? How can you develop muscle memory for your writing muscles? What is Faker Syndrome and can you overcome it?