As a result of Ameel’s comments on my previous post, I have decided to post a link to a source which I think freelance writers and editors will find useful. The resource is a pricing guide for freelancers from Writer’s Market, which you can find here on the Writer’s Digest website.
I discovered this guide after I was gently told by a couple clients that I was far under-pricing my services. I had only experienced the peanut-sized pricing of Fiverr and similar sites at that point–even my experience there was minimal–and so I had no clue what my prices should actually be. I won’t say what any of those original prices were (and you better not either, Ameel!) but I will say that all my book reviews went for only $10 back then.
What can I say? I was new, I was trying to build a client base, and I was naïve enough to jump in blindly without any real research to speak of.
It hasn’t been more than a few months since then but I’ve learned quite a bit, and one of the most important things I’ve learned is to use the Writer’s Market pricing guide.
The guide is an excerpt from Writer’s Market Companion, 2nd Edition. The excerpt includes calculating your expenses, calculating hourly rates, negotiation, raising your rates, and sample rates.
Did you know that it’s acceptable to charge $1 to $3 per page for proofreading a book? Or that you can get $28 to $150 per hour for writing brochures and fliers? That’s just a sample of what you will find in this pricing guide.
The best part? It’s free to download! You only have to give them your e-mail address. (Don’t worry; Writer’s Digest and Writer’s Market are well-established and reputable, so you don’t have to worry about giving them your e-mail.)
One caveat: this is only a pricing guide, so you shouldn’t take it as the pricing gospel. Each client and each project are different and it might be necessary to keep your rates negotiable until you’re more established as a freelancer. You can afford to be firm on higher prices once you have more experience, but you’ll want to retain some flexibility in order to keep the jobs coming.
Do you know of any guides or other resources which could help freelance writers and editors? Have any good examples or horrible warnings from your personal experience you would like to share? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or e-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and your wisdom might appear in a future post.
It’s time for me to pass on some wisdom I’ve earned through causing myself unnecessary stress. I’ve talked to you about the pitfalls of self-employment, writers as workaholics, and the love/hate relationship between writers and time management. Today, I want to talk about something which is important for freelancers and in life overall: learning to just say “no.”
It sounds simple, but learning to say “no” is much harder than it seems. There are many reasons to not say “no”: you don’t want to disappoint people, you need the money or favor attached to the agreement, you’re too shy or passive to argue, etc.
No matter your reason for not doing it, telling people “no” is a very important skill for freelancers to master. Whether you’re a freelance writer, editor, graphic designer, voice over artist, or anything else, you have to get the courage and the assertiveness to tell people when you can’t do something.
Unfortunately, it’s very hard for freelancers to do, at least in our work. The most common reason is that we need the money. Freelancing jobs, no matter what the medium, are few and far between. That’s why we take on as much as we can–well, as much as we can get, even if it’s more than we can handle.
I have very recently stumbled into this conundrum. I have taken on several beta reading and book review jobs (around five right now, one due right after the other and the shortest being 125 pages). I also have a part-time job (three hours a day, five days a week) writing online quizzes which, if I make it past the month-and-a-half probation period, can become a regular gig. All of this on top of grad school, a new puppy, this blog, and my own writing. It’s been pretty…chaotic in my head.
I need the work, I really do, and I’m more than happy to do it. However, for my sanity (and my ability to get some writing done myself), it would be best for me to cut back. If I said “no” every now and then, I would probably be able to handle my workload much better.
Fortunately for me, I have yet to experience the real issue with overbooking: a decline in the quality of the work. Some freelancers can thrive perfectly well under pressure as far as the quality of their work goes. Others…not so much. They’re spread far too thin and can’t keep up with demand. Those freelancers are the ones who have to learn to pick and choose the best projects and reject the rest.
I wish I could give you advice on actually saying “no.” If I knew how to do that, I’d be a lot more relaxed right now. All I can tell you is that you need to remind yourself how much better things will be if you don’t take on every project that comes your way. That way, you’ll see more benefits in regulating your work over doing everything.
Do you have any tips for saying “no” to potential clients? Advice on how to better manage time and projects? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below so we can all benefit from your wisdom.
Happy Saturday! I’m sure my American readers are still decompressing from Thanksgiving and, considering I’m sick and not up to doing much, I decided I will start this weekend with a book review for The Art of Winning by Matshona Dhliwayo.
The Art of Winning is a quick compilation (approximately 113 pages) of 100 inspirational quotes and mantras by Dhliwayo. These quotes are framed by Dhliwayo’s “Winner’s Manifesto” 1 and 2. The work has been highly praised by a wide range of successful individuals, from Olympic gold medalist Adam Kreek and multi-Grammy nominated producer/engineer/songwriter Mitch Goldfarb to former Hearst Newspapers CEO Bob Danzig and New York Times bestselling author Shawn Achor. After reading the book, I can see why.
From a form perspective, this book is simple but effective. Each quote/mantra reads like one or two short, free verse poetry stanzas. Many utilize repetition so that each line builds on the one proceeding it, both in rhythm and in message. This poetic presentation coupled with the short page count make for a quick read, although you’ll want to slow down to fully consume the messages of these quotes.
I found that the wisdom in this book is nothing new but it’s also something that people usually don’t keep in mind, especially during hard times. I know that many of these positive thoughts escape me when I encounter stress and obstacles (often replaced by very bad words). He doesn’t necessarily say “do this and this and you’ll succeed” and he doesn’t guarantee that anything will change overnight. Instead, his wisdom is like that provided by philosophers and gurus, building blocks for making your own life more positive and successful. It may take a while of consistently following his advice but it will yield results so long as you keep at it.
One of my favorite “rules,” as Dhliwayo calls them, reads:
Let go of negative thoughts.
Let go of negative memories.
Let go of negative desires.
Let go of negative people.
Regret poisons your thoughts.
Doubt poisons your dreams.
Fear poisons your hopes.
Insincerity poisons your deeds.
–Matshona Dhliwayo, The Art of Winning, “Rule 40”
As you can see, this isn’t anything new or groundbreaking; in fact, many people would argue that it’s common sense. That, however, is the genius of Dhliwayo’s rules. They’re simple and easy to understand but are also things that we tend to forget about, such as how negativity poisons our lives and how our souls are more important than our material possessions.
For all this praise, I have a couple issues with this book. The first is more a matter of conflicting world views than the quality of the book itself. I have said repeatedly that I’m spiritual but don’t belong to any particular religion and that I’m specifically not Christian. This book makes many references to God, Jesus, and the Bible. If you’re offended by such content, you might want to avoid Dhliwayo’s work. However, the advice transcends religion. Everyone can get something from this advice and, frankly, you can choose to ignore the few Christian references or reinterpret them within your own belief system and still gain some spiritual and life direction from it.
My second issue does affect the quality of the book, at least in my opinion. While there is a “Winner’s Manifesto” at the beginning and end and Dhliwayo provides a list of praise for the work on the first few pages, I felt that the book lacked a well-defined purpose. The rules are tied together by the kind of advice they give as well as the “Winner’s Manifesto” framing device. Still, I’m not sure what Dhliwayo wants readers to get from this book. Is this just advice that you should refer to when you’re feeling stressed and hopeless? Is it a 100-day plan for improving your attitude and your life in which you read a new rule each day? Is it for getting your life back on track, keeping it on track, or both? A quick introduction explaining who Dhliwayo is, why this advice is important, and how to use it would be very helpful in guiding the reader’s experience and ensuring that he/she gets the most out of this advice.
All in all, The Art of Winning is a great book to keep at your bedside. You can use it to start your day on a positive note, recharge you when you’re too drained to continue, or fuel your brain when you’re in need of philosophical contemplation. As of right now, I can only find it on Amazon in paperback format for $9.99. However, it’s worth a read, especially for those of us who find it hard to stay positive (guilty!).
You can also learn more about Matshona Dhliwayo and his other works through his Amazon author page.
Know of any works I should read? Want me to review your book on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr and we can arrange something. You can also reach me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tumblr.
Good evening, my valued readers. Tonight I’m taking some time out of my increasingly-busy schedule to let you know about the release of the next story in the Honeycomb series. This novelette, only 51 pages long, is called Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo by Wren Cavanagh.
Spoiler Alert: The following recap briefly refers to events in Honeycomb: Revelations, so proceed with caution if you have not read that novelette yet.
Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo picks up right where Honeycomb: Revelations left off. After a monstrous encounter at the debtor colony on the planet Honeycomb, the Triton has finally left that God-forsaken planet with its cargo, its crew, and a slew of ex-convicts who have repaid their debts and are eager to go home. Unfortunately, it also harbors a rather dangerous stowaway, one which even the diligent crew cannot see in its current hiding place.
Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo follows the Triton as its crew and passengers attempt to outsmart this deadly menace. What tragedies will befall the cargo ship Triton? Who will survive? Is it even possible to survive a foe that can be anywhere–or anyone?
As with Revelations, Lethal Cargo takes readers on an imaginative journey of suspense and mystery. Cavanagh and Notch Publishing House have provided another fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat piece, and I think that fans of classic science fiction will be pleased. As it is only 51 pages, it’s a quick read and I don’t think you’ll want to put it down until you’ve read the entire thing from start to end.
An extra bonus is that Amazon sells the Kindle editions for Lethal Cargo and Revelations together for $2.98. If you already have the first novelette and only want to get the second, you can buy the second novelette by itself on Amazon through this link.
I’ll try and have a combined review of Revelations and Lethal Cargo in the near future. Unfortunately, as you can tell from my previous post, my schedule is packed and I can’t guarantee when it will be up. Until then, give the Honeycomb series a read for yourself and leave your thoughts in the comments section below. I’m sure that Wren Cavanagh would love to hear them.
Do you know of any small-press/indie books that are coming out? Want to help extend their reach? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and we can discuss featuring the release in a future post.
Hello everyone, here’s to another week. You may have noticed that I didn’t post anything this week. I had planned to, but a couple things got in my way. The first is that I have an assignment for grad school due on Wednesday (and I’m still trying to squirm my way through that). The second is that I got a new puppy on Saturday, hence the subtitle “puppy jail”.
Bubba sleeping in his kennel
My new puppy, Bubba, is only nine weeks old. He’s also a Toy Fox Terrier mix (probably mixed with Pomeranian but we don’t know for sure), so he needs extra care and attention to make sure that his blood sugar doesn’t drop, he doesn’t get too cold, and, of course, no one steps on him. He’s still too small to be fixed (that’s planned for December) and we have to take him in for some shots, so that’ll keep me busy. Raising a puppy takes a lot of time and energy, especially in the beginning.
Between my critical response and Bubba, I’m going to be even more sporadic about how often I post for the next couple weeks than usual. I do have a couple posts planned for this week, including some information on a new Honeycomb story by Wren Cavanagh and a book review for The Art of Winning by Matshona Dhliwayo, but I can’t guarantee when those will be up.
Thanks as always for your understanding. I’m sure that most of you are busy with your own personal lives and NaNoWriMo anyway. For my American readers, Thanksgiving and Black Friday are also coming up and that’s always…fun? Busy? Horrifying?
Good luck to everyone on your current projects, and I’ll see you later this week. And here’s an extra “good luck” to those still cranking away at their NaNoWriMo goals.
Today I got the latest edition of Writer’s Digest. As I was perusing and generally avoiding working on my critical response due next week, I came across an interesting article about a publishing trend which involves hiring “sensitivity readers.” Needless to say, I was intrigued to learn more.
What are sensitivity readers? Mandy Howard, who wrote the article published in Writer’s Digest, was kind enough to provide a definition from Writing in the Margins, an online database of sensitivity readers: sensitivity reading is editing for “issues of representation and for instances of bias on the page” (Writer’s Digest, January 2018, p. 8).
With this definition in mind, I’m going to turn to an aspect of the article which, admittedly, bewildered me. Namely, a passionate debate about the role/appropriateness of these specialized beta readers has be sparked with #diversity, #thoughtpolice, and #ownvoices.
The debate really shouldn’t surprise me. After all, everyone has a different opinion on everything. (I dare you to ask the question “Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie?” in my household. You will get three distinct, passionate, and articulately-argued answers.) Still, my personal view of the matter made the debate seem unnecessary to me.
Here are the three sides of the argument:
#diversity: These are the readers and writers who support people at all stages of the manuscript’s development hiring sensitivity readers. Their argument is that it is just another kind of fact-checking. After all, if you are writing from a perspective which is not your own, you are most likely to get something wrong. Don’t want egg on your face because you misidentify a Muslim woman’s garment, right? And what if you inaccurately described how a deaf student interacts with his professor? Nobody’s perfect. If we’re going to include diversity in our works, we have to make sure that we do it right.
#thoughtpolice: These critics of the concept believe that sensitivity readers suppress creativity and expression. Howard points out that ptheir argument often falls back on the claim that classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Of Mice and Men, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin would not have been written the way they were under such insistence on political correctness because they portray these groups so negatively. One Washington Post letter to the editor which Howard references even compares sensitivity readers to censors.
#ownvoices: This hashtag arises from more critics of this concept, but they don’t criticize it for nearly the same reason as #thoughtpolice. Their problem doesn’t seem to be with using sensitivity readers. Rather, they argue that people from these diverse groups need to write themselves. Shouldn’t we have books about African Americans written by African Americans? Books with transgender characters by transgender authors? How about books about Jews by Jews, or books about autistic characters by autistic writers? We need more diversity in our writers as well as our characters.
You have probably already guessed my position on the matter. I side most with #diversity and #ownvoices.
I think that sensitivity readers, like other beta readers and editors, serve as tools for revision and refinement. More importantly, they’re a research source. Just like you would search the Web, scour the archives, and interview experts (including those with first-hand experience), you can gain invaluable information about a different perspective from your sensitivity readers. Nothing enriches writing more than genuine human experience.
In regards to #ownvoices, I agree. We need more writers from diverse backgrounds. I’d much rather read about a perspective when written by someone with that perspective. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we shouldn’t write from different perspectives. We need to have both in order to represent realistically-diverse worlds in our stories. Sensitivity readers will ensure that we accurately portray perspectives which aren’t our own, and utilizing this resource is a step in the right direction.
What do you think about sensitivity readers? Are they fact-checkers or censors? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, but please remain civil. We welcome all view points so long as they are expressed respectfully.
Happy Hump Day, everyone. It’s a chilly, rainy, dreary day up here in the backwoods of Northern California. You know what that means? Winter is coming. Literally. You know what else it means? It’s time for my Seasonal Affective Disorder, also called SAD, to kick in.
What’s Seasonal Affective Disorder, you might ask? It’s a form of depression related to changes in season. It begins and ends around the same time of year; for most people, it starts in fall and continues through winter, although rare cases can begin in spring or early summer. Essentially, it saps your energy and makes you moody.
So, in my case, my depression gets a lot worse once it starts to feel like fall–i.e. shorter days, stormy and cold weather, etc. It really gives me a love/hate relationship with rain and this time of year. I love rain and Halloween but I’m also moody and get virtually nothing done. (What can I say? I’m a mass of contradictions.) Even my normal anti-depressants don’t help as well during this time of year.
You might be wondering by now: how does this affect my writing? Not in a good way. There are more excuses to stay inside and I should be happy because it’s finally raining and we’re no longer suffering heat in the 80s or higher. I, at least, would expect that to be my ideal writing conditions. The reality? I’m drained all the time, I don’t want to do anything but sleep, I’m irritable, and I can’t concentrate. In other words, I have a hard time writing around this time.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is one of the reasons that I hate NaNoWriMo being in November. I’ve found that if something can go wrong in a writer’s brain, it will. Perhaps it’s Murphy’s Law of a Creative Mind. I’m guessing that I’m far from the only writer with Seasonal Affective Disorder, which makes the timing of NaNoWriMo, to say the least, inconvenient.
How can writers deal with SAD long enough to actually write?
I’m not going to lie, I don’t have any method guaranteed to snap you out of it every time. I know because nothing pulls me out of SAD every time I need it to. However, some methods can help ease the symptoms and, with any luck, something can get written.
Some of these methods work on Generalized Depression and other forms of depression as well as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Others specifically target the symptoms of SAD. All can alleviate SAD sufferers if they give these tips a shot:
Light therapy: One of the first things my doctor suggested was light therapy with a “happy light.” This happy light is essentially a natural spectrum light box. You sit a few feet from it and it will feel like you’re outdoors in the daylight. I’m not sure how it works exactly but Mayo Clinic says that it causes a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. It often seems to help me but it is incredibly bright and I can’t use it if my dad is going to be coming into the room (this is the same man who would have us use only one light or, his preference, sit in total darkness if my mom and I didn’t fight him on it). So, while it helps, I can only have it out occasionally.
Medication: As with other forms of depression, anti-depressants such as Wellbutrin can help. If you don’t have any form of depression the rest of the year, you can talk to your doctor about starting an anti-depressant before symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder kick in. If you’re like me and SAD makes preexisting depression worse, you can talk to your doctor about increasing your dosage, changing medication, or adding something to your current anti-depressant to see if it will help combat the added layer of depression during this time of year. Never reduce, increase, substitute, or otherwise change your medication or dosage without first consulting a medical professional, preferably the one who originally prescribed it to you.
Brighten and open up your living space: Sometimes something as small as opening the curtains, turning on some lights, or decorating your rooms more brightly can improve your mood. It sounds simple but brightening your living space, exercising, going outside, and taking care of yourself overall can make a huge difference in your mood and outlook.
For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder and how to combat it, you can follow this link to the Mayo Clinic pages on the disease. Remember, there are no cookie-cutter solutions that work for everyone. You just have to keep trying different approaches until you find the one that works for you. In the mean time, all you can do is keep pushing and doing your best to reach your writing goals. Also, don’t ever be ashamed of taking a Mental Health Day.
Do you have any tips for writers suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Update 11/25/2022: This article and other pieces of my writing, from The Writer’s Scrap Bin articles to original stories and poetry, can be found on Vocal.
Well, here’s to another week, dear readers. I’m going to be rather busy this week, but I would still like to start it on a lighter note with my latest OBC review. In my previous post discussing outlines, I mentioned that I reviewed a book called Book Blueprint by Jacqui Pretty on OnlineBookClub.org. To my surprise, the review was approved and published not long after I released that post. As before, I can’t copy the review here for exclusivity reasons, but I can give you a brief feel for the book and post the link to the thread on the OBC.
Book Blueprint is a how-to book which helps entrepreneurs to write their own book in order to promote their businesses. It’s particularly interesting for budding entrepreneurs who need to establish themselves as experts in their fields. I read it because I’ve been entertaining the idea of writing a book for self-employed writers, but the details beyond that were hazy. Pretty’s work has certainly put me on the right track, and I’ll be sure to return to it in the future as I work towards my goal of writing a book to promote my business.
I know that, as writers already, my readers may not think Pretty’s advice worth pursuing. However, writing a book of this caliber is much different from writing fiction, poetry, and even other nonfiction works such as essays. Book Blueprint guides readers through the entire process from choosing the right idea and the right kind of book to using the right language for their audiences. Being a fiction, poetry, or nonfiction writer will give you an edge in the process but this book will give you the tools with which you can best use this edge.
If you want to review books for the OBC or would like to have your book reviewed on the site (or just want to find some good books for a discount), you can visit OnlineBookClub.org or you can get the basic information from my post covering the reviewing opportunity.
I recently finished reading a book called Book Blueprint by Jacqui Pretty (the review will, hopefully, be appearing on OnlineBookClub.org in the next few weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances). It’s about planning and writing a book as an entrepreneur to promote your business. It got me thinking about something which is useful in fiction, nonfiction, and academic writing, and I think it’s something which NaNoWriMo participates can benefit from: creating an outline.
At one point or another, you were probably made to create an outline for an essay in primary school (I was in high school). It might have helped you write a better essay, or it might have been a big waste of time for you. Not everyone thinks in a way which makes outlining useful. Still, you might want to consider returning to the method as a professional writer, no matter how novice or advanced your career may be.
An outline can organize your thoughts when they are otherwise jumbled. Many problems of inspiration can be alleviated by creating a sketch of what you want to write ahead of time. It won’t completely solve the issue of writer’s block and lack of inspiration, but having your original ideas to refer to can help.
In fiction, pre-planning could ease the burden of the “sagging middle.” If you outline your story or novel ahead of time, you can get a rough idea of how to transition from one scene to another. When you get stuck (aren’t sure of how to proceed, forgot a character’s name, etc.), you can return to your outline for an extra boost of inspiration, if nothing else.
The Freytag Pyramid is a well-known, perhaps infamous, way to plan fiction.
With nonfiction and academic writing, an outline is almost a necessity. You have to know what you’re going to write about, how to transition from one argument/event/whatever to another, and the point you’re making with this piece. Planning all this out beforehand will save you a lot of head-banging and pen-clicking later.
Of course, outlines aren’t for everyone. Fiction writers in particular have a hard time with planning their work. Some writers find that outlines stimulate their imaginations and keep their thoughts straight. Others, however, find planning rigid and constrictive, thus stunting their inspiration and blocking the creative flow. Outlines are incredibly useful in nonfiction and academic writing, but in fiction writing there’s a 50/50 chance that outlining will also slow down the process.
As with all writing advice, you have to personalize your approach to planning and outlines. One time it may work for you and the next it’ll derail your project. If you’re writing an essay or memoir, you’ll most likely want to use an outline. Writing a novel? Probably but no guarantee, although pre-planning will make NaNoWriMo go much more smoothly. A short story? Maybe not. You have to take it all in stride. Eventually you’ll learn what works best for you when.
Until then, an outline might be worth a try. Worst-case scenario: you have the bare-bones for a story that you can follow very loosely, like guidelines.
What’s been your experience with planning your pieces? Do you use an outline or do you prefer to jump right in? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
To start off the weekend, I’ve decided to review a quick, cute children’s picture book called Oscar the Loveable Seagull by Mark Johnson. Since it’s a children’s picture book, your kids might appreciate it more than you would but I still think it’s an amusing read for people of all ages, especially if you’re looking for something heartwarming to help you and the child(ren) in your life end the day.
Oscar the Loveable Seagull follows Oscar, a seagull with peculiar blue feet who’s loved by everyone despite being the odd man out. As his siblings get stronger, Oscar remains weak and unable to fly. One day he falls out of the nest and his parents cannot get him back up. They care for him as long as they can but the day comes when the entire family must move on. Much to their distress, Oscar’s parents have to leave him behind.
With the help of an eagle and a dog named Cooper, Oscar learns how to gather food and care for himself. He grows stronger and more confident each day with the help of his friends, but will Oscar ever be able to fly? Will this loveable seagull ever be reunited with his family?
Overall, Johnson has written a very entertaining story which I would gladly read to my own children if I had any. It contains lessons about nurturing others, never giving up, and how being different doesn’t mean you have to be ostracized. Especially in the “dog-eat-dog,” “us vs. them” mentality of modern American culture, I think that these lessons are very important for children to learn in order to create a loving, mutually-beneficial society.
While lessons are very important for a children’s picture book, the characters and plot are even more crucial. Johnson manages to create very pleasant characters, particularly Oscar (he is, after all, the loveable seagull). My favorite characters, however, are the wise old eagle and Cooper the dog.
These two animals, while they have nothing to gain from it, selflessly put aside their predatory instincts to help this defenseless young bird (reluctantly) abandoned by his family. The eagle most certainly seems bizarre since eagles hunt seagulls rather than help them (as Johnson points out in the book). There are many cases of dogs raising abandoned kittens, a gorilla and a kitten or a dog and deer being friends, and other mismatched animal pairs in domestic situations, and it’s an area which Johnson definitely uses to his advantage in order to engage readers.
My one problem with the characters is that I wish the eagle had a name. All of the other side characters had names but, for whatever reason, the eagle did not. It’s a bit annoying and, given the rest of the effort put into this story, seems a little lazy. The lack of name does not detract from the character or the book, but a name for the eagle would have been nice.
As a very young children’s book (think around preschool or kindergarten age), the plot is simplistic. Nevertheless, I was able to identify a fully-developed plot with some anticipation and a desire to know if things turn out well for the main character. That well-defined arc, I think, will help young readers remain interested in the book while not being so complicated as to confuse them. I know that I, from an adult’s perspective, appreciated having even the slightest plot in this book, so I’m sure that parents and other caregivers will be happy to read their children this story without getting bored.
The illustrations are very colorful and do Oscar’s signature blue feet justice. A professional—or at least some talented artist—clearly did these drawings and child readers will love seeing Oscar’s attempts to fly and his days playing with the eagle and Cooper. The pictures also remind me of images from stories I read when I was little, a piece of nostalgia which parents will like to see.
While the illustrations are beautiful, I wish that the font for the text were different. The Kindle e-book I got from Amazon shows what appears to be Times New Roman font for the text, perhaps at 12-point but I’m not sure. It was very small and almost lost within the illustrations. I would have preferred the font to be bigger, perhaps even bolded, but at least big enough that I could easily see it contrasted against the illustrations. As with the eagle’s name, this aspect did not detract from the overall quality; it’s a personal preference and very well could have just been an issue with my device.
The story is short, fast-paced, and has the feel of the author telling the story right to you. Children will be captivated by the drawings and Oscar’s loveable nature, while the parents will find a throw-back to their own childhoods and appreciate the lessons about never giving up and taking care of each other. It reminded me quite a bit of Janell Cannon’s Stellaluna, a book which I loved when I was a child. I highly recommend Johnson’s Oscar the Loveable Seagull for my readers with children, who are about to have children, or frequently babysit a friend’s or family member’s children.
You can buy Oscar the Loveable Seagull as an e-book for $5.99 on Amazon. Also be sure to check out Mark Johnson’s blog, Facebook page, and Twitter account for more information on the author and that fuzzy oddball seagull.
Do you know of any books I should read? Want your book reviewed on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr and I’m sure we can arrange something.
