Jessica Garrison on "Dial's Top Tens."

The name of this article is "Dial's Top Tens: Helpful Things to Think about as you Write and Revise Your Story."

The top 10 questions Dial editors ask when looking at a manuscript:
1. Who is the readership for this book?
2. Does this story surprise me and take me to places I didn't expect?
3. Is this a main character I care about?
4. Am I personally moved by this story or situation?
5. Is this a theme/emotion/concern that a lot of kids can relate to?
6. Is the voice/character authentic and real? Does it sound like a kid, or more like an adult trying to sound like a kid?
7. Does the action of the story move at a good pace and hold my interest? Does it build tension as the story moves forward?
8. Would this picture book story be visually interesting for 32 pages? Could I easily envision the illustrations for this?
9. Has this been done a million times before?
10. Will I want to read this manuscript ten (or more!) times?

*The next two lists are not meant to dissuade us from writing stories about these themes or topics. Rather, they're meant to point out that such subjects are popular (and for good reason!). With that in mind, it's crucial to create a story with a fresh, unexpected angle and voice. What will set your story apart?

The top 10 topics for picture books submitted at Dial:

1. A new baby
2. Barnyard stories
3. First day of school
4. Cleaning up your room
5. Tooth fairy
6. Christmas/Halloween
7. Visiting grandma and grandpa
8. Wanting a pet
9. Dealing with a disability
10. "Hi! My name is ... and I am seven years old!"

The top 10 topics for novels submitted at Dial:

1. The new kid in middle school or high school
2. Choosing between the popular crowd and the social outcast with a heart of gold
3. High fantasy with a prologue and tons of characters with unpronounceable names who go on a quest
4. Dealing with parents going through a divorce
5. Dealing with the death of a parent or sibling
6. A sulky, angsty, "too cool" teen who must learn to get over him/herself
7. A kid trying to save the cranes, dolphins, redwoods, etc.
8. A kid who's sent to live with a cranky aunt/uncle/grandparent and who discovers the older person is okay after all
9. War historical fiction, especially set during World War II and The Revolutionary War
10. A "normal kid" who discovers she/he has some kind of magical power