The 6 Common Mistakes Made by Aspiring Children’s Book Authors

In my freelance editing practice, I read as many as 100 children’s book manuscripts a year – sometimes more.  Over and over again, I see aspiring authors making the same basic mistakes. This was one of the main reasons I decided to create my new home-study course, Just Write for Kids! There just aren’t enough [...]

Just Write For Kids

I have terrific news!
But first – let me ask you a question:
*Have you ever dreamed of writing a children’s book?
*Do you have an idea for a story but don’t know where to start?
*Have you written a book, but don’t know what the next step should be?
*Would you like to join the multi-million dollar children’s book [...]

Marketing Mondays #9: Re-Purposing

Question: How can you turn one book into multiple sources of income, and continue to promote the original book at the same time?
Answer: Re-purpose it!
Re-purposing means converting the content from your book(s) into as many other formats as you can. Could your book make an audio book? An E-book? A web game?  Is there [...]

Marketing Mondays #8: Agents and Publishers

Two of the most frequently asked questions I hear from aspiring authors are: “Do I really need an agent?” and “How do I get one?”
The answer to the first question is: Ideally, yes. Agents handle everything from submitting your manuscripts to publishers, to negotiating contracts  and overseeing royalty statements, in exchange for which they take [...]

Marketing Mondays #7: Cover and Query Letters

Whether you are submitting to an agent or a publisher, you must include a cover letter and an up-to-date bio with your manuscript. Keep in mind the following:
-  Be brief and respectful of the agent or editor’s time and expertise. Don’t try to be hip, funny or bossy…  a simple “Enclosed please find my manuscript [...]

Marketing Mondays, #6: Submissions 101

So, you’ve written a children’s book and you’re ready to submit it to an agent and/or a publisher.  The following are the industry standards for manuscript submission, regardless of  whether the manuscript is for a picture book, a chapter book or a novel:
Standard white paper – Don’t even think of using colored paper!
Black ink [...]

Penning Picture Books #8: Show, Don’t Tell – or, a Tribute to Mo Willems

Some picture books are narrative all the way through with no dialogue, and some are only dialogue with no other narrative, as in Mo Willems’ wonderful “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” series.  Most often, they are a blend of both.
Generally speaking, dialogue should make up at least one-third of a picture book, and [...]

Marketing Mondays #5: Gotta Getta Website!

You knew this was coming (and hopefully most of you have already done this): You must have your own website.
Even better is to have a website for yourself as an author, and one for each of your book projects. The URL (web address) for your own site should ideally be your name with “.com” after [...]

Penning Picture Books #7: The Building Blocks of Plot, or “Dramatic Arc”

Basic plot structure for a picture book is the same as for any other kind of dramatic structure, be it a novel, a play or a film: 3 acts – or, beginning, middle, and end. Each one takes up roughly one third of the book, and each is divided by a transition or [...]

Marketing Mondays #4: Products and Promotional Materials

Last week we talked about identifying and reaching out to your niche, or your target audience, and not relying on your publisher to do so for you. Another thing you should not rely on your publisher to do is create promotional materials.
Over the years, we have designed and/or made our own bookmarks, postcards, posters, [...]

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