Why You MUST Write That Children’s Book
I was recently interviewed for the esteemed blog “Cynsations,” run by the very talented YA author Cynthia Leitich Smith. It was a real honor – Cynthia’s site is among the most respected, and followed, in the Kid Lit blogosphere – but it also gave me an opportunity to reflect on a core value of mine, [...]
Conferences, Festivals, Bookfairs and Other Opportunities for Writers to Eat
Our MFA in Writing and Literature team spent the week in Denver at the annual AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference. This got me thinking about the value of conferences to writers, and – a blog post is born!
There are essentially two different types of conferences that children’s book authors should be aware [...]
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, #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 [...]
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 #2: Put Your Best Foot Forward
Most publishing houses make acquisitions decisions by committee. Having been a fly on the wall at a lot of those meetings, as well as having made acquisitions decisions myself, I know that agents, editors and publishers often won’t read past the third page if a manuscript feels overwritten, under-developed, overly derivative or out of touch [...]
Penning Picture Books #6 – They’re Called PICTURE Books…
Like many children’s book authors who are also parents, I get a lot of ideas from my own kids. Several years ago, something sort of magical happened to my son that seemed worthy of a picture book. We were dining on our back deck, and he – at the age of three – essentially willed [...]
“Marketing Mondays” #1: Know the Market!
It’s been said that we all run at least two businesses – the business we’re in, and the business of marketing the business we’re in. Writers are often daunted by this. “I’m an artist!” we think, “I don’t know anything about marketing, or sales, or business!” Roll up your sleeves and let’s get to work.
Step [...]
