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, #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 #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, [...]
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 [...]
“But I’m a Writer, Not a Salesperson!” or, Intro to Marketing for Authors
The role of a children’s book author in the marketplace is dramatically different today from what it was even ten years ago. Books are now acquired based as much on an author’s perceived “platform” as on the merits of the book itself. In other words, authors are now expected to take equal responsibility for the [...]
Penning Picture Books #5 – “Theme”, or Simple Gifts
The ‘What’s It All About’ discussion of the last post leads right to the next topic: theme.
What do you want to say to your audience, and why? It’s not enough to simply entertain – we want to offer our readers something to think about, a feeling, perhaps, or a question for further dialogue after the [...]
Penning Picture Books, #3 – Icing Vs. Cake (or, Verse Vs. Prose)
I’m going to be very frank, since this is a subject that comes up over and over again in my editing practice. Language is a fundamental part of children’s literature. Word play, rhythm, alliteration, parallelism, refrain - being playful, imaginative, creative with language is at the core of style when it comes to children’s books. [...]
