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…
Category: Uncategorized
What’s Your Niche?
OK, it’s not Monday, but the holidays have intervened. That said, let’s talk about niches. Having a niche means being known as “The Person Who Writes X,” as in “Oh,…
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…
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…
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…
“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…
“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…
What’s It All About, Maurice?
At the core of every successful children’s book is the “central dramatic question.” This is the question raised by, and in, the story. Will Max’s mother forgive him and give…
Verse vs. Prose in Children’s Books
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.…
Writing Styles for Children’s Books
Style in Children’s Literature A major question to consider when developing an idea for a children’s book is what the style of the book will be. Will it be lean…
