Learning how to write a story that children will love is easier than it seems. The main element of writing a riveting story is presenting a problem that your reader can relate to and providing a believable solution.
Begin to think about what a child who will be reading your story might be going through.
Here are some possible (more…)
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Every person during his/her childhood has heard a lot of stories and fairy tales. Most of them are fictional barring a few that are based on actual events. It is not at all difficult to write short stories, all that you need is a good command over the language and a bit of creativity. Apart from these there are certain (more…)
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Has anyone heard of the book, “Lamont, the Lonely Monster”?
yeah nd hear some brief of it tht makes me to read this book,
i m sure u will also like the book…
Lamont, the Lonely Monster is the book that I recall most vividly from my childhood. It?s the slim volume that I reach for every time I return to the home where I grew (more…)
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If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts lately you’ll know I’ve come to adding a few news posts from around the web on this subject. I’ve got a couple more today that are new and updated, so let me know what you think of em…
Learn To Write For Children: Should You Do A Writing Course …
Want to write a children’s (more…)
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Every individual in his/her childhood days has surely heard a lot of kids’ short stories. Most of them are imaginary excluding some of them that are based on real events. It is not at all so complicated to write kids short stories. All that you should have is a fine control over the words and a little imagination power (more…)
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Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…
Children’s Book Publishing | Expert Publishing
They are a book publishing company specializing in Christian publishing (more…)
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I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts lately. I thought I might do something different today and rustle up a few bits of info from around the WWW. These are some of the news items and blog posts that have been popular over the last few weeks. Leave me your thoughts.
Library's adult storytime brings out the kids in grown-ups (more…)
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Finding the time to sit down and read aloud with our children is difficult. Evenings are often packed. We get home late from work or activities with the kids. We need to make dinner, help with homework and get our children to sleep. We deserve a little time to ourselves to do email, watch a favorite TV program or chat with (more…)
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Ebooks are quickly becoming more popular as the world is shifting toward an all media standpoint. Not only are we obsessed with electronic gadgets, we also want to save the planet and save on cutting down trees. As both of these ideas merge together, so does the concept of the ebook. And not only are adults reaping the (more…)
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The SELF-PUBLISHING QUESTION:
(Not WHY? WHY NOT?)
By Mariam Davis Pineno
You play “Du
ckling-with-inquisitive-nature” and I’ll naturally do my best to play “Old Wise One.” Naturally, because I already have “Old” down pat and “wise” attributable to a teacher’s history for leading while ruffling the fewest feathers.
So waddle to the edge, shove off, and start paddling. Why not? Of 700-words (max) you may read one answer here that resonates in your fine-feathered head.
•You have a story to tell and a desire to see it in kids’ hands being read in your lifetime. If accepted by most main-stream publishers, your book will remain submerged for years.
•You have requisite skills and you like controlling the whole process from registering the ISBN (for a fee) to authoring your own front- and back matter (i.e. Dedication, Succinct Synopsis and such). You will search your text and sometimes fuzzy head for a best-selling title. (See Lisa Lickel’s February article in the Wise-Quacks page.)
•You have kept your beady bright eyes on the latest and best kids’ books, observing and experiencing enough to claim confidence in your ability to write in age-appropriate voice.
•You promise yourself with every downy feather on your body that you will not “quack” down-to or in didactic tones but rather leave young readers with a suitably subtle message, if any, and with satisfying take-away, for sure. Make it grow out of your text—your story.
•You think economy of words throughout, clarity your watchword.
•You build in effective page-turns and repetition (word, phrase, action) for Early Readers.
•You will give thoughtful consideration to your Dedication and Bio (without telling your life story) and will compose a unique signature for signing your books. Example: When signing my chapter book IT DOESN’T GROW on TREES, I draw from the theme with “May your motivation work wonders,” as does Brenda Hendricks when signing her new picture book WHAT’S the BUZZ, BUMBLY BEE? with the phrase “Fly high and trust God!” As writers, not waitresses, we can devise a more meaningful signing than the overworked one for serving food: “Enjoy!”
•You will seek out fellow Odd Ducks’ help or will pay a Pro for experienced line-editing and/or proof-reading. Critiquing (welcome well-intentioned criticism) will roll off like water off… (you know).
•You don’t mind going without a few bags of grain, realizing full well that it’s rare as orchids in a creek to make a great profit from sales. Quack! “I can afford this.” Quack it often.
(Note: Honest self-publishing companies will even tell you upfront, before accepting your manuscript, that you aren’t going to get rich quick—if ever. So plunge in and sink or swim at your own risk.)
•You have (or someone you know who won’t charge you a wing and a webbed-foot has) studied and acquired the considerable skills to properly paginate, lay out text and illustrations to complement, and to scan into your computer. In other words, you, Odd Duck Designer, are about to assume the role of at least eight editors with no guarantee you’ll savor a single crumb.
•You may set your own unit price, knowing the standard, universal arrangement is 60% for the Odd Duck and 40% for the owner of the pond.
•You researched enough to know the term “self-publishing” is ambiguous. It encompasses various styles from do-it-all-yourself (from disc to printer, as are all of my picture books), to submitting manuscript, paying, and dealing with no less than twenty-five people. I’ve done both. So I can say, “WHY NOT?”
Detailed explanations and answers to your specific quirky quacks can be had by e-mailing Writemuse@webtv.net. Friendly-reader e-mail makes my heart sing. I always quack back.
www.WRITINGMYSTORIES.com
www.WRITINGSTORIESFORCHILDREN.bogspot.com
Mariam has authored one chapter book entitled IT DOESN’T GROW on TREES for Grades 3-6 (Ages 8 and up). In collaboration with daughter/professional artist, Martha Pineno Hess, she has published four full-color young reader picture books: TALENTED TABBY; LEONARDO’S LESSON; A HAT for HANNAH; and A BOX of BEARS just released in October, 2009.
Mariam’s delightful books can be purchased at the above links, www.CYGNETSTUDIOS.com, and Cygnet Studios in Elizabethtown, PA. IT DOESN’T GROW on TREES can also be found at the Walden Books store in the Susquehanna Mall, Selinsgrove, PA.
This article first published on www.OddDuckSociety.org
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