8 Steps To Writing A Great Children’s Book Manuscript
Let’s face it: some kids just don’t like to read. Increasingly, parents, teachers, librarians, and editors are looking for books that will appeal to reluctant readers. When I was writing The Best Books for Kids Who (Think They) Hate to Read (Random (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…
LIGHTNING BUGS Children’s Author Creates New Family Classics
What can parents (more…)
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A Guide To Creative Writing That Sells the Benefits Of Journal Writing
It’s unbelievable that with all the creative writing courses out there, that no one teaches the necessity of researching your market before you set pen to paper.
Yes, we all want to be creative and let our imagination go. At the same time, wouldn’t it be great to have some of your work published? Even better wouldn’t it be awesome to know that you have upped your chances of getting published by around 80% by simply doing a tiny bit of browsing in a library or bookstore?
Here is a way to make sure that there is an interest in your type of story before you pick up a pen or pull out your laptop:
1) Go to the local bookstore and read the writing magazines. Editors actually tell these magazines what they are interested in, in a fairly timely manner. Most of the guess work is taken out for you. You know which editors are looking for what type of stories.
2) Look at the current Writer’s Guide. It is filled with editors and publishers looking for fresh material. And guess what? They also tell you what each editor wants and what they are sick to death of.
3) Check out the bookshelves to see which children’s books is featured. Is there a trend or pattern? For example the last few years Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Charlie Bone have all been hot. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that magical characters have taken kids and editors by storm.
4) Ask kids what their favorite books are. Ask them why they like one over the other. Ask if their friends are into the same books. Model these themes.
There is no need to make over the wheel or hire a psychic to figure out what publishers, editors and your audience – kids, are looking for. Gather this information and apply it to your writing.
Watch the number of your submissions rise, while your rejection letters become few and far between.
The benefits of journal writing are fairly well established due to the long history of journal writing. From Anne Frank to Di Vinci, journal writing has proven itself.
Benefits of Journal Writing
When considering the benefits of journal writing, it is important to set a few parameters. First, there is no age limit to using journals. There are distinct benefits for children of all ages, but journal writing is equally valuable to adults. The reason for this is journal writing is an act of personal reflection. Whether it is a teenager reflecting on the social nightmare of high school or an overworked parent taking twenty minutes a night to write is irrelevant. The point is, all age groups benefit from stepping back from their life for a few moments and reflecting on things.
Whether you recognize it or not, journal writing provides you with an anchor in your daily life. In the journal, you are free to write what you want without restrictions, to truly address the issues in your life without fear of criticism. Put another way, one of the benefits of journal writing is it acts as a self-help psychiatrist, but for MUCH cheaper!
As you write in your journal over time, you’ll also start to ascertain a second benefit to doing so. This benefit is one of self-criticism. Inevitably, you’ll read through past entries and review your life. Doing so will lead you to self-reflection as well as thoughts on how you might act differently should certain situations rise again.
Of equal importance, journal writing has health benefits. Before you click away from this article, consider a time in your life when you were extremely frustrated. Hopefully, you spoke to a friend to “get things off your chest.” Didn’t you feel a lot better afterwards? Getting things off your chest helps relieve stress, one of the biggest killers in our modern society. Journal writing acts in much the same way since you are able to write your thoughts without fear of criticism.
There are other benefits to journal writing, but all boil down to one simple fact. Writing in a journal allows you to express yourself without being judged. With the lack of privacy in our modern, digital world, that is hardly a small benefit.
By: DIYA SOOD Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
For More Free Resources visitwww.allfreereports.com
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Traveling For Thanksgiving – Keeping Kids Busy Writing Journals
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering the family, but how do you keep kids interested while in the car or sitting in airports? Have them keep journals.
Thanksgiving Travel
Nothing beats getting your extended family together for Thanksgiving. It is a great time to catch up and laugh about old times. The only aggravating thing, of course, is actually traveling to meet up. There are already stories of travel nightmares in the news two days before Thanksgiving. This can be particularly troubling if you have kids who become easily bored.
In these days of the Internet and video games, the average child seems to have an attention span of about 30 seconds. If a glassy-eyed child killing things on a screen is not your idea of good thing, what alternatives do you have? Giving your child a writing journal is a great way to keep them busy without resorting to violent video games.
For many kids, the only way to truly get their attention on a thanksgiving trip is to get them involved. The best method for doing this is to give them a journal and ask them to keep notes on everything they seem. At the end of the day, they should be encouraged to write a journal entry about what happened during the day. It will give them an outlet for their thoughts, promote good writing skills and preserve family experiences they would otherwise forget with time.
A good journal for kids will combine a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact. Second, it should have a case to protect it from rain, spills and just because kids will be kids. Third, the journal should contain blank areas for notes, doodles and so on. Finally, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind children to pay attention to certain things and write them down. Cues should include:
1. Who went on the family vacation,
2. Places visited and why they are important,
3. The most memorable experience each day,
4. New friends made and contact information for them,
5. Which family members were present, and
6. Impressions.
As time passes, the family vacations journals will remind your kids of past trips. Memories fade with time, even for kids. By keeping a journal, kids will open their eyes t1000o things around them, enhancing your Thanksgiving family gathering. Hopefully, it will also keep them busy and away from video games.
By: Nomad Rick Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Rick Chapo is with www.nomadjournals.com – makers of writing journals. Travel journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for student travel, family vacations and adventure travel. Visit www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more travel articles, travelogues and travel stories.
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Children’s books are not all the same!
You have never needed a writing course to pen intelligent, interesting stories that capture the imagination with bold creativity and unexpected twists. You know the difference between “there” and “their,” and understand that “they’re” is something else entirely. Your grammar is impeccable, and you know enough about the rules to know when to break them. That is, you have all these things on your side until you attempt writing children’s books. The best thing you can do for your children’s writing career is learn to write for this specific genre of writing!
There are many very successful authors who have written lots of books for adults in a variety of genres who find themselves stumbling when it comes to writing children’s books. They have well honed writing skills that they never needed a writing course to gain and they sit down to apply those skills to writing books children will love. Yet, the story never seems quite right. Or, they send it out repeatedly and get nothing more than immediate rejection. Some editors ignore them altogether, not even humoring them with a reply.
What is happening here? How is it possible to be successful when writing for adults without any need for a writing course, but fall flat on your face when trying to write children’s books? It’s not Okay to water down an adult novel and produce a story for children.
Writing for children is a lot different than writing for adults. There is no such thing as just sitting down and writing a children’s book without first learning a whole new set of skills. The rules are very different and if you do not understand them you will never get beyond the slush pile or will continue to collect those form letter, heartless rejection notes. But don’t worry, you can learn to write for children.
What pleases an editor looking for adult fiction is not going to be the same thing that an editor looking for children’s fiction wants. It’s much easier to write for adults because you understand the adult mindset. You are writing for people who have wit and wisdom well beyond what the children you are now writing for may possess. In order to craft wonderful children’s books, you need to tap into the mind of a child within the age group your story is intended for.
That means children’s books are not all the same! There are many different sets of rules depending on the age group being dealt with.
Further, there is a lot of insider knowledge that you need to take your children’s stories from the slush pile to the “published” pile. The industry is just not the same as the adult industry, even if you are dealing with the same publishing house you have been submitting to for years.
A great way to learn to write for children and find all of this insider information that you need and hone your skills so they are more suitable to a younger audience is to take a writing course aimed exclusively at writing children’s books. Before you start to think a writing course would be a waste of your time, consider how much time you are willing to waste submitting children’s books that completely miss the mark and never have a chance of being published from the moment you toss them out there.
You don’t have to do a long course. There are plenty of short courses around that concentrate on writing for children. Finding one can be easily found through your local library or online. Take some time to find one that suits your needs and teaching you what you don’t already know! Taking up a writing course will contribute to your success as a children’s author.
If you want the highest chance possible of writing successfully for children you will take the writing skills that you already possess and apply them to the new rules of the children’s book industry. You succeed with children’s books by combining your current skill set with an entirely new skill set. Learn to write for children by attending a professional writing course.
Want to write for children? Learn to write children’s books that capture the unique world of a child. At http://www.learntowriteforchildren.com you’ll find an experienced and successful children’s writer who whats to share her knowledge with you! From the good to the bad, she gives you it all in her newly revised edition of How To Write A Great Children’s Book! And its all helpful stuff! Get started writing your story and get it published today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Brunel
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A Perspective On Writing Short Stories Online
Writing short stories online can be a great way of expressing yourself. They are fun and enjoyable and more and more people are taking to story writing and discovering a new world of creativity and imagination. With the help of this article, interested story writers can (more…)
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Writing Stories
The world is divided into 2 types of people. Those who read and those who do not. So thanks to those who are immersed in reading books, there is a whole industry in bloom for them. From book shops to public relation officers. From a printing press to distribution centres and ofcourse the most important of them all – the writer.
Writers or authors, whatever sobriquet you bequeath on the person, existed in every period. Some have gotten world famous while others were humbled with little appreciation. But that has certainly not pulled back people from writing. Numerous fresher’s flood the market every year be it in England, America or India with their nouveau stories and plots. While some get ahead others find it a struggling career.
On the onset to begin as a writer you have to know what is it you love writing? Fiction, non-fiction, children stories, the choices are many. Well the question lingering in your head must be how do you know what you are good at? While for some it comes naturally to others it takes time and the best way to find out is to write on practically everything. Get hands on approach on all styles of writing. Practice read and read for practice. Sooner or later you will figure out your deft skill and then there is no turning back.
Give it your 100% and study intricate details on the subject you choose. For instance if you have taken up writing short stories for children. Read famous authors for a start like Enid Blyton, P.G. Woodhouse, Marvel Comics and so on. Have an analytical approach towards their style of writing. How they write and why they write. The figures of speeches used, the vocabulary in swing and the crux of every author – the plot.
Make notes and try to write the story they have in your own words. Each page should be read and re-read so you can analyse the mind of the writer and that of the reader. And then its only practice that will make you perfect.
By: Jennie Gandhi
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Check out some cool stories including Indian stories,
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Story Writing Software For Children
If you have a child who needs to write a story for school or as a hobby, then story writing software for children is an important tool that will help them to create a much more meaningful, understandable, and better looking text. This kind of software is based on actual proven adult creative writing programs with spell-checking, (more…)
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Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…
Absolute Vanilla: An interview with children’s author, Ellen Renner
I fully intended to write a stand-alone. The message was clear: publishers do not want (more…)
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How to Write Tension Scenes
The tension scene is often overlooked in children’s writing. This is the scene right before the ending where the hero or heroine struggles to overcome the big problem. In movies this is often the scene of the soccer grand final, the exciting car chase or the heroine fighting for her life in a (more…)
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