Home Writing Channels: Children's Writing

Channel: Children's Writing
Channel Manager: Grace Sales (grace_writes@yahoo.com)
All links verified accessible as of 13 June 2004

1. Aiming at Amazon: How to Use the Top Online Bookseller to Promote Your Books
   Read on to find ways to maximize the online selling giant as a promotional tool for your published or unpublished book.

2. Author Online! Adventures in Children’s Literature on the Internet
   Aaron Shepard leads us into his experience as a children’s book writer and the various opportunities he has met while using the net to promote and distribute his work.

3. Hidden Messages- The Strategic Use of Visual Elements to Tell a Better Story
   Helpful to those aiming for picture book composition. Relays the importance of visual elements (shape, size, placement and color), how to best utilize them in creating a fascinating and memorable picture book.

4. Nice Girls Don't
   Advice to women writers to boldly consider multiple manuscript submissions. After all they are a marketing strategy and not an offense.

5. Promo Pieces for the Children’s Author
   From author flyers to autographed bookmarks, the article lists promotional pieces which every author may create to encourage sales and popularity.

6. Researching the Folktale
   For those interested in retelling folktales, Aaron Shepard’s comprehensive guidelines on researching the folktale will come in very handy. Complete with a discussion on copyrights and sources.

7. Trends in Children’s Books: The Business Side
   A following of the current trends in western children’s book industry and what can be expected in the years to come.

8. Why Write a Children’s Book- and Why Not?
   Explores various motives and reasons writer’s choose to write children’s books, aspirants chances of success and how others have succeeded. Taken from a chapter of ‘Publishing Children’s Books’.

9. Writing and Illustrating Multicultural Children’s Books
   Harold Underdown’ extensive discussion on the past, present and future of writing and illustrating multicultural children’s books. Loaded with sources and opportunities.

10. Children's Books are Not Just for Children Anymore
    Introduces the catalog "Not Just For Children Anymore" which lists children's books (chosen by a panel of 4 children’s books experts) appropriate for adult reading. Includes the selectors introductions which appear in the catalog -- all very convincing testimonies why we should read and re-read those childhood favorites.

11. Children's Literature for Children's Writing?
    Delves into the argument that the children's book market is filled with stories which can not be considered as "literature". The author recommends books which are supposedly "of genuine imaginative quality" and are, therefore, examples of children’s literature.

12. Creating Memorable Fiction
    Want to write a story that will remain in children’s hearts forever? Read on and explore 15 tips on how to apply the writing rule of "show, don’t tell."

13. Dangerous Myths & Terrible Truths- A Quick Introduction to Children’s Writing
    If your new to the world of children’s writing, this article is for you. Warns the novice writer on the myths that may be encountered and reveals the truth behind them.

14. Databases for the Children's Writer
    So you've written half a dozen children's books and sent them to a dozen publishers. Keeping track of results from these submissions may be quite a fete. This article suggests a helpful organization method -- the use of databases. Includes samples of a Manuscript Database and a Booksale Database.

15. Dialogue: Questions & Answers
    Dialogue may be all talk but this article says you’d better listen, listen, listen. After all, dialogue is "the currency of humanity."

16. Do's and Don'ts
    Do learn the market. Do perfect your craft. Don't get bogged down on cliches. Don't preach. Just a few examples from the list of do's and don'ts a children's book author should remember to improve chances of publication.

17. The Editor as a Reader
    A conversation with Harold Underdown, reknowned children’s book author and editor, and Louise Jordan. Reveals the children’s books which have influenced Underdown.

18. Eliminating Lazy Writing
    Want to catch the publisher's eye? This article teaches you how to create vibrant and interesting manuscript that will make your story rise above the rest.

19. FAQ for New Writers
    A must-read for all newbie children’s writers. Get answers to your frequently asked questions.

20. Feng Shui Writing: The Art of Harmonious Characterization
    Applying the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui to achieve balance and harmony in your character development style.

21. Getting out of the Slush Pile
    Straight from the judge’s desk - editor Harold underdown gives a thorough discussion onhow to help your manuscript get read and removed from the slush pile of unwanted pieces.

22. Getting Started: The Basics of Children's Writing & Illustrating
    You've done it! You’ve just finished your first book for children and want to get it published. This write-up gives you a run-through of the do's and don'ts of writing and illustrating children’s books.

23. Good Plots Take Time
    Offers simple and clear-cut definitions of the plot and how to make it grow through character development.

24. The How-do-I-Get-it-Published Quiz
    A 44-question quiz that is an alternative and fun way to determine if you are ready to be a published children's book author.

25. How To Get Ideas for Children's Books
    You;re in a stump. Halfway through your manuscript, your storywell has run dry. This excerpt from the book, Guide to Become a Children's Book Author, lists down eight helpful tips on how to keep those ideas flowing.

26. How to Write Animal Fantasy
    Author Bryany Ryan stresses on the relevance of knowing your furry main characters inside out to come up with a convincing animal fantasy story that young readers will surely enjoy.

27. Learning to Write Small
    This is a writing exercise on reducing the scope of your story’s topic into specifics. Mastery of this activity results in a more personal and tangible manuscript from which your younger audience can empathize with.

28. Life in the Old Book Yet
    Ann Jungman narrates her success story on creating Barn Owl Books, the publishing firm which specializes in reprinting everyone’s favorite children’s books.

29. Maintaining Reader Interest in Nonfiction
    The ultimate key in grabbing your young reader’s attention and keeping it with you is through a steady stream of good stories, nifty facts, and other interesting factors.

30. Multiple Submissions
    Increase your chances of being published! Follow these rules on how to avoid letting your manuscript gather dust on the publisher’s desk.

31. Poetry and Literacy
    Educator Glenna Sloan writes about the vital role of children's poetry in early childhood literacy.

32. Sassy Is As Sassy Does
    Original plots and sassy characters are the common ingredients to popular children’s stories. Explores character development of such sassy personas.

33. Screenwriting for Children
    Guy Hallifax writes about his experiences as a screenwriter for children and along the way proves that it is as challenging as writing for grown-ups.

34. Sharing the Truth with the First Citizens of the 21st Century
    Inspirational and encouraging piece for children’s writers who aim to offer their young reader’s the 3 R’s - recognition, reassurance and role-models.

35. Turn Personal Struggles into Books for Children
    Difficult experiences in an author's past may be an abundant source for children's story plots. Kids draw valuable lessons from these books based on real-life events.

36. What is A Big Book?
    Brief descriptive article on the new genre of big books for children’s Literacy Hour.

37. Writing About Controversial Subjects
    Divorce, Child Abuse, Alcoholism. Controversial subjects that can be dealt with creatively through the means of fiction writing. This article explores the proper approach on how to tell a children’s story on controversial issues.

38. Writing Creative Non-Fiction for Children
    This a how-to on transforming informational text into colorful and exciting material for young readers.

39. Writing Picture Books
    Introduction on writing picture books and how to hit the market with your final manuscript.

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