Children’s chapter books are one of my favorite genres to write in. You have room to breathe (5,000 to 20,000 words), but it’s not a marathon.Yes, it’s easier than a novel in many aspects, but creating a successful chapter book is surprisingly challenging. Young readers are impatient and quick to lose interest if a story…
Author: Karen Cioffi
Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author and children's ghostwriter. She loves to help those who want to be the author of a children's book fulfill their dream. Contact Karen today to get your story started!
Children’s Chapter Book Coaching
Writing a children’s chapter book can feel exciting at first… until questions and uncertainty start creeping in.• Is the story structure working?• Is the pacing too slow—or too rushed?• Are the storyline, vocabulary, and characters age-appropriate? • Are the characters engaging and relatable? • Is there a full character arc?• What should the average word…
10 Proven Story Structures for Publishable Children’s Books
Writing a children’s story that feels magical is important. But if you want that story to also be publishable, it needs something more: structure. Children may read for fun, but editors, agents, parents, teachers, and librarians look for stories that work. The strongest children’s books almost always follow clear storytelling patterns that have stood the…
Picture Book Coaching
Here’s what you get with this $399.99 program: -Hand-holding as you write your own book. I’ll provide an e-copy of my book -How to Write a Children’s Fiction Book.”-Weekly calls (20 to 30 minutes) to go over what you’ve done. I’ll guide you through the process, review each period’s work, and give you constructive feedback…
Chapter Book Coaching
Chapter books are geared toward readers transitioning from picture books. They have short chapters, so the new readers feel like they’re reading ‘big’ books. Here’s a basic outline of what a chapter book involves: • The age bracket varies, but the usual is seven to nine.• Because the child is new to reading independently, the…
Which Type of Editing Do You Need?
Copy Editing, Line Editing, Substantive Editing So, which type of editing do you need? Hopefully, the descriptions below will give you an idea. COPY EDITING This is the bare-bottom basic of mechanical editing and should be done after all other editing is complete. It covers: A homonym is a word that sounds just like another…
Local Book Presentations: You Need a Plan
Contributed by Linda Wilson, Children’s AuthorA group of about eight writers and I from our local chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, SCBWI, have joined together to sell books at various craft fairs throughout the year. We often share a booth and the cost, and sometimes sell on our own. For…
Children’s Self-Publishing Options: In-Depth Look
Have you thrown your hands in the air or tugged at your hair, wondering which self-publishing path to choose? You’re not alone! Unless you do everything yourself, writing, editing, illustrations, cover, formatting, design, building the book, and uploading to publish, you’ll need help. But what type of help is available, and how much do you…
Children’s Authors and AI: Beyond the MS
This is Part 3 in this AI and Children’s Writing Series. In Parts 1 and 2, we went over what to avoid when using AI and how to use it as a supportive tool in your children’s writing process. But there’s more; it doesn’t end with a finished manuscript. That’s just the beginning of the…
How to Use AI to Support (Not Replace) Your Children’s Writing
In Part 1 of this three-part series on AI and children’s authors, I went over the growing role of AI in children’s writing, including the risks of relying on it too heavily. The takeaway was simple: AI can be helpful, but it should never replace your voice, creativity, or understanding of young readers. So where…