A standalone book is a complete story arc that has a satisfying, understandable ending. While the books may share overlapping characters and themes, each story is self-contained. Each story can be read on its own. So, should every book in a picture book series be a standalone? I’ll start by sharing an experience I recently…
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!
The Biggest Mistake First-Time Children’s Authors Make
If I could point to one mistake that trips up more first-time children’s authors than any other, it would be this: They try to say too much. Many new writers begin with the best intentions. They want their story to teach important lessons, inspire children, address multiple issues, and create memorable characters. The problem is…
Children’s Authors: Getting the Most from Coaching
Writing coaching can be one of the fastest ways to improve your skills, gain confidence, and make real progress on your manuscript. Whether you’re writing a picture book, chapter book, middle-grade novel, or nonfiction for children, a coach can help you identify weaknesses, strengthen your storytelling, and stay accountable. But coaching isn’t magic. The writers…
GEO: The New Book Marketing Term
Just when writers finally started getting comfortable with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), another marketing acronym popped up: GEO. If you’re wondering whether you need to learn yet another marketing strategy to sell books, you’re not alone. These new terms and strategies seem to be never-ending. The good news is that GEO isn’t complicated, and many…
Chapter Book Authors: 5 Common Mistakes to Watch For
If you’re new to writing chapter books or you’re thinking about giving it a shot, there are five common mistakes to look out for. While it may seem writing in the category will be a breeze, it’s more difficult than it seems. Yes, the chapters are short, the vocabulary is easier than middle grade or…
Top 10 Chapter Book Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
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…
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…