I just read an article that emphatically said that self-published books cannot get into bookstores. It was written by a traditionally published author and someone in the publishing business.Although I didn’t have proof, I disagreed with this statement and did some research. Self-published books can get into bookstores.To prove this, I came upon an article…
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!
Book Formatting vs. Book Design
Book formatting and book design are both crucial elements in preparing a book for publication, but they focus on different aspects. A book designer focuses on the overall appeal and visual impact of the book. A book formatter focuses on the technical aspects of preparing the manuscript for printing or digital publication. They are like…
What are Scene Seeds and How Do You Use Them?
In writing, scene seeds are basically the initial, often small and undeveloped, ideas that can spark a scene or even an entire story. They are the starting point from which a scene or a story can grow.Scene seeds can originate from brief, suggestive images, moments, concepts, an overheard conversation, news, or another source that creates…
A Story’s Takeaway vs. Its Theme
Is there a difference between a story’s takeaway and its theme (message)? If so, what is it? The answer to the first question is yes; there is a difference between the terms ‘takeaway’ and ‘theme,’ but they’re closely related, so it’s easy to see why writers often confuse the two. Both elements touch on meaning,…
How Can Focused Energy Boost Your Writing?
The ancient idea of ‘what you think about becomes your reality’ likely has roots in Eastern philosophies of meditation and spiritual practices. But over the past several decades, it has been given new life.From “The Law of Attraction” to James Redfield’s quote, “Where attention goes, energy flows,” to Tony Robbins quote, “Where focus goes, energy…
Children’s Writing and Sentence Structure
Why Sentence Structure Is So Important and How to Do It Well…When writing for children, every word, phrase, and sentence carries more weight than in most other forms of writing. The reason is that young readers are still developing their reading skills, vocabulary, and comprehension abilities, so the way sentences are structured influences whether they…
Why Young Children’s Stories Have Short Time Spans (6 Reasons)
In children’s books, especially those for toddlers through early elementary age, you’ll notice a common thread: the plots often unfold over a very short period. Sometimes a story spans a single day, or even just a couple of hours. This isn’t a coincidence or a mass mistake; it’s a deliberate, developmentally appropriate storytelling strategy.So, why…
AI-Generated Images for Children’s Books: Pros and Cons
It was only a matter of time before children’s book authors jumped into using AI to generate images for their books.And now, it’s increasingly possible to give an AI image generator an image of a character and have it generate the same character in different poses and scenes, maintaining visual consistency.But is this a good…
What is the Cozy Genre? And Why Is it Popular?
The cozy genre is often described as exuding comfort, warmth, and light-heartedness, and it has gained increasing popularity in recent years. It transports readers to peaceful settings and offers storylines that emphasize community, simpler times, and emotional resolution. Even streaming services like Netflix and Hulu jumped on the bandwagon, creating a new avenue for rom-com…
Publishing Articles on LinkedIn
I’ve been reluctant to post my articles to LinkedIn. Why? Here’s a little background first. For years, marketing was all about attracting visitors to your website. This is also considered ‘getting traffic,’ to your website. The primary reason for this strategy was to engage visitors on your site to motivate them to take a desired…