Writing can be thought of as a recipe, a handful of plot, a quarter cup of setting, a half cup of dialogue, and a half cup of action and forward movement. Then you also need to add just the right amount of theme, character, setting, and style. Stir it all together and bake for several…
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!
Be a Better Writer by Writing More
Do you write everyday? Do you make sure you get some writing time in each week, if not daily? If you answered yes to these questions, you should have noticed an improvement in your writing, and possibly an improvement in the speed at which you are able to write. But, that’s not all. You will…
Book Marketing – You’ve Gotta Have a Blog
The time and effort you put into writing your book paid off – you got a publishing contract. And, now you’re book will be out in a few months. Or, maybe you self-published your book . . . or are just about to. Whichever route you’ve taken, it’s time to get your visibility and platform…
The Path to Writing Success – Focus, Determination, and Perseverance
Focus, determination, and perseverance are essential to just about every aspect of your life. Each characteristic is unique and together creates a powerful synergy. Focus is one’s ability to concentrate exclusively on a particular thing through effort or attention. Determination is an unchanging intention to achieve a goal or desired end. Perseverance takes determination a…
Want to Self-Publish a Rhyming Children’s Book? Read This First
As a ghostwriter I deal with a lot of new authors. One scenario I come across now and then is when someone sends me a story with rhyme. When this happens, the rhyme is never done right, and it’s my job to guide these authors on the path of ‘doing it right.’ I recently received…
Writing, Submissions, and Working With Editors
Every writer, at least hopefully, will work with an editor from time to time. While, we’d all like it to be on a regular basis, time to time is better than nothing. When in the joyous situation (you’ve gotten something accepted for publication), there are some tips that will help you in your working relationship…
4 Realities New Writers Need to Face
Writing can be a tough field to be in. Some authors seem to make it overnight, while others struggle on for years with little success. With this in mind, every writer should be aware of at least four must-know tips to help get over the bumps in the writing road. 1. It’s going to take…
The 3 Levels of Picture Books
Children’s picture books have 3 levels or purposes in regard to the reader and purchaser. Think of it as the structure of a house: there’s a basement, a first floor, and often an upper floor. Level 1: The basement, or Surface Level, is geared toward the youngest reader (or listener if too young to read)….
Freelance Writers and Ghostwriters: 2 Super-Essential Warnings
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter and get a lot of queries asking about my writing service. Doing this for a number of years, I’ve come across different personalities, different requests, and a couple of ‘be careful’ moments. The first tip is about your information and scammers. One of the recent ‘watch it moments’ was from…
The One Sentence Pitch for Your Manuscript
Your one sentence pitch is a very condensed, super-tight yet concise description of your story, specifically the plot of your story. Think of it as a one sentence calling card–you’re unique selling proposal or proposition. A beginning step on your book marketing journey. You might ask why it needs to be only one sentence. Well,…