When a writer’s muse seems to be on vacation, she may be at a loss for story ideas. While there are a number of sites and tools online to help get the creative juices flowing, one tool that writers might overlook is studying folktales. Reading folktales is a great way to spin a new yarn,…
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 Outlining Method of Writing (Are You an Outliner?)
Are you an outliner or a pantser? I don’t know if there has been a study of how many writers prefer each, but I know there are many in both camps. You know the saying, “different strokes for different folks.” But, before I go on, the definition of an outliner is a writer who creates…
Talking about A Caterpillar, a Bee, and a VERY Big Tree in the Classroom
“A Caterpillar, a Bee and a Very Big Tree,” written by brother and sister pair, Dicksy Wilson and D. B. Sanders. This rhyming picture book teaches cadence and rhythm and has a sing-song feel in places. The charming characters and illustrations will inspire young minds and immerse children in the action from the first page…
Learn to Write for Children – 3 Basic Tools
We all know how difficult it is to break into the business of writing for children. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, it is a tough business and can be overwhelming for those just starting out. While all writing must adhere to specific guidelines, writing for children has additional principles unique to its genre. To…
The Book Summary – Five Must-Know Components
After your book query, the book summary or description is the most important marketing element. You can think of it as number 2 on the book marketing ladder. Once your book query gets the reader to actually read it, the summary is what will entice the editor or agent to ask for more. If you’re…
Finding Age Appropriate Words when Writing for Children
Writing in general can be a tough business; writing for children is even tougher. Writing for children has its own unique tricks, processes, and rules; one of those rules is using words that are age appropriate. How this differs from writing in general is that the children’s writing arena is divided into specific age groups….
Ingredients for the Perfect Picture Book
Writing for young children can be tricky. It’s not as straight forward as writing for adults. You can’t use your own vocabulary and need to be careful of age-appropriate story lines. You also need to introduce your main character immediately. It’s also important to keep in mind that children don’t have the same comprehension level…
Book Marketing and the Query Letter
If you are contemplating writing a book or you’ve already written one and intend on going the traditional publishing path, you’ll need a query letter and a cover letter. This is true whether you’re an author, a writer, or a business owner who wants to build his authority with a book. Wondering what a query…
Children’s Writing and Publishing Jargon – 11 of the Basics
The writing and publishing arena have a number of words specific to the industry, its lingo or jargon. Below are some of the most important ones for the children’s author. 1. Manuscript (MS) This is what your draft is called once it’s complete and ready for submission. 2. Synopsis This is a short summary of…
Children’s Ghostwriter Fees – Does Price Equal Quality?
As a ghostwriter for children’s books, I get a number of queries each month. And, interestingly, I never know if the potential client will think my prices are too high, too low, or just right. It seems that around $15,000 is the norm to ghostwrite a middle-grade book of 35,000 words. To me though, that…