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, bake for several months…
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 every day? 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 can write. But that’s not all. You will also…
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 your book will be out in a few months. Or, you’ve self-published your book… or are just about to. Whichever route you’ve taken, you should already have an author website. But if you don’t, it’s time 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 story is lacking, and the rhyme is unprofessional; it’s my job to guide these authors on the path of ‘doing it right.’ I…
Writing, Submissions, and Working With Editors
Updated February 21, 2026 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…
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 regarding the reader and the 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). This…
Freelance Writers and Ghostwriters: 3 Essential Warnings
This post is mainly for new freelance writers and ghostwriters, as experienced ones will likely know these two tips. I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, and I get a lot of queries about my writing service. Doing this for many years, I’ve come across different personalities, different requests, and a couple of ‘be careful’ moments. TIP…
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. Think of it as a one-sentence calling card–your 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, it may happen that the…