I read an interesting article at The Outline. It starts off by demolishing two diehard myths: 1. Everyone has a book in them. 2. Any story can be turned into a book. We have to keep in mind though that there are two very different publishing models or paths. Let’s go over myth #1. The…
Tag: Karen Cioffi
4 Reasons Why Self-Publishing Your Children’s Book May Be Your Best Option
Last week I talked about why you shouldn’t self-publish a young children’s book. I gave 5 reality-check tips. You can check that article out here: Is Self-Publishing a Children’s Book the Way to Go? 4 Realities For this article, let’s go over the reasons taking the self-publishing path for your children’s book may be a…
Is Self-Publishing a Children’s Book the Way to Go? 4 Realities
I self-published a children’s picture book in 2008 when self-publishing wasn’t as popular as it is today. And as a newbie to self-publishing, I made a couple of mistakes. The first of which was that I didn’t hire an illustrator-–I did the illustrations and book cover myself. I can hear the gasps. It’s okay, though….
Selling Books and By-Pass Marketing
Selling books is a must for authors. But even if you’re a freelance writer or have a home business, you should have at least one book you’re author of. Books are one of the most powerful authority building tools. And, they can be created with little or no money, though services like CreateSpace, Amazon, or…
Writing for Children – Learn the Ropes
I write for young children, and I’ve also written a lot of content on marketing and health topics. Writing in multiple genres, I can tell you that writing for children can be much more challenging. When writing for children, there are guidelines to follow to help your story avoid the editor’s trash pile. Okay, I…
Writing Fiction – What is Foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is a literary device used to make the reader wonder. It gives the story a sense of mystery or anticipation. It can also create tension. According to Literary Devices (1), using this device, “a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.” Foreshadowing is a great device to…
Writing Perfection – Is There Such a Thing?
As with life, some people think everything has to be perfect before they start their writing journey or continue on one. It may be they don’t think they’ve mastered the craft of writing to perfection. Or, maybe the writer has started her story, but can’t seem to achieve the perfection she’s looking for. She believes…
A Writer’s Number One Job
Writers have to do a lot to create a good story, but the number one thing is to create a connection. You must make the reader care. Although it’s the most important element of your job, lots of writers just don’t get it right. According to Mary Kole of KidLit, “Whether they name emotions outright,…
Picture Books – What Grabs an Editor
I attended a ‘live’ two hour writing workshop through SCBWI: Hook, Line and Sinker: What Catches the Editor’s Eye with Scholastic editor Natalia Remis. It was an amazing workshop and not only was the information excellent, the editor gave the first page of the attendees’ manuscripts a critique! I try to keep up with the…
Walking Through Walls Book Trailer
Walking Through Walls was honored with the Children’s Literary Classics Silver Award. Set in 16th century China, this middle-grade fantasy adventure is about 12-year-old Wang. Not liking to work, it really bugs him that he has to help his father tend the wheat fields. Thinking he can bypass work and struggle (and become rich and…