How to Write and Publish Children's Books
Join me for upcoming webinars and events. Check this page for an updated schedule and registration information! Here are some raves from past attendees. You’ve helped me build my professional toolbox! – Danielle DeFauw I watched Mary Kole’s query webinar on Monday. Tuesday I wrote the most sweat-free query of my professional life. No joke! …
The novel synopsis is a source of great consternation for many writers, and I completely understand why. To be honest, I hate writing them, I hate reading them, and I know I’m not alone. They are, usually, both crime and punishment. But they are a necessary evil for several reasons, which I’ll mention. Read on …
As my editorial business has grown (and grown, and grown), I have slipped behind in my social media and web marketing engagement. It’s time to fly the surrender flag: I can’t do it all by myself! You may have noticed that I’m also hiring an editorial and research assistant. Five years into my business, I …
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When we think about the writing craft, it’s easy to focus on imagery writing. After all, finding fun, creative, or beautiful comparisons is a huge part of a writer’s job. Right? Well, sure. But not all images are created equal. So are you in need of some descriptive writing tips? Read on! Obvious Imagery and Clichés …
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Updated: THIS OPPORTUNITY IS NOW CLOSED TO APPLICANTS. THE POST REMAINS FOR REFERENCE ONLY. THANK YOU! Whew! The time has finally come for me to train and work alongside a talented and passionate fiction expert in my editorial practice. Business is booming and I would love to expand my offerings and availability with a specialist …
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Many writers wonder how to write big character life changes, massive events that rock your characters to their core. But this is a necessary discussion to have, since, ideally, your novel will be grappling with huge life stuff. So how do you render a big plot point in a believable and relatable way? Read on. …
There is a big distinction between writing tension and merely teasing the reader along. Unfortunately, a tease is not enough and doesn’t respect your audience. Here’s how to recognize if your scenes have enough tension, and how to fix it if you have a teasing issue. Have you ever written this kind of tension in …
It can be very difficult to determine how many scenes in a novel, and choose which scenes to include in your novel. And what is a scene in a novel, anyway? There’s simply so much to write into a story. There’s your plot, your character’s backstory, any world-building you need to do, and then there …
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Recently, I’ve walked a few full novel editing clients through the use of imagery in books. Why do authors use imagery? I decided to write a post about it because there seems to be some confusion about what imagery in description is, when to use it, and why you’d want to in the first place. …
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Tom wrote into the blog with a question about read aloud picture books. Check out my answer in video form, or read the transcript below. If you want to dig deeper into picture book voice, here’s my post on reading your way to great writing voice. How Do You Write Read Aloud Picture Books? Hi, …