by Marianne Richmond |
Have you wondered how to write a children’s book? A lot of people do! The idea of crafting a sweet or silly tale that delights young minds and hearts is a compelling invitation.
Maybe you already have an idea about subject matter or a memorable character in mind.
Perhaps you are inspired by favorite books from long ago (Judy Blume, anyone?). Frequent guidelines suggest just 500-1000 words in the average picture book—and many people who are not children’s book writers wonder how difficult this could be.
Harder than you think.
Children’s author Margaret Meacham sums it up well. “Well-written picture books are works of art that demand an intuitive sense of child appeal, and like poetry, a firm command of language.”
In this article, you’ll learn all about how to write a children’s book with writing tips that will help you craft your writing for the littlest reader.
by Joe Bunting |
Do you have trouble finishing a book? When you stop, do you ever consider what causes writer’s block—what caused your writer’s block or reason to stop writing?
In a recent YouTube video, I talked about how hard it is to write a book, how it took me years to write a book, and how I hear from writers on a daily basis who are struggling with the writing process.
The good news, you don’t have to be alone when you get stuck like this.
Today, I want to talk about why it’s hard to finish a book. Specifically, I’ll cover ten things that people try when they’re struggling to finish writing a book that don’t work—and why this ends in giving up on a book, or paralyzes them due to writer’s block.
by Sue Weems |
One of the best ways you can foster a love of reading and writing in children is to offer lots of low-stakes opportunities to practice. These kids writing prompts can be used with any group of kids you’re working with: elementary school, middle school, or high school writers.
Prompts can help kids break through creative writing idea blocks or boredom. Whether in a slump or starting a new project, try a prompt a day and see what happens.
Keep it as simple as possible: one notebook or document, one location, the same(-ish) time each day, and a timer set for 5, 10, or 15 minutes.
Don’t let yourself edit, reread, or rework anything. Just write. Keep the pen moving across the page. There’s no wrong way to play.
Plus, there’s a great note for you, whether you’re a parent or teacher or both, at the end.
Give these fun creative writing prompts a try and watch how consistent practice contributes to ideas, confidence, and yes, even stronger writing skills!
by David Safford |
What do you get when you string a bunch of scenes together?
A story!
Since stories are composed of individual scenes, it makes sense to study them and figure out which scenes your story will need. And if you’re going to write a Hero’s Journey (in any genre), there are some scenes, or situational archetypes, that your reader will instinctively expect your story to include.
Let’s explore five essential scenes to write in your next Hero’s Journey story!
by Brendan Hufford |
I’m always looking for new opportunities to improve my writing. As an author and businessman, learning and improving the tools that keep me in business are a high priority on my daily list of to-dos. After all, if you’re not growing, you’re stagnating. And no one can afford to be stagnant in the business of writing.
MasterClass offers a cool opportunity to take online courses from masters in their fields. Is it worth it? Specifically, is Aaron Sorkin’s screenwriting class worth it? And will it help you?
by Marianne Richmond |
Do you dream about becoming a children’s book writer? Are there any writing struggles holding you back?
You may have an amazing children’s book idea, but for some reason you can’t seem to actually write the book.
In today’s article, I’d like to hit pause on you writing process (briefly, I promise!) and dig deep into what unanswered questions and writing struggles have prevented you from starting, writing, or finishing and publishing your children’s book.
Ask me questions!
by Jeff Elkins |
We live in an amazing time. If you have a story to tell or an idea to share, you can write a book and publish it for free, making it accessible to billions of people. This moment is unique to human history, and I think everyone who has a story to tell should take advantage of it. To help get you started, in this post I’m going to give you ten simple steps on how to write and publish a book yourself.
by Joe Bunting |
If you’re ever stuck trying to figure out what to write about, write about what you want.
by David Safford |
There are heroes everywhere. A great Hero’s Journey can take place in any genre. But did you know there are eight hero’s journey archetypes that work especially well for a universal protagonist?
Your reader will unconsciously expect your story to have certain characters. If you want your next heroic story to be a success, you’d be wise to plan the entire journey around these key characters. Or at the very least, with them.
Without these hero’s journey archetypes, you might have a story that fails to “work,” and this will leave the reader dissatisfied and confused.
To avoid this, let’s go over who these character archetypes are, and why they will push your hero on their journey.
by Ruthanne Reid and Sue Weems |
Commas matter. That tiny period-with-a-tail can change the meaning of your entire sentence, and your use of it quickly demonstrates just how well you know the English language.
Today, I have just a few comma tips for you. This is nowhere near an exhaustive guide, but if you learn these 8 comma rules, you’ll give a better impression with your written word everywhere you go.
