✺ VIDEO: Writing Children's Books- 3 Things All Writers Must Know: http://youtu.be/KFzc7mvj6m0

3 Things Every Children's Writer Must Know

For most of our 22 years in business, our advice to aspiring authors has pretty much been the same:



Write  a  great  manuscript,  research  publishers,  assemble  a  submissions package, send it off….and wait.



If you’re one of the lucky ones,  your wait will end with a contract offer.  If you’re like  most  writers,  the  cycle will  be completed by another  rejection letter.  Not the most fulfilling process, but it was the only process that worked. But things have changed.  We've entered a new era of publishing,  one that  offers  a fundamental  shift  in  power.   Writers  can,  if  they are so inclined, completely sidestep the traditional  publishing structure and take on a more entrepreneurial role.  The means to produce, distribute, sell and promote one's writing are now within the reach – and budget – of almost every writer. No era of fundamental change arrives without uncertainty, confusion and fear, and today's publishing environment is  no exception.  For writers who have gone about their business the same way for years, talk of eBooks, apps and the like may strike a discordant, even unsettling note.



That's all perfectly understandable – the dust kicked up by the rapid pace of change makes it hard to see a clear path to a promising future.  But here's the good news: the dust is settling, and the road ahead is finally becoming clearer. And, we believe, it's a road that can take writers to some very exciting places.



We see the future of children's writing as having three key components:





1. In the New Media Environment, Craft Is King



More now than ever, the ability to write well and tell a compelling story reigns supreme.  The days when a publisher could turn a subpar work into a hit by sheer force of marketing dollars is over.  Today’s big sellers are the result of one thing:  word of mouth.  Parents talking to other parents.  Kids talking to other kids.  Bloggers championing their favorite authors and titles. The impact of this is simple to see:  Bad books don’t get recommended by word of mouth. Good books do.



The new model for a hit book is a slow build, a rising tide of organic buzz about a great read. It’s all about the quality of the writing and the story.  

2. The Author Has The Power to Choose His or Her Path to Publication



Choice = power.  And you now have choices.



You  can  still  go  the  traditional  route,  submitting  your  manuscripts  to publishers.  It’s as valid a way of reaching the market as it ever was.  But now you can choose to opt out of that model.  Self-publish, create eBooks for the Nook and Kindle, build an App for the iPhone or Android.   It’s all possible, it’s all  eminently doable and it’s all  now a completely legitimate means of publishing your work and reaching millions.



No more  waiting  around  for  someone  else’s  arbitrary  decision.  You  have control.

 

3. Authors Need to Think Like Marketers



Whether you self-publish or get a contract from a big publisher, the reality is the same:  you must learn how to market and promote yourself and your work. With the barriers to publication gone, you’ll have lots of competition for the attention and dollars of your audience.  That’s the bad news. The good news? Almost  no one really  understands  how to  effectively  promote their  books. Once you learn a few key concepts, you’ll have a huge edge.





I know what  you’re thinking: “Arrggghhh!  I’m a writer,  not a salesman! I don’t want to spend my time promoting myself!”



So listen up:



  Marketing is just a fancy name for communication.  And, as a writer, communicating is your strong suit!



We aren’t talking about going door-to-door to hawk your wares.  Promoting in the  modern  media  environment  is  actually  a  whole  lot  of  fun.  Imagine blogging in the guise of one of your characters (perhaps your antagonist stops in from time to time to torment the hero in the comments section!), creating a story to send out on Twitter — 140 characters at a time, creating a fun online game for your Facebook page, visiting with a classroom full of giggling young fans…..



Meeting  your  readers,  connecting  with  parents,  sharing  yourself  with  the world: these aren’t acts of drudgery.  They’re endless opportunities for joy and fulfillment.

 

We believe that we have entered into a new golden age of publishing, one in which the pathway to success is clear and open to one and all.  Things are hardly perfect -- revolutions take take to settle into normalcy -- but the outlook is bright.  So work your craft, exert your power and get out there and tell the world about what you're doing.  The future is yours.

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children's book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

Why Children's Book Publishers Are Rejecting Your Manuscript -- And How to Fix It!

Here's our quick look at the most common reasons editors at children's book publishers reject manuscripts, and some smart ways to fix them.

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children's book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

November Being Touted as Picture Book Month

Last October, an article in The New York Times declared, “Picture Books No Longer A Staple for Children”. This incited a barrage of responses from the children’s book industry, many in defense of the venerable picture book.

Thus, Picture Book Month was born. Founder Dianne de Las Casas decided it was time to celebrate picture books in their traditional printed format so she created an initiative to designate November as “Picture Book Month.” Katie Davis, Elizabeth Dulemba, Tara Lazar, and Wendy Martin came on board to champion the cause and spread the word. A logo was designed by Joyce Wan. A website (www.picturebookmonth.com) was created to feature essays from “Picture Book Champions,” thought leaders in the children’s literature community. Each day in November, a new essay will be posted from such notable contributors as Suzanne Bloom, Denise Fleming, Leslie Helakoski, Eric A. Kimmel, Tammi Sauer, Dan Yaccarino, and Jane Yolen.Better World Books and organizations like Scholastic Book Fairs Philippines are lending their support. The website will also feature links to picture book resources, authors, illustrators, and kidlit book bloggers. In addition, parents, educators, and librarians can download the theme calendar to help them plan their picture book celebrations and access picture book activities.

Visit www.picturebookmonth.com. The website officially opens on November 1, 2011.

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children's book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

When Moms Blog, Publishers Notice

These days, instead of digging through the slush pile, many editors are turning to the blogosphere for their next big book. And the newest group to catch the eye of the children's book industry is known as Mom Bloggers. A recent article in Publishers Weekly highlighted how Simon & Schuster hosted 29 of the most popular mom bloggers at a luncheon complete with authors and goodie bags. Why all the fuss? Because moms blog about the books they're reading with their kids, and other moms listen.

But publishers don't rely on mom bloggers to simply spread the word about new books. They also look to them to help create future titles. Editors like Kate Jackson of HarperCollins peruse blogs on a regular basis, looking for writing talent and book ideas. These bloggers are also willing to spread the word on self-published books (sometimes their own), that then catch an editor's eye.

There are two lessons here for both aspiring and published authors: One, don't ignore these mom bloggers when sending out review copies or planning your next blog tour. And two, blogging about children's books, and doing it well, clearly gets you on the publishing radar. This might end up being easier (and more fun) than sending out multiple unsolicited submissions and hoping to get noticed.

 

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children's book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

The Difference a Book Cover Makes

We're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but that's a bunch of baloney. The cover is our first impression, and it goes a long way toward determining if we're going to open the book and read the first page. Consumers know this, booksellers know this, and presumably publishers know this as well.

Which is why it's so baffling when a book has a terrible cover. I'm thinking in particular of middle grade and young adult novels, where the cover is the only illustration the reader sees. Why are so many of them misleading (looking dark and moody when the book isn't), inaccurate (ever seen a book where the protagonist depicted on the cover looks nothing like the author's description?), or just plain ugly? And to the teens and tweens who grew up in our visually-oriented culture, a bad cover says "This book isn't worth reading."

In her Publishers Weekly blog, bookseller Elizabeth Bluemle offers some cover tips for publishers, and self-publishers should also take note. One great idea: show a pdf of the proposed cover to a few booksellers and get their yes or no before the book is published. It's really a no-brainer: publishers get feedback from the people who see consumers' reactions first-hand, and sellers get books that help sell themselves. If you're self-publishing, you should be building relationships with local bookstore owners anyway, and asking for their quick opinion shows that you respect their expertise. This will only help when the time comes for them to carry your book in their stores.

 

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children's book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

Writing Picture Books 101

Many newcomers believe it's simple to write picture books, but it actually requires a lot of skill to pack a story into a few words. If your dreams include writing a picture book, here are some tips to consider before you begin:



 

* Keep it simple. You should be able to sum up the plot of your picture book in three sentences. Not every detail, of course, but the broad strokes. Create one sentences to capture the beginning (naming your main character and the problem or conflict he’ll face in the story), one for the middle (describing the gist of the efforts your character makes to solve his problem), and one for the end (how he finally resolves the conflict and reaches his goal). If three sentences doesn’t capture the essence of your plot, then it’s probably too complex for a picture book.



Note: You’re concerned here on plot (the action of the story), rather than theme (the underlying message). Don’t get into describing theme while you’re summarizing your plot. The theme shouldn’t even be an issue at this point. You want to construct the story so the character’s actions, and how he transforms because of those actions, presents a lesson to your readers.



 

* Think in pictures. The term “picture books” says it all: the illustrations are equally as important as the words. The average picture book is 32 pages long, with about four pages of front matter (title page, copyright page, etc.) So you have 28 pages of text and illustration. If you aim for 1000 words to tell your story (the average length of picture book text), that gives you about 36 words per page (some pages will have more words, some less, depending on the pacing of your story). While you don’t want to obsess over precise word counts when you’re writing early drafts of your manuscript, do keep in mind that every page of your book needs to inspire a different illustration. So count out 36 words from your manuscript and note how large a chunk of text that is on the page. That’s about how many words you can devote to each illustration. After that, your characters have to do something— move around, change locations— so the illustrator will have a new picture to draw.



One way to think visually is to convey the character’s problem, and her efforts to solve that problem, in concrete, visual terms. If your character is having trouble memorizing facts for school, that all takes place inside her head. But if she’s embarrassed because she can’t swim, then her attempts to learn are easily illustrated.



Note: Some illustrations will span two facing pages, called a two-page spread. In this case, you’ll have about 70 words for that one illustration. But picture books are a mix of single page illustrations and two-page spreads, so keep the action moving at a good pace.



 

* Maintain a childlike outlook. Picture book characters can be children, adults, animals or fantasy characters. But all main characters must embody the sensibilities of a child between the ages of 4-8. As a result, the problem your characters faces needs to be relevant and important to your target audience. The way your character tackles that problem must fit with the way a child would tackle it. Don’t create an adult main character just so you can impose some adult wisdom on your readers. Grown-up characters using the emotional, illogical and sometimes messy coping strategies of children can be a very effective, and funny, storytelling technique. Above all, the character must be the one to solve the problem, using methods that are accessible to children. If readers see themselves in your main character, then they’ll understand the underlying message of your story.





* Get the Right Advice.  We've got a free eBook mini guide that can really help separate fact from fiction. It's called "Getting Started Writing Children's Picture Books" and you can get a copy right now by going to http://cbiclubhouse.com/free-ebook/



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Laura Backes is the Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers.  For much more about writing for children, visit Laura at http://cbiclubhouse.com  To learn more about writing picture books, visit http://cbiclubhouse.com/free-ebook/ to get your free copy of "Getting Started Writing Children's Picture Books".