How to Write a Book for Children – Your First Steps

Want to learn how to write a book for children?  OK, let’s start at square one.
 
You’re fascinated by writing and you’re interested in starting a children’s book career, but you’re not sure what to do first.
 
The key thing is not to overwhelm yourself.  Don’t worry about getting published.  Don’t concern yourself with eBooks, apps or other bits of technology.  And don’t carry forth any preconceived notions about how to write a book for children based on what you read when you were a kid.
 
In other words, keep it simple.  Before you worry about how to write a book, you should get an understanding of the children’s book world.
 
 
 
1. Get a lay of the land.

 
Publisher’s Weekly is the bible of the publishing industry, and they maintain the most widely respected bestseller lists. 
 
Here’s the link to their children’s bestseller lists.
 
Take these lists the bookstore and to your local library.   Read through at least 5 of the top books in each category.  Take notes.
 
Are you seeing any common themes?  Any similarities in writing style?  What kind of words are being used?  What sort of tones are being set?
 
 

2. Make friends with your bookseller and your local children’s librarian.

 
Introduce yourself to the folks who are experts in children’s literature.  Tell them that you’re learning how to write a book for kids and that you’re trying to understand what’s hot now.  From our experience, the vast majority of people who work in bookstores and libraries love to talk about the books they have on their shelves.   Ask about their favorite current books, and why they like them.  Ask about what kids seem to really enjoy right now.  You’ll likely get a master class in children’s literature if you’re polite and mindful of their time.   A thank you note after the fact will help seal what can become a very valuable relationship.
 
 

3. Learn the various categories of children’s books.

 
The world of children’s literature is divided along age lines.  Become familiar with the standard categories and read from each of them.  Before long you’ll find yourself gravitating toward one or two of these.  That’s how you’ll know which age group you’re best suited for.  For a deeper dive into children’s book categories, check out our book genre list.
 
Here are the categories, along with some classic books to check out:
 
 

* Picture books — Often, when people ask how to write a book for children, they really mean “How do I write a picture book?”.  It’s a category that’s remained wildly popular with readers and writers for decades.
 
In its broadest definition, a picture book is a book in which the illustrations play a significant role in telling the story. Under this umbrella are several types of books:
 
1. Baby Books — For infants and young toddlers, these books are generally lullabies, nursery rhymes, fingerplays, or wordless books. The length and format varies with the content.
 
2. Toddler books — Very simple stories for ages 1-3 (under 300 words) familiar to a child’s everyday life, or concept books (teaching colors, numbers, shapes, etc.) Books are short (12 pages is average) and the format can be board books (sturdy paper-over board construction), pop-ups, lift-the flaps or novelty books (books that make sounds, have different textures, etc.) See the “Max” series of board books by Rosemary Wells (Dial).
 
3. Picture books — Traditionally, picture books (also called “picture story books”) are 32-page books for ages 4-8 (this age may vary slightly by publisher). Manuscripts are up to 1500 words, with 1000 words being the average length. Plots are simple (no sub-plots or complicated twists) with one main character who embodies the child’s emotions, concerns and viewpoint. The illustrations (on every page or every other page) play as great a role as the text in telling the story. Occasionally a picture book will exceed 1500 words; this is usually geared toward the upper end of the age spectrum. Picture books cover a wide range of topics and styles. The list of Caldecott Medal winners, available here, is a good place to start your research. Nonfiction in the picture book format can go up to age 10, 48 pages in length, or up to about 2000 words of text.
 
4. Early picture books — A term for picture books geared toward the lower end of the 4-8 age range. These stories are simple and contain under 1000 words. Many early picture books have been reprinted in the board book format, thus widening the audience. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Philomel) is an example.
 
 

* Easy readers — Also called “easy-to-read”, these books are for children just starting to read on their own (age 6-8). They have color illustrations on every page like a picture book, but the format is more “grown-up” — smaller trim size, sometimes broken into short chapters. The length varies greatly by publisher; the books can be 32-64 pages long, with 200-1500 words of text, occasionally going up to 2000 words. The stories are told mainly through action and dialogue, in grammatically simple sentences (one idea per sentence). Books average 2-5 sentences per page. See the “Amelia Bedelia” books by Peggy Parish or other “I Can Read” books published by Harper Trophy.
 
 

* Transition books — Sometimes called “early chapter books” for ages 6-9, they bridge the gap between easy readers and chapter books. Written like easy readers in style, transition books are longer (manuscripts are about 30 pages long, broken into 2-3 page chapters), books have a smaller trim size with black-and-white illustrations every few pages. See “The Kids of the Polk Street School” series by Patricia Reilly Giff (Dell) or the “Stepping Stone Books” published by Random House.
 
 

* Chapter books — For ages 7-10, these books are 45-60 manuscript pages long, broken into 3-4 page chapters. Stories are meatier than transition books, though still contain a lot of action. The sentences can be a bit more complex, but paragraphs are still short (2-4 sentences is average). Chapters often end in the middle of a scene to keep the reader turning the pages. Look at the “Herbie Jones” books by Suzy Kline (Puffin) and the “Ramona” books by Beverly Cleary (Morrow).
 
 

* Middle grade — This is the golden age of reading for many children, ages 8-12. Manuscripts suddenly get longer (100-150 pages), stories more complex (sub-plots involving secondary characters are woven through the story) and themes more sophisticated. Kids get hooked on characters at this age, which explains the popularity of series with 20 or more books involving the same cast. Fiction genres range from contemporary to historical to science fiction/fantasy; nonfiction includes biographies, science, history and multicultural topics. Check out some middle grade novels from the list of Newbery Medal winners  to get you started.
 
 

* Young adult — For ages 12 and up, these manuscripts are 130 to about 200 pages long. Plots can be complex with several major characters, though one character should emerge as the focus of the book. Themes should be relevant to the problems and struggles of today’s teenagers, regardless of the genre. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton defined young adult when it was first published in 1967; the Newbery Medal award list also contains many worthy titles. A newer age category (10-14) is emerging, especially with young adult nonfiction. These books are slightly shorter than the 12 and up category, and topics (both fiction and nonfiction) are appropriate for children who have outgrown middle grade but aren’t yet ready for the themes (fiction) or who aren’t studying the subjects (nonfiction) of high school readers.
 
 

Now you have a good understanding of children’s book genres and what’s happening now.  But to answer the big question — How to Write a Book for children or teens – visit Writing Blueprints.   It’s easier than you have ever imagined!
 
 
 

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Critique Fear: How to Handle Negative Feedback

Have you ever received a critique on your work that pointed out substantial issues?
 
Yikes, it usually feels quite painful, particularly when it pertains to a story or poem that you really poured your heart and soul into.  You want to vanish into the floor like the Wicked Witch of the West does at the end of The Wizard of Oz.  If it happens in a writing class, you feel even worse.  Isn’t it embarrassing to have your work critiqued in front of other people?
 
Yes, it can be very painful.  But that’s the reality of being a writer.  You can’t get far without feedback.  Critical feedback can happen at any point in the writing process – from when you are coming up with an idea to when the book is finally out there.  Someone can critique and analyze your work in the most nasty way possible – and there isn’t too much you can do about it.  On the other hand, readers could provide invaluable advice which could help you transform your story into something great.
 
So, how do you handle critical feedback of your work? Obviously it’s painful, there are some things you can do to help minimize the pain and maximize the benefit of constructive criticism.
 
Listen to the feedback.  Does it sound like it contains and inkling of truth? If the feedback is rational, constructive, and detailed, it may just be helpful in the long run.  It’s painful to listen to it right now, but what matters is that you learn from it.
 
Consider the source.  Who is giving this feedback?  Is it a close friend?  A fellow writer?  Someone who cares about you and your work?  Most likely they are trying to help you improve your manuscript, even if the critique is unsolicited.  But if it is someone who may not have your best intent at heart, consider the source.  What has this person written and published?  Is it someone who’s written in the same book categories? (For example, someone who typically writes narrative nonfiction is unlikely to be an expert at writing fantasy).   It is very easy to critique someone’s work, and most people don’t realize how difficult it is to write until they hit the keyboard.
 
Consider the credibility of the critique.  Does the person offer vague comments?  Or something tangible that relates to your work? Once I was attending a class in which we were assigned to write poetry about a Halloween topic.  A writer wrote a very interesting poem about a ghost, to which one of the girls in the group said, “I don’t like ghosts. I don’t want to read about ghosts.” Naturally her comments centered around this idea and were not too useful.  This girl had a very distinct bias in her critique, and wasn’t able to read the poem with an open mind.
 
Step away from the critique for a while.  Write down the person’s thoughts, and look at them when you feel calm and collected.  It is important to be polite and respectful, no matter what someone says to you.  You may realize, down the road, that these comments are very helpful.  Or you may discover they are not.  But you probably want to step away and clear your mind before doing anything.
 
Don’t react emotionally. It’s natural to jump to the defense of our work, but sometimes the best approach is to listen quietly.  You don’t want to create a bad relationship with this person, or burn a bridge that can never be fixed.  Just be calm and professional about it.  The best approach is to thank the person for his comment, no matter how painful it is to listen to. Many times when someone makes a comment on your work, they are so focused on what doesn’t work that they don’t see how good the rest of it is. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t get down on yourself.
 
Look at the criticism when you are in a calm state of mind.  When you step away from your manuscript for a while, you can return with a fresh perspective.  You may begin to see that every word isn’t perfect, and that some of the comments that your readers have made are very helpful.
 
Use what is useful, and discard what doesn’t make sense.  Not everything that readers recommend will improve your manuscript.  And some of what they say has quite a bit of value.  Sometimes it is helpful if you receive their comments, write them down carefully, and use them as a later reference.  If everyone is making a suggestion to work on developing a less confusing plot, you may want to consider it.  But if just one person is making eccentric comments, consider the source and if it really is useful.  Remember, you don’t have to make these changes; you just have to think about it.
 
Take it with a grain of salt.  Sometimes people make very thoughtful comments, but other times people are happy to critique a work without thinking deeply.  It is important to read over the collected comments, and to try to find the threads that connect these thoughts.  You may discover certain themes keep coming up, and you may want to think about looking more carefully at parts of your manuscript.  In any case, it is important to realize that revision is part of the writing process.
 
Revise, revise, revise.  When you go away with constructive criticism on your mind, you can go a positive direction— toward overall improvement.  Or you can go in a negative direction, toward discouragement and despair.  You can persist toward excellence, or you can falter and fail.  You have to learn to take a few punches in order to be a good writer, and to be a great writer you need to be able to cull the good criticism from the bad.  In any case, you will quickly discover that a manuscript is never finished; to paraphrase Langston Hughes, it is merely abandoned.
 

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Suzanna Henshon is a published author and longtime contributor to Children’s Book Insider
 
 

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Persistence Pays Off for Middle Grade Author Erin Teagan

by PJ McIlvaine

 

This is excerpted from an interview that appeared in the June 2018 issue of Children’s Book Insider. Click here to subscribe to Children’s Book Insider, or here to learn about the revolutionary WritingBlueprints step-by-step system to create, edit and publish books for children.

 

Erin Teagan (www.erinteagan.com) had it all planned out: she’d become a scientist first, then a writer. Combining her passions, Teagan’s debut middle grade novel, The Friendship Experiment (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2016) led to her being hired to pen the Luciana books for the American Girl: Girl of the Year 2018 series for Scholastic, Inc. Teagan lives in Pennsylvania with her two little self-described “mad scientists” and her extreme-sports obsessed husband.

 

PJ McIlvaine: With your first book, how long did it take from idea to first draft to actual publication?

 

Erin Teagan: The Friendship Experiment was my first ever NaNoWriMo project. That year, I spent most of October thinking about plot, working out challenges I might encounter while I fast-drafted. Going over characters and stories in my head. By the time November 1 rolled around, I was ready to get writing. I finished the first draft that month, but I revised for nearly two years before I found my agent. And then, my agent and I revised for another six months after that! The Friendship Experiment came out in November 2016, almost exactly five years from when I had the first glimmer of an idea.

 

PM: How easy, or difficult, was it for you to get an agent?

 

ET: Difficult. Finding an agent was a long road for me. I sent out my first submission to an agent in 2003, and I didn’t sign with an agent until 2013. During those ten years, I kept writing and producing new work and trying new things. I went to conferences and read books and joined a critique group. By the time I found an agent for The Friendship Experiment, I had seven full manuscripts in a drawer and about a million rejection letters.

 

PM: What do you like best about the writing process? Outlining? Research? Revising?

 

ET: Basically, I love every part of writing when it’s going well! I was never an outliner until I had to turn in outlines for Luciana, and by the third book, I started to really enjoy the outlining step in the process. It felt like brainstorming, and I loved that freedom. I think that’s why I like fast-drafting as well. When you’re outlining or working on a messy-first draft, anything goes, because you know the real work (revisions!) and the fine-tuning will come later.

 

For me, though, the worst part is that first time I read the messy-draft all the way through and have to face the reality of revisions. At first it feels paralyzing, like I can’t do it, like this will never grow into a polished manuscript, but as soon as I get my revision momentum going, things start looking up. That’s when I start enjoying the revision part of the process as well.

 

PM: The American Girl book series about “Luciana, 2018 Girl of the Year” — how did that come about? How many books are planned for the series?

ET: I feel so thankful for the opportunity of writing the Luciana books. It was an amazing experience, and a big surprise. American Girl was looking for an author that wrote for a middle grade audience and brought science into fiction. The Friendship Experiment had just come out and was on the SCBWI’s Winter Reading List, a list that any SCBWI member can volunteer their book for. The editor I worked with spotted my book on the list, read it, and thought my voice and background was a good match for the character and story they were creating. She reached out to my agent, and the rest is history!

 

PM: Your school presentations, as described on your website — how did you develop those? Do you tie the presentations in with your books/subject matter?

 

ET: I have a lot of fun developing the programs I offer. As a kid that didn’t connect with science until I was in middle school, I really looked forward to visiting schools and exposing students to a fun and/or weird part of science. All of my programs tie into my books. For example, in The Friendship Experiment, my main character likes to go around swabbing things (cleats in the lost-and-found, floors of the school bus, retainers…) to see what grows on petri dishes. I’ve visited a lot of schools and libraries and swabbed everything from tablets, door handles, trash cans and toilet seats to a favorite classroom book (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) with students. It’s fun and funny to see the results.

 

PM: Now that you’ve had several books published, do you find the process easier or harder?

 

ET: I’m not sure that publishing my books has made the process of writing easier, but each time I finish a manuscript, I’ve learned something that I can bring to the next project. And every time my writers group critiques something I’m working on, or an editor sends me notes, I learn even more. Because of this, sometimes I can read something I’ve written and figure out what’s not working. It can still take me two or five or ten revisions to fix it, but at least it’s a step in the right direction!

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Author Brings Neurodiverse Characters to Middle Grade Fiction

This is an excerpt from an interview that appeared in the March 2018 issue of Children’s Book Insider.

 

by PJ McIlvaine

 

The path to publication is not always a straight road; sometimes there are twists and curves and unexpected potholes that throw you for a loop. Sally J. Pla (www.sallyjpla.com) took upheavals in stride, turning lemons into lemonade with two published books: the critically regarded The Someday Birds (Harper Collins 2017), and Stanley Probably Will Be Fine (Harper Collins 2018), which garnered a Kirkus starred review and was named a Junior Library Guild Selection of 2018. Her picture book, Ben­ny, The Bad Day, and Me, is coming out from Lee & Low in late 2018. Drawn to neurodiverse characters, Pla (pronounced “Blah” but with a P) has found her niche in the ever-expanding kid lit universe of #ownvoices.

 

PJ McIlvaine: Your novels both deal with characters in the “neurodiverse world.” What exactly does that term personally mean to you, and why are you drawn to write about those who feel left out or different or who have difficulty fitting in with expected social norms? How much of yourself do you see in your characters?

 

Sally Pla: I like to use Professor Nick Walker’s definition of “neurodiversity” which you can find on his blog Neurocosmopolitanism.com – it is, quite simply, a term referring to “the diversity of human brains and human minds.” But it implies that there is, or should be, a wide, diverse range of acceptance – that to advocate for neuro­diversity means that one accepts all of the great range of neurocognitive differences that make us human. And that those differences are valid.

 

There is another term: neurodivergence. This is used to describe those whose brains vary from the norm. Autistic, dyslexic, OCD, Tourette’s, etc. brains are described as neurodivergent.

 

And yes, I am drawn to neurodivergent kids. I have an autism diagnosis myself, although my symptoms are much milder now than they were when I was a child. I have an autistic son and nephew, and many friends. Every time I visit a school, I ask, “How many of you have a friend or relative or classmate with autism?” and every single hand always goes up. The rates are one in 68 now – higher in some spots. One in 41 eight-year-olds in New Jersey are autistic, according to the CDC. Autistic girls are especially under-diagnosed, I suspect. Autistic girls are missed because their symptoms are so different from boys’. They are more socially aware than the boys, generally speaking.

 

It’s my mission to populate kid lit with more authentically autistic and generally neurodivergent characters. It’s a bit of a personal goal. There are some good books out there, but not enough of them yet. We need more.

 

PJ: The cover for Stanley is awesome. It has the look of a graphic/comic book. How much input did you have in the illustrative process?

 

SP: Stanley is not a graphic novel, but it does have some cool interior art by Steve Wolfhard, not to mention his cover. Steve was a storybook artist on Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time. (When I tell kids that, I get a small cool vibe by association, so I like trying to yoke my name to Steve’s, hah.) My original vision was for this book to be a graphic novel, but along the way in the process, it morphed into something more wordy! I do want to try writing a graphic novel, and a web comic someday, and illustrating it myself. On the bucket list.

 

PJ: Your third published book will be a picture book. What inspired you to tackle that genre? Do you see yourself going back and forth between genres?

 

SP: I’d love to do more picture books. Benji, the Bad Day, and Me will pub with Lee & Low in late 2018, with great illustrations by Ken Min. It’s one of their first with an autistic character, and they are taking good care with it. I guess the point of writing for younger kids, for me, is to start early in portraying autism as a matter of course; as a totally normal, accepted thing. An annoying thing sometimes, yeah, sure, but still: part of NORMAL LIFE.

 

There are many, many picture books out there with autism in their title that point at a particular kid, usually a brother, and laundry list his symptoms, so other kids can “understand”. This is well-intentioned, but it is also, in a way, quite “othering” and pathologizing to kids who are trying desperately to find a place to fit in.

 

I wanted to write a picture book that unfolded naturally, with the autism just depicted as a normal part of family life. Annoying, sometimes, yeah, but still, normal. Because for kids who deal with it, whether themselves or in a sibling or friend, that’s how it really is.

 

PJ: From what I can tell, many writers are still confused about what #ownvoices means. I have seen some writers who are under the impression that because they have a disabled or diverse character (even if its a supporting or minor character) that the material qualifies to be categorized as #ownvoices. Can you elaborate on that?

 

SP: The definition of #ownvoices is that, for instance, you’re an author with Tourette’s writing a character with Tourette’s. You’re an autistic author writing an autistic character, a paraplegic author writing a paraplegic character. You actually have the same condition you’re writing about.

 

If you have a condition, but your book doesn’t mention it or deal with it in any way, then that’s not technically an #ownvoices book either. It’s really cool, but it doesn’t fit the standard agreed-upon definition.

 

I hope that clarifies!

 

For more from Sally J. Pla on writing diverse characters, see the full interview in the March 2018 Children’s Book Insider.

 

PJ McIlvaine is a published writer/produced screenwriter/kid lit author/blogger/jour­nalist. In a former life she was a great baker of Europe. PJ is a co-host #PBPitch, the premiere Twitter pitch party for picture book writers and illustrators.

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It’s Time to Celebrate!

Our CBI Insiders are taking the publishing world by storm! Here’s some of what our Children’s Book Insider subscribers are accomplishing (with just a little help from CBI!):

 

And — this is very cool — we’re starting to see the fruits of our Writing Blueprints, thanks to some authors who are making a big splash after using those new tools to create killer manuscripts. Awesome!

 

 

Insider Jesse Arrington III used Picture Book Blueprint to create The Villains of Splazat, which has just been published. Here’s what Jesse has to say:

 

What a joy and journey…and I could not have done it without the help of your Blueprint road map to guide me, literally, step by step! Picture Book Blueprint was a god-send for me at a pivotal time when I was struggling to create memorable characters, to develop a great plot, make logic or sense of the enormous vocabulary of words in sentences all ending in “at”.

 

Then, there were the nights I went to bed with writer’s block, wondering what do I do now or where does the storyline go from here! Then, I would wake up with the obvious solution. “Hey, wait a minute! Why am I struggling so hard? I have Picture Book Blueprint to help me with my next step on what I need to write or where I need to go in this story!” I’m not kidding you when I say that either. By answering a few simple questions embedded in my story, Picture Book Blueprint freed my brain cramps and sent me on my way to whole new chapters!

 

My book is doing remarkably well and I’m flattered to be nominated for several children’s book awards thanks to many new friends and fans! Much credit goes to you and your Picture Book Blueprint because without it, I do not know whether I would have even finished the book, let alone published it, in both soft and hardcovers and now in Kindle edition.

 

Wow! This is awesome news, Jesse. And we’re so glad Picture Book Blueprint helped make it happen!

To learn more, visit Jesse’s lovely website: http://www.thevillainsofsplazat.com/

 

 

 

Insider Katie Hayoz used Chapter Book Blueprint to create a chapter manuscript that was included in the new Undiscovered Voices anthology! Here’s Katie:

 

I’ve written for teens and adults, but I had wanted to write a chapter book as I was frustrated with my youngest’s lack of interest in reading. Either the books like this were too difficult for her or they were aimed at boys. So…I wrote one of my own. Chapter Book Blueprint gave me the confidence to move forward on my project, knowing I wasn’t just winging it. And, most of all, CBB opened up a world of literature that I hadn’t really explored before.

 

I’m thrilled to say that my chapter book manuscript was chosen as a finalist in SCBWI’s British Isles/Europe’s Undiscovered Voices competition and included in the anthology!

 

Way to go, Katie! That’s a great accomplishment. If you want to download the anthology free, go to http://www.undiscoveredvoices.com/?page_id=1762

 

 

 

Insider Kim Ellis checks in with some great news:

 

My middle grade fantasy novel, Tangled in Magic, has been published by Handersen Publishing. In the story, Agatha searches for her twin brother, Malcolm, but the evil warlock, Santer, uses magic to prevent them reuniting and reclaiming their inheritance. The book features illustrations by Alison Gagne Hansen.

 

Thank you CBI!

 

Awesome, Katie! Head over to https://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Magic-Kim-Ellis/dp/1941429513 to see the book. And check out all those sweet 5 star reviews!

 

 

 

Insider Beverly Witwer is using not one, but two Writing Blueprints to make her publishing dream a reality:

 

I have been a CBI Insider for over 3 years and I wanted to tell you my story of using the Picture Book Blueprint. I had been trying to write a children’s picture book for a long time when I bought the Picture Book Blueprint. Once I applied the Picture Book Blueprint to the new plot I was writing, everything came together. My manuscript is now ready to go.

 

Thankfully, I thought ahead and when the Self-Publishing Blueprint became available, I snatched it up and I am now using it to guide me in self-publishing my manuscript of The Triplet Ballerinas. Thank you for developing the Picture Book Blueprint and helping me to succeed.

 

Now that’s what an empowered author sounds like. Great job, Beverly!

 

To get updates on the progress of The Triplet Ballerinas, go to https://www.facebook.com/thetripletballerinas/

 

 

 

We’ll have lots more good news to report soon.   Do you want to get in on the fun of being a successful published author?  Then do what these folks did — become a CBI Insider by subscribing to Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly!

 

 

For just pennies a day, you’ll receive fresh market leads, special “Above the Slushpile” submission codes to top editors and agents, state of the art instruction, community support and much, much more.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out our special offer now at http://writeforkids.org/come-join-the-insiders-2/ and join the fun!

And to learn much more about our Writing Blueprints, go to http://WritingBlueprints.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Amazon Marketing Services Offers Cheap Ads for Self-Publishers

by Lois Wickstrom

 

For the self-published author, Amazon is the single easiest and least-expensive way to get your book in front of readers. Amazon lists self-published books from many sources, such as IngramSpark, Lulu, CreateSpace, and Kindle Direct Publishing.

 

But once our books are created, published and up on Amazon, the next question is: How can we get customers to find and buy our books? Most advertising for self-published books costs more than it brings in.

 

Amazon Marketing services now has an advertising program for Kindle books that links in the paper editions (printed) of those books as well.  You do need to make sure that the Amazon listing for your Kindle book also shows your paperback and/or hardcover versions.  If they don’t, just contact KDP Customer Service, giving them the links to all versions of your title, and they will combine the listings.

 

My Kindle books were lingering in the 2 millionth most popular on Amazon for Ladybugs for Loretta and 4 millionth most popular for Oliver, A Story About Adoption. This means they were selling one or two copies a month combining all forms of each title, and had been selling that slowly for about a year.
Then I decided to try the Amazon Marketing Services.

 

This is a program that lets you buy sponsored positions on Amazon’s search pages.  Ladybugs for Loretta is about a girl who finds ladybugs under rocks and behind tree bark.  I want people who are looking for books about ladybugs and books for girls to consider my book.

 

Amazon Marketing Services is designed to let authors choose their own search terms (you can buy a pre-selected list, but I don’t recommend that.) The AMS site also offers a default price of $0.25 per click, calculated when people click on the link to view your book. I changed that to $0.15.  Sometimes a click only costs me $0.06. (The actual price depends on what other sellers have bid for the selected search terms.) Also, AMS lets you put a daily cap on how much money you will spend.  I capped my costs at $2 per day.  I rarely spend more than $0.20 per day per title.

 

I selected the key words I wanted and I wrote the short description of each book that will appear beside a small version of the cover, when people search for my key words.  My books now appear on the top pages of an Amazon Search – maybe not the top 10 listings, but in the top 40 listings. That’s a reasonable number for a customer to look through.

 

Amazon will display my ad when people search for my key words. I only have to pay when somebody clicks on the ad.

When you set up an AMS account, you will be able to see how many times your book ad was displayed and how many times people clicked on each of your key words.
The bottom line here is that my books have gone from selling one or two a month, to selling about 13 a month.  This doesn’t sound like much, but it means that my Ladybug book is now in the 200,000s and Oliver is in the 600,000s. This is a huge jump in rank. I figure the increases can become cumulative.  The higher my books are in rank, the more often people will see them and the more often people see them, the more copies I will sell. And my marketing costs remain less than $10 per month.
The most important aspect of selling on Amazon is the number of reviews your book gets. But you can’t get reviews if you don’t have readers. Amazon Marketing Services is one easy, inexpensive tool you can use to start building readership for your book. It’s not the only tool you should use, but it can help generate some buzz. And once people start talking about your books, you’ve found the best advertising of all.

 

Lois Wickstrom’s books include:

 

Ladybugs for Loretta

Bees in Loretta’s Bonnet

Loretta’s Pet Caterpillar

Oliver, A Story About Adoption

Invisible Magic Wand

Hot Chocolate Underpants

Rooster Under the Table

The post Amazon Marketing Services Offers Cheap Ads for Self-Publishers appeared first on   WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.

It’s OK If Your Readers Cry

If you’ve ever feared that your manuscript is too “real” for children, or if you feel the urge to write about a sanitized reality in order to protect young readers, remember this: kids learn how to navigate the world through their books. And if they are experiencing pain, seeing that pain acknowledged in a story helps them know they are not alone. But you should really hear this from two of the greatest children’s book writers of our time. Matt de la Pena, in his essay “Why We Shouldn’t Shield Children From Darkness” for Time magazine, and Kate DiCamillo’s response, “Why Children’s Books Should Be a Little Sad“, beautifully articulate how a little sadness in a children’s book teaches readers that they can, indeed, bear the burdens life may give them.

The post It’s OK If Your Readers Cry appeared first on   WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.

35 Years a Writer, 35 Lessons Learned

by Jane McBride

 

 

 
 
(Note:  This article is from the new January 2018 edition of Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly.  To learn more about this essential tool for all kidlit writers, click here.)

 
 
 

Thirty-five years have passed since my first writing was published. Thirty-five years in the crazy business of writing have taught me a number of things. Thirty-five years have also taught me that I have much still to learn. But today we’ll start with what I’ve learned thus far. My hope is this list will shorten your own learning curve.

 

1. Writing is a business. Treat it as such.

 

2. Treat yourself as a business person. If you don’t respect yourself as both a writer and a business person, how can you expect others to treat you that way?

 

3. Keep records. Keep very, very good records. You never know when you’ll be audited, as my husband and I were five years ago.

 

4. Keep on top of your taxes. Do you need to make quarterly tax payments? Penalties are no fun.

 

5. Keep track of your expenses. Do you think that it’s too much trouble to record your mileage to a meeting or postage costs? Think again. Every penny counts.

 

6. Invest in yourself. If you can swing it, attend writers’ conferences. Subscribe to industry periodicals such as CBI, The Writer, Children’s Bookshelf (twice-weekly newsletter electronic newsletter from Publishers Weekly), etc.

 

7. Invest in good equipment. You wouldn’t try to cook professionally without the right tools. The same applies to writing.

 

8. Network. Even if you are an introvert, as many writers are, learn to network. You needn’t become a social butterfly at conferences, but don’t spend all of your time in your room. Engage others in conversation.

 

9. Have a support group. Writing is a solitary business. One of the best things you can do for yourself and for your career is to find a group of like-minded people. If you belong to a professional organization, see if there is a chapter in your area. If there isn’t, consider starting one. Or join an online group.

 

10. Find a mentor. A mentor can guide you in your writing, offer critiques, and tell you when you’ve gone off track.

 

11. Be a mentor. I’m a firm believer in giving back. Mentor a less experienced member of your writers group. Mentor a young writer at your local high school. You’ll learn much in teaching others.

 

12. Work to first learn and then improve your craft. Do you expect a surgeon to decide he wants to practice medicine and then start operating the next day? Of course not. You want a surgeon to have the necessary training and skills before he performs an operation. Then why do we expect to be skilled writers without learning how to write? Take classes. Attend workshops and conferences. Above all, practice your craft and write.

 

13. Don’t take the first offer that comes your way. In our eagerness to sell a book, especially a first book, it’s tempting to take the first offer, even a bad one.

 

14. Be wary of scams that pop up in the industry such as book doctors and others who claim they can fast-track your career. Some are legitimate; some are not. Always do your research before paying anyone to edit your manuscript or help you self-publish.

 

15. Remember that no agent is better than a bad agent. Don’t be in such a hurry to sign with an agent. Do your due diligence and check out any agent or agency before you sign.

 

16. Understand that a contract with an agent does not mean you are married to him or her, but that you will be “bound together” for the lifetime of any book he or she sells for you.

 

17. Don’t burn your bridges. Leave any agency or publishing house with good feelings on both sides. Any bad-mouthing about editors or agents on your part can and probably will come back to bite you.

 

18. Keep in touch. When an editor leaves your publishing house, it pays to stay in touch. The same goes for agents and other industry professionals.

 

19. Volunteer. Volunteer at your writers’ chapter, at conferences. Volunteer at bookfairs and the library. You will not only be giving back, you will also be making valuable contacts.

 

20. Establish working hours. When you’re writing, you’re working. Let your family and friends know that.

 

21. Don’t be afraid to say no. A few years ago, I received an offer to buy a book from a new publishing company. Something felt fishy about the offer, and I turned it down. In the end, I’m glad I did. The company proved not to be reputable.

 

22. Don’t be afraid to say no to family and friends. This goes back to treating yourself as a professional and expecting others to do the same. It’s tempting for others, when they learn that you work from home, to say, “Since you’re not working, will you ‘Let the repairman in,’ ‘Watch my sick child,’ Bake seven dozen cupcakes for the school bake sale,’ etc.” Smile politely and say, “I’m sorry, but I am working.”

 

23. Give yourself a break now and then. It’s wonderful to write every day (or whatever your schedule is), but it’s okay to take a break once in a while. You need to experience life to write about it.

 

24. Don’t beat yourself up when you can’t make your word count. Double down the next day. The important thing is that you keep writing.

 

25. Treat rejection as part of the learning curve. Rejections are a way of life for many writers, including me. After selling 36 books and hundreds of stories and articles, I still receive rejections with depressing frequency.

 

26. Respect your editor and/or agent. Don’t pester them with constant calls, texts, or emails. It’s okay to stay in contact, just don’t overwhelm them.

 

27. Meet your deadlines. Publishing houses operate on strict deadlines. If you don’t meet yours, you may put a crimp in the entire schedule.

 

28. If you can’t meet a deadline, let your editor know as soon as possible. Editors realize that emergencies happen. Give yours a heads-up if it becomes apparent that you can’t meet a deadline.

 

29. Be prepared to have financial dry spells. What happens if your last book doesn’t sell well? Can you still make the mortgage and buy groceries? (See # 30.)

 

30. Think twice before quitting your day job. Royalties can be delayed and/or be spotty. It helps to have the cushion of a regular paycheck to fall back on.

 

31. Know how many books you can reasonably expect to produce in a year. Set a realistic goal and then do your best to meet it.

 

32. Don’t be so quick to send off a book. Revise and polish, revise and polish again.

 

33. Stay current. Know what’s happening in your genre. Keep up with the latest trends. You don’t have to write to them, but you should know what is going on.

 

34. Find an outlet outside of writing. Writing is not just a business, but a form of expression as well. It helps to have another outlet to replenish your well of creativity.

 

35. Keep learning. A woman in my writing chapter expressed surprise when I mentioned that I had just returned from a writers’ conference. “With all the books you’ve published, I’m amazed that you that you still attend conferences,” she said. I replied, “I hope I never feel that I don’t need to learn something.”

 

 

Well, there you have it—35 lessons learned, many of them the hard way!

 

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Jane McBride is the author of 36 novels, numerous short stories and articles including pieces in 16 Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies . Follow her writing blog at http://ift.tt/2EqH3z5

 

 
 

You’re Registered for the Middle Grade / YA Webinar!

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The webinar will take place September 19 at 5 PM Pacific, 8 PM Eastern.  It’s should last about an hour and it’s completely free.

 

We will have a replay available starting the day after, but you will need to be on live to ask Laura and Alice questions.

 

Here’s how to access the webinar (we’ll send you these instructions again before the event begins):

 

A few minutes before the scheduled start, please click the link below to join the webinar:
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Or (as a backup) Telephone：
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The webinar ID is 117622143

 

 

Now, please take just a few minutes to watch this important video from your co-host, Alice Kuipers: