7 Secrets For Children’s Book Writing

7 SECRETS FOR CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING

While there are potentially 1000 tips for children’s book writing, here are my 7 Secrets for Children’s Book Writing.  I used these secrets to write my award winning children’s book, Saltwater Taffy.  And remember when taking advice from other writers about writing…find what works for you and apply it to your writing, but never lose sight of YOUR writing.  More and more, people are writing to satisfy either the marketplace or their agents.  What does that leave?  A bland and boring piece of writing.

 

1. MAKE IT FUN – Kids want adventure.  Kids want action.  I once heard a kid say: “If it’s not fun, I don’t want to read it.”  With fractured attention spans and our culture of ADD and ADHD, you have to grab your reader on page 1 with an awesome opening!

2. CHARACTERS AGE – Once you determine your target audience, tack on a few years to your main characters.  Kids like to read what it’s like to ‘be older.’

3. PACE IS EVERYTHING – On Law & Order, we had one rule; if the scene doesn’t move the story, cut it.  This speaks to TIP #1.  Kids want the story to read stories that are fun and cook! Read more

CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING

Children's Book WritingCHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING

Children’s Book Writing can be a difficult task, but from the minute we sit down to write something without an assignment from a teacher, we are officially writers.

The minute we have a desire to create something out of nothing, we are writers.  The minute we answer a story call from the deepest parts of our souls, we are writers and we are at our very best.

After 7 seasons of Law & Order, 2 seasons on The Big Easy for USA Networks, writing and directing a nightmare job for Lions Gate Films (Venice Underground), adapting a NY Times best seller for 2oth Century Fox Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: From Page To Screen

Middle Grade FictionMIDDLE GRADE FICTION: From Page To Screen

What does it take to turn your middle grade fiction novel and turn it into a screenplay?  There isn’t a one-word answer, but there are some secrets to consider.

First off, let’s face it…as writers, we are somewhat of an odd bunch.  I mean, who else can stand to sit in a room by themselves for hours on end.  This says nothing of the fact we are known to talk to ourselves now and again.  Someone once said… Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Read Across America

Saltwater TaffyREAD ACROSS AMERICA

READ ACROSS AMERICA celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday every year and children’s book authors across the country visit schools to read to children.  This year was a great even!   Dodger great “Sweet Lou” Johnson, the Laker Girls, and Saltwater Taffy helped kick off the amazing event.

I was able to read to 3 different 5th Grade classrooms and then gave away a whopping 375 copies of Saltwater Taffy to every kid in the entire school.  We are rapidly approaching giveaway copy #5,000!!!!  How cool is that?  5000 kids energized about reading again?  Here are some images from today’s visit: Read more

Read Across America GIVEAWAY

Read Across AmericaA SAWEET READ ACROSS AMERICA GIVEAWAY

Read Across America 2012.  In honor of the man, the non-myth self-publishing writer, and a true legend, Dr. Seuss, I am going to be reading Saltwater Taffyto Los Angeles area kids during READ ACROSS AMERICA day.

I will also be giving away 2 signed copies of Saltwater Taffy, along with bookmarks, stickers and even one of the super cool Saltwater Taffy baseball hats!  How do you enter?

1.FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER and TWEET THE CONTEST LINK:

  • TWEET: Read Across America GIVEAWAY http://tinyurl.com/4vuepnl

2. JOIN THE FACEBOOK FAN PAGE AND POST THE LINK ON YOUR PAGE

  • POST: Read Across America GIVEAWAY http://tinyurl.com/4vuepnl

3. LINK TO US: Post the www.whatagreatbook.com in your blog or website!

4. POST A COMMENT anywhere on the Saltwater Taffy website.

* Contest ends FRIDAY March 4, 2011 @ 11 am PST.

**  SAWEET SECRET TIP: Do all 4 above and yes, you’re entered 4 times the fun!!!!