Monday, September 30, 2019

Character Description

When you're describing your character, avoid the boring bits. 

https://jamigold.com/2019/07/character-descriptions-avoiding-the-boring-stuff-guest-angela-ackerman/

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Art Notes

You can think of your art notes in a picture book as action notes. 

https://taralazar.com/2019/08/05/art-notes-are-action-notes/

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Picture Book Structure

There are several ways you can structure a picture book, and here are two of them. 

https://kidlit.com/2018/10/15/picture-book-structure/

Friday, September 27, 2019

Endings

Here are some things to consider when tying up all the loose ends in your novel. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/07/who-ordered-happily-ever-after.html

Thursday, September 26, 2019

QueryTracker

QueryTracker is one way to keep track of your submissions while you're looking for an agent. 

https://writersrumpus.com/2019/07/19/stay-organized-with-query-tracker/

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Character Changes

By asking these three simple questions, you can show how your character changes through the course of your story. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2019/07/three-simple-questions-that-will-unlock-your-story/

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Paths to Publication

There are now many ways to get your book in front of readers. 

https://www.janefriedman.com/key-book-publishing-path/

Monday, September 23, 2019

Dialogue

How to write dialogue that rings true and gives insight into your character.

https://www.ingramspark.com/blog/how-to-write-dialogue-tips-to-captivate-readers

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Picture Book Biographies

Here are ten things to consider when writing a picture book biography. 

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/13779/10-things-to-consider-when-writing-a-picture-book-biography/

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Killer Opening Scenes

How do you write an opening that will hook your readers and keep them turning the pages? 

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/how-to-write-an-opening-scene-that-hooks-readers/

Friday, September 20, 2019

Niche Marketing

Is there a niche (hobby, holiday, setting, etc.) area you can focus your marketing efforts on? 

http://smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com/2019/07/niche-marketing-and-my-1-guerilla.html

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Holiday Books

The positives and negatives of writing holiday-related books.

https://writersrumpus.com/2019/07/02/the-s-and-s-of-writing-holiday-books/

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Internal Narrative

Internal narrative allows your readers to dive deep into and identify your character. 

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/critique-4-ways-to-write-gripping-internal-narrative/#

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Lead-in Phrases

Get rid of these superfluous lead-in phrases and tighten your writing. 

https://www.ragan.com/ditch-these-superfluous-lead-in-phrases/?sfns=mo

Monday, September 16, 2019

Book Preorders

Why does it matter whether or not people preorder your book before it's released? 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2019/08/06/why-preorders-matter/

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction does not mean that you can play fast and loose with the facts. 

https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/10/behind-books-what-heck-is-creative.html

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Dialogue

These tips for writing dialogue will bring your characters and your scenes to life. 

https://www.ingramspark.com/blog/how-to-write-dialogue-tips-to-captivate-readers

Book Income

What are the various income streams that are possible from your book? 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2019/07/how-authors-make-money

Friday, September 13, 2019

Book Events

Here are some suggestions to make for a better book event. 

https://writerunboxed.com/2019/03/23/the-art-of-the-book-event-9-tips/

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Querying Agents and Editors

Here are some reasons why it's not a great idea to simultaneously query agents and editors with the same manuscript. 

https://literaticat.tumblr.com/post/186444063615/is-it-okor-even-expectedto-simultaneously-query

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Descriptions

Here are some hints on how to write descriptions without going overboard.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2019/07/how-to-write-description-without-going.html

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Marketing a Book Award

Now that you've won that book award (congratulations!), how can you best use that in your marketing efforts? 

https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2019/07/13-ways-to-use-a-book-award-for-marketing/

Monday, September 9, 2019

Novels in Verse

Just like prose novels, those written in verse need to have a structure and a plot. 

https://www.darcypattison.com/writing/plot/best-9-tips-on-plotting-a-novel-in-verse-advice-from-caroline-starr-rose/

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Rejections

Eight reasons that your manuscript might be receiving rejections. 

https://annerallen.com/2019/07/rejections-8-reasons-why/

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Setting Details

Which details about the setting should you include and which should you leave out. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2019/04/picking-the-right-setting-details/

Friday, September 6, 2019

Critique Partners and Beta Readers

What's the difference between a critique partner and a beta reader, and why do you need both? 

https://www.bridgidgallagher.com/blog/127-the-difference-between-critique-partners-and-beta-readers-and-why-you-need-both

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Comp Titles

What are comp titles and how do you find them?

https://kidlit.com/2018/12/10/comp-titles-in-a-query-book-comps/

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Character Names

How do you choose an unforgettable character name? 

https://electricliterature.com/how-to-give-your-characters-unforgettable-names/

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Children's Book Categories

From board books to young adult, here's a description of the various categories of children's books. 

https://www.jennybowman.com/what-genre-is-my-childrens-book/

Monday, September 2, 2019

Holiday Picture Books

Here are some pros and cons of writing a picture book centered around a holiday.

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2018/12/writing-holiday-picture-book-by.html

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Characters are People

By writing your characters as if they were real people, you'll make them pop for your readers. 

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/12/characters-are-people-too-bring-your-book-to-life-part-i/