Unnecessary Words

Tighten up your writing by removing words that describe an obvious situation.

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-shoe-test.html

Keeping it Simple

Here are some things to monitor in your writing.

http://www.write4kids.com/blog/writing-tips/guest-post-keeping-it-simple-things-to-monitor-when-writing-for-children/

Verbal Pitch

There are some advantages to giving your pitch in person, 

http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/advantages-of-a-verbal-pitch/

Sense Verbs

Eliminating sense verbs will help make your writing more immediate. 

http://chavelaque.blogspot.com/2013/08/an-easy-technique-to-make-your-writing.html

Finding the Right Agent

When looking for an agent, make sure he/she is the agent that matches your needs. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2013/08/finding-right-agent.html

Luck

Sometimes getting published is about being in the right place at the right time. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2013/08/its-all-about-being-in-right-place-at.html

Adding Depth

Describing action and descriptions in excruciating detail is not the way to add depth to your writing. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2013/08/adding-depth-is-not-writing-play-by.html

Bringing Your Characters To Life

Tips for creating characters both before and while you're writing them. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/08/shes-such-character.html?

Word Counts

Word count guidelines and examples for different genres of children's books. 

http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/04/17/how-to-write-a-1-page-synopsis/

One-Page Synopsis

Here's a fill-in-the-blanks guide to writing a one-page synopsis. 

http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/04/17/how-to-write-a-1-page-synopsis/

Your Online Presence

What do literary agents want to see when they Google you?

http://thewritelife.com/what-does-a-literary-agent-want-to-see-when-they-google-you/

Auctions

How does a publishing auction work?

http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/how-does-a-publishing-auction-work/

Why twitter?

Writers should be on twitter for more reasons than just marketing. 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/7-reasons-every-writer-needs-to-be-on-twitter/

Conference Cheat Sheet

Keep these points in mind when you attend your next conference. 

http://glasscasesblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/conferences-cheat-sheet.html

Character Reactions

Engage your readers through your characters' responses. 

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/07/16/engage-readers-through-character-reaction/

Questions for a Prospective Agent

Be excited when you get "the call," but don't forget to ask questions. 

http://theblabbermouthblog.com/2013/04/08/guest-post-10-questions-to-ask-an-agent-when-you-get-the-call/

Small Presses

SFWA offers loads of information about evaluating a small press. 

http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/small/

First Draft

Write your first draft all the way until the end before you begin to revise. 

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2013/07/writing-to-end-of-your-story-by-stacey.html

Top Books for Teens

NPR's list of 100 top reads for teenagers. 

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/07/157847723/top-100-teen-books

Disabilities in Children's Literature

Discussions about the portrayal of disabilities in mg/ya fiction. 

Reviews, guest posts, and discussions about the portrayal of disabilities in MG/YA fiction

Reversion of Rights

It's important in contracts to make it clear when your rights revert back to you. 

http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/getting-your-rights-back-from-the-publisher/

Relationships With a Publisher

Staying with a "bad" publisher may be worse than having no publisher at all.

http://www.jennycrusie.com/for-writers/essays/a-writer-without-a-publisher-is-like-a-fish-without-a-bicycle-writers-liberation-and-you/

Style

Figure out your story first, before deciding on a style, such as which point of view. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2013/07/your-story-dictates-style.html

Onomatopoeia Dictionary

Don't forget to bring sounds into your picture book or novel. 

http://www.writtensound.com/index.php

Picture Book Agents

Not all children's book agents represent picture books, but here's a list of some that do. 

http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/p/picture-book-agents.html

Getting an Agent

Thirteen tips to convince a literary agent to take you on as a client. 

http://thewritelife.com/13-ways-to-convince-a-literary-agent-to-represent-you/

INK-Interesting Nonfiction for Kids

Here's a one-stop resource for finding speakers who've written children's nonfiction books.

http://inkthinktank.com/