Writing Middle-Grades

Make your middle-grade novel unputdownable.

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/march-15-richard-ungar-4-keys-to-middle-grade

Writing a Series

When you're writing a series, the subsequent books usually have to be written quickly. 

http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2014/06/dianne-writing-series-what-i-didnt-know.html

Picture Book Revision

Here are some common problems in picture book manuscripts and how to correct them. 

http://www.writingforchildrenandteens.com/revision/revision-9-1-1-for-fiction-picture-books/

Pacing

Get your story moving and keep it moving. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2014/06/pacing-in-your-book-get-us-moving-and.html

Essential Story Ingredients

Make sure your stories contain these five vital ingredients. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-5-essential-story-ingredients

Nonfiction Detectives

Two librarians review the best nonfiction books for children. 

http://www.nonfictiondetectives.com/

Writing Contests

Winning a writing contest can boost your confidence and maybe even lead to greater things. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2014/06/guest-post-janci-patterson-on-writing.html

New Agent

Alexander Slater of Trident Media Group is looking for children's, middle-grade, and young adult authors.

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-literary-agent-alert-alexander-slater-of-trident-media-group

Unusual Words

Add interest to your writing by using fun and different words. 

http://taralazar.com/2014/06/09/list-of-200-fun-cool-and-interesting-words/

Agent Offers

What do you do after an agent says, "Yes?" 

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2014/06/all-about-offer-etiquette-and-how-to.html

Writing Dialogue

Remember that written dialogue is different than real speech. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2014/06/guest-post-giveaway-kristen-tracy-on.html

Foreign Rights

Even if you have an agent, it's important to understand how the sale of foreign rights works. 

http://project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogspot.com/2014/06/foreign-rights-for-dummies-aka-people_16.html

Show Don't Tell

We've all heard this advice, but how do you write it? 

http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2014/06/the-real-meaning-of-show-dont-tell-and.html

Educational Materials

Having a teacher's guide for your book will help sell more copies. 

http://bookmarketingtools.com/blog/create-education-materials-to-sell-more-books/

The Role of an Agent

Having an agent does not guarantee a book sale.

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2014/06/understanding-role-of-agent.html

Tween Voice

To capture the tween reader, your book needs to have an authentically tween voice. 

http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com/2014/06/creating-believable-tween-voice-guest.html

Subtle Interiority

In addition to interior dialogue, you can inject emotion toward an outward object, place, or person via description or narration. 

http://kidlit.com/2014/05/19/subtle-interiority/

Query No-Nos

Keep your query letter professional by avoiding these no-nos. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2014/05/query-letters-day-3-no-no-list.html

Conference Tips

How to make the most out of your writers' conference.

http://junesmalls.blogspot.com/2014/02/writers-conference-tips-and-advice.html

Tough Choices

It's important for your character's growth to face tough dilemmas.

http://writerunboxed.com/2014/05/19/mckee-morsels-part-ii/

Young Adult Basics

Here are a few things to think about when planning your young adult novel. 

http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2014/05/craft-of-writing-crash-course-in-basics.html

Querying Hints

Here are many hints about what to put and not to put in your query letter. 

http://mylifeasateenagenovelist.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-i-learned-from-query-shark.html

Interiority

How can you prevent your character's interior monologue from being all about telling? 

http://kidlit.com/2011/05/18/interiority-vs-telling/

Making Picture Books Sing

Use of these poetic tools will help make your picture book memorable. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2014/06/guest-post-helen-ketteman-on-making.html

Pre-Flight Checklist

Forty question to ask before you send out your manuscript to make sure it's the strongest you can make it. 

http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2011/06/forty-questions-for-stronger-manuscript.html

Editing on Spec

Should you accept an agent's revision suggestions with no promise of representation? 

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2014/04/agent-tina-wexler-skila-brown-guest.html

Promotion

Should you promote your book, yourself, or both? 

http://writerunboxed.com/2014/06/09/the-false-divide-between-book-promo-and-author-promo/

Proofreading Matters

Of course, it's all about the writing, but if you don't proofread your query/manuscript, the reader may never finish your story. 

http://selfmadewriter.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-authors-should-know-proofreading.html

The Gap

Make your book a page turner by taking advantage of the moment in your characters' lives when the world acts in a way that surprises them. 

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/the-gap-how-to-make-your-story-a-page-turner/

Crafting a Pitch

Answer these eleven questions to help you craft your fiction pitch. 

http://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/crafting-a-fiction-pitch/

Introspection

Don't be afraid to let your characters talk to themselves. 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2014/06/dont-be-afraid-to-let-your-characters.html