Simple Edits

Fix these easy to find edits to make your manuscript stronger. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/02/five-edits-to-strengthen-your-writing.html

Informational Books

Use these three "D"s--delight, design, documentation--in evaluating nonfiction books.

http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-three-ds-simple-framework-for.html

Elements of Plot

Here's a handful of plot elements that go into good storytelling. 

https://www.writingforward.com/storytelling/storytelling-the-elements-of-plot

Processing Feedback

It's great that you've gotten feedback on your manuscript, but how do you process and filter it to make that feedback the most useful to you. 

https://writerunboxed.com/2018/09/19/how-to-process-and-filter-feedback/

Narrative Beats

Why settle for a generic beat in your writing (look, said, etc.), when you can use this as an opportunity to reveal more of your character's personality. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2018/10/guest-post-deborah-halverson-on-viewing.html

Author Visits

Although this post is aimed at educators looking for authors to visit, it gives links to several lists you'll want to be on. 

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit-resources/read/authors/auth-illmultiplelists/

Contests and Awards

How do you determine if a contest or award is legitimate and whether you should enter?

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

Series, -Ologies, and One-offs

How do you determine if your book should be standalong, part of a series or an "ology" (trilogy, etc.)?

https://killzoneblog.com/2018/11/series-ogy-or-stand-alone.html

Re-Querying

When is okay to requery the same agent/agency with the same manuscript? 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2009/05/re-re-querying-redux

Story Pacing

Here are some tips to help you speed up or slow down the pace of your story. 

https://writingthroughlife.com/writing-craft-how-to-control-your-storys-pace/

Amazon Sales Rankings

Did you ever wonder how those Amazon sales rankings translate into number of books sold? 

https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/how-amazon-calculates-sales-ranking-for-books-2/

Emotional Scenes

No one wants to make another person cry--except authors, who do so by writing emotional scenes.

https://ryanlanz.com/2015/06/25/make-your-readers-cry-writing-emotional-scenes/

When to Stop Revising

Sometimes it's hard to know when it's time to stop tinkering with a manuscript and submit it.

https://writerunboxed.com/2018/11/08/how-to-recognize-the-finish-line/

First Page Problems

Here's a collection of common first page mistakes along with suggestions for correcting them. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/11/the-powerball-of-first-page-resources/

Legitimate Publishers vs. Scams

How do you tell if a publisher is legitimate as opposed to one who just wants to take your money. 

https://annerallen.com/2018/10/legitimate-publishers-or-bad-guys/

Advances and Royalties

How does a book advance work and when do you start receiving royalties explained. 

https://us3.campaign-archive.com/?u=cdd0d036e9531dd416bf945b3&id=e4867808c3

The Writing/Marketing Balance

How do you market your existing books while leaving time to write new ones?

https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2018/10/the-writing-marketing-balance/

School Visit Resources

Here are several websites that will tell you everything authors need to know about school visits. 

https://writersrumpus.com/2018/10/19/school-visit-resources/

Log Lines

Describing your entire story in one sentence will help you make sure you don't have a wandering plot.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/09/log-line/

Ignore This Advice

As writers, we receive a lot of advice, but some of it is bad and should be ignored. 

https://annerallen.com/2018/09/bad-advice-writers/

Twitter Pitches

Twitter pitch parties have become increasingly common, but how do you choose the one that's right for you?

https://slushpilestory.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/most-popular-twitter-pitch-parties-for-writers/

Basics of Children's Book Publishing

Here's an insider's glimpse into what's involved in publishing children's books.

glimpse into the process behind publishing children’s books

Meaningful Themes

Unifying your story around a meaningful theme will help it make a deeper connection with your readers. 

https://writerunboxed.com/2018/11/12/unifying-your-story-around-a-meaningful-theme/

Prolific Writers

Here are some tips to help you become more profilic, and hence more successful, with your writing. 

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/11/4-foolproof-methods-to-become-a-prolific-and-successful-writer/

Nonfiction Book Proposals

Longer nonfiction books are sold via a proposal like explained here. 

https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/8-tips-for-a-marketable-nonfiction-book-proposal-by-melanie-votaw/

Evaluating Small Publishers

Here are some hints to help you decide whether a small publisher will be good for you and your manuscript. 

https://subitclub.com/2018/08/07/evaluate-small-publishers-like-a-pro/

Query Letter Format

Your query letter, whether to an agent or an editor, should answer these questions about your story.  

https://kidlit.com/2018/10/29/query-letter-format/

Book Profit and Loss

Here's an explanation of the profit and loss statements that publishers use to decide whether to make you an offer on your book. 

https://www.janefriedman.com/book-pl/

Point of View

After understanding the different points of view, consider whether a different one would serve your story better. 

https://writersrumpus.com/2018/10/26/dare-to-change-your-point-of-view/

Is That Scene Needed

Ask these four questions of every scene to see whether they move your story forward or should be deleted.

https://killzoneblog.com/2018/10/throw-away-your-shoehorn.html

Emotional Spectrum

One emotion can have a range of expressions for you character, for example, from content to mania. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/09/leveraging-emotional-spectrum-in-your.html

Folktales

How to choose and adapt a folktale for a picture book. 

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2018/10/finding-and-finessing-folktale-by.html

Researching for Technical Accuracy

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you need to make sure the technical details in your story are accuracte. 

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-research-your-writing-to-ensure-technical-accuracy/

Author Visits

Here are links of interest to both educators and authors about the nuts and bolts of author visits.

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit-resources/read/authors/auth-illmultiplelists/

Author Newsletter or Blog?

What's the best way to reach your readers--through an author newsletter or a blog? 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/10/how-to-nail-the-first-three-pages/

The First Three Pages

Ask yourself these questions to figure out how to start your novel. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/10/how-to-nail-the-first-three-pages/

Writing Multiple Books at Once

How do you juggle several writing projects with different priorities in different stages of development?

https://insights.bookbub.com/writing-process-tips-juggle-several-books/

Story Flow

Following these four easy edits will make your story flow better.

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/09/easy-edits-that-make-your-story-flow-better/

Strengthen Your Writing

These five edits will help strengthen and tighten your writing.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/02/five-edits-to-strengthen-your-writing.html

Five Kinds of Nonfiction

With many links to more resources, this blog post explains the kinds of nonfiction.

http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2018/09/nerdcampnne-handout-5-kinds-of.html

Picture Book or Chapter Book

How to decide if your story should be told as a picture or chapter book.

https://taralazar.com/2018/09/17/is-your-picture-book-actually-a-chapter-book/

Character Flaws

Although all characters should have flaws, these are not always negative ones.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/09/are-you-making-this-character-flaw.html

Tightening Your Writing

Here's a checklist of words and phrases to consider cutting in order to tighten your writing.

https://rachellegardner.com/tightening-your-writing/

Picture Book Formats

A standard picture book is 32 pages, but that doesn't mean you have that much room for your story.

https://www.wordsandpics.org/2013/07/picture-book-basics-understanding-format.html

Questions for Prospective Agents

Here's a list of questions you might want to ask an agent before accepting an offer of representation.

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/10/03/questions-to-ask-when-an-agent-offers-representation/

Bringing Traffic to Your Website or Blog

In order for people to come to your website or blog, they need to know it exists.

https://www.janefriedman.com/build-long-lasting-traffic-to-website/

Deep Point of View

This checklist for writing deep POV will help your manuscript make readers feel as if they're part of the story.

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/10/writing-deep-point-of-view-like-a-pro-a-checklist/

Pacing

Here are seven tips to create the correct pacing throughout your novel.

https://writersedit.com/fiction-writing/7-quick-tips-for-mastering-pacing-in-your-story/

Post-Debut Marketing

When marketing your second, third, or more book, you still want to keep interest high on all of your titles.

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2018/09/after-debut-strategies-for-marketing.html

Interior Monologue

A character's interior monologue lets us glimpse his/her thoughts at a specific time.

https://www.novel-writing-help.com/interior-monologue.html

Writing Child Characters

Children are not just short adults and shouldn't be written as if they were.

https://kidlit.com/2018/02/19/writing-child-characters/

Log Lines

Can you distill your novel into a single, probably lengthy, sentence?

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/09/log-line/

Time as a Literary Device

Flashbacks aren't the only way to manipulate time in your manuscript.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/09/time-literary-device/

Flow of a Scene

There are many things to consider when considering which way would make a scene flow better.

https://jamigold.com/2018/08/choices-choices-debating-how-a-scene-should-play-out/

Making a Book Trailer

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to use iMovie to make your book trailer.

http://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2018/07/making-book-trailer-in-imovie.html

Revision Checklist

Ask yourself these questions before you begin your next round of revisions.

https://www.anitraroweschulte.com/blog/revision

Problems With the Middle of Manuscripts

Whether your story bogs down in the middle or even stalls completely, here are some tips to get it back on track.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2016/02/5-common-problems-with-middles.html

Recycling Manuscripts

If you have some old manuscripts lying around gathering dust, here are some ways how to give them a new life.

https://annerallen.com/2018/07/new-opportunities-old-manuscripts/

Writing Young Adult Books

Here are six tips to make your young adult novel more authentic.  

https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/articles/six-tips-for-writing-young-adult-novels

Research

Even if you write a contemporary story about a place you know, you still might want to do some research to bring that extra something to your writing.  

http://thewriteediting.blogspot.com/2018/10/simplifying-writer-research.html

Twitter Do's and Don'ts

Here are some tips to build your audience using Twitter.

https://annerallen.com/2018/10/twitter-wrong-right/

Picture Book Humor

Although these tips are written about picture books, most of them can be adapted to books for older kids.

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2018/10/humour-in-picture-books-by-liz-brownlee.html

Podcasts for Authors

Here's a list of twenty podcasts of interest to writers.

https://insights.bookbub.com/podcasts-authors-writing-publishing-book-marketing/

Virtual Visits

I would add an additional tip to the list about virtual visits--tape a note next to your webcam that says, "look here."

http://gigirosenberg.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/t/AC2CF62C7C8722B6/84901A41272C210EC67FD2F38AC4859C

Older Characters

Aging is a normal part of life, and our stories should reflect that. 

https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2018/09/29/10-positive-things-about-aging-we-need-to-show-kids-in-books-by-lindsey-mcdivitt/

Instagram Tips for Writers

How to best use Instagram to connect with your readers and build sales. 

https://www.janefriedman.com/10-instagram-tips-for-writers/

Feedback

When you receive feedback on your story, you need to process it to decide which suggestions resonate. 

https://writerunboxed.com/2018/09/19/how-to-process-and-filter-feedback/

Sentence Structure

Your readers will soon get bored if you don't vary your sentence structure.  

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/09/4-ways-to-keep-your-sentences-from-all.html

Voice

Your writer's voice is as unique as your speaking one. 

https://writingthroughlife.com/10-tips-for-strengthening-your-unique-writing-voice/

Foreshadowing

Use foreshadowing to set your readers up for what will happen later in the story.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-use-foreshadowing/amp/

Advance Reviewer Copies

When you receive ARCs of your new book, why not send them on tour with an ARC-sharing group? 

https://jarrettlerner.com/2018/09/15/arcs-and-arc-sharing-groups/

Middle grade or young adult

In addition to the age of the main character, middle grades and young adult books differ in several other respects. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-key-differences-between-middle-grade-vs-young-adult

Author Visits

A school visit is all about the students, not about you. 

https://writerunboxed.com/2018/08/25/how-to-create-an-unforgettable-author-visit/

Literary Nonfiction

The definition of literary nonfiction depends upon who you ask. 

http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2018/09/what-is-literary-nonfiction.html

Chapter Hooks

Studying how TV programs choose where to break for commercial can help you improve your chapter hooks.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/09/andaction-applying-tv-lessons-to-chapter-hooks/

Book Titles

Even though your publisher may choose to change the title, you still want to choose one that reflects your story. 

https://killzoneblog.com/2018/08/a-title-by-any-other-name.html

Paths to Publications

Whether you choose to traditionally publish or not, there are many possible paths to choose. 

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

Character Names

Take the opportunity to reveal aspects of your characters by carefully choosing their names. 

http://www.writersonthemove.com/2018/07/creating-character-names-olwhatshisname.html?m=1

Writing Stage Directions

You don't need to tell your readers every single movement your characters make. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/02/finding-right-balance-with-your-stage.html

Royalty Statements

Even if you have an agent, it's important that you read your royalty statements. 

http://www.jacquelinedavies.net/blog/2018/2/25/women-read-your-royalty-statements

Building Suspense

Suspense in your story will keep your readers turning the page to find out what happens. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/09/building-suspense-meet-your-readers-in-the-middle-and-they-will-come/

Looking for an Agent

Here are some things you might want to think about before embarking on your agent search. 

http://www.bookish.co.za/blog/2018/8/23/things-i-wish-i-had-known-when-looking-for-a-literary-agent

Synopses

Tips for writing a strong novel synopsis that will make an agent or editor want to read your manuscript. 

https://kidlit.com/2018/08/27/write-novel-synopsis/

Other Senses

It's easy to describe what your character sees, but your story will be much richer if you include the other senses. 

https://jamigold.com/2018/08/beyond-visuals-how-to-show-with-other-senses/

Internal Dialogue

How do you write your character's internal thoughts?

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/08/the-ins-and-outs-of-internal-dialogue/

Body Language

If your characters are always shaking their heads, here's a great list of alternatives. 

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/shake-the-head/

Punctuation

Here are some general ways to think about the uses of punctuation, without getting into the specifics of what goes where.

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/08/01/punctuation-without-tears-4-tips-for-professional-punctuation/

First Lines

Here are some ideas of ways to nail that first line of your manuscript. 

http://romanceuniversity.org/2018/08/10/nail-that-first-line-by-laura-drake/

Resurrecting Older Manuscripts

How can you tell whether one of your older unpublished manuscripts is worth trying to revise and submit.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/08/3-ways-to-tell-if-manuscript-is-worth.html

Synopses Help Your Writing

Writing a synopsis helps you uncover plots holes and see whether the actions in your action flows from cause to effect.

https://authorchronicles.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/3-story-uses-for-a-synopsis/

Wordplay

Whether you write picture books or novels, adding wordplay will make your story more interesting to your readers.

https://writersrumpus.com/2018/08/21/3-ways-to-add-wordplay-to-your-writing/

Book Titles

Here are some tips for choosing a strong title for your book. 

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2018/08/tips-for-titles-whats-in-name-by-lucy.html

Pre-ordering Books

Why is it so important as part of your marketing plan to encourage people to pre-order your book?

https://www.februarymedia.net/the-importance-of-pre-ordering/

Finding an Agent

How do you go about finding the perfect agent for you, and do you need one? 

https://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2018/08/finding-agent-do-you-need-one.html

Imagery

There are many ways, both good and bad, to add imagery to your manuscript. 

https://kidlit.com/2018/08/06/writing-images-theyre-not-created-equal/

Agent Information

Cynthia Leitich Smith provides many links about agents and working with agents. 

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/for-writers/for-writers/links/agents/

Twitter Chats

Twitter chats are a great way to interact with educators and fellow kidlit authors.

https://alicekeeler.com/2014/11/01/participating-in-a-twitter-chat/

Revisions, Redrafts, and Rewrites

Although we often use the term "revising," also to mean redrafting and rewriting, they are three very different methods to make your manuscript the best it can be. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/02/the-difference-between-revision-rewrite.html

Planning a Series

If you plan to make your book a first one in a series, it helps to have an idea where the rest of the story is going. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/08/baking-series-from-scratch.html

Synopses

What is an agent or editor looking for in your synopsis? 

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2018/08/what-we-want-in-synopsis.html

Writing Out of Sequence

Here are some thoughts about whether it's better to write you story straight from beginning to end or to skip around scenes. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/08/the-art-of-skipping-around-or-writing-out-of-sequence/

Dialogue Tags

There are many ways to let your readers know who is speaking. 

https://www.novel-writing-help.com/dialogue-tags.html

Bad Agents

Having a bad agent, one doesn't do the job well, is worse than having no agent at all. 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2007/06/27/bad-agen/

Tone

Tone is the author's use of words and style to convey an attitude toward the subject of the writing. 

https://writerswrite.co.za/155-words-to-describe-an-authors-tone/

Promoting Your Older Titles

If you want your books to keep selling, you can't stop your marketing efforts after the launch. 

https://buildbookbuzz.com/5-ways-to-promote-your-book-long-after-the-launch/

Point of View Breaks

Here are some ways to make sure you keep firmly with your point of view character. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/08/cleaning-up-those-pov-breaks/

Writing Different Voices

How can you write dialogue so your characters don't all sound the same? 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/03/is-that-you-developing-voices-for.html

Author Platforms

What is an author platform and do you need one? 

https://rachellegardner.com/answering-questions-about-platform/

Nonfiction Picture Books

Candace Fleming gives six fixes to make your nonfiction picture book better. 

https://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2018/08/candace-fleming-six-quick-fixes-for.html

Questions for a Prospective Agent

Now that you've received "the call," it's time to find out whether you and the agent can build good business partnership.

https://dystelblogarchive.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/jim-suggests-questions-to-ask-a-prospective-agent/

Revision Resources

Here are some links to that all important step of revising your kidlit manuscript. 

http://www.kidsbookrevisions.com/resources.htm

Writing Checklists and Tips

Make every word count with the help of these checklists and writing tips.

https://onestopforwriters.com/image_tips

Blogs About Writing

Get writing tips and tricks by following some of these blocks, including ones specific to kidlit. 
https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/top-50-writing-blogs

Character Quirks

Add depth to your characters by giving them quirks. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/07/spice-up-your-characters-personality-with-a-quirk/

First Sentence

There are various methods to get to that perfect (or as close to perfect as it can be) first sentence. 

https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2014/07/ask-kami-how-do-i-come-up-with-good.html

Comparative Titles

When an agent asks you to provide comparative titles, what does that actually mean? 

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2018/06/comps.html

Small Publishers

How do you evaluate a small publisher before submitting? 

https://www.janefriedman.com/evaluate-small-publisher/

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Find out what many abbreviation or acronym actually stand for.

https://www.acronymfinder.com/

Character Descriptions

How much should you describe your characters and how much should you leave to the reader's imagination. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/01/tall-dark-handsome-how-much-do-you-need.html

Flashbacks

Flashbacks, if used correctly, are a great way to introduce what's at stake for your character. 

http://www.throughthetollbooth.com/the-four-habits-of-highly-effective-flashbacks-by-dean-gloster/

Successful Picture Books

There are many factors that lead to a successful picture book including re-readability. 

http://tracymarchini.com/2011/02/14/9-factors-that-make-a-picture-book-successful/

Pen Names

In this day and age, pen names may be more trouble than they're worth. 

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2016/08/the-problem-with-pen-names/

Self Editing

Make sure your manuscript is in the best shape possible before you send it out. 

https://www.writermag.com/2016/09/22/self-editing/

Tighten Your Writing

Here are some common examples of overwriting that can be fixed to tighten your writing. 

http://theeditorsblog.net/2013/01/22/cut-the-flab-make-every-word-count/

Synopses

One way to approach writing the dreaded synopsis is to write a pitch first. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/07/novel-synopsis-hacks/

Advice for Middle Grade Authors

Kids tell what works for them and what doesn't when reading a middle grade book. 

https://www.alistandish.com/single-post/2018/02/26/Are-Middle-Grade-Authors-Getting-It-Wrong

Researching Agents and Publishers

It's important to do your research before submitting, both to make sure your manuscript is a good match and to avoid scams. 

http://pitchwars.org/how-to-research-literary-agents-and-publishers-before-sending-materials/

School Assemblies

A school visit presentation to hundreds of children presents unique challenges. 

http://blog.bookbaby.com/2018/06/promoting-your-book-and-yourself-at-a-school-assembly/

Openings

Here are twelve ways to make sure your readers will want to turn that first page. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/start-novel-bang-hook-readers/

Character Physical Features

One Stop for Writers offers this thesaurus to describe your character's physical features. 

https://onestopforwriters.com/physical_features

Age of YA Protagonist

What's an acceptable age for the main character of your young adult book? 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/06/27/askagent-is-it-okay-to-make-your-ya-protagonist-14-years-old/

Plotting

Yes, plot means conflict, but also needs to include a call to action. 

http://middlegrademinded.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-things-i-wish-id-know-about.html

No Agent Needed Publishers

Here's a list of some of the US publishers who accept children's book submissions without needing an agent. 

https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/2014/05/17-us-childrens-book-publishers.html

Polishing Your Manuscript

Five steps to make your manuscript glisten. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/06/wax-on-wax-off-5-key-areas-to-polish-before-submitting-a-manuscript/

Book Readings

Here are some things to consider when you're "performing" your book in public.  

http://writerunboxed.com/2018/06/01/how-to-perform-not-just-read-your-work-in-front-of-audiences/

Picture Book 101s

This is a great introduction to writing picture books. 

https://medium.com/@michaelhingston/picture-books-101-from-alison-hughes-9b9eec235b19

Deep Point of View

Emotional layering is the key to writing in deep point of view. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/06/emotional-layers-the-gateway-to-deep-point-of-view/

Revision Steps

Sometimes the first step in revising is to create a second rough draft.

https://jamigold.com/2018/06/breaking-down-the-steps-of-revision-to-improve-our-storytelling/

Book Launch Timeline

What to do and when before your book comes out. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/book-launch-checklist-marketing-timeline-traditionally-published-authors/

Publishing Credits

What publishing credits should you list in an agent query and what if you don't have any? 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/06/how-to-list-your-publishing-credits-in-a-query-letter

Plot Basics

No matter what structure you use for your novel, there are certain basics you need to cover in your plot. 

http://middlegrademinded.blogspot.com/2014/07/basics-of-plot-structure.html

A Career in Writing

If you want to be a professional writer, here are some steps to follow. 

https://rachellegardner.com/7-keys-to-planning-your-career-path/

Writer's Conferences

From getting feedback to meeting other writers, there are many reasons to attend a writer's conference. 

http://blog.bookbaby.com/2018/06/every-writer-should-attend-at-least-one-writers-conference/

Scenes

What are the elements of a scene that will draw in your readers? 

http://thewriteediting.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-making-of-scene.html

Editing a Novel

Breaking your novel into chunks will make the editing process less overwhelming. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/05/how-to-edit-novel-without-feeling.html

Alien Character Names

If you're writing science fiction or fantasy, these patterns might help you choose the perfect character names. 

http://ralph.nuoj.com/alien.php

Cover Reveal

What's the best way to reveal the cover of your soon to be published book?

http://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-art-of-the-cover-reveal/

Query or Contest

Should you try to get representation through queries or contests? 

https://subitclub.com/2018/07/03/query-or-contest-whats-best-for-you/

Critique Groups

Critique groups do more than just provide feedback on manuscripts. 

http://www.emroyal.com/2018/06/19/critique-groups-8-good-reasons-to-love/

Interviewing Experts

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you may need to find and interview experts in a field.

http://blog.bookbaby.com/2018/06/conducting-interviews-for-research-identifying-and-contacting-expert-sources/

Pronoun Problems

Make sure it's clear to whom you are referring when you use pronouns. 

https://www.indiesunlimited.com/2018/06/22/solving-pronoun-problems-can-benefit-your-writing-in-general/

Pitch Sessions

Be prepared for your pitch session by practicing the answers to these questions. 

https://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2018/06/questions-to-be-prepared-for-in-pitch.html

Active Verbs

Why use common, boring verbs when there are so many active ones to choose from. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Active-Verbs-List.pdf

Describing Your Character

Make every detail count when it comes to describing your character. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/02/describing-your-character-how-to-make-every-detail-count/

Pen Names

What are the reasons you might want to use a pen name? 

https://www.writerswrite.com/bookpublishing/pen-names/

Picture Book Structure

There are many ways to structure your picture book, from days of the week to a journey. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/7-ways-to-structure-your-picture-book

Social Media Tips

Social media is for connecting with your readers, not for giving them a hard sell. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/tips-authors-using-social-media-literary-agent/

Finding a Good Book Publicist

What you should look for in choosing and publicist and ideas for going it alone.

https://www.janefriedman.com/what-to-look-for-book-publicist/

Tough Topics in Middle Grades

Themes that used to be seen only in young adult novels are now being handled in middle grades. 

https://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2018/06/guest-post-barbara-dee-on-keeping-it.html

Author Bios

No matter where you are on your writing journey, you'll need to have an author bio. 

https://rachellegardner.com/how-to-write-a-terrific-author-bio/

Why You Need to Revise

Reason #1 - Your first draft is not your best one.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/10921/harold-underdown-eileen-robinson-top-10-reasons-you-need-to-revise-your-manuscript/

Marketing Strategies

Josh Funk shares marketing ideas starting with "write a good book." 

http://www.24carrotwriting.com/-blog/josh-funk-shares-powerhouse-marketing-strategies

Hook Your Readers

Twelve tips to writing an opening that will pull in your readers. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/start-novel-bang-hook-readers/

Is Your Work Any Good?

How can you tell if your work is ready to submit? 

https://rachellegardner.com/how-do-you-know-if-your-work-is-any-good/

Will Your Idea Be Stolen?

If you submit your work to agents and editors, how can you be sure they won't steal your idea? 

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/ask-dianne-10/

Book Readings

There's more to a book reading than just reciting the words on a page. 

http://writerunboxed.com/2018/06/01/how-to-perform-not-just-read-your-work-in-front-of-audiences/

Emotional Meaning

Make your readers care about your characters by layering emotional meaning into them.

https://kidlit.com/2018/06/04/writing-emotional-meaning/

Book Sales

What constitutes "good sales," and how are sales tracked? 

https://electricliterature.com/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-book-sales-but-were-afraid-to-ask-1fe6bc00aa2d

Novel Perspectives

Consistency is the key when choosing your novel's tense and point of view. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/06/everything-you-need-to-know-about-novel-perspectives

Co-Authoring

There's no one right way to write a book with another author. 

http://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-co-authoring/

Switching from Self-Publishing to Traditional

If you self-publish first, you can still traditionally publish later titles. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/how-to-make-the-leap-from-self-publishing-to-traditional-publishing

Great Dialogue

Here are some hints to make your dialogue sound authentic to your characters. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/06/all-about-dialogue-lori-freeland/

Improve Your Writing

What can you do to become a better writer in addition to the obvious of read and write extensively. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/05/how-much-really-needs-to-be-in-your.html

Opening Sentence

How much really needs to be in the opening sentence of your novel? 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/05/how-much-really-needs-to-be-in-your.html

Book Royalties

How are book royalties figured out, and how does the advance work?

https://rachellegardner.com/how-do-book-royalties-work/

Quick Outlining

Here's how to outline your story idea in only thirty minutes. 

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/03/outlining-your-future-book-in-30-minutes/

Writing Middle Grade

Here are some tips for writing a middle-grade novel that will resonate with kids. 

https://diymfa.com/writing/five-lessons-learned-writing-first-middle-grade-novel

BookExpo 2018 Marketing Tips

What marketing tips can you learn from BookExpo, the biggest annual publishing conference in the US?

https://insights.bookbub.com/book-marketing-takeaways-bookexpo-2018/

Writing Groups

Figure out which type of writing group you need at this point in your writing journey. 

https://writeforkids.org/blog/2017/10/writing-groups-101-kind-right/

Using Your Theme

Thinking about your theme can help you develop subplots, supporting characters, and tension. 

Use Theme to Determine Subplots, Supporting Characters, and Tension

Book Promotion Fatigue

Marketing is exhausting and sometimes you need to scale back your marketing efforts. 

http://writerunboxed.com/2018/06/05/dealing-with-book-promotion-fatigue/

Website and Mailing List Privacy Regulations

You may need to update your website and/or mailing list to comply with The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which went into effect May 25, 2018.

Editorial Letters

How do you handle revising your manuscript, possibly extensively, after getting feedback from an editor? 

http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2018/05/wow-weds-molly-e-lee-on-revisions.html#.WyPR86dKhlY

After an Editor Expresses Interest

Yay for getting interest from an editor on your manuscript, but what happens next?

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/05/29/anatomy-of-a-book-deal-inside-the-publishing-house/

Describing Settings You've Never Visited

It's not always possible to visit every location in your book, but you still need to get the details right. 

http://romanceuniversity.org/2016/07/22/how-to-vividly-describe-a-setting-that-youve-never-visited-by-angela-ackerman/

Literary Agent Etiquette

There are no hard and fast rules when approaching an agent, but it never hurts to be polite. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/a-guide-to-literary-agent-etiquette

First Novel Tips

Increase the chances that your first novel won't be a practice one, but will actually be published. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/05/write-publishable-first-novel-10-tips/

Useless Words

Tighten your manuscript by eliminating some of these useless words.

https://nowastedink.com/2018/04/20/destroy-all-cling-ons-your-final-manuscript-polish-by-rebecca-gomez-farrell/

Nonfiction Book Proposal

Unlike fiction, most nonfiction books are sold by proposal.

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/how-to-write-a-nonfiction-book-proposal

Craft Tips

We all know the big tips like "show don't tell," but there are many other ways to make your manuscript sing. 

http://www.throughthetollbooth.com/a-five-page-mfa-by-abigail-hing-wen/

Educational Markets

Writing a work for hire book is one way to get a book published. 

https://taralazar.com/2018/05/01/basics-of-the-educational-market-by-lydia-lukidis/

Pitches

Everything you need to know about pitching your book.

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/everything-authors-need-to-know-about-pitching

Negative Reviews

Don't respond. Ever. 

https://thewritelife.com/respond-negative-review/

First Sentences

Grab your reader from the first sentence by trying one of these ideas. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/04/how-to-write-a-great-first-sentence/

Kitlit Agent Twitter Handles

If you're looking to learn about agents, one way is to follow them on Twitter. 

https://twitter.com/inkyelbows/lists/agents-who-rep-kidlit-ya/members

Alternatives to Querying

There are ways to get your pitch in front of agents other than the traditional querying. 

http://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/forget-query-stage/

After You're Gone

Be proactive about what happens to your intellectual property after you die. 

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2006/10/important-and-pass-it-on.html

Handling Critiques

It's not always easy to receive feedback about your manuscript, but it will help you improve your story.

https://killzoneblog.com/2018/03/how-to-handle-critiques.html

Dialogue Don'ts

Three dialogue don'ts and how to fix them. 

http://www.throughthetollbooth.com/three-dialogue-donts-and-their-fixes-by-dean-gloster/

Epistolary Novel

An epistolary novel, one told in letters, still needs to be a good story. 

http://smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com/2018/05/how-to-write-epistolary-novel-in-ten.html

Author Brand

You are your author brand, and you don't want to do anything to sully it. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/05/10-ways-tank-your-author-brand/

Overplotting

More is not always better when it comes to plotting your story. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/05/8-signs-you-might-be-over-plotting-your.html

Picture Book Dummies

Even if you're not an illustrator, you should make a picture book dummy to show problems with your manuscript. 

http://cbiclubhouse.com/clubhouse/how-to-make-a-picture-book-dummy/

Author Websites

Why you need one and what should they include? 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/how-to-make-a-good-author-website

Social Media Images

Here are some creative ways to create images to use in your social media posts. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/creative-ways-authors-images-social-media-marketing/

Middle Grade or Young Adult

What are the hallmarks of a middle grade novel versus a young adult one? 

https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/5-ways-to-tell-if-youre-writing-middle-grade-or-young-adult-fiction/

Talking to Literary Agents

Agents love books and you love books, so why not strike up a conversation with a literary agent about books?

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/05/10/a-guide-to-talking-books-with-literary-agents/

Nonfiction Scenes

How to immerse your readers in the setting of your nonfiction book. 

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/10597/guest-post-jennifer-swanson-setting-a-scene-with-a-stem-book/

Series Queries

What's the best way to query with a book that is part of a series? 

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2018/05/more-on-series-and-how-to-talk-about.html

Make Your Character's Actions Count

Does the action in your book actually add value to your story?

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/05/when-action-isnt-a-good-thing-in-your-novel/

Make Your Booksigning an Event

What can you do to make your next booksigning one that people will flock to? 

https://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jan00/35-ways-to-make-your-next-book-signing-an-1006

Following Up with an Agent

How long should you wait before giving a prospective agent a little nudge? 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/04/when-to-follow-up-with-a-literary-agent

Problem with First Person

First person is great for showing a character's inner world, but not so great if you want to describe the setting. 

https://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-struggle-with-writing-in-first.html

Hooking Nonfiction Readers

Follow these tips to write a nonfiction books that kids can't put down. 

https://writeforkids.org/blog/2014/10/four-foolproof-ways-to-hook-nonfiction-readers/

Writing about Real Places/Products

It's okay to include brand names and real locations in your manuscript as long as you don't defame them.

https://www.indiesunlimited.com/2018/04/30/using-real-places-products-in-your-novel-name-but-dont-defame/

Why You Need a Synopsis

Everyone hates to writing synopses, but they can help to show problems in your manuscript. 

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/04/writing-synopsis/

Kidlit Editor Twitter Handles

Keep us with the world of kidlit by following these editors. 

https://twitter.com/inkyelbows/lists/kidlit-ya-editors/members

Opening Scenes

What do you need to accomplish in the first few pages of your manuscript? 

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/your-ultimate-first-chapter-checklist-pt-2-writing-the-first-scene/

Finding the Perfect Agent

You need to figure out your own career priorities to find the agent who will be best for you. 

http://middlegrademinded.blogspot.com/2018/02/finding-your-perfect-agent-match.html

Writing Middle-Grade

Here are some tips to make your book appeal to this audience of eager readers. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/6-golden-rules-of-writing-middle-grade

Social Media Conventions

Here are some suggestions of how to follow the often unwritten "rules" of social media. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/04/4-ways-not-dork-social-media/

Settings

Creating a map of your story's setting will make your vision more concrete. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/02/mapping-storys-setting/

Openings

You'll have a great opening to your novel, if you start with conflict and action.

https://kidlit.com/2018/03/26/novel-opening-pages/

Choosing Your Social Media

Different social media platforms help authors connect with different audiences. 

http://www.ingramspark.com/blog/what-social-media-should-authors-use

Premature Editing

Editing too soon may take away some of the creative spark for your story. 

http://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/03/premature-editing-kills-amazing-stories/

Author Photos

Avoid these mistakes in your author photos. 

https://www.millcitypress.net/blog/mistakes-with-author-photos

Scenes

For every scene you write, you should ask yourself, "What is the point of this scene?" 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/03/the-question-you-need-to-ask-for-every.html

Query Letters

What is the standard information you should include in your query letter? 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/04/17/the-art-of-the-query-letter/

Author Website Mistakes

Don't confuse or turn away readers by having a poorly designed website.  

http://annerallen.com/2018/03/5-website-mistakes/

Show, Don't Tell

We all know the writing rule that says, "show, don't tell," but how do you actually do that? 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/04/7-ways-to-master-show-dont-tell.html

Social Media for Authors

The time to start your social media presence is now, even if you don't yet have a book out. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/04/a-guide-to-social-media-for-authors

Book Series

Ways to make your book series better, both in the individual books and over all of them. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/04/how-not-to-mess-up-your-book-series/

Pacing

Here are twenty tips on how to rethink the pacing in your book. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/pacing-your-plot-20-ways-to-rethink-your-narrative-pace

Bookstore Appearances

How to give patrons a reason to come up and talk to you when you're appearing at a bookstore. 

https://lithub.com/how-to-make-bookstore-appearances-ten-times-more-interesting/

Picture Book Publishers

Here's a list of children's book publishers that focus primarily on picture books. 

http://www.authorspublish.com/30-childrens-book-publishers-seeking-picture-books/

Saying Goodbye to a Manuscript

How do you know if it is time to finally put away your work in progress for good? 

http://annerallen.com/2018/04/saying-goodbye-to-that-wip/

Visual Thinking

Will thinking visually improve your writing? 

http://writerunboxed.com/2018/03/26/visual-thinking/

Author Category and Genre Loyalty

Should you stick to one category and genre in order to build your author brand? 

http://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/02/genre-cohesion-foundational/

Royalty Statements

You can't assume your royalty statements are correct; check them. 

http://www.jacquelinedavies.net/blog/2018/2/25/women-read-your-royalty-statements

Author Rights

It's important to know your rights as an author. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/04/know-your-rights-as-an-author

The Odds of Getting Published

Although the odds of getting published may seem overwhelming, most of the people who say they want to have a published book will never put in the work to get there.

http://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/03/author-success-actual-odds/

Deep POV

When you're writing in deep point of view, you need to filter everything through your main character. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/02/description-and-setting-in-deep-pov/

Self-Editing

A reason to edit as you write is to avoid small problems snowballing into larger, harder to fix ones. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/03/how-to-edit-your-novel

Backmatter

Here are some fairly common types of material you find in backmatter. 

https://mentorsforrent.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/how-to-write-a-nonfiction-picture-book-step-14-come-on-backmatter/

Emotions

Help your readers make an emotional connection with your work.  

http://writerunboxed.com/2018/03/12/3-tips-to-hook-your-readers-emotions/

Unforgettable Settings

Settings can provide more than a backdrop to the characters and setting of your novel. 

http://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/03/writing-unforgettable-settings/

Tips for Authors

Author Ellen Jackson shares ten tips for authors. 

http://www.ellenjackson.net/ten_tips_61412.htm

Co-Writing

If you're writing a book with someone else, there are some steps you should take to avoid future trouble.  

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/02/top-tips-for-writing-with-another-author/

Children's Publishers Open to Unagented Submissions

If you don't have an agents, there are some publishers closed to you, but here's a list of ones you can submit to. 

https://thejohnfox.com/2016/03/children-book-publishers/

First Pages

There are several overused scenes for first pages that you should avoid. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/03/garlic-breath-writers-aka-bad-first-pages/

Character Names

Make sure you choose appropriate character names and don't fall into these common traps. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/03/9-tips-character-names/

Types of Picture Books

Picture books can be for older/younger children, fiction/nonfiction, and on a variety of topics. 

https://www.writingpicturebooksforchildren.com/types-of-picture-books.html

Revision, Rewrite, Redraft

Make sure your not just revising your manuscript when you should be rewriting or even redrafting.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/02/the-difference-between-revision-rewrite.html

Researching Agents

How do you figure out which agents you should query? 

https://subitclub.com/2018/02/06/finding-and-researching-agents-step-by-step/

Author Blogs

Here are some reasons why you might want to consider starting an author blog. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/02/8-reasons-start-author-blog/

Backstories in a Series

How do you bring readers of later books in a series up to speed if they haven't read the earlier ones? 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/02/a-3-step-plan-for-handling-backstory-in.html

Dialogue Problems

Sometimes the solution to dialogue problems in a scene is to not have any dialogue at all.

http://annerallen.com/2018/02/indirect-dialogue/

After an Offer

Congratulations on getting an offer from an agent; now what? 

https://shannonepowers.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/so-you-got-an-offer-of-rep/

Tightening Your Manuscript

Here are some tips to cut your word count and tighten your manuscript. 

http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/how-to-get-tight-2/

Book Signings

A few simple hints to make your book signings more successful. 

http://elizabethspanncraig.com/6462/signings-2/

Dialogue

If you write your dialogue the way people really speak, you'll bore your readers. 

https://www.novel-writing-help.com/writing-dialogue.html

Amazon Author Central

Set up your author page on Amazon to help your readers find out more about your and to receive sales figures. 

https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/set-up-amazon-author-central/

Sentence Structures

Eliminate these clunky sentence structures to tighten and improve your writing.

https://thewritelife.com/clunky-sentence-structures/

Manuscript Formatting

Here's how NOT to format your manuscript. 

https://writersrumpus.com/2018/03/13/how-not-to-format-your-manuscript/

Backmatter

Whether your write nonfiction or fiction, you can enhance the value of your book by including backmatter. 

http://www.reforemo.com/2018/03/reforemo-day-3-heidi-e-y-stemple-sheds.html

Picture Book Basics

If you're new to the world of picture books, the first thing to know is they're not just short books.  

http://www.wordsandpics.org/2013/07/picture-book-basics-understanding-format.html

Business Questions

Should you form an LLC for your writing business and other questions to consider. 

http://www.sylvialiuland.com/2014/03/Freelance-Author-Illustrator-Rules.html

Theme

What exactly is the theme of a book and how does it differ from plot? 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/02/theme-made-simple/

First vs. Third Person POV

How do you decide whether to use first or third person point of view? 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/02/third-vs-first-person-narratives/

Why You Need an Editor

No matter how good a writer you are, you're work will be improved with the help of an editor.

http://booksbywomen.org/ten-reasons-why-you-need-an-editor-by-carol-m-cram/

Common Mistakes

These are some common mistakes that writers make. 

https://rachellegardner.com/avoid-common-writing-mistakes/

Writers' Conferences

Conferences are a wonderful way to network with both professionals and your fellow writers. 

https://stevelaube.com/seven-tips-next-writers-conference/

Author Readings

You can increase the chances of having a successful reading by following these hints. 

https://nowastedink.com/2018/01/26/surviving-an-author-reading/

Common Grammar Mistakes

Here's a handy guide to common grammar mistakes and how to fix them. 

https://stevelaube.com/fix-16-potholes-grammar-street/

Transition Words

Make your writing tighter by avoiding these transition words.

http://www.smart-words.org/linking-words/transition-words.html

Making Characters Come Alive

Your characters will be dull and lifeless if you do this to them. 

https://wordservewatercooler.com/2018/02/01/how-to-kill-off-your-characters-without-even-trying/

Kidlit Blogs

Keep up with the world of children's books by following these blogs and websites. 

https://blog.feedspot.com/childrens_book_blogs/

Picture Book Templates

Debbie Ridpath Ohi offers free picture book thumbnail templates for download. 

http://inkygirl.com/inkygirl-main/2015/11/4/free-picture-book-thumbnail-templates-for-writers-and-illust.html

Referrals

When you're thinking about asking for a referral, think about what that means from both the agent and the referring author points of view.

https://subitclub.com/2017/11/07/wrestling-with-referrals/

Plot Mistakes

Watch out for these eight common plot mistakes and learn how to fix them. 

http://annerallen.com/2018/02/plot-holes-and-pot-holes-8-common-mistakes/

Prologues

If you are submitting a partial manuscript, don't use of any of those precious pages by including a prologue. 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/02/22/dear-author-dump-the-prologue/

Book Conferences and Festivals

Publishers Weekly give a select list of book-related conferences, festivals, and fairs for 2018. 

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/75712-select-book-conferences-festivals-and-fairs-in-2018.html

Picture Book Publishers

These publishers accept unagented picture book manuscripts. 

https://picturebookplanet.com/publishers/

Getting an Agent After an Offer

Before you accept that offer, think about contacting an agent.

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/02/20/how-an-agent-can-do-when-that-offer-comes-in-how-an-agent-benefits-you/

Child Characters

If you write kidlit, it's pretty important that you be able to write believable child characters. 

https://kidlit.com/2018/02/19/writing-child-characters/

Second Drafts

Congratulations on finishing your first draft, but now it's time for revising, starting with your second draft. 

http://stavroshalvatzis.com/story-design/writing-second-draft

Blog Posts

If you're stuck on ideas of what to post on your author blog, here are some suggestions. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/creative-blog-post-ideas-authors/

#ownvoices

What does it mean to write with #ownvoices? 

http://www.corinneduyvis.net/ownvoices/

Chosing a Writing Conference

With so many conferences aimed at writing, how do you choose ones that will help further your writing and your career?

https://brevity.wordpress.com/2018/02/06/some-thoughts-on-choosing/

Great Voice

If you want to write books with a great voice, you need to read books with a great voice. 

https://kidlit.com/2018/02/05/reading-way-great-writing-voice/

Scaffolding in Nonfiction

In order to present new concepts in your nonfiction, you have to provide the informational support so they can understand it. 

http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2018/02/getting-to-i-get-it-scaffolding-in_2.html

Book Events

Here are some tips to help you engage children's interest at book events. 

http://www.kidliterati.com/2018/01/reaching-readers-engaging-kids-at-book.html

Plotting a Novel

How to plot both the big picture and individual scenes in a novel. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/01/plotting-novel-big-picture-vs-single.html

Plotting a Novel

You need to plot your novel both at the book and at the scene level. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/01/plotting-novel-big-picture-vs-single.html

Networking with Agents

When you meet an agent at a conference, here are five questions to get a conversation going. 

http://bookendsliterary.com/2018/01/25/five-questions-to-ask-an-agent-editor-when-networking/

Picture Book Biographies

Three keys to writing and selling a picture book biography.

https://sevena28flores.wordpress.com/2017/11/09/three-keys-to-selling-a-childrens-picture-book-biography/

Children's Book Industry

It's important to understand the business of children's books if you want to be published. 

https://uhalumni.org/manoa/story/8-things-to-know-about-the-childrens-book-industry

Types of Editors

Your manuscript can benefit from the help of a different type of editor, depending upon where you are in the writing process.

Common Rejections

Here are some rejections you might receive and what they actually mean. 

https://taralazar.com/2016/02/02/common-rejections-and-what-they-mean/

Realistic Characters

Five things your characters need to make them real. 

https://www.writingforward.com/storytelling/five-things-your-characters-need

Word Counts

Your book should be as long as it takes to tell your story and no longer. 

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2010/09/word-counts-for-children-books.html

Elevator Pitches

When you're asked to say what your book is about, you need to be ready. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/12/whats-book-perfecting-art-elevator-pitch/

What to Write Next

Your manuscript is off to your agent or to editors, and it's time to figure out your next project. 

https://jamigold.com/2018/01/what-to-write-next-playing-favorites/

Retyping Your Revision

Retyping makes you consider all the words and sentences in your revision and not just your changes. 

https://hollyschindler.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/why-you-should-retype-your-revision-yes-the-whole-thing/

Advice from Publishers

Here is some basic info children's book publishers wish writers knew. 

https://writeforkids.org/blog/2014/09/7-things-editors-at-childrens-book-publishers-wish-writers-knew/

Book Titles

How to choose the best title for your book (even though your publisher might change it.)

http://annerallen.com/2016/10/book-titles-10-tips-choose-right-title/

Author Visit Fees

How much should you charge for an author visit? 

https://author2author.blogspot.com/2012/06/what-should-i-charge-for-author-visit.html

Picture Books 101

Picture books aren't just short books; learn the what makes it a picture book.

https://medium.com/@michaelhingston/picture-books-101-from-alison-hughes-9b9eec235b19

Researching Agents

Recommendations on how and where to find out more about agents before querying.

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2017/06/how-to-research-literary-agent

Writer Hashtags

No matter your social media platform of choice, you should be familiar with these writer-related hashtags.

https://writerswrite.co.za/85-hashtags-writers-need-know/

Agent Rejects

Agent Marie Lamba shares five reasons why she rejects a manuscript. 

https://authorchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/five-reasons-for-agent-rejections-of-a-manuscript/

Writers' Conferences

What do you gain by going to a writers' conference? 

http://writerunboxed.com/2017/08/24/what-a-writers-conference-really-buys-you/

Elements of a Picture Book

Here are ten essential elements to a good picture book. 

https://kathrynevans.ink/2012/12/17/ten-essential-picture-book-elements/

Character Description

When you physically describe your character, make each detail serve a purpose.

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/02/describing-your-character-how-to-make-every-detail-count/

Picture Book Revision

Here are some common mistakes in picture book manuscripts. 

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

Blogging

Ten tips for a successful author blog. 

http://annerallen.com/2017/12/easy-author-blog-10-tips/

Plotting

There are many ways to approach plotting your story. 

https://medium.com/@eannaroberts/plotting-your-story-6d1bc6ca674c

Author Websites

Don't make these mistakes on your author website. 

https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2017/11/top-10-ways-your-website-leaves-readers-and-leads-in-the-dust/

Series

Six things to consider before writing a series.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/11/6-things-to-consider-before-writing.html

School Visit Fees

Here are some answers to the question of why pay authors for school visits. 

https://carolinestarrrose.com/why-pay-authors-for-school-visits-anyway/

Ways to Hear No

If you include these in your query, you're likely to hear "no."

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2017/09/7-fast-way-to-hear-no.html

Book Marketing

This site contains many links to all aspects of book marketing. 

https://insights.bookbub.com/ultimate-guide-book-marketing/

Pacing

Here are twenty ways to think about the pace of your novel. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/pacing-your-plot-20-ways-to-rethink-your-narrative-pace

Family History

Your family history is a gold mine of ideas for your books.

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/12/writing-fiction-using-family-history/

Episodic Writing

What is episodic writing and is it always a bad thing. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/12/episodic-vs-epic-go-bigger-writing/

Self-Editing Basics

Once your manuscript is finished, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work revising. 

https://rebeccatdickson.com/2013/12/12/cut-it-out-self-editing-basics/

Kidlit Blogs

The top 100 children's book blogs and websites for parents, teachers, and kids.

https://blog.feedspot.com/childrens_book_blogs/

Handshake Agreements

Should you have a written agency agreement or is a handshake good enough? 

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2017/12/author-agent-handshake-agreements.html

Types of Editing

From copy editing to developmental editing, there are many ways for an editor to help you revise your manuscript. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/12/different-kinds-editing-breakdown-examples/

Humorous Picture Books

Kids love to read funny stories, and here are some ways to introduce humor into your manuscript. 

https://lje1.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/writing-humorous-picture-books/

Historical Fiction

Here are some unconventional resources to add interest to your historical fiction. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/writing-fiction-online-editor/unconventional-resources-historical-fiction-research

Author Bios

You'll need an author bio from when you first submit to after your book is published. 

http://annerallen.com/2017/11/write-author-bio-any-occasion/

Showing Emotion

When you let your characters show emotions, your readers will relate more to them. 

https://anchoredgypsy.com/2016/11/15/how-to-show-emotion-on-the-page-the-cheat-sheets/

Writing Picture Books

Writing a picture book is not as easy as it looks. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/09/8-things-to-know-if-you-want-to-write.html

Referrals

A look at referrals from both the agent and the client point of view. 

https://subitclub.com/2017/11/07/wrestling-with-referrals/

Turn the Page

How do you get your picture book readers (and listeners) to want to turn that page? 

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2016/04/turn-that-picture-book-page-by-patricia.html

Synopses

Don't overthink it when you write your synopsis. 

https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2017/10/how-to-write-a-synopsis-for-a-novel

Suspense

Hook your readers by building suspense. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2017/10/guest-post-gillian-french-on-hooking.html

Rhyming

Do's and don'ts to make your rhyming book better. 

https://huwjonesbooks.com/2017/10/05/if-you-dont-rhyme-well-then-your-books-wont-sell/

Workshops

Five quick tips for engaging your audience. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/10/5-tips-for-presenting-an-engaging-workshop/

Debut Marketing Tips

If your first book is about to come out (or already has), these tips can help you up your marketing game. 

http://open-book.ca/Columnists/6-Marketing-Tips-for-Debut-Authors

Easy Edits

Sometimes it takes a few simple changes to bring your manuscript to life. 

https://litreactor.com/columns/10-easy-edits-to-improve-your-manuscript-right-now

Sentences

Every sentence in your manuscript is important, and here are some tips on how to improve them.

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/10/getting-jiggy-with-the-nitty-gritty-or-improving-your-sentences/

Pen Names

In this digital age, should you still use a pen name? 

http://annerallen.com/2017/10/author-pen-names-digital-age/

Tightening Your Manuscript

It's not always easy to cut words, but here are some hints that might help. 

http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2017/09/how-i-cut-33k-words-twenty-percent-from.html

Drafts

Your novel needs to go through all these drafts, including draft zero. 

https://writingcooperative.com/the-drafts-your-novel-needs-and-why-you-probably-wont-use-a-single-word-of-your-first-draft-c9c84fe0e841

Text Structure

Melissa Stewart shows how it often takes a lot of trial and error (and letting a manuscript rest) to find the correct structure for your text. 

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2017/09/searching-for-text-structure-with.html

Fast Draft Writing

Now that Nanowrimo is in the past, here's a way to keep up the momentum. 

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/09/fast-draft-writing-for-nanowrimo-and-every-other-month/

Writing Partnership

The primary rule of writing with a partner is to be flexible. 

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/09/the-ws-of-successful-writing-partnerships/

Nonfiction

There's more to writing than "just the facts, ma'am." 

http://www.imustread.com/2017/08/non-fiction-writing-tips.html

Marketing in Person

Marketing online is all well and good, but it's nice to get out there and meet your readers in real life. 

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/08/31/book-marketing-in-person/

Query No-nos

Ripple Grove Press tells what not to say in your query.

https://writersrumpus.com/2017/11/14/10-things-not-to-say-in-your-query-advice-from-a-childrens-publisher/