Researching a book? Trying to grasp a trend or fad? Need to understand a subject that you know absolutely nothing about? In these videos, Jon will show you an ingenious method to become an instant expert about anything using Google Reader. It's easy, fun & free! Let's go!
Part 1: Setting Up Google Reader
Part 2: Subscribing to Blogs
Part 3: Setting Up Google Alerts
The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade (Holiday House/Scholastic)
by Fightin' Bookworm Ken Derby
Become a Fightin' Bookworm
now and you'll get:
► A new issue of the famous Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers every month, packed with market news, hot tips and expert advice
► Complete access to The CBI 1-2-3 Succes System featuring our All-Star Team of Expert Guides
► Total access to our step-by-step children's writing course, The CBI Challenge
► Full access to our huge library of instructional articles, videos, podcasts, ebooks & more on the CBI Clubhouse
► Access to our exclusive sidebar chatbox, where you can ask questions, get help and share your latest triumphs
...and much more!
Just getting started? Dreaming of writing children's books but don't know where to turn?
Boy, have you come to the right place!
We give you a simple path to success, the wisdom of an All-Star cast of Expert Guides, the warmth of a friendly community and more than two decades of trusted guidance.
All right here on The CBI Clubhouse!
: What is the best way to improve grammar?
: Having my 2 year old granddaughter bring me this book repeatedly I was curious. Thank you for sharing what brings her back to this book. Great lesson! Thank you
: Let's all take a moment today to honor the great talent Maurice Sendak, who died today at age 83. Spend some time reading your favorite Sendak book. Or better yet, read it to a child.
: I was wondering if you knew the best way to post photo's in blogs. I am using Word Press and can't find any instructions anywhere.Maybe instructions could be posted somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if other people have this problem [...]
: The May issue of Children's Book Insider is online! http://cbiclubhouse.com/download-cbi/
This month's highlights include:
►. New Agent Accepting Submissions for All Ages
► Book Packager Accepting Original Manuscripts
► New EBook Publisher Seeks Middle Grade, YA Writers
► Publisher Seeks Fiction, Nonfiction with Jewish Themes
► Publisher Seeks Books for Teachers, Parents
► Jane Yolen Establishes Mid-list Author Grant
► The 8 Crucial Steps of the Writing Process
► Exclusive Report: Hot News From the Bologna Book Conference
► How to Kickstart Your Creativity with a Writing Prompt
► Hook Your Reader with a Powerful Ending
► How to Turn a Small Child Into a Compelling Character
Welcome to The CBI Clubhouse! We're so glad you're here.
Founded in 1990, Children's Book Insider is a family business based in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado.
CBI Publisher Laura Backes has served as an editor and literary agent, and has been published herself by Random House, Writer's Digest and The Writer, among many others. She was Technical Editor of Writing Children's Books for Dummies and is the co-founder of the acclaimed Children's Author's Bootcamp workshops.
Jon Bard owned a New York-based public relations firm and was one of the field's top copywriters before joining Laura in making Children's Book Insider a full-time family effort. He is responsible for the development of The CBI Clubhouse and oversees the day to day operation of the site.
So that's a little about us. But, of course, this site is really all about you -- and all the Fightin' Bookworms!
If you have any questions at all, just use the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page to drop us a line.
Enjoy your stay!
Great information — the Googling — I wasn’t aware of it, but now I’ll surely use it. Thanks.
Impressive web site! User friendly and fun to look at. I look forward to exploring it more.
What a great tool!!!! Can’t wait to use it!!
Thank you!! Your presentation on how to access this great tool is detailed/easy enough even for a computer-challenged person such as myself to sign up! This “Fightin’Bookworm” is looking forward to being a member of the CBI Clubhouse!
Jon -
If it were not for your great Google Reader presentation i just finished viewing, i might have put off learning about this great resource. But now you have made me both willing and excited to venture into this Google Reader world!! Great job …Thank you so much !!! Shelly Pollock
Jon, Thank you for showing us how to use google reader and also telling us about it. I’m excited to try it out.
Jon, You are truly providing a fantastic service for us beginning writers. This Google Reader series of videos is mind-boggling to me, but I intend to review them as often as needed until I can set up my own account and get lots of “smarts!” Thank you for doing what you do.
Thank you for the information. I am an unpublished, eager, easily distracted novice writer! This should help considerably. Great site and very helpful.
Jon, Thanks for the GREAT show-n-tell on Google Reader. You are being a wealth of help to the social networking neophytes–that’s me. Will you be doing a show-n-tell on ways to get our own blogs more visibility in the cyber sphere?
Good suggestion Chris. I’ll start thinking about that.
jon
Jon,
Thank you for showing me what all I can do with this tool! It’s going to make my researching so much easier. I’m anxious to find out what else Google has!
Very cool, Jon! Thanks.
this is the first that i have heard about this. i am really serious about writing childrens books ages 2 to maybe 15. i will use this to help with my books
thanks
sherri
Thanks, Jon, this seems so great. I am anxious to start researching with it. I just landed a contract to do passages for educational testing, and I am sure that this is going to come in very handy!
Thanks again, Leslie
Wow! I’m so amazed at how fast and easy you can get this info. I will definitely use this as I research for my stories! Thanks!!!
Tina Cho
Thanks! I’m a visual learner, so this tutorial was just what I needed!
Jon you are a WONDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jon, I had no idea this was available. Thanks for telling us about it and thanks even more for showing us so clearly how to get started.
Jon , Nice tutorial and tool.
It is good learning experience.
For info and knowledge and it will be quite surprising for you.
In our pushto language students are called “Taliban”..
Great Instructional Video !!!
I’ve already been using the Google Reader through Google Apps on my iPhone.
Next to my Yahoo Email, It’s probably my 2nd most used app on the iPhone.
When on the the go, any posts I want to select out for review later can be easily sent to any valid email account.
Thanks,
– Marcus Noel
Hi Jon,
Is there any way to group the different subjects that we are researching? For example. I might want to research geo-caching (?) but also skateboarding. Any way to separate out and organize the two?
Kirby
Hey Jon,
I just came from the War Room. Thanks for videos on Google Reader. I just started using FeedDemon and I’m not sure I like it. I think I will test the waters of Google Reader. I also heard about Google alerts a long time ago but never knew how to use it. It looks like something that could be very handy.
I was searching for blogs the hard way but I am definitely going to do it your way as it will save me tons of time.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
Play Audio Comment
In Google Reader, once you have a subscription to a blog topic, how do you delete those you don’t want to read or keep those which you want to go back to? Thanks, Jon.
Liz,
There are a couple of options to keep posts in Google reader that you want to hang on to:
1. At the bottom of the post, click “Add Star”. Now the post will show up under “Starred Items” and will stay there until you remove it.
2. Use the technique I describe in this new video: http://cbiclubhouse.com/2009/08/follow-up-heres-a-killer-google-reader-tip/
[...] present information on any subject of your choice. Follow this link and find out how to ‘Become an Instant Expert On Any Subject With Google Reader‘ [...]
Wow! what an idea ! What a concept ! Beautiful .. Amazing …