Create a Plan for Dealing With Rejection

Start a list of where your manuscript’s been submitted and what the response has been. Keep track of the number of form rejections and/or any personal comments from editors. Devise a strategy now for how to handle revisions when you’ve hit your personal limit on rejections. This may

The Give and Take of Mentoring

by Jane McBride Choate

The World Book Dictionary defines a mentor as “a wise and trusted adviser.”

So what does mentoring have to do with writing? Serving as a mentor can enrich an experienced writer’s life by allowing the exploration of the craft of writing from a teaching perspective.

Take the Pain Out of Being Critiqued

Being a writer is hard on your ego. First, you put your best efforts (and often your most vulnerable experiences) down on paper for the world to see. Then you had it over to another person to be scrutinized. It’s this person’s job to praise the good aspects of

How to Find People to Critique Your Work

Form a writers’ group. Find other writers who are also working on children’s books and critique each other’s work. You can network at local conferences or classes (go to www.scbwi.org for your region’s Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators), post an announcement at your library or local book

Work Through Your Flaws by Reading Your Favorite Authors

Once again, some of your best learning as a writer will come from reading. First, identify your own weak links as a writer. Are you heavy-handed with description? Do you stumble when creating dialogue? Do you tend to hit the reader over the head with a message?

Then, read several

Exercise: Getting Unstuck

Sometimes we get stuck developing a character, creating a setting, or deciding what happens next in the plot. Here are two exercises to help open the flow of ideas.

CLUSTERING

Clustering is a diagramming method for gathering and organizing ideas that you do on paper, a brainstorming method

Exercise: Establishing a Character’s “Normal” Life

In order for the reader to understand the impact of the story’s conflict on your protagonist’s life, you first have to show the character’s “normal.” But this normal needs details that have the potential to lead to something much more unstable and interesting.

Before the Story Starts – Building

Exercise: Is Your Protagonist Worth Writing About?

Part One: Spend a few minutes with a notebook in a public space where children and families are present. Simply write down a few notes about some of the children you observe, what they’re doing, and who they interact with.

Part Two: Pick one of the children to be your

Create Your Dream Writing Lifestyle – Without Spending a Fortune

Here’s a fun exercise: Make a plan to start living the writer’s life. Draw up short-term goals (to be put into practice within the month), mid-term goals (within the next six months) and long-term (within the year).

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

No-cost ways of living

PODCAST – Bestselling Author Lisa McCourt on Inspiration and Creativity

Lisa McCourt’s books have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, and her picture book I Love You Stinky Face is being made into a major motion picture. She sat down with Laura to discuss her creative approach, and her quest to become “The Next Top Spiritual Author”

Exercise: Point of View & Character Depth

Place the main character from your story in a setting that’s not in your plot (the mall, a classroom, your own home, etc.) Write a scene in the First Person Viewpoint with your main character narrating his/her reaction to the setting.

Then write the same scene in Third Person Limited.

Exercise: Strengthen Your Writing Chops By Going “Old School”

Take a familiar fairy tale and write it in First Person with the main character as the narrator.

Then rewrite the same story in Third Person Limited.

What are the advantages and disadvantages in each viewpoint?

A reminder:

First Person. This uses the “I” voice. (I flinched when

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 2

Take a character from your book and place him or her in a familiar setting (your character’s room, classroom, backyard, etc.)

Write a scene in which your character moves through that setting, and show that he/she is angry without ever using the words “angry” or “anger”. Now place your

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 1

Rewrite the following sentences in ways that show instead of tell. Use action, dialogue and/or the five senses. Try to avoid “to be” verbs such as

is, was, were, are, as well as the word felt which are often telling verbs. Also try not to use adjectives and adverbs.

A Gift for the Fightin’ Bookworms – an eBook That Can Change Your Career (and Maybe Your Life)

I recently met a remarkable woman who truly defined the spirit of perseverance and positive thinking. Through her, I learned a secret that just may change everything about your future as a children's writer. In this brief eBook, I share it.

This eBook is our gift to you,

Exercise, Brainstorm: Where’s Your Story Heading?

Now it’s time to take a good hard look at your own work….

Review your own catalyst, and brainstorm on different ways the plot can end. Go beyond the obvious. If you’re already into writing the middle of your book, examine the route your plot is taking. Answer these

Exercise – Analyze How Other Authors Create Endings

This exercise requires you to do a bit of reading and analyzing…

Fiction:

Choose several published books from the same age group and genre as your manuscript, and summarize how the author resolved the plot.

Exercise, Creating an Outline

Once you’ve brainstormed on your important characters, your story’s catalyst, and the general arc of the plot, you’re ready to outline.

Create a rough outline of your main storyline. Use any outline format that works for you. (If you’re stuck, here’s a nice guide to help you with

Exercise: Mapping the Middle

Here’s an exercise that’s designed to help you see what needs to happen in the middle of your story.

A Nifty Exercise to Learn Pacing from Top Writers

A simple and very powerful exercise to discover the secret of great pacing.

Read through some published books similar to what you're writing in age group and genre. If you're writing a funny talking animal picture book, read those. If you're writing a middle grade mystery, check out some

Spark Up a Hot Catalyst With This Exercise

Get your story going! Use these nifty exercises to create a killer plot catalyst.

Writing Exercise: Developing Secondary Characters

There’s an art to creating minor characters. This exercise will show you the way!

Character Building Exercises

Get your brain cells jumping with these fun exercises about developing your main character.

Writing Exercises – The Four Questions of Character

For your own story idea:

Identify your main character, and answer these four questions:

What does your character want?
Why does he/she want this?
What’s standing in his/her way?
What are the consequences of your character getting what he/she wants?

Brainstorm many possibilities for each question and mix and

VIDEO – Great Technique to Help You Think Like a Kid

Trying to figure out what today's kids want to read? Check out this simple way to uncover some inside info!

Writing Exercise: Make It Rain!

Laura’s got a fun writing exercise that’s perfect for a rainy day (or a sunny one…or a cloudy one…)

Writing Prompt: What’s Happening Here?

OK, Fightin’ Bookworms, time to get creative. We give you a photo, you give us a story!

The 5 Minute Writer

Writers have other lives. We must schlep our children to orthodontist appointments, attend Little League games, and make sure the laundry is done. This is often in addition to holding down a full time job that pays the bills. So where does writing fit in?

100 Words a Day for 100 Days

by Jane McBride Choate

Like most writers, I need the association of other writers and belong to several writers’ chapters. One group issued a challenge of writing a hundred words each day for one hundred days.

When I accepted the challenge, I was dubious. What could such

VIDEO – Laura on Arranging Your “Heirarchy of Values”

A powerful method to get organized….and get writing!

VIDEO – A Bonanza of Writing Exercises!

Exercises are fabulous ways to get into the writing groove. Join Laura as she visits two great sites packed with exercise goodness!

Writing Exercises for Developing Story Ideas

Two fun writing exercises. Do these privately, or with your critique group.

Exercise: Point of View

If you’re writing a picture book, try using the Omniscient Point of View for a draft to see how the book changes.

Is it absolutely necessary to treat all the characters the same, or can you better tell the story by following one character through the plot? Which will make

VIDEO – Laura on “How to Read Like a Writer”

Here’s Laura on how to get the right mindset for exploring the world of children literature in order to find your own rightful place.

Find Your Passion

Your first step as a writer, before you ever type those first words of your manuscript, is to discover what you love. Only then can you begin incorporating that passion into a book idea. So how will you find your passion? Read. I know this sounds almost too simple to work, but reading children’s books is one

Yes You Can! Why We Believe in Children’s Publishing… And Why We Believe in You.

Right now, declare: No negativity. No cynicism. No fear. If you want to build a successful career as a children’s writer, you can — and you will — do it. Read why we’re optimistic about the road ahead, and why we’ve built the web’s most positive and supportive community for writers…

Why Authors Need to Take Chances

How to resist the urge to play it safe when writing for children.

PODCAST – 5 Reasons Why You Can’t Become a Writer….and Why None of Them are True

No more excuses! In this podcast, we take away all those nasty reasons many writers have that block them from success.

Creativity & Mindset

CLUSTERING

Before the Story Starts – Building Read more

Before the Story Starts – Building