June 25, 2018

How to Communicate More Effectively

Whether you're leading a team, strengthening a relationship, writing an article, resolving a disagreement, or asking someone for a favor, your success often depends on your ability to communicate effectively. Unfortunately, many people think communication is simply speaking, writing, or presenting information. In reality, effective communication requires much more. It requires understanding your message, considering your audience, listening carefully, and knowing the outcome you hope to achieve. When communication breaks down, it is rarely because people lack words. More often, they fail to communicate with clarity, empathy, or intention. The good news is that communication is a skill that can be learned and improved. By understanding a few key principles, you can dramatically increase the likelihood that your message is understood, respected, and acted upon.

June 22, 2018

Who Is the Real Audience for Picture Books?

When writing a picture book, it's easy to believe your audience is an editor, literary agent, parent, teacher, or librarian. After all, those are often the people deciding whether your book gets published, purchased, or shared. But while many people influence a picture book's success, only one audience truly determines whether the story endures. The real audience for a picture book is the child experiencing it. A child may not buy the book, approve the manuscript, or negotiate the publishing contract. Yet they decide whether the story is remembered, requested again, or forgotten after a single reading. Understanding this distinction can dramatically improve your writing and help you create stories that resonate with young readers and listeners. This distinction is one of the most important lessons new picture book authors can learn.

June 21, 2018

How I Increased My Typing Speed to Over 100 Words Per Minute

Typing is one of the most valuable professional skills you can develop. Whether you’re writing emails, creating content, coding, studying, or managing projects, faster typing allows you to capture ideas more efficiently and spend less time fighting the keyboard. I’m a very fast typist. Over the years, I gradually increased my typing speed to more than 100 words per minute while maintaining strong accuracy, and typing has become almost invisible to me when I’m writing. I didn’t get there because of a special keyboard or some unusual natural talent. I got there through years of touch typing, repetition, accuracy-focused practice, and gradually pushing beyond my comfortable speed. If you want to learn how to type faster on a keyboard, these are the techniques that have made the biggest difference for me.

June 20, 2018

5 Ways to Develop Mental Toughness and Self-Discipline

Mental toughness is one of the most valuable skills a person can develop. Goals rarely unfold exactly as planned. Obstacles appear. Motivation fades. Unexpected setbacks test our patience and resolve. The people who consistently achieve meaningful goals are not necessarily the most talented or intelligent. More often, they are the ones who continue moving forward when circumstances become difficult. The good news is that mental toughness is not something you're born with. It is a skill that can be developed through daily habits, intentional choices, and consistent practice. By strengthening your ability to manage adversity, make difficult decisions, and follow through on commitments, you can become more resilient in every area of life. Here are five practical ways to build mental toughness and develop greater self-discipline.

June 18, 2018

How to Become a Better Writer: The Two Habits That Matter Most

Writers are constantly searching for better techniques, better routines, and better strategies to improve their work. But most writing improvement comes back to two simple habits: writing consistently and reading intentionally. No shortcut replaces either one. If you want to become a stronger writer over time, these are the two skills that matter most.

June 15, 2018

How to Create Tension in Writing: Simple Techniques That Keep Readers Turning Pages

Most people try to avoid tension in real life. We dislike uncertainty, conflict, fear, and difficult decisions. In fiction, however, tension is one of the most important tools a writer can use. Whether you're writing novels, short stories, picture books, or memoirs, tension creates curiosity. It gives readers a reason to keep turning pages because they want to know what happens next. Understanding how tension works can dramatically improve your writing.

June 13, 2018

Lessons from Rhonda Gowler Greene: Persistence, Picture Books, and Traditional Publishing Success

Rhonda Gowler Greene is the author of more than two dozen children's picture books and has spent over two decades building a successful traditional publishing career. Her books have received numerous honors, including School Library Journal Best Book, ILA Children's Choice Book, Bank Street College Best Book recognition, and multiple starred reviews. What makes her publishing journey especially encouraging for aspiring authors is that it began with persistence through rejection. Before selling her first books and securing literary representation, Rhonda accumulated more than 220 rejections while continuing to study children's literature and refine her craft. In this interview, we discuss literary agents, publishing rejection, writing picture books, creative persistence, balancing family and writing, and what aspiring authors can learn from a lifetime spent studying children's literature. Although this conversation took place in 2018, the lessons about writing, publishing, and professional growth remain just as relevant today.

June 11, 2018

The Publishing Trend That Never Changes

Every year authors are told to pay attention to trends. Which genres are growing? Which categories are declining? Which books are selling? While understanding the publishing industry has value, many aspiring authors make the same mistake. They spend more time studying trends than creating books. The truth is that most publishing trends come and go. But one publishing principle has remained unchanged for decades: readers return to authors who consistently create work they love.