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June 21, 2018
Do you type slowly with two fingers? Do you agonize over large amounts of copy editing? Do you try to delegate long typing tasks? You're not alone. The vast majority of people I've come across, even in our technologically advanced world, are slowpokes. The last time I tested my typing speed, it was 120-130 words per minute. Want to know how you can do the same? Implement these 3 strategies below and you'll be blazing trails in no time.
June 18, 2018
Search the topic and you'll find countless tips, tricks, and strategies to catapult your writing to the stars. But like you, you'll find yourself scratching your head wondering which technique, if improved, would have the most effective impact. Let me clear up your confusion right now. If you continue reading this post, you will know without a shadow of a doubt how to become an excellent writer. This is the single, most important principle you need to focus on to step up your writing game. Are you ready for it?
June 15, 2018
Do you enjoy being involved in tense situations? Probably not. In fact, human biology instinctively seeks to reduce or eliminate tension. Think about how you feel walking into a stressful job environment or how blood rushes to your palms in traffic when someone cuts you off. How about walking into that final test for class and feeling unprepared, knowing you'll pass or fail based on the outcome? All of this is tension. In life, it's no fun. But in stories, tension is where the magic happens.
June 13, 2018
What a wonderful opportunity all of us have to learn from one of the most genuine authors in the book business, Rhonda Gowler Greene. She is the author of over two dozen picture books. Her books have received honors such as School Library Journal Best Book, ILA Children’s Choice Book, Bank Street College Best Book, and starred reviews. Rhonda is a former elementary teacher, but for over twenty years now has devoted her time to writing and also speaking at schools and conferences. You can learn more about Rhonda on her Instagram @rhondagowlergreene and Twitter @rgowgreene. Although she maintains a Facebook @rhondagowlergreene, she needs all of you to encourage her to keep it up to date! And without further adieu...
June 11, 2018
Publishing Trends, which is quite the company name, consistently describes various trends in the publishing industry and recent deals going down all over the world. Pretty impressive and worth your while to check out. As an author, it's important you are aware of what books or markets are hot right now and which aren't. With industry trends constantly changing and then changing back, you must remain grounded in the one trend that never changes.
February 13, 2018
Welcome to the stage, author and co-author of 166 traditionally published children's books, Debbie Dadey, a former teacher and librarian. She lives in a log cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, with nature to inspire her writing. Her first book, co-authored with Marcia Thornton Jones, Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots turned into the series, The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. Ready, Set, Goal! is the newest in Debbie’s Mermaid Tales, a multi-cultural series from Simon and Schuster. Each Mermaid Tales book has an enchanting story couples with non-fiction components where readers learn about ocean creatures and plants. To learn more about Debbie as an author, please visit her website www.debbiedadey.com; like her at www.Facebook.com/debbiedadey; and follow her on www.twitter.com/debbiedadey.
February 10, 2018
What a cool job I've got interviewing amazing people like Katy Halford. Katy is a children's book illustrator and also works in art licensing and commercial markets. Her love of drawing started when she was small and she continued to study 'the arts' at school, and then went on to graduate at Loughborough University with a degree in Illustration. She is currently working with various publishers on children's books. When she isn't glued to her seat impressing clients, she likes to go for long walks in the countryside. She also enjoys a good cup of tea and a nice slice of cake. Who doesn't?! The best way to keep up to date with her work is through Instagram, Twitter, or her website.
February 9, 2018
It's a pleasure to be interviewing author and science extraordinaire Lisa Connors. She writes children’s books and nature essays in the hopes of instilling the same awe of nature in others. Lisa loves traipsing around on her 14-acre property collecting ideas and being impressed by her fellow Earthlings. When she’s not actively writing, she is likely pre-writing (a.k.a. day dreaming) while gardening, cutting wood, mowing, drawing, canning and reading…lots of reading. You can connect with Lisa and see what she's up to on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
January 1, 2018
The inevitable journey for authors and illustrators, if you want to become traditionally published, or if you want to secure agent representation, leads to the dreadful and often mysterious query. You'll often notice the Twitter hashtag #amquerying in frequent use by the most hopeful among us. Are you wondering how to query a literary agent? What exactly is querying and how do you do it correctly? Or better yet, how do you NOT query a literary agent? What should your query letter look like? What should it include? Read on and you'll know the answers to all these questions and more!
December 30, 2017
Many of you know of my writing exploits. Recently, I wrapped up the illustration phase of self-publishing a children's book. It required a surprising amount of effort that was largely based on my naivety. After writing the manuscript, I researched and interviewed freelance illustrators on a freelancer online platform. After finding one I thought would be a perfect fit for my manuscript material, we began working together under contract.