books Archives - Page 5 of 7

July 9, 2018

Interview with Illustrator Steve Brown

I am pleased to introduce illustrator Steve Brown! He is a freelance children's illustrator from the Romney Marsh in Kent, England and has been drawing for as long as he can remember. His animation style is heavily influenced by the cartoons of the 70's, 80's, and 90's which he considers "the best". Steve is most often in his home studio scribbling away on his Wacom Cintiq, located at the bottom of his garden that overlooks fields and trees. His passion is for character design and story telling through illustration. Steve "likes to use humor" in his illustrations to "make it more fun for children and adults." Secretly, he sneaks in lots of subtle details that take a careful eye to spot. Follow Steve's incredible art on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at his website, Steve Brown Illustration.

July 2, 2018

10 Best Picture Books for Boys

These 10 picture books are the best for young boys. Having two young boys myself, I can assure you these will create giggles and laughs time after time. I have personally read these books on numerous occasions! Whether you're looking for a cuddly bed time reading or a perfect gift for someone else, consider these 10 wonderful titles.

June 29, 2018

What Writing Can Do for You

Do you know what writing can do for you? You may not fully understand why writing matters, how writing helps, or how writing can be so important. Prepare to have your mind blown! Here are 5 reasons why you must develop your writing skills if you ever hope to be remembered as a success on this planet.

June 27, 2018

How to Create Major Characters from Scratch

Curious how authors create incredible leading characters from out of nowhere? Well, be curious no more! After reading these techniques, you will be able to create brilliantly believable characters your readers and listeners will love. In fact, you will want to re-visit some of your old characters and give them a new paint job. Leave the boring, one-dimensional characters to your competition.

June 26, 2018

Write Picture Books Without Being Preachy

Teaching through stories has been around since the dawn of communication. Although when that dawn occurred is hotly contested, what isn't contested is that stories are excellent methods to communicate a message. They are so excellent, in fact, writers often abuse them by being too preachy. What this really means is that the lesson or purpose in a story, especially in children's books and even more so if it's a picture book, should be subtle. Does this come natural to you? Probably not. But it can, if you implement these 5 techniques.

June 25, 2018

Communicate More Effectively

You and I fight for many things. Life. Love. Liberty. Happiness. Leftover pizza. At the heart of it all, is communication. And not just any communication. Effective communication. Do you understand the power of words? Do you fully grasp the importance of communicating your thoughts effectively? Take a walk with me for just a few minutes and find how you can become a master of communicating effectively.

June 22, 2018

Writing for the Right Picture Book Audience

Are you an aspiring picture book author? Perhaps you are an author / illustrator with a passion for children's books. In either case, if you don't know your audience or how to target them, you won't win any love from agents, editors, buyers, readers, or listeners! Read on below so you know who you're writing that picture book for.

June 21, 2018

Accelerate Your Typing Speed – Fast

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

The Single Proven Principle To Improve Your Writing

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

Improve Your Writing With Tension

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.