How strong is your story's opening? Turbocharge it with this 5-point checklist

Did you ever watch a space shuttle launch?  It was an awesome thing: the thundering noise, the heat, the deep bass rumble.  Why do they have to put so much energy into launching ships into space?  They have to start out with a ton of power so the ship has enough velocity to make it all the way into space. And that's what your story...

Read More

How to have fun collaborating on a kids' book–with a kid

Hand in hand in hand in hand.  Collaborating on a meaningful book project together – why not? The image is so beautiful.  Jodi Picoult writes with her daughter.  So maybe you’re wondering:  why can’t you write a children’s book with your son, niece, granddaughter, cousin, or any other kid you happen to have nearby? (Jodi Picoult...

Read More

What do you need to know about the magic of threes?

Close your eyes and think of a number between one and ten.  Umm, now open your eyes so you can read the rest of this post. Did you pick seven?  If not, you probably picked three or eight. According to this mathematician, seven was the favourite number from among 44,000 people worldwide.  But the second favourite – maybe not the winner,...

Read More

The stinky fish guide to choosing and using big words in your children’s story.

What’s your favourite condiment?  What do you love to squirt onto your burgers, your dogs, your sandwiches? (I’ll tell you what America’s current favourite is in a minute – and why it’s important to you as a writer.) Know what condiment the ancient Romans loved best?  It’s called garum, a putrid blend made of stinky rotten fish.  The...

Read More

5 survival tips for the long, uphill journey to a finished book.

You’re standing at the foot of a mountain.  Don’t look up, or you’re done for – there’s just so far to climb when you’re just starting out. I started a new nonfiction book this week.  I love writing them, gathering photos, putting the information together.  But it’s soooo much work. Short picture books come easily, but longer stories,...

Read More

So you want to write a children’s book…? The ultimate Quick-Start tutorial.

When I started out writing children’s books, I was full of ideas, but I had no idea what to actually DO.  Should I write the story?  Find an artist?  How was it all supposed to come together into an actual book?  Like I said, I had no idea. You might be right where I was a few years ago, wondering how to get started. I’ve put...

Read More

The seriously YOLO guide for children’s book writers and other grown-ups.

If you were around the Internet a couple of years ago, you probably came across the sleazy wad of letters that is “YOLO.” It stands for “You Only Live Once,” and it’s basically an updated take on “carpe diem.”  Kids essentially used it to justify doing crazy and impulsive things in the name of enjoying their one and only go-round on this earth. ...

Read More

Write like a journalist: use the 5 W’s to write captivating children’s books.

How are you on the 5 W’s?  You know:  “who, what, when, where, why”?  Those 5 W’s.  The ones your high school English teacher badgered you about.  Maybe you’ve pushed them aside and not thought about them since high school.  But it’s time to dust them off and see how they can help you create a tighter, more fascinating...

Read More