CHILDREN’S BOOK INSIDER, LLC 901 COLUMBIA ROAD FORT COLLINS, CO 80525-1938 970/495-0056 [email protected] HTTP://WRITE4KIDS.COM THE CHILDREN’S WRITER’S BIG BOOK OF “HOW TO” By Laura Backes, Publisher, Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE COPIED AND DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. Copyright 2006, Children’s Book Insider, LLC all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Children’s Book Insider, LLC 901 Columbia Rd Fort Collins, CO 80525 ISBN 1-930029-09-2 IMPORTANT NOTICE TO READERS: This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. This information is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or any other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the service of a competent professional should be sought. Therefore, the Author and Publisher assume no responsibility to any person or persons in connection with the use of this publication, and this publication is sold with this understanding and none other. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Master the Art of Writing.................................................. 9 How To…… Add Atmosphere and Mood to Your Story........................................................................10 Add Tension To Your Stories.................................................................................................12 Avoid Being Preachy...............................................................................................................14 Avoid Typos...............................................................................................................................16 Become a Better Writer Quickly .........................................................................................17 Brainstorm Ideas Through Freewriting...............................................................................20 Break The Storytelling Mold ................................................................................................22 Build a Story, Chapter by Chapter ......................................................................................24 Choose the Correct Point of View........................................................................................26 Choose The Right Vocabulary (by Joanne Rocklin)...........................................................28 Craft a Great Beginning........................................................................................................29 Create Characters for Older Readers ................................................................................32 Create Your Own Unique World...........................................................................................34 Cut Words Painlessly..............................................................................................................37 Decide Whether to Illustrate Your Own Book...................................................................39 Develop an Original Voice ......................................................................................................41 Develop Great Characters .....................................................................................................44 Develop Rhythm In Your Prose .............................................................................................46 Develop Strong Secondary Characters................................................................................48 Develop the Four Traits of Successful Authors..................................................................50 Eliminate Passive Writing.....................................................................................................53 Jumpstart Your Writing By Asking “Why?”....................................................................55 3 Let Your Plot Flow From Your Characters.........................................................................57 Master Backstory..................................................................................................................59 Master Cause and Effect......................................................................................................61 Master Simile and Metaphor..............................................................................................63 Master the Five Types of Plots............................................................................................65 Organize Your First Draft ....................................................................................................67 Show, Don’t Tell.......................................................................................................................69 Simplify Your Writing............................................................................................................71 Stop a Reader in His Tracks.................................................................................................74 Take the Pain Out of Being Critiqued..................................................................................76 Think Like a Kid ......................................................................................................................78 Title Your Book ........................................................................................................................80 Turn a Personal Struggle Into a Book.................................................................................82 Turn Your Idea Into a Book...................................................................................................84 Use Humor Effectively ............................................................................................................87 Use Slang in Your Writing....................................................................................................89 Use Verbs Wisely (by Josephine Nobisso) ...........................................................................91 Write a Powerful Ending.......................................................................................................92 Write About Controversial Subjects....................................................................................95 Write Great Beginnings.........................................................................................................98 Write in First Person..........................................................................................................101 Write in Rhyme....................................................................................................................104 Write Seamless Dialogue ....................................................................................................106 Write With a Light Touch..................................................................................................108 Write Within Genres....................................................................111 How To…… Avoid The “Talking Animal Trap”....................................................................................112 Break Into the Educational Market ................................................................................114 Create a Board Book...........................................................................................................116 Find the Focus for Nonfiction.............................................................................................118 Get Started Writing Graphic Novels................................................................................120 4 Get Started Writing Greeting Cards................................................................................122 Get Started Writing Historical Fiction ............................................................................123 Get Started Writing Informational Picture Books........................................................126 Get Started Writing Mysteries........................................................................................128 Get Started Writing Picture Books ..................................................................................130 Get Started Writing Plays.................................................................................................133 Give Advice to Kids (by Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Claudine Wirths)....................134 Make Your Nonfiction More Exciting..............................................................................135 Polish Your Picture Book .....................................................................................................138 Tell the Difference Between Easy Readers and Early Chapter Books......................140 Write a Chapter Book ........................................................................................................143 Write a Memorable Picture Book....................................................................................145 Write Biographies................................................................................................................148 Write Christian Fiction for Older Readers.....................................................................151