Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > As the end of the year creeps ever closer, it can be a good time to take stock of how your writing life is going, as long as you do that examination…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > One of the defining characteristics of picture books is that they are designed to be read aloud. They are a way for parents to share art with children through story and illustration.…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Every picture book must begin somewhere and those opening lines are surprisingly important. For one thing, buyers on Amazon who use the “Look Inside” feature to browse the book often only see…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Many children’s writers have tried writing picture books. Some have gone on to tremendous success. Some have simply moved on to writing that suits their skill sets better. But the reality is…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > As with many art forms and literary genre, the picture book has changed over time. Picture books are a fairly young art form. The beginning of true picture books can probably be…
Before plotting, comes planning the premise. The premise is the idea that will make this particular novel different and is the kernel from which the plot grows.
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > For many children’s writers, the concept of attempting a novel is daunting at best and filled with questions. So for the sake of those looking toward this exciting writing option, let’s answer…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > “Fake it ’til you make it. How many of us have heard that advice? Sometimes it’s a good thought. It doesn’t hurt to step out boldly sometimes, even when you’re not 100%…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > This week I bought one of those journals where the pages have dots instead of lines, a bullet journal. I did it because my desk has a tendency to become a bunny…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > You might notice that the markets this week are off the beaten path, outside of what we normally think of when we’re considering markets for our work. Today, publishing is a massive…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > One of the problems with writing is that it’s fairly difficult to complete a project in one sitting. It can sometimes be a bit easier with a picture book where the rough…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > I have heard some people argue that good writing cannot be taught. It is innate or it simply doesn’t exist. Sure, they will argue, most people can learn to communicate competently through…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > In-Person Learning For most writers, conferences and in-person workshops are gifts we give ourselves. Often these options aren’t cheap, but they let us get out of our homes and mix with other…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > In general, writers are also readers, certainly successful writers are. Some will admit to not having read the classics, the great works of literature that intelligent people are supposed to have read,…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Whenever you get a chance to watch a really good magician, it’s easy to get caught up in the wonder of what they’re doing. But if you’re an adult, and driven by…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Writing is an interesting sort of thing. You can spend years and years doing it, even getting published and paid, and there will still be a multitude of writing and publishing areas…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Some writers love outlines. They outline everything they write and feel it gives the story order and direction. Some hate outlines and feel that an outline makes a story rigid and lifeless.…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Generally the things we put into our work have strong writer reasons for being there. The main character has a sidekick to give him someone to talk to so the scenes have…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > One of the major problems editors encounter when reading picture book submissions is the lack of plot, or even purposeful organization. Many picture books basically start with the character waking up, then…
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > As most writers know, it’s much easier to find the flaws in someone else’s work than to find the flaws in your own. Part of the reason for this is distance. When…