Save BIG on Books During This Christmas Book Sale

Are you looking for books about writing or marketing?

Maybe you would just like to load up on some novels?

Perhaps, you are more into self-help books - well, no matter what your into, the Christmas Book Sale going on now has something for you. 

With over 60 books to choose from racking up $200 in savings, you won't want to miss this sale. 

Now through the 15^th, authors from all different walks and genres have pooled together to offer readers free and reduced price books.

My book, "Book Marketing 101" is included, and you can get it for FREE by visiting the Christmas Book Sale page at: http://bit.ly/ChristmasBookSale

Not only can you save BIG during this sale, but we’re also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader. 

If you like to read, this is one sale you won’t want to miss. So head on over and check it out at: http://bit.ly/ChristmasBookSale

Children's Audio Books

We've been listening to a lot of children's audio books lately. Not for any research that I had planned, but just because my four year old twins love them. They are totally into books (which I think is awesome) and I simply cannot sit and read to them all day long everyday, no matter how much I want to. So the best alternative is audio books. They have a copy of the actual book, and a CD that reads it to them. It originally started with the Toy Story 2 Read-Along set that we were given, but now we go to the library and pick up the sets that they have to offer. It's perfect.

However, not all audio books are perfect. For instance, the one that they are listening to right now, doesn't have the chime to tell them when to turn the page. I'm sure there are several different reasons as to why the author chose to leave it out. It wasn't a CD that came with the book, but rather one that you had to buy separately, so the author probably thought that the children would listen to it without the book, but regardless, it's much harder for children who can't read to follow along when there is no chime.

Another thing that I have noticed, is that some children's audio books have background music or sound effects to accompany the story while others don't. I don't mind the ones that don't at all, however, it makes it much more fun for the girls when they are included. I'm still trying to figure out how, as a self published author, I can include something like that in my book, or even if it will work with my story...

Do you have any certain things that you like or don't like about children's audio books? I'd love some feedback.

Writing for Children: Book Review

I recently borrowed this book from my local library and am now convinced that it is something that anyone who is considering writing for children of any age should have. I was a bit skeptical at first because of the fact that it is published out of London and all of the pricing information is in euros instead of American dollars, but that is just such a small portion of this fabulous book. The author takes you through general guidelines, common mistakes and things to avoid, as well as giving you helpful tips so that you can successfully write and publish books for children (babies through teenage years) - fiction, non-fiction and poetry are all covered from idea to publication and marketing. I can't think of a single aspect of publishing books for children that was not covered.

I have been writing books for teenagers for years, and my first picture book is coming out later this year. This is definitely a book that I will be recommending to other authors. In fact, at the writer's conference I was at a few weeks back, I'm wishing that Margaret Clark had taught the class about writing for children/teens instead of the editor of Oncourse magazine. I would have gotten so much more out of it!

Writing for Kids

Source

Have you ever written a children's book?

I'm working on some now, and I have to tell you, there is a lot more too it than I originally thought. Did you know that picture books have 32 pages? Go ahead, go count some, I can wait...

I counted the pages in probably 30 picture books this week, and 98% of them have 32 pages. Who knew?!

As a mom of four children, I had a pretty good idea of what I did and didn't want from a children's book. No bad roll models, simple yet entertaining, and the proper format of the letter 'a' - you know, the one we teach our little's to recognize.

The best picture books, are the ones that can be read through in less than 2.5 minutes, but that your children want to spend hours reading over, and over, and over, and over again. Sure, you get sick of them, but it's because they are so good. They are the books that are fun to read, the ones that just seem to invite you to use expression. So that's what I'm working towards. Those are my goals.

I checked out a couple of books about writing for children from the local library... The only two books they had on the topic. One is from Europe, and pretty hard to follow. It talks about selling books for a certain price in a currency that I know nothing about. The author seemed to be very astonished by the difference in price and sales between children's fiction and adult fiction, but I have absolutely no clue what that difference was... Don't get me wrong, part of the book has been a bit helpful, but I won't be recommending it. I have barely touched the first chapter of the other one, but it's not looking too promising either.

The ministry owner that I'm writing these books for sent me the following advice:

1. Read positive and negative feedback for other children's book and find out what people are saying about books they don't like and ones they do like - typically for bad reviews it is:

1. poor formatting 
2. characters setting a poor example for the kids  
3. poor editing / grammar       
4. not fun / poorly written / did not sustain interest for the child        
5. mistakes not picked up by the author / editor

2. Test the stories on kids and find out what they like, although this is also evidenced by what is selling well already on amazon.

But what about you?

Do you have any qualities that you like or dislike in children's books?

Any books on writing for kids that you would recommend?

I'd love to hear from you!

No, really.

Why is it so quiet?