In Search of Excellence
In my previous career as a human resources executive, one of my areas of responsibility was the management of our quality control programs. Phrases such as “Quality First,” “Do it right the first time,” and “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking” (Henry Ford), pervaded our corporate culture. But corporate America did […]
Ten Things NOT to Do When Writing a Picture Book
Do you have a picture book in the works? If so, you know picture books are a lot harder to write than most people think. Whether you’re just starting to write your manuscript or are in the final stages of revision, here are some things not to do: Don’t write down to children. Children are […]
If Your Future Could Speak
When I was in the 3rd grade, Mrs. Wheatley, my teacher, gave my mother a warning. She said, “Mrs. Snipes, we just can’t let his imagination run off with him.” My mom didn’t heed that warning . . . and it’s the reason why I still daydream today! One of my favorite daydream scenarios might […]
Best Laid Plans
Conventional wisdom tells us that to be successful we should become adept at planning. Good planning helps us manage resources and minimize unexpected challenges. But life doesn’t always work out as we planned. We pour ourselves into a manuscript, but agents and editors are not interested. We finally receive that coveted contract, but sales are […]
Believing “I Can” with Lisa Albinus
My name is Lisa Albinus, I get to live the dream of being an artist as I live my life with a Bible tucked under my arm and a paintbrush in my hand. My greatest desire is to breathe hope into the latent, creative dreams of your childhood and the crayons that have been abandoned. […]
Connect with us….
There was a day, when to connect with someone, you sent them a letter. Or if you had the resources, you picked up the phone and gave them a call. And if they were really special you went to their street address, their house, to see them in person. One thing shared by all these ways to connect was an address. In those days, if you had a […]
How to Write a Query for Schoolhouse Teachers: Part One
Today, I’d like to start a series of posts related to the topic of how to query SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. I’ll be representing SchoolhouseTeachers.com at the 2016 Write2Ignite conference, as well as presenting workshops on writing for the homeschool market and the art of storytelling. To date, I have […]
Resources for Writing for Children
It is just a few more days until 2016. The New Year always brings a list of resolutions and goals. If you are reading this, writing for children or teens is likely on your list. How do children’s writers know that they are successfully penning words that will resonate with young readers? Certainly they must […]
What Does It Mean to Write for the Homeschool Market?
We’ve talked a lot this year about creating materials with the homeschool market in mind, so it’s important that we know whom that market represents. If we’re going to visualize our ideal reader, there are some things we need to understand. One of the common misconceptions about homeschooling is that it’s done only on the […]
Writing for Schoolhouse Teachers
The homeschooling market is growing rapidly, and there are many ways childrens’ authors can be involved. I’m the executive editor at SchoolhouseTeachers.com, and I’d like to share with you about our company and how you can become part of our writing team. SchoolhouseTeachers.com is the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. We serve homeschool families […]