What happens if you are working on a nonfiction writing assignment that prefers primary sources and/or information within 100 years or so of the event? This isn’t your ordinary research project. This means you have to Dig Deep! Here are some tips to help in your research.Â
You’ve worked hard on your manuscript. You found a publisher that you think may like your story, and you send it out with great expectation. You wait several months. You hear nothing back, which is not uncommon nowadays. Most publishing companies only respond if interested. You believe your story must not have been a perfect … More The Importance of Submission Guidelines
I’m sitting at my desk, preparing to work on a big writing project. I have my notes, and my laptop is ready for me to find some additional online information. But then I notice that the livestream I was listening to has fallen silent. Streaming issues? Hmm. Next, I notice that the ceiling fan above … More No Power? Now What?
I have this on the author page of my website: “Children are a tough audience. You can fool an adult with persiflage or purple prose, but a kid can tell if you’re faking immediately.â€Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) As a children’s author, I work to write stories that inspire and entertain because I believe a good … More Tips for Writing More Engaging Picture Books – Part Four: Don’t Dumb It Down by Pam Halter
If anyone was qualified to write stories for children, it would be Laura Sassi. She has worn many hats through the years: a mother, a homeschooler, a teacher, and a children’s ministry director. She also wore a special hat for our podcast episode! With over ten books to her name, Laura’s newest picture book, Pumpkin … More The Write2Ignite Podcast Ep. 3: Laura Sassi
Last month, I gave some general tips on writing picture books. Today, I want to look deeper into the craft. What You Need to Know First Our competition is fierce. Most beginning writers think starting with picture books is good because they’re short. In a way, they’re right! Picture books should be 800 words or … More Tips for Writing More Engaging Picture Books – Part Two: Getting A Kid’s Attention by Pam Halter
In all the years I’ve been a freelance children’s book editor, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard how people want to write picture books because they’re short … and easy. “HA!†I’d say. (And I had to keep myself from slapping them and saying, “Snap out of it!â€) Writing picture books is … More Tips for Writing More Engaging Picture Books – Part One by Pam Halter
Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal, and growth: green sprouts poke out of dormant dirt, the sun tarries longer in the sky, and birds tweet from awakening trees. As writers, it’s a joy to create alongside the waking wonders of spring. Here are 5 tips to help us get into the swing of spring … More Spring Into Writing by Marci Whitehurst
Do you have an Emergency Backup for your writing? I don’t mean a different avenue of life if a writing career doesn’t pan out. I’m talking about a backup for when something in your writing process goes haywire. For example, last week, my charging cord for my laptop would not work. When I realized this, … More A Writer’s Emergency Backup Plan
At 14, I felt a gentle prompting from God that I would someday become an author. It wasn’t a dramatic revelation, but a quiet assurance that, if I remained faithful, He would guide me on that path (Philippians 1:6). Now, at 28, that dream is becoming a reality. My journey toward full-time writing has been … More 5 Tips on How to Take Care of Your Mental Health as a Writer by Amber Ginter