So You Want to Write a Children's Book
Here's a great resource written by my mentor and editor Peter Carver. I had the honour of writing the preface. Click here to read it.
My 2 cents
- Some people say write what you know, but I say write what you love. You can always learn what you don’t know.
- Write every day, even when you don’t feel like it.
- Keep a journal.
- Start an idea file.
- Get in a critique group, take writing courses, attend workshops.
- Read great writing.
- If you are writing to get published then submit your stuff… often.
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Persevere. Everyone is a writer. Successful writers are the ones that didn’t quit.
These are some resources I found very helpful:
The Writer’s Identity
The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron
The Right to Write, Julia Cameron
Writing on Both Sides of the Brain, Dr. Henriette Anne Klauser
Forest for the Trees, Betsy Learner
Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
Wild Mind, Natalie Goldberg
Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg
The Art
Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Maas (workbook as well)
A Passion for Narrative, Jack Hodgins
The Discovery of Poetry, Frances Mayes
Spiritual Writing, Deborah Levine Herman
Story, Robert McKee
For Dummies series… yes, I’m serious.
Writers Digest series – they produce a huge variety on all parts of writing.
The Elements of Fiction Series
Plot, Ansen Dibell
Plot and Structure, James Scott Bell
Beginnings, Middles & Ends, Nancy Kress
The Business
Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market Guide , Writer’s Digest Books
Christian Writer’s Market Guide, Sally Stuart
1001 Ways to Market Your Books, John Kremer
Websites
www.verlakay.com (join the message board... great community)