Tips for Early Chapter Books

Joe reading First Flag of New Hampshire.

By: Stephanie Burkhart

My son, Joe, is now a first grader, and he loves to read. The reading program they use in his school is called EXCEL. His reading teacher says Joe is an advanced reader for his age, and her focus is reading the children early chapter books. Now more than anything, Joe wants to be flat like Flat Stanley.  What's a mom who is an author to do? Wink.  Write a book for him!

Series like Flat Stanley and Magic Tree House are a big hit with him. The main characters in those books are about his age and always seem to go on a great adventure.

Ways to Appeal to Children

As I prepared to write my first early chapter book series, my research offered some valuable tips/advice:

Write the main characters close to the age you're targeting. Flat Stanley appeals to my son because they're both young boys.

Use everyday experiences. Going to school, making friends, trying to fit in, getting along, playing sports (don't forget dance classes and gymnastics) tend to draw those young readers into the stories.

Don't forget – children need adults in their lives to give them guidance.

Target your genre to appeal to children such as mysteries, school, friendship, science fiction, or animals.

Think of the message you want to send – for example, responsibility, heroism, citizenship, respect for others or respect for the Earth. Then take these messages and bring it down to a simple concept. Flat Stanley helps other people and solves mysteries.  He wants to fit in despite being flat.

Focus on character voice. Make your characters sound age appropriate.

Make sure your ending is clear and resolves whatever problem or message you were trying to communicate.

Consider using pictures/graphics. At this age the children reading want to be able to visualize the young heroes they're reading about.

I've noticed Flat Stanley's books fall between 50 and 100 pages and have about 10 chapters. Keep that in mind as you prepare to write.

Now…how do I make son flat?

Question: Do you have tips to share when it comes to writing early chapter books? What types of early chapter books do you notice appeal to young readers?

Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She enjoys exploring California, volunteering in her sons' classrooms and being a taxi service. She's addicted to coffee and adores chocolate. Her books with 4RV Publishing include The Giving Meadow and First Flag of New Hampshire.

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:

http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

s

PINTEREST:

http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

On Butterbeer

by Suzanne Y. Cordatos
www.suzannecordatos.blogspot.com

Quick--Name something that exists solely because a writer dreamed it up. One yummy example is Harry Potter’s favorite drink, butterbeer. On tap and wildly popular in Florida, a butterbeer can foam your lips courtesy of a JK Rowling-approved recipe. After reading a scene in the books or visiting Hogsmeade in the movies with Harry and friends, you can’t help but crave a butterbeer mustache of your own.

Does your writing contain powerful objects? Do you create symbols? Do you simply hand your characters a cool prop when convenient? People intuitively know a good thing when they read about one. Make your object important and they’ll remember it.

Consider butterbeer. A frothy, slightly fizzy, kid-friendly butterscotch drink, butterbeer is on hand to celebrate a Quidditch win or relax on a day off school. Is it a coincidence that Harry's friends often smuggle the stuff into their cozy common room? Is it an accident that the worst wintry weather coincides with pub trips? In contrast to the cold outside, the friends holding the mugs take on the warmth and comforting qualities of the drink. Who doesn't need friends, warmth and comfort? I'd guess J.K. Rowling designed butterbeer moments with great intention. 

The orphan Harry was friendless as can be before arriving at the wizard school. It is friendship—love—that ultimately gives Harry the strength he needs to defeat the villain Voldemort. Friendship is a powerful theme in the Harry Potter books, and butterbeer is a symbol of that theme. No wonder fans make the trek to Orlando to taste it!

Ordinary objects can hold great significance. A photo of a person or place your character hopes to see again. An apron once worn by a treasured grandma who knew how to cook her way into a family’s heart. The smell of a flower or a few notes of a melody remind your character of a person, place or aching need.

Create a symbol:

            Is it necessary to the scene? To the overall story?

            Are your scenes cluttered with objects? Can fewer be given a spotlight?

            Does the object represent anything else going on? Does it symbolize a theme?

            Fantastical or ordinary, is your symbol grounded in humanity? 

Characters come alive when they need to do things such as eat, drink, love, sleep, clean, communicate, travel and defend rights just like us. Your characters will leap off the written page and resonate with readers.            

Keeping it easy for Kids

Joe Burkhart reading The Giving Meadow

By: Stephanie Burkhart

I volunteer in my son's classroom every other week. He's in 1st grade now. The experience is especially rewarding because I love watching my son interact and grow with his classmates.

The children enjoy having books read to them. Their eyes really light up when its reading time.

After reading my story to them this past week, my son's teacher began asking questions. It was a nice reminder to me, as a writer, how important it is to keep it easy for kids. Most five-year-olds appreciate how you, the author, put story elements together and the proof is in their smiles. Some elements to keep in mind:

Setting

The setting should be something the kids can relate to – a house, backyard, forest, lake, or beach.

Characters

Characters should be easy to relate to. For example: Mom, Dad, a dog, a cat, or bugs. What makes them easy to relate to? Heartwarming qualities such as kindness, sharing, and giving. Characters should embody emotions children see everyday.

The Problem

The kids in my son's class had a harder time indentifying the problem of the story when the teacher asked, but when she stated what it was, a lot of them said, "Oh, yeah!" The problem should be one the kids can understand. For example, frustration or loneliness. 

The Solution

The solution has to be something they can identify with. Examples include an act of kindness, sharing a toy, or even a smile.

Being a children's writer can be challenging, but hanging around children, reading to them, and even watching a children's show with them can help to give you the perspective needed to craft a special story they can relate to.

Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. She enjoys working with children at her church. Her books with 4RV Publishing include The Giving Meadow and First Flag of New Hampshire.

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:

http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK: 

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:

http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Turn Up the Heat and Win BIG

Turn Up the Heat

                                                                                                                                                                     By Suzanne Cordatos

                                                                                            www.suzannecordatos.blogspot.com

One of the best ways to spend a summer afternoon is watching a sailing regatta. Lovely and peaceful, there is nothing quite like a fleet of colorful spinnakers billowing over sunlit waves, cool breezes kicking through the summer heat. As a bonus, no engine noises mar the view.

If you tally up the bruises afterward, participating in a race might be more akin to tackle football. My brother-in-law returned from two E-Scow regattas in one week proclaiming “My bruises got bruises!” With a wide smile, this sailor showed off his thighs streaked with multiple marks in shades of purple. Beaten up by a boom, apparently.

This sailor’s pride in accomplishment got me thinking as a writer.  Main characters need “bruises on their bruises” to bring their challenge to a satisfying conclusion.

     Are you too easy on your characters?

Beginning writers tend to love their characters too much and hesitate making their situations awful. Readers identify with characters and live through them: How would that character deal with something that, in real life, would be too scary to face?  

Real writing fun starts when you dig holes deep enough to make your characters show their stuff. From the first pages, plant seeds—personal qualities—that will eventually help him or her save the day. One of my main characters wants to learn how to whistle just like her father. She works hard at it, puckering over and over. Perhaps your character has an uncanny ability to communicate with animals or throw his voice. A girl’s hair-braiding skills can be employed to rope-weaving. That whistle turns into a life-saving signal in the book’s climax.

No matter how outrageous the situation, your characters’ challenges will be met in a way that is believable if you have planted the seeds to their success early on. Your readers will root for him or her to jump figurative or literal chasms.

  Is your villain nasty enough? Has he/she/it gone soft?

Think of any villain you love to hate. My current favorites are the actors on ABC’s Once Upon a Time series. Lana Parilla plays Snow White’s Evil Queen. Her colleague, Robert Carlyle, plays a delightfully devious Rumpelstiltskin.  Both seek to fulfill their own agendas at any cost. Sparingly, authors can use superlatives to add weight. If Voldemort was merely trying to give Harry Potter a bad day once in a while would his triumphant end be worth reading thousands of pages? As the darkest wizard in generations, with a name people feared to speak, Voldemort was a worthy opponent for the good vs. evil quest.

Your readers deserve the smartest hero or heroine (even if they don't start out that way) and the toughest nemesis you can dream up. Well-earned victory over a true villain makes it worth the effort to bang up your character with a boom. 

Pile on bruises on the bruises! 

Your readers will forgive you—and enjoy the ride.

Writing Books for Children: From Contract to Sales to a Writing Career

You’ve chosen to write books for children, and you’ve done it by the book: you did your homework and learned the craft of writing; you created a polished manuscript; and you submitted it to publishers.

And, knowing it’s not necessarily the best writer who gets published, but the one who perseveres, you were steadfast and didn’t let initial rejections deter you.

Now, it’s finally happened - all your hard work paid off. A publisher accepted your book, and you’re on your way. 

But, this is far from the end of your writing journey . . . this is just the beginning.

After your book is accepted for publication, there are three steps you will go through . . . if you intend to make writing books for children a career:

1. Writing Books for Children: The Book Contract 

You may want to sign that publishing contract as soon as you can, but be sure to read the contract carefully; if you don’t understand something, ask for an explanation.

Once you’re sure you understand everything in the contract and agree with it, sign away.

After you sign a contract, you’ll be ‘put in queue,’ and at some point begin editing with the publisher’s editor. This will most likely involve more revisions.

From start to actual release, the publishing process can take one to two years.

2. Writing Books for Children: Book Promotion

A few months prior to your book’s release, you should begin promotion to help with book sales.

As soon as you have a book contract, you should begin creating an author website and platform - you will need to create visibility for you and your book.

You need to become a ‘blip’ on the internet radar. To create and maintain this ‘blip,’ you’ll need to post content to your site on a regular basis and use a number of other strategies to extend your promotional reach.

After your book’s release, you will want to take part in virtual book tours, do blogtalk radio guest spots, school visits, and all the other standard book promotion strategies. You can take this on yourself, or you can hire a book promotion service or publicist.

There’s much involved in book promotion, so if you can afford it, make use of professionals. Just be sure to ask around for recommendations; you want to use a service or individual who knows what she’s doing and who gives you value for your money.

Book promotion generates book sales.

You can check out these articles for book promotion tips:

Book Promotion: The Foundation

Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel

Book Promotion: 20 Strategies that will Broaden Your Reach – Part 1

3. Writing Books for Children: A Writing Career

Now, you’ve got your book, and you’re promoting it like crazy (this is an ongoing process). The next step is to repeat the process, over and over and over. You don’t want to be a one-hit wonder, so hopefully you’ve been writing other stories. If not, get started now. On average, an author writes a book every one to two years. 

Along with keeping your writing books for children momentum up, having published books opens other writing opportunities, such as speaking engagements, conducting workshops, teleseminars, webinars, and coaching. There are a number of marketers who say your ‘book’ is your business card or calling card; it conveys what you’re capable of and establishes you as an expert in your field or niche. Take advantage of these additional avenues of visibility and income.

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Karen Cioffi is an author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, and editor. To learn more about writing and marketing visit http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. While there, sign up for A Writer's World newsletter; you'll get two free site-related e-books in the process.

Writing Books for Children: Submissions

The foundation of writing for children, or any genre for that matter, is to learn the craft of writing. In regard to being a children’s author you will need to learn the specific rules and tricks to create appropriate stories with age-appropriate words and storylines.

Once you have taken the time to hone your craft and have critiqued, revised, and edited your manuscript to a polished state, it’s on to the next phases of the traditional writing books for children path: submissions, promotion, and a writing career. This article discusses submissions.

Writing Books for Children: Submissions

Before you think about submitting your work anywhere, be sure you’ve completed the necessary steps to learn the craft of writing. You’re manuscript needs to be as polished as you can possibly get it.

Submissions can fall into two categories: those to publishers and those to agents. In regard to submitting to agents, in a webinar presented by Writer’s Digest, agent Mary Kole advised to “research agents.” This means to find out what type of agent they are in regard to the genre they work with and the agent platform they provide: do they coddle their authors, do they crack the whip, are they aggressive, passive, involved, or complacent. Know what you’re getting into before querying an agent, and especially before signing a contract.

Here are two sites you can visit to learn about agents:

http://agentquery.com
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/

The same advice works for submitting to publishers also; research publishers before submitting to them. Know which genres of children’s books they handle and the type of storylines they’re looking for.

Whether submitting to a publisher or an agent, always follow the guidelines and always personalize the query. There may be times the guidelines do not provide the name of the editor to send the query to, but if you can find that information, use it.

According to Mary Kole, it’s also important to know how to pitch your story. This entails finding the story’s hook. Agents and publishers also want to know what the book’s selling points will be and what successful books it’s similar to. In addition, they will expect to be told what your marketing strategy will be. It’s a good idea to create an online presence and platform before you begin submissions; let the agents and publishers know you will actively market your book.

Along with the story’s hook, you need to convey: who your main character is and what he/she is about; the action that drives the story; the main character’s obstacle, and if the main character doesn’t overcome the obstacle, what’s at stake.

Ms. Kole recommends reading “the back of published books” to see how they briefly and effectively convey the essence of the story. This will give you an idea of how to create your own synopsis.

When querying, keep your pitch short and professional, and keep your bio brief and relevant. You will need to grab the editor or agent and make them want to read your manuscript.

Here are four tools you can use to help find a publisher or agent:

•    Writers Market: Where and How to Sell What You Write
•    Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market: Over 700 listings for book publisher’s, magazines, agents, art reps, and more
•    Guide to Literary Agents: Where and How to Find the Right Agents to Represent Your Work
•    WritersMarket.com: Online resource to help you sell what you write

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Karen Cioffi is an author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, and editor. To learn more about writing and marketing visit http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. While there, sign up for A Writer's World newsletter; you'll get two free site-related e-books in the process.