What makes a good chidren's story / book?

There is no interview with an SFC Team Member today. Instead I have a wonderful guest post to share from World of Ink Tour Guests Tom Listul & Heather Listul Hewitt.

What makes a good chidren's story / book ?

Every children’s story that I have enjoyed has had some main ingredients.

Interesting Characters and Story Line

First and foremost, it is important to have interesting characters and an interesting story line that will hold the reader’s attention. Children need to be able to relate to the story and have fun reading it.

Wording

The words in a children’s story are the core of the book, but the illustrations are also very important. The overall feeling of a story can change dramatically depending on how the words are depicted through pictures.

Artwork/Illustrations

I think a good children’s story has illustrations that match the message that the words are trying to depict. It is also fun to see illustrations that are unique and colorful, because they will capture a child’s attention.

Rhyme, Patterns or Hidden Messages

Some of my favorite children’s books are ones that have unique rhymes, patterns or hidden messages. People enjoy seeing and reading something different than what is already on the shelves so it is good to take chances.

Tips on Writing for Children

Think like a kid.
Use your imagination.
Try to remember what you enjoyed reading about as a child.
Ask children you know for their input or to rate your idea. You might be surprised with how they respond.
Simplify what you are writing depending on the age group you are targeting.
The most important thing is just to have fun with writing and to enjoy the process. It is likely that children will enjoy it if you had fun with it and were creative.

About the authors:

Tom Listul wrote Monkey Made Dream with his daughter, Heather Listul Hewitt, when she was eight years old. A farmer from southwest Minnesota, he is also a singer/songwriter. Listul made Monkey Made Dream into a children’s song and has sang it at numerous coffee houses and children’s classrooms. Hewitt is now a speech-language pathologist, who works for a school district with students of all ages. She enjoys helping children develop literacy skills and a love for reading.

Learn more about Tom Listul and Heather Listul Hewitt at their World of Ink Tour Page!

Get your SFC Book Trailer today at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/SFCBookTrailers.aspx

Sign up for a World of Ink Virtual Tour at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/WorldofInkTours.aspx

VBT-Guest Author Spotlight Donna McDine

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78 th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Her stories have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey . She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and Publicist for the National Writing for Children Center from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children. What excites you most about your book’s topic? Why did you choose it? The Underground Railroad was a pivotal time in American history, one that should never be repeated. It is my hope by keeping history alive for each generation that these huge mistakes will never reoccur. Q. How lon

Websites, Blogs and Newsletters

Marketing and promoting is a subject that confuses many writers. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, for adult or children readers, are self-published or traditionally published, all writers need to promote themselves. And one of the best ways to do that is through the internet. I put these three together because in reality everyone has their own idea on how to market themselves on the internet. I personally use all three ways to market my work and myself. I know others who use only one form to promote themselves. Whichever you choose, make sure you keep it updated with the most current information about you. Another thing to think about is what you are going to post on your websites, blogs, or in your newsletters. Jan Fields, an instructor at the Institute of Children’s Literature, Editor of Children’s Writers enews said in the February 14, 2008 issue, “We live in the information age and little things can become big things really fast. For example, although it is true that ed

Article Wednesday: 5 Tips to Overcome a Lack of Motivation

Often times just getting started is the hardest part of any project due to a lack of motivation. This frustrating mental barrier is a very real obstacle that confronts each and every one of us from time to time. Developing certain habits to restore and maintain your motivation in order to start and complete any given task is the basis of today's article. Here are 5 tips to that will help you get motivated and maintain your drive regardless of what your goals may be. Plan Your Work It is important that you organize your efforts in a way that makes sense and proves most effective towards reaching your goals. Set up a schedule of when you intend to work on a particular project and how much time you intend to devote to it. Be realistic with your goals, the amount of time you'll need and when that time will be available to you. If the project is important, enough you'll want to consider scheduling the best time of day when you are at your best and most productive. Fo

VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

Search This Blog