WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR DUMMIES.

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 The ABCs of Writing for Children
	Chapter 1 Exploring the Basics of Writing Children’s Books
		Knowing Your Format, Genre, and Audience
		Getting into a Good Writing Zone
		Transforming Yourself into a Storyteller
		Polishing Your Gem and Getting It Ready to Send
		Selling Your Story
		Promoting Your Book
		Improving Your Chances of Getting Published
	Chapter 2 Delving into Children’s Book Formats
		Dissecting the Anatomy of a Book
		Grouping Types of Children’s Books
		Illustrated Books for All Ages
			Baby-friendly board books
			Picture books for toddlers
			Other books that have pictures
		Working through Wordy Books
			Early readers
			First chapter books
			Middle-grade books
			Young adult books
	Chapter 3 Exploring the Genres
		Going Out of This World
			Science fiction
			Fantasy
			Graphic novels and manga
			Horror and ghost stories
		Getting in on the Action (and History)
			Action/adventure
			True stories
			Historical fiction
			Mysteries
		Writing About Real People
			Biography/memoir
			LGBTQIA
			Gender-oriented series books
			Friendship
			School issues
			Developmental milestones and first experiences
			Prose poetry
			Romance
		Giving Stories a Message
			Learning/educational
			Religion
			Aspirational and inspirational
			Diversity
			Family issues
			Pets and animals
			Cultural issues
			Addiction, abuse, and mental illness
		Keeping Them Laughing with Humor
			Quirky characters
			Parody, satire, and jokes
			Slapstick and gross
			Dark humor
			Wordplay
	Chapter 4 Understanding the Children’s Book Market
		Getting Insight into Book Buyers’ Needs
			For chain and big-box bookstores
			For independent bookstores
		Recognizing What Reviewers Offer
		Discovering What Librarians Add to the Mix
		Taking a Look at How Teachers Use Books in Their Classrooms
		Considering Parents’ Perspectives
		Thinking Like a Kid
Part 2 Immersing Yourself in the Writing Process
	Chapter 5 Setting Up for Success: Finding the Time and Space to Write
		Finding Time to Write
			Figuring out when you’re most productive
			Sticking to a writing schedule
			Evaluating your commitment
		Optimizing Your Writing Environment
			Locating your special writing spot
			Keeping helpful references handy
			Cutting down on clutter and getting organized
			Preventing and dealing with interruptions
	Chapter 6 Starting with a Great Idea
		Once Upon a Time: Coming Up with an Idea
			Relying on specific ideas rather than big ones
			Tapping into your own experiences
			Digging through childhood mementos
				Flipping through a photo album
			Drawing from other children’s experiences
			Pulling ideas from the world around you
		Stumped? Break through with Brainstorming
			Doing it all by yourself
			Giving free association a whirl
			Taking up journaling
			Buddying up to the buddy system
			Asking the advice of classmates and writing professionals
			Seeking help from your audience
			Going to the source
			Checking the “best of” book lists
		Fighting Writer’s Block
	Chapter 7 Researching Your Audience and Subject
		Hanging Out with Kids
			Going back to school
			Becoming a storyteller
			Borrowing a friend’s child for a day
		Dipping into Popular Culture
			Watching kids’ TV shows and movies
			Playing kid-focused digital games
			Reading parenting and family magazines and blogs
			Perusing pop culture magazines and blogs
			Surfing the web
			Browsing bookstores
			Visiting children’s stores online or in person
			Studying kids’ fashion trends
			Eavesdropping where kids hang out
		Researching Your Nonfiction Topic
			Outlining the research process
			Getting around locally
			Going far afield
			Visiting the web — a lot
Part 3 Creating a Spellbinding Story
	Chapter 8 Creating Compelling Characters
		The Secret Formula for an Exceptional Main Character
			Defining your main character’s driving desire
			Show, don’t tell: Fleshing out your main character
		Getting to Know Your Characters through Dialogue
		Compiling a Character Bible
			Surveying a sample character bible
			Creating consistency
		Writing Stories with Two or More Main Characters
		Choosing Supporting Characters
		Calling All Character Arcs
		Character Don’ts — and How to Avoid Them
			Steer clear of stereotypes
			Don’t tell us everything
			Toss out passivity and indefinites
			Don’t rely on backstory or flashbacks
		Developing Characters through Writing Exercises
			Describe your first best friend
			Borrow your favorite children’s book characters
			Revisit a painful or joyful experience from your childhood
	Chapter 9 The Plot Thickens: Conflict, Climax, and Resolution
		Plot: It’s All about Action
		Centering on the Story
		Giving Your Story a Beginning, Middle, and End
		Propelling Your Story with Drama and Pacing
			Drama: A reason to turn the page
			Pacing: How you keep the pages turning
		Outlining to Structure Your Plot
			Creating a step sheet
			Fleshing out your outline
			Knowing when to circumvent an outline
		Preventing Plot Problems
		Writing Your First Draft
	Chapter 10 Can We Talk? Writing Effective Dialogue
		The Fundamentals of Good Dialogue
			Dialogue has a function
			Dialogue has drama
		Listening to Real-World Dialogue
			How kids talk
			How grown-ups talk
		Adding a Speech Section to Your Character Bible
		Testing! Testing! Reading Dialogue Out Loud
		Avoiding Common Dialogue Mistakes
			Failing to have conflict or tension
			Repeating information: Showing versus telling
			Describing dialogue
			Using too many speaker references and attributions
			Creating heavy-handed and unrealistic dialogue
			Filling space with unnecessary dialogue
		Improving Dialogue by Using Writing Exercises
			Talking on paper
			Introducing your first best friend to the love of your life
	Chapter 11 Setting the Scene
		Giving Context to Your Story and Its Characters with Scenery
		Creating a Context Bible
		Knowing When to Include Scenery and Context
			When place figures prominently
			When place plays an important role
			When description of place doesn’t interrupt flow of action
			When you must mention an exotic locale
			When you mention a specific place at the beginning
			When you use place to transition to a new scene
		Providing the Right Amount of Setting
		Engaging Your Readers’ Senses
		Knowing When Not to Make a Scene
		Exercising Your Nose through Smellography
	Chapter 12 Finding Your Voice: Point of View and Tone
		Building a Solid Point of View
			Reviewing POV options
			Picking your POV
			Matching tense with POV
		Having Fun with Words through Wordplay, Rhyming, and Rhythm
			Engaging in wordplay
			Taking different approaches to rhyming
			Keeping your story moving with rhythm
		Using Humor to Your Advantage
			Figuring out what kids consider funny
			Turning to the outrageous and the gross
		The Mojo of Good Writing: Exploring Voice, Style, and Tone
			Finding your story’s voice
			Writing with style
			Taking the right tone
		Knowing When You Need a Voice Makeover
		Helping Your Voice Emerge by Playing Pretend
			Pretend to be someone (or something) else
	Chapter 13 Writing Creative Nonfiction Books
		The Nonfiction Children’s Book World at a Glance
		Writing Toward a Nonfiction Masterpiece
		Choosing a Great Nonfiction Topic
			Looking at topics that get kids’ attention
			Finding topics that interest you
			Branching out into the real world
		Testing Your Topic
		Outlining Your Creative Nonfiction
			Starting simple
			Fleshing out your ideas
			Enhancing your outline by using visual aids
		Common Creative Nonfiction Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
		Writing Exercises for Creative Nonfiction
			Pretend you’re a newspaper reporter
			Create a funny five-step procedure to wash a dog
			More short exercises to get you writing
Part 4 Making Your Story Sparkle
	Chapter 14 Editing, Revising, and Formatting Your Way to a Happy Ending
		Your Revising Checklist: Getting Major Story Elements in Order
			Theme
			Characters
			Plot
			Pacing and drama
			Setting and context
			Point of view
		Fine-Tuning Your Text: Editing Important Areas
			Strengthening your opening
			Keeping your dialogue tight and on target
			Transitioning effectively
			Trimming wordiness
			Keeping your chronologies in order
		Formatting Basics: First Impressions Matter
			Including the proper information on the first page
			Following other children’s book formatting conventions
		Not to Put Too Fine a Point on It: Checking Basic Grammar and Style
			Punctuation
			Style
			Miscellaneous
		Hiring Help: Working with an Editor or Editorial Service
			Finding a good editor or editorial service
			Asking the right questions
			Digital versus hard-copy editing
	Chapter 15 Creating Pictures from Your Words: The World of Illustrations
		To Illustrate or Not to Illustrate
		Recognizing Why You Shouldn’t Hire an Illustrator
		Following the Hand-Drawn Illustration Process with Artist Tim Bowers
			Starting with black-and-white pencil sketches
			Moving on to finished pencils
			Creating color art
			Capturing the right cover image
		Exploring the Digital Art Process with Author/Illustrator Barney Saltzberg
		Getting Your Art Seen by the Right Folks
			Considering some solid options
			Preparing a book dummy
		Handling Art When You’re Self-Publishing (and Not an Artist)
	Chapter 16 Finding and Incorporating Feedback
		Deciding When to Seek Feedback
		Getting Help from Friends and Relatives (or Not)
			Delving into the pros and cons of friendly advice
			Having a friend in the business
		Calling on Topic Experts: Beta and Sensitivity Readers
		Attending Conferences or Retreats
			Exploring the conference scene
			Getting away with retreats
		Participating in a Workshop
		Working with a Writing (or Illustrating) Group
			Finding the right group
			Starting your own group
			Sifting through the feedback you receive
		What Feedback Should You Expect During the Publishing Process?
Part 5 Getting Published and Promoting Your Book
	Chapter 17 The Traditional Route: Signing with an Agent or Publisher
		Identifying the Right Publisher
			Gathering information from the marketplace
			Perusing writer’s guides and directories
		Drafting Query Letters and Proposals
			Perfecting the query letter
			Drafting a great book proposal
		Joining Forces: Working with an Agent
			Finding and approaching your ideal agent
			Managing multiple agent submissions
			Understanding typical agency agreements
			Terminating your agency relationship
		Copyright: Protecting Your Work
		Success! Reviewing Your Publishing Contract
			Surveying the two types of publishing agreements
			Getting what you want in the contract
		Dealing with Rejection
	Chapter 18 Considering Hybrid Publishing
		The Good and the Bad about Hybrid Publishing
			The good about hybrid publishing
			The bad about hybrid publishers
			Vanity presses: Don’t say we didn’t warn you
		Identifying the Right Hybrid Publisher for Your Book
			Doing your research and asking around
			Confirming some important criteria
			Approaching a hybrid publisher
		Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Hybrid Buck
			Fees and payments
			What about distribution and marketing?
	Chapter 19 So You Want to Self-Publish?
		Weighing the Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing
		Exploring Your Self-Publishing Options
			The print route
			The digital route
		Setting a Price for Your Publication
		Distributing Your Self-Published Book
			Getting in the door at traditional bookstores
			Persuading online booksellers
			Considering other places to sell your book
	Chapter 20 Donning Your Publicity Cap
		Understanding How Your Publisher Promotes Your Book
		Publicizing Your Own Book
			Focusing on the digital components
			Touching on the traditional components
				Putting together a press kit
				Booking radio and television spots
		Promoting Your Work in Person
			Planning a publicity tour
			Joining the signing and reading circuit
		Hiring a Publicist
			Discovering what a publicist can do
			Finding the right publicist
			Getting the most for your money
	Chapter 21 Getting Savvy with Social Media
		Influencing the Influencers
			The basics of influencing others
			Understanding the different kinds of online influencers
			Figuring out where online your influencers live
		Knowing Where to Create a Social Media Presence
			Blogs
			Podcasts
			Goodreads website
			Facebook
			Twitter
			Instagram
			YouTube
			TikTok
			#BookTok
			Pinterest
		Making a Splash: Launching a Social Media Campaign
			Reviewing the ABCs of a social media campaign
			Getting noticed on social media
			Surveying the unwritten rules of social media marketing
			Applying search engine optimization
		Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Campaign
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 22 More Than Ten Great Sources for Timeless Storylines
		Tales of Yore: Fairy and Folk Tales, Fables, and the Like
		Mythology and Mythological Heroes
		Nursery Rhymes
		Bible and Religious Stories
		Family Issues and Changes
		Sibling Issues
		First Experiences
		Common Childhood Fantasies
		Friendship and Social Issues
		Growing Pains (Emotional and Behavioral)
		Bodies and the Brain: Their Functions and Changes
		History Makers and History in the Making
		Nature, Science, Technology
	Chapter 23 Ten Children’s-Author Recognitions to Dream About
		Newbery Medal
		Caldecott Medal
		Coretta Scott King Book Award
		Printz Award
		Pura Belpré Award
		Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
		ALA Quick Pick & ALA Notable Books for Children
		Stonewall Book Award
		Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
		State and Local Book Awards
Index
EULA