Your Author Website's Landing Page

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer and Self-Publisher

 The internet is teeming with information on everything you can possibly think of. This includes information on your business platform. But with all this information available, there are still many who aren’t aware of the basics, the dos and don’ts of an author online platform.

I recently came across a website on ‘article submissions.’ Finding it on Twitter and being interested, I clicked on the link.

It brought me to a site with articles on unrelated topics. There wasn’t an About page or any information on what the site was about. And there wasn’t a Contact or Services page.

This marketer/business owner was leading people back to his site, apparently to sell something, but the site was completely ineffective. It was one of the most puzzling sites I’ve ever seen.

So, the question is: If someone lands on your website by accident, through a search, or via a social link, is it effective? Is it visitor optimized?

To answer these questions, you first need to know the fundamentals of a business website. And a business website can be an author’s site, a freelance writing site, a home business site, or a small business site. The basics are the same for all websites that sell something, whether it be books, services, or a product.

To guide you in the right direction to creating a visitor-optimized website, let’s go over the very basics.

Online marketing 101 is to create a website that works, a website that converts visitors into clients, customers, or subscribers.

This is the foundation of your online empire, and an effective website needs to immediately answer these four basic questions:

1. Who are you?
2. What are you offering?
3. Why is what you’re offering worthy of the visitor’s time, money, or email address?
4. Is the path to what you’re offering, the path to the YES, simple? (The YES is the potential customer’s positive action, whether it’s opting into your mailing list or buying what you’re offering, or other call-to-action)

Let’s go over each element:

1. Who You Are
Make sure your website has an About Me page. In addition, your landing page should clearly identify who you are. Don’t let the visitor have to hunt you down – don’t let her have to search through your site just to find some information on you.

Tip: Keep the About Me content conversational, like you’re talking to a friend.

2. What You Have to Offer
Your landing page needs to quickly convey what you have to offer. To do this, you can use an image with content or a video. Video is highly effective—it has been proven to increase conversion rates. 

Tip: Keep the ‘key’ information above the fold. This means it must be visible upon landing on the page. The visitor shouldn’t have to scroll down the page to find it.

3. Why What You’re Offering is Worthy of the Visitor’s Time/Money/Email
Let the visitor know the value of what you have to offer. Show how it will benefit her. And, if possible, make it seem exclusive. Figure out a way to make the visitor think he can’t get what you’re offering anywhere else.

Tip: The visitor must perceive the value of your offer as higher than its cost.

4. Is the Path to What You’re Offering (the Path to the YES) Simple?
Marketers use the acronym KISS (Keep it Simple Silly) to emphasize the importance of simplicity. Your website should be easy to navigate, focused and clear, have a simple design, and have an easy path to saying YES.

Tip: To keep it simple, have only one or two steps for opting in or to taking another call to action. 

To further cement the ‘tell it all and tell it quickly’ website strategy, the new timeline is only 3-5 seconds to get the job done. That’s the length of time you have to grab the visitor, let him know who you are, what you have to offer, and how it can benefit him. Longer than that and the visitor will bounce back to his search results.  
    
Ready, set, go!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is a working children’s writer and self-publisher. If you need help with ghostwriting, rewriting, editing, coaching, or publishing, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

Connect with Karen on social media. 

 

Don't Sacrifice Quality When Writing for Kids

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

 A while ago, I started a new children’s ghostwriting project, and the client recommended that I read a book she wanted her book to be based on.

The client raved about the picture book.

So, I bought the Kindle version and read it. 

I’ll start with the positives of the book:

1. The illustrations were colorful and fun. 

Now onto the negatives:

1. Children’s writers have a responsibility.

While the book was written to help children overcome emotional issues, it was very misleading. The character was miraculously healed in one day.

I’ve written for enough child psychologists and therapists to know that overcoming emotional issues takes time and work. It’s essential that the child and parents are aware of this.

How it should basically work: There’s a struggle. The child moves forward, then there are setbacks. The child moves further along with more setbacks, then there is forward movement, possibly with more minor setbacks, until he is finally able to handle his symptoms.

It’s not wise or professional to give children and parents false expectations.

2. There were grammatical errors, including missing periods at the end of sentences and missing quotation marks. And there were some poor word choices used.

3. The book is described as ‘lightly rhyming’. 

I’ve never heard that phrase before, and I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean.

The book was mainly rhymed, though some of the rhymes felt forced. And notice I said, “mainly rhyme.” A couple of paragraphs weren’t rhymed. I’m guessing the author couldn’t come up with a rhyme for those paragraphs, so they were simply left as they were.

Important tip: Either you rhyme right, or you shouldn’t rhyme.

4. There was a lot of telling.

Telling is when the author 'tells' the reader what's going on rather than showing it through action, dialogue, senses, and details. 

5. The formatting was off.

In a couple of spots, I had to reread the page a couple of times to make sense of it and figure out who was speaking. And page-wise, it was much shorter than a standard picture book.

There are industry standards for a reason—children’s writers should adhere to them.

6. The back cover copy wasn’t professionally written, and the sales page author info wasn’t professionally written.

SUMMING IT UP

This isn’t about 'putting down' an author’s book; it’s just that it was too easy to quickly know that this was self-published... and it was unprofessional.

That’s never a good thing. It’s these types of books that perpetuate the stigma of self-publishing.

While it’s easy to send a book out into the world, the quality of the book should never be sacrificed for the sake of speed in publication or the cost of having it professionally edited and formatted.

What I find especially disappointing is that this author, a professional in her field, has a series of children’s books.

While many authors may slack off on quality, we shouldn't let that happen when writing for children. As children’s authors, we should set the standard high… and keep it there.

The takeaway of this article is that if you’re going to self-publish a book, please take the time to do it right. Put in the time and effort, and spend the money to, at the very least, pay to have it professionally edited and properly formatted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, ghostwriter, editor, and self-publisher. If you’d like to learn more about writing for children or  need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE. 

Connect with Karen on SOCIAL MEDIA. 

Timespans and Young Children's Stories

 

 

 

 Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

In children’s books, especially those for toddlers through early elementary age, you’ll notice a common thread: the plots often unfold over a very short period. Sometimes a story spans a single day, or even just a couple of hours. This isn't a coincidence or a mass mistake; it’s a deliberate, developmentally appropriate storytelling strategy.

So, why do young children’s stories tend to have short time spans? And why does that technique work best for the intended audience?
 

HERE ARE 6 REASONS

1. Young Children Live in the Present
Early childhood is marked by a strong focus on the here and now. Very young children don’t yet grasp abstract concepts like "next week" or "last year" in the way adults or older kids do. 

Because of this, stories with timelines that mirror a young child’s own sense of time feel familiar and understandable.

Take “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats as an example. The entire story takes place over one day. The plot is simple: Peter explores outside after a snowfall. He wakes up, plays outside, comes back home, and realizes snow melts, but that’s okay. The simplicity and the connection to a child’s daily rhythm are what make it work.

2. Short Timespans Fit Short Attention Spans
Preschoolers and early elementary children have shorter attention spans. A story that spans weeks or months would require multiple plot threads (lines of action that contribute to the overall story), character development over time, and more transitions. That kind of story can be too much for a child to comprehend.

Instead, stories with short time spans offer a tight, manageable narrative. 

“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak is a classic case. The entire story seems to take place in one evening. Mischievous Max is sent to his room, and he imagines sailing away to the land of the Wild Things, to return home “while supper was still hot.” 

It’s adventurous yet tightly contained. This allows young readers to follow the plot without getting lost, which is essential for comprehension and enjoyment.

3. Emotion and Growth Can Happen Quickly
Even in a short time, a child can go through big emotional arcs, and so can characters. In real life, a child can go from anger to sadness to joy in a matter of minutes. Children's books reflect this emotional truth.

In “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes, Lilly adores her teacher but feels betrayed when he takes away her beloved purse. All this unfolds during a single school day. Lilly goes through shame, frustration, reflection, and eventually forgiveness, all within one plot setting. This mirrors how young children process feelings, often quickly and intensely.

4. Routine Structures Create Comfort and Engagement
Many stories for young children are built around routines: getting ready for bed, going to school, visiting Grandma. These events naturally fit into short time spans and help children see themselves in the story. They recognize the sequence of events and anticipate what might come next.

“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown is the ultimate example of a time-bound, comforting bedtime story. The entire plot takes place as a little bunny says goodnight to everything in his room. It’s about the passage of a few quiet moments, and that’s exactly what makes it so connecting and calming for children.

5. Simpler Plots Allow for Stronger Repetition
Short time spans often go hand in hand with simple plots. That simplicity makes space for repetition, which is crucial for young learners. Repetition builds language skills, memory, and anticipation.

“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Numeroff features a consequential plot that loops back to the beginning. The story’s events all stem from a single action and unfold quickly, with cause-and-effect building rapidly. 

The entire story feels like it could take place in an hour, possibly two. This tightly packed, fast-moving chain of events keeps kids engaged and reinforces comprehension through predictability.

6. Visuals and Text Work Hand in Hand
In picture books and early readers, the illustrations often do as much storytelling as the words. A shorter time span allows for a clearer visual narrative, as the illustrations can stay consistent with setting, time of day, and characters’ outfits or expressions.

In “The Adventures of Planetman: The Case of the Stranded Bear” by Karen Cioffi, Thomas and his friends (environmental superheroes) spot a polar bear cub stranded on an ice block that’s heading out to sea. They jump into action to save the bear. 

Set in Churchill, Canada, the story takes place within an hour or two, and the bold and fun illustrations capture the setting, movement, and mood. This helps maintain the young reader’s attention span and helps in understanding what’s happening in the scenes. 

SUMMING IT UP

Short time spans in young children’s stories are a smart storytelling strategy. They match the developmental stage of the audience, emotional rhythms, and deliver relatable and meaningful stories in a form that’s just right for young minds.

By keeping plots close to home and close in time, authors open the door for children to not only understand a story but to see themselves in it. And that’s what children’s authors should want to accomplish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, editor, and self-publishing specialist. If you’d like to learn more about writing for children or  need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

Connect with Karen on SOCIAL MEDIA. 

 

Illustrations or Layout? Which Comes First?

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

I read an interesting article from a reputable self-publishing service (1106 Design). The article explains that the best way to produce a children's picture book is to create the interior layout before getting the illustrations done.

This is something I hadn't thought of. But it makes so much sense.

I write a lot of stories for clients, and in the past, that was usually the end of my involvement. That is aside from providing my clients with the names of two or three illustrators and book designers to work with after they have completed manuscripts. But I usually didn’t go beyond that. 

I provide the list because most people new to the writing arena aren't aware of the next steps. They need help.

I’ve since created a self-publishing service for my clients because I know they need help, and I know how many scammers are out there.

So, here are the next steps once you have a completed manuscript, whether you wrote it yourself or had it ghostwritten.

THE DIY BEGINNING 

 Start with the Story

The first step to self-publishing a picture book is having a finished manuscript. 

Once that's done, the author hires an illustrator who creates the interior illustrations, and usually the front and back covers.

How Many Illustrations, What Size, and the Layout

At this point, the author needs to discuss with the illustrator how the book is to be laid out.

Does the author want an illustration on each page? On every other page?

Keep in mind that having an illustration on every other page cuts the number of interior illustrations needed in half. This cuts the cost of interior illustrations in half. It’s a huge factor, and the decision is usually based on the author’s budget.

Once that's decided, the illustrator and author decide if full-page, half-page, quarter-page, or spot illustrations should be used, or a combination. Keep in mind that the type of illustration determines the cost. 

The article I mentioned earlier notes that it's best to let the illustrator lay out the pages for the text and illustrations. It creates a much more professional and engaging finished product.

If you look at books like “The Berenstain Bears”, "D.W. The Picky Eater" by Marc Brown, or even “Sophia Mouse” (a simple chapter book), the text can be anywhere on the page. But it needs to work with the illustrations.

You want to be able to easily read the text.

This is why your illustrator needs a copy of the manuscript to create the layout before creating the illustrations. This way, the illustrations fit the space allotted to them.

A great way for you to determine how you want your picture book to look is to do some research. Find books that you like and let your illustrator know what look you'd like to go for.

So, when going into this, find out whether the illustrator inputs the text.

I work with an illustrator who doesn’t even input the cover text. 

Know what you’re getting into.  

If the illustrator doesn’t input the text, you will need to request that he ensure he leaves enough room for it.

This goes for chapter books as well. 

Your Illustrations are Done

Once the illustrations are done, the illustrator will give you a PDF file or the individual illustrations, including the cover. You will send everything, including the manuscript, to the book designer/formatter. 

The book designer will put it together. You will, however, need to explain which illustration goes on which page and where on the page. A good formatter will know what to do.  

When done, the book formatter or designer will give you print-ready files for ebook and print upload to sites like Amazon (retailer and distributor), IngramSpark (aggregator), or whatever retailer or book distributor you intend to use.

This is the Do-It-Yourself way.

AN ALTERNATIVE

If the above seems like too much work, you do have an option: hire a self-publishing company to do it all for you.

Before I go on, picture RED FLAGS here.

There are A LOT of companies out there that just want your money. And every year, they’re getting more devious. So, BUYER BEWARE. 

Research, research, research self-publishing companies before handing over your money.

Once you find a reputable company, they will take your manuscript and illustrations and put the book together for you.

Some of these companies even offer illustrations, making your life easier. 

Just be sure the self-publishing company handles children's picture books. This is very important. And make sure the illustrators they hire are experienced.

One reputable company is 1106 Design. Just keep in mind that the convenience comes at a price. 

If you're a children's author and have a picture book or simple chapter book, a reasonably priced option is  Writers on the Move Self-Publishing Service. 

AGAIN, be careful. 

To read the 1106 Design article, click the link: https://www.1106design.com/2017/01/25/want-to-publish-a-beautiful-childrens-book-heres-how

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

 Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you’d like to learn more about writing for children or  need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

Connect with Karen on SOCIAL MEDIA. 

 

Writing Goals: Front and Center

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

As a writer, you have to move forward to keep up with the onslaught of books and authors in the book publishing arena. And you especially need to be sure you’re staying in alignment with your writing goals. 

This means you need to stop every now and then to evaluate your core goals and whether you’re actually heading in that direction.

Every marketer will tell you that at the beginning of each year, you need to create a list of core or major goals. It’s important to make your goals realistic and attainable, and not to burden yourself with too many.

Three is a good number of writing goals, not too few, not too many. Then, under each goal, list a few tasks that you will do on a daily or weekly basis to help you reach your objectives.

In addition to writing your goals down in a document, they need to be printed and kept visible. It’s important to put them somewhere you’ll be sure to notice every day. You might put your list on your computer, inside your laptop case, on top of your daily planner, or on the inside of a kitchen cabinet you open every day.

You get the idea: your writing goals need to be visible each and every day. Not just visible, though, they need to be read each and every day.

Why is it important to keep your writing goals front and center?

Here’s another question to help answer that question: Did you ever hear the expression, ‘Out of sight, out of mind?’

That’s your answer.

On January 1st of ‘any year,’ you may tell yourself, and maybe even write it down, that you will:

1. Write a minimum of five pages of your new book each week.
2. Effectively market your published books.
3. Submit articles to three paying magazines every month.

Okay, that’s great. But, suppose it’s now July, and you haven’t even written 10 pages of your new book, and you haven’t gone past the very basics of promoting your published books.

What happened to your writing goals?

Easy. You didn’t keep your goals list front and center, so you got sidetracked.

While you may have had the best of intentions on January 1st, if you don’t keep those writing goals visible, it’s difficult to stay on course.

Maybe you decided to add the writing of unrelated ebooks to your workload. 

Maybe you decided to do book reviews and started a critique group of your own. 

Maybe you devoted too much time to social networking and your online groups.

These additions may not necessarily be a bad thing, but before you continue on, ask yourself three questions:

1. Are these additions to your workload moving you in the direction of your primary writing goals?
2. Are they actually keeping you from attaining your goals?
3. Are they providing some kind of income?

If your answers to these questions are NO, YES, NO, then you need to step back, redirect your steps, and get back on track. If you keep your writing goals front and center, you’ll be amazed at how you automatically work toward achieving them.

And, interestingly, it seems once you have that focus, the universe somehow aligns itself with you and things start falling into place.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Karen Cioffi Writing for Children. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

Connect with Karen on SOCIAL MEDIA. 
 

 

 

Is Your Self-Published Children’s Book Professionally Done?

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

There are a lot of self-published (SP) children’s books that are as good as, or even better than, traditionally published books.

The authors who produce these books take care and do it right. They do everything they should to ensure their book meets the mark.

But…

There are an awful lot of SP books out there that are way off the mark.

So, what about your book? Is it professionally done? Is it a book that you’re proud to be the author of?

If not, how can you improve your books?

The top five ways to make sure your children’s book is publishable and marketable; in other words, professionally done.

1. Research.

If you’re new or newish to the children’s writing arena, study other children’s books in the genre you want to write.

Go deep into these books. Pay attention to everything from story structure and character development to pacing, grammar, punctuation, character and story arcs, sentence structure, and all other elements.

I just read a manuscript from an author who had it edited before sending it to me. Even the quotation marks for dialogue were wrong - this is basic stuff. 

If the author had taken the time to research and study books, she would have known this.

2. Don’t think you’re good to go right out of the box.

No children’s story is good-to-go right out of the box. It takes revisions to make it shine. 

Pay attention to structure, organization, consistency, focus, clarity, and flow.  

Give it a couple of drafts before deciding you can move on to the next phase. 

3. Have your children’s manuscript professionally edited.

If you want a book that looks and reads professional, you need to get it professionally edited.

Keep in mind the author I mentioned in Number 1 above. 

I’d never seen such a poorly written manuscript, and she had it edited.

Before looking for an editor, learn the basics and get your manuscript into the best shape you can. Taking this step will possibly help reduce the editor’s fee. The more an editor has to do, the more you’ll be charged.

Once you’re at the best you can do stage, research editors. Look for testimonials and samples of the editor’s work.

You can also ask around for recommendations. A good way to do this is to join the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). There are a lot of experienced writers who are happy to help.

Warning: Once you have your story edited by a professional children’s editor, don’t let a self-publishing service re-edit it.

4. You’ll need some additional pages.

Front matter:
-Title page
-Copyright page
-Dedication page (optional)

Back matter (optional):
-Author page
-Glossary (if needed)
-Reading comprehension page (optional)
-More information page/s (optional)

5. Hire a good illustrator.

Picture books rely heavily on the illustrations. They help tell the story.

Chapter books also need illustrations, as readers still need them to help grasp the story. This is why you need a good illustrator, one who knows what he’s doing.

Check out their portfolio. You might ask for a sample, though not all illustrators will provide one.

And it's not a good idea to hire an illustrator based on sketches. I worked with one who had great sketches, but the colored illustrations were boring. 

You also want an illustrator who is creative enough to see what you can’t and one who can create a grabbing cover. 

The cover is the number one contributing factor that motivates a reader to buy your book. It's a good idea to take advantage of it by having it done right. There are better places to try to save money.

This is not the place to try to save money.

At a loss to find an illustrator? You can use SCBWI to find one. I provide my clients with one or two illustrators that I’ve worked with or that my clients have worked with.

Illustration tips:

-Be sure you will own the illustrations once you pay for them.
-Be sure the illustrator will do revisions.
-Check each illustration for page accuracy and consistency throughout.
-Hire an illustrator who does the text inlay.
-Check the text inlay for accuracy. I’ve seen some terrible mistakes in this area.
-It’s important to get the individual illustrations even if the illustrator provides a PDF of the entire book.
-Review the finished work carefully before handing it off to a formatter/designer or a self-publishing service.

Hope this helps you create a professional children’s book that you’ll be proud to be the author of.

This article was originally published at: Is Your Self-Published Book Professionally Done?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

Connect with Karen on SOCIAL MEDIA. 

Need help self-publishing your children's picture or chapter book? Check out Writers on the Move Self-Publishing Service. 

 

The Takeaway

 Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

Most of my clients know what they want the takeaway of their book to be. 

It may be to demonstrate kindness, overcome fear, be a good friend, learn responsibility, learn about conservation, become self-confident, learn coping strategies, realize the importance of family…

Now and then, though, I still get clients who think a list of events constitutes a good story. They have a tough time understanding the elements that need to go into making a story work, such as character arc, story arc, plot, and a story’s takeaway. 

WHAT IS A BOOK’S TAKEAWAY?

The takeaway in children’s writing refers to the central message, moral, or theme that readers are meant to understand or remember after finishing the story. It's what leaves an impact, inspires thought, or teaches a lesson. In children’s literature, the takeaway is typically simple, clear, and age-appropriate, often woven seamlessly into the story, and should be conveyed subtly.

The takeaway is what the reader will find memorable, leaving a lasting impression that will hopefully prompt the reader to consider new perspectives or apply the information learned to their own lives. 

EXAMPLES OF TAKEAWAYS IN CHILDREN’S WRITING

Picture book: “Stephanie’s Ponytail” by Robert Munsch. 

Stephanie's upset because the kids in her class copy every hairdo she creates. Finally, she outwits them, and they never copy her hairdo again. 

As well as being a fun read, the takeaway teaches children about creativity, independence, self-confidence, imagination, and being daring. 

Chapter book: “Walking Through Walls” by Karen Cioffi

The protagonist, Wang, begins his journey as a selfish, lazy kid. But striving to become rich and powerful, his heart is awakened to what riches and power really mean.

The takeaway is two-fold: not all things are as they appear, and richness and power can be more than gaining external things. It touches on friendship, loyalty, honesty, and hard work.

TIPS ON CRAFTING TAKEAWAYS IN CHILDREN’S WRITING

It's All About Subtlety:
Avoid overt preaching; let the actions and consequences of the characters deliver the message.

Example: Instead of saying, “Sharing is good,” show a character sharing their toys and making a new friend.

Make It Relatable:
Focus on themes children experience, like friendship, bravery, or honesty.

Example: A boy overcomes his fear of public speaking to join the school play, teaching bravery and confidence.

Keep It Age-Appropriate:
Simplify complex themes for younger readers. For older kids, explore deeper ideas like compassion or resilience.

End on a Positive Note:
Even if the story includes struggles or setbacks, it should leave readers with hope or encouragement.

TAKEAWAY IN PRACTICE

Imagine you’re writing a story about a lonely dragon who learns to write poems that bring joy to the townspeople. 

The takeaway could be: “Using your unique talents can connect you to others.” Instead of saying this outright, you’d show how the dragon’s poetry gradually breaks down fears and builds friendships.

The key is to balance storytelling with meaning, allowing the message to shine through the actions and emotions of the characters.

So, as you’re writing your children’s story, think of the takeaway. What message do you want to instill in the reader? 

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

And connect with Karen on social media.

 

4 Tips to Writing a Marketable Kid's Book

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

 Writing is a business, at least if your intent is to sell your writing.

With that in mind, it’s not that the marketing end of your writing should put a damper on your muse, but there are a few key marketing components that you need to keep in mind when writing.

1. Your audience.

It’s been said over and over that you need to have a target market – a target audience for your book.

If you think about it, you’ll realize that’s true.

Imagine you wrote a story about your Alaskan adventure.

Who do you think would be interested in it? Who do you think would buy your book?

Now imagine you wrote a children’s middle-grade fantasy. 

Same questions.

But the answers will be different.

In an article at Live, Write, Thrive, the author takes this a step further. She advises to analyze your ‘perfect’ reader. Find out what he likes. Does he have any pets? Does she like sports, music, or art? What’s her family life like? What about school? What about friends? The deeper you go, the better.

With the answers to these questions, you can craft a story tailored toward that reader. Or you can include tidbits that a particular reader can relate to in a story you are already writing.

Maybe your reader is a junior lifeguard and cross-country runner. And, he has an eighty-pound, bronco-jumping Bernedoodle.

With this knowledge, you can craft a story that incorporates elements relative to the readers’ age group without detracting from the story’s creative process.

2. Have a worthwhile theme.

First, what is theme?

One explanation of theme is from MasterClass: “In simpler stories, the theme may be a moral or message: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ In more complex stories, the central theme is typically a more open-ended exploration of some fundamental aspect of society or humanity.”

The theme should be subtly woven into your story.

But there are occasions when you don’t know what the theme of your story is until it’s complete. 

Six of the most common themes are:

-Good vs. evil
-Love
-Redemption
-Courage 
-Coming of age
-Revenge

As a children’s ghostwriter, the themes I see most often from clients are:

-Be who you are
-Acceptance
-Being a good friend and making friends
-Kindness
-Bullying
-Environment

For a children’s writer or someone who wants to be the author of their own children’s book, the themes tend to be geared toward bringing awareness to children. The themes are usually about teaching children, guiding them, subtly. 

3. Be different.

It’s challenging to come up with a unique story. Everything that can go on in life has been written about. 

So, how do you keep your story fresh?

A good way to do this is to study recently published books in your genre. Make the bulk of them traditionally published, as they would have had to get past the gatekeepers.

There are two reasons for researching traditionally published books:

A. As mentioned, the storyline and writing will be good…good enough to make it past the gatekeepers.

B. Publishing houses know what’s being received well and what’s not. They’re doing a lot of research that you can take advantage of.

After you research your contenders, buckle down and write a story that’s better, one that has a different spin. This may take a great deal of effort, but it will help make your story stand out; it will make your story unique.

Want to stay away from popular stuff? Think about historical fiction. 

If you go this route, just keep in mind you need an audience that will be interested in it.

You might even get ideas from folktales. Not the ‘overly done’ ones, but older, ancient tales. 

Whatever you write, make it your own.

4. Write a good story.

You can take all the steps necessary to create a marketable children’s book, but if the story isn’t properly written, if you don’t have a good story, those steps will be for naught.

A quick breakdown of the elements needed to write a good story:

-Theme (we discussed this already)
-Plot
-Story structure
-Characters
-Setting
-Style and tone
 
To learn what’s involved in each of these elements, you can check out:
6 Tips on What Makes a Good Story?

If you have any other tips on writing a marketable children’s book, please put them in the comments.

Referenced article: https://www.livewritethrive.com/2014/06/09/3-ways-to-plan-a-marketable-novel/ 
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach (picture and chapter books). If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

You can connect with Karen at:
LinkedIn: karencioffiventrice 
Facebook: kcioffiventrice 
Instagram: karencioffikidlitghostwriter 
Twitter: KarenCV

 

Flashbacks and Information Dump

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

If you're a storyteller, you face a constant balancing act: how to convey essential background information without disrupting the flow of the narrative. 

Flashbacks and information dumps are two commonly used writing techniques, each with its own set of benefits and pitfalls. And knowing when to use each is essential for maintaining reader engagement and story coherence.

But how do you tell the difference between them?

FLASHBACKS

When incorporated ‘the right way,’ flashbacks can provide valuable insights into a character's past experiences, motivations, and emotions. They allow readers to delve deeper into the story, bringing a broader understanding of the characters and plot. 

However, mishandled flashbacks can disrupt the story's rhythm, pulling readers out of the present action and causing confusion.

INFORMATION DUMP

Compared to flashbacks, information dump entails the straightforward delivery of background information, often through exposition or dialogue. 

While these dumps can effectively convey necessary details, they run the risk of overwhelming readers with an excessive amount of information all at once. This can lead to boredom or detachment from the story, as readers may feel immersed in facts rather than the narrative.

Another risk of this writing technique is that the information being presented can feel forced, as if it’s there just to inform the reader of something the author doesn’t think the reader will get otherwise.

Don’t underestimate your reader.

TWO STRATEGIES TO USE TO DETERMINE WHICH IS WHICH

So, how can authors determine whether a particular narrative element is a flashback or an information dump, and how can they integrate these techniques seamlessly into their storytelling?

1. First and foremost, it's essential to consider the purpose of the narrative element in question. 

Is it primarily serving to convey a character's backstory and emotional journey, or is it purely for an explanation aimed at providing essential plot details? 

If it’s to enhance the emotional journey, it's likely a flashback. If it’s to provide an explanation, it may be an information dump.

2. Next, it’s wise to pay attention to the timing and pacing of the narrative. 

Flashbacks are most effective when strategically woven into the story at moments that enhance tension, deepen characterization, or clarify current events. 

On the flip side, information dumps should be introduced sparingly and woven organically into the narrative flow to avoid overwhelming readers.

HOW TO USE THESE TECHNIQUES

Flashbacks

Crafting seamless transitions between the present story and flashback sequences is crucial for maintaining reader engagement. 

Establish clear cues:
Using cues, such as changes in tense or formatting, to signal the shift in time and place will ease the reader into the transition. In addition, ensure that each flashback serves a specific narrative purpose and advances the story in some meaningful way rather than merely providing background filler.

Dialogue:
Using dialogue, including internal dialogue, can also be a powerful tool for conveying backstory and world-building without resorting to information dumps. 

Authors can avoid the pitfalls of excessive explanations by allowing characters to reveal key details through natural conversation, keeping readers invested in the story.

Where to Place Them for the Best Effect: 
The timing of flashbacks is vital. Introduce them at moments of heightened tension or emotional significance, where they can provide context or insight into the character's current predicament. 

Avoid interrupting the flow of action with unnecessary detours into the past.

Information Dump

Balancing information download: 
Information dumps, while sometimes necessary, should be approached with caution. Rather than dumping a large amount of information all at once, sprinkle essential details throughout the story in digestible bites. 

Use a mix of exposition, dialogue, and sensory details to weave background information into the story, ensuring that it feels natural and fundamental to the story's progression.

Show, Don't Tell: 
Instead of relying solely on exposition to convey backstory, strive to show key events through vivid imagery and sensory details. 

Allow readers to experience past events alongside the characters. By engaging the reader's imagination, you can avoid the pitfalls of dry exposition and create a deeper reading experience.

Dialogue as Exposition: 
Dialogue can be a powerful tool for conveying information in a natural manner. 

Use character interactions to reveal backstory, world-building details, and character relationships. This will allow readers to gather essential information through the subtleties of conversation. 

By incorporating exposition into dialogue exchanges, you can maintain story momentum while deepening characterization and moving the plot forward. Just don’t overdo it.

SUMMING IT UP

The bottom line: to get a handle on balancing flashbacks and information dumps, you’ll need to pay careful attention to narrative structure, pacing, and characterization. 

By carefully using these techniques and prioritizing the needs of the story and its characters, you can create a compelling story that holds the reader from beginning to end.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach (picture and chapter books). If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi. 

You can check out Karen’s books HERE.

You can connect with Karen at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karencioffikidlitghostwriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenCV