Big Red – A Story by Kristi Bernard
Here's something cool!
Smoreies.com is a site featuring stories FOR children, read BY children.
Click here now to listen to Big Red, a story written by Kristi Bernard, who is a member of the Children’s Writer’s Coaching Club.
Creating a Submissions Schedule
Every month, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club receive a lesson about some aspect of writing and/or publishing for children. Members always have the option of completing the assignment at the end of the lesson and having it reviewed by one of our instructors.
The lesson for April 2010 is about the importance of a submissions schedule with instructions for creating one.
Do you create a monthly submissions schedule? Tell us about it here by leaving a comment.
A Picture Book Workshop – This Week’s BONUS Teleclass!
Every month, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club have the opportunity to take part in 4 different LIVE teleclasses–one each week. Since March has 5 weeks, this month CWCC members will have a BONUS teleclass, which will take place this week.
NOTE: This teleclass is available for CWCC members only. To register for the teleclass, join the CWCC here now.
On Thursday, March, 18, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. CST, Suzanne Lieurance will present this bonus teleclass called Once Upon a Time: A Picture Book Workshop. In this 55-minute workshop, participants will learn the basics of great picture book manuscripts. Then, they’ll learn how to revise a particular manuscript previously submitted by one of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club members to make it more marketable as a children’s picture book.
Learn the Tricks of the Trade for Children’s Writing!
As a beginning children’s writer, I needed to know the tricks of the trade of writing for children and write in a way that would make my manuscript more marketable. After participating in Suzanne Lieurance’s summer writing bootcamp in 2008, I figured the next best step was joining the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club since I l’ve always wanted to write for children. The weekly professional manuscript critiques and teleclasses provided tools of successful writing I needed to armor myself in the children’s publishing marketplace.
As a direct result of Suzanne’s guided coaching and expertise, I was able to submit my FIRST picture book manuscript and magazine stories, and non-fiction articles. Several of these articles and short stories have been accepted by Guardian Angel for Kids Online Ezine and Stories for Children. I’ve also submitted a professional resource book for teachers to Scholastic, which I coauthored during the Build Your Business Write Author Program in the summer of 2009. I have a few other children’s manuscripts that I am preparing right now for submission. Without Suzanne’s wonderful coaching skills, I don’t think I would have the confidence and knowledge to continue submitting on a regular basis.
I have a blogsite, The New Teacher Resource Center for teachers that includes articles on how to write for children as well as many teaching tips for general education and ESL classroom teachers which I started when I was in Suzanne Lieurance’s Build Your Business Write program. Now, the New Teacher Resource Center is a global platform providing online support to teachers worldwide. Every week, I receive countless emails from editors and teachers who have shared my resources and weekly ezine (http://www.newteachersignup.com) with their colleagues. I have also been interviewed by other teachers and organizations and have recently presented at several teaching conferences – all due to launching this blogsite. Applying the knowledge of how to create a weekly marketing plan has also boosted my freelance business. Today, I start training for a position on correlating academic standards to educational books and materials. I continue to submit articles, queries and freelance packets for work for hire assignments weekly. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without learning the secrets of success on how to prepare a weekly marketing plan which beginning children’s writers also need for their success.
The Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club is a great place for all writers to learn the tricks of the trade on how they can submit more marketable manuscripts. Writing is tough work and it’s comforting to know that we can cheer and support each other in our writing endeavors. Being an active member in the children’s writing coaching club has truly made a difference in the way I view my profession as a children’s writer and has opened more doors to writing and publishing than I ever thought imaginable. We provide support and encouragement. Suzanne is a wonderful facilitator. This creates a feeling of team spirit that is unlike any other I’ve seen on the web.
How YOU Can Learn to Write for Children!
by Karen Cioffi
I write for young children and I also write marketing and health articles. Writing in multiple genres, I can tell you that writing for children can be much more challenging. When writing for children, there are guidelines to keep in mind to help your story avoid the editor’s trash pile.
Writing for children involves specific rules and appropriate story lines geared to each specific age group. Each age group even has its own vocabulary: Is the word “smuggle” appropriate for a 2nd grader? There is just so much that goes into writing for children and the question becomes how do you learn all the rules, tricks and answers. Well, there are a number of ways to learn and hone your children’s writing skills, but the most efficient and expedient is to find an experienced coach.
I’ve only been writing seriously for publication for about two years. And, I admit I had it all wrong at the beginning. While I am still learning, I’ve come quite a ways. I’ve come so far that I recently got a contract for one of my children’s books with 4RV Publishing.
So, how did I learn the children’s writing ropes enough to land a contract?
The answer’s simple, through the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club (CWCC). I joined Suzanne Lieurance’s club when I first became serious about writing for children. I can say without hesitation and with all honesty, Suzanne helped me get that contract. Her guidance, tips, knowledge, advice, lessons, teleclasses, and weekly critiques of my work all helped me to hone my craft.
What’s amazing about the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club – CWCC – is that membership is only $27 per month. It is probably the best outright bargain online. That’s less than a dollar a day!
And, I praise the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club (CWCC), only for what it’s helped me accomplish, but for what each and every member in the club has accomplished. I can’t be certain, but I think every club member has become published through either books or articles. That’s an amazing track record!
Suzanne Lieurance knows her business and has an innate ability to impart her knowledge to others. She’s a great coach, instructor, and motivator.
To add to this, along with Suzanne’s excellent coaching skills, the members of this group are all amazingly giving and helpful—this all makes for a dependable and proven path leading to publication.
But, if this isn’t enough, the CWCC also guides you through creating and maintaining visibility and marketing your work. We had one teleclass on creating a video so we could all learn to make book trailers for our published books!
So, if you’re serious about writing for children, don’t procrastinate, jump on board. It’s an investment in your future!
Join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club today.
Karen Cioffi, Author, Freelance Writer, Reviewer
Digging for Gold – Researching Nonfiction
Our first CWCC teleclass for March 2010 will take place on Friday, March 5, 2010, at 11:00 AM CST. Children’s nonfiction author Pat McCarthy will present Digging for Gold – Researching Nonfiction.
Research is all about finding those little fascinating bits of info that are like gold nuggets, and Pat will present many ways to find those little gold nuggets for YOUR nonfiction book or article.
To receive an invitation to this LIVE teleclass, join the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club here now or simply register for the teleclass here.
Marketing Tips for Children’s Book Authors
Every month, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club have the opportunity to take part in a LIVE 55-minute teleclass called Marketing Tips for Children’s Book Authors & Aspiring Children’s Book Authors presented by Suzanne Lieurance, children’s author and coordinator for the CWCC.
This month’s marketing teleclass will take place on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at 3:00 CST.
Nonclub members may also register for the teleclass. Get more information about that here.
