Writing for Children
177 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 178 ratingsDo you want to learn how to write for children? The Institute of Children's Literature has taught hundreds of thousands of aspiring writers, and the director of ICL is the host of Writing for Children. Bestselling children's author Katie Davis focuses on the craft of writing for children: how to write a children’s book, how to write for children’s magazines, how to get paid, and get published. There are listener questions, with answers from the experts at the Institute, plus hard-to-find resources and links included in every week's show notes. If you want to learn about how to get into children's publishing, Listen!
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Episodes
Poetry-Based Revision | Writing for Children 196
April 17, 2020 20:00 - 11 minutes - 22.5 MBPOETRY-BASED REVISIONS Today we bring you a special episode from our favorite lyrical wordsmith Renee LaTulippe. If you write for kids, you and Renee probably have a lot in common, including the same target audience, the same writing struggles, the same desire for publication, and probably similar writing processes. Like poetry, picture books are meant to be read aloud, which means you need to create engaging language that transports children into a world of imagination. And, like poetry, ...
How to Write a Rhyming PIcture Book That Won't Get Rejected | Writing for Children 195
April 10, 2020 18:00 - 13 minutes - 25.6 MBHOW NOT TO GET REJECTED Perhaps the most common question from new picture book authors is, “Why do agents and editors say they hate rhyme when so many rhyming picture books get published each year?” These authors aptly observe that kids love rhyming books, many of them are bestsellers, and Dr. Seuss’s books still sell millions of copies. Here’s the truth. Agents and editors don’t hate rhyme. They hate poorly written rhyme. Inspired by an article from 12 x 12 Writing Challenge Founder Julie...
Guest Expert Patrice Vecchione | Writing for Children 194
April 03, 2020 20:42 - 18 minutes - 21.7 MBINTERVIEW WITH PATRICE VECCHIONE Poet, nonfiction writer, and teacher PATRICE VECCHIONE has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including, most recently, Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience, winner of a Cybil Award. We talk about: Finding Yourself on Paper Who Said You Couldn’t Say That? Ways to get yourself writing poetry. Lots more Check out our amazing new self-led course, Revision Power at writingforchildren.com/revisio...
Interview with Poet Patrice Vecchione | Writing for Children 194
April 03, 2020 20:42 - 18 minutes - 21.7 MBINTERVIEW WITH POET PATRICE VECCHIONE Poet, nonfiction writer, and teacher PATRICE VECCHIONE has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including, most recently, Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience, winner of a Cybil Award. We talk about: Finding Yourself on Paper Who Said You Couldn’t Say That? Ways to get yourself writing poetry. Lots more Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our weekly newsletter ...
Susan Campbell Bartoletti | Writing for Children 193
March 27, 2020 20:00 - 19 minutes - 23.2 MBINTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CAMPBELL BARTOLETTI Newbery Award Winner Susan Campbell Bartoletti is a nonfiction superstar author. Her books include Terrible Typhoid Mary and Hitler Youth. She took one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, Hitler Youth, and fleshed it out into the thought-provoking nonfiction novel The Boy Who Dared. Talk about getting more bang for your research buck. In today's rebroadcast, we discuss: What are some research pitfalls? How does one locate and use primary sources...
Newbery Winner Susan Campbell Bartoletti | Writing for Children 193
March 27, 2020 20:00 - 19 minutes - 23.2 MBINTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CAMPBELL BARTOLETTI Newbery Award Winner Susan Campbell Bartoletti is a nonfiction superstar author. Her books include Terrible Typhoid Mary and Hitler Youth. She took one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, Hitler Youth, and fleshed it out into the thought-provoking nonfiction novel The Boy Who Dared. Talk about getting more bang for your research buck. In today's rebroadcast, we discuss: What are some research pitfalls? How does one locate and use primary sources...
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone | Writing for Children 192
March 20, 2020 20:00 - 8 minutes - 15.7 MBGET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE: TRY NONFICTION For most people considering children's writing for a career (or even for a hobby), the type of writing that comes to mind is fiction. For many of us, the picture books we loved most were fiction. The novels we read in our spare time are fiction. So we think about writing as a place to tell stories. And it certainly can be, but if you're serious about building a career in writing, it's worthwhile to give at least some thought to nonfiction. And a...
4 Ways to Learn to Love Nonfiction| Writing for Children 191
March 13, 2020 23:00 - 9 minutes - 17.5 MBTRUTH, OPINION, AND 4 WAYS TO LEARN TO LOVE NONFICTION Many writers view nonfiction as less: less creative than fiction, less fun than fiction, less interesting to kids than fiction, and definitely something they want to do less often. Some will accept the possibility of writing a little nonfiction to break into publishing, but do not like the dea of doing it steadily. For many, they want to do the important work of fiction. But nonfiction is important. Especially now. Kids love nonficti...
4 Ways to Learn to Love Nonfiction| Writing for Children
March 13, 2020 23:00 - 9 minutes - 17.5 MBTRUTH, OPINION, AND 4 WAYS TO LEARN TO LOVE NONFICTION Many writers view nonfiction as less: less creative than fiction, less fun than fiction, less interesting to kids than fiction, and definitely something they want to do less often. Some will accept the possibility of writing a little nonfiction to break into publishing, but do not like the dea of doing it steadily. For many, they want to do the important work of fiction. But nonfiction is important. Especially now. Kids love nonficti...
Interview with Elena Favilli | Writing for Children 190
March 06, 2020 21:00 - 14 minutes - 26.9 MBINTERVIEW WITH ELENA FAVILLI Elena Favilli is the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Girls, the cultural media engine working to empower girls and women all over the world. She has worked for Colors Magazine, McSweeney's, RAI, Il Post, and La Repubblica, and managed digital newsrooms on both sides of the Atlantic. She holds a masters degree in semiotics from the University of Bologna and she studied digital journalism at UC Berkeley. Elena continues to spearhead Rebel Girls, as it dives into new ...
Interview with Talia Benamy | Writing for Children 189
February 28, 2020 21:00 - 21 minutes - 40.2 MBINTERVIEW WITH TALIA BENAMY Talia Benamy is an associate editor at Philomel Books (an imprint of Penguin Young Readers), where she focuses on everything from picture books to middle grade and young adult novels. She has worked on books by Chelsea Clinton, Sonia Sotomayor, Temple Grandin, Jane Yolen, Abigail Harrison, Lisa Graff, Ruta Sepetys, Dev Petty, Sarah Brannen, and Terry Border. She sees books as having the amazing power to shape kids’ worldviews, and looks for manuscripts that have...
Misunderstood Verbs | Writing for Children 188
February 21, 2020 21:00 - 9 minutes - 11.4 MBMISUNDERSTOOD VERBS When you’re polishing and perfecting your work, one big thing to pay attention to is your verbs. Inspired by an article from Jan Fields, we’re going to come to a greater understanding of these action words. Verbs are the powerhouse of the sentence. Because of that, understanding how verbs work will help you tremendously in the revision process. It's only by knowing what verbs are all about that you can make them do their tricks. So with that in mind, let's look at som...
10 Things That Make Editors Cringe | Writing for Children 187
February 14, 2020 21:13 - 13 minutes - 16.7 MB10 THINGS THAT MAKE EDITORS CRINGE Nobody wants to make an editor (or anyone) cringe when they read your manuscript. Inspired by a post from Jamie K. Schmidt, we’re covering 10 things that make editors cringe and tips to avoid them. Be sure to head to writingforchildren.com/187 to download the show notes because many of these tips will be easier to see in writing. Everybody knows to use spellcheck or Grammarly when going over their writing. However, some mistakes aren’t generally caught ...
Andrea Loney | Writing for Children 186
February 08, 2020 15:49 - 50 minutes - 92.5 MBINTERVIEW WITH ANDREA LONEY At the end of January, the American Library Association announced their annual awards. DOUBLE BASS BLUES illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez and written by Andrea J. Loney was named a Caldecott Honor Book! Andrea was our guest last year, so in honor of her book's big win, we're rebroadcasting her interview with some bonus audio as she shares her tips for getting from unstuck to success. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your ...
Newbery Medalist Jerry Craft | Writing for Children 185
January 31, 2020 23:00 - 20 minutes - 37.9 MBNEWBERY MEDALIST JERRY CRAFT This week, the American Library Association honored Jerry Craft with the Newbery Medal for his graphic novel NEW KID! To celebrate the first graphic novel to ever receive the Newbery, we're rebroadcasting our interview with Jerry from last year where he talked about his inspiration for the book and how he used real-life experiences to give authenticity to the story. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your writing skills and polish your work so it shin...
Finding Your Character's Childlike Voice | Writing for Children 184
January 24, 2020 21:00 - 9 minutes - 18.5 MBA CHILDLIKE VOICE Kids are far more discerning than many writers suspect. They know a "fake kid" when they hear one, so your dialogue must feel like real words spoken by a real kid. At the same time, it cannot include all the affectations (um, so like, um, what?) that might be part of real speech but would drag the story down. So how do you learn how to write real dialogue? Glad you asked. Here is a three-step process that will help you transform your dialogue. Join the Institute of...
The Big Effect of Dialogue Attribution | Writing for Children 183
January 18, 2020 17:44 - 10 minutes - 20.8 MBCOMBATING THE BORING SPEECH TAG Dialogue is the favorite part of story writing for many authors. In dialogue writing, the author is able to give voice to the people the author created. Tag we're going to dig into the bits that tag along with the dialogue: speech tags and narrative action. How important is that? And how varied? We'll be reading through examples so be sure to download this week's show notes here, so you can see the examples as you apply these techniques to your own work. ...
Interview with Kate DiCamillo | Writing for Children 182
January 11, 2020 00:00 - 32 minutes - 38.4 MBINTERVIEW WITH KATE DICAMILLO Kate DiCamillo's writing journey has been a truly remarkable one. She grew up in Florida and moved to Minnesota in her twenties, when homesickness and a bitter winter led her to write Because of Winn-Dixie—her first published novel, which became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. Since then, she has been a National Book Award finalist, won two Newbery Medals and was named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She now has almost 3...
Revision: Don't Go It Alone | Writing for Children 181
January 03, 2020 21:00 - 11 minutes - 14.2 MBREVISION: DON'T GO IT ALONE When you’re about to begin revising a piece of writing, it can seem so daunting. So, today we bring you a rebroadcast of advice from author and IFW Guest Blogger Rita Reali. Rita's a freelance editor with advice on the importance of getting fresh eyes on your work before you revise. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your work so it shines in your submissions to agents and publishers! Get started here!
Renée LaTulippe | Writing for Children 180
December 27, 2019 21:00 - 21 minutes - 25.6 MBREVISION TIPS WITH POET RENÉE LATULIPPE Enjoy your holidays with a rebroadcast of our popular episode with Renée LaTulippe sharing how to use poetic techniques in your revision for a manuscript that truly sings. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your work so it shines in your submissions to agents and publishers! Get started here!
Failure is Proof of Effort | Writing for Children 179
December 20, 2019 21:00 - 8 minutes - 17.2 MBFAILURE IS PROOF OF EFFORT As the end of the year creeps ever closer, it can be a good time to take stock of how your writing life is going, as long as you do that examination wisely. Having a successful writing life can seem impossible sometimes, especially if we look predominantly at the times we've tried something without success. Virtually every writer has stories that didn't work, books that didn't sell, and efforts that didn't bear fruit. Let's look at those efforts in a different wa...
Revision Power Tips | Writing for Children 178
December 14, 2019 20:09 - 30 minutes - 36.1 MB5 TIPS TO REV UP YOUR OPENING When a reader picks up your book, you don't want them to put it down. Here are five tips for energizing your opening sequence and pulling in your reader. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your work so it shines in your submissions to agents and publishers! Get started here!
Browbeaten into Submission | Writing for Children 177
November 30, 2019 16:51 - 9 minutes - 17.6 MBBROWBEATEN INTO SUBMISSION Sometimes, the most well-meaning folks can do the greatest harm to an aspiring writer. For a writer, there can be a lot of pressure to get published or prove you can get published. Our friend and frequent blogger, Rita Reali shares some of her story with us today. Get a one-on-one mentor to help you write publishable work that agents and publishers are looking for! Get started here!
Break into Publishing | Writing for Children 176
November 22, 2019 21:00 - 11 minutes - 21.4 MBBREAK INTO PUBLISHING Writing is a noble proposition, in and of itself. Published writing is something else entirely. And paid published writing—whoa, Nellie, that’s just glorious! In order to get published though, you need to put yourself “out there” in the world, and get your writing in front of people who are in charge of accepting items for publication … preferably in places that will pay you for your work. Inspired by an article from Rita Reali, let’s look at different ways to break...
6 Steps to Submission Success | Writing for Children 175
November 15, 2019 21:00 - 14 minutes - 26.4 MB6 STEPS TO SUBMISSION SUCCESS These days a vast majority of publishers and agents accept submissions online, whether through email or a website form. There are a few holdouts, but these days it sounds strange to hear anyone say they don't take digital submissions. This means we all need to learn how to put our best foot forward in online submissions. Adapted from an article by Jan Fields, here are six steps to submission success. Get a one-on-one mentor to help you write publishable...
Assembling Your Submission Package | Writing for Children 174
November 08, 2019 21:00 - 14 minutes - 26.4 MBASSEMBLING YOUR SUBMISSION PACKAGE When it comes to becoming a published writer, queries are quintessential. They represent the bridge from your creative endeavors to becoming a professional. Sure, some submissions require cover letters or website forms, but every writer must conquer the query above all. And the query is a key part of a writer’s platform. This episode will look at queries, cover letters, and the other elements that make up submission packages. Get the ICL Submission ...
Interview with Emma Walton Hamilton | Writing for Children 173
November 01, 2019 22:00 - 18 minutes - 35.1 MBINTERVIEW WITH EMMA WALTON HAMILTON Emma Walton Hamilton is a best-selling children’s book author, editor, and writing coach. With her mother, actress/author Julie Andrews, Emma has co-authored over thirty children’s books, nine of which have been on the NY Times Bestseller list, including The Very Fairy Princess series. She is Director of the Children’s Lit Fellows program at Stony Brook University. She served as the Editorial Director for the Julie Andrews Collection imprint at Harper C...
Borrowing the Knowledge You Need | Writing for Children 172
October 25, 2019 20:30 - 7 minutes - 13.9 MBBORROWING THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED Whether you write what you know or delve into subjects that intrigue but are new to you, editors want primary sources. For some subject areas, such as history, this means locating, letters, journals, maps, and other contemporary documents. For science and other academic topics, writers can turn to research studies and professional journals. For almost any topic, expert sources are among the strongest of all. Experts can expand on material located in journ...
Pitfalls of Research | Writing for Children 171
October 18, 2019 20:00 - 7 minutes - 9.41 MBEVALUATING YOUR SOURCES Today’s episode comes from the IFW book Searching: A Research Guide for Writers, now available in our bookstore. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, research is an important piece of having an authentic article or manuscript that connects with editors and readers. In this episode, we’re talking about how to evaluate the information you find in your research for credibility and reliability. Questions to Ask Never accept a web page at face value; always ...
Finding Markets for Your Writing | Writing for Children 170
October 11, 2019 20:00 - 11 minutes - 14 MBFINDING MARKETS FOR YOUR WRITING Businesses and industries consider market research a wise investment. They don’t waste time and money trying to sell air conditioners in Alaska, fur coats in the tropics, or prime beef to vegetarians. Successful writers, too, must learn to be market-wise about their creative products. You wouldn’t have to do much market research to see that an article on retirement living would be a poor choice for Humpty Dumpty Magazine or Highlights for Children. But ot...
Interview with Susan Campbell Bartoletti | Writing for Children 169
October 04, 2019 22:00 - 19 minutes - 22.9 MBINTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CAMPBELL BARTOLETTI Susan Campbell Bartoletti is the author of picture books, novels, and nonfiction for children, including the Newbery Honor book Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow, the Sibert Medal-winning Black Potatoes, and Dear America: A Coal Miner's Bride. Her work has received dozens of awards and honors, including the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Nonfiction, the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction, and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award. We d...
Reshaping Your Story Part 2 | Writing for Children 168
September 28, 2019 00:00 - 10 minutes - 12.3 MBRESHAPING YOUR STORY PART 2 Last week, we started talking about how to assess your story’s structure, specifically its beginning. You can find that episode at writingforchildren.com/167. Today, we’re focusing on managing the middle of your story and getting to the tidy, yet satisfying, ending. Let a one-on-one mentor help you hone your revision skills and polish your work so it shines in your submissions to agents and publishers! Get started here!
Reshaping Your Story Part 1 | Writing for Children 167
September 20, 2019 20:00 - 9 minutes - 11.9 MBRESHAPING YOUR STORY PART 1 You’ve finished a draft (or several drafts) of a story you’re excited about. You set it aside to cool for several days, then reread it. While you’re still pleased with the story, you have to admit it needs more work—not just polishing, but re-engineering for better pace, suspense, and focus. If you’re like most writers, you may also find it’s run considerably over the word length you were aiming for, an important consideration if you’re planning to submit the ...
Revision: Don't Go It Alone | Writing for Children 166
September 13, 2019 20:00 - 11 minutes - 21.2 MBDON'T REVISE BY YOURSELF When you’re about to begin revising a piece of writing, it can seem so daunting you may be tempted to bury the darn thing at the bottom of your sweater drawer, then go hide somewhere (say, at the beach) for a few weeks. But, you’re listening to this podcast, so you’re in luck! Author and IFW Guest Blogger Rita Reali is also a freelance editor and today we bring you her advice on why you should get fresh eyes on your manuscript once you’re ready to revise. ...
Interview with Renee LaTulippe | Writing for Children 165
September 06, 2019 21:00 - 21 minutes - 30.5 MBINTERVIEW WITH RENEE LATULIPPE Renée M. LaTulippe has poems published in many anthologies including School People (ed. Lee Bennett Hopkins), and National Geographic's The Poetry of US and Book of Nature Poetry (both ed. J. Patrick Lewis) to name a few. Renée developed and teaches the online course The Lyrical Language Lab: Punching Up Prose with Poetry and blogs on children’s poetry at NoWaterRiver.com. We talk about: What are common mistakes new writers make? How do you eliminate too...
Guest Expert Pascale Duguay | Writing for Children 164
August 30, 2019 19:00 - 11 minutes - 21.3 MBGUEST EXPERT PASCALE DUGUAY Pascale Duguay is a freelance writer, French/English translator, and high school librarian. Her freelance writing includes articles on books, writing, personal essays, children's short stories, games, activities, and more. We talk about: The biggest differences between writing for magazines and writing for books How much research you need to do before querying a magazine How to take advantage of editorial calendars And more! Join the Institute of Ch...
What to Expect From a Writing Conference Pt 2 | Writing for Children 163
August 23, 2019 19:00 - 17 minutes - 33.6 MBWHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING TO GO TO A WRITING CONFERENCE PART 2 In last week's episode, we talked about how to choose the conference you want to go to. This week, we'll touch on what to expect when you get there, what to wear, what to take, and what not to do. Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our free weekly newsletter with articles on the craft of writing, hot markets looking for your work, and cool resources for your writer toolbox: www.institutefo...
What to Expect When You're Expecting to Go to a Writing Conference Pt 1 | Writing for Children 162
August 16, 2019 20:00 - 12 minutes - 22.8 MBWHAT TO EXPECT FROM A WRITING CONFERENCE PART 1 Many people sign up for writing conferences hoping they’ll send a manuscript home with an editor, or even better, be offered a contract right there at the conference. Has that ever happened at a conference? Probably. But you’re much more likely to come home with a cold than a contract. Does this mean writing conferences aren’t worth your time and money? Not at all. It does mean that you need to know what you can expect to gain from a conferen...
Protecting Your Reputation on Social Media | Writing for Children 161
August 09, 2019 20:00 - 8 minutes - 17.2 MBPROTECTING YOUR REPUTATION Whether we like it or not, social media is a part of our current culture. Just like most things in life, social media can have amazing benefits for writers. There are authors whose books were first pitched on Twitter and liked by an editor which led to a book deal. Who knows how many critique groups have formed in writing groups on Facebook. And, of course, let’s not leave out the ability to market your book yourself through your social media channels. The world ...
Interview with David Katz | Writing for Children 160
August 02, 2019 20:00 - 17 minutes - 20.8 MBGUEST EXPERT DAVID KATZ The producer of the Kauai Writers Conference gives tips for attending conferences and the benefits writers get by involved in face-to-face sessions with authors, agents, and editors. Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our free weekly newsletter with articles on the craft of writing, hot markets looking for your work, and cool resources for your writer toolbox: www.instituteforwriters.com/icl-news
34 Things Your Website Needs Part 2 | Writing for Children 159
July 26, 2019 20:00 - 14 minutes - 27 MB34 THINGS YOU NEED FOR YOUR WEBSITE PART 2 In last week's episode, we talked about the first 17 things you need for your author websites. Part 2 brings us the next 17 things including social media, your about page, SEO, and more! Listen to Part 1 here: www.instituteforwriters.com/34-things-your-website-needs-part-1/
34 Things Your Website Needs Part 1 | Writing for Children 158
July 19, 2019 20:00 - 15 minutes - 18.4 MB34 THINGS YOU NEED FOR YOUR WEBSITE PART 1 Author websites are important in 21st century publishing. Consider your website your business card to the world. So, what should be on your website? Listen to the podcast to get started. Listen to Part 2 here: www.instituteforwriters.com/34-things-your-website-needs-part-2/
Create Your Author Platform | Writing for Children 157
July 12, 2019 20:00 - 11 minutes - 14 MBCREATE YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM What IS a platform? It’s your visibility. The wider your reach, the more books you can sell. What you do with your platform is try to reach (in an authentic way) your target audience. It’s all about connecting—with people on a real level and because of your reach, you are able to sell books. It’s not about being in people’s faces and hollering about buying your book. So, who needs a platform and where do you begin? Let's talk about it in this episode. ...
Interview with Josh Funk | Writing for Children 156
July 05, 2019 20:00 - 28 minutes - 33.5 MBINTERVIEW WITH JOSH FUNK Josh Funk writes silly stories and somehow tricks people into publishing them as books—such as the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series and How to Code a Sandcastle. Josh is also known for his expertise in social media, building an author platform before he was published, and connecting with the writing (and reading) community. We discuss: where to find Josh online. how he built his author platform. what he finds most effective. why you need a platform b...
Is it a Memoir or Autobiography? | Writing for Children 155
June 29, 2019 22:30 - 12 minutes - 15.2 MBMEMOIR OR BIOGRAPHY? One of the most common ways to take real life experiences and turn them into stories or books is to tell the stories of our own life. In this episode, we talk about the difference between a memoir and an autobiography and how to decide which one might be best for telling the story you want to tell. Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our free weekly newsletter with articles on the craft of writing, hot markets looking for your work, and co...
Being Inspired by Everyday Objects | Writing for Children 154
June 21, 2019 20:00 - 10 minutes - 12.7 MBBEING INSPIRED BY EVERYDAY OBJECTS It's human nature to become attached to things. We connect specific memories to objects: when we received it, who we received it from, how we've used it. Also, objects are wonderfully concrete and specific, we feel the weight of them in our hands and see the effects of age on the object. As a result, objects can also make wonderful story and poetry starters. Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our free weekly newsletter with ...
Creating Charaters Inspired by Real Life | Writing for Children 153
June 14, 2019 20:00 - 10 minutes - 12.2 MBCREATING CHARACTERS INSPIRED BY REAL LIFE One way to find great characters is to look in the world around you. This seems relatively simple but may actually be harder than it sounds. Why? Because the key to creating vivid characters is writing them objectively and letting the reader draw their own conclusions. What does it mean to be objective when writing about your characters? In this episode, we work through an ICL exercise to help you see the world, and the characters in it, more obj...
An Interview with Jerry Craft | Writing for Children 152
June 07, 2019 20:00 - 20 minutes - 24 MBAN INTERVIEW WITH JERRY CRAFT JERRY CRAFT is an author and illustrator who has worked on numerous picture books, graphic novels, and middle grade novels. His newest book, New Kid, is a middle grade graphic novel that has earned four starred reviews, including one from Booklist Magazine that called it "Possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year." We talk about: How turning your real life experiences into fiction is different than writing straight to fiction. How to t...
Sophisticated Show & Tell Part 2 | Writing for Children 151
May 31, 2019 23:00 - 9 minutes - 11.6 MBPOINT OF VIEW AS A TOOL This and last week’s podcast is based on an article written by author and former ICL instructor Chris Eboch which touches on engaging your reader and gives some strong examples. In our episode 150, we talked about using vivid nouns and verbs instead of vague description to engage your reader in your story. In part two, we’re delving into using point of view for the purposes of showing. Join the Institute of Children's Literature Community! Get our free weekly...
Sophisticated Show & Tell Part 1 | Writing for Children 150
May 24, 2019 20:00 - 11 minutes - 14 MBCONVEY THE WORLD OF YOUR STORY An important part of setting the stage for your story is to convey the world of your story in a way that engages the reader and doesn’t just dump a bunch of facts in their lap. I recently read an article written by author and former ICL instructor Chris Eboch that touches on this point with some strong examples. It’s so good, we’ll be talking about it for two weeks. Let’s get started with part one. Listen to Part 2 here: www.instituteforwriters.com/soph...