Writing for Children

A 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,…

COMBATING 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 goin…

INTERVIEW 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 le…

REVISION: 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 Real…

REVISION 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 …

FAILURE 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 succes…

5 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-…

BROWBEATEN 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 pu…

BREAK 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 pu…

6 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 sound…

ASSEMBLING 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, s…

INTERVIEW 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…

BORROWING 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 m…

EVALUATING 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 i…

FINDING 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 trop…

 INTERVIEW 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 H…

RESHAPING 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…

RESHAPING 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…

DON'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 s…

INTERVIEW 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 Nat…