You've Got to Know What You're Doing When Writing for Children

 Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer

 As with anything you attempt to do, it’s essential to know what you’re doing.

My father was a contractor—he built homes.

How structurally sound do you think those homes would have been if he didn’t know what he was doing or didn’t know how to read blueprints?

Or what about a musician who didn’t learn how to play an instrument. Or one who knew the basics but never practiced them. Would you attend a concert that musician was giving?

Well, the same thing applies to writing for children.

It’s true that a self-published author can publish a poorly written book; no one will stop him. But do you think that’s fair to the reader and those authors who produce quality books?

The answer is NO on both accounts.

A common problem I see with new children’s authors is that they’re not familiar with the different genres.

I’ll see 2,000-word picture book drafts or 9,000-word middle-grade drafts.

I’ll also see things like an intended middle-grade draft with inappropriate content for the age group.

This also applies to the words you use in your story. Everything must be age-appropriate when writing for children.

And there must be a main character (protagonist).

A story I recently reviewed had no main character. It didn’t have a story arc, either.

This is common for some new authors. They have a message they want to convey but don’t realize it needs to be within the boundaries of a good fiction story.

Another biggie I notice is middle-grade stories with multiple points of view (POV), even going so far as to change POVs within a chapter.

I realize that many people think writing for children is simple.

How hard can it be, right?

Well, it’s actually a tricky genre to write in.

When writing for children, you must adhere to the industry’s standard guidelines. In other words, you need to know what you’re doing … you need to play by the rules.

Some elements that pertain to playing by the rules are:
1.    Word count
2.    Sentence length
3.    Chapter length
4.    Story length
5.    Age-appropriate content
6.    Age-appropriate words
7.    Point of view
8.    Protagonist
9.    Character arc: The protagonist must overcome the problem and grow in some way as a result of the journey
  10. Story arc

While there are other factors involved, these are ten of the most important.

So, before you jump into a children’s story, read a lot of books in the genre you want to write. Be sure they’re well-written, though. A good way to do this is to read recently traditionally published books by top publishers, such as Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Chronicle Books.

There are good self-published books out there, but it’s sometimes a guessing game as to which are well-written and which are poorly written. You wouldn’t want to learn or model poorly written books.

Traditionally published books will be up to the current publishing guidelines and well-edited.

You should also take a few online children’s writing courses, read books on writing for children, and possibly get a children’s writing coach to help you overcome the hurdles of writing a publishable book.

This article was first published at:
Writing for Children – Know What You're Doing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

OTHER TOOLS FOR CHILDREN'S AUTHORS:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

PICTURE BOOK, CHAPTER BOOK, MIDDLE GRADE COACHING
Four to twelve-week coaching programs.

FICTION WRITING FOR CHILDREN eCOURSE
4-Week / 8 Sections Guided Self-Study Mentoring Program 

All About Extended Metaphors

by Suzanne Lieurance

We all use simple metaphors in our writing. 

But not everyone uses extended metaphors or even understands them, so let’s look at the definition of an extended metaphor first. 

What is an Extended Metaphor?

An extended metaphor is a literary device that takes a single metaphor and expands it over several lines, sentences, or even an entire piece of writing.  

Unlike a simple metaphor, which might compare one thing to another in a single statement, an extended metaphor develops the comparison in greater detail, weaving it into the narrative or argument.  

Think of it as painting an intricate picture with words, layering meaning and imagery to deepen the reader's understanding and engagement.

Why Use Extended Metaphors?

Extended metaphors are powerful tools for writers because they: 

Create Depth: They allow you to explore an idea or emotion more thoroughly, adding layers of meaning to your writing. 

Engage Readers: A well-crafted extended metaphor can capture the reader's imagination and hold their attention. 

Unify Themes: By linking different parts of your work to a single metaphor, you create cohesion and resonance. 

Simplify Complex Ideas: They make abstract or complicated concepts easier to grasp by anchoring them in familiar imagery. 

Tips for Creating and Using Extended Metaphors 

#1. Start with a Strong Core Idea.  

Begin with a single, vivid metaphor that resonates with your theme.  

For example, if you’re writing about a creative journey, you might compare it to planting and tending a garden. 

#2. Develop the Metaphor Gradually.  

Once you have your core metaphor, expand it piece by piece.  

In the garden example, you could describe planting seeds (starting an idea), watering the plants (nurturing creativity), and dealing with weeds (overcoming obstacles). 

#3. Stay Consistent.  

Keep the metaphor’s imagery and logic consistent.  

Mixing unrelated elements—like suddenly shifting from a garden to a spaceship—can confuse readers and weaken your writing. 

 

#4. Use Sensory Details.  

Bring the metaphor to life with vivid descriptions.  

Engage the senses by describing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures that align with your chosen image. 

#5. Connect to Emotion.  

Great extended metaphors evoke emotion.  

Don’t just describe the garden; make readers feel the joy of new blossoms or the frustration of unexpected storms. 

#6. Avoid Overdoing It.  

While extended metaphors can be powerful, they should never feel forced or overused.  

Know when to step back and let the narrative speak for itself. 

#7. Tailor the Metaphor to Your Audience.  

Choose imagery that resonates with your readers.  

For example, a metaphor about cooking might connect with food lovers, while a sports metaphor might resonate with athletes. 

#8. Tie It Back to Your Message.  

Ensure your extended metaphor reinforces the central theme or argument of your piece.  

Every element should serve the larger purpose of your writing. 

Examples of Extended Metaphors 

The Writing Process as Sailing a Ship: Writing is like navigating a ship through uncharted waters. The blank page is the open sea, full of potential and uncertainty. Your ideas are the wind filling the sails, and your revisions are the course corrections that keep you on track. Storms (self-doubt) and calm waters (writer’s block) test your perseverance, but with determination, you eventually reach the shore of a finished draft. 

Life as a Puzzle: Life is a giant jigsaw puzzle. Each moment is a piece, and some fit together easily while others take time to place. Sometimes, you feel like you’re missing pieces, but with patience and perspective, the full picture begins to emerge. 

Practice Makes Perfect 

If you want to get better at creating extended metaphors, try this simple exercise: 

#1. Pick a common concept or emotion (e.g., love, success, failure). 

#2. Choose a concrete image or idea to compare it to (e.g., a mountain, a river, a marathon). 

#3. Write a paragraph or two exploring the metaphor, expanding on how the two ideas connect. 

Using extended metaphors is a powerful way to elevate your writing.  

It can help you captivate your readers, communicate complex ideas with clarity, and leave a lasting impression.  

So, the next time you sit down to write, don’t just tell your story—paint it with an extended metaphor and watch your words come alive.  

And, for more writing tips, be sure to visit writebythesea.com and get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge. 

Once you're a subscriber, you'll also have access to a Private Resource Library for Writers.

Suzanne Lieurance is the author of over 35 published books, a freelance writer, and a law of attraction coach for writers.

How to Hire the "Right" Publicist

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

An effective publicist can be a great asset to you as an author when you launch your book into the world. Yet like hiring an editor, literary agent, or anyone else in publishing, you have to use wisdom and all your resources to find the right publicist. Rick Frishman who ran one of the largest public relations firms in the United States for many years, often tells these firms have a solid “guarantee”: that they will charge you every month. A typical publicist fee is $3,000 to $5,000 each month. With these amounts of money, you can quickly spend a lot of resources with little results if you aren’t careful.

As a cautionary story in this area, several years ago I acquired a book for Morgan James Publishing where I had a lot of hope for great success. One of the co-authors had sold their company for millions of dollars and they had a large publicity budget to launch their book. As these authors told us their plan, it had one glaring red flag: their publicity firm. We had never heard of this firm and we’ve worked with many different publicists over the last 20 years. This firm may have a great reputation for getting their clients on television programs. These authors produced an excellent book, but they ran through $30,000 on their publicity campaign with this firm and did not sell books. 

To avoid this type of disappointment, I recommend several steps to hire a publicist:

• Get a number of recommendations 

• Interview each one and speak with their clients about their results

• Check their reputation online (type the name of the company + complaints)

• Check with your publisher for recommendations

Ultimately, you are making an important decision to hire a publicist and you want to make sure you get value from this expense. 

Understand the Role of a Book Publicist

Whether a traditional and recognized publisher launches your book or a self-publisher, the author has to be engaged in the promotion and marketing of their book. One of the key players in this process is the book publicist. Many of these publicists have valuable connections and relationships with the media and others to help you promote your book. 

Recently I finished reading a book from publicist Claire McKinney, who has worked in publicity for major publishers for over 20 years and is a recognized expert in self-publishing appearing on The Today Show for example. Do You Know What A Book Publicist Does? is the name of McKinney’s book with the subtitle, “A Guide for Creating Your Own Campaigns.” As the number of new books entering the market increases every day, authors need to understand the role of a book publicist and how to work with them in the process of book promotion. Managing expectations about what a publicist can do for a writer is great information and woven into the fiber of this book.

The promotion or sale of any book is tied to key connections and relationships—for example to the media. Book publicists like Claire McKinney have been building these relationships for years. Every author needs to understand their role in publishing. Do You Know What A Book Publicist Does? fills a critical role in this process with pointed insights throughout.

McKinney answers common author questions like what is a press release and what is a book launch and the best time to launch a book? The answers are packed with her years of experience in such tasks. 

In the section on Reaching the Media, McKinney writes, “I’ve found that “fear” is the one thing that holds most people back from reaching out and from developing good pitches. Of course, you don’t want to be insulting, use the words “extraordinary” or “dynamic” just to create hype doesn’t help either. If you are honest about your intentions and what you are looking for, you are more likely to get a response. It takes extra effort, but that is also how you will build a relationship with the contact that could benefit another book or could enrich your experience in another way. If you don’t ask, you don’t get it. I’m sure you know that expression. If you get a snappy response, chalk it up to a bad day. What is the worst that can happen?” (Page 100-101)

Like many other aspects of publishing, I encourage you to move carefully and ask many questions before hiring a publicist. If you do, then you will locate the right person for you and your book.

Tweetable:

What steps do you take to hire the “right” publicist for your book? This prolific author and editor gives insights in this article. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

How To Support Your Writer

 

 Contributed by Margot Conor

Yes, I am talking to authors too. We all need to support each other.

It doesn’t matter if you read or write the same genre. Managing to get a book published is a huge accomplishment and it deserves to be celebrated. What I see too often is a lack of willingness to give others the credit and attention they need.

Many authors feel isolated, it is a solitary profession. It is also difficult for them to ask for support, so when they are brave enough to request it, why not do everything they ask?
Let’s go over the why-nots… You think there isn’t enough time. You don’t feel confident or don’t know how and are afraid to ask. You are not tech-savvy. You are afraid of the competition and think that promoting another author will take away from your success.

These are all excuses I have encountered. And while most of them are the result of inexperience the last one is endemic in the creative industries. I tend to follow and support others who have the same attitude that I do, there is enough to go around and we need each other to succeed.
Why and why not?

1. Join their Arc team. You get a free copy of their novel in advance with the promise of writing a review. Please don’t take the free copy and not bother to write a review. Yes, that happens a lot and is rather disheartening.

2. Join their Launch team. This is a group of people who help to advertise the book release by sharing cover art, a blurb, and /or the pre-order form on their social media or newsletters. In some cases, it involves local people who organize physical launch parties or events where the author can talk about their book and get preorders.

3. Get your book club to buy copies of their books, and then invite the author to talk at your meeting.

4. Promote them on your social media. It only takes a moment to like and share a post. If you can leave a comment of congratulations that means more to the author than you can imagine.

5. Author Tube is another place where writers may have a presence. If you are on YouTube, seek them out, watch their videos, “like and subscribe.”

6. Patron sites. I believe Patreon was the first to explore this format. I joined it a year ago, at the same time I signed up on Medium, and SubStack. (I get a lot more engagement on the last two, virtually none on Patreon). Why? Because I don’t have a huge following that I could take with me there. Some authors put all their stories behind a paywall. These are called tiers and they range in price. Joining a tear as a patron gives the author a small monthly donation, and gives the patron access to what they post. But some writers let you join for free, and post articles and stories for anyone to read. My pages on these sites have been free to join. I might put some stories behind a paywall in the future. You may find your favorite authors have a presence on these sites.

7. Subscribe to their newsletter. I suggest this only if you are reading the genre they write or if you know them personally. Authors tend to write a lot about their personal lives in newsletters. Funny things that happen, epiphanies they have, or frustrations and processes that involve their writing journey. They share helpful articles, and short stories, or give you the option to get free books and stories through promotions they take part in.

8. Book reviews are very important for Authors. It gets their books noticed by the algorithms and that means more people see the listing, and that leads to sales. Reviews can be placed on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. A review doesn’t have to be long. But leaving a few kind words of support means everything.

9. I am, however, of the opinion that if you don’t have something good to say, don’t bother to leave a review. You are likely not an expert paid by a publisher to give a critical review. Neither are you bound by your sense of honor to save others from suffering. So, if the book didn’t resonate with you, refrain from leaving 1-star reviews that will most definitely hurt them.

10. Never review-bomb another author! It will come back to bite you. If you think you need to make others fail so you can succeed, that will not lead to your success. Eventually, others will find out what you are up to, and well, that will get around. Be nice. Pay it forward. Give more than you take.

Join, Follow, Like, Subscribe… Your support is always appreciated. Even authors who seem to have “made it” suffer from doubt and insecurities and are happy to get a kind word of encouragement. They love to hear what you liked or what you connected with when you read their novel.

Please don’t threaten your favorite authors if they kill off a character you liked or didn’t write what you wanted them to. I never knew this was a thing. But evidently, some authors are hounded with threats and mean letters because they didn’t meet the expectations of their fans.

It’s a story, we are dedicated to entertaining you, but it is our story. We will write what we are inspired to write.

We hope that it will plant some seeds of hope, give you moments of joy, or keep you on the edge of your seat. We want your interest and engagement. We hope to write something you can’t put down until it’s finished. We want to share what we love with you, and we hope you will support us in return.

I am going to be completely honest with you. Until I became focused on publishing, I never thought about any of these things. It certainly never occurred to me to write a review or seek out the author on social media, Goodreads, or AuthorTube. I didn’t know that would be helpful or how needed it was. I assumed the publishers did a lot more for authors than they do. But the truth is, writers are dependent on your support. If you love what they write, let them know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is now  available on Amazon.

She's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/

Jumpstart Your Signature Product Offerings by Writing a Book

 

Writing a book offers many benefits to professional coaches. You may be surprised to discover how the process of writing a book can help you jumpstart other projects, such as signature product offerings that gain you more business, a wider presence in you industry, and other avenues for helping others.

Writing Stimulates Creativity

Writing is an utterly creative process. Regardless of the endless hours you spend researching and outlining your book, the time you spend in front of the keyboard pounding out chapters is an entirely creative time that actually serves to feed your creative tendencies. These are the times when ideas, plans, and processes for other projects will come to you.

Take a little time to jot a not so you don’t forget about these new ideas, then get back to work on your book. You want to make sure you don’t lose track of these signatures ideas but also that you do not get lost in planning that project rather than completing your book.

Create Mini Classes for Group Coaching Sessions Based on Topics Your Book Covers

Your book offers a straightforward guide your readers can follow to achieve real success. However, diving in deeper to some of the topics your book covers through group coaching and mini classes can help your audience accomplish so much more. Jot down outlines for these classes and group sessions as you are writing those chapters for your book. Your mind is fresh with the details and you can get double rewards for the information you’ve researched.

Consider Developing a Book Series

If not a book series, at least consider creating a workbook series supplemental planners that are based on your book or topics related to your book. That offers you opportunities for greater profitability while helping your audience transition the principles in your book into actions in their lives. The more books, workbooks, planners, and other products you have available, in addition to your book, the more opportunities you have to earn greater profits from your existing audience.

Kick Your Price Point Up a Notch or Two

Books build confidence and trust among your audience. Now that you’ve written a book, it’s time to consider the value of the courses, products, and coaching sessions you offer and reevaluate how much you’re charging for your time.

Books create authority and expertise in the eyes of your followers. Make sure the prices for your new items reflects the added value your time and talent now command.

Also take the time to review existing products for ideas about updates and upgrades that can make them more valuable to audiences and help them command a greater price from consumers.

The more time you spend creating products, reworking existing products, and planning out new products for the future, the easier the writing, planning, and publishing process will become for you. The key is to actually start and see how quickly it all comes together for you.

***

Rebecca Camarena is the Book Coach that helps memoir and business book authors write, publish and market books that grow their brand. As a best-selling author with her co-authored book Out of My Comfort Zone: Stories of Courage, Perseverance and Victory she helped women share their stories of how they got of their fear zone to excel in their business.

Sign up for my FREE 30-minute Author Consultation call so you can start on your book writing journey. Click here www.rebeccacamarena.com/contact/

 

How Dickens Made a Word for Himself and Became Known for “Messiness"

Dickensonian Words for Inspiration

Creative Writing Isn’t for the Faint of Heart

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I included a chapter in the third edition of my multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers for the kind of writers who can’t resist making up words, especially if they feel insecure about it. Of course, writers should reassess such “indiscretions,” but knowing a bit about renowned writers who did the same thing helps them feel more comfortable about straying from the usual. I love MSNBC’s motto, “the more we know…” and it benefits by adding  “the more equipped we are to break a rule.”

Take the admired Victorian writer Charles Dickens, famous for his A Christmas Carol (1843) and Oliver Twist (1838). He invented a slew of words by making an adjective like messy into a noun with by adding a suffix. Some adjectives like messy very nearly demand to become a noun and Dickens’ messiness was so successful it can still be found in some of the best dictionaries. 

I think of new words attributed to Dickens as inspirational. They to dare us to proceed when we are so tempted. Here’s a little list of his adaptations—some that caught on and have been used for decades now and some…well, not so much.

§  Comfoozled: Some say Dickens invented this word, some prefer to call it a coined word. He used it in one of his Pickwick Papers which appears to mean “a horrid state of love,” and “done over with.” Popular or not, I put in in a class with Lewis Carroll’s poem “Jabberwockey.” A word doesn’t have to live long to be a lot of fun.

§  Sassigassity: Dickens said it means “audacity with attitude.” That makes it a superlative for audacity; you know, very sassy or very audacious. Perhaps it didn’t catch on because writers’ seem to have a natural aversion to redundancy. Today Dickens experiment might serve as an example of how we writers might evaluate our own creative efforts. In this case it did double duty for something we’re already uncomfortable with.

§  Whizz-bang met with greater success. Dickens used it to as a noun for the sound of gunshot. His word became popular during WWII to mean a small-caliber shell and it might have been adapted through the decades to describe a vigorous or smart person, but that theory might not be easily verified.

§  Jog-trotty: Apparently Dickens wasn’t thinking of jog-trot, a term used for the slow trot used by some breeds of horses. He seemed to equate it with it with something dull in his Bleak House (1852). That one, too, hasn’t found popularity.

 

Here are a few of Dickens’ words that have happily survived:

§  Sawbones is still occasionally used to refer to a surgeon. I suspect its tinge of humor has helped is longevity.

§   Mildewy was so useful Dickens used it twice—one in The Pickwick Papers and again in A Tale of Two Cities (1859).

§  Soupy, bulgy, swishy ,waxy, and trembly are all examples of how easy it is to add a suffix to most any word. Using that technique probably won’t add points in a game of Scrabble, but if your inventions are disputed because they don’t show up in dictionaries, you can try the old defense, “If it’s good enough for Dickens, it’s good enough for Scrabble.

I’ll be counting on your sassigassity to come up with some words of your own and maybe new techniques for the process. I’ll need new material for that chapter in The Frugal Editor I mentioned. It’s a favorite among poets and authors of children’s lit. You new words could be my excuse to pitch its fourth edition…and make your new word famous. Ahem!

---

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S BLOGGER

 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. All her books for writers are multi award winners including the first edition of The Frugal Book Promoter published in 2003 now updated and published in its third edition. Her The Frugal Editor, also now in its third edition, won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award and includes an almost-new chapter for poets and other creatives who like making up their own words.

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts.