KidzTales - KIDLIT AND MORE!

Writing Software

9/19/2022

Hi,
You know that there is a lot of writing software out there, but how in the world do you know which one is right for you? When you get down to it, which one will do all that it's advertised to do?

Well, today, I have permission from Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur to link-back to his article about writing software. He's taken all the guess work of of it for you. While your at Kindlepreneur, sign up for the newsletter. You'll never miss an informative article again. Heck, sign up for the site and take a look around!

Sorry. I digress. I was talking about writing software. Read Dave's article at https://kindlepreneur.com/best-book-writing-software. I think you'll thank Dave as much as I do!

LITTLE WANDERERS: THE EVERLASTING SEASONS

9/11/2022

TITLE: Little Wanderers: The Everlasting Seasons
AUTHOR: I.K. Silver
FORMATS: Kindle-$3.99,Paperback-$13.99,Hardcover-$4.28

Join Snowy, a little dwarf from the Winter Village, as he sets off in search of Originin. When Snowy arrives in the Summer Village, he meets Komoro and his mother. He soon talks Komoro into joining him on his quest.
Along the way, the two friends have many adventures, but none so great when the people of the Autumn village are sure that Komoro is their king and there’s no talking the villagers, guards, and servants out of it!
I enjoyed this tale of adventure and wits. If you would like it for your home library, just go to https://www.amazon.com/Little-Wanderers-Everlasting-I-K-Silver/dp/6250097686.

SWEET DREAMS: GOOD NIGHT

8/22/2022

TITLE: Sweet Dreams: Good Night
AUTHOR: Brittany Herrera
PUBLISHER: Independent
FORMAT: Paperback
PRICE: $9.50
ISBN-13: 979-8729248216

Little Ally doesn’t want to go to bed. Every night, Mommy hears the same excuses. You can hear Ally cry, “Mommy, I want a drink of water!” Or, “Mommy, I need the potty!”

In this adorable picture book, Mommy teaches Ally a way where she can sleep and have fun, too. Mommy tells Ally that she can go on any adventure she wants. She also tells her little girl that in her dreams, Ally can be a princess, pirate, cowgirl, or anything she wants to be!

If your a little one who doesn’t like bedtime, take a cue from Ally’s mother. Tell him or her about the fun that will happen in their dreams.

If you’d like to purchase Sweet Dreams: Good Night, you can find this picture book on Amazon.

WHY ARE CRITIQUE GROUPS IMPORTANT TO A WRITER?

8/15/2022

Why are critique groups so important? It’s usually suggested that you join one, but how do you find one? What kind should you join? How will it improve your writing?

A critique group will improve your writing
It’s true. They will in many ways! In critique groups, there’s usually a schedule to follow. A person submits his or her story on a certain day and they critiques have to be in by the end of the week. This isn’t always the case. Some groups have two people submit and those critiques have to be in by the end of the week. Why? The reason for this is simple. It prepares the writer to write for a deadline.

You will get honest feedback and suggestions from the other members, and this is so important! Your fellow critiquers can help you see problems in your story that you’ve missed. Writers live in their own solitary world. I can’t say it’s lonely since you always have your characters talking to you in your head. I know. That sounds crazy, but it’s true. Your critique group can help you improve your manuscript with their feedback. Thus, you’re pulled back into reality. Because of the other member’s honest feedback, you’ll be able to catch your mistakes more easily.

It’s Fun
It really is fun! You develop friendships with the other members that can go beyond the critique groups. Writers live in their own solitary world. I can’t say it’s lonely since you always have your characters talking to you in your head. I know. That sounds crazy, but it’s true. Developing a friendship with another writer is a precious thing.

You can discuss writing with other writers
That’s right! Talking to another writer is priceless! Yahoo Groups are chat enabled so you can talk to each other. I’m not sure about Google Groups since I’ve never been in one. Currently, I’m in one called Kidlit Connect and we meet on Webex. Which means it’s a lot like meeting on a Zoom call. Really, it’s exactly like that since we can see and hear each other in real time.

What kind of critique groups are there and where can I find them?
I guess you already know that there are two kinds of critique groups. There are the physical ones. They’re the ones you’ll find in your local libraries and bookstores. My town used to have one in the local library, but the group hasn’t existed for years. I wish it was still there. In these physical ones, you read your story to the others and get feedback right away. You’re face-to-face with other people. Or maybe that group has a unique set of rules where the person, whose turn it is to submit their story, prints up enough copies for every member to peruse carefully. In either instance, there are usually snacks and a social period after the meeting. As I mentioned before, there are groups like the one I’m currently in who meets over real time. Another great place to start is Kidlit 411.

If your town doesn’t provide a physical group, there’s no reason you can’t belong to a critique group. They abound on the internet. You might have to try several groups before you find one that’s the perfect fit for you. Where can you find these online critique groups? You can do this easily by going to your favorite search engine and typing in “Children’s Critique Groups.” You’ll get a long list of groups. Or go to Yahoo and scroll down to groups (this is on the left side of Yahoo’s homepage. Once you click on “groups” that takes you to a page where you can search for a children’s critique group. You can do the same thing on Google. Go to their homepage and click on Google groups. All that’s missing in the online groups are the snacks.

I mentioned my Kidlit Connect group on Webex. It’s exactly like a physical site except we meet online in real time. We upload our stories so everyone can print a copy out. Also, like physical groups, we read our stories online and get fantastic feedback! Can you tell I love this group? If you’re interested in joining me there you can for a minimal cost, that is. Just email Dayna Ault (our fearless leader) at dayna.ault.author@gmail.com.

One last thing
Critique groups also give you an advantage over other writers. You’ve already had several other sets of eyes scrutinize your work and they haven’t.

So, whatever kind of critique group you decide to join, physical, online, or both, stay a while to make sure it’s the right group for you. There are a few ways you can do this. Ask yourself these questions: Am I learning something here? Is the group schedule to much for me to handle? Do the other members take the time to explain their suggestions? Am I comfortable here? Are the other members encouraging? Is there a risk of anyone stealing my ideas? This question should be able to be answered by the moderator. If you can’t answer yes to any or some of these questions, it’s time for you to find another group. When you find the perfect group for you, you’ll be able to answer yes to these questions and more!

Why are critique groups so important? It’s usually suggested that you join one but how do you find one? What kind should you join? How will it improve your writing?

A critique group will improve your writing
It’s true. They will and do in many ways! In critique groups there’s usually a schedule to follow. A person submits his or her story on a certain day and they critiques have to be in by the end of the week. Some groups have two people submit and those critiques have to be in by the end of the week. Why? The reason for this is simple. It prepares the writer to be able to write for a deadline.

You will get honest feedback and suggestions from the other members, and this is so important! Your fellow critiquers can help you see problems in your story that you’ve missed. Writers live in their own solitary world. I can’t say it’s lonely since you always have your characters talking to you in your head. I know. That sounds crazy, but it’s true. Your critique group can help you improve your manuscript with their feedback. Thus, you’re pulled back into reality. Because of the other member’s honest feedback, you’ll be able to catch your mistakes more easily. This improves your writing greatly.

Stella: The Shark Who Loved Treasure

8/8/2022

TITLE: Stella: The Shark Who Loved Treasure (4th book in the Ocean Tales series)
AUTHOR: Sarah Cullen, Carmen Ellis
PUBLISHER: Thorpe-Bowker
ISBN-13: 9780645365054
FORMAT: Paperback
PRICE: $10.95

In this latest edition of the Ocean Tales series, Stella learns just how much fun it is to share and the great feeling you get from it!

Stella loves trinkets. In fact, she has a whole chest full of trinkets that she’s gathered in the past. She really wants one more jewel and Stella promises herself it will be the last one she’ll collect. The Rose of the Sea is in a chest, in a sunken ship, and on the bottom of the sea. She enlists two of her friends to help her in her quest. Will they find The Rose of the Sea? What will Stella do after she gets the jewel?

This book is the perfect addition to your child’s library! He or she will delight at this story in rhyme. If you’d like to buy your child a copy of Stella: The Shark Who Loved Treasure, you can find it on Amazon.

MAKE IT FLOW!

8/1/2022

What is flow and what does it have to do with writing? Flow is simple. It’s also known as cohesion. According to The Writing Center of Gustuvas College, it’s the seamlessness of one sentence flowing into another. There should be no changing of the subject in a paragraph. The sentences should flow or run together seamlessly into one another without jerking the reader around. The changing of a paragraph should be done the same way with a transition, so your flow doesn’t break up and jerk your readers around.

Start your transition to your next paragraph by making your last line in the earlier paragraph about what you want the next paragraph to be. For example, they last sentence in your first paragraph could be something like: “They had to climb the mountain to arrive at their destination.” The next paragraph would show them climbing the mountain, stepping over or around obstacles in their way. Maybe the obstacle is an attacking mountain lion? This would be a surprise for the reader. It would also be a plot twist since fighting your main character is fighting the mountain lion. That would hinder the climb over the mountain, but the flow or cohesion hasn’t broken since they’re still climbing that mountain.

Look at the picture of the river above. See how the river flows without breaking? It gently makes it way to the ocean flowing over rocks and other obstacles in its way. Now, imagine that you’re rowing a boat down that river. The river doesn’t jerk you around at all. In your rowboat, you gently and seamlessly flow down the river passed the woods on the riverbank. What happens when the river comes to a rock in the river does it stop its flow? No. It takes a detour by going around the rock or splashes over it. I like to think of this as putting a twist in the plot.

The same can be done with chapters with one small difference. The end of a chapter should be like the season finale of a TV show. You can’t wait for the next season to start to see what happens next. End your chapter the same way you do a paragraph but with something jaw dropping. So, your reader keeps turning those pages. That’s what you want them to do!

At the end of this post is a video I found on the subject that I hope will help you.

For more information see:
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/flow/

Five Ways to Make your Writing Flow Better
http://waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com/2013/12/five-ways-to-create-flow-in-your-writing.html

THE BUTTERFLY WHO HAD NO COLOR

7/25/2022

TITLE: The Little Butterfly With No Colors
AUTHOR: Brittany Herrera and Yosi Vidal
ILLUSTRATOR: Eszter Angéla Békési
PUBLISHER: Self-Published (March 21, 2022)
ILLUSTRATOR: Eszter Angéla Békési
ASIN: BO9W6XV33Y
ISBN-13: 9798497491944
FORMATS: Paperback, Kindle
Price: Kindle $3.75, Paperback $12.95

This adorable picture book is a must for your child’s library. In it the child will learn about patience and waiting for what he or she wants. It teaches young girls that they don’t have to look like everyone else. It shows your child that they can ignore ‘the mean girls’ and all the bullies in school since they will win in the end by having patience.

If you would like to see this book for 0-6-years-old in your child’s library, you’ll find it on Amazon.

BRING YOUR STORY to LIFE!

7/19/2022

What in the world? You’ve just finished your latest and (hopefully) your greatest story. You’ve let your friends read it and of course, they liked it. They’re your friends. You also read it to Rex, asleep in the corner of your office. He gave a yawn of approval too. So, you proofread your manuscript and proofread some more. Is the punctuation okay? Check. Does each word move the story along? Check. What’s wrong with it? Try reading it to Rex again and listen to your words. Forget about your friends and family since they’re just going to tell you what you want to hear. There. Hear that? Read that section again. There’s no life in your character nor is there good description in the narrative. You have write visually and bring your book to life.

What is writing visually? It’s something we’ve all heard before. Show, don’t tell. For those of you who haven’t heard those particular words here’s my definition: It’s when you reader is able to put himself/herself in your book. You should engage all five senses to do this. Let your readers feel Jason punch Harry without warning. Let Mary smell those fragrant roses. Describe these sentences so your readers can feel that punch or smell the rose. Have your characters talk naturally. Describing in a few words what they feel (emotionally), see, question, etc. Also, people aren’t robots in real life. When was the last time you saw someone talking and their expression never changed, they didn’t talk with their hands, or they didn’t fix their hair when the wind blew?

For instance: Keira left school. “I’m going to the mall,” she said to Sasha. Here’s the same sentence brought to life. Keira raced down the hall stopping when she saw Sasha putting her books in the locker. “I’m going to the mall after school,” she puffed. “Wanna come?” “Sure! Wait a sec until I fix my hair. Maybe that new guy will be there.” Which description would you rather have in your manuscript? Which one shows more instead of tells?

Take a look at these sentences: The three young people climbed the hill. Okay. Now read this: As the three friends climbed, they swatted flies away from their faces. Bees buzzed around them while low-hanging tree branches smacked them in the face. Which sentence shows more thus giving it life?

The trick is to give your characters some character not only in the dialogue but in the narrative as well. In the narrative, your reader can see them struggling up that hill. In dialogue they can see, feel the emotions of the girls and relate to them.

Here’s a video by The Three Minute Writing Teacher that will help you along the way to bring your book to life!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68vWb5rvso

I’ve also found some books, blogs, or websites that will help you with this.

BOOKS
Word Magic for Writers by Cindy Rogers http://www.amazon.com/Word-Magic-Writers-Cindy-Rogers/dp/1889715247/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420086148&sr=1-1&keywords=word+magic+for+writers
You Can Write Children’s Books by Tracey E. Dils http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Write-Childrens-Books/dp/1582975736/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420086272&sr=1-1&keywords=you+can+write+children%27s+books
Picture Writing by Anastasia Suen http://www.amazon.com/Picture-Writing-Write-kids-library/dp/1582970726/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420086481&sr=1-1&keywords=picture+writing

Blog
How To Write Visually by Donald L. Vasicek http://www.donvasicek.com/writing/how-to-write-visually/

HOW TO RAISE TENSION IN YOUR CHILDREN'S STORY

7/12/2022

Some of you know that I’m working on my garden. Because of the bright sun that hits the back of my house, the plants usually burn up and die despite my diligently watering them each day. Will I be able to get my garden to flourish this year? Will it look nice? This is tension or you can call it suspense. Do you need it in a children’s story? Yes!
Even the youngest readers need tension in their picture books. Middle grade readers need more tension, and you need even more for young adults. So, just how do you accomplish this? It’s not really that hard and I have some suggestions.

The power of three. Do you remember learning about the power of three? It goes like this:

Your main character wants to accomplish something but there’s a problem. He/she thinks they have the problem solved.
The main character (along with his/friends, dog, or whoever) set out to accomplish they goal only to find a problem ruining their plans of reaching the goal. This can be an obstacle caused by the antagonist. That might be the school bully, time for supper, the weather, a disability, or anything else you can think of. For a gentle picture book, it could be that your main character is learning the alphabet when her mind goes blank at the letter M. Do any of these heroes/ give up? No. He or she wouldn’t be a good main character if they gave up. Now, he/she may stop and have doubts on whether the goal can be accomplished.
Instead, the hero/heroine goes back and re-thinks the problem and starts over again with the help of friends or the trusty dog. This time he/she reaches his goal.

The power of three works for any age level but is especially good in a picture book. For middle grade to young adult, you want more problems. You can increase the power of three to the power of four, five, six, seven, and so on. The older the child, the more problems prevent him from reaching the goal.

Shorter sentences. Increase tension by using shorter sentences or try using short, incomplete sentences that end in an ellipse. This is a great way to increase tension for middle grade and up. Study how this technique was used in the Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling or Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke. This way really keeps your reader turning those pages and feeling breathless by the time the hero/heroine reaches the goal. In Harry’s case, it was always during the battle scenes with Lord Voldemort. In the Inkheart series the problem was escaping killers, getting out of the bookworld, and back home.

Increasing Problems. Increasing the problems in a picture book can be created with relative ease. Take the example I used above about the heroine learning the alphabet, gets to the letter M, and her mind goes blank. That’s a problem. You could use other common obstacles like little brother not sharing and he starts screaming about it, a lost toy, and so one. But for middle grade books and up the stakes are higher. It could be the school bully stealing the heroine/hero’s lunch money thus forcing him to go all day on an empty stomach. It could be the theft of a new coat forcing him to walk home from school in the middle of winter shivering. This raises questions in the reader’s mind that must be answered. Will the hero confront the bully after school? Will it turn into a fist fight in front of the whole universe? What about the problem of the stolen coat? What happens? Does the hero simply go to the teacher and leave it up to her to get his coat back? What happens? The older the child is, the more you raise the stakes. The more obstacles get in the way too. Or your antagonist has a following willing to do anything he says…a gang. Like I said, raise the stakes!

Time limit. Is there a certain period of time the hero/heroine has to get the problem resolved? Take homework. It usually must be finished by the next day. Or is the main character making a birthday present for Mom and it should be finished by her birthday. This is another way of putting and raising tension in your story.

I hope I gave you some ideas on how to make your book fun and exciting for readers. Remember, without tension in your children’s book (or any book), it’ll fall flat.

My Poor Puzzling Pepper

7/4/2022

Hi! This is not going to be about writing today. It's going to be under the 'more' of Kidlit and More.

Where I live, I'm allowed a 3-foot by 5-foot section where I can plant a small garden of anything I want. This year I'm trying to grow vegetables. This is my way of trying to beat the rising prices at the grocery store.

I have a tomato plant, a pepper plant, and one of those three tier planters. In it I planted basil, radishes, and green onions. Everything is doing just fine, but I'm puzzled by my pepper plant. I've never tried to grow one before!

To my knowledge, all pepper plants grow up in height as well as produce fruit, right? Well, mine is about three inches high and has three peppers on it. What can I do to make it grow in height?

I've read all the plants about the care of peppers. Nothing. No information about my particular dilemma at all. I've talked to friends who gave me advice that I took, tried, and I don't see any difference. My three-inch-high plant just keeps producing peppers. Finally, I searched Google and put my exact problem in the search bar. TA-DA! I got a result!

Google's advice was to only water twice a week. That will encourage the plant to grow in height. I hope they're right. I'll try it, anyway. This contradicts everything else I've read on the subject.

My pepper plant is a puzzle to me. Does anyone have any suggestions to help my poor puzzling pepper grow? Leave your suggestions in the comments.