Children’s Writing Web Journal

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• Children’s Book Publishing 101: 5 Ways to Improve Your Manuscript
  Posted on Friday, June 12th, 2009 in Uncategorized - Comments: (1)
  In this video: five ways to make your manuscript shine before you send it to a children’s book publisher.Free free to embed this video in a blog or website. You can also view or download it at YouTube, MySpace, Metacafe, Blip.tv, Veoh, Sclipo, 5min, Graspr and i2TV Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children’s book publishers?
• Smart Promotion Tip for Children’s Book Authors
  Posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 in business of publishing - Comments: (2)
  Authors know the power of giving out freebies to promote their books. Bookmarks, stickers and the like are a great way to spread the word. The problem is getting the stuff in the hands of enough children, teachers and parents to make a difference. Here’s the solution: “freebie” websites. These sites list offers of free goodies for a variety of audiences, and are excellent places for authors to be listed.
• Unique Tool For Writers: Wordle
  Posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 in freebies - Comments: (2)
  Wordle is a free online tool that takes any text and creates a “word cloud”.  The more a word shows up in the text, the larger it appears in a cloud.  Here’s a Wordle cloud I created using the text of Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.I can think of a few  interesting uses for children’s book writers (or any writer, for that matter): Run your manuscript through it to see if you’re overusing certain adjectives.
• Video: 7 Things Editors @ Children’s Book Publishers Wish They Could Tell Writers
  Posted on Monday, June 8th, 2009 in videos - Comments: (3)
  Editors are sometimes too polite to tell writers what they need to hear.  So we’ll do the job for them!If this embedded video doesn’t work, you can also view the video at any of these places: Yahoo, MySpace, Revver, DailyMotion, Blip.tv, Veoh, Sclipo, Viddler, Howcast, 5min, Graspr and i2TVInterested in learning how to write a book and send it to children’s book publishers?
• Which Children’s Books Do Kids Read Most?
  Posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 in Uncategorized - Comments: (3)
  A survey of more than three million American children has identified the most-read books at each age level.  Conducted by the Renaissance Learning Web site, the survey has some fascinating revelations.Grade by grade, here are the most-read books:1st Grade - Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss2nd Grade - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff3rd Grade - Charlotte’s Web by E.

• excellent list of tools for bloggers: http://snipurl.com/cfvwu Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet! #
• Superb blog from lit agent. Good stuff! http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• A fun & simple writing exercise: http://short.to/19vq Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com , Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Postage chart 4 writers: calculate SASE postage 4 your ms: http://short.to/1chr Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• 22 Blogs Every Writer Should Read http://is.gd/kQru Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Need an agent? Here’s where to find one: http://ping.fm/mTNgd Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Using slang in your writing: http://is.gd/1c9H1 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #

• Cool blog: Books for Boys: http://is.gd/19uoh Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Firefox addon that gives word counts: http://is.gd/19tUx Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Teenage Entrepreneurs Tell It Like It Is: http://is.gd/19udQ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• New @ the Clubhouse: Writing Advice from Judy Blume & Barbara Seuling http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Free fax-sending service: http://faxzero.com/ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Need to learn about copyrights? http://short.to/h2h6 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• free “Idea management service” for writers: http://is.gd/19tHm Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• New site w/kid-safe manga and comics: http://is.gd/19tAd Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• 5 Ways to Improve Your Children’s Book Manuscript: http://is.gd/19vq9 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Do u “rack” or “wrack” your brain? Find out: http://is.gd/19tm9 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• How to clear your inbox: http://is.gd/19sDd Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #

A survey of more than three million American children has identified the most-read books at each age level.  Conducted by the Renaissance Learning Web site, the survey has some fascinating revelations.

Grade by grade, here are the most-read books:

1st Grade - Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
2nd Grade - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
3rd Grade - Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
4th Grade - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
5th Grade - Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
6th Grade - Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
7th & 8th Grade - The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
9th - 12th Grades - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

You can download the full report with detailed charts and analysis at http://www.renlearn.com/whatkidsarereading/ReadingHabits.pdf

Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children’s book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

• Tips for teen writers: http://is.gd/15Uea Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Understanding Active and Passive Voice: http://is.gd/15U9S Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Give It Up for the Toddlers! http://snipr.com/kf4hz Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites: http://is.gd/15U7V Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• You Have No More Excuses Not To Write That Book - Here’s Why: http://is.gd/15Uq9 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Creating memorable villains: http://is.gd/15U54 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Find Story Ideas in Tossed Treasures: http://is.gd/15Ujn Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Get rejection letters? You’re in good company: http://is.gd/15U0n Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #

• Neat utility for when you can’t access a particular site: http://is.gd/15UFF Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #

• Yum! Tasty list of adjectives to describe food: http://snurl.com/gbyjb Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Michael Phelps writes children’s book: http://is.gd/13G3q Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Writers: Come hang w/ the Fightin’ Bookworms! visit http://cbiclubhouse.com to see what all the fuss is about. #
• Fun writing blog: http://writeforyourlife.net/ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Library of Congress “Ask a Librarian” It’s free. http://snipr.com/gdqzr Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Win an award for your blog: http://short.to/fyxh Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Slick collection of writers’ links: http://snipr.com/k8tni Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Big list of animal sounds. Stags bellow, while deers just bell! http://is.gd/13FSM Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com. #

• Cool promotion tips 4 authors: http://is.gd/12Skb Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #

I was honored to be interviewed by Shelli Johannes for the “Marvelous Markters” section of her excellent blog Market My Words. The subject: how writers can promote themselves and their work.

Check it out — I think you’ll enjoy it.

http://faeriality.blogspot.com/2009/06/marvelous-marketer-jon-bard-childrens.html

In this video: five ways to make your manuscript shine before you send it to a children’s book publisher.