Children’s Writing Web Journal

• New @ The Clubhouse: Another Great Free eBook for Fightin’ Bookworms. A 1906 gem! http://cbiclubhouse.com, Children’s Writers’ Community #
• Big list of kids lit bloggers: http://is.gd/vhOL Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Take the test: Are You Goofus or Gallant? http://short.to/6j8v Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Our Squidoo lens on writing children’s books: http://www.squidoo.com/write4kids Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Great freeware dictionary/thesaurus: http://snipr.com/gzbdo Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• 50 Useful Twitter Tools for Writers: http://short.to/6ifv Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #

• Children’s classics top book list: http://snipr.com/gxnoy Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Myanmar refugee children publish book, raise $ for cyclone victims: http://is.gd/vahn Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• The impact of children’s literature: http://snipr.com/gxn9n Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Lit Agents Tell All: http://snipr.com/gxhf7 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 rules of writing: http://snipr.com/gxh9b Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Correct link for ” FAQ: I Want to Package a Toy w/My Book. How Do I Explain This To An Editor?” http://snurl.com/gxk44 #
• Fun break: Check out these fruit sculptures: http://short.to/6h0k Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Video tour of the CBI Clubhouse. Check out the web’s best site for children’s writers! http://is.gd/v2lN #
• Big list of children’s publisher guidelines: http://short.to/6drs Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Legal issues re: children’s books: http://short.to/6drn Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Tips for teen writers: http://is.gd/l01u Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #

As a writer, you’re expected to know enough about your subject to write authoritatively about it. That’s fine if you’ve spent your life as a firefighter and your story is set in a firehouse. But what if you’re writing a story in which the main character dreams of being an Olympic diver, and you don’t even know how to swim?

That’s the sort of pickle writers find themselves in all the time. There’s a setting, an occupation, a hobby that just feels right for your character, but the writer is utterly ignorant about the details and inner workings that would bring such an element to life.

That’s why eHow.com is such a cool site. Their slogan is Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything and it’s a fair boast. Pay them a visit and you’ll know how to do a Forward One-and-a-Half Flip From a Springboard in a matter of minutes!

http://eHow.com

For writing tips and more information about writing for children, visit The CBI Clubhouse - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms!

• Library of Congress “Ask a Librarian” It’s free. http://snipr.com/gdqzr Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• lost of copyright info: http://short.to/6e6n Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Interesting historical piece about children’s writing: http://short.to/6c6p Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• good blog from kids author Lori calabrese: http://is.gd/uXhZ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Children’s paperback strongest segment in publishing: http://is.gd/uXfO Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• How to raise a reader: http://is.gd/uXdW Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Profile of major UK publisher: http://short.to/6c5y Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• New vid! “How to Submit a Children’s Books Manuscript to a Publisher” http://snurl.com/gkk07 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com RT if u like! #
• I *really* need this: How to Be a Morning Person http://snipr.com/e9kbm Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #

(Note: the following is excerpted from our acclaimed eBook Improving the Odds, Insider Secrets that Can Help You Get Published! by CBI Publisher Laura Backes.  To read another excerpt and get more information about this eBook, visit http://write4kids.com/odds.html)

Here’s a fascinating question I received a while back. It brings up an interesting dilemma faced by writers who receive personal (as opposed to form) rejection letters.

Although getting a rejection letter is no fun –even if it’s directly from an editor who clearly enjoyed your work — you’ve actually established something quite important: a relationship with a real live editor.

Here’s how I advised one writer about taking advantage of this great opportunity:

Hi Laura,

I seem to have clawed my way to the near the top of the slush pile; I am now receiving signed, personalized rejection letters rather than photocopied forms. Several of the letters have included favorable comments, but so far I have received no suggestions for revisions of the manuscripts, or requests that I do so. My question is, if I revise the manuscript substantially, can I send it back to the same editors again? Or does ‘no’ mean ‘no, no, never, never’?

In publishing (unlike the rest of the world) being rejected “personally” is much better than being rejected anonymously. It’s frustrating, though, if the editor doesn’t tell you why your manuscript was rejected (that’s up to you and your writers group to figure out). If the editor doesn’t specifically say she wants to see the manuscript again, then “no” means “no”. However, she may say she’d like to see other manuscripts from you. If that’s the case, be sure to send her something else, and remind her in your cover letter that she requested another story. Even if she didn’t mention seeing more work, I’d still send her another manuscript (provided it’s the kind of thing that publisher is looking for) and in your cover letter thank her for taking the time to respond personally to your previous submission, and say “Here’s something else I thought you might like.” Forming a relationship with an editor now can often lead to a sale later.

For writing tips and more information about writing for children, visit The CBI Clubhouse - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms!

One exception: There are some mass market publishers and book packagers (companies who create books and series for publishers) who have lines of books with related merchandise. These are often nonfiction books (crafts, activities, science projects, etc.), books for very young children (small stuffed animals accompany the book), or book-and-cd packages. Again, looking through book stores to find these publishers and then sending for writer’s guidelines is your best bet.

For much more information about writing and submitting children’s books to publishers, visit http://cbiclubhouse.com

• New vid! “How to Submit a Children’s Books Manuscript to a Publisher” http://snurl.com/gkk07 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com RT if u like! #
• Big list of writing orgs: http://snurl.com/gpasp Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #

• Free book: Newbie’s Guide To Publishing http://short.to/5xq1 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• 40 Inspiring Writing Blogs: http://short.to/20wo Jon, http://short.to/20wp , Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Great site re: copyright & publishing law: http://publaw.com/ Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• 7 Book Publicity Tips for Authors http://is.gd/nepj Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com , Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• How to write a superhero story: http://is.gd/ozEq Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com , The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• New Video: “Writing Children’s Books: A Crash Course in Submitting a Manuscript to a Publisher” http://snurl.com/gkk07 Enjoy! #
• Write to fit your personality type. Interesting: http://jijr.com/E0Z Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Ineresting set of creativity tools: http://snipr.com/docz9 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com Children’s Writers’ Community #
• 10 Places to Get Story Ideas: http://short.to/2u0d Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com , The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #

• New Video: “Writing Children’s Books: A Crash Course in Submitting a Manuscript to a Publisher” http://snurl.com/gkk07 Enjoy! #
• PW: kids books sales for 2008: $3.16 billion http://snipr.com/gkf5z Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• ALA’s most-challenged books of the year: http://snipr.com/gkewx Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Cool technique: Become an Instant Expert on Any Subject with Google Reader: http://short.to/5rbd Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• New @ the Clubhouse: “Open with a Bang! Crafting Great Beginnings” by Laura Backes http://cbiclubhouse.com Come check us out! #
• Marketing Your POD or Self-Published Book: http://jijr.com/hmjK Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Free ebook! Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays on the Art of Writing. http://is.gd/u0oC Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Job opening at HarperCollins art dept: http://snipr.com/gi2fn Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Working with backstory: http://short.to/5ppp Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Hot Books to Keep Kids Reading: http://jijr.com/hmjE Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Where Children’s Writers Meet #
• Fun random writing generators to mess with: http://is.gd/u0r9 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #

Here’s our brand new video “Writing Children’s Books: A Crash Course in Submitting a Manuscript to a Publisher.”  Enjoy! 

For writing tips and more information about writing for children, visit The CBI Clubhouse - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms!