Comments on: 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/ From the editors of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:17:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Writing Success Blog Carnival - June 2009 | Writing Success http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-939 Writing Success Blog Carnival - June 2009 | Writing Success Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:44:35 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-939 [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo... posted at Children’s Writing Web [...] [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo… posted at Children’s Writing Web [...]

]]> By: Creative Writing Goodies Blog Carnival May 5, 2009 Edition | Creative Writing Guide http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-880 Creative Writing Goodies Blog Carnival May 5, 2009 Edition | Creative Writing Guide Tue, 05 May 2009 14:10:52 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-880 [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo... posted at Children’s Writing Web [...] [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo… posted at Children’s Writing Web [...]

]]> By: The Mad Editor’s Round-Up #7 | Diary of a Mad Editor http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-869 The Mad Editor’s Round-Up #7 | Diary of a Mad Editor Mon, 04 May 2009 11:42:40 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-869 [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo... posted at Children’s Writing Web [...] [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo… posted at Children’s Writing Web [...]

]]> By: thursdaybram.com » Blog Archive » The Business of Freelance Writing Carnival, Edition 66 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-861 thursdaybram.com » Blog Archive » The Business of Freelance Writing Carnival, Edition 66 Sat, 02 May 2009 18:14:10 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-861 [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo... posted at Children’s Writing Web [...] [...] Bard presents 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break | Children’s Writing Web Jo… posted at Children’s Writing Web [...]

]]> By: Our Top Posts From the Past Month | Children's Writing Web Journal http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-856 Our Top Posts From the Past Month | Children's Writing Web Journal Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:27 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-856 [...] 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break Posted on Monday, April 13th, 2009 in writing tips - Comments: (1) I often talk about the “rules” of writing for kids, citing proper page lengths and story types for different age groups. A better term would probably be “guidelines”; these rules exist only to tell you what, in general, editors like to see in the manuscripts sent to them. And, of course, for every rule there are numerous exceptions. But while we’d all like to think our book is strong enough to override the guidelines, this is usually not the case. [...] [...] 4 Rules Beginning Children’s Book Writers Should Never Break Posted on Monday, April 13th, 2009 in writing tips - Comments: (1) I often talk about the “rules” of writing for kids, citing proper page lengths and story types for different age groups. A better term would probably be “guidelines”; these rules exist only to tell you what, in general, editors like to see in the manuscripts sent to them. And, of course, for every rule there are numerous exceptions. But while we’d all like to think our book is strong enough to override the guidelines, this is usually not the case. [...]

]]> By: Terry Doherty http://www.write4kids.com/blog/2009/04/13/4-rules-beginning-childrens-book-writers-should-never-break/#comment-844 Terry Doherty Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:13:06 +0000 http://www.write4kids.com/blog/?p=223#comment-844 Laura - As a parent and reviewer, I thank you! They are all common sense, but it is frightening how often they are forgotten. Our reviewers have often commented that authors who write "to the series" really short-change their audience. They are either prolonging what should be a tight story and/or they are shortchanging their audience's reaction. The best place for testimonials is the author's website, not the cover letter. The integrity of my review rests on the fact that it offers my thoughts ... not that it matches or sounds like someone else's. We might reach the same conclusion, but better for the author for me to do it in a vacuum. Laura - As a parent and reviewer, I thank you! They are all common sense, but it is frightening how often they are forgotten. Our reviewers have often commented that authors who write “to the series” really short-change their audience. They are either prolonging what should be a tight story and/or they are shortchanging their audience’s reaction.

The best place for testimonials is the author’s website, not the cover letter. The integrity of my review rests on the fact that it offers my thoughts … not that it matches or sounds like someone else’s. We might reach the same conclusion, but better for the author for me to do it in a vacuum.

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