Children’s Writing Web Journal

• 20 biggest writing blunders: http://is.gd/htxX #
• RT @JaneFriedman Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/15/09): http://tinyurl.com/qdazyc J#
• RT @DSloanandco: Pulling together a list of children’s #booksellers on Twitter Who’s in? #
• Move beyond Google to search the “Invisible Web”: http://snipr.com/ci4qa #
• What makes a picture book memorable? http://snipr.com/ck8yg #
• 30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them - http://short.to/1chp #

• “Learning From Great Children’s Writers & Illustrators” http://is.gd/Afcy
• Free ebook: How to Write Great Picture Books: http://snurl.com/gdq9m #
• Free ebook! Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays on the Art of Writing. http://is.gd/u0oC #
• 40+ Free Blog Hosts http://snipr.com/gdr4q #
• Video: “How to Submit a Children’s Book Manuscript to a Publisher” #
• 50 Useful Twitter Tools for Writers: http://short.to/6ifv #
• Writing Tip: Resubmitting a Rejected Children’s Book Manuscript http://ping.fm/7TCkD #
• Interested in writing children’s books? Come check out the Clubhouse — you’re gonna love it! http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• Cool Online Tool Helps Writers Pick Appropriate Character Names: http://is.gd/A2MO #
• The Fine Art of the Book Pitch http://is.gd/A2Mf #
• Top 10 words not in the dictionary. No. 1? Ginormous! http://is.gd/A2L3 Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• 12 Exercises for Improving Dialogue: http://is.gd/A2KF J#
• Umberto Eco on fiction writing: http://is.gd/A2Hl #
• Creating Scene-Stealing Scenes: http://is.gd/A2G1 #

It’s often the little details that make a picture book, chapter book or novel successful.  One of those things — good character names that accurately reflect the time setting of the story.  A girl in 1945 isn’t likely to be named Ariel, and a girl in 2009 probably won’t be named Ida.

That’s why the Baby Name Voyager is so useful.  Choose any common boy’s or girl’s name and the Voyager will show you how popular it has been at any given time.  You can also browse through names and see their rank over the past century, so the site can also help you develop new character names.

It’s free and a lot of fun.  Pay a visit at http://www.babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/

For much more great information about writing children’s books, stop by the CBI Clubhouse, our new community for writers that’s packed with audio, video, articles, inside writing tips and much more.  We’re at http://cbiclubhouse.com.

• Video tour of an amazing bookstore: http://is.gd/zjHZ
• 10 Books that Nerds Love http://is.gd/zhbe
• Happy Children’s Book Week! http://www.bookweekonline.com/
• Become an Instant Expert on Any Subject in Minutes: http://is.gd/z4×8
• Sentimental looks at kids’ books of the past: http://is.gd/z4uK
• Slang inspired by children’s lit characters: http://is.gd/z4tH
• Authors: Develop a pre-publication web presence - http://is.gd/yVDt
• “Wintergirls” by Laurie Halse Anderson: a review - http://is.gd/z4oY
• thought provoking piece-50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice: http://is.gd/rWHe

Whether you write picture books or young adult, the key information you need to locate and target a children’s book publisher for your manuscript is a click away. Here’s where to find it…..

1. The “At Presstime” section of each issue of Children’s Book Insider. If a publisher shows up in our newsletter, it means they’re taking unsolicited submissions. (Or, at least they were when we contacted them. Things do keep changing…..)

2. The Children’s Book Council members page. Gives age range, genre information and titles published for CBC member companies. http://www.cbcbooks.org/about/ourmembers.aspx

3. Bookmarket.com’s Publisher Listing Page. John Kremer’s superb site offers a detailed list of children’s publishers, with contact info, genres published, web links and more. http://www.bookmarket.com. From the homepage, scroll down to “Book Publishers for Authors” to see all the lists available.

4. Jacketflap.com All writers should check out this wonderful free resource. One notable feature: a massive database of children’s publishers with very detailed information. http://www.jacketflap.com

One important note: There’s no guarantee that any particular web listing is fully up to date or 100% accurate. Our advice: Once you’ve identified a publisher that interests you, visit its website to get the latest guidelines. Don’t simply depend on the information included in the listing. Consider these free lists as your starting point.

Happy hunting!

• oops — that should be: New Blog Post “Video: Do You Have What It Takes to Make It As a Children’s Book Writer?” http://bit.ly/f2xwR #
• Know any songwriters? Have ‘em check out this new site: http://is.gd/yX7h
• New @ the Clubhouse: Take Chances To Get Published http://is.gd/yUAO
• Roll call of great (and censored) books: http://short.to/8otw
• New video: The 4 Things You Need to Make It as a Children’s Book Writer http://snipr.com/hl9pw Please RT if others can benefit. Jon #
• Fun publishing stats: http://snipr.com/hrzyp
• Study: Reading cuts stress by 68%. http://snipr.com/hs06l
• Interesting new web portal: http://short.to/8otq
• Best Journaling tools: http://is.gd/yHVQ
• Anyone else read Charlie Huston’s thrillers? I’m hooked on the guy.
• Free Writing Courses Online: http://short.to/7qeq

Successful, published children’s book authors tend have four things in common. See if you have what it takes to make it writing children’s books and getting them published.

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• Lifetime membership to CBI Clubhouse up for charity bid. Could be a steal! http://is.gd/xPiN Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• When Book Titles Go Bad: http://is.gd/xQUh Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, Come Join the Fightin’ Bookworms! #
• Hey, that was my 666th update! Dang it — shoulda been Black Sabbath related. Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com #
• 2009 Edgar Awards (Mysteries) announced: http://is.gd/xQHh Jon, http://cbiclubhouse.com, The Essential Children’s Writing Resource #
• Free video: The 4 Things You Need to Make It as a Children’s Book Writer http://snipr.com/hl9pw Please RT if others can benefit. Jon #

• Hunger Games’ Wins SLJ’s Battle of the Kids’ Books http://is.gd/xDOv
• what u can learn from Sendak, Rathmann & others: http://is.gd/xBeF J
• Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing reorganizes: http://is.gd/xzh4

• Riveting Reads for Boys: http://is.gd/x7Xw
• New site suggest books,connects you w/other readers: http://short.to/7s9e
• New book blog from NPR: http://is.gd/vL9t
• Silent auction to help YA author w/medical costs: http://snipr.com/hgnbz
• The 48 Hour Book Challenge: http://is.gd/x7WL
• Ricky Gervais’ Flanimals book coming to Big Screen: http://is.gd/x7Te