Please Write a Review

Did you know book reviews directly influence the sale of books?  That's why it's so important to get reviews.  However, as an author, getting reviews are easier said than done.

I've asked friends, family, work acquaintances, classmates, picture book bloggers, and the list goes on and on.  

Many have taken the time to read Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell and post an Amazon review.  And for that, I'm sincerely honored and grateful. 

So, dear followers.  Please leave a comment or email Rlmrvos@gmail.com and request a free copy of Maggie.  One or two sentences is all you'd need to write. 

Some people are not sure what to say and that holds them back.  Have no fears.  It's easy:  write if you liked (or disliked) the story, the themes, or the illustrations.  Write about  the discussion guide or Charlie's story which appears at the end of the book.  Write if you think kids will like the book. 

It can't be stressed enough the value of reviews, and for this reason, this blog post will be published on The Maggie Project Blog, too.  This message bears repeating.

I urge you to reach out not only to me, but to other authors.  Write a review.  The instructions are easy and can be found here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201145120

Please know that your words are important.  Even a few words can make a huge difference.

Post-Publication Blues

When I gave birth to my daughter, I was lucky that I never got the postpartum blues.  But after the "birth" of my book, the post-publication book blues set in.

Everyone assumes that when you get a book published, life is grand. They think that now, for you, a publisher author, nothing will ever get you down again.

But that's not true.  After your book is published, a little depression may settle in.  For instance:

You may be wit's end trying to get reviews because reviews sell books. You might be trying to figure out new marketing schemes.  You may have to get out there in front of fans at book signings and on television even if you are an introvert (and most of us writers are introverts).

You may find that you can't give up wearing a thick skin (which you developed during those days of submitting and then getting rejections) when friends don't write you to congratulate you, when business managers won't return your phone calls and emails, when newspaper reporters fail to take interest.

You may be constantly thinking about sales, and if you're not, then someone will ask:  How many books have you sold?

So writers have a lot on their minds after the publication of a book and it's not always pretty. However, that's part of publication and we must learn to shrug off the blues because it can make us feel miserable when we should be rejoicing.

What can we do about these post-publication woes?  We can concentrate on the GOOD things that come with publication:

the positive reviews
the encouragement of a spouse
the throng of people coming to your book signing
a librarian who wants you to do a school visit
a child who wants your autograph
the conversations with friends who tell you your writing touched them in a profound way
flipping the pages of a book that was once merely a manuscript

We can't make the post-publication worries go away.  But we can choose to redirect our focus away from those worries.

When we can concentrate on the good things, we may find we have a lot to be thankful for.  And we may find that after publication...life can be grand.

Thinking Out of the Box for a Book Signing

What do I know about doing a book signing?  Not a whole lot.  So, I wanted to learn what makes a hugely successful author event.

I attended a handful of book signings to see how others actually went about it.  Quite simply, there was a table, the books, and a chair for the author. Maybe a poster of the book. Nothing more.

But I wanted more.

My book signing is scheduled for this coming Sunday.  I want it to attract people—not have them walk past table without picking up a book.  I've seen that happen to others, and it seemed painful.

So...I did some thinking out of the box.  What does that entail?

Pizzazz and puppies!  Since Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell is about a little girl and the rescue dog that changed her life, I've planned to have:

brightly-colored dog water bowls overflowing with bookmarks, magnets, and cookies
helium balloons with paw prints floating over the table
a doggy mug holding paw print pencils
a plush toy puppy that looks like Maggie's dog

For an extra cute-factor and special treat, Woodford Humane Society will be bringing puppies and kittens that are looking for forever homes.

And then, there's Charlie, my friend's rescue dog who will be making an appearance.  After all, he's the inspiration for the story!

This book signing has to be more than a table, a chair and some books.  It has to shout: Come on over and check out the book, the cool gifts, and the sweet animals.

As you've probably figured out, the planning has taken months.  But it's been a joyful process that required some thinking out of the box.  In a few days (Sept 24th to be exact!) we shall see.  I'm hoping pizzazz and puppies will make this book signing a huge success.

https://www.pinterest.com/kidsimagina0467/book-signing-ideas/

     

No One Ever Told Me

Dear Aspiring Writer,

No one ever told me that publishing a children's picture book would be hard work.  It took me completely by surprise.

Most writers know that everything about writing is challenging...

coming up with a story idea

the editing

crafting query letters

and submitting,

the jealousy that creeps in when you compare yourself to published writers,

the rejections.

If we are able to work through all of that and stay positive and determined, good things will happen. And before you know it, your book will get published and you'll be signing a contract. But when it happens...HOLD ON.  The roller coaster ride of even more hard work begins.

After signing with a publisher, you have to start thinking about how you are going to market your book.  If you publish with a mid-size publisher or a Big Five publisher, they will do a lot of the publicity for you.  Still, you'll need to market the book some.  And if you go with a small press like I have, you will have even more work to do because small presses don't have the resources to promote writers like the bigger publishing houses.

Sure, it seems glamorous to publish a book.  But there's a lot to be done after your book is released. That's why writers should think about marketing NOW, before you sign a contract. Begin to develop your platform.  Get on social media and join Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Develop a website. You'll be glad you did because you will be getting your name out there and creating a fan base.

Trying to figure this whole marketing thing out is daunting, but if you can take care of some of the work ahead of time, you won't feel so frenzied.  That way, many months before your book is released, you can spend time organizing book signings, designing bookmarks, sending out email blast announcements and doing other creative things needed to spread the word.

Marketing is amazingly time-consuming.  The nice thing is, you can google and research marketing a children's book to find out how others went about it.  Start thinking about what you can do now, so you won't be taken by surprise when it comes time to promote your work.

Sincerely yours,

Randi Lynn

Animal Characters

Have you ever used animals as the main characters in your stories?  If not—why not? Children love stories about animals.

If you don't know where to start, do Google search for "fascinating animals,"  You may find creatures worthy of starring in your stories.  That's how I found Cholla.  Cholla was a horse that could hold a brush in his mouth and paint pictures.  In fact, his owner entered one of his paintings in an international art contest and it won a prize.  My story  Cholla, the True Story of an Artsy Horse is based on a real horse and a true event.

Besides searching for unique animals online, you may run across some interesting creatures while you're traveling or on vacation.  Keep your eyes open and you may come across an interesting animal to write about.  Once when my husband and I were in New Orleans, we saw a dog do funny tricks for bystanders in Jackson Square.

Sometimes pets in your own neighborhood may inspire you.  We have a neighbor that owns a potbelly pig as a pet.  Our next-door neighbors have three chickens, two dogs and a cat. Raccoons and opossums have visited our patio.  A red-tailed hawk sometimes perches on our deck.

Perhaps a friend or a relative has an adorable or an unusual pet that you could use as basis for a new character.  A good friend of my rescued a lovable dog named Charlie (his gorgeous picture is to the right), and he is the inspiration for Maggie's dog in my upcoming book Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell.

You don't have to look far to find an animal that can be used as a character in one of your stories. Search the Internet for interesting animals.  Take a look in your own neighborhood. Write about a pet. Children will love a story about an amazing animal character.


For more on Maggie, check out:

www.themaggieproject.blogspot.com and www.randilynnmrvos.com

Wordy Picture Books

Have you written a picture book?  How long is it?  Does it run 700 to 1000 words?

The truth is, most publishers want books that are no longer than 500 - 600 words. There are exceptions to this rule and some publishers will accept longer work. Most however, are looking for shorter pieces.

Let's say you love your 900-word book.  Every last word.  But, if you want to get it published, you'll have to trim it down.  It sounds almost impossible, especially if you've got an intriguing beginning, a compelling middle, and a satisfying ending. Where would you even begin to cut? 

That's what I faced with my upcoming picture book Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell. Originally the story was 1000 words. After reading many kidlit blogs and working with an editorial consultant, I learned that a lengthy story might be hurting my publication chances.  So, 500 words had to go.  Yep, half of the story.  Yikes!

The hardest part was trying to figure out what was not essential to the story.  And the answer was:  a lot of scenes in the middle. These extra scenes were funny, but not they did not advance the plot. 

After choosing three scenes to delete, the piece actually felt lighter, no 500 words to bog down the story.  The pace was smoother, like a kid skipping along a sidewalk. I grew to love this shorter version even better than the original.

So where will you cut words?  Read your story out loud.  Then take a look at the middle of your story.  Do some scenes slow the pace?  Remove them and read the story again.  Does it flow faster and smoother?  If not, cut a few more places that seem to bog the piece down.  Read your story again.  Does it have page-turn ability? Excellent!  A 500-word manuscript could make all the difference in capturing the attention of a publisher.

Invaluable Advice

Children's Writer's World warmly welcomes a guest post by writer and blogger Jennifer Prevost.

I love it when my friends politely ask, “so how’s that whole writing thing going?” It means a lot that they check, even though I know they don’t ‘get it.’  They wouldn’t understand, but I think you will, even though I don’t have a whole lot to show for it... it’s going great! 

Let me start from the beginning.  One hot summer afternoon a story was born about a little boy named Nathan.  It was one of those moments of pure, energizing inspiration, and the official start to my kid lit journey.  

          For the first eight months, his story was written in rhyme.  In fact, all my early stories were.  Rhyme was the only option I gave myself.  My mantra was “I love rhyme; I can rhyme; I will rhyme,” despite all the signs pointing to the contrary and by signs, I mean, everything I read and two freelance editors advising against it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a better than average rhymer, but I was in over my head and I didn’t even know it.  Those months are by no means a waste, because I learned a tremendous amount, but I was stubborn. Finally, on April 20, sometime after I was lucky enough to cross paths with Randi, I found the courage to ask for her input.  Guess what she said? Drop the rhyme.  The difference was, I heard it.  I consider that day to be a game changer for me.  I did it, I dropped the rhyme, and forced myself headfirst into my scariest writing adventure to date... writing in prose. 

Since then, my writing has improved dramatically and I’ll be forever grateful for the nudge in the right direction.  Here’s the kicker, the real lesson in it wasn’t that I needed to write in prose.  The real lesson was that I needed to get away from what felt safe and familiar.  I needed the leap of faith that came with making that decision.  I hadn’t ever written in prose, and I didn’t even know if I could.  It was uncomfortable, awkward and difficult. 

Between the versions in rhyme, and my many drafts in prose, I’ve made every text book mistake that novice writers make.  I’ve earned myself rejection letters and a fair amount of creative conflict.  The good news? I can speak the language now.  I have a critique group and critique partners who are quickly becoming dear friends.  I have a few manuscripts that are (nearly) submission-ready.  When I started out, I didn’t have any experience or knowledge on writing picture books.  I do now.  One of the favorite parts of my writing adventure: being a member of the book launch team for Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show-and-Tell.  It’s a wonderful thing, getting to return the favor and celebrate Randi’s success. 

The moral of my story: If you feel yourself stuck in a writing rut, or find yourself hearing advice that feels repetitive, do yourself a favor and try something different.  Take a written leap of faith! There’s a good chance that a different path will hold opportunities you couldn’t have imagined for yourself.  You deserve that chance, and your story does, too. 

Jennifer Prevost is a wife, mom and picture book author of the pre-published variety.  For her entire life, she dreamed of seeing her words in print.  Like so many others, picture books are where she first fell in love with the reading. These days she dreams of creating stories that will help children discover the magic that exists within the pages of a book. Her blog, Magnolias & Manuscripts https://magnoliasandmanuscripts.wordpress.com/  provides an outlet for the energy and anticipation that come with chasing a dream and chronicles her journey (hopefully) all the way to published.