Ah, bilingual books! They’ve been some of the most challenging yet rewarding projects I’ve been fortunate to work on during my career as an editor. One of my first experiences was with a beautiful story that intertwined Spanish and English. One challenge was ensuring that the translation wasn’t just literal. A simple translation might miss […]
I’ve edited more than a thousand children’s books, but never edited one without any words at all. This is probably because most beginning writers think textually. They aren’t illustrators, so they tend to emphasize words as conveying the lion’s share of meaning in their story. However, if you look at published children’s books, there’s an […]
If you’ve landed here, chances are you’ve crafted a beautiful children’s picture book and are now faced with the daunting task of summarizing its magic into a compact, sparkling synopsis. I know, I know: it can seem harder than actually writing the book! Just know that I’ve worked with a couple hundred children’s book authors […]
Ever thought about writing a children’s book with your child? Picture this: you, snuggled up with your kiddo, brainstorming plot twists and creating new worlds together. I’ve edited a couple dozen books written by parent/kid combos, and here’s what I’ve learned through working with them. (and I will say that I’ve really enjoyed the process […]
You’ve been there: curled up on the couch, reading a children’s book to a giggling kiddo, and thinking, “Wow, I wish I could write something this funny.” Good news – you absolutely can! And with a dollop of humor and a dash of creativity, you’ll soon be on your way. Here are ten chuckle-worthy strategies, […]
The most common comment I make as a children’s book editor is: children won’t understand this word. On average, I make this comment about two to three times per manuscript, which doesn’t seem like too much, but when you consider the books are only 500 – 1000 words, it’s quite a lot! I’m constantly thinking […]
As an editor of children’s books, I’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of authors, each with a unique story, vision, and journey. Of course, not all authors are doing this only because of an artistic impulse. They also want to make $$$$. I can’t blame them. Writing a children’s book is a big […]
As an editor, I’ve helped a couple hundred authors with children’s book picture series. What I do is give them advice about the series as a whole, and I also edit each book individually. So if you’re looking for an expert on this topic, you’re not going to find anyone better than me (okay, humble […]
Ah, the age-old debate for budding children’s book authors: to rhyme or not to rhyme. Most beginning writers think children’s books have to rhyme. This is probably because when they were young, they were brought up reading books like Dr. Seuss and were conditioned to believe. But the surprising thing is that most children’s books […]
Ah, the eternal question every children’s book author wrestles with: What theme should my book tackle? Dive deep into the heart of children’s literature and you’ll find there’s a universe of themes waiting to be explored. But, let’s be real – not all themes are made equal. Some are timeless, others, well, not so much. […]
