Concept Books: What are they and how do I know if I’ve written one?

The first picture book manuscript I ever wrote was about ocean animals. I hadn’t done any research about children’s writing, much less the specifics of picture books. I just wrote—and in rhyme too! (yikes!)  I then attended a children’s writing conference and found myself utterly confused because so many editors kept saying that they wanted character-driven stories, not plot-driven. Hmm…my story didn’t have either of those things! But then, after doing some research at home (studying the craft—which I should have done first), I discovered there was a type of picture book called “concept books.”

Like my story, concept books often lack characters and their problems. They also lack a plot (e.g., rising story arc), instead structured by other frameworks, such as the alphabet, numbers, time, categories or a host of other structures. I was thrilled to discover this wonderful type of picture book! My story “fit” in somewhere. Through the years, I’ve learned more about concept books, which is why I wanted to write this—to help others understand more about these wonderful treasures in the picture book world.

What they are…

Concept books (either fiction or nonfiction) introduce children to an idea, concept or theme such as (but not limited to) the alphabet, counting, colors or shapes. Sometimes they tell a story using a character or they focus on a concept using some other form of structure (such as the alphabet). A classic example of a straightforward concept book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. My own Blackberry Banquet is a rhyming concept book with a cumulative structure that features forest animals. An example of a concept book that uses a character to drive the story is Kelly Bingham’s Z is for Moose. The best way to learn more about concept books is to read them. Click here for a terrific list of books. 

So how do you know if you’ve written a concept book? The first thing I tell my writing students is to think about what drives the reader to turn the page. Does he seek information? Is his curiosity driven by the need to learn something? If the answer is yes; then the book is a concept book. Concept books are read by children whose curiosity is information-based. Structures such as a sequence, a journey, a cumulative build-up, a definition, or question and answer (to name a few) will provide the framework for a concept book.

What they are not…

Now, if the answer to the above question is no (the reader is not seeking information); then you must dig deeper and ask yourself again what drives the reader to turn the page. Does your story have a main character with some sort of problem or goal? If so, then the book is a character-driven story. The reader will turn the page because he cares about the main character and wants to see how he solves his problem. Character-driven stories are read by children whose curiosity is emotion-based. These stories use a traditional rising story arc with a beginning, middle and end to frame the story and show how the character resolves his/her problem. Examples are Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak or Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller.

So there you have it! Easy as pie, right? Well, probably not. As the picture book market continues to expand with amazing creativity, the variations of stories will grow and more hybrid versions will likely appear. But for now, I hope this helps you to determine if you’ve written a concept book.

SDT: That Awful Writing Disease! (Show Don't Tell)

“Show, don’t tell” is a problem with which many writers struggle. We see “SDT” scribbled in the margin of a critiqued manuscript. But what exactly is “show don’t tell?” Simply put, it occurs when a writer tells the reader what’s happening in the story, rather than showing what’s happening. And this creates a problem—it makes for a passive reading experience.  

Showing puts the reader in the moment. Showing trusts the reader to interpret what’s happening and understand. On the other hand, when a writer tells the reader what is happening on the page, he’s conveying that he doesn’t trust the reader to figure things out for himself. He’s selling the reader short. Writing that “shows” is richer and more engaging for the reader.

How can you “show” when you write? Here’s one trick that might help: Imagine yourself (the story teller) as a camera, recording the scene. A camera cannot get into the head of the characters and identify their emotions; it can only show what is happening with the action. A camera can’t say someone is sad, it can only show them being sad by their facial expressions and body language. Imagine yourself as that camera, as you write. Here are some other tips for how to “show”…

Specificity

Be specific! Specificity and accurate word choices make for interesting writing. Listen to how Dav Pilkey describes Oscar in the opening of The Hallo-Wiener:

There once was a dog named Oscar who was half-a-dog tall and one-and-a-half dogs long.

Pilkey could have said that Oscar was a wiener dog, or a Dachshund, but instead he found a fun and creative way to describe him. The unique description pulls in the reader and lets him figure out Oscar’s breed.

Writers should also avoid telling the reader how a character feels (which is probably the most common mistake with SDT. I believe that 99% of the time, the words “feels” or “felt” should be deleted from a ms). Declared emotions are vague (like the mayonnaise of writing) so think about what your character is physically experiencing at that moment. Here’s an example from my first book, Two Tales of Hawaii:

The smile left Pele’s face as a flood of waves came up from the sea. The fires were in danger of being put out. “No!” she cried.

What if I would have said “Pele was shocked” instead? No doubt, I would have identified her emotional state of mind, but I would have taken away the chance for the reader to look at the illustration and examine Pele’s facial expression and concluded that she was shocked. In other words, I would have cheated my reader.

Sensory details

Utilizing the senses pulls the reader into the story. And try going beyond the sense of sight (because the picture often shows what the reader would see). Listen to how I showed Pele as she set out on her journey to find a new home in Two Tales of Hawaii:

Her canoe was trapped between the fiery sun and the cool deep ocean. She had to find the perfect place to keep her sacred fires.

Here, I wanted to convey the temperature difference that one experiences when out on the ocean—the heat of the sun striking against the cool water—to put my reader in the moment.

Dialogue

Dialogue reveals character and can move the story along. Listen to how Phillip C. Stead uses dialogue to reveal the character of Amos McGee on page two of A Sick Day for Amos McGee:

He would wind his watch and set a pot of water to boil—saying to the sugar bowl, “A spoonful or my oatmeal, please, and two for my teacup.”

Amos’s speech reveals his character—he’s polite, a bit quirky in speaking to the sugar bowl, eats healthy but enjoys a bit of sugar too (he’s not perfect!). This is also a great example of using specific details to show his character (the watch that he has to wind indicates he’s a bit old-fashioned and his use of a teacup—not a coffee mug—also tells us a bit about him).

Avoid “to be” verbs

“To be or not to be?” To me, there is no question. “To be” verbs (is, was, are, were) weaken writing because 1) they’re passive, and 2) they tell the reader the state of things, and in picture books, illustrations already show the state of things. Think about this—what if Judy Schachner opened SkippyJon Jones like this?

Skippyjon Jones was a strange cat.

Well, Schachner certainly could have chosen to start her story this way. She could have told us how Skippyjon Jones was, but the problem is that the illustration shows him in a bird’s nest in a tree, so “Skippyjon Jones was a strange cat” wouldn’t be a very interesting opening. Instead, she opened the story like this:

Every morning, Skippyjon Jones woke up with the birds.

Schachner shows us he’s a strange cat by letting us know that he sleeps with the birds—every night!

A final caveat--in all fairness, I should say that sometimes, “telling” is good, even necessary. Can you imagine if a writer showed every single event in a story (especially novels)? It would become mind-numbingly tedious to get through it! Sometimes, writers need to summarize an event so we can move from one relevant scene to the next. However, for writing to absolutely shine and fully engage the reader, the writer must “show” what’s happening as much as possible, particularly in picture books and easy readers. 

Happy writing! 

 

Enrollment is now open for my online fall course, INTERMEDIATE PICTURE BOOK WRITING, through the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. This is one of my favorite courses to teach! We'll dive into the world of picture books, going beyond the basic craft issues as we investigate this fascinating genre of children's books. Students will have the multiple opportunities for feedback on their work. The end goal is a completed draft of a picture book.

For more information, click HERE.

Time is Running Out!

My upcoming UCLA Extension course, Introduction to Writing Easy Readers begins in one week (on April 9) and there are still spots available! Nowhere else will you receive in-depth education about this vital genre of children's literature. Weekly lectures, personal support, and four critique opportunities will help bring your easy reader idea to a complete draft.

Click here to register.

Happy writing!

 

Get a kick out of reading!

Easy Reader Course--Save Your Spot!

Greetings Writers!

There are still some spots left in my upcoming online UCLA Extension course, "Introduction to Writing Easy Readers." The course runs from April 9-June 11.

This is a great place to learn about easy readers (leveled readers) and develop your story idea into a complete manuscript. I try to create a safe, supportive, educational environment for all my students.

For more information, please click HERE or email me!

 

 

 

The Writing Gods Giveth and They Taketh Away...

This past week, the universe imposed opposing forces upon me. First, it giveth... Last month, for PiBoIdMo , I got a story idea and worked on it quite a bit. The only problem--I could NOT figure out how to start it. Everyday, I tried, but nothing came. Zip. Zilch. Nada. I wrote the middle and the ending, yet there sat my blank lines designated for the beginning, staring back at me.

 A couple of days ago, I was digging around in my nightstand drawer looking for some Chapstick. And there, pushed under some other things, scribbled on a notepad were four barely legible lines. I was amazed as I read them. It was my opening! I do not remember ever writing those lines down except to say that it was not anytime recently. I must have done it in the middle of the night or early one morning while still half-asleep, months ago. But somehow those four lines stuck in my subconscious and the rest of the story came to light under the inspiration of PiBoIdMo. Isn't it oddly serendipitous how a writer's brain can work? I was quite pleased with this turn of events.

 

But then the universe, in its constant working of the yin and yang, tooketh away... One morning last week, I was lying in bed with my cat snuggled down on my lap, sound asleep. I got a story idea but had no paper and pen within reach (if only my arms were a foot longer!). But I did have my cell phone! On it's Notes feature, I typed out the basic outline of the story, along with some strong opening lines. Again, I was quite pleased with things. A couple of hours later, long after the cat had woken up and freed me, I went to retrieve my notes off my phone so I could add them to my PiBoIdMo notebook. But my phone wouldn't work. Well, the phone worked but the screen did not. Long story short--I had to replace my phone. Luckily, still under warranty, the manufacturer sent me a replacement. All I had to do was keep my cards and put them in the new phone.

 

Do you see where this is heading? When I went to retrieve my fabulously brilliant notes, they weren't there. When my phone screen fried, I lost my notes! I've been trying to recall my wonderful beginning and overall structure, but it's just not coming back to me. I know, maybe I should look in my nightstand drawer, where serendipity seems to thrive!

 

Sigh...the gods of the writing universe giveth and they taketh away, but my lesson learned is to never trust technology and always keep pen and paper within reach!

New Online Writing Course!

I feel a bit like Steve Martin's character in The Jerk when he was elated that the new phone book came out.

The new UCLA Extension Summer Quarter 2013 catalog is out! 

The new UCLA Extension Summer Quarter 2013 catalog is out!

Why am I so excited? Because on page 124 you will find the listing for my brand new course, Intermediate Picture Book Writing. The idea behind this course is to provide an opportunity for students who have taken either a beginning picture book or easy reader course (through UCLA Extension) and want to learn even more about picture books and have a chance to work on another manuscript. I'm thrilled to have the chance to teach this class!

If you didn't get the summer quarter catalog, you can learn more about the class by clicking here.

I hope to meet you in cyber-space again!

Revisions: Climbing to the Top

I am learning so much this semester in the Vermont College writing for children program. I’ve been writing with purpose for about ten years now, so I thought I had a little bit of a handle on picture books, but I’ve realized there is so much to learn. So much more.

One of the things that I’ve found most fascinating is revision. Revisions are a part of writing; we all get that. First drafts are one thing. Revisions are another. This is where an author rolls up her sleeves, puts on her editorial hat and starts analyzing her work. She figures out what needs to be improved, shows her work to other writers for feedback, and takes out the machete to cut words and the polish to make her writing shine. Yeah, I “got” all that.

Then I started the Picture Book Intensive semester. I now see revisions not as a “one-stop” reworking attempt where I try to make my work shine in one fell swoop but instead as working my way up a series of steps. Now, each revision feels much more deliberate because I know that sometimes I have to climb up to the next step, in order for me to gain steady ground so I can climb up to the next level (eventually reaching the top).

For example, one particular piece I started with was over 800 words long. My first revision challenge was to cut it by 80%. I did that, feeling quite proud of myself; but then despite its 200-word length, I still had to cut more to eliminate places where I was doing the illustrator’s job (meaning, describing too much). Okay, that was the next draft. Once I had my story down to 100 words, my next revision challenge was to write it in rhyme. Okay, I did that, and quite happily. I’d thought about writing this piece in rhyme before, but I was so lost in my overly narrative language that I didn’t know where to begin. You see, I had to go through all of the other revisions so I could climb to a place where I could see my work in rhyme. Kind of like climbing a cloud-encased mountain until you can break through and more clearly see the view. After I wrote it in rhyme, my next challenge was to improve the format and structure. Which I’ve done. And working on.

My point is, it’s been eye-opening for me to now see revisions more as climbing to the next level, so I can see my work differently, thus allowing me to again take it to another level. Like mountain climbing.

Now, I must give credit where credit is due. My advisor acts as the rope and pitons that keeps me safely secured to the mountain. She has guided me along and given me many challenges to help me work my way through my stories, much like a climber works his way up the face of a granite dome. And my classmates are like my climbing buddies—belaying me, guiding me, letting me know I’m not alone.

It’s seeing the revisions as a series of levels, which must be reached before proceeding to the next that I find so fascinating. Not one fell-swoop, but necessary steps for the climb.

Writing Tip: Simmering

My writing pal, Tina Nichols Coury (of Rushmore Kid fame) recently asked me to share a writing tip for her blog. Wow--hard to do since there are so many bits of advice that any experienced writer could serve up. After weeks of not getting back to her because every time I thought about it my thoughts bubbled over and I couldn't decide on just one, I finally responded to her this morning. I sent her a tip (I'll post a link when she sets it up on her blog) but another one came to mind that I wanted to share.

Let your work "simmer." There is a tremendous value in setting aside your work for a few days. I call it simmering because it reminds me of making a yummy soup or stew. You have to put all the right ingredients together into one pot (an interesting character(s), a strong plot, vivid language, action, a great hook, etc.) then put it aside so everything can blend together and emerge as a delicious masterpiece.

It's hard to do sometimes--especially when you're in the groove and excited about working on something. But once you get over that initial "I'm gonna bust if I don't work on this" phase, set it aside (and out of sight). In a drawer. On top of a cabinet. In the freezer. Whatever works for you.

While it's set aside, you're gaining distance from it on a conscious level. However, I believe on a subconscious level, you're still thinking on it. Sometimes these thoughts even surface to the conscious brain, in which case you can make a note on a Post-It, and stick it on the manuscript (don't be tempted to apply it to the story--that's for later).

After a few days (at least one week, preferably two), pull out the manuscript and viola! Fresh eyes and a clear mind will allow you to see your story more objectively. You'll be able to spot inconsistencies and find places where clarification is needed. You'll even discover places for improved word choices. And you might even see a spot or two where your once thought-to-be brilliance doesn't really pan out (trust me, been there-done that!).

So be patient...let it simmer...and work on another story in the meantime.

Ten Commandments of Children’s Literature

Balzer & Bray editor Ruta Rimas discussed this at the SCBWI Picture Book Retreat in Santa Barbara last January. She gave us some solid advice from former HarperCollins editorial director Michael Stern. Last year, Michael left HarperCollins Children’s Books to become a literary agent at the Firebrand Agency. With 20+ years in the business to base this one, here are his “Ten Commandments of Children’s Literature.”

1. Thou shalt not talk down to your readers.
2. Thou shalt not sermonize to your readers.
3. Thou shalt not strain to rhyme.
4. Thou shalt not create cutsie names.
5. Thou shalt not waste words.
6. Thou shalt not indulge in self-consciously poetic writing.
7. Thou shalt not be afraid to cut your favorite lines.
8. Thou shalt love language.
9. Thou shalt not send editors and agents first drafts.
10.Thou shalt not obey any rule to the detriment of good writing.

For a detailed look at the above commandments, visit Michael Stern’s blog.

Tricks of the Trade: Fooling Yourself

I’m working on a manuscript right now that is getting to the point where I’m losing my objectivity. You know the types—the ones you’ve revised so much that you can recite it word for word in your sleep. I know it needs more work, yet I’m starting to feel stagnant with taking it further. I hate it when this happens. It's like riding a bike up a hill and you're almost to the top, but quickly running out of steam. If...I...could...just...pump...my...legs...five...more...times.

What’s a writer to do when this happens? Here is where I dig deep and pull out my “bag o’ tricks” and trick myself into seeing things differently. I know it goes against common sense. If I know I’m trying to fool myself, how can I fool myself? Who knows? Who cares? All that matters is that this works--at least for me. Once I’ve dummied out my story and had it critiqued by my writer’s group until they’re sick of it, I resort to the following.

Pull out the highlighters. I go through my manuscript and highlight the adjectives and adverbs. Once I’m finished, I go back and figure out how I can eliminate them by using stronger nouns and verbs. This not only reduces word count, but it also strengthens the writing.

Pull out the tape recorder. There’s nothing quite listening to your tape-recorded story. The language “glitches” stand out like Mt. Everest. Problems with the flow and your page turns go under the microscope when you listen to them on tape. I’ll find myself saying, “How did I NOT catch that before?” I end up making corrections as I'm recording and when I listen to it play back.

Change locations. Reading my story in another location helps too. Outside works very well, if the weather cooperates. But even moving into another room, or standing while reading the story aloud helps (walking while reading a rhyming story is essential). Reading the story somewhere new somehow helps me to experience my work in a fresh way.

What do all of these things accomplish? They force you to see things in a different light, which gives you the opportunity to improve your work for the ka-zillionth time and move it one more step closer to being ready for publication. All tedious, but all worth it!

Happy writing!

Synopsis Writing

Chuck Sambuchino, editor of the Guide to Literary Agents wrote an interesting bit of advice on synopsis writing this week on his blog (scroll down a bit to get to the synopsis part, but do read the other entries too--lots of great info).

I never knew there was a formula for determining the length of a synopsis, but I think it's a great way to start summarizing your story and get you headed towards creating a 1-2 page synopsis (which seems to be the current requested length). Eventually, by honing it all down, you might even compose that dreaded 1-2 sentence "elevator" pitch (frankly, the thought of that makes me cringe--actually pitching my work to an editor in an elevator! I know it's done, and maybe even expected, but to this introvert who follows the "manners-manners-manners" rule, it just doesn't sit right).

And speaking of synopsis writing, for anyone interested, the Ventura/Santa Barbara SCBWI region is having a workshop in Bakersfield, CA on March 7, 2009, titled "Taking the Pain Out of Writing Synopses and Queries." Click HERE for details.

Critiquing 101: Hamburgers and Acronyms

I was at a manuscript revision retreat once and before we got started, a new writer privately said to me, “I have no idea how to critique someone’s work. I’m completely new at this. I don’t know what to say!” Well, I’m heading down to another revision retreat in a few days, and this lovely person’s remarks came back to me. Which is why I want to talk about critiquing.

When I attend SCBWI “critiquenics” (what the Los Angeles chapter termed their events in the park where they brought food and did critiques—critiquenics—a cross between a critique and a picnic), we follow what we call the hamburger method (and no, not all critiquing involves food, although it does make some comments go down a little easier).

The hamburger method starts with the bottom bun—saying what we liked about the story, and naming specifics—everything from big picture items like plot, characterization, structure, dialogue, etc. to the little things like specific word choices, scene descriptions, etc.

Next comes the meat—suggestions for improvement. We talk about any specific questions or concerns we might have and offer up revision suggestions. Again, this could be big picture items like above, or specific ones (although if the big picture items are way off, there’s not much point to making small stuff suggestions because they’ll likely get changed in the big picture revisions anyway). This is the material that a writer needs to focus on to improve his work so it’s important, albeit sometimes painful, to hear.

And last comes the top bun (complete with sesame seeds!)—an overall view of the story’s best features. In other words, ending on a positive note by sharing what is working well. This is just as important as the meat of the critique, because a writer needs to know what NOT to change and as well as what to change. For example, the writer did a nice job of creating a likable character. The writer had fabulous scene descriptions that really “put us there.” The plot was intriguing and made us want to read on.

Another critique method I love to use is one I learned from Kathleen Duey when I heard her speak years ago. She said it's as simple as remembering “B-C-D.” This works great for anyone who has never done critiques. I even use this when I read my unpublished work to students and I want their opinion. Yes, it’s so simple even a kid can do it (not to undermine kids—they’re pretty sharp when it comes to ms critiques).

Okay, B-C-D. It’s an acronym. B stands for Bored. Are there any places in the story where you’re getting bored? If so, then the plot is dragging, the action has slowed or the dialogue is going on too long. Revisions are needed.

C is for Confused. Are there any places that are confusing to you? If so, this means that the writer needs to clarify what he’s written. Maybe he’s assumed a certain knowledge on the part of his audience that isn’t there. Maybe he’s covered things too quickly and not explained what’s happening well enough. Whatever the problem, he needs to re-read with a fresh eye and revise.

And last is D, or Don’t believe it. Are there any parts of the story that you don’t believe or just don’t buy? If your readers won’t believe it, then you’ve lost their trust. This means back to the keyboard. Now, it’s understood that with certain genres (fantasy, sci-fi, amongst others) there will be certain aspects that will be out of the realm of reality, but even with these, the story reality still has to be believable. For example, you can’t have a story about a unicorn that at the end of the story suddenly bites people and sucks their blood (okay, bad example, but you get the idea). Or have a reality-based story about a cat that halfway through the story begins to talk. The writer must lay the groundwork for these things to happen—otherwise, it’s not believable.

Regardless of how long you’ve been writing, you’re still a reader and have reactions to someone’s work. And as far as reading children’s stories, we were all children at one time. So, don’t be afraid to dive into a manuscript and offer up your opinion! You never know what that one little bit of advice or opinion will do for another writer's work.

Is Your Book a Dummy? It Should Be!

Book dummy. Kids laugh when I say this. New writers might think I’m insulting their story. What exactly is a dummy? And where, I wonder, did the flattering term come from? In the publishing world, it’s a manuscript that's laid out in book form, with one or two pieces of finished art. It’s an important tool for author/illustrators who want to show their story with some of the art. But dummies can help us non-artistic, picture book and easy reader writers as well.

I think dummying out a manuscript is one of the best tools at a writer’s disposal. I frequently dummy out my stories after that initial feeling that it’s finished (usually around the third or fourth draft). Once the story has gelled and I have a strong sense of the plot, I know I need to work even harder on word choice, pacing, flow and finding those defining page turning moments. And that’s where a dummy can help.

How do you make your manuscript a dummy? Don’t send it to school! (ha-ha). Okay, seriously... It’s simple. All you need are eight sheets of blank paper, a stapler, your manuscript, scissors and removable tape (sounds like art class, huh?).
1. Collect the 8 pieces of paper (doesn’t really matter what size, but I use 11 x 14” legal size).
2. Cut them in half (midway down the long side).
3. Staple them together. You know have a mock-up for a 32-page picture book (standard length for most picture books--the exception being 48-page books for older readers).

Now comes the fun part. Take a hard look at your manuscript. Try to envision it in scenes. Remember, a picture book has 13-15 page spreads, so you’ll have to have at least this number of scenes in your story. Okay, back to envisioning... You can either play around with where the scenes fall by marking it with a pencil, or you can start cutting.

On your dummy...

4. The “cover” of your dummy is where the title page of the actual book would go, so cut your title out and tape it there.

5. The next page is where the copyright info and dedication usually go (on the left-hand side of the page spread), so I just note © on that page.

6. Then, depending on how you envision your story beginning, you can begin cutting and taping your manuscript. If you have a short, snappier start, you can start it right there on page 3. If you see it as a scene that requires a full-page spread, then go to page 4-5.

7. Continue cutting and taping, playing with it until you've worked it into the full dummy. I guarantee you’ll find spots that scream they need more revision, and others that will fit perfectly. Wordy scenes will stand out, sparse scenes will too. You’ll discover some great page turning places that will carry the suspense and add to the tension.

8. Once you’ve make changes to the dummy, add the changes to your manuscript.

Okay, now here’s the hard part. As much as you now looooove your dummy, DO NOT send it to an editor. This is a learning tool for your eyes only (or your critique group). Editors do not want to see our cut and tape efforts (unless they specifically ask for it). Really. Cross my heart.

After I've made the changes to mymanuscript, I put it away for a few days. Then I go back and start over (read, make changes, dummy it out again). I usually end up with 3-5 dummies per story I write.

I hope you find this as useful of a tool as I have. Happy dummying!

One More Marketing Book!

I almost forgot to mention one of my favorite marketing books!

How to Promote Your Children's Book: A Survival Guide for Published Authors by Evelyn Gallardo.

This one is a great reference for newly (and not so newly) published writers who are interested in doing school visits, signings, and other forms of PR.

Marketing Books

Here's an observation. Last month, when I asked folks what their favorite books on writing were, I received a large number of responses. This month, when I asked about favorite books on marketing, I received a handful. Hmm...I think this reflects what many writer feel (this one included)--that they LOVE writing and HATE marketing.

With that in mind, here is a list of some recommended books on marketing.

1001 Ways to Market Your Book by John Kremer
An Author's Guide to Children's Book Promotion by Susan Salzman Raab

The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

The Complete Guide to Book Publicity by Jodee Blanco

The Shy Writer by C. Hope Clark

Guerrilla Marketing for Writers by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman and Michael Larsen

Publicize Your Book! by Jacqueline Deval
The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrators Market Guide by Alice Pope.
It’s a Bunny Eat Bunny World by Olga Litowinsky
Plug Your Book! by Steve Weber.
Any of the marketing books by Seth Godin

Recommended Books on Marketing

If you recall, last month I asked folks about their favorite books on the craft of writing, with the promise that I'd ask about marketing books at a later date (because like with our work, we need to focus on the craft before we even think about marketing).

Well, it's later. Not a lot, but enough to where I'm ready to ask the question: What's your favorite book on marketing?

Here are some of my favorites:

The Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market Guide (okay, that was a no brainer) by Alice Pope.

It's a Bunny Eat Bunny World by Olga Litowinsky.

Plug Your Book! by Steve Weber.

Okay, I told you mine. Now, what's yours?

New CYBILS Award Category!

The CYBILS (Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Award) has added a new category to their list of contest genres: Easy Readers. Yea for easys!!! I love seeing easy readers added to the contest. I've always said it's the most overlooked genre in children's literature and this is another step in recognizing their significance. And guess what? I'm a judge for this year's contest! Yowza! I'm so looking forward to reviewing the finalists and working with the other judges.

If you want to read more about the CYBILS, click here. Nominations begin Oct. 1, so start thinking about your favorite books of 2008 so you can nominate them.

Book Trailers, Etc.

The ladies (that would be Laura Purdie Salas and Fiona Bayrock) over at Bubble Stampede ran a nice post today about children's book trailers. I absolutely delighted that they mentioned Blackberry Banquet's trailer, amongst others. And a little bird told me that they're going to do a follow-up post about creating book trailers too, so be sure to look for that upcoming post.

On the note of making book trailers, if you're interested in making your own, please feel free to read my previous post on how to create your own book trailer. If you're just too busy or don't feel you have the creative knack to undertake such a project, my writing buddy Tina Nichols Coury can help you out. You can check out a sample of her most recent work on her website by clicking here.

Happy trailer-ing!

Sound Advice from A Real, Live Publicist

Sara Dobie, publicist for Sylvan Dell Publishing, was a guest blogger last week for All Book Marketing. Sara gave authors some sound advice on how to promote books and generate buzz about its release. If you dig even further into the site, you'll also find lots of other good information and tips on book promotion. Check it out!