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Children’s Books - How to Add More Style to Your Writing - Part 2

richpat1 — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:01:13 +0000

In part one of how to make your creative writing more stylish, I looked at a number of ways to a children?s author could make their writing fresher. In Part two I look at more ways to make your writing, especially for children?s books, more enjoyable to read.

Stuffy words create a resistance in the reader. Avoid the use of grandiose words in your creative writing - ?use? is preferable to ?utilize?. If you are writing a children?s book, you can be sure that if a child has to consult a dictionary too often, they will soon lose interest in your book.

Avoid using excessive words. After you?ve written a scene, go back over it and ruthlessly chop out words that do not add anything to the action. Think carefully if what you?ve written really enhances your story or detracts from it.

Know who your readers are and the words in everyday life. Be careful of using jargon not appropriate for your readers. When writing for children, know the language of your readers. Expressions can quickly lose fashion, and expressions that were in vogue when you were young are quite likely ‘out? now. Words can date your writing e.g. authoress, air hostess are now author and flight attendant. If you use cool words to be right up to date, you risk dating your work so that in ten years time it sounds old-fashioned. If we were to read the word groovy in a book today, we would know that it comes from the 1960s era.

On the other hand, children quickly spot a fraud. If you do not feel comfortable using the jargon of the day, then do not! It is no use throwing in the expression ‘fully sick’ if the rest of your writing does not have the same tone.

Beware of dangling clauses.

For example: After eating all over America, that restaurant is my favorite.

In this example it reads as if the restaurant has been eating all over America. In every scene there should only be one witness. Beware of head hopping. It makes for very untidy writing to have more than one person per scene giving their observations.

For example: James wondered if Martha would really eat the strange fruit. He watched as she picked it off the branch and as she studied it intently. She took a big bite. Purple juices ran down her chin. James was astonished to see that her face was changing shape.

In the above example we see the scene through the eyes of James.

The use of active voice makes your work more dramatic. Active voice has more authority than passive voice because the verb becomes stronger.

Example of Passive - I was hit on the head by a giant pod.

Example of Active - A giant pod hit me on the head.

The use of onomatopoeia in children?s books is always well received. Children love words like sizzle, boom, bang and splatter - hence the success of the cartoon series Batman and Robin.

The above ideas are just some of the ways you can spice up your creative writing. However remember, in children?s books less is always more.

Roslyn J. Motter is a Sydney, Australia based author. She is also a registered acupuncturist and CPA (Certified Public Accountant). She commenced writing her Doofuzz Dudes series late in life at the age of fifty. Now, three years later, she has already written eighteen books. She has recently published the first three books, The Doofuzz Dudes Rescue Moondar; The Doofuzz Dudes and the Princess Detector; and the Doofuzz Dudes and the Babbling Bottles. The series are fantasy adventure stories and are most suitable for children aged 7 - 12 years. Woven into the adventures is a subtle theme of caring for the environment. The books can be purchased at http://www.doodlesbookshop.com.au and excerpts and illustrations from the books are available for viewing on http://www.childrens-books.com.au and children can play games and win prizes on http://www.doofuzzdudesclub.com

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Choosing The Right Children’s Gift And Toy

richpat1 — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:00:23 +0000

Take advantage of shopping online to help you save time. Instead of trekking out into the shopping malls to stand in lines, you can elect to do some or all of your gift shopping online and save the gasoline and the frustration. There are plenty of children?s gifts and toys available online that you can use for:

? Birthdays
? Graduations
? Christmas presents
? Religious occasions such as christenings, baptisms, dedications, confirmations, communions, bah mitzvahs
? Other occasions.

The Internet opens a wealth of opportunities to shop online. Take advantage of online reviews to read about what children?s gifts and toys are popular to help you decide on what to buy. Children can even create their own gift registry so that you can find out exactly what they want and are in need of. Here are some popular children?s gift and toy options that are a hit with the kids and are also readily available online:

1) NFL lockers
2) Floam
3) TV dance mat
4) Pool shark

When shopping for children?s gifts and toys, look for something with a good return policy incase the child on your list receives a duplicate. NFL lockers are a great gift for any boy?s bedroom or playroom. They feature the logo of the favorite team and a nameplate in a locker that can be a great tool to help organize the football fan?s bedroom. He?s going to love being able to look at his name on the official looking locker name plate and have a place to hang his things, store his football and other items as well as put things away in the compartment. This is a great gift!

Floam is a fantastic item for a crafty kid. This stuff is made of small micro beads that you can shape and play with. You can wrap Floam over other things, create shapes and animals and easily express artistic talent. It is removable, colorful and best of all, non-toxic. This is great children?s gift and toy for girls, especially.

The TV Dance Mat is a hit for kids and adults. It connects to your television set and lets everyone play the popular dancing arcade game right in their living room or playroom. There are several games and songs and you can get really competitive while doing a great cardio workout! Many parents complain that video games keep their children sedentary but this game encourages calorie burning for anyone who plays it.

The Pool Shark is another popular children?s gift and toy that can create a laugh at the pool or beach when the shark chases all the swimmers out of the water.

Children?s Gifts and toys are everywhere. They?re not hard to find but you do want to find an age appropriate gift that that child on your list will like you can do a little bit of online research to find the perfect gift. If you are aiming to surprise someone with a gift and don?t know what to get, speak to other kids that age for some hints and tips.

This article was written by Aiden Bigeon, to talk about how to choose the right gift or toy for a child. With this said, I would highly recommend visiting Taylor Gifts to find out more about a wide variety of toys and gifts for children.

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How To Write In The Children’s Market (Part 1)

richpat1 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:00:22 +0000

In the next couple of months I will be writing a number of articles about how you can break into the children?s market of writing. This will be a considerably long series so I suggest you keep checking back for the newest post.

Writing children?s literature is a great way to break into the writing market. There is an opening for a wide range of topics because the readers range from toddler to young adult. It?s up to you to figure out what best suits your writing and your ideas. You just have to figure out what you want to write about.

Magazines

Magazines can be the perfect place to break in with your short stories. When you write in magazines it?s the perfect way to build your writing credentials and it also helps to establish you as a professional writer. You don?t just have to publish short stories either. You can publish poetry, verse, puzzles, fiction or non fiction. Books can take for ever to hit the market but with magazine articles you can have your work published in months if not weeks sometimes.

Magazines are a perfect place to get specialty pieces published. As we all know most magazines limit their focuses on specific content.

Magazines aren?t only limited in their content. The intended audiences of most periodicals are limited to particular age levels and genders. Babybugs intended audience is toddlers while the Keynoter is aimed at high school students. Boys Life is geared to boys and Hopscotch is a magazine for girls.

Some magazines devote entire issues to a focused topic or theme. It?s in your best interest to read a magazine that you intend to publish to. Make sure your familiar with the magazine and what kind of content it will accept. Make sure you understand the publisher?s contents. You also want to make sure you know when the magazine publishes. This way you can plan ahead with your stories.

Many writers have gotten their start by writing in magazines. Writing for children can definitely be the easiest genre to follow if you want to follow your dreams.

Dale Mazurek

Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. He is also a professional on line writer. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://affiliatemarketingfornewbies.blogspot.com/

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10 Survival Tips For Taking Young Children Camping

richpat1 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:00:15 +0000

“Let’s go camping!” With those few simple words you are instantly a hero to your children. To ensure you remain that way during the camping trip, you better make sure you have planned well and are prepared for all types of contingencies. Along with lots of snacks and back-up rain gear, bring along these 10 activities and suggestions to keep your children occupied and happy while camping.

Scavenger hunt - Depending on the age(s) of your children this can be as simple or complicated as you would like to make it. For younger children that you want to keep close to the campsite, make sure you take a good look around before sending them off to hunt - make sure the items can be found close-by.

Nature book - Fold 5 sheets of construction paper in half and staple them together along the fold to create a nature book that your children can fill full of keepsakes. In a bag, put in a glue stick, tape, and some writing instruments and encourage them to find interesting treasures to put in the book or draw pictures of.

Baby wipes - Never stop buying baby wipes just because your kids are no longer in diapers. These little wonders make life a lot easier when out in the wilderness - or even around the house.

Getting to sleep - If your children are too excited or a bit nervous about sleeping in a tent, go for a slow drive around the campgrounds until they fall asleep in the car. And then execute the trick every parent must master - the transfer of a sleeping child into bed (or in this case a sleeping bag). Or you can lay down with them until they fall asleep and then make your escape.

Board & card games - Everyone needs down time, even when camping. Don’t forget to bring the classics along - Monopoly & Uno were always favorites in my family. Invite your camping neighbors over to join in and make some new friends.

Fresh Ice Cream - Yes, hot chocolate and smores are the traditional camping treats, but why not shake things up a bit with this recipe for homemade ice cream in a bag.

Disposable Cameras - Buy each child their own disposal camera. Give them an assignment to take pictures of during the trip (how many different birds, trees, or rocks can you find). Or have them take a picture of an object and then a really close-up picture of the same object for a fun game to have at home - having to guess what the close-up picture is of.

Flashlights - A flashlight is not just to scare away the dark, you can put on a shadow show with one from inside the tent or behind a tarp instead of telling spooky stories around the campfire.

Music - Bring a battery-powered CD player for night time. The sounds of nature are beautiful but if you aren’t used to them they can be scary. Soothing music will help mask all the sounds that might scare or wake-up the kids.

Toys - Most tent campgrounds have a foundation of dirt. Bring shovel and pails and any other outdoor toys that will keep the children busy right by the tent. Buy a bucket of dinosaurs and hide them in the dirt around the site and then send out the little explorers on a dinosaur expedition.

Along with these 10 ideas, have fun, let the kids run free and don’t forget the bug spray.

Harmony is a Freelance Writer based in British Columbia, Canada. She is author of the blog Writer In The Making (http://writer-in-the-making.blogspot.com).

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Choosing The Right Children’s Gift And Toy

richpat1 — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:45 +0000

? Birthdays
? Graduations
? Christmas presents
? Religious occasions such as christenings, baptisms, dedications, confirmations, communions, bah mitzvahs
? Other occasions.

1) NFL lockers
2) Floam
3) TV dance mat
4) Pool shark

The Pool Shark is another popular children?s gift and toy that can create a laugh at the pool or beach when the shark chases all the swimmers out of the water.

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Five Most Popular Places To Enjoy A Vacation With Children

richpat1 — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:00:30 +0000

Deciding on the next vacation with your family can be a daunting task, especially when your choice of place does not interest your children. You might plan to visit Alaska, but your children could be longing for a trip to the Bahamas. The best option is to figure out where your kids wish to go this vacation and finalize a kid-friendly destination.

With the release of movies like ?Madagascar?, children have become all the more keen to travel through exotic and adventurous destinations. While Madagascar is not considered to be the most popular family destination, a trip to other places like Costa Rica or Kenya can prove to be an invaluable fun-filled learning experience, well within your budget. Costa Rica serves a dual purpose as your children can learn Spanish as they explore the lush green rain forests or erupting volcanoes. Even Kenya can be a good option, as the family can learn to speak a little Swahili while exploring the rare glimpse of the mass migration of the wild beasts. You can enjoy your vacation with children listening to the sounds from within the rainforests, as well as relaxing under the star-studded sky on a safari that would be certainly more interesting for the whole family.

Eastern cities like Beijing, Seoul and Bangkok are also part of the list of favorite destinations with children, in terms of adventure. The holiday can prove to be a learning and entertainment experience, as one can see the Great Wall and learn about different cultures. Different food, different money and an altogether different way of life can be highly entertaining for you. But, entry to the country could probably take a considerable amount of time, so plan your trip well ahead of time to ensure a smooth trip to your chosen destination.

European cities such as Italy have also gained tremendous popularity over the years, but a trip might be a little too expensive. However, the Western Europe country trips generally come with discounts and amenities. You can experience a different culture. You can explore the ruins of Pompeii and go on a Gondola ride in Venice or taste delicious Italian sweets in Florence. Most Western European families enjoy vacations to countries like Italy. This gives them an opportunity to explore their ancestors.

The Caribbean is the next best holiday spot with children. Basking in the sun, playing in the sand and swimming in the deep blue water are the local indulgences that also form the basic reason for a number of families visiting this place. The holiday spot is blessed with plenty of sun, sand and water. Jamaica is full of fascinating natural beauty that is breathtaking. With white sandy beaches, black volcanic mountains and deep red sunsets, the island has evolved into a tourist?s paradise.

Hawaii as a holiday destination is also very popular with a number of children visiting the place every year. It also offers sun, sand and water in abundance, along with all kinds of summer and water sport activities ranging scuba diving to swimming with the dolphins. You can also go whale watching. Besides having fun with your family, you can also acquaint yourself more closely with the volcanic geology of Hawaii.

No matter where you plan to go for your next family vacation, do not limit yourself. Always try to explore the place to its fullest and get as foot loose and fancy free as possible. Select a destination that will be stimulating and fulfilling for your entire family. But, do not forget to plan your trip properly, as a trip to the most fascinating destination too can be very stressful without proper planning.

Jack Blacksmith often writes short articles on areas relating with Torrevieja and Benidorm. His abstracts on Alicante can be discovered on his webpage in addition to other web publications.

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Children’s Books - How to Add More Style to Your Writing - Part 1

richpat1 — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:00:40 +0000

When writing your children?s book, your should try to pay as much attention to style as you do to the construction of the story. Style is the elegance of the story, and without due regard to style, your book will be awkward and tedious to read.

The following are suggestions of ways to make your work more stylish.

Try to cut out superfluous descriptions in your creative writing. It is boring to read a long list of adjectives. In writing, less can be more. In particular, children respond well to simplicity.

When writing children?s books, try to keep your sentences short and succinct. Long winded sentences are boring for parents to read to their children and boring for children to read. Short sentences keep your story suspenseful and dramatic.

Be careful of using the words, ?began to? and ?starts to?. It is much better to write, ?he walked towards the forest?, rather than, ?he started to walk towards the forest?. If you think about it, there?s no such action as starting to do something.

Take care that you do not overuse a word. In fact, you probably will not even realize that you are repetitively using a word in your writing. The reality is that once a word pops into your head it is liable to pop up twice more in the same paragraph. The best way to discover these errant words is by reading your work out loud. ?Frightening? written twice in the same sentence will then stick out like a flashing light.

If you?re writing about a ravine, try to think of other ways to say the same thing. This adds variety so that your writing is fresher. Instead of repeating ?ravine? in a paragraph, use ?chasm?, ?cliff? and ?gorge?. These words have similar meanings and you?ll expand your reader?s vocabulary.

The overuse of a word right through the manuscript is another problem. You?ll need to reread your work very carefully to locate your favorite words, but some are ?well?, ?then?, ?so? and ?however?. When you find your favorite overused word, ruthlessly remove it by using the search feature in Microsoft Word.

Make up your own expressions in creative writing. Clich?s such as ?as pure as the driven snow? and ?short and sweet? lose their impact over time and are mundane to read. Invent your own expressions for an exciting difference.

Be sure that there is absolute clarity in your writing. When you use ?he/she? and ?they?, make sure it is clear to whom they are referring.

For example: Martha met Hillary at the shopping mall. She looked completely exhausted. In this example it is unclear if the word ?she? refers to Martha or Hillary.

The above are just a few examples of how you can keep your writing fresh and clear. Part two will give further examples of how to make your writing more stylish.

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Writing for Children: Nonfiction for Magazines

richpat1 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:26 +0000

Nonfiction need not be dull; it includes a wide range of topics. It can include history, biography, personal essays, personal profiles, sports, biology, geology, geography, holidays ? the list really is almost endless. Anything that you find fascinating can be turned into a riveting nonfiction piece for young readers. Also, keep in mind that you can write for whatever age group you prefer, from the youngest toddlers to teens.

If you?re interested in writing for the magazine market, the following tips will help you get started:

Stay Focused

Magazine pieces are short, which means that you will not be able to cover all sides of your topic. Choose the one that most interests you and that you feel has the most readership appeal.

Spice it Up

One way to avoid an ?encyclopedic? feel to your article is to include quotes from experts, interesting quotes from your research, descriptions, and if appropriate, dialogue. Use the tools of fiction for a lively magazine piece.

Do the Research

This applies to both your article research as well as your market research. For your article, editors want to see a variety of resource materials. One entry from an encyclopedia will not make the cut. Use a variety of sources, and try to avoid those encyclopedia references. If possible, use both primary and secondary sources. If you are able to obtain a quote from an expert, that can also help sell your piece.

When doing market research use a variety of tools available to you, and do not forget the “hands on” approach. This means reading several back issues of your targeted magazine–reading a year’s worth is ideal. When fine-tuning your piece, be sure to follow the each magazine’s guidelines. This means staying within the word count, avoiding certain topics, and following any approaches listed. The following are some sources for learning more about the market and magazine guidelines. For up-to-date information, be sure to visit each magazine’s website, as many post their editorial guidelines as well as upcoming themes if applicable.

Online:

BOOST’s Magazine Database http://boost4writers.com/magazineguidelinesdatabase.htm

Jan Fields offers a great website: http://www.kidmagwriters.com/

Writer’s Market Online www.writersmarket.com

Books:

Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market, published by Writer’s Digest Books

The Best of the Magazine Market, published by the Institute of Children’s Literature (http://www.theinstituteofchildrensliterature.com/F9624/)

Lastly, be persistent! One common theme among published writers is that they do not give up. Find several target markets to begin with. If these do not work out, consider re-working the piece for a different age group, or give the piece a different slant. Whatever you do, keep writing and keep submitting. The nonfiction magazine market can be a great way to see your work in print. Yes, it takes focused effort, but it can be well worth it!

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10 Survival Tips For Taking Young Children Camping

richpat1 — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:00:33 +0000

Baby wipes - Never stop buying baby wipes just because your kids are no longer in diapers. These little wonders make life a lot easier when out in the wilderness - or even around the house.

Fresh Ice Cream - Yes, hot chocolate and smores are the traditional camping treats, but why not shake things up a bit with this recipe for homemade ice cream in a bag.

Flashlights - A flashlight is not just to scare away the dark, you can put on a shadow show with one from inside the tent or behind a tarp instead of telling spooky stories around the campfire.

Along with these 10 ideas, have fun, let the kids run free and don’t forget the bug spray.

Harmony is a Freelance Writer based in British Columbia, Canada. She is author of the blog Writer In The Making (http://writer-in-the-making.blogspot.com).

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How to Enjoy Camping with Children

richpat1 — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:00:27 +0000

Many of us have fond memories of our parents taking us camping as children and would like to pass on this experience to our children but are a little daunted by what we see as the unknown, particularly if it has been a while since we last went camping.

The best thing to remember is that children like simple things best and even if they are used to video games and tv they are still captivated by the basics such as learning how to start and use a camp fire or a walk at sunset to see the changing light.

Too many of us see children as people we need to entertain or manage rather than as little eyes that are constantly watching for what it is we do and find joy in.

Hate your job?

Then this is what you are teaching your kids.

Constantly short of money and living in credit?

This is what you are teaching your kids.

Everything we do they watch, even when they are pretending not to.

Get back to basics even if it means changing your job or your income.

Your kids are there to provide you with an opportunity to look at your life and ask yourself ?Is this really what I want to be doing as an example??

Camping with children allows us to take out the clutter from our lives and laugh together at the simple things like catching yabbies in the creek, learning how to be careful with fishooks and knives, being considerate of other campers at night with noise, how to set up tents and swags, waking before the sun rises and going for a walk on the beach, taking a boat out on the river and learning about water and currents and tides and swimming, how to be patient and flexible when the fish aren?t biting or the weather turns to rain, and the million other little things that are what camping is all about.

In the end it is probably not even about camping as much as it is about the basics in life and how short a time we get to enjoy our role as teachers of these little spirits.

Swags Half Price… Quality Handmade Australian Swag Bed Rolls and Tents for Camping and Fishing Since 1972, Half Price Swags Direct To You

http://www.SwagsAustralia.com

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