[Note- Here are the notes I took that day, edited for clarity]
Notes – Day 2 Session 2
So you want to write a children’s book?
Language & Literacy
1 1/2-hour session — limit 4 presenters
All Children
11/3/2016 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Room 408A
Los Angeles Convention Center
Michele Lucia, Academic Coordinator, Walden University
Whether interested in the financial and professional rewards of becoming an author or responding to a desire to create engaging stories for children, this workshop is the one to attend! Together we will explore every aspect related to writing children’s stories, from coming up with an idea and developing the plot to finding an illustrator and publishing. Attendees will leave having gained information, developed and shared ideas, and more!
So you want to write a children’s book?
Take pictures of doll in a flat stanley kind of way. Then she made a book and added it to the shelf.
Book “Boundless Grace” (about stories)
We turn to books for a lot of reasons
Idea – write – illustrate – publish
Doesn’t have to be a barnes and noble book
how is it successful? What does it mean?
She had us write something using the objects placed on our table:
My story:
Squeak the kit
awoke during the night
he looked to the left
then he looked to the right
there was his mommy fast asleep on the hay
then he went back to sleep, because it was actually day
What can inspire you?
Children
faith
nature animals
love
morals
[look at groupon for $20 online children’s book writing course or for free via lapl.org]
- start small
- write a chapter
- poem
- blog
- letter
- tell a story
- join a group and share – get feedback
Ask yourself questions: What if every book had a ‘mommy and daddy’ together
Children’s book FB group
Helps to hold you accountable etc
Write for yourself
- journal
- inspiration list
- writing space
- make it a priority
- write where others are writing
- set goals – have rewards
[my future kids: make a blessing jar with index cards]
Goal example: one chapter
Make a scheduled time as if it was a doctors appointment
write for others
- book club
- writers groups
- tell stories at local school, church, etc
- Ask kids what they want to read about
- work with illustrator (hire one on fiverr)
- publish for local consumption
- offer to read book at local bookstore
- print locally and share with family, or school
What inspires you?