Writing Children's Books For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Paperback, 2)

Introduction 1

Part I: The ABCs of Writing for Children 5

Chapter 1: Exploring the Basics of Writing Children’s Books 7

Chapter 2: Delving into Children’s Book Formats and Genres 13

Chapter 3: Understanding the Children’s Book Market 49

Part II: Immersing Yourself in the Writing Process 65

Chapter 4: Setting Up Your Workspace 67

Chapter 5: Starting with a Great Idea 73

Chapter 6: Researching Your Audience and Subject 89

Part III: Creating a Spellbinding Story 107

Chapter 7: Creating Compelling Characters 109

Chapter 8: The Plot Thickens: Confl ict, Climax, and Resolution 131

Chapter 9: Can We Talk? Writing Dialogue 143

Chapter 10: Setting the Scene 157

Chapter 11: Finding Your Voice: Point of View and Tone 169

Chapter 12: Writing Creative Nonfi ction Books 189

Part IV: Making Your Story Sparkle 205

Chapter 13: Editing and Formatting Your Way to a Happy Ending 207

Chapter 14: Creating Pictures from Your Words: The World of Illustrations 233

Chapter 15: Finding Feedback and Encouragement 249

Part V: Getting Published and Promoting Your Book 265

Chapter 16: Getting an Agent to Represent You 267

Chapter 17: Finding the Perfect Publisher and Signing a Contract 283

Chapter 18: So You Want to Self-Publish? 299

Chapter 19: Donning Your Publicity Cap 313

Chapter 20: Getting Savvy with Social Media 327

Part VI: The Part of Tens 341

Chapter 21: More Than Ten Great Sources for Storylines 343

Chapter 22: Ten Recognitions Children’s Authors Dream of Receiving 351

Index 353