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Advice on writing for kids

adamming.substack.com

Advice on writing for kids

A twitter thread by Jennifer Laughran

Adam Ming
Dec 14, 2021
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Advice on writing for kids

adamming.substack.com

I Can’t give you advice on writing a kids book as I’ve never written one. But if I were to take some advice, this would probably be the advice I’d take…

Twitter avatar for @literaticat
Jennifer Laughran @literaticat
The best advice if you want to write for kids is, GO TO THE LIBRARY AND READ 100 BOOKS PUBLISHED IN YOUR CATEGORY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. Put your favorites in a special pile and buy your own copies of those so you can write in them. Tear them apart. Why and HOW do they work? 1/5
5:40 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2021
1,398Likes325Retweets
Twitter avatar for @literaticat
Jennifer Laughran @literaticat
If you do this: CONGRATULATIONS, you just did much of the work for a masters degree without having to pay for it. While you're at it - make a spreadsheet of those 100 books, noting WHO PUBLISHED THEM, and agent/editor if they are listed in the acknowledgements. Note patterns! 2/5
5:40 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2021
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Twitter avatar for @literaticat
Jennifer Laughran @literaticat
If you do THIS step: CONGRATULATIONS, you just got a crash course in publishing and are armed with the knowledge of "who publishes what" that you will need as you begin your querying/publishing journey. 3/5
5:40 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2021
256Likes6Retweets
Twitter avatar for @literaticat
Jennifer Laughran @literaticat
Whenever I give this advice, some folks push back and complain about "having to" read lots of kids books (which, it's the best homework I can IMAGINE doing, and if you don't like reading them, maybe don't WRITE them!), or they think it is a waste of time or I'm being MEAN... 4/5
5:40 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2021
322Likes2Retweets
Twitter avatar for @literaticat
Jennifer Laughran @literaticat
I think it can actually SAVE you time flailing in the darkness, and I'm being nice. But hey, if you don't like it: Ignore me! You don't need to fight me about it. Like... it's free advice and this is a free country. I promise that I don't care what you do or don't do. :-) 5/5
Thats It Stephen Colbert GIF by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
5:40 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2021
229Likes2Retweets

Ps: people say there’s a lot of crap on twitter, the truth is, there’s a lot of people on twitter, and if you curate who you follow, it’s actually more than a pleasant experience.

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Advice on writing for kids

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