Writing For Children!

Tags

Children's books, kid lit, kidlit, Picture Books, Writing, Writing for kids, writing picture books

Hello writers! 

This fall is going to be insanely busy for me, so I’m going to cut back and only post once a week to go with my YouTube videos. Then, hopefully, after things calm down I can get back to more than once a week.

This week’s video (YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE) is all about writing for children, and more specifically writing picture books.

This is something that I am asked about all the time, I see questions asked in kid lit groups on Facebook and other social media sites, and when I meet people out in the world.

It seems that everyone has an idea or wants to write a picture book. 

That is amazing. I believe that picture books can change the world. They are important, they are fun, they can teach lessons, they open up reading to children and the list goes on.

So YAY, you want to write one? 

Well, there are things that you need to know about writing them.

Please pop over to YouTube and watch the short video I created for YOU. AND grab your free PDF just for watching—and for being someone who reads my blog you can get your copy here too. 

I want to share this information with you because I want you to succeed AND I want children to read your book.

Let’s go!! 

Thanks for reading xo Stephanie

www.judaniebean.com

www.twitter.com/stepholivieri

 

 

Conference Tips for Writers

Tags

Film, novel, storytelling, Television, travel, writers life, Writing, writing conferences, Writing for kids, writing tips

I just got back from an SCBWI conference in Northern California. It was amazing, inspiring, and FUN.

I personally LOVE going to conferences but for some people, especially introverts, they can be terrifying.

Last week I posted some quick tips, and so I thought I would add a few more as it’s conference season; well, honestly, there are writing conferences all year round but many people go in the summer. A lot of writers who I know are teachers so summer just makes sense as they have some time off.

Here we go!!! 

BTW in my new STORY CONCIERGE COURSE coming up fall 2019–-registration coming in summer 2019—I will be going in depth with this topic as well I will have a series of FREE videos on YouTube as well, so please jump over to my new website and sign up to be a VIP. You will get FREE content from me, with no catches, no requirements to buy, just subscribe and that’s it. Who doesn’t LOVE freebies?? And when my YouTube channel launches in June I will be posting videos WEEKLY with FREE TIPS for writers. My goal is to help you be the best you can be,  but most importantly–HAVE AMAZING CONFIDENCE while doing it.

www.jundaniebean.com

Okay as promised.

WRITING CONFERENCE TIPS continued from last week. 

1. Wear COMFORTABLE shoes. This is a must as you walk a lot between sessions, keynotes, lunch, and bathroom breaks.
2. Always bring layers. Some rooms are super hot, like Florida hot & stuffy and some are a quick trip to the Arctic, so be prepared.
3. Snacks are good–just make them quiet–no one wants to sit next to the write wolfing down a bag of crunchy chips.
4. Bring notepads and pens. You can bring your iPad/tablet or laptop but most rooms don’t have it set up for everyone to be charging and also the tap tap tap of a keyboard can disturb others around you. I always suggest taking it old school during sessions. You may find that you retain more info that way too. Give it a shot
5. Be on time, or early if you can to your sessions.

That’s five for this week and be sure to share this and come back for more next week. I’m going to be focusing on conferences this month.

Thank you for following, sharing, liking and of course HAPPY WRITING & conferencing!! 

My YouTube Channel 

SCBWI Summer Conference Time!

Tags

LA17scbwi, SCBWI, Writing for kids

Hello readers, first of all, I want to apologize for not writing as much as I used to on this blog. The reason? I’m putting everything into my new YA novel. For my followers, and readers, who don’t know what that is, it’s young adult or teen fiction. I loved writing for TV and hope to go back to it someday. I also hope and plan on screenwriting again, but novels will always be my first love. In 2012 I re-joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and have been really active since 2013-as 2012 sucked for me with two huge losses and being out of work.

The annual SCBWI summer conference is here and I’m so excited to go back this year. It will be my 4th year in a row. I attended a long time ago when a friend paid for my entry, but I only went one day and was so clueless that it was a waste of my time. Now that I’m serious and more grown-up I make the best of it. This is the Oscars for children’s book peeps–not about awards, but the social event of the season and I love it.

Some tips and things I like to share with newbies to this or any writing conference. These are my personal feelings & thoughts, others probably have more official things, but this is how I approach any huge event.

1. Have fun!!! This is really important to enjoy your time there. Do what makes you happy and don’t feel bad if you want to sit out a workshop or need some alone time, it’s overwhelming even for extroverts like myself.
2. Be KIND TO EVERYONE-this doesn’t need explaining, or maybe it does. Be nice always, even if someone is acting catty, jealous, bitchy or just rude, even to the valets and front desk.
3. Smile-when you smile it just makes people feel at ease and you’ll see will put you in a good mood. 🙂
4. Be yourself-don’t poster and or lie about your experience or be ashamed that you still have a minimum wage job or whatever.
5. Avoid religion and politics if you can.
6. Be CONFIDENT in yourself and your work no matter what stage of the game you are in.
7. Always ask questions.
8. Be open to feedback, listen, take notes and do your best not to defend your work. It’s okay to ask questions so you understand, but only AFTER every person critiquing is finished speaking.
9. Take breaks, wear comfortable shoes, drink lots of water, eat healthily and stretch.
10. Pick up and hand out business cards.

Those are my top 10 suggestions for a successful conference. I have a whole list of what not to do, but a lot of that is covered in my previous blog. LOL

Okay peeps, I will start blogging at least once a week and add more content on queries, character, voice, social media and things like that as I’m planning to do more talks again like I did from 2008-2012 when I was concentrating on TV & film writing. Most of the principals are the same. Story is story no matter what the genre. Characters drive their stories.

Happy writing!

Cheers

Some Picture Books That I Wrote/Work For Hire FarFaria-GREAT EXPERIENCE

Tags

Children's books, FarFaria, Picture Books, Writing for kids

I am super excited. Finally 8 of the picture books that I was hired to write for FarFaria (a mobile app/online) are listed. I worked for them in 2012/2013. These were my first picture books that I got published.

I updated my website page to include them. http://www.stepholivieri.com/#!books/c164h Since it’s a mobile app, they don’t put credits on the cover, but one the links they say written by Stephanie Olivieri and then illustrated by the illustrator they chose.