Writing for Children
Ever been caught by a child who knows you just skipped over a line while reading them their favorite story? Then you already understand the power of a well-written children's book, and why it's important to get the words just right. You also already know the books children really treasure are tailored just for them, with age-appropriate language, believable story lines, and characters a lot like them who get in (and out of) all sorts of interesting trouble, just like they do. Since a children’s book contains fewer words than a novel, every word counts that much more.
What can a children's book editor do to help you get the words just right? A children's book editor never forgets that the best children's fiction always has a message, but to capture a child's interest and imagination, that message must come through a fun, creatively crafted, age-appropriate read. To achieve this, children's book editors are familiar with the way young people speak and learn. They can critique and examine illustrations with the fresh eye of a young reader. They also understand the specific trends and nuances of children's writing. To ensure that your work will appeal to your target audience, they can help you modify your manuscript to suit the reading abilities of children within your target age group. Editors skilled in this unique genre also understand the basic elements of good fiction—character, conflict, plot, theme, setting, and dialogue. A children’s book editor can make sure that you have strong verbs, vivid adjectives, and language that lends itself to reading aloud. So, whether you've written a picture book, a chapter book, or a young adult/middle grade novel, they can help you polish all these elements while ensuring a fun, engaging read.
Children's Book Editors, Illustrators, Cover and Interior Designers
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MARLO GARNER has been editing books and teaching writing since the late 1990s. She teaches Writing for Children's Books (picture books), Writing Chapter Books for Children, and various other writing and revision workshops. She also works in an editorial advisory capacity, and a copyeditor and illustrator for a number of independent or educational publishers. Her Ginny Giles chapter book series—which contains numerous poems and rhyming verse—was released in 2010, and she is the author and/or illustrator of a number of other published books for children, including a picture book for Internet security giant AVG. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and received first place in the 'published' division of the New England SCBWI 2013 illustration awards. Marlo is currently writing and illustrating a middle grade dystopian graphic novel as well as a picture book, and she blogs about writing, editing, and grammar.
Marlo's editing services include:
- Copyediting and proofreading
- Developmental/substantive editing
- Cover letters, query letters (free with contracted service)
- Correct formatting and understanding the submission process
- Critiques, writing instruction and mentorship
- Children's books: picture books, poetry, magazine submissions, chapter books, young adult, children's non-fiction.
- Literary fiction, crime, fantasy
- Illustration, illustration critiques and advice for aspiring illustrators.
ANA HOWARD is the author of seven well-reviewed and award-winning children’s novels and has helped many others with their manuscripts, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult novels. After working in public schools for many years, she has now been a part of the publishing industry for fifteen years and provides a creative and supportive environment. She is passionate about children’s literature and offers the following services:
- Mentoring
- Developmental, substantive and content editing
- Formatting and guidance on the submission process
- Query letters and synopses
- Advice for self-publishing authors
PUBLISHING CREDITS INCLUDE:
- Water at the Blue Earth, young adult historical fiction (Roberts Rinehart)
- A Ceiling of Stars, middle grade contemporary fiction (American Girl)
- Nowhere, Now Here, middle grade contemporary fiction (American Girl)
- The Magic of Ordinary Days, adult historical fiction (Viking Penguin)
- Under a Stand Still Moon, young adult historical fiction (Brown Barn Books)
- Call Me the Canyon, young adult historical fiction (Brown Barn Books)
- Nicki, contemporary middle grade fiction (American Girl)
- Thanks to Nicki, contemporary middle grade fiction (American Girl)
She has seen one of her novels made into film (for Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions on CBS) and has won numerous literary awards. She believes that even in today’s tough publishing climate, it is still possible for new writers to enter the business and succeed. Second to writing her own novels, she loves to mentor others to help them achieve their goals. She knows firsthand how writers benefit from the help and support of other writers and/or editors.
Author Feedback
"My novel had lingered in the offices of editors at the Big Six for years. Ana’s editing was timely and skillful and showed an understanding of my work. I used 95% of her suggestions and cut 200 pages from a 600 page manuscript. End result is a book with a clean, compelling narrative that has been called 'a gripping read'. Reader reviews of my book at Amazon and Goodreads have been very gratifying and allowed me to enter the top 100 for science-fiction/fantasy. Kirkus Reviews selected Prophets of the Ghost Ants as one of their Best of 2011. I would recommend Ana Howard's services to any author whose work needs an edit. Cost of the service was more than fair and the end result was priceless." —Clark T. Carlton
Rachel Lawson is a former college literature and writing instructor who offers excellence in comprehensive copyediting, line editing, and proofreading. Her strength lies in helping the author make his/her written voice shine in a highly readable, page-turning, memorable way.
Rachel specializes in the genre of Christian and spiritual/religious manuscripts, including children’s books, memoirs, devotionals, and larger theological works. Rachel’s work as a copy editor, line editor, and proofreader for three Christian publishers has now reached 30 Christian books.
She ghostwrites author bios, back cover copy of books, and author websites.
Rachel also designs and formats book interiors for print or eBook distribution.
Rachel invites all writers, but is especially interested in supporting the efforts of Christian and spiritual/religious writers, pastors and theologians, mystics, memoirists, and children’s and young adult book authors. With Rachel, you can prepare to publish your unique voice in a polished, professional manner.
Kelly Lynne is a professional writer and editor with more than 15 years’ experience in fiction manuscript critique and over 170 published titles edited. She edits Young Adult and Middle Grade novels featuring adventure, fantasy, mystery, romance, sci-fi, and psychic or supernatural phenomena. These are books for readers who no longer need pictures.
Empathic about the “feel” of a story, Kelly teaches authors craft techniques to draw readers into the emotions and action on the page, all while maintaining the author’s voice. As an author, Kelly has published four short stories and two novels. She has felt the sting of the editor’s red pen and knows how important constructive feedback can be to bring the manuscript to the next level.
Specialties:
- tracking of continuity, timeline, and plot sequence
- 20-point analysis of plot, character, setting, and writing technique
- Verifying readability with Flesch-Kincaid mapping to keep Middle Grade stories in the expected reading range for vocabulary and sentence complexity
STEPHEN SEVERN
Writing coach and consultant for five #1 best-selling books.
Ghostwriter | Writing Coach
Writing Consultant | Development Editor
Stephen Severn is an award-winning ghostwriter, editor, screenwriter and writing coach. Mentored by Academy Award-winning writer Stewart Stern (Rebel Without A Cause), Stephen served as editor for the #1 best-sellers Tears For My City and The Revved Life. He also served as consultant for Robert Beatty’s New York Times #1 best-selling Serafina series of children’s books, published by Disney Hyperion, and as editor for the blog of #1 best-selling Christian author Emerson Eggerichs.
Stephen’s work as editor has resulted in 25 international awards. In addition, his ghostwritten screenplay was winner of Best Adaptation at the Hollywood Book Festival, and a runner-up at the prestigious Circus Road Script Competition. He’s written for rock magazines and heavy metal websites, film and TV reviews, and ghostwritten or edited more than 30 published books.
Stephen’s client list includes #1 best-selling authors, and first-time writers. He specializes in rescuing, restoring and reawakening broken dreams.
S.J. SUTTON has worked in the book publishing and the film industries for thirty years—on the front lines and behind the scenes—finding projects to publish and/or produce, and developing and editing them, seeing them through to completion on the page or screen.
In the book publishing industry, she was a developmental editor, copy editor, and proofreader for Canfield Press, Harper & Row (now Harper Collins), Prentice-Hall, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Grune & Stratton, Abrams Publishers, and many others.
In the film industry she worked as a story analyst and development consultant on feature film and television projects for DreamWorks, Disney, Showtime, Lifetime, among others, and worked on the development of films such as L.A. Confidential (Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published), Get On Up, Enigma, HBO's Vinyl, and countless others. She assisted writer/director Albert Brooks on Defending Your Life.
Fiction and Nonfiction
As a story consultant and editor for independent writers — of middle grade and Young Adult fiction and non-fiction, textbooks, study guides, adult fiction and non-fiction, screenplays, theatrical plays, and teleplays — she evaluates, develops, revises, edits, refines, polishes, and readies their work for submission to agents, managers, acquisitions editors; for option; and for publication or self-publication.