How Dinosaurs Learned to Dance: An Interview with Children’s Author Judy Cook

How Dinosaurs Learned to Dance: An Interview with Children’s Author Judy Cook

When Dinosaurs Go Dancing, the award-winning children’s book written by Judy Cook, almost never happened. Due to writing fits and starts, and a stalled collaboration, there were times when it didn’t look like Judy would be able to realize her vision. But the dancer turned first-time author didn’t give up - she persevered through setbacks and doubt, and families all across North America are thankful she did. We recently chatted with Judy about writing, her publishing journey, and the confidence she gained along the way.

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Design Elements All Authors Should Know

Design Elements All Authors Should Know

Learning the basics behind the visual language of book design has a myriad of benefits for authors, including helping you communicate what you’re looking for in your cover and understanding the choices your team makes when designing it.

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How Children's Books Can Benefit Kids for Life

How Children's Books Can Benefit Kids for Life

Not just today, not just tomorrow: renowned Child & Adolescent Psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts joins us to talk about why children’s books are so important to a child’s social, psychological and emotional development.

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Why You Should Attend Writing Festivals

Why You Should Attend Writing Festivals

You can't grow if you're not rooted in good soil. Literary festivals and conferences have a myriad of benefits for writers of every stripe!

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Writing Prompts: Dive Write In

Writing Prompts: Dive Write In

They can be a word, a sentence, an image or an idea. Writing prompts are a great way to get you writing, even if you don’t have a book you’re working on. But more than that, they offer many skill-building benefits that can help any writer to grow and improve. Here are just a few of the things writing prompts can do for you.

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Beta Readers

How to Get the Most Out of Your Beta Readers

Having beta readers read your manuscript is a critical step in many an author’s publishing journey. Here are some best practices on managing your beta readers and what to expect from their feedback.

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Identifying Your Writing Style

Identifying Your Writing Style

Are you a writer who plots out every single detail? Or do you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants? Understanding your approach to writing can illuminate where you might need assistance, and identify your greatest strengths.

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How to Start a Writing Group

How to Start a Writing Group

Just mention the word “writer” and most people will envision a lone artist, sitting at their desk, toiling over a manuscript for months on end. And although most writers do spend a lot of time on their own, the truth is that writing is rooted in and nourished by community. But what if there aren’t any writing groups active in your area? If you build it, they will come: here are 4 tips to help you connect with your tribe and start a writing group of your own!

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4 Reasons to Get Professional Book Cover Design

4 Reasons to Get Professional Book Cover Design

The arrival of eBooks and online bookstores means the purpose and benefit of a well-designed book cover has expanded further than ever before. To be effective, your cover needs to be doing many things at once - and that’s why it’s necessary to enlist the help of professionals.

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How to Get Great Book Reviews

How to Get Great Book Reviews

As savvy writers know, getting a positive review from a respected source like Kirkus can do wonders for a book’s sales and credibility. We asked expert Karen Schechner, Vice President of Kirkus Indie at Kirkus Reviews, to tell us how authors can garner a great book review - and how to use it when it comes through!

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