Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course, Updated in 2022

Hello, WFCAT fans,

The pooch crew has been hard at work on an update of the Crash Course that started it all! Strap on your helmet. Buckle up! Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course has been updated in 2022. Please note: this link is an Amazon affiliate link and all proceeds go toward the crew’s kibble.

For those of you who are new to the site or know someone who needs to learn the ins and out of how this works, please share this great news with them.

Free-tique Free-for-All on Facebook Live (3/20/20) 4 PM Central – VIDEOS POSTED

UPDATE 3/21/20: The event videos are now posted! If we missed your question or ms, please email cynthealiu AT gmail DOT com and let Cynthea know! Here are the links (2 videos), enjoy!

Part 1: #1 – 28 (PB, CB, MG and YA) https://www.facebook.com/cliubooks/videos/499764837380803/

Part 2: #29 – 41 (PB) https://www.facebook.com/cliubooks/videos/149848876277801/

UPDATE AS OF 3/19 12:30 PM: We forgot to include a big option for you.

Another Major WFCAT critique event is coming to this website next month!

Yup, you heard it. Jump on my email list here if you want to be the first to be notified when Cynthea, the pooches and her hungry and slightly fishy crew are ready to gnaw on your manuscript. All major event notices for this event will go out by email so everyone can stay in the game and play. Also this event will be celebrating something very special to Cynthea, so you know that this will be SUPER FUN, SLIGHTLY STRESSFUL, BUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT HUMANITY.

How to write a eulogy (one real person’s take even though this has little to do with children’s book writing or maybe it does?)

Hello WFCAT fans, I’m going to commit a huge SEO faux-pas here and write this article about eulogies because I’m getting older, and it just seems like people I know are dying everywhere. Facebook is a disaster for me. It used to be my happy place, but now I find so many sad things happening to my peers with the loss of their loved ones that I feel compelled to try to help as a writer.

Welcome 2018!

For those of you with big writing goals this year, I congratulate you on challenging yourself to such a feat. Me too! I’m also running a few one-on-one-coaching courses this year that I hope to roll out in 2018. If you would like to learn more about how to sign-up, please sign up for my paid critique list at bit.ly/wfcatlist as the first notice will go out there.

Attention: WFCAT Fans! Important opportunity you will not want to miss!

Hello everyone – both newcomers and long-time fans, I am about to make you an offer you can’t refuse via my free-tique and paid-tique email lists. PLEASE, sign up for the email list if you have not already, as this opp is first-come, first-serve. You will not want to be slow to pull the trigger on this one. An all-important email will go out later today via the email lists with instructions on what to do.

#HLS2017 Round 4 Results Complete, Sudden Catch Deadline: Mon. Dec 4 @11:59PM CST

Hello Anglers,

After a bubbly debate, the judges were able to narrow down finalists in each category but it was impossible to agree upon a clear winner based upon 250 words and one line. Therefore, the crew has decided to put our finalists up for the ultimate challenge: Sudden Catch! If your entry was selected for this round, you must now submit the first 2500 words of your work (if novel) or your complete ms (if PB) before the deadline listed in the headline of this post.

#HLS2017 ROUND 4 OPEN until Sun 11/26/2017 @11:59 PM CST, New Anglers enter anytime

Existing Anglers who passed the last round, please read the Official Rules about how to make your next submission.

This round will close at the date and time (CENTRAL) listed in the title of this post.

New anglers can enter anytime as long as the entire challenge is still going, even if you miss this round. READ THE OFFICIAL RULES before you cast your first line! Failure to follow the rules could result in an automatic sinking of your ship.

#HLS2017 – Hook, Line, & Sinker ROUND 3 Results Complete, New Anglers May Enter Anytime

Dear Anglers:

  • If your entry got the boot at 250 words, chances are, your passage did not make the cut when compared to other anglers with work in the same category. Think of it like the semi-finals before you go to the live show. In previous rounds, the judges looked at the work on its own, without comparison to other entries. But at 250 words, it starts to become more apparent to the fish which works are stronger than others.

#HLS2017 – Hook, Line, & Sinker Writing Challenge ROUND 1 Results Complete

Hello Anglers,

Results are in! But first a few notes on how the fish made decisions:

  • If the entry was difficult to understand or confusing at first glance without some serious fish food for thought, your entry may have gotten the boot.
  • The fish did cut some entries a break for punctuation errors or minor awkwardness if the line held enough interest. But just know they won’t be so lenient if the first 125 words are riddled with clunkiness.

#HLS2017 ROUND 2 OPEN until Wed 11/8/2017 @11:59 PM CST, New Anglers enter anytime

Existing Anglers who passed the last round, please read the Official Rules about how to make your next submission.

This round will close at the date and time (CENTRAL) listed in the title of this post.

New anglers can enter anytime as long as the entire challenge is still going, even if you miss this round. READ THE OFFICIAL RULES before you cast your first line! Failure to follow the rules could result in an automatic sinking of your ship.

#HLS2017 – Hook, Line, & Sinker ROUND 1 OPEN until Wed 11/1/2017 @11:59 PM CST

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, read the Official Rules.

Once you’ve got that all figured out, cast your first line! Failure to follow the rules could result in an automatic sinking of your ship. Please make this easy for our skippers and deckhands!

Round 1 will close at the date and time (CENTRAL) listed in the title of this post.

New entrants can enter anytime though as long as the entire challenge is still going, even if you miss Round 1.

Hook, Line, and Sinker Challenge Rules #HLS2017

PLEASE READ THE RULES IN FULL BEFORE SUBMITTING. FAILURE TO COMPLY MAY RESULT IN AUTOMATIC SINKING OF YOUR SHIP AND ALL OF ITS CREW MEMBERS.

The Hook, Line, and Sinker (HLS) Challenge is open to all (ages 18+). Eligible submissions must comes from your children’s or teen FICTION work (board books and early readers excluded) and should not already be published or under contract. Got it? NEW WORKS ONLY.

9 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: Theme and Content by Cynthea Liu

Today’s the day–my last vlog! Click below to learn more about Theme and Content.

In this video, Cynthea Liu discusses Theme and Content as it relates to multiple formats withing the children and teens genre.

Cynthea discusses:
1. What is theme and what to consider when it comes to your target format.
2. How do determine if content is appropriate for your format.

The Table of Contents for the video series:

1.

8 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: How to Fit Your Writing Style to Different Formats by Cynthea Liu

 

Today’s vlog post: How to Fit Your Writing Style to Different Formats!

In this video, Cynthea Liu goes over the main ideas when it comes to fitting an author’s writing style with different formats of children’s books.

Cynthea’s main points:
1. Examine comparables.
2. Use of dialogue and descriptive
3. Showing and Telling – when are things shown versus just told
4. Transitions from scene to scene.
5.

7 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: Structure for Different Formats by Cynthea Liu

 

Today’s topic on Writing for Children and Teens is about Structure for Different Formats!

In this video, Cynthea Liu discusses the different structures for different formats and age groups.
In the video Cynthea covers these topics:
1. Structure matters, how a book is organized
2. PBs: length, page count and page turns, storyboarding and story arc.
3. Board Book: length, page count, and page turns, story-boarding and story arc.
4.

6 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: Complexity (Word Count, Plotting, etc.) in Different Formats by Cynthea Liu

For today’s topic on Writing for Children and Teens, I’m going to discuss the Complexity in Different Formats.

In this video by Cynthea Liu, she discusses how to approach complexity when dabbling in multiple formats.

Cynthea’s main points:
1. Word Count matters and how to figure out guidelines.
2. Complexity of plotting and how that varies from board book to YA.

The Table of Contents for the video series:

1.

5 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: What Age Your Main Character Should Be by Cynthea Liu

Today’s vlog post will help YOU figure out what age your main character should be.

In this installment, Cynthea Liu advises writers on how to determine the age of their main character. Cynthea discusses the main points of how to decide which age your main character should be based on which format you’re writing in.

The Table of Contents for the video series:

1. Writing for Multiple Formats: Introduction
2.

4 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: How to Write for Multiple Formats by Cynthea Liu

Today’s vlog post is about HOW to write for multiple formats click here to view it

Cynthea Liu on how to write for multiple formats when it comes to children’s publishing. She discusses what differences mark the variations of the formats.

The Table of Contents for the video series:

1. Writing for Multiple Formats: Introduction
2. What You Should Remember When Hearing Advice about this Topic: Disclaimers
3. Writing for Multiple Formats: The Benefits
4.

3 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: The Benefits of Writing Multiple Formats by Cynthea Liu

In Cynthea’s  second video in an 8 part series, she discusses the benefits of writing for multiple formats in children’s literature. There are many benefits to writing in multiple formats, and Cynthea discusses them all.

If you enjoyed Writing for Multiple Formats, click  to find out the benefits of multiple formats.

Cynthea Liu covers two main points in this video about the benefits of writing for multiple formats:
1. The challenge
2.

1 of 9: Writing for Children and Teens: Writing For Multiple Formats by Cynthea Liu

In a series of videos for WriteOnCon, Cynthea Liu begins an 8 part campaign on writing for children and teens. For my first blog post I am going to be discussing how and why you should write in multiple formats.

In the first video of the series, Cynthea Liu introduces herself, and begins to expand on the idea of writing for multiple formats in children and teen publishing.

1 of 9: How to Write for Multiple Children’s Book Formats at WriteOnCon.org

Sit back and relax in this 9-part video series about how to write picture books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and much much more. I will discuss theme, content, style, structure, and other major differences to help you navigate which format or formats may be “write” up your alley!

Here’s the list of what these nine videos will be about:

1. Writing for Multiple Formats: Introduction
2.

From Craft to Career: How to Make a Financial Life as a Children’s Book Writer

Last week, I spoke for the SCBWI-IL Chicago network along with Savy Leiser.  We had a lovely group who were interested in my sharing the slides from that talk. From Craft to Career: How to Make A Financial Life as a Children’s Book Writer and take note: as a busy writer, you don’t HAVE to waste your precious time formatting PPT presentations.  Spend that time on what you’re actually saying and the content of your talk.

Code 7 Challenge: Kissy will be hard at work at Starts With Us!

Hello everyone,

Today is a flagship day as Kissy and I announce our latest challenge for those of you who are looking for some feedback on your manuscript. It’s RLGL on steroids and maybe just maybe we can help you get your book published too!  If you’d like Kissy to sniff at your manuscript and the editorial team at Starts With Us, take the Code 7 Challenge and get crackin’!

 

 

AFCC Call for Papers Open Now!

Looking for a chance to connect and share with fellow professionals and experts in children’s publishing? Network, explore and learn at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore! The festival runs from May 17th-21st, 2017 and will feature a wide variety of illustrators, authors, publishing professionals, and early literacy experts – and one of them could be you! The AFCC Call for Papers is open now.

The RLGL Longer Works Category Has a Winner!

Thank you to all of the authors who participated in RLGL this year!. Kissy loved digging through all of your submissions, and he found stories with intriguing characters, snappy dialogue, and imagery that were almost as good as bacon!

After weeks of searching, Kissy has found a manuscript in the Longer Works category that he really wants to sink his teeth into.

RLGL Round 8-Longer Works is OPEN until Friday, 6/3/16 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

Round 8 for this year’s Red Light, Green Light contest is OPEN for submissions! Remember, this is only for longer works; we are no longer accepting entries for picture books. New entrants to the longer works category may enter at any time so long as the round is open. Woof!

To expedite our review process, and given the volume of entries we are receiving, we are reinstating feedback codes to deliver your results.

RLGL Round 7-Longer Works is OPEN until Tuesday, 5/17/16 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

Round 7 for this year’s Red Light, Green Light contest is OPEN for submissions! Remember, this is only for longer works; we are no longer accepting entries for picture books. New entrants to the longer works category may enter at any time so long as the round is open. Woof!

To expedite our review process, and given the volume of entries we are receiving, we are reinstating feedback codes to deliver your results.

RLGL Round 6-Longer Works is OPEN until Saturday, 5/7/16 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

Round 6 for this year’s Red Light, Green Light contest is OPEN for submissions! Remember, this is only for longer works; we are no longer accepting entries for picture books. New entrants to the longer works category may enter at any time so long as the round is open. Woof!!

To expedite our review process, and given the volume of entries we are receiving, we are reinstating feedback codes to deliver your results.

RLGL Round 5 is OPEN until Thursday, 4/21/16 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

Hello, everyone! We swear we’re not trying to torture all of you lovely folks waiting for your RLGL Round 4 feedback, but between Cynthea’s recent 2016 Oklahoma Book Award win for Bike On, Bear!, her radio appearance this last Monday,an upcoming school visit, and training some new interns on how to give proper belly rubs, Kissy has been extremely busy. Now that things have calmed down a little, Kissy will be digging through your submissions over the next few days.

RLGL Round 4 OPEN extended until Wednesday, 3/9/2016 @ 11:59 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

****Pardon for the pooch’s clerical error! We are so busy over here we didn’t update the post and the round on Submittable! Due to unforeseen circumstances, Cynthea has been called away to deal with some things that required her immediate attention so …. Kissy decided to give everyone a free pass to the next round, unless the submitter was on their last page in which case he and Cynthea weighed in to determine if there was a winner.  Sooo, don’t relax yet.

RLGL Round 3 OPEN extended to Tuesday, 3/1/2016 @ 11:59 CST, New entrants may enter anytime

*I want to thank you all for your patience with receiving feedback! I’ve got so much to munch on. I’m extending the round until March 1st (11:59pm CST) so that everyone can get their Round 3 submissions in. Keep an eye on your inboxes! Feedback is on the way! Woof!!

Round 3 for this year’s Red Light, Green Light contest is open for submissions! New entrants may enter at any time so long as the round is open.

RLGL – ROUND 2 OPEN extended until Wed 2/24/16 @ 11:59 PM CST, New Entrants Welcome

The second Round for this year’s Red Light, Green Light contest is open for submissions!

*Update posted 2/24 at 5:30PM CST: All Round 1 results have been given. If you didn’t hear anything on your ROUND 1 submission, let us know. Round 2 closes tonight so get your next page in if you passed.

Some stats to give you some idea of where you stand:

Chances of publication among the general populous in real life: <1%, roughly.

RLGL – Red Light, Green Light, ROUND 1 OPEN until Sat 2/20/16 @ 11:59 CST

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, look at our Rules and Regulations.

Once you’ve got that all figured out, click that submit button at the bottom of this post.

Round 1 will be closing submissions on Saturday (2/20/16) @ 11:59 CST so get those manuscripts in!

New entrants can enter anytime though, even if you miss Round 1.

Anything can happen in this game, so get in when a round is open.

RLGL – Red Light, Green Light Official Rules and Regulations

It’s your favorite time of the year again: RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT!

We’re back for another exciting, nail biting, keyboard crunching round, and we’ve made improvements to make RLGL much easier for Kissy to shred your manuscripts!

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST IN FULL. 

And remember, anyone can enter the contest, no matter what round we are on (FICTION WORKS ONLY, PLEASE targeted for the major trade market. No short stories.

Welcome!

Interested in learning how to write a children’s book? Look no further for all the nitty-gritty details of what you need to know to become a children’s book author, written by an active writer in the industry today.

Visit the Crash Course and get started!