Kidlit Quick Bites
Hooked from Page 1: Writing Irresistible Kidlit Openings
Your opening scene has one job: hook the reader and make them care. In this deep-dive ebook for kidlit and YA writers, you’ll learn how to craft opening lines that grab attention, introduce characters readers connect with right away, and build scenes that do the heavy lifting – setting the tone, planting the seeds, and launching your story from exactly the right place.
What is Kidlit?: The Whole Scoop!
Your quick-start guide to understanding today’s children’s book marketplace. In just one fast and fun mini ebook, you’ll discover how categories work (and what readers expect), what trends matter, plus insider tips, tricks, and playful writing exercises.
Character: Who’s Your Hero?
A fast, fun, and focused mini ebook that shows you how to create three-dimensional characters kids (or teens) will care about—flaws and all. Packed with practical tips, quick exercises, and an easy call to action, this bite-sized guide will help you craft characters readers can relate to, root for, and remember long after “The End.”
Worldbuilding: Are We There Yet?
A quick, fun mini ebook that helps you create vivid, believable settings for your kidlit or YA story—from middle school to a magic kingdom to Mars. With practical tips and creative exercises, you’ll build a world that feels real, consistent, and immersive, no matter how far your imagination travels.
Voice: Find Yours!
A quick, practical mini ebook that helps you understand and develop the voice that makes your kidlit or YA story stand out. With tips, examples, and exercises covering POV, perspective, tense, tone, and unreliable narrators, you’ll learn to find and refine a voice that makes your story unmistakably yours.
Dialogue: “Let’s Chat!”
A practical mini ebook that helps you write authentic, engaging dialogue for children’s books, middle grade, and YA. With tips, examples, and exercises, you’ll learn to make dialogue sound real, reveal character, and move your story forward without info dumps.
Story Problem, Character Arcs, and Stakes: The “So What?” of Your Story
A practical mini ebook that helps kidlit, middle grade, and YA writers create compelling stories with strong problems, character arcs, stakes, and escalating tension. With clear examples, useful tips, and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn how to keep readers hooked from beginning to satisfying climax.
Villains: Bad to the Bone
A fast, focused mini ebook that helps kidlit and YA writers create memorable antagonists who challenge characters, drive the story, and keep readers hooked. With practical tips and exercises, you’ll learn to use villains, rivals, obstacles, and internal conflicts to build tension, raise the stakes, and create stronger stories.
Plot vs. Story: Tell It Like It Is
A fun, practical mini ebook that helps kidlit and YA writers understand the difference between plot and story—and use both to create more compelling books. With examples and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to move beyond plot summaries and bring your characters, voice, stakes, and storytelling to life.
Scenes: The Building Blocks of Story
A fun, practical mini ebook that helps kidlit and YA writers understand how scenes work—and how to make every scene count. With examples, tips, and exercises, you’ll learn to build scenes with change, emotion, conflict, and cause-and-effect that keep readers turning pages.
Structure: If You Build It, They Will Read
A fun, practical mini ebook that helps kidlit and YA writers understand story structure and the three-act plot—even for picture books. With clear explanations, charts, tips, and exercises, you’ll learn to use turning points, milestones, and the climax to build stories that keep readers turning pages.