Meet Mitty, the Dreamer
Hi, I’m Mitty. I have big dreams of becoming a published children’s writer.
You too? That’s Great!
Isn’t it exciting to be at the beginning of our journey, with so many possibilities ahead of us? I bet you’re practically bursting with ideas, and can’t wait to start writing.
But, along with that passion often comes something else—fear. And questions:
- Where do I start?
- How do I know which ideas are good enough?
- How does the publishing process work?
- And when can I start calling myself a writer?
I get it! Every writer feels like this at the beginning. But lucky for us, the folks at WriteForKids have our backs. They’ve been working with new writers for decades and understand exactly what we need. You’ll find loads of instruction and tools on this site, but here are some of my favorites to get you started:
- The biggest obstacle most new writers face is doubt. There are lots of reasons we can come up with to explain why we shouldn’t even try. To move forward, you need to let go of these limiting beliefs. Take a look at how my buddy Beacon sets ol’ Humbug the Discourager straight right here. Heed these words of wisdom and keep moving forward!
- This site is presented by Children’s Book Insider, the Children’s Writing Monthly. Since 1990, Jon & Laura have helped thousands of folks like you get started as children’s writers with how-to instruction, publishing opportunities and advice direct from top professionals. Right now, they’re offering a three month trial membership for just a dollar. The deal comes with some great stuff for beginners, including:
* How Publishing Works , an exclusive video in which Laura distills 35 years of knowledge into a simple explanation of the kidlit world and where you fit into this exciting landscape.
* The Ultimate Children’s Writing Cheatsheet, an essential resource that breaks down the age groups of children’s books, gives do’s and don’ts, word counts, exclusive tips and recommended reading lists. Spend some time reading different categories and genres of books (lucky for us, reading children’s books is a BIG part of becoming a children’s writer!). Pay attention to the age groups and types of stories that you especially love. Those are probably the kind of books you’ll want to write.
* The trial membership includes more than 80 episodes of Laura’s Kidlit Social, a video interview series featuring some of kidlit’s top authors, agents and editors. These interviews are packed with important information for beginners, along with a healthy helping of inspiration and wisdom.
What a perfect way to start your writing career – and it’s just a dollar to get going (and you can cancel any time). Give it a shot!
Learn more about the $1 Trial Membership here.
- As you read, you’ll get TONS of ideas for your own books. Write them down! Then check out How to Generate Amazing Story Ideas to start giving your favorite bursts of inspiration enough substance to be turned into marketable books.
- Ready to begin writing your story? I especially love Writing Blueprints Step-by-Step Writing Guides because you’ll have an expert at your side as you learn, step-by-step, how to craft books for a specific age category: Picture Books, Easy Readers, Chapter Books, Middle Grade or Young Adult.
The Writing Blueprints are fantastic for beginners because you learn while you write a real story! Fleshing out an idea, developing characters and plotting – all made easy even if you’re an absolute beginner. And it’s all in small steps, so you’ll never get lost or overwhelmed. Trust me, you can do this!
Here’s a little secret: Becoming a successful writer is a lifelong learning process, so don’t feel bad if you start to see areas where you need more training. Once you’ve got a solid foundation from a Writing Blueprint, start browsing the other tools in Workshops for Beginners to see if anything catches your eye. And then hop over to meet my pal Lilypad, who will show you how to become an expert Learner.
Oh, and the answer to the question, “When can I start calling myself a writer?” is…
