WHAT YOU NEED ON YOUR AUTHOR WEBSITE

Have you build yourself an author’s website yet? If you didn’t, you certainly should have one. The publishing world is changing fast, and we have to change with it. You have to have an online presence for publishers that you submit to, to see. Believe me, they do this ... this is one thing I found out the hard way.

Find a website host that works for you. It should offer exactly what you want. Including a template that reflects you and what you write. The template should be professional and all your pages should be uncluttered. You should either call or have an online chat (some places offer this) with customer service. Make sure you ask these questions: How many pages do they offer? Do they support audio files, video files, and HTML? Can you decorate your page the way you want, or do you have to put pictures and code where the hosting service says? Do they offer an email service or just email forwarding? These are all very important! I’ve spent many hours talking to customer service people from different sites asking these questions.

 Don’t forget to purchase your writer’s email address. Publishers see you as a professional that way. Another way they see you as a professional is your professional email address. It’s important to make your address in your name. I did mine as deb@debhockenberry.com. Does the email program let you send, receive, and (if you need it) download? What a professional email address program offers you is very important. I’ve found this out recently…the hard way.

So, exactly what do you absolutely have to have on your website?

THE HOME PAGE

I’ve also heard this referred to as the landing page. On this page, you describe your site and tell the readers what it has to offer. You can put a welcome video here and describe your website that way. If you have a free newsletter to offer, this is just the place to put it!

THE ABOUT PAGE  

This can be called About Me, About, or My Bio. I’ve seen it done all three ways. On this page, you describe yourself. Your readers want to know about you, so on this page you can talk all about yourself here. Here, you can talk about your dog, cat, bird, or whatever your pet might be. You can even post a picture of them here. You can talk about the scenery around you or your hobbies. 

This is usually done in the third person, but I have seen it in the first person. First person makes it sound like you’re talking directly to the person, and you want to connect with your readers.

THE MEDIA PAGE

This can also be called the press page. On this page, you list everything you’ve ever written, where, and when it’s been published. You can post your book covers, book trailers, or even a media release here.

YOUR BLOG

This can be called whatever you want. It can be about anything you want too. I’ve seen some written daily. I try to update weekly. How often you blog is completely up to you. I should tell you that not all websites offer blogs. If your new website doesn't offer a blog, you can go elsewhere and set one up. I put mine on Blogger (free on Google).

YOUR APPEARANCES 

Have you already published your book? You’ll definitely need this page. This page is exactly what it says. It’s your schedule. I’ve seen this page called My Book Signing Schedule too. Again, what you call it is up to you. If someone comes to your site and wants you to appear or sign books, they can contact you on the contact page.

CONTACT PAGE

This is self-explanatory. If someone wants to contact you, this is the place to do it! 

SOCIAL NETWORKING SYMBOLS  

These are very important and should be somewhere on your website. Preferably, the homepage. If they aren’t, put them there because they should be. Link up the Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or any other social network you’re in. The idea here is to be social with your readers. If you have a Facebook Author’s Page, you can send them there instead of your wall. This is also up to you!

Here are links to different children’s author’s websites for you to examine:

Deb Hockenberry

Katie Davis

 Susanna Hill 

Tara Lazar 

 

 

IT'S NEVER TOO SOON!

Hi! It's me, Deb. Did you know that I'm an award winning author and creator of the Hungle Bungle Jungle series? This post isn't about the world of Hungle Bungle Jungle, though. I'm also the creator of the Daily Author's Planner!

Do you have an aspiring or published author in your life? Don't know what to get him/her for Christmas? Have no fear, I have the answer to all your problems. Get them the Daily Author's Planner. It's never too early to plan for Christmas!

In the Daily Author's Planner's 380 pages there are so many guides. Among them are:

• a section to keep track of your writing finances
• a to-do list
• a section to make note of your writing goals
• a section for your events
• a section to write down your ideas
• and a whole lot more!

Here's what one satisfied customer reviewed the Daily Author's Planner:

"This planner is the perfect flexible assistant for all authors. Each page has an excellent planning set up of goals, word count, thoughts, ideas and to do sections but there is ample space for authors to add other sections depending on their type of authorship: fiction, non-fiction, research, textbooks. It is easy to use and can be daily as suggested, weekly, monthly or whenever. It saves having numerous pieces of paper with jotted notes scattered around."

So, what are you waiting for? Get your copy today! 

https://www.amazon.com/DAILY-AUTHORS-PLANNER-Traditional-Authors/dp/1737264129

 

ROLAND THE ROCK FINDS A HOME

TITLE: Roland The Rock Finds A Home

AUTHOR: N. Barry

ILLUSTRATIONS: H.F. Smith

ISBN and FORMATS: Hardback - 9798994733813, Paperback - 9798994733813, Kindle -                                                           BOH3QX3GR1

Roland loves to travel and make new friends. Doesn't everyone? He has a problem, though. Every where he goes, he doesn't quite fit or he doesn't feel completely comfortable. Will Roland find a home for himself where he does fit and feel comfortable?

This adorable picture book will teach your child that everyone and everything belongs somewhere no matter how different they seem to be. The brilliant water color illustrations in this picture book move the story forward.

If you would like to add ROLAND THE ROCK FINDS A HOME to your child's home library, you can purchase it at https://www.amazon.com/Roland-Rock-Finds-Home-Barry/dp/B0H3KJG1QP 

 

WRITING IN RHYME

Have you ever thought of writing a children’s picture book in rhyme? There are so many of them out there but how do you write them? Do you just write a poem? I’ve been looking into this and found some information on writing in rhyme for children.

 

First have a children’s story idea. It can be what a child is thinking about when he’s supposed to be doing his homework, the vacation he took last year, sled riding or any other thought that a child would think. You might want to write a child’s mystery or maybe a fantasy with unicorns, evil witches and good wizards. Where do you go from here? Take a sheet of paper from your notebook. Write down words that have something to do with your idea. Leave space under these words. You’re going to need it. Next, write down words that rhyme with the words you’ve already written down. It doesn’t matter if they stay with the subject at all. You might not use them all. Now, what?

 

Start with a good hook. That’s right. Just like in any good story written in prose, you have to have a good hook at the beginning. The subject of your rhyming story should be memorable and one your reader will want to revisit. Who doesn’t remember Mary and her lamb? There’s a whole story in that nursery rhyme. Just like a story in prose, use strong adjectives and verbs so your reader can visualize what’s happening. Kids like repetition. Use a meter in your rhyming story. What’s meter?

 

Meter is the rhythm that’s in every good poem or rhyming story. For more information on meter, please watch this video:

 

Here’s a poem that my friend, wrote. Note the way he handled the description and meter:

 

 

THE STAR TREKKING SHOOTING STAR

 

“Where do all the stars come from?”

Tracy asked her brother.

He is eight and knows so much

of one thing or another.

 

“I think they’re ‘specially made,” he said.

“Somewhere in the sky.

Where they’re brushed with silver paint

And spread around to dry.”

 

“And what about the shooting star,

With it’s fiery tail?”

“I’d say it’s carrying messages

or delivering the mail.”

 

“How is it the moon never keeps

 its’ smooth round face?”

“It probably bumps into stars

On its way through space.”

 

“And how is it the sun can stay

All day so nice and warm and bright?”

“That’s because it’s batteries

Get recharged at night.”

 

“You know a lot,” she said with pride.

“It’s true, you really do.

I hope when I’m eight years old,

I’ll know as much as you!”

 

Can’t you see in your minds’ eye, Tracy and her big brother having a conversation while they watch the stars? Notice the sing–song meter and the satisfying ending to the conversation? So, get your paper, pens out or boot up those computers and try your hand at this. Young children just love stories in rhyme!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STORY IDEA?

Hi everyone. This week I'm going to write a different kind of article. Let's call this article interactive.

I've recently picked up my crochet hook recently, noticed how almost everyone has gotten into it, and that got me to thinking. Would crocheting be a good story idea for children? I remembered the news reports on TV about children crocheting for others. I've also seen videos about it on Facebook. I've even found three kids crochet groups on Facebook! I also wondered why a hobby that used to be known as a grandmother's hobby has suddenly made a comeback. It has really made a comeback too, thanks to Gen Z! Here's a YouTube video explaining why.

Here are three crochet groups that accept both beginner crochet kids or adults:

           1 Crocheting with White Owl

                2 Crochet for Beginners

           3 Crochet Beginners 101

So, now you see how the crochet hobby is picking up and it's no longer a 'grandma thing'. So, what do you think? Would it make a good story idea? Please let me know in the comments.

 

PUBLICIZING YOUR WEBSITE

Okay, now you’ve built it. It was a job getting it just the way you want it, getting the right feel in it, along with letting it show the world that you’re a professional. Now what? It’s up, it’s published, but who’s going to see the videos, and read your brilliant words? How do you promote your website? I ran into this problem myself, and I’ve found a few ways to do this.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Visit Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, Tic Tok, or any other social media site you visit regularly. Create a post saying something like, “Hey, I’ve just built a website. Come check it out and tell me what you think!” Then add your URL or link.

I did this on Facebook. I put it on my wall, my announcement and link traveled down my newsfeed, and went out to all my friends. Who knows where it went from there. I also shared this announcement with any applicable Facebook groups I’m in. Make sure the group will accept announcements for blog posts or articles first.

I also did this on Twitter and added appropriate hashtags. The hashtags I put in my announcement were things like #Children’sWriting, #DebHockenberry, #Article, and #Links, and #Website. Don’t forget to include your link!

Pinterest is a great way to do this. You can create boards that link to your website. Each time you add new content, pin it and put it on the appropriate board. It will automatically link back to your website, and people will notice.

You can use all the other social networks in the same fashion.

 

YOUR EMAIL SIGNATURE

I’m supposing you have your email signature made out. If you don’t, it’s in the settings area of your email program. You’re allowed several lines to put your information. I’ll use myself as an example here. You can have something like this:

Deb Hockenberry, Children’s Author

Where Can We Have The Party? http://www.amazon.com/dp/1537077120 <-List your book here. If you have more than one you can list them one under the other.

KidzTales: http://authordebhockenberry.weebly.com  <-Here’s your website and it’s link.

Do you have a blog with a different address? Do the same as you did with your website.

Because of your email signature, everyone that you email will know about your books and website including where they’re at. Hey, I’ve had people visit this website from the email link!

YOUR OWN WEBSITE

That’s right. Your own website can help you get the word out that it’s there! You see all those social media icons on the left side of your monitor on KidzTales? Click them and fill in your information for that site. When someone reads or views your content and is impressed, they’ll click those buttons and information goes out. Believe me, this does happen. It’s happened to me more than once!

GUEST BLOGGING

When someone puts out the call for anyone to be a guest blogger on their blog, jump at it!

Ask to have your website link below where the blogger puts ‘by guest blogger, Your Name’. When the blog owner’s readers read your informative article, they’ll visit your website to see what other information you have to offer them. And all because you asked the blog owner to include your website link.

COMMENTING ON OTHER’S BLOGS

When commenting after reading another’s blog post, don’t just say things like, “nice post,” or “I can relate to everything you say.” Add something useful to the subject or expand on something the blogger touched on. At the end of your comment, add your link. Others will read your words of wisdom and wonder what else you have to say. They’ll see your link and visit. This does work!

SEARCH ENGINES

There are a few search engines that will let you list your site for free. You will want to have a few good keywords of exactly what you have on your site. People who want to find a (example) children’s writing website will put in the search bar “children’s website.” For your convenience, I’ve included a few of the most popular search engines and the pages where you can list you website. We’ll start with the most popular search engine.

Google- http://www.google.com/submityourcontent/website-owner/

Bing- http://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster/

Sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don’t have one, it’s free. Just go to http://www.hotmail.com.

Yahoo – That just took me to Bing, who I suppose, has control of Yahoo search.

If you decide to submit your search to other search engines, always read the privacy notices and the terms of services! Sometimes these are just called legal terms.

 

 

 

 

MAKE IT FLOW

 

What is flow and what does it have to do with writing? Flow is simple. It’s also known as cohesision. According to The Writing Center of Gustuvas College, https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/cohesion.php, it’s the seamlessness of one sentence flowing into another. There should be no changing of the subject in a paragraph. The sentences should flow or run together seamlessly into one another without jerking the reader around. The changing of a paragraph should be done the same way with a transition, so your flow doesn’t break up and jerk your readers around.

Start your transition to your next paragraph by making your last line in the earlier paragraph about what you want the next paragraph to be. For example, they last sentence in your first paragraph could be something like: “They had to climb the mountain to arrive at their destination.” The next paragraph would show them climbing the mountain, stepping over or around obstacles in their way. Maybe the obstacle is an attacking mountain lion? This would be a surprise for the reader. It would also be a plot twist since fighting your main character is fighting the mountain lion. That would hinder the climb over the mountain, but the flow or cohesion hasn’t broken since they’re still climbing that mountain.

Look at the picture of the river above. See how the river flows without breaking? It gently makes it way to the ocean flowing over rocks and other obstacles in its way. Now, imagine that you’re rowing a boat down that river. The river doesn’t jerk you around at all. In your rowboat, you gently and seamlessly flow down the river passed the woods on the riverbank. What happens when the river comes to a rock in the river does it stop its flow? No. It takes a detour by going around the rock or splashes over it. I like to think of this as putting a twist in the plot.

The same can be done with chapters with one small difference. The end of a chapter should be like the season finale of a TV show. You can’t wait for the next season to start to see what happens next. End your chapter the same way you do a paragraph but with something jaw dropping. So, your reader keeps turning those pages. That’s what you want them to do!

 

Here’s a video I found on the subject that I hope will help.

For more information see:

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/flow/

 

Five Ways to Make your Writing Flow Better

http://waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com/2013/12/five-ways-to-create-flow-in-your-writing.html