Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course

Cynthea Liu book is more like a private conversation between two friends than a text book “how to”. I especially value the chapter on self-editing. Cynthea gives you all you need to know to get your book on the market.

Kathlyn Fauchon

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Rating: 5 / 5

Unlike most readers of this book, I have no desire to write books for children or teens because I much prefer to READ books written for children and teens and occasionally to wax analytically (and at horrendous length) about same on Amazon. Thus, I was far more interested in Ms. Liu’s other two books: The Great Call of China (S.A.S.S.) and Paris Pan Takes the Dare, but I needed to buy something else in order to get free shipping on my order, and I WAS a bit curious. Normally an author waits to, you know, actually PUBLISH a book or two before she presumes to tell you how to do the same, but Ms. Liu published this book on writing for children and teens over a year before she published her first book for children or teens.

What could such a newbie have to teach?

Quite a lot it turns out.

I was simply stunned by how logical, how useful, how educational, and how well written this book was! I found myself either nodding in agreement with her or thinking how much sense she was making! I know I have a much better understanding of how books get written and published than before, and I thought I was pretty well informed before.

And along the way something else was happening…

I started thinking, “I could do this.”

Now, I can assure you that I have no intention of following up on this thought! I’m a firm believer in the old adage:

“Those who can, write; those who cannot, review,”

and I am quite content with the delusions of adequacy that allow me to write reviews; I don’t need the delusions of grandeur that would lead me to write books, thank you very much! Besides, I lack the critical first step Ms. Liu identifies to writing and publishing a book for children or teens:

an idea.

But ideas or at least pieces of possible ideas have been popping into my head with increasing frequency since I started reading this book.

Now, confidentially, I don’t intend to act upon anything I’ve learned from this amazing book, but if Ms. Liu can almost inspire ME into writing for children and teens,…

what might she do for YOU?

On another point I think this raises the bar on Ms. Liu’s other two books. If she can write this well ABOUT writing for children and teens, then she ought to write pretty darn well FOR children and teens.

We shall see. (Insert evil laugh here.)
Rating: 5 / 5

WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE (How to Write, Revise, and Publish a Kid’s or Teen Book)

I think that this book was well written and presented. I have learned a lot from this book. As a first time children’s book writer I find the book invaluable.

Thanks
Rating: 5 / 5