Welcome back to toydust.com where we talk books, toys, and writing! The correlation between books and writing is obvious, but what about toys? Why include toys with a blog about books and writing? A good question perhaps, but here's another question: What happens when you play with toys? As a kid, the first stories I … Continue reading Books, Toys, and Writing
Category: Writing
Dialogue Tags
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to toydust.com where we talk books, toys, and writing. Today's topic? Dialogue tags! Dialogue is what a character says in your story. A dialogue tag is a short phrase that goes along with a line of dialogue that lets the reader know which character is speaking. For example: "Let's go to … Continue reading Dialogue Tags
Children’s Writer’s & Illustrators Market
Would you like to become a children's book author or illustrator? If so, you should be aware of this guide: The cover does a good job selling it. It gives you the following information about publishers and magazines: *which publishers are open to submissions without agent representation (and those who are not) *submission guidelines *what … Continue reading Children’s Writer’s & Illustrators Market
What should be in the first sentence of your novel?
Welcome back to toydust.com where we talk books, toys, and writing! Today's topic? What should be in the first sentence of your novel? Newbery-winning author Richard Peck said, "You are only as good as your first sentence." That sounds a bit harsh. Is it fair for someone to judge your entire story from only one … Continue reading What should be in the first sentence of your novel?
What should be on the first page of your novel?
Welcome back to TOYDUST.COM - my blog about books, toys, and writing. Today's topic? What should be on the first page of your novel? At a writing conference I attended, editor Alyson Heller spoke on this topic. Here are some things she looks for in the beginning of a novel: *Not bogged down with info-dumping … Continue reading What should be on the first page of your novel?
What Are Strong Verbs?
Good morning my toy-dustian friends! Guess what I think? Okay. Let's pretend you're writing a Toydust fan-fiction story. Because let's be honest. Who wouldn't want to write a fan-fic about me? (insert sarcasm) And let's further pretend you had written something like: "Toydust walked excitedly out of Dallas Vintage Toys, thrilled with his purchase." Is … Continue reading What Are Strong Verbs?