Vikki VansickleTag
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May 10, 2023More Funny Books, Please!
One of the most stressful questions I’ve been asked by kids is, “are your books funny?” This is a test disguised as a question. If I get it wrong, they won’t read my books. But what is an appropriate ...
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March 14, 20236 Social Media Tips for Authors
I get it. You’ve written, rewritten, and edited your book, and now you have to go out and promote it? Isn’t that someone else’s job? Marketing and publicity teams have all sorts of connections and ...
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January 17, 2023Shake Up Your Writing Routine
January is full of messages about intention setting and challenges. Personally, I do not go in for unwieldy resolutions, but prefer to think of the new year as a good time to shift into something a little ...
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November 28, 2022A Love Letter to the Canadian Children’s Book Centre
It’s November, month of #GivingTuesday, and I want to highlight the wonderful Canadian Children’s Book Centre, the only national, not-for-profit Canadian organization dedicated to “encouraging, ...
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November 02, 2022Do Kids’ Book Awards Matter?
It’s Moira Rose’s favourite season— (book) awards season! It feels like a new list of finalists is posted every day. And while there is lots to celebrate, it can be crushing to watch your book go ...
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September 22, 20229 Kidlit Page-To-Screen Adaptations that are just as Good as the Book
Earlier in the month, I had the opportunity to see Lena Dunham’s spirited and loving adaptation of Catherine Called Birdy, Karen Cushman’s novel of the same name, at the Toronto International Film ...
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August 17, 20226 Tips for Effective School Visits
With September fast approaching, it’s time for children’s authors to start thinking about school presentations. School visits can be a great way to connect with your audience, promote your work, and ...
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July 20, 2022To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme
Nothing is as divisive as rhyme in children’s picture books. When it works, it sings, but when it doesn’t, it can turn readers (and editors) right off. Many people have fond memories of their favourite ...
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June 21, 20226 Reasons Why Your Kids’ Book Was Rejected
After working in children’s publishing, sitting on various book selection committees, and judging writing for kids contests for 15+ years, I’ve read a lot of manuscripts. Here are the six most common ...
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May 10, 2022Genres You Didn’t Learn About in Kidlit 101
One of the most formative experiences in my development as a writer was working in a bookstore. For four glorious years I was the manager of the award-winning, much beloved Flying Dragon Bookshop in Toronto. ...
