Young at Heart, The Step-By-Step Way of Writing Children's Stories (Paperback)

~ Violet Ramos (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

If you've ever wanted to write a children's book, but didn't know where or how to start, then this is the book for you! Ramos, a published children's writer, provides the steps you need to get your creative ideas flowing. With her helpful instruction, you'll work your way through essential story components such as main character, dialogue, contrast, editing, page layout, creative outline and more. Each chapter includes an example, exercise and worksheet to help you get started! -- Writer's Digest Book Club

Violet Ramos, in writing Young at Heart, has created an instructional book written in a very simple format. The book leads the writer who wishes to write children's stories through a step-by-step method with plenty of exercises. Anyone who is serious about perfecting their writing craft, whether they are an adult writer or a young writer just starting out, will benefit from these exercises. Ramos believes that everyone has a story to tell, and they should write it in their own unique style. -- TeenInk.com a magazine written by teens for teens

You will need more than one copy of Young at Heart, The Step-By-Step Way of Writing Children's Stories on your shelves, because it won't stay there. It seems as if Violet Ramos has written this small paperbound book just to save time for all those "wannabe" children's authors who pop up everywhere. The book lists twelve steps to writing a children's story and gives brief, simple explanations. At least one example, an exercise, a worksheet, and notes from the author are included for each step. These steps start with main character and continue with message, supporting characters, dialogue, contrast, movement, dynamic words, names and titles, descriptive writing, editing page layout, and creative outline. Both the writer's style and the story's organization are addressed. Step eleven, page layout, introduces a basic and practical editing tool to the potential author. This tool works especially well with short picture books. -- Southwest Signature

Product Description

The book is a simple step-by-step guide that leads the reader through the steps necessary to successfully write children's stories. Each step motivates creativity allowing the reader's unique style of writing to surface. The 12 steps in the book apply to all fictional writing. The book has examples, exercises, and worksheets that help the reader to create their own story. It also takes the reader through picture book layout and gives an exercise for writers block. The book is a very useful and practical writing book.

Recommended as a Writer's Reference Book by the Institute of Children's Literature and Grumpy's Global Marketing for Books.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: VR Publications; 1 edition (February 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965833410
• ISBN-13: 978-0965833417
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,764,310 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It takes one to know one, October 28, 2000

By	Dan Poynter "Author-Publisher-Speaker" (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Violet Ramos knows what she is talking about. To understand why, here is what I wrote about writing books for children in my book Successful Nonfiction: Turning Thoughts into Books:

Some beginning writers think writing for children will be easier than writing for adults. Children are pretty sharp, and their attention span is usually much shorter.

Allana Elovson, a self-publisher of books about parenting, was reading to a young niece one day. The story was well received: The child was fascinated by all the pictures and listened intently.

When they finished the book, she smiled at her aunt and knowingly explained that the words were there for people who cannot read pictures.

Women buy 82% of all children's books and half are bought as gifts. Nearly 40% of the books are bought by mothers. Hardcover children's books are currently selling for $14.51, while softcovers are going for $7.34. Hardcovers with a dust jacket go for more than books without jackets.

According to Publishers Weekly, children's books fall into the following categories: 27% picture books, 17% books for babies and toddlers, 20% for younger readers, 19% for middle readers, and 17% for young-adult readers. Decide which category your work falls into.

Generally speaking, children's books are considered 50% text and 50% illustration so royalties are split between the writer and illustrator. If the royalty is 10%, then the writer and illustrator each get 5 percent.

Children's books tend to have a longer life than adult books. They start off slow and build over time. According to USA Today, October marks the beginning of a steady climb in the sales of children's books toward the holidays.

Be upbeat and send a positive message. So often children's stories center around mistakes and punishment, which sends a subtle message to a child about not taking risks for fear of harm.

"The secret to writing a successful children's book is not to think like a child or to try to remember what it was like to be a child, but to still be a child within." -Andrea Brown, literary agent.

It is not what you say but how you say it-especially when writing for children. Violet Ramos takes you by the hand and gently guides you through writing exercises, step-by-step. You will discover and work your way through main character, message, supporting characters, dialogue, contrast, movement, dynamic words, names and titles, descriptive writing, editing, page layout and creative outline. For a detailed description of the book's coverage, click on Table of Contents in the left-hand column of this page.

Violet Ramos has taught hundreds of students to release their creativity into stories for children. She feels there is a child in everyone who wants to speak out and reach other children.

As a publisher, author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles and a consultant to the publishing industry, I recommend this book to those who need a concise step-by-step guide to writing for children. [e-mail].

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Expected more from Young at Heart, August 22, 2001

By A Customer

Young at Heart may take you step by step through the process of writing children's stories, but it's simplicity lacks grit. Ms. Ramos touches on basic concepts, but spends no time going into depth. She writes for a page or two on each concept and then inserts "worksheet space" for you to practice on. Almost a third of the book is blank practice pages, which is completely unnecessary. The sample story she uses throughout to illustrate her points is umimaginiative and cliche. I would not recommend this book as a tool for children's writers.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, November 8, 2001

By	Annie B. Holzer (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

I LOVE this book! With the guidance in this book, I am finally able to get back to fulfilling a dream of writing stories that has been inside since I was in high school. As a grandmother, I can take my time following the steps listed and transfer a thought into a well-rounded story. So happy to have found this helpful gem!