Childrens books – Jean's Writing

How do you get excited about writing?

Published on February 3, 2020 by Jean M. Cogdell12 Comments

And returning to the keyboard after a long break?

I’ve written about the Summertime Blahs, but what does one do about the winter blues or the publication blues?

Yep, you heard right. In November I finished and published my latest children’s picture book, and then the holidays took over what was left of my energy.

And now I’ve got the blank page (or screen) syndrome.

This isn’t anything new, not for me. If you are a long time follower, you know this is a yearly ritual. However, each time I’m faced with it, I am surprised. Weird, right? When I’m in the writing zone, I think I’ll never stop. But then…

Brain fog settled in.

One thing that has helped me before, was reading. Reading everything. Good, bad, great, and mediocre. So I’ve spent the last couple of months reading three to four books a week. Didn’t help.

So…

I’m visiting some of my favorite bloggers.
Playing with a few writing prompts.
And giving my brain a good talking to.
Looking at some of my previous posts and trying to take my own advice. LOL

Tell me. How do you get back in the writing saddle? To create when the lightening of inspiration is lacking?

I appreciate any tips or suggestions you’ve got. Because I’m still stuck.

In the meantime, pop over and read this post by Lucy Mitchell. It gave me something to think about. WHEN STRUGGLING WITH YOUR WRITING ALWAYS THINK – CATERPILLAR & THE BUTTERFLY!

I’m a butterfly, a butterfly…

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW. AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Looking back at the best of 2019

Published on January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 by Jean M. CogdellLeave a comment

Well, here we go off into the wild blue yonder of 2020.

Like many of you, I’ve been thinking about the coming new decade. But one can’t move forward without some retrospect. So, I looked back at the most popular posts of 2019 on my blog, and share.

So, without further ado, here is the countdown to Jean’s Writing top 10 posts of 2019.

10- How to tell if your female character is strong

9- What you can do with old stories?

8- Be smart, and avoid my mistake

7- Want an excellent way to sell your books?

6- Boost your writing with these awesome free tip sheets

5- H ave you lost that new writer feeling?

4- How to write a good one-sentence pitch

3- Write like a professional, get the chapters right

2- Do you want to know how long to make a story? Size Matters.

And the number one read blog post of 2019 was…

1- Encourage a child’s imagination with a book

I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane and wish you a wonderful 2020. I can’t wait to see what is written during the next 12 months.

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW. AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Are you looking for a special gift?

Published on December 3, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell4 Comments

Want to give a gift that lasts long after the tinsel is gone?

Then make sure you add a book for everyone on your Christmas list.

I’m thrilled to announce my fourth children’s book is now available on Amazon.com. And thanks to Readers Favorite Review, I can add their 5-star seal of approval. You can check out all of my 5-star children’s books. Click on the image for a quick link.

Do you have a book for sale?

List your book and where my readers can buy it, in the comments section. Let’s all give gifts that keeps on giving.

So, remember to add a little magic under the Christmas Tree with books for everyone.

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW. AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Yes you can complete a children’s book

Published on June 24, 2019June 22, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

My fourth children’s picture book to the editor so thought I’d share with you a bit about my process.

Writing a children’s picture book isn’t easy, but it doesn’t need to be daunting.

As with all stories, it begins with an idea.

Here is how my new idea began. A friend’s grandson gave me the spark of an idea when she shared his reaction to A Reluctant Little Prince. Apparently, he was fascinated with the firefighter page.

A nugget of an idea began to form in the back of my mind. As the days and weeks passed, I played with several versions of what to do with my flickering flame.