Reading Books to Boost Your Family’s Mental Health

People like to read for numerous reasons. Sometimes, books help readers escape into new worlds previously unreachable to them. Others use reading to learn about real-life figures or dig deeper into history. In addition, children and families can use books as both entertainment and education during a child’s development.

If it seems like reading soothes one’s stress or makes them feel better, that is because it does. Research studies have concluded that reading increases brain activity and benefits one’s mental health. In other words, reading has a biological effect on one’s brain. This effect is even used by some therapists or mental health providers through bibliotherapy, which uses reading in therapy.

Families can use books to support their children’s emotional and physical well-being. It is also a creative outlet to teach children as they grow up. Any book can achieve these effects, running the gamut of genres and subjects. This article digs deeper into some of the ways that reading improves one’s mental health.

Stress Relief

After a long, stressful day, winding down with a book is great way to decompress. Imagine reading a book in bed or in your living room. After a day of using your brain at work, reading uses your brain in a more creative, introspective way. Reading uses your brain, just in a different, more relaxing way. Of course, everyone’s individual stressors are unique and specific to them, but this is a general conclusion.

In particular, children experience new and ever-evolving shifts in social and environmental dynamics that can cause stress. Therefore, reading is a perfect solution for many children. Books can teach children important lessons, social norms, and endless creativity. This can be books that are explicitly about coping with stress and anxiety or any engaging fiction story. Illustrated books are particularly helpful in using literature to relieve stress.

For older readers and adults, any form of fiction or nonfiction can be used to relieve stress. Fiction of any genre can be a creative outlet, from steamy romances to dramatic family dramas to tense thrillers. There is no accounting for taste when it comes to recreational or therapeutic reading. Nonfiction allows readers to learn more about the world and people around them. No matter the type of book or genre, the act of reading helps relieve stress for audiences of all ages.

Inspirational Reading

Reading can help inspire change in people’s lives, enhancing mental health in a more indirect way. Having a guide or reference book for some of life’s biggest struggles is invaluable for some people. A straightforward seld-help guide is a great first step for handling almost any struggle in one’s life.

However, using books for life guidance needs to be safeguarded. You always want to make sure that the sources are offering actual guidance and will not harm you. Books can inspire immense personal growth in all readers brave enough to seek them out. Make sure these books are properly tailored to the intended use.

Building Perspective

Another indirect effect of books on one’s mental well-being is gaining a well-rounded perspective on life. This can also come from any genre, so long as it opens up some new way of life. Seeing others’ lives can change how someone sees their own life. There are books for everything, sharing every way of life. There will always be something that puts one’s own struggles into perspective.

Social Skills

Many readers, especially children, can use books to build one’s social skills and relationships. Any book with interpersonal dynamics can be presented as an example for building social skills and increasing cultural awareness. Even if not intended, simply reading new dynamics can help the reader strengthen their social skills. Doing so will create less anxiety or tension with other people, therefore helping mental health. The less interpersonal strife, the better.

Writing for Mental Health

Reading can inspire someone to want to write their own book. Writing is a common form of therapy or mental unloading to boost mental health. Whether inspiring someone to write a book for the world or just a personal journal, reading raises awareness.

If you write a book for distribution, there are ways to get your book out to the masses. Publishing with companies like Clovely gives you the freedom to write and publish the book of your dreams. The book you write can be the one that inspires someone else to begin their mental health journey.

An Overview of What an ISBN Is and Its Purpose in the Publishing World

Look at the back of any book on your shelf. You will see a barcode, usually on the bottom and directly over some numbers. Those are the barcode numbers that retailers use to scan for inventory, prices, and sales. However, an International Standard Book Number, commonly referred to as an ISBN, is similar but different. The ISBN is often above the barcode and is a 13-digit number. The ISBN identifies individual versions of each and every book on the market. For each book, the ISBN catalogs the title, author, edition, publisher, type of binding, and publishing date.

Every major retailer, library, or website relies on books’ ISBNs to convey information to the customer. Without it, there is no way of knowing which book they are stocking. Many books can appear similar from the cover, so ISBNs help distinguish them apart. Each edition of every book — hardcover, paperback, eBook, audiobook — needs a unique ISBN.

The 13 digits of an ISBN are specifically formatted to ensure consistency across the publishing industry. This article will detail the parts of an ISBN and their modern-day application.

The 13 Digits of an ISBN (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

The 13 digits of an ISBN follow a strict format. It is based on the language and country of origin, publisher, and specific book. Although they are 13 digits now, before 2007 they were only 10 digits. The three new digits were added to accommodate the ever-growing supply of books on the market.

There are five sections of an ISBN: prefix, registration group, registrant element, publication element, and check digit. These are often, but not always, separated by hyphens to easily show the delineation.

The Prefix (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

As expected, the prefix of the ISBN is the beginning. It is the first three digits in the ISBN, almost always 978 or 979. This section was added when the digit count increased to 13. 978 usually represents the older works that existed pre-2007, while 979 accommodates the more recent books. There is not much to discuss here because of the generally static nature of the prefix.

The Registration Group (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

The registration group is the next section. It is sourced from the book’s country of origin and language. This element can range from one to five digits based on the location; some countries have multiple groups.

The groups for the English-language United States are 1 and 2 for ISBNs with prefixes 978. For 979 prefixes, the United States has group 8. Some countries only have one code; for example, Iraq (9922), Sweden (91), and Chile (956). Others have multiple: Jordan (9923 and 9957), Argentina (950 and 987), and Benin (99919 and 99982).

The Registrant Element (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

An ISBN’s next element is the registrant element, which ranges from one to seven digits. This is the part of the ISBN that identifies the specific publisher or imprint of the book. Each publisher has their own  registrant element that is attached to all their books. For example, Cloverly Publishing’s registrant code is 89743, which can be seen on any of our releases.

The Publication Element (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

Next is the part of the ISBN that identifies the specific book. Each edition of a book receives its own publication element to differentiate it from other editions. This is the part of the code that separates you from your publisher’s other authors. It can be up to six digits long. The length and combination of this and the registrant element are coordinated to ensure the ISBN is exactly 13 digits.

The Check Digit (xxx-xx-xxx-xxxx-x)

The final part of an ISBN is the check digit. This is a single digit that ensures the previous digits are all correct. There is a specific calculation to determine the check digit. As an author, however, you do not have to worry about this calculation — it comes built into your ISBN.

How to Get an ISBN

The Library of Congress tracks and catalogs books according to their ISBNs, but they do not issue them. The official provider of ISBNs in the United States is Bowker Publishing Services, which sells and distributes them to everybody.

For self-publishers, ISBNs are available to purchase online on Bowker’s website. They offer single ISBNs, as well as bulk orders of 10, 100, and 1,000 ISBNs. As mentioned earlier, make sure every edition of your book has its own unique ISBN. Other countries have different providers, so make sure you are getting the proper ISBNs for your book.

For authors working with Cloverly Children’s, however, we take care of obtaining ISBNs for all editions of your book. Your paperback, hardcover, eBook, and audiobook will get individual ISBNs to adhere to industry standards. We handle the technicalities of getting your book on the market, so you can focus on your writing.

Embracing Irish Culture and Folklore to Craft an Engaging Children’s Book

Every March 17, people of all ages can celebrate all that St. Patrick’s Day has to offer. While it is commonly associated with drinking beer and partying, St. Patrick’s Day has its roots deep in Irish culture. Even the youngest children can find something about the day to enjoy and celebrate.

St. Patrick’s Day is full of imagery and lore that are perfect for writing about. It is the feast day for a real-life saint, Patrick, so it is based in religious traditions. However, you do not have to be religious to appreciate all that March 17 has to offer. From St. Patrick’s life to modern-day stories about “the luck of the Irish,” there is a whole world to explore. Literature is a unique creative outlet to dig into Irish culture and all that St. Patrick’s Day has to offer.

The Real St. Patrick

Who was the real-life St. Patrick who is celebrated on March 17? Born in the fifth century, St. Patrick was from Britain. Later in life as a missionary, he traveled to Ireland to spread Christianity. He is largely seen as the person most responsible for making Christianity prevalent in Ireland. In the Church, March 17 is St. Patrick’s feast day, which is the day dedicated to celebrating holy figures.

While never formally canonized as a saint (he died before this was common practice), he is regarded as one. As the patron saint of Ireland, he is a revered figure for people of Irish descent. Even though St. Patrick is a Christian figure, celebrations of his life can be secular and focus on Irish culture. Different places around the world vary in how they celebrate on March 17.

Images of Irish Folklore

Celebrating Irish folklore is the most common way people observe St. Patrick’s Day. Instead of focusing on St. Patrick’s Christian missionary work, many celebrations focus on the more fantastical elements of his story.

One of the most common stories told about St. Patrick is that he purged Ireland of all snakes. This tale has spread because there are no native snake species in Ireland. While he certainly did not actually do this, the story holds spiritual significance for Ireland. Snakes are often seen as a sinister symbol in Christian teachings.

Shamrocks are another significant feature of Irish folklore. Easily recognizable for their three-leafed structure and bright green color, shamrocks are a symbol of Ireland and luck. They are extremely common across Ireland’s green landscape. St. Patrick is said to have used shamrocks in his Christian teachings, with each leaf of a shamrock representing one part of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, shamrocks are an indispensable element of St. Patrick’s Day. Four-leafed clovers are rare variations of a shamrock that are seen as a good-luck charm.

Leprechauns are a symbol of Irish folklore that do not have any connection to St. Patrick. They are often pictured as short, mythical creatures in the form of a man with red hair and green clothes. Leprechauns are known to have playful attitudes and play pranks on unsuspecting mortals. The most famous leprechaun trick is leaving a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

St. Patrick’s Day Books for Kids

St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday for all ages. While many adults have fun drinking beer and going to parties, children can also have their own festivities. Whether it is a party at school or celebrating at home, St. Patrick’s Day books are a great addition. Irish folklore leans heavily into fantastical elements, which is perfect for children’s literature. Any book can cover any or all of the amazing things Irish culture has to share with the world.

In addition to the whimsy inherent in St. Patrick’s Day, children’s books can really showcase the color green. In picture books, this can be obviously implemented with pages covered in green. In books for older children, the cover can have a green design that sets the tone.

There is not a single genre that a St. Patrick’s Day book has to stay within. It can be about celebrating the day itself or about Irish culture. From fantasy stories about mischievous leprechauns to heartwarming stories about lucky people, there is something for everyone in these books.

The Endless Importance of an Outside Editor

Every good children’s book starts with a bright idea. That idea is only as good as the work you put into it. Often, it takes a dedicated behind-the-scenes team to truly empower you along the way.

Every genre and type of book has a different path to publication. All your favorite books, including beloved classics from your childhood, had a comprehensive team pushing them past the finish line. Any successful book in modern publishing history had a support system that readied it for success.

A key member of your publishing team is your editor. Whether a standard editor or a copy editor, they will provide invaluable guidance and unlock new layers to your book. All professional editors give their authors the tools they need for success. It is then up to you, the author, to use them to your advantage.

What Is an Editor?

There is not one singular descriptor of an editor, nor is there a concrete list of functions. As a whole, editors are responsible for reading your manuscript and suggesting revisions. While it seems simple, the role of an editor  goes much deeper than that.

One type of editor is a general editor that works with you on big-picture parts of your text. They often suggest large, structural changes that are not as simple as quick revisions. Sometimes, your first draft will need a lot of work. Even the best books started off as less successful first drafts that became better over time. That is where an editor’s guidance is the strongest, providing a powerful force to support you along the way.

A copy editor is a more specific type of editor. Instead of looking at the specific content of your story, copy editors review your grammar, syntax, and style. They are not concerned with the story you are telling and only care that you are saying it correctly. This type of editor is crucial at making sure your book can be read by your audience. A book with subpar grammar and a lot of typos will struggle to be successful. Listening to the advice of your copy editor will make your book as well-written as possible.

Who Will Be Your Editor?

It can be great to have friends and family review your writing. They know you and can freely share their opinions to continue building your story. However, never underestimate the importance of having a professional editor review your manuscript. Friends and family can help guide your writing process and offer suggestions, but a professional editor knows the industry.

The difference an outside editor will have on your manuscript is astounding. You can read and reread your work as much as you want, but you will always miss something. As an author, you are the most familiar with your book, and you can begin to not notice weak points. An editor can even notice the smallest details that can be strengthened for publication. 

Further, seasoned copy editors know the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) like the back of their hand. It is of paramount importance that each and every book adheres to the CMS, the industry standard. No matter who your editor or copy editor is, you will always get final approval on all changes.

The Cloverly Publishing Process

All manuscripts have room for corrections, either grammatical or structural. That is normal and to be expected, even from the most seasoned authors. Your first draft will never be the same as your final draft; the changes made between drafts can vary immensely. Your editor will work with you to make the appropriate revisions to your book. Their only job is to make your book as good as it can be without losing your vision.

Cloverly Children’s is here to help. When you sign a publication agreement with us, you are entitled to our full arsenal of book editing services. Our team of in-house editors will review each and every manuscript before publication to ensure it meets the highest standards. Most importantly, your book will be edited by a human being — no artificial intelligence will edit your book. Only humans are able to know the nuances of the human experience.

Specifically, these editors are able to tailor their editing to your audience: children. They will guide your work to the finishing line and beyond, making sure your book is beloved by all readers.

Fostering Representation and Diversity in Children’s Literature

Representation is invaluable for all ages. While this is also true for adults, children are in their formative years. Growing up, children thrive the most when they see themselves on the page. Of course, they also benefit from seeing new worlds and cultures, but representation has a singular impact on young readers.

The publishing industry is crucial in fostering diversity in the books on the market. If authors write diverse stories but no publishers print them, what is the point? It is incumbent on each and every book publisher, especially those in children’s literature, to print a wide array of stories from different cultures and backgrounds. It is especially crucial to platform authors from different backgrounds to use their lived experiences to tell unique stories.

March is Women’s History Month. It is important to highlight diverse voices now and in each month in which there is a monthly observance.

Representation and Diversity in Media

In general, representation and diversity is stories showing a wide-range of cultures, backgrounds, and ideas. This is not limited to the publishing industry; it is also important across the media landscape.

The groups that often advocate for increased representation are those that have been historically underrepresented. This often includes different ethnic groups, races, gender identities, sexualities, ages, socioeconomic statuses, and religions. This is not an exhaustive list, and anyone can feel unseen in the media based on their life experiences.

When someone creates a piece of media, it puts their background on the page, either directly or indirectly. For example, an author can use their culture to influence a fictional story or discuss it in a memoir. Either way, this author would get their voice heard.

Growing up in a marginalized group is often alienating. When there is more representation in the media, it can make them feel less alone. No two peoples’ life experiences are the same, but seeing a story from someone with a similar background can make you understand your life and culture better than ever before.

The Benefits of Representation

Diversity on the page can foster literary growth in the youngest of readers. At the earliest stages of their reading journey, children yearn for engagement. It is exciting to get the tools to use words as an escape into different worlds.

There are classics in children’s literature that have stood the test of time. These are a fantastic first step because they are revered stories that are familiar to parents and children alike. However, this should not be the sole source of reading for any child. If everyone reads the same books, there is no individuality or uniqueness of experience. All children will have the same books. That is where representation comes into play.

When children read books that showcase different groups, they become more aware of their own identities, as well as others. It breaks them out of their personal lived experience and puts them into someone else’s shoes. This only helps and fosters their personal growth, builds understanding, and increases their creativity.

Young children beginning to read might grow tired of seeing the same things across books. Whether this is the same type of story, similar characters, or general monotony, this can become boring. But, when children read different types of books, especially those with characters who look like them, they become more engaged. It is also a bonus seeing yourself represented in the media, whether books, movies, television, etc.

Publishing Diverse Voices

The biggest hurdle in increasing visibility for underrepresented groups in the publishing industry is to simply publish more books. By increasing output, a publishing company can naturally boost all voices out in the world. This can happen without even purposely pushing for material from a specific group. As long as publishers lower barriers to entry for new authors, different voices can make an impact.

It is a dangerous path for an entire industry to solely platform one type of voice. Doing so can create a sense that one group is the standard, and everyone else is different. That cannot be less true. No one should feel like their background is not valued or important.

Children who steadily do not see themselves in books can lose interest in reading completely. That is the biggest thing the publishing industry must avoid. It is imperative that there are books available for each and every interested reader out there. Amplifying as many viewpoints as possible makes literature more accessible to all audiences.

Diversity is only possible through collaboration between creatives and those in positions of power. The resources available with all publishers are invaluable for new authors. As long as there are pathways to entry for every interested author, books representing all backgrounds can be published.

Cloverly Children’s provides each client with all professional resources they need to publish their book. Everyone is included and represented in the entire publishing process without fear of discrimination.

How to Use Storyboarding as a Tool for Success

The key to a successful book is a strong structure. A thorough storyboard will help build this robust backbone of your story. Children’s books come in all shapes and sizes, and you can use a storyboard for all of them.

Similarly, there is not a single template for a storyboard to follow. There are, however, common elements to take into account when creating your own storyboard. This guide will help you begin your storyboarding process, but customize it in ways that will help you.

Storyboarding 101

At the simplest level, a storyboard is a map of all the elements of your book. It is often a series of individual elements that make up your story, all laid out in front of you. This is a visualization tool that gives you a bird’s eye view of your book. Storyboards are often done on physical paper, usually with index cards or sticky notes. This allows you to be hands-on in the process.

It is most important to be consistent with your storyboard from start to finish. Each index card or sticky note should feature one element of your story. What those elements are can vary based on the type of story you are telling. Just make sure you have enough paper on hand for your full story.

Once you write all the elements of your prospective book, you will then arrange them in order. This will be a direct visualization of your book’s flow, as you are imagining it. Every important plot beat, character arc, and action piece will be sequentially placed in front of you. With this, you can rearrange, add more, or take away elements.

Starting the process of writing a book can be daunting. The main purpose of a storyboard is to clarify the many ideas you have of what you want to write. Many people find it helpful to have a set organizational structure when beginning to write.

Common Elements of a Storyboard

The elements of your storyboard are based on what your book needs. However, this will often include plot points, characters, and drawings (rudimentary or polished). Again, you can extend this to whatever you need to structure.

Plot Points

The plot of your book will likely take up a bulk of your storyboard. This guides the entire narrative of your book, no matter the length or genre. Without a compelling plot, your writing can feel aimless. Seeing how your story flows between plot points will be invaluably helpful in writing your book.

Having your plot in front of you will easily allow you to see where you need to do additional work. Physically moving your elements around will empower you to make beneficial changes. You might even see what parts of your story need more meat, or what may be overstuffed. Use this process to help you.

Characters and Dialogue

Second to the plot, your characters are what readers latch onto. Especially for children’s literature, characters are key. The most memorable characters in children’s books are ones that kids always want to rejoin. You want to create distinct characters that will be immediately recognizable to all readers.

Each character index card or sticky note should focus on one character. It can include their background, motivations, important plot points, and relationships to other characters. You can also include pieces of dialogue you want them to speak. Make these cards as detailed as you see fit for the story you are telling.

Illustrations

Storyboards for all books can feature illustrations — they are especially helpful for children’s books. Picture books are a natural source for this, but even non-picture books can use drawings in their storyboards.

For picture books, illustrations are key for what the story will show and what the final product may look like. These don’t have to be indicative of the final book, but it can lay the groundwork for your illustrator. For non-picture books, the storyboard drawings can be what you want the audience to picture while reading. You can use this to guide your writing to produce words that evoke these images.

Book Structures

A general rule of thumb for narrative plots revolves around a three-act structure. Most stories across media follow this, representing a beginning, middle, and end. These do not have to be explicit divisions in the book, just general guidelines for writing.

The Beginning

The beginning of your book, or the first act, sets up your book: the characters, setting, plot, etc. This is what draws the audience into your text and keeps them interested in reading the rest until the end. You do not have to stretch this out; set up your elements before moving on.

The Middle

The biggest section of your book will be the second act, or the middle and climax. This is the part of your book where the setup from the first act truly gets set in motion. The gears of the story pick up here and become the most eventful.

The plot beats of this section build to your story’s climax. This is the ultimate culmination of the conflict you explore from the beginning. Think of the climax as the big battle of an action movie, or the final game in a sports movie. The emotional stakes you set up earlier pay off here to a satisfying end.

The End

The end of your book wraps up the storylines and plot elements you featured earlier. It comes after the climax and is an emotional resolution of the themes you are exploring. This section should not be overly long because you do not want to drag the reader along after the main action of your book is done. If your book is standalone, make sure your characters have satisfying farewells to the audience. If you want to continue these characters’ stories, feel free to leave the ending open for continuation. End your book in a way that makes the most sense to you and the story you are telling.

Storyboarding Later in Writing

Your storyboarding process does not have to happen before you start writing. You can create a storyboard based on a completed draft of your story. This method can be helpful for writers who like to let their words flow freely. Once they get their ideas on the page, creating a storyboard can help with the editing process. Seeing the story you wrote broken down into elements in front of you shows you what revisions your story needs.

Whenever or however you decide to storyboard, customize your process to your own needs. Your storyboard is for your eyes only, so make sure it is effective for the story you are telling.

Cloverly Academy has just released a new edition to our Cloverly One-On-One podcast series. We interview recent and notable published authors about their inspiration and publishing journey. Click here to listen to the podcast on your favorite platform

How to promote your book with audiences of all ages

After you publish your children’s book, whether it is your first or tenth, you will have to promote it. Parents, caretakers, and teachers are always on the hunt for new reading material, you just have to find them. Your book’s success will hinge on the effort you put into independently promoting and marketing it.

Most new releases are marketed across digital resources and direct, in-person promotion. You guide the direction your promotion will take, but take it seriously and put in the effort required to successfully sell your book to potential audiences. Your Cloverly Children’s publishing agreement provides initial marketing material, but there are additional steps you can take to go further.

What Cloverly Children’s Provides

As soon as your book is published with Cloverly, we create initial promotional material. The first thing we do to get your promo started is create a unique web page for your book. This will include the cover art, summary, and links to buy your book. Your site is a centralized location where your potential audience will easily be able to purchase your book. You can browse our recent releases to get a sense of what your page will look like.

Cloverly has a top-notch team of writers who will write a press release for your newly-published book. We publish each press release through an industry-standard distribution service with a global reach. Each press release is written by a real person to ensure accuracy. Artificial intelligence often creates false information and will never be used.

We will also use our social media pages — Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube — to announce your book with a post and short video teaser. When these are published online, you will be able to share it amongst your personal network.

Share Your Book with Your Community

The most natural people to share your new children’s book with is any group you are affiliated with. This can include a wide range of community and faith-based groups, as well as sports teams, libraries, books clubs, school groups, or just about anything you can think of. Knowing the audience you are directly acquainted with will be the most successful method of promotion. These people know you and will be eager to support your latest endeavor.

Children’s books, in particular, reach out to a wide range of groups that cater to younger audiences. Reach out to organizers of these groups for information about sharing your book with the group. This both expands your potential readership and entertains children in your community.

How to Utilize Social Media

Social media is crucial to any successful marketing campaign in the age of the internet. For books, in particular, entire communities online are devoted to discovering new books to read and discuss. Understanding and effectively using social media will expand your horizons as an author.

To get the most out of your social media networks, it is crucial to understand specifics of each individual platform. Tailor your online outreach based on the platform you are using to maximize your book’s appeal. You always want to reach as wide of an audience as possible while making your book sound like a must-read. People will only purchase your book if they feel compelled to do so.

Whether you are using Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, or YouTube, make sure your content matches the platform. If you are not proficient in one platform, maybe focus on another at first. Or, you can learn about running an account on new platforms you are not familiar with. To do that, you can ask friends and family for help or research the platforms online.

Boosting your presence across social media can lead on the strongest path for success. From there, you can target your posts and content to the audience you are targeting and engage with them. Children’s books, in particular, have great potential across social media as both parents and kids can find them.

Celebrate Your Book with a Launch Party

Once your book is published, it is only natural to want to celebrate! Hosting a launch party for your new work is a natural way to boost excitement for it. You can keep your party intimate with only your personal network, or open it up to the public. Either way, it is a fun and efficient opportunity to promote your book.

You can throw your party wherever you see fit. It can be at your house, a bookstore, a restaurant or bar, or a community center. Just make sure that your chosen venue is appropriate for the type of party you are envisioning. If you want it to be an event for parents to bring their children, keep that in mind. A reading of the book to young audiences can be a natural way to motivate parents to buy it. Conversely, you can showcase your book to caretakers or teachers looking to build their library.

Once your book is published, Cloverly Children’s will provide you with 10 free print copies of your book. These are perfect for sharing with family and friends. You can buy more copies through our printer at a wholesale price for your launch party or other event. Bringing your book to events is the quickest way to show it off and make a sale. Otherwise, you can provide an interested reader with the link to your book’s web page to buy it online.

Growing Your Book’s Reviews

One of the surest ways to get more people interested in your work is to have tons of positive reviews. If you are not an established author, it can be difficult to get your book in front of reviewers. Your first step should be to request friends and family to write online reviews for your book once they read it. They can rate and review your book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, or anywhere else your book is on sale.

Extending past your personal network, you can find new reviewers for your book through specialized services. In general, these services provide real people with copies of your book for them to read and review. These are completely genuine reviews from real people. NetGalley, BookSirens, Booksprout, HiddenGems, BookFunnel, and StoryOrigin are some of the websites that offer these services for varying prices and packages. They accept all sorts of books and are an easy way to get your book in front of more people.

Have a Trusted Team with You from Day One

There is no reason you should have to promote and market your book alone. We suggest forming a “launch team” of friends and family to be committed to helping you at publication. A support system by your side with multiple perspectives will naturally extend your outreach to new audiences.

How to write a love story and Valentine’s Day books for young readers

This Valentine’s Day, you can celebrate with your whole family through the magic of books! Adults are not the only ones who can embrace the love that is in the air. While the parents are reading their steamy romance novels, the children can read their own age-appropriate books celebrating the day. Authors can cater to this audience. Valentine’s Day books for children come in all forms and can cover a wide range of love in one’s life.

Most schools hold some sort of Valentine’s Day celebration, so children’s interest in the holiday will be piqued. From books that talk about first crushes to celebrating the love amongst one’s family, children can learn invaluable lessons and be endlessly entertained reading about why people show their love on February 14.

The Audience for Children’s Books

The key to writing a children’s book for Valentine’s Day is to understand the audience you are writing for. Avoiding mature themes is obvious, but there is still room for complexity and nuance. Children’s book writing can be just as fun as it is for young people to read and listen to!

There are so many kinds of kid’s books — the writing process starts with figuring out what kind of book you are crafting. Picture books are the shortest and least complex. But, if you are writing a short chapter book for young independent readers, there needs to be a little more development into more traditional components of literature.

Plotting of a Valentine’s Day Book for Kids

With your target audience in mind, you can begin to further plan what your book will be about. When working out a plot, make sure to keep it family-friendly, but get as creative as you can. Exposing children to unique ideas and stories helps develop their imagination and sense of wonder as they go about their lives. Sharing this material with children also allows them to confront their own feelings about what love means to them.

Even though it is a holiday about love, Valentine’s Day can be about many different types of love, so do not feel constrained to writing about romantic love or school crushes for these young audiences. Other types of love that can be explored in children’s books include love amongst one’s family, between friends, of pets, or that of a religious nature. The history of Valentine’s Day, including the religious background, can also be written about for children.

Characters and Dialogue

The characters in a children’s book should always be relatable for the target audience. Young children will enjoy seeing a main character that they can relate to or is similar to someone they know. For slightly older independent readers, more layers can be added, so long as they do not get too mature or adult-like. Just like adults, children want to read about characters with rich backstories, distinct mannerisms, and relatable lives, especially when exploring the concept of love.

If you are writing a book with dialogue, it is crucial that this dialogue is appropriate for the age. Obviously, this means omitting vulgar language and unsavory behavior, but always keep it engaging. Tailor the dialogue to the intended audience. If a line of dialogue is not something you would say to a child, maybe reconsider including it. Actually speaking the dialogue helps you hear how it sounds when read aloud.

Since there are so many types of love that children’s books can be about, Valentine’s Day books can go in any direction. While these books can be on the shorter end, you can still infuse plot and conflict in your story to make it engaging for children to read or have read to them.

Illustrating a Book for Valentine’s Day

If it is a picture book you are writing, the illustrations are just as important as the text. Even in short chapter books, there can be some illustrations to enrich the reader’s imagination. For Valentine’s Day books, you can work with your illustrator to highlight the love you are writing about. Expect lots of pinks, reds, and hearts, but do not feel limited to that color palette. Feel free to let your imagination go wild and illustrate your book as you see fit.

When you write a children’s book, your imagination can run wild. Whether it is a chapter book for early independent readers or picture books made for nighttime stories, every writer has their own method. As long as we can fully read and review your initial manuscript submission, Cloverly Children’s is here to prepare your material for publication.

After you discuss the submission process with one of our literary agents, you are ready to send all your materials to us for review. We prefer to receive Microsoft Word documents because that is what is used throughout the publication process for any edits or modifications, but you can send handwritten pages, PDFs, or any illustrations with your submission and we will sort out the technicalities after you are approved for publication.

Submitting handwritten pages or PDFs

The only criteria we have for your initial submission is that it is a coherent text that our team is able to read and approve. That can be handwritten on sheets of paper or in a digital PDF. You will be able to submit your text in whatever format you currently have it, including any accompanying drawings or illustrations.

Once the editorial review process begins, we will need your manuscript in a Word document. Here at Cloverly Children’s, we have a transcription team that will assist you in converting your manuscript to a Word document from whatever format you sent it in. If you send any of your own illustrations, we will also be able to work with you to digitize them or connect you with one of our professional illustrators for further work.

The importance of a Word document in editing

We need a Word document of your book so the editing process can run smoothly from start to finish. Microsoft Word is used by our editors to make suggestions and add comments to your text, from small grammatical changes to structural concerns. Using Word, these suggestions are directly shown on your manuscript.

No changes will be finalized or implemented on your manuscript until you approve them. On Word, you will be able to individually approve changes and see our editors’ comments that you can use to update any of the text. The editors only offer suggestions, but you have final say.

If you do not know how to get your manuscript into a Word document, do not worry. Just send what you have, and our team will work with you to reformat anything and make sure your published book matches the vision you have in your mind.