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<title>Simon Rose - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Simon_Rose</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:31:45 -0600</pubDate>
<image><title>Simon Rose - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Simon_Rose</link>
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<copyright>Copyright 2012 EzineArticles.com - All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
<description><![CDATA[I am the author of The Doomsday Mask, The Heretic's Tomb, The Emerald Curse, The Clone Conspiracy, The Sorcerer's Letterbox and The Alchemist's Portrait and am a contributing author to The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume One. On my website you will find book descriptions, author profiles, interviews, audio files of readings, book reviews, teacher and reader comments and more. I offer a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries, writing services for both adult and young writers and am also available for summer camps and children's parties. I have a ... ]]></description>
<lastBuildDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:36:56 -0600</lastBuildDate>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Four: The Rejection Letter</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673260</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673260</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:36:56 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Rejection letters come in a variety of different styles, the most common perhaps being the form rejection letter. Some of these can be very formal and professional, on company letterhead, but others can be very poor examples of business communication. I actually still have one of the latter from a quite reputable publisher, who pride themselves on their professionalism, I'm sure.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Three: Reasons for Rejection</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673252</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673252</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:02:25 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In Part Two, we established that an unsuccessful submission results from a publishing house rejecting your writing, not you as a person. So what kind of reasons could an editor possibly have for not wishing to publish your masterpiece? Well, perhaps they just accepted a similar story to yours or they might even have just published one.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Two: Taking It Personally</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673245</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673245</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:00:27 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As painful as rejection is, especially for the beginning writer, it must be stressed that it is nothing personal on the part of the publisher or editor. Writers who take rejection personally have to change their way of thinking if they hope to have a career in the business. Writing can be a solitary and lonely profession and writers tend to live very much inside their own imaginations for long stretches of time, as the plot comes together and the characters form.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part One: Dealing With Rejection</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673220</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673220</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:59:38 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Does everyone like the same things? Do all people have the same taste in books, music, movies, cuisine, vacation destinations, pets or anything else for that matter? Are you fascinated by the lives of everyone around you?]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Eight: Remember, Everyone Gets Rejected</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673288</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673288</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:12:46 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In any profession, everyone has to start somewhere and writers are no different to anyone else in this regard. Every published author out there was once an unpublished author. Even writers who have sold millions of copies of their books were told at some point early in their careers that they would never be published.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Seven: The Numbers Game</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673286</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673286</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:09:54 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If a publisher rejects your work, they will not be publishing it, pure and simple. However, it also means that you are at least getting your writing out there, which is always crucial. I've lost count of the number of people I speak to who have written a novel and still not sent it out.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Six: The Next Step</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673275</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673275</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:03:01 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[All writers are rejected at some time or another, even the most famous or successful ones, so you are always going to be in good company. Even if you've mastered the art of not taking it personally, rejection will always still hurt, even if only a little, so it's best to wait a while before jumping straight back into any writing projects. Writers spend so much time at their desks anyway, engrossed in their projects and it's always a good idea to take a break and recharge the batteries once in a while.]]></description>
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<title>Rejection for Writers Part Five: Constructive Rejection</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5673266</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5673266</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:02:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The best rejection letter is usually a personal one addressed to you, including the name of your story and specific comments about the plot, characters or general theme, including what the editor liked and where they think your work could be improved. Are they still rejecting your work in this example? Absolutely, but this time, you now have a lead to follow up on over the next month or so.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Two - Fairy Tales</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878102</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878102</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:57:21 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Traditional fairy tales of course are filled with magic with witches and wizards often featuring in the stories associated with the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and others. Its no coincidence that the most well known and best loved stories for children, often classic tales of the battle between good and evil, are fantasy based and involve magic.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Ten - Themes in Magical Tales</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878274</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878274</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Another common theme in stories involving magic features an overwhelmingly powerful spell, which may cause untold damage or destruction if it is miscast. It may be the sole means of salvation for the heroes, but will destroy the entire world if it is used improperly.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Eight - The Limits of Magic</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878242</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878242</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:11 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Just as the science depicted in science fiction stories has to be believable, so do magic powers in a fantasy tale, or the reader will lose both interest in the book and respect for the writer. All-powerful spells are fine to include in a story, but in the Harry Potter books even formidable characters such as Dumbledore and Voldemort have their weaknesses.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Seven - Magic and Reality</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878230</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878230</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:28:48 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In stories for children, it is the boy or girl who solves the problem, rather than the adult, which children find it much easier to relate to. Harry Potter is just like his young readers, an ordinary child with admittedly extraordinary powers.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - The Fantasy Realm</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878200</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878200</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:31:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Magical realms have always had a place in folklore and legends in cultures around the globe for thousands of years and play a major role in fantasy literature. Sometimes these are the author's own wonderfully detailed imagined worlds, complete with a form of government, architecture, currency, natural features, history, myths and legends, flora, fauna and traditions.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Nine - Fatal Weaknesses</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878250</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878250</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:27:20 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Magical stories can feature beings that are able to access the mind of their adversary to determine their deepest fears to learn what really scares them and thus immobilize them at a crucial moment. This may not necessarily immobilize physically, but mentally render someone incapable of any resistance.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Four - The Roots of Magic</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878139</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878139</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:26:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A belief in the ability to influence supernatural powers by prayer, sacrifice or invocation dates back to prehistoric religions and may have originated in the need to explain aspects of the weather such as the wind, rain or thunderstorms. Magic in one form or another appears in ancient cultures around world in Egypt, Greece, India, the Middle East and elsewhere.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Three - Familiar Faces</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878125</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878125</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:26:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Some characters are common to many magical stories - the evil witch or wizard, the aged wise counselor, the reluctant hero, the noble ruler, the evil advisor. Young readers certainly always need to be able to identify with the chief protagonist, but the story's other major characters must also be believable, even if they are not strictly human. Characters with recognizable traits, quirks and mannerisms who seem to almost leap off the page are always going to be popular with readers and are rarely forgotten. 
]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part One - Magical Journeys</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878050</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878050</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:05:10 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Magic plays a big part in children's lives as they grow up. Santa Claus is a very familiar figure to millions of children, along with all the magical things associated with the secular side of Christmas each year. This is something many children are sure is real, for a while at least, as is the tooth fairy, an ever present character in the lives of kids when they are younger.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Twelve - Secret Languages and Mysterious Books</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878304</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878304</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:24:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Magical objects of course are not the only means by which powers can be exercised. We also see the specific use of archaic or secret languages and names in ways to practice magic. Spell books may be written in a long forgotten language or enchantments and verses inscribed on ancient stone tablets or written on the walls of tombs buried for centuries.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Eleven - Magical Objects</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878294</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878294</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:22:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Magical objects abound in fantasy stories and take a wide variety of forms. They are usually endowed with fabulous powers which can affect memory, cast illusions, disguise people or objects by transforming them into something else, stop or turn back time and so on.]]></description>
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<title>Magic in Stories For Younger Readers - Part Five - Mystical Powers and Mythological Creatures</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2878159</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2878159</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:57:13 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Some stories involving magic often feature a mystical power, which is present in everything in the world, all around us, or is sometimes found in objects such as magical symbols, a mysterious ring, a precious stone or charm that a character can access. Wizards, witches and sorcerers often have the power to manipulate one or more of the natural elements, control mystical energy supposedly present within the human body and many stories strongly feature the mysterious power of the subconscious mind.]]></description>
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<title>Getting Started As a Writer - Part Five - Inspiration From Everyday Life</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2557390</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2557390</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:56:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Activities unrelated to writing can often unlock your inspiration, whether it's doing laundry, walking the dog, tidying the house, mowing the lawn or doing the dishes. It's surprising how even the most mundane situations can launch you on the road to your next story.]]></description>
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<title>Getting Started As a Writer - Part Four - No Happily Ever After</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2557366</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2557366</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:56:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you don't feel as if you can create your own story from scratch, why not use someone else's? This is not an endorsement of plagiarism, but rather a suggestion to rewrite the ending to a story you are very familiar with. This could be a fairy tale, a real incident from history, myths or legends, a movie or TV series]]></description>
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<title>Getting Started As a Writer - Part Three - People Plotting</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2557353</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2557353</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:55:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Some writers get at least part of their inspiration from pictures, paintings or photographs. Photographs of people are easy enough find online and another good writing exercise is to take two people and imagine a situation were they might meet.]]></description>
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<title>Getting Started As a Writer - Part Two - Kick-Start Your Creativity</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2557324</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2557324</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:55:23 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Even if you are really determined to work on your writing and have set time aside for it, there will be days when nothing seems to work to get you started. An interesting exercise to get a story moving is to use a collection of random objects drawn from a bag...]]></description>
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<title>Getting Started As a Writer - Part One - Creating the Spark</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2557312</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2557312</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:54:54 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[There appear to be an endless number of sites on the web offering advice on writing, concerning where to get ideas, character development, point of view, working in different genres, story structure, the editing process, how to get publishers and agents to pay attention to you and so on. And yet one of the most frequently asked questions, especially for beginners is how to actually get started with your writing?]]></description>
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<title>Naming Your Characters - Part Five</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2293394</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2293394</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2009 09:32:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Avoid stereotypes too, although admittedly this depends on the story and what you are trying to portray. A scatterbrained scientist might have a quirky name if he is being used for comic relief, for example. However, it can be tough for the reader to take him seriously if at some stage in the story he has a role in saving the day or has to deliver some important dialogue.]]></description>
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<title>Naming Your Characters - Part Four</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2293385</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2293385</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2009 09:30:45 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When selecting names for your characters, you can of course borrow and adapt names from famous people, especially if those particular names will be a good fit for the person in your story. However, you'd be unwise to use a name that will be too familiar to people and make them immediately think of a particular historical person, who may or may not have anything in common with this fictional person you've created.]]></description>
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<title>Naming Your Characters - Part Three</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2293375</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2293375</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2009 09:28:02 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[While getting the name right for a historical era, such as the medieval period is very important, this is just as crucial even if setting your story in more recent times. Baby name books and websites can give you an insight into names from the Middle Ages, but they can also give you an idea of names that were popular with parents in the early part of the twentieth century. If you have a story which takes place in the Second World War and are unsure of the names that were prevalent then, a quick check of the baby names ...]]></description>
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<title>Naming Your Characters - Part One</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2293344</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2293344</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2009 09:27:59 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Thinking of names for the characters in your stories can be very easy for some writers, with the names just popping into your head, while for other it can be a torturous and painstaking experience. Sometimes it may not even be that crucial to get the name just right, but there are a few things to remember when choosing names for the people you invent.]]></description>
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<title>Naming Your Characters - Part Two</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2293364</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2293364</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2009 09:27:55 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As well as personifying a set of personality traits, or conjuring up images of a famous person, names can also be related to class or social status and also to the person's ethnicity. If you're setting a story in a particular country and you're not familiar with that part of the world and its first and last names, do your research.]]></description>
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<title>Where Do Ideas Come From? Part Two - Influences and Imagination</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1931708</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1931708</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:55:13 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As a writer, I often find myself wondering 'what if?' This can in itself lead to many story ideas, some of which may end up being more developed than others. What if there was a letter in your mailbox, inviting you to attend a school for wizards?]]></description>
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<title>Where Do Ideas Come From? Part One - Finding Inspiration</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1931696</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1931696</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:54:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the most common questions asked of authors, whether from children during school visits or in interviews, is where do you get your ideas from? In so many ways, ideas are all around us - in newspapers, magazines, pictures, photographs, other books, whether fiction or non fiction, television, movies, even video games. History can be a constant source of inspiration for writers, but so are personal experiences, family vacations, family, friends or pets.]]></description>
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<title>Where Do Ideas Come From? Part Four - Turning Ideas Into Stories</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1931746</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1931746</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:47:44 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[For a writer, having ideas in some ways is the easy part. If all that was needed was a good idea, everyone would be a writer. What takes time, dedication and effort is actually turning them into stories.]]></description>
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<title>Where Do Ideas Come From? Part Three - Historical Parallels in Lord of the Rings</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1931739</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1931739</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:46:31 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Although Lord of the Rings is set in a fictional world, many of the characters have some basis in history. Aragon as a reluctant hero, who shuns power for himself and merely seeks to free his people, has echoes of Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, the hero of Braveheart. The wise counsellor is also a recurring character throughout history.]]></description>
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<title>Writer's Block Part Two - Outside the Box</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1874601</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1874601</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:58:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Writer's block is usually defined as the temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing, usually due to lack of creativity and inspiration. This article looks at ways that you can defeat the dreaded block.]]></description>
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<title>Writer's Block Part One - You're Not Alone</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1874586</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1874586</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:58:01 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Writer's block is usually defined as the temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing, usually due to lack of creativity and inspiration. This series of articles looks at ways that you can defeat the dreaded block.]]></description>
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<title>Time Travel Tales - Rules of Engagement - An Interview With the Writer's Retreat</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1805851</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1805851</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:36:52 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This extract is part of an online interview which was undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at the Institute of Children's Literature in September 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute has offered the premier writing course for adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens.]]></description>
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<title>Categories of Fantasy - An Interview With the Writer's Retreat</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1805885</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1805885</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:36:33 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This extract is part of an online interview which was undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at the Institute of Children's Literature in September 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute has offered the premier writing course for adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens. ]]></description>
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<title>YA Or Middle Grade? - An Interview With the Writer's Retreat</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1805922</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1805922</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:31:52 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This extract is part of an online interview which was undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at the Institute of Children's Literature in September 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute has offered the premier writing course for adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens.  ]]></description>
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<title>Word Count in Children's Books - An Interview With the Writer's Retreat</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1805911</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1805911</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:30:48 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This extract is part of an online interview which was undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at the Institute of Children's Literature in September 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute has offered the premier writing course for adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens.    ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Time Travel Tales - Back to the Future? - An Interview With the Writer's Retreat</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1805877</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1805877</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:16:00 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This extract is part of an online interview which was undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at the Institute of Children's Literature in September 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute has offered the premier writing course for adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens. ]]></description>
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<title>Book Signings and Promotional Events - Part Two - Location, Location, Location</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1643740</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1643740</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:25:36 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you want to get people to pay attention to you and your book, you have to go to the busiest locations. If you have done lots of events locally over the years, you become aware of the locations where you usually do well and also those where you sell few, if any, books. You learn by experience and you invariably have to sit for long hours at each bookstore to determine whether or not it is good place for you.]]></description>
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<title>Book Signings and Promotional Events - Part One - Planning Ahead</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1643722</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1643722</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:23:40 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Book signings and other promotional events are a vital part of the wide range of marketing activities you need to be involved in as a published author. If you're with a large publishing house, they might set up a tour for you or perhaps arrange a launch or one or two events when your first book is published. However, if you wish to maintain momentum, you have to remain in the public eye as much as possible and do events on a regular basis.]]></description>
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<title>Book Signings and Promotional Events - Part Four - Establishing Relationships</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1643771</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1643771</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:18:25 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In order to ensure that your book signing is a pleasant experience, it's very important to establish a good relationship with the store. Bookstores, especially the bigger chain operations, can be very busy places as Christmas approaches. Consequently, if you have a book signing and for some reason your table isn't ready when you arrive and the staff don't even appear to know you are having an event that day, don't go crazy and storm out of the store.]]></description>
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<title>Book Signings and Promotional Events - Part Three - Networking Opportunities</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1643756</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1643756</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:16:01 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A book signing event is a selling job and you have to treat it almost like having a booth at a trade show. Don't sit there reading the paper or a book or otherwise not engage your potential customers. And you need to smile constantly, until your face hurts if necessary.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The Importance of Editing and Revision - Part Two</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542376</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542376</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:57:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[There are no right and wrong ways to revise your work. Some people do it as they go along, while others insist on finishing the entire piece before they start to look at any alterations. My first novel had over twenty versions, the rest probably between five and ten.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The Importance of Editing and Revision - Part One</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542360</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542360</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:55:16 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[  It's virtually impossible to overemphasize the importance of editing and revision to authors, whether they are published or not. The proliferation of personal home pages and blogs online in recent years has resulted in countless creative outlets for the aspiring writer, but these pages all too often can be filled with sloppy writing. Good editing and a thorough revision process are generally what separate those writers who have the ability to earn money from their craft from those who don't.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The Importance of Editing and Revision - Part Three</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542396</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542396</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:49:49 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It is tough to edit your own work, because this is your baby and you are biased, even if you don't think you are. You have to have a thick skin to be able to handle the rejections, which all writers experience, so you have to be hard on yourself before you even send your manuscript out to publishers in the first place.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Creating Space and Time For Your Writing - Part Three</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542181</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542181</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:36:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's very important to set up your office space so that you can be comfortable while working on your writing projects, but it's equally important to set time aside for your writing. This can be particularly challenging for people with younger children, especially if they are using the same computer and workspace. It's also extremely difficult for aspiring authors with regular jobs, which may entail long hours and precious little time to spare once they return home at the end of the day.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Creating Space and Time For Your Writing - Part Two</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542176</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542176</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:36:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Due to the nature of the creative mind, it might seem too much of a contrast for the writer's workspace to be neat, tidy and well organized. Yet, if your home office isn't a place in which you truly feel at home, your creativity will ultimately suffer.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Creating Space and Time For Your Writing - Part Four</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542187</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542187</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:35:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Time is a precious commodity and it often seems there simply isn't enough of it to go around. Most aspiring writers who are hoping to become published authors have a full time job during the week. Consequently, the only option is to create your masterpiece at night or over the weekend.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Creating Space and Time For Your Writing - Part One</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1542161</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1542161</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:32:17 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whether you're just starting out as a writer or are a seasoned professional with several published novels to your credit, it's important to have the right space to effectively pursue your chosen craft. You need to be comfortable in the area in which you choose to work within your home.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seeing the Light - Writers and Seasonal Affective Disorder - Part Four</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1436899</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1436899</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:02:38 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many people are adversely affected each year by the winter blues and writers are no exception. There are many ways to combat SAD, including antidepressants and other medications, but bright artificial light treatments are common as a means to give the body more exposure to the light that is lacking once winter approaches. For SAD sufferers, shorter days and long nights can initiate depression, excessive fatigue and other issues.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seeing the Light - Writers and Seasonal Affective Disorder - Part Three</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1436894</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1436894</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:05:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[So how does Seasonal Affective Disorder affect those of us engaged in the business of writing? Are those writers living in Canada, the northern USA, Alaska and Scandinavia less prolific in their output in the long winter months? Does the cloud cover in Vancouver, Seattle or the rainy climate in Britain and Ireland reduce the amount of literary work originating in those areas of the globe?]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seeing the Light - Writers and Seasonal Affective Disorder - Part Two</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1436883</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1436883</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:04:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Seasonal Affective Disorder is primarily a mood disorder, with sufferers mostly experiencing normal mental health throughout the course of the year, but becoming depressed or generally more down in the winter months. Seasonal variations in a person's mood may well be related to light, or rather the lack of it. SAD is often more prevalent in the higher latitudes of the planet and in Finland, for example, the rate for SAD among the population is close to 10%.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seeing the Light - Writers and Seasonal Affective Disorder - Part One</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1436877</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1436877</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:04:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[We all know what it's like at that time of year. It's growing colder every day and it gets darker much earlier, especially after we alter the clocks for daylight saving time in some parts of the world. It is also flu season, either for ourselves or for our children, after bringing something back from their school.]]></description>
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<title>Writers Helping Writers - The Benefits of Professional Manuscript Evaluation</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1317149</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1317149</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:42:02 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's finally done. You've finished your first novel after many years of painstaking work. You're sure it could be an international best seller.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Twelve - Realistic Settings</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1288874</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1288874</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:06:14 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Any novelist, whether for they are writing for children or adults, must invent a complete imagined world and the creation of realistic settings is a key element in any story. Even the often highly fantastic universe created by fantasy or science fiction writers must always rest on extremely solid foundations. This remains the case even though the realm in which the characters live and interact may differ greatly to the real world.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Eleven - Creating Characters</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1288522</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1288522</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:05:42 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In children's science fiction and fantasy literature, your lead characters have to be someone the reader can readily identify with, even if they have fabulous adventures. Similarly, your cast of supporting characters has to seem realistic too. They may be grotesque monsters, mythological beasts, aliens with two heads and seven arms, robots or androids, but even if they aren't human beings, they still have to have depth as characters if they play more than a fleeting role in the story.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Ten - Young Heroes</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1288443</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1288443</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:05:09 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In your children's science fiction or fantasy novel, even if the setting is in a different time period, in outer space or in a world completely unlike our own, it is imperative that the young characters in the story overcome their adversaries through their own efforts and find solutions to the problems and obstacles that they encounter. Adult characters can certainly appear in the book, and even assume very large roles in the story, but the main character or characters have to succeed by using their own abilities, even if they are young children. In The Alchemist's Portrait, Tess works ...]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Nine - Keeping it Real</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1284594</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1284594</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:04:18 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a children's science fiction or fantasy novel, the adventure may take place in another dimension, on an alien planet or on a ship in deep space, in a parallel universe or alternate reality, in the distant past or far into the future. However, even though the setting may be very far removed from the typical life of your readers, children will have far more interest in the story if it somehow relates to their own experiences. At first glance, this seems like a difficult proposition with a science fiction or fantasy novel.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Eight - Pacing Your Story</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1284562</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1284562</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:03:44 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The length, page count or the number of chapters or words in children's literature is by no means carved in stone, but the story needs to be tight and very fast paced. Most stories aim to hook the reader right at the start with an exciting or thought provoking first chapter. This assumes an even greater importance with children's novels, where the reader's attention span is often considerably shorter than that of an adult.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Seven - Writing Older</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1284527</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1284527</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:03:16 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In novels for young readers, children generally prefer not to follow the adventures of lead characters that are younger than them and in some cases even the same age. If your story is aimed at readers aged eight to twelve years old, for example, your main protagonists should usually be depicted as being around twelve or thirteen, but generally no older than that.  As a writer, you also have to be careful not to talk down to the reader and you shouldn't consciously change your style or oversimplify your writing.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Six - Medieval Medicine</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1280582</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1280582</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:02:37 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Creating The Heretic's Tomb and establishing an authentic setting in 1349 meant learning about the types of medicine practiced in Europe during the Middle Ages. Again, online sources played a part, but I also read books on topics such as the medieval way of life, diet and nutrition, living conditions, doctors and their treatments, the large role played by superstition and the position of the church to get a feel for how Lady Isabella might have gone about her work as a healer and medical pioneer during the devastating epidemic of the Black Death. The causes of the disease are ...]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Five - Plundering the Past</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1280577</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1280577</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:02:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Just as The Sorcerer's Letterbox involved research into the medieval period and specifically into the mysterious disappearance of Edward V and his younger brother, in writing The Heretic's Tomb, I studied the subject of the Black Death, which is estimated to have killed over twenty five million people in Europe in the mid fourteenth century. In The Heretic's Tomb, Lady Isabella Devereaux comes into the possession of a mysterious amulet that has the power to restore life to the recently deceased. Living at the time of the Black Death in 1349, the noble and virtuous Lady ...]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Four - Historical Research</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1280574</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1280574</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:01:07 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Editors, teachers, librarians and critics may scrutinize the imaginary science in your science fiction story and the same applies to historical facts in time travel stories. Just as the scientific equipment has to be in working order, the historical details have to be well researched for the story to remain credible. In The Sorcerer's Letterbox, Jack discovers a letter in a drawer and finds himself corresponding with Edward V, one of the princes imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1483.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Three - Creating Credibility</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1280569</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1280569</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:37:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It is crucial that your time machine, method or device, whether it is mechanical, magical or even supernatural, appears to be authentic and is easily believable in the mind of the reader. In my workshops on this topic at schools and libraries, the majority of children have wonderfully inspired ideas related to time travel, but some struggle to explain how their machines or methods actually function. They are also usually very clear on the way their character travels back in time, but have given little thought to the return trip.]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part Two - History is a Thing of the Past</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1280562</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1280562</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:30:26 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[History is a thing of the past and there are over five thousand recorded years of it to serve as an inspiration for writers in many different genres. Both historical fiction and time travel adventures, either for children or adults, show no signs of waning in popularity, but to be plausible to the reader, even stories involving magic or imaginary technology have to be well grounded in reality. In The Alchemist's Portrait, during a school field trip to the art gallery at a local museum, Matthew journeys through the frame of a magical painting, which acts as a time portal, ...]]></description>
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<title>Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers - Part One - Suspension of Disbelief</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1284356</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1284356</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:37:35 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Writers of science fiction or fantasy have something of an advantage over those who work in other genres in that virtually anything you can imagine is possible. Your stories may feature time travel into the past or future, alternate realities, parallel universes, alien worlds, other dimensions and so much more.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops by Children's Writers - Part Five</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1270605</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1270605</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:04:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[While its very important to do your own homework in terms of discussing schedules with the teachers, organizing your presentations, planning your topics to fill a week or more as an author in residence, selecting subject matter appropriate to each audience, ensuring that all financial matters are in order and so on, before embarking on a school visit, the experience is usually very rewarding for children's authors. School visits allow you to talk about your own work, your inspiration, your future projects, answer questions, sell some autographed copies of your books, and present yourself to a entirely new audience.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops by Children's Writers - Part Four</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1270597</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1270597</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:28:50 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Author visits can be a lucrative source of book sales, but it's wise to ask if such activity is even allowed at the school ahead of time. Most schools are delighted that you will be bringing books to sell and sign for the children while you are there. If you send order forms or other paperwork prior to your arrival, teachers often collect the money for you and everything can be extremely well organized.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops by Children's Writers - Part Three</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1270590</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1270590</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:12:51 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[No examination of author visits to schools and libraries would be complete without some mention of fees and honorariums. In Canada, fees naturally vary from one author to another and while writing organizations have recommended rates, usually calculated by the hour, its still wise to do your own research. Are other authors in your area charging by the hour, by the day, half-day or even per head?]]></description>
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<title>Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops by Children's Writers - Part Two</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1270585</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1270585</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:02:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Once you have been invited to visit a school, the organizers may only be looking for an author to read their books to the students, but mostly teachers expect something more. If you are planning to conduct school visits on a long-term basis, you should have a well thought out set of presentations, workshops and other material. You also need to not only discuss the subject matter of your own books.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops by Children's Writers - Part One</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1270505</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1270505</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:27:33 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Unlike those writing for an adult audience, children's authors have far more opportunities to secure speaking engagements. Many teachers and librarians at elementary, junior high and, depending on the age range of your books, senior high schools, like to host artists every school year. They know that an author visit can be inspirational, boosting student creativity and encouraging them in their own writing.]]></description>
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<title>Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Web Copywriter</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1262738</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1262738</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:42:15 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whether you're an established author, an aspiring writer or a small or large business owner, if you're thinking of creating a website for yourself, its crucial to do it right so that you can get the maximum benefit from your presence on the web. Here are a few reasons why its important to hire a professional to create your editorial copy for your website.    ]]></description>
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<title>Virtually Famous - Websites For Authors and Writers</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1262607</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1262607</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:11:32 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This article examines why authors and writers should have websites as a means to promote themselves and their work around the world through the medium of the Internet. The author explores the best methods to employ so that your website immediately captures the reader's attention and retains it, so that they will explore your site fully, what type of content and images  to include on your website's pages, the promotion of your site, the use of keywords to maximize your visibility with search engines and more.]]></description>
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