Creating an engaging children’s book requires you to articulate thoughts and stories coherently and fascinatingly. Not only do you need to draw attention, but you cannot afford to make mistakes when editing. If you author children’s books, you already value the power of captivating young minds. Yet, you must be careful when you edit it so that you do not lose the creative passion in your initial writing.

Working on such a book requires maintaining your voice and ensuring appropriate language. Hence, the balance is delicate. Refrain from being one of the authors who makes some common mistakes related to the editing process, as it will hinder the success of your book. Learn how to polish your book while maintaining the original intent in your writing that engages readers.

Using Best Services to Edit Children’s Books

Sometimes, if you have the time or the writing techniques to polish off your book, you might need help to put the book together. This is a primary reason why many writers enlist help from professionals who specialize in bringing your work to market. One of these services is to gain access to children’s book editors available through PenFellow.  They also meet the needs of those seeking ghostwriting services, assistance with business plans, and even writing biographies.

For our purposes in this article related to book editing, seeking help will obviously save you time and effort. If you have never edited a book before, it can be more complicated than expected. And most certainly, it’s more tedious.  Editing a book requires factchecking research, planning, and meticulously ensuring the content is completely free of mistakes. It’s a special skill from someone administratively minded that is dedicated to every little detail.

5 Common Editing Mistakes When Editing Children’s Books

Making a children’s book is similar to crafting a piece of art. A great one is not about the greater picture; it all boils down to collecting all the integral parts. Editing a good children’s book should involve creating simple sentences while sparking creativity and curiosity.

However, many neglect the full attention to detail of the editing process. Editing can include revising and refining your work. Generally, you aim to improve the clarity and coherence of your book.

Here are the top common mistakes to avoid.

Common mistake #1: Avoiding the developmental editing process

Developmental editing is the most crucial final touch your work needs. It focuses on reviewing the structure, pacing, and plot of your writing. At this point, the editor will work closely with your author to review and evaluate the book. This includes identifying strengths and weaknesses, fixing plot holes, and ensuring no character inconsistencies.

Common mistake #2: Spending too much time editing spelling and grammar mistakes

Grammar and spelling mistakes in books are essential elements that all editors want to avoid. However, you do not wish to over-correct your sentences to make them less coherent or not as engaging. Hence, consider focusing more on the flow and structure of the book while editing. Refrain from over simplifying phrasing while reviewing simple mistakes.

Common mistake #3: Being too heavy-handed with changes

As an editor, it might be tempting to make all these unnecessary adjustments while editing, writing, and illustrating children’s books. However, the more heavy-handed alterations you make, the more likely you lose the writer’s unique voice. Good editors have a good understanding of writing techniques to tread lightly and avoid a disjointed result.

Common mistake #4: Ignoring consistency

Another vital element to making children’s books is the overall format, style, and wording. While the writer focuses on addressing the target audience, the editor must ensure everything flows smoothly. The review process should include having the same approach, overall format, and style.

Common mistake #5: Failing to factcheck

If your book is fictional, you already know that many elements will be imaginary. However, a children’s book might be about a real-life, non-fiction story. If that is the case, throughout your editing process, you should aim to address any factual information and double-check its validity.

Conclusion

Overall, it is easy for editors to overlook some common editing mistakes inadvertently. However, neglecting to review your book thoroughly after completion will hinder the process necessary for a successful book for children to enjoy. Moreover, the sales and popularity of your work will dwindle if everything is not handled properly from the original idea, to writing, to editing, to the final result of a high-quality children’s book that is coherent and enthralls readers.

Author’s Bio
David Santana: David has an undying passion for storytelling and literature. He loves to share his creativity and knowledge by writing well-crafted articles about tips and common mistakes to avoid when writing and editing. With David’s effective techniques, one can learn to engage any person’s imagination!

Read how to choose the right book marketing company for your genre.

Are you a singer, musician, or in a band and you record your music?  The digital distribution of music has become essential for artists seeking to promote their songs and albums to music fans.  While physical albums and CD’s are still sold in stores and online, the music industry mainly operates in a digital world.  So, how to you get your music out to grow your fan base?

The solution is enlisting the services of a digital music distribution platform.  However, this can be a daunting task, especially for artists who are just starting out.  As we all know from our own experience listening to music, music lovers can easily listen to their favorite singers and bands through an app on their phone.  Thousands of songs are accessible at our finger tips, enabling is all to discovering a myriad of new artists.

Streaming services have created opportunities for independent artists to distribute their music worldwide.  It increases the reach of established artists as well.  In this article, we’ll take a closer look at digital music distribution.  Basically, it’s how you can get your music uploaded for people enjoy and follow.   We’ll explore the benefits, the various platforms, and provide steps on how a singer or musician can get started.

What Is Digital Music Distribution?

Digital music distribution is the process of making music available to music listeners online. It involves uploading music to online streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.  It can be accessed by music fans worldwide.  Digital distribution provides several benefits to artists, including the ability to reach a global audience, having more control over the distribution process, and access to detailed analytics and metrics.

Benefits of Digital Music Distribution

In the ever-evolving music industry, digital music distribution has emerged as a powerful tool for artists, granting them unparalleled access to data and analytics, along with increased control over their creative process. By harnessing these benefits, musicians can make more informed decisions, optimize their promotional strategies, and ultimately achieve greater success in the digital landscape.

Compared to the time before streaming platforms, one of the biggest benefits is the reduced cost.  We’ll elaborate on this benefit in our next point.

Global Distribution

Thanks to the digital world we live in, it’s much easier for artists to send their music out into the universe without having to create records or CD’s and ship them to physical stores. Digital music distribution makes makes it possible for independent artists to distribute music with the backing of a record company contract.  With older physical distribution methods like vinyl records and CDs, artists had limited reach.

More Control

Digital music distribution provides artists with more control over the entire distribution process, as opposed to being at the mercy of manufacturers, shipping companies or some faraway executive.   In addition to logistical details, artists can choose which platforms to distribute their music on and still retain creative rights. This control allows artists to make informed decisions about how their music is marketed.

Analytics and Metrics

Digital music distribution platforms provide detailed analytics and metrics that can help artists track the performance of their music. This information includes the number of streams, downloads, and revenue generated.  It allows artists to make educated decisions about future releases and adjust marketing strategies as needed.  It eliminates guesswork and makes the entire process less complicated.

Digital Music Distribution Platforms

There are several digital music distribution platforms out there for artists, each with unique features and benefits. This is not to be confused with the streaming services that deliver the music to listeners, such as YouTube Music and less mainstream services like Qobuz and Tidal. Distribution platforms are the ways an artist gets their music uploaded to these streaming services.

Here are some of the more popular platforms available.  A few of these distributors can also send music out into the world “old school”, by CD’s to stores.

DistroKid

DistroKid is a leading digital music distribution platform that allows artists to distribute their music to more than 150 music stores and streaming services worldwide. The platform offers unlimited uploads and charges an annual fee of $19.99 per artist, as opposed to charging per release.

TuneCore

TuneCore is another similar digital music distribution platform. The platform charges a fee per release.  That being said, it does allow artists to retain 100% of the revenue earned from downloads and streaming.

CD Baby

CD Baby is another platform entirely for independent artists.  They claim to be “anti-label” by its parent company’s COO, Tracy Maddux.  CD Baby retains 9% of reproduction royalties and charges a one-time fee per release with no annual fees.

RouteNote

RouteNote allows artists to distribute their music to over 50 music stores and streaming services worldwide. The platform offers a free option, with artists retaining 85% of their royalties, and a premium option, where artists pay $9.99 per release but keep 100% of their royalties.

AWAL

AWAL is a larger digital music distribution platform with access to over 200 music stores and streaming services worldwide. The platform offers a range of features, including marketing and promotion tools.  They charge artists a percentage of their royalties.

Getting Started with Digital Music Distribution

Choose a Distribution Platform

The first step in starting digital music distribution is choosing a distribution platform. Consider factors such as cost, marketing, and analytical features. You’ll also want to check the number of platforms you’ll have access to as an artist.

Prepare Your Music

Before uploading your music to a distribution platform, make sure it is properly formatted and labeled. Ensure your metadata is accurate.  This includes the song title, artist name, and album title, is accurate and complete.

Upload Your Music

After uploading your music to your distribution platform of choice, the distribution process will begin. The platform you choose will distribute your music to the streaming mediums and stores you selected during the upload process. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for your music to be available on all your desired platforms.

Once your music is available, you can begin promoting it to your audience and track its performance.  You can do this by using the analytics and metrics tools provided by the distribution platform. It’s important to continue promoting your music and engaging with your audience to increase reach, performance, and profits.  But at this point, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and begin collecting royalties from the platforms where your music was streamed or downloaded.

Teachers:  Explore 7 ways to make music class interesting for kids

Parents need to teach their children many lessons as they grow up, including how to follow directions. Some kids may need help learning how to follow instructions to the absolute letter, but there are ways that you can help them get better at this. Here are five ways to help kids learn to follow directions.

Ask for Their Undivided Attention

You can help your kids learn how to follow directions by asking them for their undivided attention. Ask them to look at you and tell them that it is important that they listen to what you are saying.

Otherwise, you will likely have no luck if you give directions when they seem distracted. Try to keep yourself in their line of sight or kneel to their level so that they will focus on you.

Make the Directions Simple

Another way to help kids learn how to follow directions is to make the way you give them instructions as simple as possible. Try to keep your wording clear and avoid saddling it with too much information. These extra words may confuse your child and end up causing them to misunderstand what you want them to do.

Limit It to One Direction at a Time

Although adults may find it easy to take directions that involve multiple steps, such instructions can be harder for young children to follow. They may end up feeling confused about what they are supposed to do, and ultimately skip a step. You can help them by giving only one instruction at a time.

As your kids get older and gain more practice in following directions, you can start to group more requests together. For example, you may give them a direction that involves multiples steps by saying, “Go outside, get the mail, and remember to close the mailbox.” Older children will be better at following instructions that involve doing one thing after another.

Let Them Process the Directions

You can also help your children learn how to take directions by giving them time to process the information. After you have explained an instruction to them, give them a few seconds to work it out in their brain.

This will help them get better at processing directions in the future. If your child still has questions, make sure that you answer them calmly and patiently so that they can better understand what you want them to do.

Sign Them Up for an Activity

Finally, you can help your kids learn to follow directions by signing them up for an afterschool activity when they reach the appropriate age. For example, one of the ways gymnastics helps improve your kids’ social skills is by putting them in structured classes where they listen and learn new skills during each session. That provides them with an ideal environment where they can practice following directions.

When you teach your kids how to follow directions, you will help them learn skills that will benefit them later in life during school and in their careers. Try to be a positive role model for your kids so that they can learn from you and eventually use the same methods to teach their own children how to follow directions.

Your children are growing up in a wonderful world where they can be virtually pursue anything they want, no matter their gender and physical ability. They may dream of becoming an astronaut, a paleontologist, or a fire fighter. But what can you do to encourage and help them reach those dreams?  What if you yourself need some inspiration?

Here are seven role models from history that you can teach them about to inspire your child to be all they can be.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a great man. He was a printer, writer, scientist, and politician. He was also a diplomat and publisher. In addition to this, worked as an inventor, postmaster general, and public servant.

Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanack, one of the most popular publications in colonial America because of the fact that it contained a lot of useful information. Franklin’s first Almanac was published on December 19, 1732, under the pen name of Richard Saunders.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving after James Buchanan from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He led the country through its Civil War and is considered one of our most beloved presidents.

He died at the age of 56 years after being shot by an assassin while attending a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC.  His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was with him but was unharmed.   Abraham was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, where he spent most of his life growing up before moving to Washington, DC.  There he became president after winning the election against Stephen Douglas, who later became Supreme Court Justice for several decades.

Lincoln became president when America was going through difficult times. He preserved the Union during the American Civil War. After a few months of the war, his Gettysburg speech became very popular and is still studied today.

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant is the only president to have been impeached. Grant was the first president elected without winning the popular vote, but he did win by a landslide in 1868.

President Grant served two full terms in office, which was unprecedented because no other president had done it before him.  Only four more have served that long since. He died on July 23, 1885, while serving his second term as president and was succeeded by James A Garfield.

Ulysses S. Grant was born to Jesse Grant in Galena, Illinois. He was the hero of the Civil War, leading the Union Army to victory while serving as the Commanding General. You can direct your kids to read about many heroes like Grant online. There are many websites dedicated to historical heroes and events.

Road To The Civil War is one such website. The website includes content about the Civil War and features a few books. One of these books mentions the pre-war events and narrates how the Civil War became one of American history’s deadliest but inevitable events. Other books have photographs of the 19th century that help remember the war.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is a great role model for children. He was one of the leaders in India’s independence movement, championing non-violent resistance as an alternative to war. His example shows that you can be powerful and influential without resorting to violence or aggression.

Gandhi used his influence as a leader to help others. For example, he encouraged people not only to give up their personal belongings but also their clothes if they had more than they needed. In 1906, he gave birth to Satyagraha, the non-violence movement. Truth and non-violence were the fundamentals of Gandhi’s thought process, which he followed throughout his entire life.

Lessons from those who lived great lives shows kids that it’s not only important what they do themselves, but also how they can encourage others by setting an example through their actions and choices.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was a lawyer and activist who spent 27 years in prison for his fight against apartheid. Searching Google to learn about apartheid is an educational journey all its own. He became the first black president of South Africa, but he never forgot how hard it was to be a kid growing up in South Africa under that oppressive system.

July 18 is celebrated as Mandela Day to celebrate his birth anniversary. On this day, people are supposed to do something good for others for 67 minutes, representing his 67 years of fighting to bring change in society for black people.

In 2013, Mandela passed away at age 95 after living a great life full of accomplishments and service to others.  A rewarding life is not always an easy life and Mandela fully knew this from his own experience.  His legacy lives on through his children and now yours.

Louisa May Alcott

If your child is a fan of Little Women, they will love to hear about the real-life author behind their favorite book. Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist and poet best known for her novel Little Women, published in 1868. She was the daughter of Bronson Alcott and Abigail May Alcott.

Louisa grew up surrounded by writers. Her father had been an abolitionist before moving his family to Concord, Massachusetts.  (Google the word abolitionist)  In Concord he opened a school called Fruitlands with his friend Amos Bronson Alcox, who shared many similar views on education and philosophy as himself.

The experiment failed miserably, though, when only two students showed up. He then moved back home and opened another school called Hillside House School which lasted only four months before closing down.  This one also due to lack of attendance. After this failure, Louisa’s mother encouraged her husband because at least he had tried to make a difference to children through his love of teaching.

The Wright Brothers

The Wright brothers were Orville (1871–1948) and Wilbur (1867–1912).  Together, they were American aviation pioneers credited with inventing and building the world’s first successful powered airplane. Born in Ohio, the brothers developed an early interest in aviation and mechanics. They conducted extensive research on aerodynamics and wing designs, leading them to develop a three-axis control system that allowed a pilot to maintain stability and control in flight.

After numerous experiments and test flights with gliders, the Wright brothers achieved their historic first powered flight on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville piloted the aircraft, known as the Wright Flyer, for a distance of 120 feet in 12 seconds. This groundbreaking achievement marked the birth of modern aviation.

Over the years, the Wright brothers continued to refine and improve their aircraft designs, contributing significantly to the development of aviation technology. Their accomplishments laid the foundation for the rapid advancement of aviation in the 20th century. The Wright brothers’ legacy continues to be celebrated as a pivotal moment in the history of human flight.

Helen Keller

Helen Keller was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She is also known for advocating for people with disabilities, especially blind and deafblind people.  Helen also became an author of 14 books.

She was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, USA, to Arthur Keller and Kate Adams Keller. At 19 months old, she became ill with a fever which left her without sight or hearing.  For the first 7 years of her life Helen communicated using “home sign”, which are gestures deaf children make up themselves to communicate.  Today, deaf children are taught much earlier to communicate, but in 1880 her first teacher, Anne Sullivan, did not come into her life until she was 6 years old.

Anne Sullivan, another remarkable woman worth learning about, devoted her life to teaching Helen to communicate using sign language and braille.  Remarkably, she also learned to read lips and eventually talk.  Helen would put her hands on Anne’s mouth learn the shape of each vowel as it was spoken.

Conclusion

There are many more inspirational figures in history, of course. These are just a few examples of famous and influential people that can inspire children and begin a educational journey into lives of many others.  These people had a disability, faced a challenge, or were different from others in some way. By learning about them, children will understand that being different isn’t something to be ashamed or afraid of; it’s something special.