Tip # 1 - Get Personal!
What I mean by this is to go beyond the form and craft of writing to tap into your own heart, as well as the heart of your characters - especially your main character. In today's writing market the trend is toward character-driven stories, rather than plot-driven stories. This means we must introduce and expand our characters in such a way as to be interesting to the reader right away. This is even more important in children's literature where the "hook" must be set in the heart of the young reader, early in the first chapter, or you'll likely "let one get away!" This is something I heard from the person who critiqued my work. Make sure you give your main character a great first impression, and quickly, and you'll be well on your way to a character-driven story - Good Luck!
