Recently, editor Cheryl Klein of Scholastic gave a talk at an SCBWI conference in Colorado called "Rules of Engagement: How to Get (and Keep!) A Reader Involved in Your Novel." Children Come First has released her talk as a free e-book, which they describe on their site:
- The first part of the eBook talks about how to get and keep a reader involved in your novel. Klein lists the various things she sees in manuscripts that knock her out of the characters' brains or worlds—little tiny things, pacing questions, word choices even, that distract and dislodge her from the story.
- The second part, How to Disengage Your Reader in Ten Easy Steps, goes through ten different things writers need to avoid doing if they want to keep the readers engaged in the story.
- The eBook wraps up its third part with a transcript of the question and answer session from the conference.