Picture Book Writer Series: The Hard Work Lecture

No matter how old people are or their feelings about reading, they have fond memories of picture books. These memories can range from reading with parents or grandparents at night books like, The Monster at the End of This Book or The True Story of the Three Little Pigs or just about any Golden Book. Memories, of row after row of hardback picture books with white tags on the spine in a school library or even a public one, are also front and center in readers' minds. Maybe some of these picture books were the first ones that you learned to read as a child, and now you are sharing your favorites with your kids--Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? or Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. 

Gosh, picture books are just fun, right?

I'm a picture book writer with two published books, Maggie Mae: Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies and That's the Way It Always Happened. My publishing company has also published two picture books in the Perky Pet Problems picture book series by Fred Olds: The Dog and the Flea: A Tale of Two Opposites and The Cat, the Mouse, and the Neighbor's Dog:A Tale of Problem Solving. I've read countless manuscripts and advised multiple picture book writers, and so I feel like I'm pretty well-versed in the genre, and I'm here to say...

1. They aren't as easy as they look.

2. Pay as much attention or more to these manuscripts as you would a novel while writing and revising them.

This is part one of a four-part series on picture book writing for The Muffin. (Part two will be on Dos and Don'ts, part three will focus on illustrations, and part four will be about marketing.) Today's post is a lecture. It is--I'm sorry. Experts tell us not to be preachy, and I started writing this post thinking that I wouldn't be. But then I felt myself taking a step up onto my soapbox and fully planting myself on it, holding a megaphone to shout out: "If you have such fond memories of picture books from when you were young, and if your kids do too, then your readers deserve picture books that can give them those same kind of fond memories!" 

Let's start with three main tips:

1. Know what kind of picture book you're writing. If you're writing a concept book, like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, then own it--put those concepts in the manuscript for your preschool audience and make the story fun and creative because there's not a concept that hasn't been covered. Fred's The Dog and the Flea is a concept book with a story--the concept is opposites, and the back-of-the book activities explain what opposites are and why dog and flea are in a book about opposites. Plus, there's a matching activity that kids can do with their parents to reinforce the concept of opposites. Commit to your concept, and be original. 

2. If you're writing a rhyming book, read it out loud--as many times as you can, into a tape recorder, to your partner, or kids. You know that it's not just about the rhyming words at the end of the lines--we aren't writing a grade school poem for our parents. The text has to have rhythm. It's one of the reasons why I publish Fred's rhyming books. He has a natural talent for rhyming and the rhythm. The book is like a song--we could probably put music to The Cat, the Mouse, and the Neighbor's Dog. 

3. Give those kids in the book a problem. Just like middle grade and young adult readers need to see themselves in the starring roles of the books they read and facing and solving challenges, so do our youngest readers. In That's the Way It Always Happened, my main character, Lucy, has trouble listening, and she has to figure out a way to listen to her teacher before the end of the week, or she might mess up the big cheer they're doing for Red Ribbon Week. If you aren't writing a concept book or a non-fiction book for kids, then you need a problem in your story--even if you're writing in rhyme. Stories need conflict! 

I meet a lot of picture book writers. Some hire me to help them improve their manuscripts. Most of the drafts I read are lovely, fun, interesting ideas for young readers. But making these drafts into publishable books takes work. (Don't worry the lecture is almost over!) Research the market. Read picture books like the ones you want to write. Study rhyme and rhythm with experts, like Dr. Seuss or Tedd Arnold. Make sure the story is solid with story elements, such as problems/solutions, rising and falling action, and character growth and motivation. Then remember, illustrations help tell the story--that's why you can get by with so few words, but those words have to be spectacular.

You can be the next Eric Carle, Patricia Polacco, Mo Willems, or my author pal, Fred Olds, publishing his first children's books at 91! You can be a great children's writer. But it will take work, just like being a novelist does. Stay tuned for part two on dos and don'ts, coming up next time I blog in a couple weeks! 

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, and publisher, living in St. Louis, MO. Check out more about her at https://www.margoldill.com. If you are interested in hiring her as a picture book editor, check out her writers' services here. She's picture to the left in a crown--it's probably gone to her head, and that's why she started lecturing...

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6 comments kids books, Margo L. Dill, picture books, Writing Picture Books

Trying To Get a Book Published Is Not So Easy...

Last week, I announced that I would have a new picture book out titled, Listen, Lucy! Listen! A Red Ribbon Week Adventure, and I do! I did it! I got the book out before a lot of schools are celebrating Red Ribbon Week and before the National Family Partnership's Red Ribbon Week dates of October 23 to October 31, 2019. I am thrilled.

But getting to this point was not easy. I share this story with you today for a couple reasons:

1. Maybe your own road to publication is not going as smoothly as you hoped, and you are feeling stuck with limited options.

2. My story is not atypical for any creative area--whether you write novels, paint landscapes, photograph family portraits, or create Christmas wreaths. Being creative, producing your work, and selling it is not for the faint of heart--but it is possible. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

I wrote this picture book over fifteen years ago when a friend of mine told me she was having trouble finding a good Red Ribbon Week book to share with her students. She said there are a lot of books--nonfiction--that talk about saying NO to drugs, but not many with a story that is also entertaining. So I wrote this manuscript; and of course, I revised and revised and tinkered and debated and all the things that picture book writers do.

Then I found a publisher. It was a small, regional publisher who was getting into picture books, and she had high hopes for a series of Lucy books, and so did I! She found an illustrator who worked in water color. We signed a contract for royalties, and I was even assigned an editor. The artist finished her illustrations, and there were a few back and forths about the cover and a couple of the illustrations, and then...NOTHING. I mean NOTHING.

Eventually, I discovered that the publisher suffered from some family problems and physical ailments and went out of business or at least stopped publishing anything new, and I gave up on Lucy. Until...everyone started self-publishing their books and doing well. It's very hard for a picture book author to self-publish because you have to find an illustrator, and your book price is hard to set as inexpensive if you print them in color because that is not cheap. But the brain wheels started turning and turning and turning, and finally, I contacted the illustrator and asked if she had the originals.

That was about two years ago, and I did nothing until the spring of this year. I realized that I had the capability to create a PDF of this book--but then I was still stalling. I had a form of writer's block until I began listening to podcasts on book marketing. One point the podcasters talk a lot about is giving something away for free when someone signs up for your email list. Before this picture ebook, I had designed a practical parenting worksheet for email newsletter subscribers, but I wanted to give something more. The lightbulb went off, and I decided my free gift would be Listen, Lucy! Listen!

Once I decided I would give this book away for free and use it as a marketing tool, the design took off, and I finished it up in a few weeks with my critique group looking over it to make sure it was done well. And then I emailed the illustrator to tell her I had finally decided what to do with Lucy and that she could use it to giveaway, too, and...

no email back.

I started to worry, and so I turned to Google, and sure enough, Pam Withroder, my illustrator, had died last year. Ugh. She never got to see the finished product, and I know that she had poured her heart and soul into those illustrations, so I was very sad that I had waited so long to finish it, and she never saw it.

But now it's done. And a lot of teachers have already downloaded it to use it, and I'm super excited that I finished a project and published it in spite of all the difficulties Lucy's story had getting out into the world.

If you're interested in reading Listen, Lucy! Listen! or you know a teacher or parent with preschoolers to second graders, then please click this link or pass the link on. (Scroll to the middle of the page, and you'll see the newsletter sign up and information about Lucy!) To receive the book for free, all it takes is an email address.

And to the authors and illustrators out there, to get your book into the world, it takes grit and determination--but you can do it!

About Listen, Lucy! Listen: A Red Ribbon Week Adventure:  It’s Red Ribbon Week, and Lucy is ready to learn about being drug free. But there’s one problem. Lucy always forgets to listen. She tries to listen to what her teacher Mr. Grant says, but she gets distracted by polar bears and police dogs. The whole week is a total disaster for Lucy, and she has to figure out the secret of listening. Will Lucy discover how to be a good member of her classroom in time to celebrate being drug free? Join Lucy, Mr. Grant, and her classmates for a Red Ribbon Week adventure! Click here to enter an email address and receive your book for free.

About Margo L. Dill: When she's not writing picture books, Margo is working on longer fiction and teaching novel writing classes, such as WOW!'s Writing a Novel With a Writing Coach, that starts THIS FRIDAY, November 1. It's not too late to achieve your 2019 goals of working on or finishing a novel with Margo's help. Register here before the price increases in 2020.

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4 comments email newsletters, marketing, marketing advice, picture books, Red Ribbon Week, self-publishing, Writing Picture Books

My Three Favorite Picture Books and Why They Work

By Lynne Garner

I'm always encouraging my students to read, read, and read some more. Reading is a great way to improve your writing. It demonstrates what works and what doesn’t. To show you what I mean, I've decided to share my three favorite picture books and explain you why I think they work.

1. The Picture Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak

This picture book doesn’t contain a single picture. So how can a picture book without pictures work? Well, it cleverly plays on the premise that an adult reading this book must read exactly what is on the page. Even if these words are nonsense such as "blork," "bluurf," or "my head is made of blueberry pizza!" Kids love this book. If you don’t believe me then watch the video below of the author sharing his work. Pure magic!

2. Tadpoles Promise written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Tony Ross

I was looking for a book that would prove an author could weave fact and fiction successfully in a picture book. As I read, I could see the author had achieved this, but what I didn't expect was the twist in the tale. The story follows tadpole and caterpillar who are deeply in love. Caterpillar forgives tadpole three times for breaking the promise that he’d never change (he turns into a froglet). Upset caterpillar climbs the branches and soon emerges as a butterfly. She decides to forgive her love and returns to the pond. Unfortunately, she is eaten by a frog who is waiting for his true love, the caterpillar.

Why does it work? It explains in simple terms the wonder of metamorphosis. It tells the story with humor, and children understand the joke that tadpole eats caterpillar. To listen to this book being read check out the video below.

3. The Big Bad Mole's Coming written by Martin Waddell and illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello

You don’t have to have hundreds of words to tell a story. What you need are the right words. In The Big Bad Mole’s Coming, the story follows a boy who warns the farm animals that the big bad mole’s coming. At first they don’t take him seriously, but after repeating the warning the animals begin to panic. The story is told in a grand total of 91 words and the entire book only contains 23 different words. Meaning, the author uses repetition successfully to tell the story.

What have I learned from reading the above picture books?

• It's possible to successfully mix fact with fiction
• Kids understand and respond to humor, even when it's sophisticated
• Choosing the right words is essential to good storytelling
• Don't use ten words when one will do
• When used correctly, repetition can create a memorable story

So, I'll say it again. If you want to improve your writing, read, read, and read some more.

***

Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US. She has 24 books published; this includes three picture books, with a fourth to follow shortly. Her first title The Best Jumper was recorded for the CBeeBies children’s radio channel (part of the BBC) whilst A Book For Bramble has been translated into five languages including Korean and Indonesian. To find out more about Lynne, visit her website at LynneGarner.com.

Would you like to learn how to write a picture book? Lynne teaches two picture book courses with WOW! Women On Writing: How to Write Children's Picture Books and Get Published and 5 Picture Books in 5 Weeks (Advanced Course).

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1 comment Lynne Garner, picture book examples, picture books, Writing Picture Books

What Makes a Good Picture Book?

What makes a good picture book? You would think I should know since I am a picture book author, have attended many workshops on picture book writing, have read countless picture books, and teach about picture book writing.

But, I read so many picture books I don't like.

I read some to my daughter and think:

• What exactly is the message this is sending? Is this what I want my daughter to learn?
• That was a great book until the last two pages. What a dumb ending!
• This book is only published because it is written by a celebrity.
• This book is only published because it is part of a series.
• This book is only published because a loveable, well-published writer wrote it.

But traditional publishers are publishing these books, and many get good reviews. So, why do I seem to have these negative thoughts popping up about these books? I'm not sure. But I decided to put a positive spin on it and talk about what I think makes a great picture book. (This is just a short list. Maybe I'll do a part two post next time I blog. Or add to this list on your own--with the comments section below.)

1. Creative spin on an old topic/theme. This is why I like the pigeon books by Mo Willems. The pigeon is such a toddler--I want to drive the bus! I want a puppy! But these books are clever, funny, and original.

2. Word choice and the fewer the words, the better: Picture books should be SHORT. These manuscripts should be 1000 words or much less actually. And really pay attention to the word choice and flow of the text. I LOVE Peter Brown's Mr. Tiger Goes Wild and so does my daughter. Wonderful example of this characteristic of children's books, in my opinion.

3. The rule of three: I love the rule of three--think about children's literature: three bears, three wishes, three pigs, and so on. Three things are just enough examples of the point you are trying to make as an author. I use the rule of three in my picture book, Maggie Mae: Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies--Maggie finds three clues, three suspects, and three shaky alibis!

4. Remember your audience: A picture book audience is supposed to be a child 7 or under and his or her reader (parent, grandparent, teacher). These children love to smile, adore their families, and go crazy over a cute puppy or kitty cat! Parents have to want to buy this book for their child, so you do have to consider that; but remember, your true audience is a child. This is why my child and I often do not agree on what book to read or check out from the library. But I'll tell you one thing: both of us LOVE Dr. Seuss. He's a classic, yes, but he knew his audience!

What do you think makes a good picture book? What are some that you like? 

Margo L. Dill is the author of three books for children from picture books to young adult novels. She is teaching a class about taking hold of your children's writing career, which includes a critique, in the WOW! classroom this spring. To see this class and others, please check out: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html

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7 comments children's authors, Margo L. Dill, picture books, Writing Picture Books

The Three Sentence Pitch: A Tool to Focus Your Writing

Last summer, I ran a picture book manuscript past my critique group.  It was ready to go.  I just wanted their stamp of approval and then I could send it off.

The problem was that I didn’t get it – the stamp of approval. 

It seems that in the process of rewriting my work, I hadn’t smoothed out bumps and made it tighter, but instead had lost my focus.  The telltale sign that this had happened was the chorus, or actually two choruses (chori?). 

In picture books, there is often a repeating line of text that echoes throughout the story, much like a chorus.  You don’t see it after every page turn, but you see it often enough that readers learn what is coming when they hear the first two or three words.

In the first draft of my story, I had created a chorus based on my theme of the story.  It worked because it made the story cohesive. 

But then I had to strengthen the character.  While I was doing that, I started to play here and there with the text and another chorus emerged. In a longer book, this might work but mine comes in at less than 500 words.  Nope.  No room for a second chorus.  With it, the story felt unwieldy. 

The only solution was to rewrite it and get it back on track.  It was going to be tough to evaluate each spread for what could and couldn’t stay in the leaner meaner version.  I needed something to keep me on track and help me focus. 

Fortunately, I remembered the three sentence pitches we practiced writing at a Missouri SCBWI writing retreat.  A three sentence pitch is just enough to give an agent or editor an idea what your story is about.  It deals more with theme and character than plot.  With only three sentences about your story, you have to focus if you are going to fit your character, her problem and a hint at the theme all in three sentences. 

It’s still rough, but this is what I came up with:

No one knows what’s going on at Sappington’s Superior Circus better than Felicity Fernandez. She finds lost children and car keys and can point the way to the next act. The problem comes when she can’t find her place in the Circus and she wonders if she would be better off someplace else.

In 53 words, I have the character (Felicity Fernandez), the setting (Sappington’s Superior Circus), the story problem (Felicity can’t find herself), and a hint at the theme (even if you know where everything else belongs, it may take some time to find your place). 

With this in mind, and on an index card, I can evaluate each paragraph of text. Does it develop this idea?  If not, cross it out.  When I am done, I will have a tightly focused story with a chorus that once again has the space to ring out.

--SueBE

SueBE blogs about writing at One Writer's Journey.  

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6 comments picture books, pitch, rewrite, Writing Picture Books

Broad Appeal: Writing a Nonfiction Picture Book That Will Sell

Publishers are buying picture books.  To be marketable your nonfiction manuscript has to appeal to not only the young reader but also the adult buyer. 

Your reader is interested in all kinds of things from animals to how things work. They are eager to explore their world. Although they are interested in a wide variety of things they are still kids so your manuscript has to have a kid friendly slant. In their biography of Abraham Lincoln, authors Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer focused on his sense of humor. The aptly named book? Lincoln Tells a Joke. But kid appeal isn’t enough to sell your manuscript. Adults like the topic.  Kids like the slant.  

Parents and other adults stand between you and your audience. Picture books, especially durable hard covers, aren’t cheap and adults aren’t going to plunk down $16.99 to $19.99 unless the book appeals to them as well. How you do this depends to some extent on who the reader is.

Because teachers use picture books in the classroom, it pays to know what young readers are studying. Check the Common Core Standards for the appropriate grade levels. No matter how you feel about this educational initiative, it can help you see who is reading what and at what level.

In addition to their home in the classroom, picture books are read aloud at story times, in the classroom, at bedtime and more.  Many a parent knows that if a child really loves a book, this might mean reading it 15 times in just a few days. Don’t torment the adult buyer. Make this experience as fun as possible with language that is playful, lyrical or rhythmic. Lisa Wheeler does this in Mammoths on the Move, a fun to read aloud rhyming story that appeals to both the adult reader and the child audience.

I hinted at this above but to have broad enough reader appeal, your book has to be something the reader will want to experience more than once.  One way to do this is with a fun read aloud.  Another way is to create a manuscript with dual texts.

A manuscript with dual texts not only introduces a younger reader to a new topic, but also gives an older reader more information.  The main text is short and simple. It gives the younger reader what they need but also provides a framework for the older reader’s text.  This comes in the form of sidebars that provide additional, in-depth information. In Where in the Wild?, David Schwartz gives young readers a series of poem that invite them to find the camouflaged animals hidden in the illustrations.  The sidebars give in-depth information on each animal.

Create a nonfiction picture book with broad appeal and your work will find readers who want to experience it again and again.

--SueBE

Sue will be teaching one of our courses, Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults, starting October 7, 2013.  

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4 comments children's nonfiction, nonfiction writing, reader appeal, Writing Picture Books

Writing Picture Books: Set Yourself a Challenge

By Lynne Garner

A few months ago the lovely ladies at WOW sent me a link for PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month). Children's author Tara Lazar devised the concept. The basic idea is to come up with 30 ideas for picture books over a 30-day period. Thankfully, you're not expected to complete 30 manuscripts in 30 days. Simply come up with at least one new idea per day. This could be a title, a character, an idea based on something you saw or perhaps overheard.

I'll admit the idea was a little scary. I debated for a week or so before I took the plunge and signed up. I've seldom had a problem coming up with ideas but I definitely felt out of my comfort zone during this challenge. Some days I struggled to come up with anything. Other days I had two, sometimes even three, ideas. For example, whilst driving home on day 12 I had three ideas. First, I spotted a For Sale sign that had a large black hen on it. A few days earlier I'd read The Little Red Hen. I now had a friend for her, a big black hen. The story will focus on how these two friends use their size difference to help one another. Secondly, seeing a queue at a bus stop reminded me of a joke where people joined a queue but didn't know what they were queuing for. So this story will focus on what each character hopes is at the front of the queue. Finally, I was stuck behind a very slow moving tractor. Thankfully I had plenty of time, but this made me think about how life seems to put slow things in your way when you are running late. So this story will focus on how my character deals with slow things when he needs to be fast.

Taking part in Picture Book Ideas Month has reinforced my belief that ideas can be hidden around every corner. It has also highlighted to me that in order to improve your writing you have to set yourself the odd challenge or two. This challenge could be anything. Perhaps writing in a story format you've never used, crafting a story in rhyme or telling a story with a limited number of words. It could be joining a local writing group or a national group such as SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writes & Illustrators), writing a story to enter into a competition or, as I did, signing up for Picture Book Ideas Month.

So, go on, give your writing a boost and set yourself a challenge.

-----

Would you like to try writing a picture book? Sign up now for Lynne Garner's class, How to Write Children’s Picture Books and Get Published, which starts on January 5, 2013.

If you've taken a picture book course before then you can enroll in Lynne's advanced course, 5 Picture Books in 5 Weeks (Advanced Course), which also starts on the same day.

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3 comments Lynne Garner, online writing classes, Picture Book Idea Month, picture books, WOW Classes, WOW instructor, Writing Picture Books

Let it build!

by Lynne Garner

As a writer, there are many ways you can tell your story. One method that is often used in traditional stories is known as "repetition." This is where actions and words are repeated to create your story. However, there is also a variation known as the "cumulative" story structure or a "chain story." It is where the character repeats the same actions and/or words but with each repeat a little extra information is added.

This type of story not only uses repetition of words but is sometimes written using rhyme. To demonstrate this let's look at The House That Jack Built. The rhyme starts with:

The is the house that Jack built

Followed by:

This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built

Followed by:

This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built

As you can see more detail is added to the previous sentence, creating a story kids love.

Another equally famous cumulative story is There Was an Old Woman. The story starts with the old woman swallowing a fly. She then swallows a spider to rid herself of the fly. She then swallows a bird to rid herself of the fly. As the story progresses the animals the old woman swallows get bigger. They include a cat, dog, goat, cow and finally a house. Which brings the story to an abrupt end because "she died of course!"

I'm hoping you can see the possibilities this type of story offers a picture book writer. If so and you'd like to give it a go then why not read a few books written using this structure for inspiration. The following link provides a great list of books you may wish to start with: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/cumulative-tales.

***

Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US. She has 21 books published; this includes three picture books, with a fourth to follow shortly. Her first title ‘The Best Jumper’ was recorded for the CBeeBies children’s radio channel (part of the BBC) whilst ‘A Book For Bramble’ has been translated into five languages including Korean and Indonesian.

***

Join one of Lynne's latest WOW! Women on Writing classes:

How to Write Children's Picture Books and Get Published 

or 

5 Picture Books in 5 Weeks (Advanced Course)

Both start on Saturday, August 4th. Classes are limited to 15 students.

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1 comment Lynne Garner, online class, story telling, WOW Classes, WOW instructor, writing children's picture book, Writing Picture Books

Researching the Picture Book Market

I'll admit, when I first starting to write picture books I didn't approach it from the same angle as I did when writing my nonfiction books. That is to say, I didn't see my stories as a product that had to fit in a competitive market. However, when I finally experienced that light bulb moment I quickly placed my first picture book, A Book For Bramble.

What changed?

I started to research the market. I visited the local library and spent hours looking at picture books. As I read, I took notes. I noted the names used, how sentences were constructed, what themes were covered, how humor was included, word count, etc. I then visited the local bookstore and repeated the exercise (slightly more discreetly) to discover if there were differences between what was being published and what had been published (the books in the library). Armed with these notes, I returned home and tried to discover if I could see patterns in subject matter, in the way subjects were covered, and in the way sentences were constructed.

I discovered:

•  Humor appears to play an important part in many books.
•  Tools such as repetition are used to help move the story along.
•  The magic number three appears in many books (for example in The Gruffalo, you'll discover "'three" hidden all over the place).

I started to use the patterns I'd found in my own stories. Within months of changing the way I looked at my stories, I fulfilled one of my lifetime ambitions of becoming a published picture book author.

Today I still continue to research the market and read picture books as often as I can. The receptionists at my dentist, doctor, optician and vets are used to seeing me rummage in the stock of picture books they provide to keep kids entertained. The assistants in the library and bookstore now take no notice as I read their picture books. Family and friends watch in amusement as I encourage their children to show me the latest addition to their bookshelf. Without this research I'd not be able to keep up to date with a changing market. By keeping abreast of what the reading public wants, I'm able to write stories I can place with a publisher.

So if a new writer (of any genre) wants to become published, my advice is research, research, research.

***

Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US, having over 300 features printed. She has 21 books published; these include 10 craft-related how-to books, working with both publishers and packagers. Lynne designed, produced copy, and photographed many of the craft projects featured on The Craft Ark.

*****

Join Lynne's latest WOW! Women on Writing class:

HOW TO WRITE CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS AND GET PUBLISHED,

a five week course starting on Saturday, May 5, 2012.

This class is limited to 15 students and early registration is recommended!


*****

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1 comment Lynne Garner, market research, WOW Classes, WOW instructor, writing children's picture book, Writing Picture Books

Five Tips for Making Time to Write

by Lynne Garner

It doesn't matter if you're writing a novel or a book based on your favorite hobby or craft, sometimes finding time to write can feel impossible. So here are a few tips I've used and continue to use.

1. Create an appointment. Put in your diary that perhaps for 20 - 30 minutes every other day you have an appointment to write. Just like an appointment with the dentist or doctor, you can't break it. You will find you can get quite a lot completed and your family and friends soon get used to you being unavailable at these times.

2. Take yourself out. If you find the home environment difficult to write, then take yourself out. Perhaps when you do the shopping, stop off at your favorite coffee shop. Treat yourself to your favorite drink and spend time on your writing.

3. Set goals and/or deadlines. Perhaps you could set yourself a goal that every day you spend just 10 - 20 minutes working on your book. This may sound impossible but perhaps you can implement tip four to achieve this goal.

4. Repurpose your time. I think it's safe to say many of us have time that can be classified as wasted. For example, I used to classify walking the dog as wasted time. Now it's not! Between throwing the ball, I use my phone to make notes. So, do you spend time waiting for the children to come out of school? Do you have to wait for a bus or train? Take a pen and pad with you or even print off some copy and sit and edit. Those wasted minutes soon add up.

5. Use bribery! It's amazing how much time you can suddenly find if you offer a bribe in exchange for a little writing time. It doesn't even have to be something that will cost you financially. For example, agree with the kids you'll cook their favorite meal if they keep themselves quietly occupied for half an hour.

The above tips have worked for me, and I hope they work for you.

Good luck!

Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US, having over 300 features printed. She has 21 books published; these include 10 craft-related how-to books, working with both publishers and packagers. Lynne designed, produced copy, and photographed many of the craft projects featured on The Craft Ark.

*****

Join Lynne's latest WOW! Women on Writing class:

HOW TO WRITE A CRAFT BOOK,

a five week course starting on Saturday, May 5, 2012.

This class is limited to 15 students and early registration is recommended!

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2 comments finding time to write, Lynne Garner, making time to write, online class, WOW Classes, WOW instructor, writer inspiration, writing children's picture book, Writing Picture Books

The $#*%! Language in Children's Books

I recently discussed It's a Book by Lane Smith on my blog. If you haven't seen this book and you are a writer and lover of books, you are going to want to rush out to your nearest bookstore and check it out. In a nutshell, there's a donkey (a.k.a. jackass) and a monkey who are discussing a book. The monkey is reading a good, old-fashioned book with pages to turn, a cover to open, and a story to enjoy. The donkey can't quite get over this thing called a book that you don't have to charge or scroll down to read.

The controversy lies in the last word of this book, which is jackass, and whether or not this is a book for kids. In general, people don't think kids will understand the satire of the book the way adults will--many adults who are worried books will be obsolete some day. Adults will love It's a Book and get it; many picture book audience kids will not. But the big controversy and the reason why some parents would not buy it for their kids (and they said so on Amazon.com) is the last word.

This got me thinking. Why are there cuss words in children's books? Every time there is one, someone has to complain about it or even try to ban the book. Do we think kids aren't exposed to these words in their everyday lives? Of course, we know they are. But I guess there's something about reading them that just really gets people going.

I'm not sure what my position is, as to me, it depends on the book. I think that if the book calls for cussing, then there should be cussing. If authors are just doing it for shock value, I think they can search for another way to get readers' attention. I probably wouldn't put a cuss word in a picture book, but I tell you, I think Lane Smith's book is GENIUS. It is laugh out loud funny.

What's your take on it? If you are a children's author, have you used inappropriate words in your manuscripts? Do you let your children read these books with cuss words? If you are a teacher, do you share a book with cuss words in it with your class?

Let us know!

post by Margo L. Dill, http://margodill.com/blog/

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5 comments children's books, Children's Literature, children's writers, Margo L. Dill, Writing Picture Books

Ann Whitford Paul, author of Writing Picture Books, Launches her Blog Tour!

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

When an elementary school classmate read Ann's journal--including all the mean things she'd written--it put an end to Ann's first foray into writing. She went back to being a voracious reader, first on her own and then with her children. In a family of four children often the only quiet time was just before bed when Ann and her children snuggled together reading. It was those moments that inspired Ann to write books to help other children and adults recreate those cozy times. Encouraged by her family's love of books Ann has written 17 children's books, had her poetry published in several anthology and taught many classes on children's writing.

After years mothering her noisy brood Ann enjoys her quiet time. When not reading or writing she revels in quiet while quilting, knitting, doing puzzles or listening to the quiet rumbling purr of her cat, Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen is Ann's and Mr. Darcy's favorite author.

Find out more about Ann by visiting her website: http://www.annwhitfordpaul.net

About her book:

Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication

by Ann Whitford Paul

Have you ever thought you'd like to write a picture book, but don't know where to begin? Have you been submitting stories, but getting only form rejections?

Writing picture books is not easy. Picture books are a unique form of writing with a large audience of 2- to 8-year-olds, and they must appeal to both the adult purchaser and the child listener/reader. They are generally 32 pages long and must be tightly focused and told partly through illustrations. And novice picture book writers make a lot of mistakes--and get a lot of rejections from publishers flooded with inappropriate manuscripts. From this book these writers will learn the writing and revision process that will lead them to creating more salable picture book manuscripts. Ann Whitford Paul covers researching the picture books market, creating characters, point of view, plotting, tips on writing rhyme, and more-all the lessons writers need to write great picture books that will appeal to both editors/agents and young readers/parents. She uses a mix of instruction and hand-on exercises, often asking readers to cut, color and paste their way through revision.

This book covers picture book form, structure, language and the business side too. Learn how to revise your manuscript into a polished and publishable story from the award winning author of 17 children's books.

Genre: Writing/How-to
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN: 1582975566
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (June, 2009)

Book Giveaway Comments Contest!
If you received our Events Newsletter, remember, we are holding a contest to win a copy of Ann's book, Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication, to those that comment. So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, enjoy the chat, and share your thoughts, and comments, at the end. We will randomly choose a winner from those who comment. Enjoy!

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Welcome to The Muffin, Ann. We're delighted to launch your blog tour for your book, Writing Picture Books. You've been a children's author and writing teacher for years. What made you finally decide to write Writing Picture Books?

Ann: I was, and continue to be, most grateful to the fabulous teachers, Sue Alexander, Myra Cohn Livingston and Sonia Levitin, who helped me along the road to publication. After I'd had several books published, I wanted to thank them by helping others who were just starting out in their careers. I've taught through UCLA Extension (http://www.uclaextension.edu) for over ten years and done lots of speaking and workshops throughout the country and the world. The idea of tackling a book about writing picture books never entered my mind until a student Molli Nickell (http://www.getpublishednow.biz/) encouraged me to do it. I put it off for several years, afraid of the work involved, but with support from many friends and students finally sat down to write it. As with almost all things, it turned out to be easier than I imagined. I loved the process and am thrilled with the results.

WOW: Did your experience with Writing Picture Books influence you to write Word Builder, a book about writing with a different audience—children?

Ann: It was purely a coincidence that these books came out at the same time. Obviously Word Builder directed to children is much simpler. It compares building a book to building and construction work. I hope it will take out some of the mystery and fear away from those elementary school students when they have an assignment to write their own books.

WOW: In Kindergarten this year my son did quite a bit of story writing—with his teachers' help. Each week a different student was "Publisher of the Week." What do you think we can learn from children that will make us better writers?

Ann: Children are fantastic observers. They squat down and watch a snail creep across the walk, or pick up a pebble and study its bumpy texture. All writers need to be observers. They need to spend time seeing what others miss and then writing about that in their books. Telling details are what make the reader feel as though they are in the scene unfolding on the book’s page. Also children have a wonder of the world. We adults tend to gloss over things we’ve become familiar with. Capture that wonder by exposing yourself to new places, new experiences and new people. It will only enrich your writing.

WOW: When was children’s book publishing a new experience for you? How has it changed since then?

Ann: My first book Owl at Night was published in 1986 at a time when the poor illustrator had to do color separation art. It must have taken her ages. Back then I submitted everything via snail mail. Now e-mail and fax have saved time and money submitting.

Obviously in these tough financial times, it's much harder to sell a book. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe only higher quality books will make it to the bookstores. Unfortunately, the time editors can spend on editing has also been drastically cut and many editors have been laid off. This is not a good turn of events as their expertise is critical to producing strong and compelling books. A lot of these laid off editors are now working as agents and I notice a trend toward agents doing the editing work that publishing houses no longer support.

WOW: Any secrets to getting a children's manuscript accepted by a publisher?

Ann: To get a children's manuscript accepted by a publisher today, it must be unique and have a strong voice and character. Picture Book texts must lend themselves to interesting and varied illustrations. Quiet books and mood pieces are harder to sell now, but fear not. Especially in these hectic times, books that encourage contemplation and peace will eventually be back in demand.

While times are tough, it would behoove writers to focus on their craft. Read as many books in your genre and about your genre. Enjoy the process and when things turn around, submit nothing but your very best work.

WOW: As a children's author you've participated in your share of public appearances. Any advice for those of us who get performance anxiety? What makes an appearance go smoothly? What makes it more enjoyable for the children in your audience?

Ann: I am no stranger to performance anxiety. But that's not a bad thing. It usually inspires you to work hard making sure your talks are good. Personally, I don't think you can ever over prepare. Remember that your audience is giving up their precious time to listen to you. Make sure you give them something new to take home with them.

For those of you who (like I used to do) start to tremble when speaking or feel sick to your stomach, the good news is that it passes. Pausing for a deep breath helps a lot and the more you speak in front of children and adults, the more comfortable you will feel.

One thing that helped me was to remind myself that whenever I spoke, I wouldn't do it perfectly. Wanting perfection will only increase the pressure you put on yourself and also it's impossible to achieve. It's easier and more helpful to consider each presentation, not as you being showcased, but as a learning experience. That way you always do well, because you always learn something about what to do in the future. Every time I present, I ask the audience for feedback.

When speaking to children, try to involve them in the presentation. Children like to act out books and they also love to sing songs related to your book. This morning I stayed for story time at my granddaughter's preschool. The teacher stopped frequently to ask the children what they thought, or to get opinions, or to listen to their stories. She was wonderful.

Visual aids are also helpful. I’ve made a quilt about my writing process that you can see on my web site at http://www.annwhitfordpaul.net/ProgramsSchools.html. You can download a picture and the explanation of each square. For the much younger children, I often bring stuffed animals.

WOW: That's fantastic advice! So, what's coming up next for you?

Ann: I was surprised how much I enjoyed working on Writing for Picture Books and am in the middle of another writing book that has less to do with technique but more about the life of being a writer. I write every day and am currently revising a collection of poetry and several picture book manuscripts. Hopefully you'll see one, or some of them, in a bookstore in the near future.

WOW: Thank you, Ann, for taking time to chat with us today! We wish you the best of luck on your tour for Writing Picture Books.

Want to join Ann on her blog tour? Check out these dates and mark your calendar! You can also snag a copy of WOW's Events Calendar HERE.

Blog Tour Dates: Come and join the fun!

JUNE 22, 2009 Monday
Ann chats with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. One lucky commenter will win copy of Ann's book!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html

JUNE 23, 2009 Tuesday
Ann stops by Zook Book Nook for an author interview and book giveaway contest! She's giving away 2 books! Be sure to stop by and comment for a chance to win.
http://zookbooknook.blogspot.com/

JUNE 24, 2009 Wednesday
Authors have no time (or words) to lose. Ann stops by Donna's Book Pub to teach us how to "Grab Your Reader from Word One." Not to miss!
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com/

JUNE 25, 2009 Thursday
Walking the tightrope, eating cotton candy for dinner, dealing with clowns--we've all been there! Ann stops by Ann-Marie Nichols' blog, A Mama's Rant, and gives her take on the writing life with the post: Welcome to the Circus: Juggling Family and Writing.
http://www.amamasrant.com/

JUNE 29, 2009 Monday
Stop by Margo L. Dill's blog, Read These Books and Use Them, to hear Ann's advice for writers of all ages. For adults, she wrote Writing Picture Books, and for children, the picture book Word Builder.
http://www.margodill.com/blog/

JULY 1, 2009 Wednesday
With over a dozen books to her name and years of teaching, Ann's learned a few things about children's writing. Today she stops by Cathy C. Hall's blog, Finders & Keepers, to share her top five writing tips.
http://cathychall.wordpress.com/

JULY 2, 2009 Thursday
Stop by the WordHustler blog today and find out how Ann Whitford Paul became and award winning children's book author! WordHustler's interviews are fantastic--not to miss!
http://wordhustlerink.wordhustler.com/

JULY 10, 2009 Friday
Kristi Holl, children's book author and teacher at The Institute for Children's Literature, reviews Writing Picture Books. If you're interested in children's book writing, be sure to check out this fabulous blog!
http://institutechildrenslit.net/Writers-First-Aid-blog

JULY 15, 2009 Wednesday
It's a day for firsts! As the first guest author on the Teaching Authors blog, Ann will be talking about her first book about writing. And don't forget to enter to win a copy of Writing Picture Books! Also, be sure to check back for a review of Writing Picture Books in the future. ;)
http://www.teachingauthors.com/

JULY 17, 2009 Friday
Ann stops by Samantha Clark's blog, Day By Day Writer, to share her expert writing advice.
http://daybydaywriter.wordpress.com/

We may have more dates to come, so be sure to check out our Events Calendar HERE to keep up with the latest.

Get involved!

We hope you are as excited about the tour as we are! Mark your calendar, save these dates, and join us for this truly unique and fascinating author blog tour.

If you would like to host one of our authors, or are an author looking to schedule a tour of your own, please email Angela and Jodi at: blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com

** Please feel free to copy any portion of this post.

Oh, be sure to comment on this post to enter in a drawing for a signed copy of Ann Whitford Paul's excellent book, Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication.

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10 comments a hands-on guide from story creation to publication, Ann Whitford Paul, author blog tour, book giveaway contest, interview with Ann Whitford Paul, Writing Picture Books