12 Updated Resources for 2011
- State of the industry. First, a basic question: Are picture books dead? Not according to Karen Springen and PW.
Don’t Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet, By Karen Springen, Dec 12, 2010
- Writing Encouragement. Natl Pic Book Writing Week May 1-7, 2011
National Picture Book Writing Week is a take off on the National Novel Writing Month and encourages writers to work on children’s picture book manuscripts.
Basic Resources for Writing Children’s Picture Books
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30 Days to a Stronger Picture Book. Children’s picture book author, Darcy Pattison has 30 posts about how-to write a children’s picture book. Answers questions like, where do I find an illustrator? (You don’t! See why.)
This is also available as an ebook.
- Getting Started: The Basics of Children’s Writing and Illustrating, by Harold Underdown
Introductory information for people wanting to get published as a children’s book writer or illustrator in the United States, by former editor.
- Picture Book Editing Checklist
Authors on How-to Write a Children’s Picture Book
- So You Want to Write a Picture Book–advice from author Mem Fox.
- Nancy Antle on Writing Children’s Literature: Interview about Dos and Don’ts of Writing Picture Books.
Philip Bell: Capturing Childhood Magic With Picture Books
Updated Information on Self Publishing a Picture Book
- Why I’ve Switched to CreateSpace for Picture Books, by Aaron Shepard
Long-time self-publisher has insider knowledge about various POD options and explains why he’s switching to Amazon’s CreateSpace.
How to Write a Rhyming Picture Book
- How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get it Published — Part 1: A Writer’s Perspective.
- How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get it Published — Part 2: A Publisher’s Perspective.
- How To Write a Rhy
7 Children’s Picture Book Manuscripts in 7 Days
I’m taking the 7 in 7 picture book challenge.
Report on 7 in 7 for the first week of May, 2009
- May 1: Violet Ivy’s Button Eyes. 1128 words.
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May 2: ABC book. OK, so it’s one I had half-way started before and abandoned because I had blanks for about six letters. All I did today was fill in the rest of the letters, add more options to the letters I had and did general research and clean up. But I now have something for each letter. Yes, two or three are shaky. But it’s progress and I’m counting it.
- May 3: At the End of the Rainbow. I didn’t even start until 7 pm because I went to church, then did accounting. But I managed to finish a full draft of this story and am excited to see how it sounds after a couple days of cooling off. The title will change, but it’s a good working title. 1295 words. Yes, I’m writing long, but I can cut.
- May 4
- May 5
- May 6
- May 7
Post from: Revision Notes
Revise Your Novel!
Copyright 2009. Darcy Pattison. All Rights Reserved.
Related posts:
- How to Mock-up a Picture Book
- 10 Suggestions for Picture Book Titles
- Picture book standards: 32 pages
Keeping in touch with kids is hard sometimes. I’ve been working on lists of picture book ideas for Friday Ideas and I find myself writing nonsense! No kid would be interested in some of the ideas I put down.
Then, my grand-daughter came to visit and I remembered what I must never forget: kids have a wide variety of interests. Still - there are some ideas better suited to preschoolers, some to school age, some for teens.
How do you keep up with kids? Here are some suggestions.
Volunteer with Kids. Volunteer in your local school, church, or community organization. Volunteer to read for a local story hour at a bookstore or library. Just an hour a week or every other week will keep you in touch with today’s slang, clothing, etc. And it will remind you of why you write for kids.
Re-read Your Favorite Children’s Books. Read for pure pleasure this time, not to analyze, but just to enjoy. Need a nudge to remember your favorite?
Read New Children’s Books. At least once a month, spend an hour or so at a local bookstore, studying the new picture books. This time, you do want to analyze. What publisher is doing what sorts of books? Any surprises? Get chatty with the children’s bookseller and ask what titles are selling well. Be a book market detective for a while. If you sit there long enough, you’ll see an elegantly dressed grandmotherly sort come in and ask for Fancy Nancy. You’ll see a mother dragging three kids with her come in and absolutely charm them by reading a story to them right there in the store. You’ll remember why you write for kids.
This works for any audience you write for: Do you write for quilters? Then attend a quilting class. Do you write for mystery lovers? Host a mystery dinner party. Do you write for fantasy lovers? Get thee a costume and attend a Con. Get in touch with your audience, and you’ll write stronger and better.
Post from: Revision Notes
Revise Your Novel!
Copyright 2009. Darcy Pattison. All Rights Reserved.
Related posts:
- humor for kids
- 4 Habits That Help Your Writing
- Why do kids like Harry Potter?
