Fuse #8 has posted the first ten books in her list of the Top 100 Picture Books as voted on by readers. Although I didn't get around to submitting my picks, today's 10 inspired me to chime in because book #94 on the list, The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small, would certainly be in my Top 3 books. It's perfect.
The other 2 would be The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present by John Burningham which are also, in my opinion, perfect picture books.
Can't wait to see the rest of the list.
I do my best writing when I listen to music. While I've been working on the synopsis, plot planning and character outlines for my WIP, here's what's been inspiring me lately:
- "Don't You Evah" by Spoon: I love this loose, weird, affable rant against people who have the easy life. Or at least that's how I interpret it...
- "Throw It All Away" by Brandi Carlile: Because her sad songs make me way, way sad. Helps me to crawl into my MC's Big Problem.
- "Poison Pushy" by Stanton Moore: The retro loungey song is the soul of the duh-he-loves-you dude that my MC mistreats... and mistreats...
- "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti: 'Cause it gets my fingers moving!
- "Another Postcard" by the Barenaked Ladies: It's absurd (a mystery person sending postcards with chimpanzees), and I'm inspired by the absurd in this work. Although I DID take out the rogue genetically engineered rooster that popped in at about midnight one night...(did you just hear my agent and editor shudder with simultaneous relief and fear?)
I would admit to having "Full Moon" by The Black Ghosts on heavy rotation but I don't want to be tooooo much of a Twilight fangirl...
I recently wrapped up a round of revisions for my agent, a few days ago. It's definitely a stronger piece, and it was worth the work. But that's not to say I just blithely tripped through the editorial letter and was all sweetness and light while I worked on it. Just ask my husband about the great Wednesday Night Freakout (he wisely placated me with a giant bowl of Edy's Loaded and a new episode of Top Chef).
What finally got me off my pouting "how will I ever figure out how to do this" chair was a picture book. My three-year-old picked it out from the library. Please forgive me, author, I don't remember the title or your name. Basically it was something like Trains. Or, All About Trains. Each picture showed a train doing something different. I can't say it was as exciting as Leonardo The Terrible Monster or The Pigeon Wants a Puppy (can you tell we have a Mo obsession in our house?). But he liked the trains so I read with half a brain. Anyway, my son stopped me on the picture of a train going through a tunnel.
"Why do trains go through tunnels, Mommy?" he asked.
"Because they have to," said I.
(insert five iterations of "But why?" and "Because")
And then I wised up and said, "Trains go through tunnels because it's the only way they can get to the station."
And ah! A light bulb went on in my head. My son, who is learning Patience With The Household Artiste from my husband, stared while I babbled on about revisions and tunnels and making the train go faster.
So here's the revelation that got me working productively and without (much) moaning. Revisions are tunnels. They're dark and often you don't know how long they'll last. Depending on the tunnel, there could be bats, floods or fire. But here's the thing: you are ON TRACK. Just keep moving through the tunnel. It's your choice, of course, if you wish to linger in the tunnel. If you hop off the train and head out to have a Grey's Anatomy marathon, just know the train won't go anywhere. It will wait, in the tunnel, where you left it. And the only way to be done--to get to the lovely station named DONE FOR CHRISSAKE--is to move the train through the tunnel.
An engineer's hat and a gold star to all who made it through my metaphor! Hey, it works for me. That and Edy's Loaded, Peanut-Butter Cup flavored (how is it that it's only 140 calories per serving? Are they, like, tablespoons?)
It’s so hard being “almost there” with a story. You love your work, you’re getting positive rejections, so what does it take to sell? For me, it was all about making the story bigger. And, I know, you’re saying you’ve heard it before. So did I. But I didn’t know what it meant. I had to push my writing to a level I had never gone to before, but I found three things were the key:
The “No Way” Factor
My characters had to take bigger chances, have more to risk and lose. It’s easy to say, but a hard thing for a writer to do. It’s a vulnerable, risky place to be. I knew my story was big enough to sell when instead of ending my writing sessions thinking, “I hope that’s good enough to impress an editor,” I ended them thinking, “No. I did not just write that. I did not just make my character defend herself with a toilet brush and a can of Purple Prairie Clover air freshener.”
The “Brainstorm” Factor
The first thing you think of might be good, but chances are the twentieth thing will be even better. When I was trying to think of a hidden hideout for my biker witch characters, the first idea that popped into my head was an abandoned biker bar. Kind of neat, right? Instead of going with it, I sat down and brainstormed twenty ideas. The first five or so come easy. The rest really make you stretch and think. One of those twenty ideas became a fun, quirky hideout for my witches – an abandoned riverboat that they’d enchanted years earlier (while drunk on dandelion wine). Now they not only need a safe place, but they need to catch the Choking spells, Lose Your Keys spells, not to mention the Frozen Underwear spells ready to attack from around corners and behind the old jukebox.
The “Surprise” Factor
Follow your story in new directions, because if you’re enjoying the surprise, chances are your readers will too. When I sat down to write my book, I had no notes about a sidekick for my heroine. But in the second chapter, when she’d learned she was a demon slayer and all hell was after her, she took comfort in her dog. As I was writing, I thought, "This is a sweet moment. Now how do I throw her off?" Simple. I made the dog say something to her. Nothing big. After all, he’s only after the fettuccine from last week. And he knows exactly where my heroine can find it (back of the fridge, to the left of the lettuce crisper, behind the mustard). It amused me, so I did it. Thanks to her unholy powers, my heroine can now understand her smart-mouthed Jack Russell Terrier. I had fun with it. In fact, I suspect Pirate the dog is my editor’s favorite character. I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if Pirate helped talk my editor into buying The Accidental Demon Slayer.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is – make your writing an adventure. Don’t be afraid to step out, take risks and push your story to the next level.
Angie Fox is the author of The Accidental Demon Slayer, coming from Dorchester this summer. Visit her at www.angiefox.com.
Today's poem comes from U.S. Poet Laureate (former) Robert Pinsky and is called "Samurai Song."
Stephen Colbert had Robert Pinsky host his metaphoroff with Sean Penn on the Colbert Report this evening and ordered his viewers to make "Samurai Song" the number one poem in the U.S. I submit. Here are the first stanzas of Robert Pinsky's "Samurai Song":
"Samurai Song"
When I had no roof
I made Audacity my roof. When I had
No supper my eyes dined.
When I had no eyes I listened.
When I had no ears I thought.
When I had no thought I waited.
When I had no father
I made Care my father. When I had
No mother I embraced order.
Read the rest of the poem here at Poetry International.
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Let the wild rumpus begin!
Ms.Mac at Check It Out shares some of her students' poems from her Young Writers Club. Great poems, great idea.
April has inspired poets to share their own work.
Suzanne at Adventures in Daily Living contributes "15 cherry tomatoes."
Gregory K. has "turned magnetic" over at GottaBook with another original poem.
Elaine also has a (funny) original up at Wild Rose Reader. You should send this one to Colbert, Elaine! (By the way...
are you looking for a poem on a specific topic? Then Elaine is your source. She's offering to find the perfect poem for you.)
Speaking of Elaine, she has been busy today!
She shares a Poetry Potpourri over at The Blue Rose Girls. (Information on a poetry institute, lesson plans, and more!)
Ummm...did you know that Kimberly of lectitans translates her own poetry...from the Latin?
Check out her translation of Catullus today. ETA:
Kimberly also reviews Lorie Ann Grover's On Pointe over at lectitans.
Michele makes no apologies for her Shakespeare contributions. (And, really, why should she?)This week's theme? The destructive nature of time.
Little Willow shares a short, simple, and true proverb this Friday at Bildungsroman.
Monica shares a letter written to a work of poetry today at educating alice. The letter was inspired by reading to her students. Casey, are you listening?
In the "great minds think alike" category, Kelly Fineman shares Robert Pinsky's "Samurai Song." Oh, and an undying affection for Mr. Colbert. (Should we start going by Kelly H. and Kelly F.? It'll be just like grade school.)
Eisha shares a poem from Nikki Giovanni and her speech at the Virginia Tech convocation (video format) at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Thanks, Eisha.
Cloudscome writes of hope and peace and shares from Nikki Giovanni's Virginia Tech convocation speech at A Wrung Sponge. Thanks, cloudscome.
Gregory K. and Elaine have inspired Tricia at
The Miss Rumphius Effect: She shares two poems on the topic of shells--one an original, the other from J. Patrick Lewis.
Susan Taylor Brown is craving some nonsense and turns to the master: Edward Lear and his "The Pobble Who Has No Toes."
The Wordy Girls share a number of 15 word poems this week--prompt?: A metronome.
The Old Coot remembers the 18th of April with "Paul Revere's Ride." (Great photos, too!)
Emily at Whimsy Books shares some (gulp) childhood poetry this week.
Anne contributes a Poetry Friday review of Jean-Pierre Simeon's This is a Poem That Heals Fish over at Book Buds.
Mrs. K shares a lesson plan (for grades 4-8) on ekphrasis at Readathon. (Great idea, Mrs. K!)
MotherReader shares the silly with an original haiku dedicated to some damage created by a couple of practical jokers at her husband's office. Gregory K., watch out! That office is dangerous.
Nancy at Journey Woman is one smart woman. She signed up to receive a poem per day by e-mail!
Today she shares one of those poems: Mark Strand's "Man and Camel" with audio link.
Miss Erin contributes Arnold Lobel's "Books to the Ceiling."
A Fuse #8 Production shares "I'm In Love with Leonard Woolf," by Susan Ramsey (her mother).
Bri discusses the Virginia Tech tragedies and being a college student at this time.
She offers up "All Is Well," by Henry Scott Holland, at Bri Meets Books.Susan praises Jean Conder Soule's Never Praise a Weasel at Chicken Spaghetti.
Charlotte takes a look at concrete poetry and two picture books over at Charlotte's Library. (Looks like fun!)
Franki reviews David Harrison's Bugs over at A Year of Reading.
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Agreed! The Gardener IS perfect! Of course The Snowy Day is right up there, too...And pretty much anything John Burningham makes me happy, though I have to admit I've never read Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present~~Can't wait to find that one now! I like your picture book taste sir :)
I thank you, ma'am. Judging from your wonderful work, I'd reckon we have a lot of the same influences. Get Harvey Slumfenburger and read it from page one on. The end packs a punch.
Will definitely do!