Once in a great while a title jumps onto the page. But mostly, titles are tough! Seldom is the title you start with the final one. It evolves with the writing and story. Here’s a post from Gretchen Woelfle about her quest for just the right title and how it became A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL BLAZES … More Behind the Scenes: “Searching for Just the Right Title” by Gretchen Woelfle
We’re back! Welcome to 2023! What happens when your “so what?” or “heart” of your story is also the obstacle to writing it? “Drawing a blank” is agonizing to artists of all kinds and of all ages. Here Danielle Dufayet shares her latest book and how she battled her inner critic. Danielle is offering a … More Mining for Heart: “Silence Your Inner Critic with the ‘So What?'” by Danielle Dufayet
Here’s a fabulous post by author Lindsey McDivitt on how she used a “family story” and made it viable as a picture book manuscript by developing a plot with “doorways.” While some might call these by different names, such as hooks or layers, doorways is perfect, a way to welcome readers in. Read on to … More Behind the Scenes: “Adding Doorways into Your Story for Broader Appeal” by Lindsey McDivitt
I absolutely loved Debra Shumaker’s book, FREAKY, FUNKY FISH, so when I learned of her new one, PECULIAR PRIMATES, I invited Debra back in hopes she might share something about it. Her topic in this post is valuable not only for authors, but educators, too! I get stalled way too easily and frequently on imperfect … More Behind the Scenes: “Using Placeholder Words and Stanzas until the Lightbulb Moment” by Debra Shumaker
I’ve been in a local critique group with Julie Rowan-Zoch for nine years (Oh wow, has it been that long!) and have had the good fortune to learn a lot of from her. It’s always fascinating to see another creator’s process, especially illustration, since it’s foreign to me. Here’s a great post from Julie sharing … More Behind the Scenes: “Composition 101” by Julie Rowan-Zoch
Writing CLOAKED IN COURAGE: UNCOVERING DEBORAH SAMPSON, PATRIOT SOLDIER was a challenge in many ways, just one being that the misinformation about her made it difficult to find HER, the person in history. Why did she do what she did? and What made her who she was? As always, setting was key. And books of … More Mining for Heart: “Setting as a Window into Character”
As a teacher, I always loved classroom projects like this! Thank you, Laura Perdew for sharing this terrific activity for educators and your brand new Biome Explorers series! AND thank you for offering a GIVEAWAY of a complete set of the BIOME EXPLORERS series! Just leave a comment below for a chance to win! (And … More Especially for Educators: “Using Picture Books to Create a Classroom Museum” by Laura Perdew
So many of us have manuscripts in a “drawer”—waiting for a block to clear or a better ending or a new take. I love hearing about the rare occasions when the lightning strikes and the manuscript emerges from doom with a revelation that transforms it. Here Jeanette Bradley shares how a manuscript became more than … More Mining for Heart: “The Heart Can Surprise You” by Jeanette Bradley
Every once in a while, kid lit creators get a chance to create a sequel to a picture book they’ve done and let their beloved characters live on. Yay! But there are a few important things to consider. Isabella Kung takes us through her process of creating a sequel to NO FUZZBALL!—her latest release, NO … More Behind the Scenes: “Writing a Picture Book Sequel” by Isabella Kung
Though we often hear the phrase, “write what you know,” a good many of us are drawn to topics and ideas that we don’t know about, by a natural urge to know more. And kids are, too! I can totally identify with author Kristen Nordstrom’s experience. In this post, Kristen shares how she turned a … More Behind the Scenes: “Find the Spark that Ignites Your Story” by Kristen Nordstrom
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 