“Finding a way in” is one of the challenges for an author. But it was also the challenge for the subject of author Jeanne Walker Harvey’s biography of architect I.M. Pei which focuses on his process of creating a way into the Louvre in Paris. You’ll be fascinated by this story behind the story of … More Behind the Scenes: “Finding a Way into the Story” by Jeanne Walker Harvey
When author Marsha Diane Arnold discovered a tale of a steam engine that seemed to have a ready-made story arc, she still had to find a way to embed “heart” to emotionally connect readers to the story. How do you do that with a huge steel machine? Check out Marsha Diane Arnold’s post and… Be … More Mining for Heart: “Finding the Heart of a Locomotive in BIG BOY 4014” by Marsha Diane Arnold
One of the challenges in writing for children is finding a creative way to frame meaning, along with everything else you want to do. In this post, author Ginny Neil shares how she found a structure that would bring home the meaningful hook she wanted to convey. GIVEAWAY! Ginny is giving away a copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “Finding the Magic in Structure” by Ginny Neil
Here’s a post from kid lit friend Teresa Robeson who I was fortunate to meet long ago and far away—before the pandemic, when we were just getting started on this journey. In her latest release about a favorite Chinese holiday, CHING MING, Teresa had to find a way to make a cultural story meaningful to … More Behind the Scenes: “Celebrating Connections” by Teresa Robeson
People often ask authors where book ideas come from. The answers can be wide ranging. While some ideas require tons of research, others are right in front of us. How do you dig into the familiar and see it in new ways, with new eyes? Here, Nancy Castaldo shares how two new books came from … More Behind the Scenes: “Write What You Know” by Nancy Castaldo
I’m a fan of Selene Castrovilla’s writing…and the ways she finds to tell stories. I know how hard it is to take a snippet of history, dig out the information, and create a story that’s engaging and meaningful! Her new book, GEORGE WASHINGTON’S SPECTACULAR SPECTACLES: THE GLASSES THAT SAVED AMERICA is fabulous! Here Selene shares … More Behind the Scenes: “Telling Your Story” by Selene Castrovilla
Today’s nonfiction picture books invite young readers in with a huge range of creative ways to share information. Here’s how author Lydia Lukidis went after finding an effective format, point of view, and structure for her newest release, UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere. Writing Nonfiction with Kid Appeal by Lydia Lukidis Thanks … More Mining for Heart: “Writing Nonfiction with Kid Appeal” by Lydia Lukidis
One of the great changes in nonfiction for kids is that, unlike the old days with a standard, sterile, informational text format, now we see all kinds of engaging nonfiction, including informational fiction, creative nonfiction, and narratives. Creative approaches broaden understanding by allowing kids to see a familiar topic in new ways, as well as … More Behind the Scenes: “Making Your Book Stand Out in a Crowded Market” by Suzanne Lipshaw
Are you considering writing an early reader? Wondering where to start? Here’s an informative post from author Kim Larson on how she took what she learned from a webinar, did her research on the form, and worked her way to a published book. Leave a comment below to get in on the GIVEAWAY for a … More Behind the Scenes: “The Ins and Outs of Writing Early Readers” by Kim Larson
In this post, author Donna McKinney addresses the challenge of finding the essential tension needed to pull readers through a nonfiction story and keep them turning pages. GIVEAWAY! Donna is giving away a copy of TINY TERN TAKES FLIGHT to one person who comments below! Congratulations to Lillie Pardo , winner of a copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “Building Tension in Nonfiction Picture Books” by Donna McKinney
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 