Pictures + Story = Picture book. Sounds easy, right? Writers hear it all the time.” Show don’t tell.” Paint images with your words so that the reader visualizes the characters, the setting, the detail. There’s nothing better than picking up a novel or chapter book with such vivid language that the reader feels he/she is… Read more »
I was leafing through my multitudes of computer files and stumbled upon a lengthy discourse by Richard Peck. I loved this poem he ended with. by Richard Peck A story is a doorwayThat opens on a wider place;A story is a mirrorTo reflect the reader’s face. A story is a questionYou hadn’t thought to ponder;A… Read more »
So far, in this blog series, I’ve explored some distinct challenges facing nonfiction picture book writers including word count, language/word choice, and focus/angle. But that’s just the beginning. The more I study nonfiction titles in the pursuit of helping my own writing, the more I recognize the importance of theme. In his best selling book,… Read more »
Summer with kids means constant movement, and a shift in priorities. But, fear not dear blog readers. And stay tuned for future posts in this nonfiction blog series. My next blog topics:situation vs. theme in nonfictionThe role illustration plays in nonfictionHeavy subjects for picture book audiencesRecommended sites for nonfiction writers Quote for the day: “Summer… Read more »
DEAR READER, THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL FIND SOME POSTS THAT WERE WRITTEN MORE THAN A DECADE ACO. REMEMBER THAT MY EXPERTISE HAS CHANGED IN THAT TIME, INDUSTRY STANDARDS HAVE CHANGED, AND BOOKS HAVE CHANGED, TOO. IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO READ MORE CURRENT ARTICLES ON CRAFT AND USE… Read more »
Nonfiction picture books are written with great intention. By that, I mean that everything from the illustration to word choice paints a picture that truthfully depicts something about the subject. A life fully lived is fraught with a roller coaster of human experiences. It makes sense that the particular focus or angle a writer chooses,… Read more »
For the past nine months or so, I’ve dug deeply into the structure, tone, focus, and storytelling techniques of hundreds of nonfiction picture book biographies. Picture book writing is itself an incredible challenge, but telling a true story in a compelling and creative way, with very few words, is a unique art. I thought it… Read more »
Our Austin SCBWI chapter has gone through some radical and exciting changes of late. One such change is my new role as critique group coordinator. Though we’ve tried to put people together in the past, this is a new, more formalized program. My first line of business has been to establish suggested guidelines and tips… Read more »
What makes a worthy critique? Those of us who have tried on multiple critique partners over a number of years, in hopes of finding the one right fit, have a fairly good idea of what helps us in our own writing. Most critiquers are sensitive enough not to rip apart another artist’s work. It takes… Read more »
Hello fellow bloggers. Long time no see. While not blogging for the past several months, I’ve been busy writing, rewriting, participating in an online class, rewriting, dancing with my dream agent, and yada yada yada. The yada I refer to relates to other obligations. Like family. I’m often shocked at the benefits of pushing away… Read more »
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