Thursday, June 28, 2012

Character/Situation Mash-Up


Week of June 24, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI, Orlando
Thursday, June 28, 2012—Another Idea-gathering Graphic Organizer

The inspirational and prolific, Tammi Sauer, got everyone in the SCBWI Orlando Picture Book Track fired up. As I mentioned yesterday, Tammi’s presentation inspired me to create two graphic organizers to help generate writing ideas. Today’s graphic organizer is a CHARACTER/SITUATION MASH-UP. Situation could also be defined as the theme, event, or problem of a story. Tammi shard this quote with us:

“The trouble must be trouble on a big scale.” —Mem Fox

If I write a story about kittens being born, that is a situation or event, but it’s not a problem, and it’s certainly not a problem on a big scale. Lost kittens would be a bigger problem. And lost lion cubs would be an even bigger problem. As you think of characters—think of unique ones . . . and when you’re thinking of situations--think on a big scale.


How to Use the Character/Situation Mash-Up:
R Across the top of the sheet, list intriguing characters who could live in picture books—alien, ballerina, leprechaun, rooster, and so on.
R Going down the left-hand side of the sheet, list interesting situations/themes/events that could affect a character in a picture book—bullying, first day of school, manners, bedtime fears, and so on.
R Then MASH-UP your ideas. What would happen to a rooster on the first day of school? What would scare an alien at bedtime? (NOTE: Not every combination will be inspiring, but push the limits as much as possible.)
R Now choose your favorite MASH-UP and plot out that picture book!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Character/Setting Mash-Up


Week of June 24, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI, Orlando
Wednesday, June 27, 2012—An Idea-gathering Graphic Organizer

Another of our presenters in the Picture Book Track at SCBWI Orlando was Tammi Sauer. If you’ve never heard Tammi in person, you’ve missed a real treat. Now I have to be honest, there’s no way I can do justice to Tammi’s presentation in Orlando (which was an A to Z list about making great picture books). So, you’re going to have to watch for future conferences where you can go and hear Tammi for yourself. (When you do, be prepared to smile and laugh a lot, and take all your Tammi Sauer books for autographs—I think Tammi got writer’s cramp from signing my book collection!)

In a break-out session, Tammi helped picture book authors generate ideas for picture books. When I came home I was inspired to create a couple of graphic organizers to help me continue doing what I learned. A graphic organizer is a simple way of visually organizing your thoughts and ideas. Today’s graphic organizer is a CHARACTER/SETTING MASH-UP.


 How to use the Character/Setting Mash-Up:
R Across the top of the sheet, list intriguing characters who could live in picture books—shark, cowboy, robot, hamster, tight-rope walker, and so on.
R Going down the left-hand side of the sheet, list interesting settings where a picture book story could take place—zoo, school cafeteria, dentist’s office, ski slope, and so on.
R Then MASH-UP your ideas. What would happen to a cowboy on a ski slope? How could a robot and a dentist office be combined? (NOTE: Not every combination will be inspiring, but push the limits as much as possible.)
R Now choose your favorite MASH-UP and plot out that picture book!

This process has already inspired several ideas and a couple of fun first-drafts for me. Let me know what great ideas you discover!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Art Director Laurent Linn


Week of June 24, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI, Orlando
Tuesday, June 26, 2012—Art Director Laurent Linn


 Laurent Linn is Art Director for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Laurent sprinkled his presentation with picture book examples and humor. Laurent began by saying that picture books are a shared vision between author and illustrator, and that authors and illustrators have the same intent and purpose in their work. Just like an author, an illustrator wants to tell a story and make an emotional impact.

WHAT IS A PICTURE BOOK?
It’s all about the story. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers loves stories, and actually don’t publish much non-fiction. Laurent shared some examples of picture books that are all about the story:

R Christian the Hugging Lion
R Jump!
R Broom! Zoom!
R The Scarecrow’s Dance
R Night Flight
R The Problem with Puddles

WHAT IS A PICTURE BOOK PHYSICALLY?
A picture book is a printed book. At Simon & Schuster Books for Younger Readers, picture books are always hard cover with a jacket—though that varies from publisher to publisher. Trim size varies (and covers are always a bit larger than the inside pages). Picture books are almost always thirty-two pages in length. The next most common length is forty pages. Anything other than the standard thirty-two pages (even less pages) is more expensive to produce, however.

WHAT IS A PICTURE BOOK IN A LITERARY SENSE?
Picture books are flexible—they can be fiction, non-fiction, a toy, interactive, a pop-up, and more. But there are rules to follow and there are limits to what people will buy and what they will pay. Very little of the expense of a picture book is in the printing and production—most of the cost is the up-front investment in the manuscript, art, and in-house expenses.

WHAT IS A PICTURE BOOK ULTIMATELY
A picture book is looked at, read, and enjoyed. A picture book can change a child’s life. But to create something that truly appeals to a child is extremely difficult. But ultimately . . . the author and illustrator’s job is to create a story.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Editor Sylvie Frank


Week of June 24, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI, Orlando
Monday, June 25, 2012—Editor Sylvie Frank


Sylvie Frank, Associate Editor with Holiday House, was one of our speakers in the Picture Book Track at SCBWI, Orlando. Holiday House is an independent publishing house founded in 1935. Holiday House only publishes children’s books and their list includes around forty picture books annually.

Sylvie told us the most common reason picture book manuscripts are turned down at Holiday House is because the manuscripts are too quiet. Then she told us what makes for a great picture book.

YOU NEED A PLOT
Plot is basically the events in a story and their emotional impact. Sylvie referred us to the “plotting chart” which many of us know as Freytag’s Pyramid.


Sylvie divided plot into:
R Foundation
Setting, characters, conflict
R Complications/Rising Action
Catalyst that begins the major conflict, building suspense
R Climax
The turning point in the story that occurs when characters come face-to-face with the conflict
R Falling Action
Events that bring the story to a close and the resolution of conflict (usually by main character)
R Resolution
Loose ends are tied up and the story comes to an end.

AUDIENCE
Picture books are for kids—think of five and six year olds. If you want to know more about kids, study them and spend time with them.

CHARACTERS
More than anything, characters must be relatable to the audience. Children must connect with the characters in a picture book.

LENGTH
Shorter manuscripts are usually best. Shoot for 700 words or less. Every word must be perfect and take out every word you do not need.

FORMAT
Don’t think design—think format. You need to see how the text of your manuscript spreads across the thirty-two pages of a picture book. The best thing to do is to make a dummy of your picture book—just for yourself—so you can see how the text lays out. This will also help you revise and edit your manuscript, find weaknesses, and more.

EMOTION
Your writing must come from a true place in your heart. Stories must come from genuine emotion.

REVISE, REVISE, REVISE
You must continue to work on your manuscript—revision is the key. Cut. Cut. Cut.

“The best way to get better at writing picture books is to read picture books.”
—Sylvie Frank

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Coming This Week!


Week of June 24, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI, Orlando
Quotes of the week:
To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?
—Jim Rohn

No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals.
—Brian Tracy



What have you been learning lately? I find that continuing to learn about picture books, writing craft, the publishing industry, and so on is essential to becoming a successful author. There are many opportunities to learn—a book study with fellow writers, writer smoozes in your area, regional SCBWI conferences, national SCBWI conferences, blogs, and more.

This week I’ll share some of the things I learned at our Florida SCBWI in Orlando earlier this month. Hopefully you’ll learn something from my notes and be inspired to attend training near you soon.

Monday—Editor Sylvie Frank
Tuesday—Art Director Laurent Linn
Wednesday—An Idea-gathering Graphic Organizer
Thursday—Another Idea-gathering Graphic Organizer
Friday—SCBWI, LA

Friday, June 22, 2012

Memorable Quotes


Friday, June 22, 2012—Great Quotes from SCBWI, Orlando


Only Disney would welcome guests by forming towels into a Mickey-isque shape and placing them on the bed to welcome guests.

Last weekend we had a wonderful SCBWI Florida, Mid-year Meeting in Orlando. We were at the lovely Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. The Picture Book Track on Saturday featured Sylvie Frank, Associate Editor, Holiday House; Laurent Linn, Art Director, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Tammi Sauer, author and all-around fun person; and Linda Shute, author, illustrator, and SCBWI Florida Illustrator Coordinator.

I thought we would end this week’s study of the 2012 ALSC Notables by remembering notable quotes from these presenters which could lead to notable writing and notable picture books of our own.

Sylvie Frank, Associate Editor, Holiday House
“You need a plot.”

“Emotion [in your writing] must come from a true place in your heart.”

“Revise. Revise. Revise. Cut. Cut. Cut.”

“The best way to get better at writing picture books is to read picture books.”

Laurent Linn, Art Director, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
“Picture books are a shared vision between author and illustrator, but with the same focus and intent.”

“It’s all about the story!”

“What is a picture book in a literary sense? Flexible.”

“Picture books are to be looked at, read, and enjoyed. They can change a child’s life.”

Tammi Sauer, Author
“The trouble [in a picture book] must be trouble on a grand scale.” Mem Fox (as quoted by Tammi)

“Don’t stop believin'!”

“Show the emotion, don’t tell it.”

“Don’t force the funny.”

“Make the title and the first line irresistible.”

“When it comes to poetic devices, don’t pour on like gravy. Sprinkle like pepper.”

Visit Tammi’s web site at www.tammisauer.com.

Linda Shute, Author and Illustrator
True confessions time: I was so mesmerized by Linda’s process, product, and presentation that I soaked it in instead of taking notes. So here is a quote from Linda’s web site (www.lindashute.com) that sums her (and her presentation) up nicely.

“People often say that being an artist or writer is lonely work. But none of us works alone—not really. In actuality or in memory, we are surrounded by those we love and who love us.”

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Notables Themes, Categories, and Subjects


Week of June 17, 2012—ALSC Notable Children’s Books
Thursday, June 21, 2012: ALSC Notables Themes, Categories, and Subjects

As I looked through the ALSC list of notable picture books I noticed some categories of topics, subjects, and themes. Now these are just my observations. You could look at the list and spot totally different things. But seeing these topics reminds me that there are universal subjects and themes that continue to be explored in picture books, and there’s new territory yet to explore. (Note: Some books fall into more than one category and so are listed more than once.)

ANIMALS/PETS
A Ball for Daisy
Bring On the Birds
Harry and Hopper
I Broke My Trunk
I Want My Hat Back
Little White Rabbit
Mouse & Lion
Over and Under the Snow
Prudence Wants a Pet
See Me Run
Should I Share My Ice Cream?
Tell Me the Day Backwards
Ten Little Caterpillars
Where’s Walrus?

BEDTIME
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
Naaman and the Ark at Night
Tell Me the Day Backwards

BIOGRAPHY
Grandpa Green
Me…Jane
These Hands
Tia Isa Wants a Car

COMMUNITY
Blackout

COUNTING
Ten Little Caterpillars

FAMILY/HOME
Blackout
Grandpa Green
Little Treasures: Endearments from Around the World
Little White Rabbit
A New Year’s Reunion: A Chinese Story
Over and Under the Snow
Prudence Wants a Pet
Tales for Picky Eaters
Tell Me the Day Backwards
These Hands

FANTASY
King Jack and the Dragon
Stars
Tales for Picky Eaters

FOLKTALES/FABLES
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred
Mouse & Lion
Naamah and the Ark at Night

FRIENDSHIP
I Broke My Trunk
Should I Share My Ice Cream?

LANGUAGE—IDIOMS
Little Treasures: Endearments from Around the World
LANGUAGE—OPPOSITES
Dot

LIFE TRANSITIONS/CHANGE/DEATH/DYING
Grandpa Green
Harry and Hopper
Who Has What? All About Girls’ Bodies and Boys’ Bodies

MULTICULTURAL/DIVERSITY
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred
Chirchir Is Singing
Naamah and the Ark at Night
A New Year’s Reunion: A Chinese Story
Tia Isa Wants a Car

NATURE
All the Water in the World
Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?
Over and Under the Snow
Stars
Ten Little Caterpillars
Who Has What? All About Girls’ Bodies and Boys’ Bodies

SEASONS
Little White Rabbit

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Looking Deeper at the ALSC Notables


Week of June 17, 2012—ALSC Notable Children’s Books
Wednesday, June 20, 2012: Looking Deeper at the ALSC Notables

FICTION VS. NON-FICTION
The ALSC Notables always include fiction and non-fiction books. This year thirteen of the thirty-three noted picture books are non-fiction. I’ll be quick to point out that several of the other titles actually blur the lines of fiction and non-fiction. For instance, Blackout is a fictionalized account of an actual blackout, See Me Run is a fictional story that teaches a lot about dogs, and Ten Little Caterpillars straddles the lines of fiction and non-fiction with its fictional story (based on fact) and engaging factual end matter.

The good news is that the picture-book world is a great, big place and there’s room for fiction and non-fiction.

Non-fiction ALSC Notable Picture Books
All the Water in the World
Bring on the Birds
Do You Know Which One Will Grow?
Grandpa Green
Harry and Hopper
Little Treasures: Endearments from Around the World
Me…Jane
A New Year’s Reunion: A Chinese Story
Over and Under the Snow
Ten Little Caterpillars
These Hands
Tia Isa Wants a Car
Who Has What? All About Girls’ Bodies and Boys’ Bodies

Fiction ALSC Notable Picture Books
A Ball for Daisy
Blackout
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred
Chirchir Is Singing
Dot
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
I Broke My Trunk
I Want My Hat Back
King Jack and the Dragon
Little White Rabbit
Mouse & Lion
Naamah and the Ark at Night
Prudence Wants a Pet
See Me Run
Stars
Tales for Very Picky Eaters
Tell Me the Day Backwards
Where’s Walrus?

AUTHOR WITH ILLUSTRATOR VS. AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR
Many picture book writers still fret that author/illustrators have an unfair advantage in the picture book marketplace. Nothing could be further from the truth. No discredit to illustrators, but I recently heard an editor say, “We can find an illustrator, but finding a great story is much more difficult.” If you think selling a manuscript is difficult, image selling you’re manuscript AND your art simultaneously. While an illustrator does have the advantage of showing the other half of his/her written story, the quality still has to be outstanding to be successful. The ALSC list includes ten titles by author/illustrators. Each of the other twenty-three titles are by an author in collaboration with an illustrator.

The books by author/illustrator include:
Dot by Patricia Intriago
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Me…Jane by Patricia McDonnell
See Me Run by Paul Meisel
Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Scheider
Where’s Walrus? By Stephen Savage

NO SINGLE STYLE
The ALSC Notables also reveal that the picture-world is a great, big place in another way. Just look at the variety of styles contained in these books and you’ll see what I mean. There are . . .

R Wordless books\
R Books that rhyme
R Books that don’t rhyme
R Books based on the familiar rhythms of other stories
R Books that emphasize synonyms and antonyms
R Friendship books
R Heartbreaking stories
R Inspiring stories
R Hilarious stories
R Quiet stories
R Books with end matter
R Books with translations
R Bilingual books
R Books based on other books
R Books based on fairytales and folktales
R A book based on a biblical tale
R A book with two poems
R A book with five chapters
R A book by a dead man (reprinted from a backlist)
R A book that goes in reverse-chronological order
R A search-and-find book

The picture book IS a great, big place and there’s room for all of us. As long as the picture books we create are notable.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Notables--The Publishers


Week of June 17, 2012—ALSC Notable Children’s Books
Tuesday, June 19, 2012: ALSC Notable Picture Books—The Publishers

As I compiled the list of ALSC Notable Picture Books by publisher, I felt a bit like I was in junior high all over again. Was I just trying to see which publisher was most popular? Of course not. By studying the notable books on the lists of various publishers we can see some of a publisher’s preferences, strengths, and perhaps spot a place where one of our pieces might fit. (Please note that additional research would be needed to determine what a publishers is looking for currently.) You may connect with a picture book and want your books to be in the same publishing family. You may need to be able to eliminate publishers that aren’t interested in what you write. You may discover a publisher or two who are new to you and then you might want to explore them further. So, in alphabetical order, here are the publishers of the ALSC Notable Picture Books.

Atheneum Books for Young Readers
·        All the Water in the World

Beach Lane Books (Simon and Schuster)
·        Stars
·        Ten Little Caterpillars

Blue Apple Books
·        Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?

Candlewick Press
·        I Want My Hat Back
·        Naamah & the Ark at Night
·        A New Year’s Reunion: A Chinese Story
·        Tell Me the Day Backwards
·        Tia Isa Wants a Car
·        Who Has What? All About Girls’ Bodies and Boys’ Bodies

Charlesbridge
·        The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred
·        Over and Under the Snow

Chronicle Books
·        Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

Clarion (Houghton Mifflin)
·        Tales for Very Picky Eaters

Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin Group)
·        King Jack and the Dragon

Disney/Hyperion Books 
·        Blackout

Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillian)
·        Dot

Fewel & Friends
·        Harry and Hopper

Greenwillow (Harper Collins)
·        Little White Rabbit

Holiday House
·        See Me Run

Houghton Mifflin
·        Little Treasures: Enchantments from Around the World

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
·        These Hands

Hyperion Books for Children (Disney)
·        I Broke My Tail
·        Should I Share My Ice Cream?

Little, Brown (Hatchett Book Group)
·        Me…Jane

Peachtree
·        Bring on the Birds

Roaring Brook Press (Macmillian)
·        Grandpa Green
·        Prudence Wants a Pet

Scholastic
·        Where’s Walrus?

Scholastic/Capua
·        Mouse and Lion

Schwartz & Wade Books (Random House)
·        A Ball for Daisy
·        Chirchir Is Singing