Picture This!

Pitch Practice

2012-03-09T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Friday, March 9, 2012: Pitch Practice

A big-league pitcher throws more pitches in practice than in all his games combined. The practice is what makes the game possible. A successful pitcher’s body pitches instinctually from hours and hours of practice that leads to muscle memory. Could the same apply to picture book writers and their pitches? Could practice be a key to our big-league success? Here are some practice tips that might help.

1. DON’T SETTLE—Keep in mind that your pitch might actually be the only aspect of your writing an agent or editor reads. Don’t settle for the first pitch you draft. Put as much effort into the pitch that you put into your writing. Proof it, reread it, read it aloud, revise, revise, revise.

2. TRY AND TRY AGAIN—While your first attempt at a pitch may seem great, try it again. Use a different voice. Start in a different place. Find the surprise element. Give yourself a handful of pitches to choose from.

3. CRITIQUE IT—Take your pitches to your critique group along with your manuscript. Get some objective feedback. My critique group has always encouraged us to bring pitches, but now we’re thinking we might just want to make it our routine to send our pitch along with our manuscript for critique.

4. START WITH A PITCH—Do you have a great idea for a story? Why not pitch it first? The pitch is succinct and summarizes your entire story. Beginning with a pitch can help you stick to your story line when writing. Of course, no one says that the story and pitch can’t change as you write, but pitching first could help you make sure the story is focused as you originally planned.

Are you ready to pitch? Batter up! Now pitch away!

A Pitch That Worked

2012-03-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Thursday, March 8, 2012—A Pitch That Worked

Ok, I hope you don’t think I’m weird (or I hope you don’t think I’m weirder than you thought), but I love writing pitches. When I worked for a not-for-profit publishing house, I had to pitch products to marketing teams, supervisors, sales reps, and customers all the time. As a matter of fact, books (and most products) are pitched in an idea stage, an acquisition stage, a costing stage, a planning and writing stage, when designing marketing materials and back cover (or book flap) copy stage, and a selling stage. A well-written pitch often can be used for any or all of those purposes.

Today’s post is short and sweet. I’m going to share one of my pitches that worked. A book that sold. Cowboy Christmas will come out this fall from Golden Books-Random House. The pitch was changed only slightly by the editor when she took the manuscript to acquisitions. This pitch illustrates the hybrid approach discussed in yesterday’s post.

A Successful Pitch/Synopsis

In Cowboy Christmas, Dub, Dwight, Darryl, and their cook, Cookie, are stuck roping steers, wrestling longhorns, and wrangling up strays on Christmas. “Santy Claus will never find us out on the range,” Dub moans. The cowboys try to recreate their childhood Christmas memories, but each attempt ends with a hilarious failure. A surprise is in store for the Circle D dudes when Santa (who looks a lot like Cookie) makes a visit.

It’s Your Turn!

1. Who has a pitch/synopsis to share? Come on, don’t be shy! Perhaps you have a pitch to celebrate, or a pitch you’d like help with. Feel free to post either as a comment.

A Hybrid Approach

2012-03-07T16:01:00.000-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012: A Hybrid Approach

Awhile back, I was working on a non-rhyming picture book that was heavily metered. As I played with the text I wondered how I would pitch the book. I emailed my friend and mentor, the great Joyce Sweeney, and asked, “What do you call a non-rhyming, heavily metered picture book?” Joyce wrote back: “A hard sale.” Thanks for that bitter taste of reality, Joyce! LOL! And thanks for reminding me that pitching a book is an art, not a science.

Hybrid Pitch Approach

I have tried to use everything I’ve heard and learned about pitches and combine the information into a hybrid approach to pitch/synopsis writing. Along the way I’ve found some things that I think can make a pitch/synopsis distinctive, for instance:

1. Tell about the story in the same style/tone as the story. If you have a wacky, zany story, then the pitch/synopsis needs to depict that. If the story relies on alliteration, you might include that. If the story has a serious tone, reflect that in your pitch.

2. Use some words from the text if possible. I sometimes pull a quote, a repeating line, or a funny line into my pitch. If the phrase is dialogue, I use quotation marks; but if it’s not dialogue, I use italics to set off the words that are contained in the manuscript.

3. Think of book flaps and their intriguing, market-driven approach. They can help you organize your pitch/synopsis and find your voice in the process. In other words, think like a PR person—after all, you ARE your own PR person. Write that pitch/synopsis like you are selling your book to your favorite agent or publishing house. Imagine that this is your one shot (because it might be), and pitch that book!

4. Show your writing style in your pitch/synopsis. If you write with lots of dashes, parentheticals, or ellipses, then show that. If your writing strength is your verb and noun choices, show it. If the distinctive flavor of your writing is in the sensory details, show it. If you have a unique voice let your pitch reflect it.

It’s Your Turn!

1. Write a pitch for one of your manuscripts using the hybrid approach. Or, do what we did yesterday—use a familiar story and write a hybrid pitch/synopses for it.

2. Post your pitches as comments so others can enjoy your work!

Synopsis Pitch

2012-03-06T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012: A Synopsis Pitch

How appropriate that we’re discussing pitches during baseball spring training. There are many kinds of pitches a big-league pitcher can use—four-seam fastball, forkball, curveball, slider, screwball, changeup, and more. Each pitch requires a different hold on the ball and a different release, and each has its own trajectory. But all of these pitches have one objective . . . STRIKE!

Similarly, there are different kinds of pitches used by picture book authors—the elevator pitch (a quick description of a piece of writing that you’re ready to share at the drop of a hat), the Twitter pitch (as shared by Heather in a comment yesterday . . . where we pitch a book with no more than the characters allowed in a Twitter message), and various forms of pitches used in cover letters. And like the big-league pitcher, we have one objective . . . SELL!

SYNOPSIS PITCH APPROACH

Joyce Sweeney and Jamie Morris lead many workshops in their THE NEXT LEVEL: Craft Intensives for Dedicated Writers series. When I attended their marketing workshop, Jamie told us that the pitch in a cover letter should be a synopsis. According to Jamie: “For the purposes of your [cover] letter, the synopsis is only a paragraph. Writing in third person/present tense, use this section to introduce your main characters, what they want, why they want it, and what stands in their way of getting it. Make sure your synopsis includes the resolution to your story, including what your main characters learn during the journey.”

This pitch approach is a step beyond the PLOT PITCH APPORACH discussed yesterday. This approach asks you to summarize the story, so it’s going to require (and allow) you to fill in a basic storyline from start to finish.

A great way to practice this kind of pitch is to take any book (picture book or other) that you know well, and summarize it in a paragraph. Let me try writing a synopsis pitch for the The Night Before Christmas.

The night before Christmas, the house was quiet and the family sound asleep. Dreams of Christmas fill each head, when suddenly there’s a ruckus on the lawn. Pa jumps from his bed and discovers a sleigh, eight tiny reindeer, and a driver (who must be St. Nick). In an instant, the sleigh flies to the roof and St. Nick comes sliding down the chimney. He’s a jolly ole fellow with rosy cheeks, twinkling eyes, and a suit covered with soot. St. Nick pulls gifts from the pack he carries and fills the stockings one by one. Then he turns, places a finger on his nose, gives a nod, and up the chimney he goes. St. Nick springs to his sled, whistles to the reindeer, and flies away calling, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!”

It’s Your Turn!1. Choose a favorite book and write your own synopsis pitch. Don’t worry or fret—the book you are pitching has already sold!

A Plot Pitch

2012-03-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Monday, March 5, 2012: A Plot Pitch

Ask ten writers how to pitch your picture book in a cover letter and you’ll get ten different answers. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is more than one way to write a successful pitch. Some folks wouldn’t even call it a pitch, but rather, a synopsis. I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert on the subject, but I’m going to share some of the things I’ve learned/heard/been taught about pitches/synopses.

Honestly, some editors say they don’t even read cover letters (and thus, they don’t read the pitches contained in cover letters). These editors say they go straight to the manuscript. Other editors read the cover letter and pitch to determine whether to read on. But most editors say they make their final decisions based on the manuscript itself.

So what is the value of a pitch? Well, if an editor does read the cover letter, the pitch certainly can be a way to intrigue and snatch the editor’s attention. Many editors say that after they have accepted a manuscript or when they decided to take it to an acquisitions meeting that the pitch is the first thing they use to tell others succinctly about the book. And sometimes the pitch becomes the actual marketing copy and/or dust jacket copy.

Many agents use the pitch in the emails or letters they send to editors. Again, this is a quick way for the editor to see what the manuscript is about before reading it.

There are as many ways to write a pitch as there are editors who will read them. One of those approaches is based on plot.

PLOT PITCH APPROACH

In their Children’s Writing Boot Camp, Linda Arms White and Laura Backes advocate stating your plot using this structure:

This is the story of _________________________ who more than anything wants to _______________________ but can’t because _____________________ until _____________________.

This statement, when completed, gives a nutshell summary of your book and could be used as a pitch/synopsis in a cover letter. Often less is more, and this approach could adequately summarize your story without weighing down your cover letter with too much information. Give it a try and see what you think!

Coming This Week!

2012-03-04T23:16:00.002-05:00

Week of March 4, 2012: Batter Up!

Quote of the Week:

I swing big, with everything I’ve got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.

—Babe Ruth

I promise that this week is not about baseball. But it is about pitching. In particular, we’ll discuss how to pitch our work in cover letters to tempt editors and agents to read further. I like Babe Ruth’s baseball and life philosophy. So we’ll learn how to swing big with our pitches.

Monday: A Plot Pitch

Tuesday: A Synopsis Pitch

Wednesday: A Hybrid Approach

Thursday: A Pitch That Worked

Friday: Pitch Practice

Update

2012-02-26T12:05:00.002-05:00

Dear Picture This! Reader,

I am in the last days of preparations for our state writing assessments, and I’m giving all my time and energy to my students. (Let’s not even talk about what we feel about state writing assessments! LOL!) Posting on Picture This! will resume the week of March 4.

Thanks for your patience!

Rob Sanders

Picture Book Mash-up Mini-Challenge

2012-02-17T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Friday, February 17—Picture Book Mash-up Mini-Challenge

Years ago, I wrote for an editor who liked to stretch his authors’ creativity by asking them to mash together ideas that normally wouldn’t go together. “What would you get if you paired roller skates and an easy-bake over?” he would ask. (Okay, he was eccentric.) Then writers would sit around the table and brainstorm—A Rolling Oven, Easy-Skate Cuisine, or Hot Wheels! This fun, albeit silly, activity teaches an important writing lesson. Originality lies in taking what exists and combining it in new and unusual ways.

Today, pull a pile of picture books off your shelf (or the shelf of a book store or library). Of course, you’ll want to reread the books. Then make a chart with three columns: Character, Setting, and Problem. Below is a quick example:

CHARACTER	SETTING	PROBLEM
Two hens	Barnyard	Need a talent for the talent show
Bear	Forest	Lost his cap
A singing cat	Neighborhood	Keeps stepping in messes
Dog	House/yard	Loses his favorite toy
Construction equipment	Construction site	Bedtime
An old duck	Pond	His routine is disturbed

Now randomly mash together one item from each column. The goal is to see if you can make a capture a new story idea from the ideas on your chart. (Note: The more books you start out with, the bigger your chart, and the more apt you are to uncover a gem.)

When you mash-up your ideas, all kinds of things can happen. For instance Duck/Forest/Lost his favorite toy. My immediate thought is: “What does a duck float in his bathtub? A rubber human?” Let your brain wander and create! Or Dog/Barnyard/Keeps stepping in messes. Oh, gross! Come on . . . be disgusting. Kids will love it. Or Two hens/Pond/Bedtime. Don’t worry if you don’t come up with an idea for each combination. Keep mashing together ideas—you’ll be surprised (and hopefully pleased) with the results. And if a story idea doesn’t surface, no worries. You’re retraining your brain to think in new and unexpected ways. The work will pay off in the end.

Have fun and happy mashing!

100 Great Books

2012-02-16T19:45:00.000-05:00

For Children's Book Lovers

Everywhere . . .

USA Today is out with “The 100 Greatest Books for Kids.” Access the list at: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2012-02-14/100-greatest-books-for-kids/53095042/1.

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Check it out!

A Walk in Nature Mini-Challenge

2012-02-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Thursday, February 16—A Walk in Nature Mini-Challenge

Today, take your writing notebook and your digital camera outside. You can explore your backyard, a park, a nature preserve, or other location. Make a list of the first 20 things you notice. For instance, in my backyard here in Florida: Oranges on the trees, white lilies, waving palms, squirrels on roof, possum running on the back fence, dogs barking, and so on. Now point your camera at inspiring sights you see—a close-up of three oranges nestled together, Spanish moss hanging from a giant oak, a wild violet pushing up through the soil. (I know some of you are in colder climates, so your images will be different, but just as inspirational!)

1. Think of how you can use what you see in nature to inspire a story. (For me, maybe squirrels who own an orange grove and must keep the humans out.)

2. Think of poetic prose to describe your photos. (For instance: Spanish moss weighted down the Oak.)

3. Now see where your list and your visuals take you. Perhaps you’ll imagine a setting for a story, a problem to motivate a story, an idea to inspire a concept book, or see someone or something that might become the main character in a story.

Childhood Memories Mini-Challenge

2012-02-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Wednesday, February 15—Childhood Memories Mini-Challenge

Sit down and recollect. What was the happiest memory from your childhood? Summer camp? Time with a grandparent? Swimming with cousins? A family reunion? Time alone reading a book? Learning a new sport or skill? Free time with friends?

1. List out those memories.

2. Identify one or two memories that might have universal appeal and could serve as a story starter.

3. Now take the opposite approach. Think of your worst, most embarrassing moments of childhood. (Mine was ripping my pants in P.E. as a 4^th grader.) Now list down those memories and see if they inspire a story.

What's News? Mini-Challenge

2012-02-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Tuesday, February 14—What’s News? Mini-Challenge

Listen to the news—NPR, your local traffic report, the national news¸ Entertainment Tonight (ok, that’ sa stretch). Read the newspaper, magazines, and children’s periodicals. Look and listen for tidbits to inspire a story. Perhaps it’s a story about a physicist who saw inventions in his boyhood dreams, a story about lotus flowers blooming in a dump in Bangladesh, or an elementary school perched on the edge of a volcano. I don’t fancy myself a nonfiction writer, but that doesn’t mean nonfiction topics can’t inspire my writing.

1. Spend a day immersed in news and pop culture.

2. List what you discover.

3. Do you feel inspired to research a nonfiction story? Do you see fiction potentioal within the nonfiction?

4. Keep listening and looking.

Something to Laugh about Mini-Challenge

2012-02-13T22:40:00.000-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Monday, February 13—Something to Laugh about Mini-Challenge

Today ask at least five people to tell you the corniest joke they know. (You get bonus points if the people you ask are kids.) Look for what makes the joke humorous—is it the character, the setting, an unexpected combination of elements, the punch line?

1. Write down the jokes.

2. Find the funny. Then see how far you can brainstorm that element. (For instance, if the humor is that a dog chases his own tail, then brainstorm “chasing” and “tail” and see how many new ideas you can come up with.)

Take another approach. For children, gross is often the opposite of funny. (And for some kids gross is funny.) So if you have a gross memory (such as when my family transported a calf in the backseat of our Buick), jot that down as a possible seed idea, too

Coming This Week

2012-02-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

Week of February 12, 2012: A Mini-Challenge Throw Down

Quotes of the Week:

Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.

—Bo Bennett

Inspiration is the highest kite one can fly.

—Lauren Bacall

I’m always looking for new ideas, inspiration to spark a new story. Aren’t we all?

So this week I’m offering a series of mini-challenges to spark ideas and to inspire your imagination. All you have to do is give it a whirl. Each daily mini-challenge will only take a few minutes, but will hopefully spark one or more ideas you can work your magic on and turn into a fabulous picture book story.

Monday—Something to Laugh about Mini-Challenge

Tuesday—What’s News? Mini-Challenge

Wednesday—Childhood Memories Mini-Challenge

Thursday—A Walk in Nature Mini-Challenge

Friday—Picture Book Mash-up Mini-Challenge

Putting Critiques Into Action

2012-02-10T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of February 5: The Power of Critiques

Friday, February 10—Putting Critiques into Action

I think I’ve written about the writer I met last year in the cab from the SCBWI/LA conference to the airport. She’s the woman who has been working on the same picture book for ten years. “My critique group has been helping me a lot,” she said. Then there’s the woman I met in a critique setting who began by saying, “I know you all suggested that I make changes in this, but I brought it back the way it was just to see if you’d have a different opinion this time.”

Makes you laugh, doesn’t it? It’s sad though how so often writers (that includes you and me) won’t listen to what they hear in critiques. I have been guilty of it. Actually, I have discovered I often have to hear things two or three times before it dawns on me I need to change something. I once piad for an expensive critique and was told exactly what I was told in a critique group. A real waste of time and money.

Everyone listens and hears differently. Here are some things that stand out to me when I’m hearing critiques that are things I know I need to pay attention to:

1. I hear several people saying the same thing.

2. Someone addresses something I know is a problem, but didn’t know how to fix.

3. When someone says something so true, I can’t believe I didn’t realize it earlier.

4. When the group reads my manuscript aloud and I hear a voice other than my own reading it.

5. Someone points out a silly mistake I should have caught on my own.

6. Someone suggests something and it makes me uncomfortable. (That is always a sign that I need to listen to what I’m being told.)

First, I sort the comments. I suppose this could be done in your head, but I actually make a list. Three columns at the top of a page. Yes / Maybe / No No No! I put brief notes under each heading based on the comments I received. Then I start revising. I start with the Yes column—the comments I love. You know what I mean—when someone says something and you think, “Eureka! That’s perfect—why didn’t I think of that! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” I make those changes first.

Then I stop and think. A lot. This phase takes the longest. I think about the other two columns—especially about the items under No No No! If enough time goes by, my wounded feelings about these negative comments subside and I’m able to be much more objective about them—rather than dismissing them emotionally.

Ok, can I confess a crazy thing I do? I take a clean copy of my own manuscript with me to critique group meetings. As it’s read or aloud or as people talk about it, I make my own critique notes. I try to have an out-of-body experience, to not be the author of the piece for just a few minutes. I’ve made some important discoveries doing that. It might work for you, too.

One final note . . . Becky Levine has written a great article in the February 2012 Writer’s Digest. The article is entitled “Critique Your Way to Better Writing.” One quote from the article stands out to me:

“Every bit of effort you put into your feedback, into the critiques you produce, will take you miles further along your writing path. When you dig deep into a manuscript, when you get to the root of a story’s problem, when you explain clearly and help another author revise, you strengthen your own writing skills in a way that no book or class can.”

Wow!

It’s Your Turn!

1. Find those notes from your last critique. Pour of them. Maybe you want to make a Linda-Sue-Park list. Maybe you want to an out-of-body experience and critique your own work. Maybe you can face those suggestions that were too difficult to face before. Go on, get to it!

Receiving Critiques

2012-02-09T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of February 5, 2012: The Power of Critiques

Thursday, February 9—Receiving Critiques

Let’s face it, listening is difficult. And listening to someone critique the work you’ve spent days and weeks perfecting is even more difficult. And actually hearing what is said is the most difficult thing of all. So exactly how does one go about listening to feedback (even the Sandwich Method kind)? I can give you an example of how not to do it . . .

At the first SCBWI regional event I attended, the presenters were providing first-page critiques. If you’re not familiar with that process, writers turn in the first page of their manuscripts with no names or identifying information attached. The presenters pull out a few pieces at random from the stack and read them. Then they critique the pieces on the spot in front of everyone. Even if your piece isn’t chosen, you get to hear the process that editors and agents go through when they are reading the first page of anything they receive.

The presenters had probably completed two or three pieces and critiqued them when . . . they pulled out THE PIECE. As they read it, they stumbled over meter, there were obvious rhyme problems, they even noted spelling errors, there were questions about logic and the plot. The presenters were kind, but honest. The crowd was hushed. Then a woman raised her hand, “I don’t think you get it,” she said. “The character is a dog. And if you’d read it again, you’d hear him say he wanted a home. And if you could see the rest of the . . . “

At that point, one of the presenters interrupted the woman (whom we all now knew was the author of the piece) and reminded her that the pieces were anonymously submitted and this was a time to listen and reflect on what was said.

I tell you that horrifying story to reinforce that we LISTEN to critiques without responding, questioning, or interrupting. In “The Give and Take of Critique” by Linda Sue Park (© 2007, SCBWI—For use by SCBWI Members Only), we are told:

The writer does not speak during the comments phase of the critique session. Not once. Not a single word.

Why not? Because the work must stand or fall on its own. When the piece eventually gets submitted and is read by an editor, the writer won’t be there to says things like, “Well, what I meant there is . . .” or “That’s supposed to refer back to . . .” The writer should listen, take notes, and listen some more. Later, when all the commenters are finished, there can be discussion including the writer. But not at first.

When the commenters have finished the “sandwiches,” the writer is then free to join in the discussion. Where possible, the writer should pose his/her responses as a question . . . The writer should avoid making statements . . . As a writer who presumably wants comments on your work, your job now is to receive responses and information—not to give them.

Wow. That’s tough to hear and even tougher to do.

I’ll be quick to say every group is different. My PB&J group is interactive and animated and we’ve developed a give-and-take kind of process for critiquing. We interrupt with questions or ask for clarification. But this is not the norm, and some people would be uncomfortable with our process.

Let me give you an example of how asking a question after critiques can help clarify and move you along in your writing. In our last PB&J critique session, the members said many positive things and several construction things about the piece I had submitted: “I didn’t get that the parents were angry until the end of the story . . . I didn’t understand that there was a problem . . . I didn’t know the motivation of the kids . . .”

I listened and made notes, than I asked, “Is it a verb problem? If I changed the words like said to complain, would that begin to address the problem?” The group thought that was worth trying. When I came home, I did just that, and the story was amped up two or three notches. (Thanks, group!)

As you and I get better at listening to constructive feedback (and even criticism) from our critique group members, we’ll be better prepared to handle what we hear from agents and editors. When we develop our listening skills in the safe confines of our critique group, we’ll be better listeners with industry professionals. When we learn to ask our critique group members questions after hearing feedback, then we’ll be ready to ask thoughtful questions of our editors following their feedback.

It’s Your Turn!

1. Reflect on how you receive feedback. Try a new approach or refine the one you are using now so you ensure that you are listening and hearing.

Giving Critiques

2012-02-08T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of February 5, 2011: The Power of Critiques

Wednesday, February 8—Giving Critiques

Critiquing is an art, but it’s an art you can learn. When you receive a manuscript to critique:

1. Read the entire manuscript aloud. Do not write on the manuscript at this stage. Just read and listen.

2. Think and reflect.

3. Read the manuscript aloud a second time.

4. Write notes. Pay attention to big issues first: Did anything not make sense? Were you confused at any point? Was anything out of order? Was the rhyme or meter off? Did you stumble as you read? Note those concerns.

5. Some groups make line edits on manuscripts—changing punctuation, word choice, etc. That is a group decision.

6. Offer possible suggestions for changes.

7. Note any other books of the same genre that have similar themes, similar characters, or that might provide insight into the development of the manuscript.

When sharing a critique aloud (and even in writing), most folks follow the Sandwich Method.

Here’s how we state our critiquing process in our PB&J Critique Group guidelines:

Because PB&J members seek to provide honest feedback in a positive, constructive manner,

we use the sandwich method of critiquing. We begin with a positive comment/insight, provide constructive criticism, and end with a positive comment/insight.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators offers the following suggestions:

When I participate in paid critiques at our Florida SCBWI meetings, the critiquers always use a form that discusses nine points:

1) The positive aspects of the work

2) The elements that require attention and improvement

3) Notes on character development

4) Notes on plot/structure

5) Notes on language/diction

6) Notes on voice

7) Notes on marketability

8) Next steps

9) Additional comments

In addition to writing on a manuscript, I sometimes type up my critique. Here is an example:

Rob’s Critique of Baxter by Alice Author

THINGS I LOVE

1. Congrats on the word count! That is usually one of the hardest things for picture book writers.

2. You have all the ingredients to make a great story—problem, growing tension, resolution.

3. You can never go wrong with a dog!!! And one that tugs at your heartstrings is even better!

POSSIBLE CONCERNS

1. Right now I think the story reads like a magazine article, not a picture book. That has to do with pacing I think.

2. I really don’t get Baxter’s feelings and why people are treating him so badly (as stated in the first of the story). Is this strong emotional situation needed? What is his real problem?

3. Does the title represent what the story is about?

4. This is a quiet story and those stories are a hard sell. If you can amp up the action it may be more marketable.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

1. To clearly get the problem/solution established, try completing this sentence:

Baxter was a dog who more than anything wanted ________________ but couldn’t because ___________________, until _________________ happened.

2. It might be cool if Madison and Baxter’s problems were parallel. For instance:

BAXTER

Has no animal friends

Favorite food eaten by others

Taken to shelter

MADISON

Picked last for team

Favorite lunch/spills

Sent to time out

It’s Your Turn!

1. When critiquing others, practice the Sandwich Method.

2. Read your comments aloud to yourself before reading them aloud in your group. Make sure your comments have the constructive tone you want them to have.

Beginning a Critique Group

2012-02-07T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of February 5: The Power of Critiques

Tuesday, February 7: Beginning a Critique Group

After working in a critique group with no picture book authors, I knew I needed to find people who had the same interest, industry struggles, and hopes that I did. I wanted to find a picture book critique group. I searched, and emailed, and hunted, and emailed—still nothing. One day, an idea struck. Why not start a picture book critique group myself?!

Well, I’ll tell you why not:

1. I never had led a critique group before and had only been a member of a group for a short time.

2. I didn’t consider myself an expert.

3. I didn’t know how to lead a critique group.

4. I didn’t know how to begin one.

5. Besides, what I really wanted was for people to help ME!

Then these answers came to me:

1. There are many things you’ve not done before, you learned as you went along.

2. Everyone in a critique group is an equal. There’s really not a leader. (Maybe a facilitator to get things going and keep them moving, but not a leader.)

3. I could learn.

4. I could learn.

5. People will help me, as I help them.

What it all came down to was one word: WILLINGNESS.

So I placed an ad in the Critique Group section of the SCBWI Discussion Boards:

Want to start a Picture Book Critique Group in the Tampa Bay area. Looking for serious writers of different experience level who have the goal of being published.

Within 24 hours the critique group coordinator from our SCBWI region contacted me. She sent information from other critique groups and sent out an email to members in our area. Soon I began to receive emails from potential members. I sent a survey to the prospective members asking their preferences about days and times to meet, frequency of meetings, etc. We soon had an organizational meeting and our group began. We developed these guidelines to guide our group:

PB&J

Picture Books & Java

Tampa Bay, Florida

The members of PB&J meet twice a month to critique manuscripts, learn together, and encourage one another in our writing journeys. Our ultimate goal is for all members to become published picture book authors with ongoing writing careers.

Meeting Time and Place

We meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble at 213 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa, FL 33609 (between I-275 and Kennedy Blvd.).

Attendance

All PB&J members have the goal of meeting together twice a month. We recognize that there may be times when a member cannot attend a meeting or does not have a manuscript to submit. We hope those times will be few and far between, however.

Adding New Members/Size of Group

New members will be added with the agreement of the group. The facilitator will gather names of prospective members and will ask each interested person to complete a questionnaire. The group members will overview the questionnaire before extending an invitation to join.

While we currently do not have a limit on the number of members in our group, we do want every member to receive a critique at each meeting. For that reason, we realize that our group size may eventually need a limit.

Meeting Guidelines

To make the most of our short meeting time, we will stick closely to our agenda. We will begin meetings with up to fifteen minutes for sharing personal updates, writing resources, industry updates, and so on. The remaining time will be spent critiquing. The meeting time will be divided evenly among the number of critiques needed for that evening. The facilitator will determine the critique order and select a time keeper for each meeting.

Critique Submission Guidelines

PB&J members critique picture book manuscripts, query letters, and book pitches. An item to be critiqued must be emailed to all members of PB&J at least a week prior to the meeting. Members will print out each document, then read and critique each manuscript prior to the meeting. At the meeting, we will read the manuscript aloud (the author will not read his/her own writing) and then we will share critiques. Printed manuscripts will be given back to the author.

If a member submits more than one item to critique for a meeting (such as a picture book manuscript and a query letter), the member will prioritize which item needs to be critiqued first. If time allows, a member’s second submission will be critiqued after all other critiques are completed.

Guests at Meetings

As a rule, we do not have guests sitting in on our meetings. However, from time-to-time that may happen. While we certainly want to be friendly to a guest, the guest will be expected to observe the meeting and not interject comments during the meeting. If time allows at the end of the meeting, the guest may ask questions or make comments about the group, but not about manuscripts being critiqued.

Critique Guidelines

When being critiqued, listen to the complete critique of your work without interrupting. If there is time after all members have provided critiques, the author may ask clarifying questions or ask for more specific guidance. Since the time we have is divided among the number of critiques needed, a time keeper will ensure that a critique stays within its time limit.

Because PB&J members seek to provide honest feedback in a positive, constructive manner,

we use the sandwich method of critiquing. We begin with a positive comment/insight, provide constructive criticism, and end with a positive comment/insight.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators offers the following suggestions:

Criticism should be constructive and not destructive. “I didn’t like the way you wrote that” is never a valid criticism. It always helps a fellow writer to know the strengths of a manuscript as well as the weaknesses. A compliment offered first softens a “constructive” negative to follow. Try to tell your fellow writer why something doesn’t work for you and offer possibilities for change. Always be encouraging. Not everyone will respond to a manuscript in the same way. Those receiving criticism should remember that any suggestion offered can be accepted or rejected. The author has the final word on what stays.

Remember that you are in a critique group to get feedback. Try not to be defensive when you are critiqued; be good-natured about it.

A critique group can remain strong only when the sanctity of that group is respected. Thus, it is never okay to use the ideas or the research done by another member, to impose upon their contacts in the publishing world, or to reveal to others outside of the critique group any work-in-progress without the author’s express permission.

*****

PB&J currently has six members. One member now has a publishing deal and others have had great feedback and nibbles. We are confident it is a matter of time before we are all published. We frequently email each other with info we gathered online or at a conference and also share what’s going on in our life. We’re a great little group.

Since starting PB&J I’ve also started an online group. I met Linda, Aimee, and Kari-Lynn at the SCBWI, LA, in August 2011. Kari-Lynn knew Val and I knew Lynne-Marie and soon we were a group (one Californian, three Canadians, and two Floridians). Four members of the group are published or have publishing contacts for picture books and another member just got an agent. A second group offers a whole other set of critiques, opinions, and insights. I am one lucky critique group “:leader.”

It’s Your Turn!

1. If you are looking for a critique group, I encourage you to consider starting one yourself.

Finding a Critique Groups

2012-02-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of February 5: The Power of Critiques

Monday, February 6—Finding a Critique Group

My face-to-face critique group, PB&J (Picutre Books and Java) meets twice a month. Susan first joined our group last April. After the meeting, she emailed:

“I've never had more fun at a critique group and learned at the same time. I'm truly grateful to be a PB&Jer.”

That is how I feel after each of our meetings (and after my online group has critiqued each month). I wish I had found a critique group much earlier in my writing life—for the camaraderie, the inspiration, the help, the friendship. I should have known the importance of critique groups long ago. In writing education we offer critiques, but we call them conferences. Conferences are when we talk writer-to-writer with a student author. That is also the time we find good things in the child’s writing and offer suggestions (usually one thing at a time) to focus on and improve.

After attending several picture book boot camps and intensives and SCBWI regional events, I finally came to the point of realizing I needed to belong to a critique group. Since it took me awhile to find a critique group, let me share a few tips that might be helpful to others.

Face-to-face Groups

Even though I live in a metropolitan area and am a member of a very healthy SCBWI region, finding a face-to-face critique group was difficult. I began by going to my region’s web page (to find your region, go to http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Regional-Chapters). From there, I went to the web page for the region and found a list of critique groups sorted by cities/counties/areas. (Note: Each region does this a bit differently.) There was a brief description about each group which included the type of manuscripts critiqued in the group, the number of members, frequency of meetings, and if the group was accepting members. On this page I also found the name and email address of the volunteer critique group coordinator for my region. (Note: You can also find critique groups through the Discussion Boards on the SCBWI web site.)

I emailed the three or four critique groups in my area that had openings and I wrote to our regional critique group coordinator. The coordinator got back with me right away and put me on her list of people searching for a group. After numerous emails, I finally found one group that was open to new members.

There were three picture book authors in that first group—everyone else wrote YA and MG. One of the picture book folks moved to NYC soon after I joined, and the author picture book author seldom brought any manuscripts for critique. The group was warm, accepting, and helpful though they freely (and frequently) admitted they knew little about picture books. They raved about my writing—which was flattering, but not all that helpful if you know what I mean.

I soon decided that the reason I was attending those meetings was to develop the discipline and routine of attending a critique group. I was also learning how to read others writing with a critical eye, and to give feedback and constructive criticism in a positive way. Though I have since left that group to form a face-to-face picture book critique group, those critiquers remain my friends and we connect at conferences and the like.

Each critique group determines its own guidelines and has its own distinctive personality. If you’re helping start a group, you get to determine what your group will be. If you’re joining an existing group, you’ll be expected to fit in with the established norms of that group.

Online Groups

I’ve been a member of three online critique groups. The first critiqued multiple genres and had around twenty members, the second was a picture book critique group with four members, and the third is a picture book critique group I started which now has six members.

Like face-to-face groups, each online groups works in its own unique way. Some post every week, some every other, some once a month.

My one caution about critiquing online is to be careful what you type. When you are face-to-face, people understand your humor, see in your eye that you mean well, and you can explain what you mean when someone doesn’t understand. When online, feelings can easily be hurt and typed words can easily be misunderstood.

You can find online critique groups by searching the Discussion Boards on the SCBWI web site. My friend, Lisa Michaels, wrote an article about online critique groups for the SCBWI Bulletin, April/May 2011. The link to the issue is: http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Current-Issue.

Paid Critiques

Many people offer paid critique services (including me). I only use these services IF I know the person (through a conference, his/her writing, etc.). A paid-critique service is not for a first or second draft or even a third draft. That’s what your critique group is for. Use a paid-critique service ONLY for a polished manuscript that you've taken as far as you can and don't know how to take it to the next level.

Paid-critique services vary in cost from $25.00 to $125.00 or more. Usually the higher the price, the more extensive the critique. Some services are completed totally online, others via snail mail.

Paid Critiques and Consultations at Conferences

When you attend a regional or national SCBWI conference you often have the opportunity to pay for a critique. The purpose of this critique is totally different than your on-going critique group or even other paid critiques. When you are paying for a critique (or consultation as they are sometimes called) at a conference, you will usually be assigned to an industry professional (a published author, editor, or agent). You want to wow that person with your manuscript. You want your manuscript as perfect as possible, because not only are you receiving a critique, you are also pitching your book. Yes, you will get constructive feedback, but you ultimately are hoping for more!

It’s Your Turn!

1. Do you have a critique group? If not, start your search today.

2. If you are a member of a critique group, thank your lucky stars (and maybe your fellow members).

Coming This Week

2012-02-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

Week of February 5, 2012: The Power of Critiques

Quotes of the Week:

We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.

—Mak De Pree

Creative ideas reside in people’s minds but are trapped by fear and rejection. Create a judgment-free environment on the inside and you’ll unleash a torrent of creativity on the outside.

—Alex Osborne

In the last two weeks I’ve had a half dozen questions, emails, and blog comments about critiques and critique groups. For that reason I'm updating some posts from last year that I hope will be helpful. This week is all about the magic of critiques, how to find or begin a critique group, how to be an effective critiquer, and how to accept and use the feedback you receive in critiques.

Monday—Finding a Critique Group

Tuesday—Beginning a Critique Group

Wednesday—Strategies for Giving Critiques

Thursday—Receiving Critiques

Friday—Putting Critiques into Action

Give Me Your Input

2012-02-05T15:14:00.000-05:00

As I plan Picture This! posts for 2012, I’d love to know the topics that interest you or that you need more information about. What do you need to know to take your picture books to the next level? What questions keep popping up in your critique group? What discussion have you heard at a workshop and still feel unsure about? What do you want to learn? Chances are if there’s something you don’t understand, there’s 20 other people who don’t understand it either!

Post your ideas as comments or email me at rob@robsanderswrites.com. I’ll compile a list and start planning future posts.

THANKS!

Rob

So What Does It Mean to Me?

2012-02-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Friday, February 3, 2012—So What Does This Mean to Me?

I’m a so-what kind of person. I try to blame it on the fact that I was born and raised in Missouri—The Show-Me State—but it’s more than that. I’m always trying to figure out how to summarize or capture the essence of what I've just seen or heard or learned. I live, work, and breathe pedagogy. I want to teach, and in order to teach you have to understand, and in order to understand you have to ask, “So what?”

Now that we’ve discovered lots of award-winning picture books, so what? Here are some of the take-away lessons I’m taking away with me . . .

1. There’s a great big publishing world out there that publishes a greater variety of books than I ever imagined.

2. There are people who value the work picture book authors and illustrators do.

3. There are heroes among us—authors and illustrators whose work can inspire us, teach us, move us, and call us to be better at what we do.

4. The rumor about the picture book market being dead is, just that, a rumor.

5. There are many publishing houses out there and they aren’t just interested in high-energy, goofy stories. (Though they like those, too.) There’s a place for an original idea that is well written. Finding that place may be difficult, but it’s possible.

6. Whatever your passion—fiction, illustration, non-fiction, cultural studies, poetry, folktales, etc.—you can make your passion into a great story, which can become a great picture book manuscript, which can one day become a great picture book.

7. There is a lot more to learn.

8. There are a lot more picture books to read, analyze, study, and enjoy.

9. There’s never one way to tell a story, illustrate a story, or publish a story.

I started the week by saying I’d never thought of writing an award-winning picture book. But now I have. Why not? Why can’t my writing rise to that level? Why can’t yours? Who’s to say what’s on our writing horizons? But as for now, I’m going back to doing the nitty-gritty of capturing ideas in my writer’s notebook, dreaming of stories, drafting stories, revising stories, and finding homes for my stories. How about you?

Other Award Winners

2012-02-02T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Thursday, February 2, 2012—Other Award Winners

I have to admit that when I was stalking the ALA website to see who would be named Caldecott winners, I stumbled on some picture book awards I didn’t even know existed. That sent me on a journey to hunt out new books (or books new to me). I hope you find some treasures here, too.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is given for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States:

Soldier Bear

Written by Bibi Dumon Tak

Illustrated by Philip Hopman

Translated by Laura Watkinson

Originally published in Dutch in 2008 as Soldaat Wojtek

Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Pura Belpré Awards

This award honors a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours

Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS.

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Books

The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred

Written by Samantha R. Vamos

Illustrated by Rafael López

Charlesbridge

Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match /Marisol McDonald no combina

Written by Monica Brown

Illustrated by Sara Palacios

Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee and Low Books Inc.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

Written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Coretta Scott King Book Awards

2012-02-01T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Wednesday, February 1, 2012—2012 Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners and Honor Books

Some of my favorite books on my shelves (and ones I use frequently with student writers) have golden Coretta Scott King seals on their covers. There’s Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave; We Are the Ship; Martin’s Big Words; and Down the Road.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Coretta Scott King Author Book Award

Heart and Soul: The Story of American and African Americans

Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

King Author Honor Books

The Great Migration: Journey to the North

Written by Eloise Greenfield

Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Never Forgotten

Written by Patricia C. McKissack

Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s BOoks

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom

Written and illustrated by Shane W. Evans

Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership

King Illustrator Honor Book

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Balzar + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

2012 Geisel Awad Winner and Honor Books

2012-01-31T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Tuesday—2012 Geisel Award Winner and Honor Books

You may not be familiar with The Geisel Award. The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winners may be picture books, leveled readers, beginning readers, early chapter books, and so on.

2012 Geisel Medal Award Winner

Tales for Very Picky Eaters

Written and illustrated by Josh Schneider

Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Anyone one has known (or been) a picky eater will enjoy this five chapter beginning chapter book. Each of the five chapters in Tales for Very Picky Eaters tells a different picky eating saga in the life of the main character, James. The horrid food James encounters include: disgusting broccoli, smelly lasagna, repulsive milk, lumpy oatmeal, and slimy eggs. James’ dad, always quick with a response, offers up outlandish optional dining suggestions for James. Dad also finds clever ways to encourage James to be more adventurous in his food choices. But be ready for the tables to be turned!

The writing is fun, albeit wordy, and the illustrations will delight young readers. Challenging vocabulary is defined in context (and through art) making the text palatable to emergent readers.

2012 Geisel Honor Books

I Broke My Trunk

Written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group

This book is from Willems’ series, Elephant and Piggie. Gerald the Elephant tells a long story about how his trunk was broken as his concerned and well-meaing friend, Piggie, listens. I find each installment of this series delightful. The book is child-like in every sense—bold type; easy-to-read text; and simple, colorful illustrations. The vocabulary is quite limited, yet very funny.

I Want My Hat Back

Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen

Candlewick Press

A simple story with repeating lines and predictable phrases make this picture book a winner with young readers. Bear has lost his red, pointy hat and wanders through the forest asking others if they’ve seen it. Along the way, the reader sees Bear talking to one animal who is wearing a red, point hat. But it isn’t until the end of the book when Bear realizes, “I have seen my hat.” Kids will love knowing the solution to the problem before Bear does.

I highly recommend every picture book writer study this book and see how a strong story can be told with a few, well-chosen words.

See Me Run

Written and illustrated by Paul Meisel

Holiday House

Dogs run, slide, jump, splash, and have tons of fun in this romp in this colorful, action-packed picture book. Just when you think you’ve seen all the dogs, there are more! The pictures will hook beginning readers first, then the story will draw them in. The end of the book will be a complete surprise, but there are hints along the way—even on the title page. The book has limited vocabulary, large print, and short sentences. All that coupled with a fun story will make this book a winner with kids.

2012 Caldecott Award Winner and Honor Books

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Monday, January 30, 2012—2012 Caldecott Award Winner and Honor Books

Each year The American Library Association Youth Media Awards present awards to authors and illustrators in numerous genres of children’s media. The Caldecott and Newberry Medal Awards are the oldest and most well-known of these awards.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. The award is presented annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. [Blogger note: The award has nothing to do with the text—or lack of text—in a picture book. The award is only for the illustrations.]

CALDECOTT 2012 MEDAL WINNER

A Ball for Daisy

Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children’s Books

A Ball for Daisy is a wordless picture book with colorful illustrations that use only a few colors. The story line is communicated through the pictures alone, and the reader can image the story to be anything he/she desires. Daisy is a little dog who loves her red ball, then loses it for a short while, and finds it again. Seeing Daisy’s emotions after losing her ball will tug at your heart strings. But don’t despair—there is a happy ending.

I’m cautious to call Raschka the author/illustrator of this book since there are no words in the book. Perhaps story teller/illustrator would be a more accurate description. And I would hesitate to say the book will hold the attention of younger readers as the Caldecott Medal Committee Chair, Steven L. Herb, said. This book is aimed at pre-readers and its strength is that it might enable children to infer what is happening in the story, without reading what is happening. None-the-less, the illustrations are poignant and lead the viewer through a tale that will make you smile and, perhaps, even shed a tear.

2012 Caldecott Honor Books

Blackout

Written and illustrated by John Rocco

Disney-Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group

On August 14, 2003, a massive blackout hit the East Coast. Fourteen million people in New York City alone were without power. Rocco’s stellar picture book tracks the blackout through the voice a young narrator. The blackout occurred at 4:00 p.m. but it wasn’t until the sun went down that the blackout was truly felt. The power outage brings one family to the roof top of their building and then out on the street where a street party ensues. Normally darkness is something children fear, but not in this blackout. Both in text and illustrations this is a treasure to behold and hold.

View a video at the book at http://roccoart.com/blackout.html.

Grandpa Green

Written and illustrated by Lane Smith

Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership

To say I love this book would be an understatement. Smith writes a beautiful story, simply told then illustrated to show the rest of the story. The book tracks the life of one child’s great grandfather. We see the great grandfather’s life from being a boy who likes plants, to a boy who wants to be a horticulturalist, to a man who creates topiaries, to a man whose memory has faded but whose garden still reminds him of his life and loves. Lane’s illustrations are breathtaking and present multiple levels and layers of the story. The trailer for the book concludes with the statement: "For grownups to read to those still growing." Lovely.

View the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDbEfsdIGjI.

Me. . . Jane

Written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell

Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

This book tells the story of world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall and her childhood friendship with her stuffed chimp, Jubliee. As she grows up, Jane observes the wonders of the world in her own backyard dreams of growing up to help animals everywhere. Of course, one day she grows up to do just that. The story is delightful, the illustrations in ink and watercolor are beautiful. This is a book that will have appeal to readers of all ages.

Coming This Week!

2012-01-29T18:50:00.002-05:00

Week of January 29, 2012—And the Winner Is

Quotes of the Week:

Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do. The successful people don’t always like these things themselves; they just get on and do them.

—Charles De Lint

Doing your best at this moment, puts you in the best place for the next moment.

—Oprah Winfrey

I can honestly say I’ve not thought of being an award-winning children’s picture book author. I have thought about being a successful one, however. One strategy I’ve used in my journey to become a successful author is to read about successful authors, meet them, read their work, interview them, and so on. I’m not hoping their success will rub off on me (though that would be nice), I want to learn what makes them successful.

I’ve not met any of the authors and illustrators mentioned in this week’s posts. I have heard two or three of them speak. And I’ve read books written and illustrated by many of them. Their latest award-winning books are now on my to-read list (and then may make it on to my to-own list). This week, let’s see what we can learn from successful, award-winning authors and illustrators.

Monday—2012 Caldecott Award Winner and Honor Books

Tuesday—2012 Geisel Award Winner and Honor Books

Wednesday—2012 Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners and Honor Books

Thursday—Other Award Winners

Friday—So What Does This Mean to Me?

The Glossary, T-Z

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Friday, January 27, 2012—The Glossary, T-Z

-T-

Three-act structure—often used in screenwriting. Act One is the Set Up and includes an Inciting Incident that leads to the first turning point of the story. Act Two includes Confrontation/Development with trials and errors, and attempts and failures to solve the problem of the story. Turning Point 2 concludes Act Two and seems to make the situation even worse (the dark moment). Act Three moves quickly taking us to the Resolution of the story and all the way to the end. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/screenplay-approach.html.

Transitions—words and phrases that move the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, from idea to idea, or change in time. Examples of transitional words and phrases include: suddenly, out of the blue, and within minutes. Onomatopoeias, ellipses, alliterations, questions, and other techniques may also be used as transitions. Writers should be cautioned to not overuse any transition word or phrase, especially the common then, first, next, and finally. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/transitions-and-time-compression.html.

-U-

Use binocular vision—this term used in the writings of Barry Lane reminds writers to clarify and focus their writing. Just as a pair of binoculars have to be focused in order to clearly see, so writing has to be focused with added details to focus the reader on what the writer is trying to communicate.

-V-

Vivid Verbs—choosing verbs (action words) that accurately show the action that is going on is essential in writing. For instance, an author may write that “the boy sat down”, when actually the boy pounced, slumped, or perched. The same is true for the word said. While it is fine to use said on occasion, there are other verbs to use that might more vividly describe what is happening—such as: screamed, whispered, whined, or purred. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/secrets-to-specific-nouns-and-vivid.html.

Voice—writing with voice shows the author’s personality and shows that the author is writing honestly and from the heart. Voice helps the reader “see” the person behind the writing and to feel what the writer is feeling. Voice adds style and flavor to an individual’s writing. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/dialogue-vs-voice.html.

-W-

Whispered parenthesis—after saying something, people sometimes raise a hand to their mouth and whisper their true feelings behind the raised hands. Katie Wood Ray introduced the idea of whispered parenthesis in writing. Placing those behind-the-hand comments within parenthesis adds voice to writing. For instance: I’m sorry little brother, I’ll never do it again (until no one is looking).NOTE: Also known as Thought shot.

Writers Workshop—Writers Workshop is the method many teachers use for daily writing instruction. Writers Workshop includes four components:

Read Aloud from a variety of genres (about 5 minutes)

Modeled/Shared Writing (10-15 minutes)

Independent Writing (35-45 minutes)

Sharing Session (5 minutes)

-X-

-Y-

-Z-

The Glossary, R-S

2012-01-26T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Thursday, January 26, 2012—The Glossary, R-S

-R-

Repetition (purposeful)—purposeful repetition is created intentionally. Using the word “Then” to begin every sentence is not meaningful or purposeful and is dull. Using a word, phrase, or sentence (such as using Crash! Bang! Boom! OR But the best was yet to come.) several times throughout a writing piece to intentionally add interest or move the action along is purposeful repetition. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/lists-rule-of-three-and-repetition.html.

Revise—to alter something already written in order to improve, change, or clarify. Revision is more involved than editing since the writer is looking not for errors to correct, but ways to improve the writing as a whole.

Rhyme—a matching similarity in sounds in two or more words, especially when the accented vowel and the consonants that follow are all the same. (For instance: mall/fall; core/more, babble/dabble.) Picture book authors strive for perfect (exact) rhyme. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/04/rhyming-poems-in-picture-books.html.

Rhythm—refers to the speed, intensity, and tone of a piece of writing. Think of this as the heart rate or heartbeat of the story. (All stories can have rhythm, but rhythm is especially a part of poetry and rhyming stories.)

Rule of Three—using words, phrases, sounds, etc. in groups of three. Three of anything seems to provide a pleasing, comforting feel for the reader. This could refer to repeating a sound three times (Whack! Whack! Whack!), three details (She was hungry. She was tired. She was lonely), or even three attempts/scenes of the main character attempting to solve his/her problem. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/lists-rule-of-three-and-repetition.html.

-S-

Sentence fragment (purposeful)— A meaningful sentence fragment can add sentence variety to a piece of writing. Sentence fragments are intentional and should appear in a limited number in a piece of writing. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/sentence-variety.html.

Shouting caps—writing a word or phrase in all capital letters is called Shouting Caps. This technique adds interest, communicates emotions, and emphasizes the word or phrase. Shouting caps may be part of dialogue, but do not have to be. (For instance: I saw the moving van pull away. YES! YES! YES! My dream had finally come true.)

Show Don’t Tell—many authors have used this phrase or concept when writing. Mark Twain said, “Don’t say the old lady screamed—bring her on and let her scream.” In other words, instead of telling the reader what has happened, the writer SHOWS what has happened. Instead of “The woman screamed”, the author could write: “The old woman flung her cane into the air and let out a blood-curdling scream.”

Simile—a comparison of two dissimilar things using like or as in the comparison. (For instance: The clouds were fluffy like cotton candy. OR He was as smelly as a trashcan.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/similes-and-metaphorscomparisons-r-us.html.

Snapshot writing—this type of writing has been described by Barry Lane in his books The Revisers Tool Box and After the End. Think of how a snapshot freezes a moment in time with all the details of that moment captured for all to see. Snapshot writing does the same thing. It freezes the moment and helps the reader see all the details before moving on. NOTE: This technique is also called Exploding the Moment.

Specific Nouns—all authors use nouns (names of people, places, and things) in their writing. Good writers make the nouns specific. Instead of store, they write grocery store. Great writers use even more specific nouns. Instead of grocery store, they write Winn Dixie. Instead of dog, they write German Shepherd. These specific nouns add details to the writing and show the reader what the author is writing about. http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/secrets-to-specific-nouns-and-vivid.html.

Support (supporting details)—details that work to support the topic sentence or provide more detail about the topic sentence and also make the main idea stronger. Supporting details could be facts, personal experiences, examples, descriptions (using similes, alliteration, and other figurative language), or arguments for or against something. In every case support details should directly connect with the topic sentence of your paragraph.

Surprise ending—surprise endings (also known as twisted endings) are unexpected and can catch the reader off guard. The surprise ending may include irony or cause the reader to reevaluate the story. The writer must be careful to make the ending logical even though surprising. (For instance, introducing a character or super hero suddenly in the last paragraph to solve the story’s problem may not seem logical to the reader.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/effective-endings.html.

The Glossary, M-Q

2012-01-25T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Wednesday, January 25, 2012—The Glossary, M-Q

-M-

Meaningful list (or purposeful list)—meaningful lists include details, move action along, or otherwise enhance writing can be helpful. (For instance: Twelve Clydesdale horse, two Dalmatians, and four firefighters rode Engine #49 in the parade.)

Metaphor—a comparison of two different things that does NOT use like or as (For instance: The sun is an orange basketball bouncing through the sky.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/similes-and-metaphorscomparisons-r-us.html.

Modifier—a word, phrase, or sentence that limits or qualifies the sense of another word, phrase, or sentence is called a modifier. Often modifiers are two hyphenated words used to qualify something about another word or phrase. (For instance: Jake was a first-time award winner.)

Moral/lesson ending—writers can communicate a moral or lesson learned at the end of their writing. A moral/lesson ending may be obvious and stated (for instance: I sure learned a lesson that day and from now I will think before I speak) or it may be implied and subtle. CAUTION: Avoid being preachy or didactic. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/effective-endings.html.

-N-

-O-

Onomatopoeia—the use of words that sound like the noise they make. Also known as sound effects (such as cuckoo or boom). See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/onomatopoeias-i-love-sound-of-it.html.

-P-

Pacing—the speed at which a story progresses. The rate of pacing can change throughout a story—from fast to slow and vice versa. http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/bit-about-pacing.html.

Personification—giving human characteristics to non-human, inanimate things. (For instance: The car wipers batted away tears. OR The tree streched its arms to the sky.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/personificationgiving-legs-to-words.html.

Plot—the structure and action of the events in a work of fiction. In order for a plot to begin some sort of catalyst must occur.

Point of view (POV)—the way a story is told and who tells it. The two most common POVs used in picture books are first-person POV (when the narrator speaks as “I” and is a character in the story) and third-person POV (when the narrator seems to be standing outside the story and refers to all the characters by name and uses he, they, she, etc.).

Problem—giving the central character a problem, situation, or challenge (no matter how big or small) that he/she must successfully solve/resolve (most often by himself/herself) for the story to come to a satisfactory conclusion.

-Q-

The Glossary, E-L

2012-01-24T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Tuesday, January 24, 2012—The Glossary, E-L

-E-

Edit—to correct or “clean up” a draft. Usually includes correcting spelling, word usage, capitalization, and punctuation.

Explode the moment— this type of writing has been described by Barry Lane in his books The Revisers Tool Box and After the End. Think of how a snapshot freezes a moment in time with all the details of that moment captured for all to see. NOTE: This technique is also called Snapshot Writing.

-F-

Focus—staying focused on one central idea and excluding extraneous information.

Foreshadowing—to show or indicate beforehand.

Fretag’s Pyramid—a dramatic structure diagram showing rising action on the left side of the pyramid, up to the apex (which represents the climax), and falling action on the right side of the pyramid leading to the conclusion and denouement of the story. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/10/dramatic-structurefreytags-pyramid.html.

-G-

Golden thread—a technique where a recurring theme, phrase, or set of words flow throughout a piece of writing. The thread helps “tie” together the writing and gives a feeling of completeness. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/golden-thread.html.

-H-

Hyperbole—an exaggeration or extravagant statement or figure of speech that is not intended to be taken literally (such as: The pizza was so hot it burned my tongue off!)

-I-

Idiom—a figure of speech in which the meaning cannot be understood simply from the actual meaning of the words. (For istance: Keep tabs on him. OR It’s raining cats and dogs.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/idioms-familiar-wise-and-fun-sayings.html.

Insider vocabulary—vocabulary associated with a certain job, hobby, sport, and so on. For instance, ballet has its own set of vocabulary, as does skateboarding, soccer, instant messaging, and so on. The use of some insider vocabulary (and the inclusion of necessary definitions) can add interest and variety to writing.

-J-

-K-

-L-

The Glossary, A-D

2012-01-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Monday, January 23, 2012—The Glossary, A-D

PICTURE BOOK WRITER’S GLOSSARY

-A-

Alliteration—repetition of sounds in two or more stressed syllables (see also: Assonance and Consonance.) See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/alliteration-and-assonancefabulous-fun.html.

Anthropomorphism—giving human characteristics to non-human things, usually animals. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/06/anthropomorphic-main-characters.html.

Assonance—repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming in phrases and/or sentences. For instance: “Do you like blue?” Also called vowel rhyme. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/alliteration-and-assonancefabulous-fun.html.

Attributes—describing the qualities and/or characteristics of people, places, things, ideas, objects. Attributes could include size, color, shape, movement/action, symmetry, texture, number, composition, smell, taste, function, location, habitat, direction, orientation, temperature, weight, age, and so on. (Attributes are more than adjectives. Attributes seek to describe with details, and adjectives are usually used to merely list characteristics. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/forget-adjectives-think-attributes.html.

-B-

-C-

Circular ending—ending the story in the same way that you began it or ending where you began. For instance with the same onomatopoeia, same phrase, same details, and so on. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/effective-endings.html.

Consonance—repetition of consonant sounds in phrases and/or sentences. For instance: The silver snow slid down from the sky.

Conventions—commonly accepted rules of edited American English (e.g., spelling, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and sentence structure).

-D-

Defining terms in context—defining a word within the context of writing. For instance: The Smack Down, an exciting wrestling event, occurs once a month at the arena. OR That yellow flowering shrub is a forsythia.

Defining terms in parentheses—this technique can add sentence variety while also providing a definition. For instance: The in-the-park homerun (a homerun where the ball never leaves the playing field) won the game.

Denouement—the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot. The ah-h-h-h moment at the end of a story. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/07/heart-gravitas-denouement.html.

Dialogue (purposeful)—purposeful dialogue is dialogue that moves the action of the writing along, adds details, gives insight into characters, and so on. Writers should avoid chit-chat or he-said-she-said writing with long sections of dialogue. A good rule of thumb is to insert action or details between each exchange of dialogue. See: http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/dialogue-vs-voice.html and http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/dialogue-tags.html.

Draft—preliminary version of a piece of writing that may need editing and revision of details, organization, and conventions

Clark Elementary School

2012-01-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

A Big Ole Wonka Wow!

Yesterday was another great Wonka Writing Factory session at Clark Elementary in Tampa, Florida. We learned about sentence variety (specifically a dash to add details, ellipses as a transition, and a purpose list). Man, can those kids write! If I were a literary agent I would sign half of them up and start selling their stories!

Coming This Week!

2012-01-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

Week of January 22, 2012—Picture Book Writer’s Glossary

Quote of the week:

Nothing leads so straight to futility as literary ambitions without systematic knowledge.

—H.G. Wells

Few people know that Picture This! really exists to help me learn more about writing picture books. By sharing what I learn, I have more accountability to keep on learning. In this same spirit, a few years ago I began to write definitions for writing crafts, terms, and topics that I was learning about. Creating my own definitions was my way of internalizing what I was learning. The collection resulted in a glossary.

This week I’m sharing my glossary. This is very much a fluid document that changes and grows. I can’t guarantee that every definition is text-book, but I can guarantee that every definition comes from my current, working understanding of each term. Throughout the glossary I’ve provided links to Picture This! blog posts about related topics.

As you read through and use the glossary this week, be sure to add your two cents worth in the comments section. If there are terms you want defined and added to the glossary, please let me know.

Monday—The Glossary, A-D

Tuesday—The Glossary, E-L

Wednesday—The Glossary, M-Q

Thursday—The Glossary, R-S

Friday—The Glossary, T-Z

2012-01-21T01:00:00.002-05:00

Picture Book Critiques

By Rob Sanders

I’ve been staying busy with my critique service, but now have a few openings. If you have a picture book manuscript in need of an in-depth critique, please check out my services. Reasonable, realistic, and reliable!

WHAT YOU RECEIVE IN A CRITQUE

n I begin with an overall list of the things I love about your story and your writing, possible concerns, and possible fixes.

n Then I provide a line-by-line critique, which may include suggested cuts, additions, and comments.

n I will also look at the BIG PICTURE of your plot and story development.

WHY YOU CAN TRUST ME TO PROVIDE A QUALITY CRITIQUE

n I am a published picture book author and have been published in other genres as well—educational resources, inspirational books, and magazine articles to name a few.

n I critique nearly a hundred picture book manuscripts a year.

n I have taught creative writing to children for years. I know how to teach and coach as well as critique. And I know what kids love and what they don’t.

n I have worked as an editor, editorial group manager, and a coordinator of children’s product development for a major not-for-profit publisher.

For more information visit http://robsanderswrites.com/Critique_Service.html

For availability, email me at rob@robsanderswrites.com.

A Peek at SCBWI Miami

2012-01-20T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 15, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI Miami

Friday, January 20, 2012—A Peek at SCBWI Miami

I have more memories than pictures of SCBWI Miami. But I wanted to share what I have (and what my friends shared with me).

I guess this picture speaks for itself. I just wonder where Wonder Man is.

One of the highlights of the meeting was having Lin Oliver, co-founder and executive director of SCBWI with us. Lin gave a keynote address on Saturday, critiqued manuscripts, and led a breakout session on Sunday.

Here is my fellow critique group member, Dionna, with Lin just after having books autographed.

This is Dionna with author Laura Murray who wrote the hit The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School. Laura is a former SCBWI Florida gal and now lives in Virginia. She was back to participate in the First-Books Panel and led a breakout session with her agent.

At the Mad Hatter’s Ball four of my face-to-face critique group members and one of my online critique group members joined me and we dressed as the Tweedles. I was Tweedle Dum (go figure), Cheryl was Tweedle Dee, Aimee was Tweedle Mum, Madeleine was Tweedle Bee, Dionna was Tweedle Rum, and Jane was Tweedle Sea. Bonnie joined us as the unnamed Tweedle with a beanie!

Here’s Tweedle Mum and Tweedle Dum. Aimee is wearing padding. I, sadly, am not.

Tweedle Sea (aka Jane) with a random sea creature who wandered into the banquet. Jane asked me to not say she hooked a big one! Oops!

Dionna is in my face-to-face group and Aimee (from Canada) is in my online group. I’ve been telling them they look like sisters. This picture is the proof.

We learned, we collaborated, we wrote, we critiqued, we networked, we brainstormed, we ate, we laughed, we had a wonderful time. Thanks SCBWI Florida for an outstanding conference experience!

Beware of Writing Rumors

2012-01-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Week of January 15, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI Miami

Thursday, January 19, 2012—Beware of Writing Rumors

From time to time I hear picture book writers say, “I heard so-and-so at such-and-so conference and they said thus-and-so, so we can’t do that anymore or we’ll never get published.” I was reminded at SCBWI Miami, that every editor is different and every editor has different requirements, expectations, and preferences. Be cautious to not over-generalize when you hear a message from an editor or agent. There’s a great big market out there with lots of different wants and needs.

Below are some rumors we can dispel.

RUMOR #1: PICTURE BOOKS ARE DEAD

Let me remind you of Bonnie Bader’s and Diane Muldrow’s quotes that I shared on Monday. Bonnie said: “There is a thriving picture book business. But the problem may be that there were too many poor ones that came out.” Diane added: “Good books can be published.” Diane went on to say that there’s lots of gloom-and-doom in the industry these days and that the rumors about the demise of pictures seems self-perpetuating. “Picture books,” she concluded, “never went out.”

Tamar Brazis said that publishing companies are becoming more discriminating and strategic about the picture books they choose to publish.

The four editors at the conference who work with picture books were actively looking for new projects. They all critiqued manuscripts in hopes of finding that perfect picture book manuscript. I know of one picture book author who landed a well-known agent who hardly ever works with picture book authors. Why? Because she saw something unique, something stellar, something she could sell.

Picture books are alive and well, thank you very much.

RUMOR #2: ART NOTES ARE FORBIDDEN

When discussing leveled readers and early chapter books (the bookends that surround picture books), Bonnie Bader said: “Art notes need to be spelled out and specific.” We even did an exercise during Bonnie and Natalie’s intensive where we paginated a text and added art suggestions in the margins.

Diane Muldrow said, “Think like an editor,” and encouraged us to page out our books and create art suggestions for each page. When you do this, “it forces you to think visually,” Diane said. “Always think of page turns,” and “take ownership of your writing,” Diane instructed.

You may never send one of the art suggestions that you create to an editor. Initially the art suggestions are just are for you, the author. The art suggestions allow you to see how your text flows, what words you can cut because art will show the details, where additional details might be needed, how the pacing flows, where the page turns should come, and so on.

Once you get to know an editor you’ll discover his/her likes and dislikes. No two editors are going to approach art notes in the same. The rumor that you can never have art notes is, however, just that . . . a rumor.

RUMOR #3: EDITORS WON’T READ ANYTHING IF IT’S OVER 500 WORDS

Not one editor at the conference mentioned word count. Diane even said, “I don’t count.” But what every editor said is that she is looking for manuscripts with perfect word choices, just-right pacing, and a clear story line. If you think you can write 1200 words and send it off without seriously thinking through the list above, you’re wrong.

Again, every editor will have different preferences when it comes to word count. Some firmly hold to 500 words or less, others don’t. I still shoot for 500 words in my manuscripts—sometimes lower, sometimes a little higher. This is the strategy I use to keep my words tight and my story flowing. Try it, it might work you. But it’s not a rule—that’s just a rumor.

Big Ideas that Stood Out in Miami

2012-01-18T01:00:00.002-05:00

Week of January 15, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI Miami

Wednesday, January 18, 2012—Big Ideas that Stood Out in Miami

Any time I attend a conference I leave a bit overwhelmed. There’s so much information—presentations to digest, critiques to ponder, notes to review and decipher, and excitement to harness. This year during the Miami SCBWI, I intentionally tried to note things I heard time and time again, or that registered with me time and time again. I decided these “big ideas” would be starting points for putting what I had learned into action. My BIG FIVE IDEAS from Miami are:

CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS

Every conference I attend seems to have a writing craft that rises to the surface. It’s not an intentional, planned thing. Perhaps it’s just what I need to hear at the time. What I heard in Miami made think more about characters.

Of course, I know the important role a character plays in a picture book, but I have to admit I often just let my characters emerge rather than strategically bringing them to life. I like to think I’m intuitive and that this is my approach to writing. But I recalled this weekend that I always used to say I was spontaneous until a friend pointed out that the synonym of spontaneous is impulsive. OUCH! Unfortunately one of the synonyms for intuitive is spontaneous which we already have established means impulsive. Perhaps my approach isn’t so intuitive after all. Ok, enough therapy. Time to take a different approach with characters.

Bonnie Bader (Grosset & Dunlap) told us that even beginning readers give room for character development. She reminded us that characters in these books often have familiar traits. Bonnie led us through a character profile activity. You’ve done similar things before. Bonnie had us list: the name of the character, where he lives, his appearance, best friend, worst enemy, favorite food, special sayings, best thing that’s ever happened to him, the worst thing that’s ever happened to him, and his secret. I did the exercise and quickly thought of a story I would write about my character. Then I looked back at my profile and thought of another idea and then another. Things within the profile (such as an enemy who is an elephant and a favorite food which is a peanut) opened up a whole new story line. Amazing! Try it!

Yesterday I listed a quote about characters from Donna Jo Napoli (linguist and author): “You need to know everything about your character, even if it’s not in the text of the book. This will make the character coherent.” Here’s yet another reason why we need to delve into character profiles when developing our picture book characters.

During the editors’ panel, Bonnie Bader said that one of the things writers often do wrong is weak character development or characters that sound alike. “Characters need to be distinctive,” Bonnie said. When I recently wrote a series of picture books about twin sisters, this was very true. Each girl had to have her own personality (as well as commonalities that held them together). If the girls weren’t distinctive even I got confused by them, not to mention what would happen to an editor or a reader/listener reading the books for the first time.

Tamar Bravis (Abrams) led a wonderful session about friendship in picture books. During the weekend Tamar said that “Plot is about one character’s journey,” and that “the character’s personality drives the story.” Tamar suggested five books to read to understand the relationship between friend characters in picture books:

· Days with Frog and Toad, “Alone” by Arnold Lobel (technically not a picture book, but a very young chapter book)

· The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell

· City Dog and Country Frog by Mo Willems, illustrated by Jon J. Muth

· Making a Friend by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

· Waddles by David M. McPhail

READ, READ, READ

We hear this at every conference. And I’m pretty good at reading books (even better at buying them). But I’m nowhere as good as Lin Oliver challenged us to be when she said: “For every book you write, read 500. Develop your own canon of literature that means something to you.” Then later Lin reminded us to, “Read everything aloud.” I have seven new picture books and a beginning chapter book stacked on a cabinet in my office. My commitment is to read and study all those books this week. Only 492 more to go!

I must add a great quote from Greg Neri. This is especially poignant to me as I think about student writers and readers. Greg said he tells students, “If you don’t like reading, you’ve not discovered your book yet.” Isn’t that a great encouragement to keep reading?

SHOW, SHOW, SHOW

You’ve heard the phrase, “Show, don’t tell.” I say it to my students dozens of times a day. I write it on manuscripts when I’m critiquing. I discuss the concept with my critique group members at almost every meeting. Still, I catch myself showing and not telling in my writing. That must be why this topic always comes up during conferences.

During the editors’ panel Bonnie Bader said that one of the most frequent mistakes writers make is telling instead of showing. During the first-page critique panel time after time the panelists pointed telling passages in the pieces they were evaluating that were showing and not telling. It happens to all of us. That’s why it’s one of the big ideas.

EMOTIONS, EMOTIONS, EMOTIONS

I think the entire theme of emotions began to surface in my mind when I heard Donna Jo Napoli say, “You must care deeply about what you’re writing or your reader won’t.”

Donna Jo told us she asks students:

1. Who is your best friend?

2. What book have you read or had read to you this school year that is your favorite and that you wish you could have your best friend read?

3. Why do you want your best friend to read the book?

She said the students always respond with feeling answers . . . things they want their friends to feel that they felt—humor, suspense, a heart-tug, and so on.

During the editors’ panel, Diane Muldrow said, “Picture books must have an emotional pay off or resonance . . . or be really funny . . . they have to make you feel something.”

During the same panel Natalie Lescroart (Penguin Young Readers) said, “Write a lot. Not just one story. Keep writing until you find something that resonates.”

COLLABORATE, COLLABORATE, COLLABORATE

Our quote for this week comes from Lin Oliver, co-founder and executive director of SCBWI. Lin concluded her keynote by saying: “Join the tribe! We have optimism for the future.”

You can’t go to an SCBWI conference without feeling the power of the tribe.

This year I was with four of my face-to-face critique group friends and two of my online critique group friends. We quickly adopted two more people into our band. And we learned together, laughed together, shared meals, talked about our writing dreams, and got pumped up to do our work. Add to that all the friends I see only at conferences and new people I met. Not only was I part of the tribe for three days, but I enlarged my own personal tribe, my own writing support system.

If you’re not a member of SCBWI, join today. If you’re not a member of a critique group, find one. (And if you can’t find one, let me know and maybe I can help you find or start one.)

Collaborate. It’s one of my three words pillars this year. And it’s the cornerstone of a successful conference like the one I attended in Miami.

Quotes to Remember

2012-01-17T04:00:00.001-05:00

Week of January 15, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI Miami

Tuesday, January 17—Quotes to Remember

SCBWI Miami was filled with great presenters and panels. Below are a few of the quotes I'll remember and put to use. I hope you find some inspiration in them, too.

ON THE SUBJECT OF THE JOB OF A WRITER

“You need to know everything about your character, even if it’s not in the text of the book. This will make the character coherent.”

Donna Jo Napoli

“Sometimes things can be so remarkable that it is unbelievable—we must lay the foundation so it is believable.”

Donna Jo Napoli

“Start the story where the story starts.”

Donna Jo Napoli

“Your job is to make them [the reader] have to turn the first page.”

Donna Jo Napoli

“In bad times, art flourishes. Forget about sales. Write.”

Donna Jo Napoli

ON THE SUBJECT OF PICTURE BOOKS BEING DEAD

“There is a thriving picture book business. But the problem may be that there were too many poor ones that came out.”

Bonnie Bader

“Good books can be published.”

Diane Muldrow

ON THE SUBJECT OF WHAT WRITERS DO WRONG

“Too much telling and not enough showing.”

Bonnie Bader

“Weak character development, or characters that sound the same. Characters need to be distinctive.”

Bonnie Bader

“Not doing their research and submitting the wrong things to us.”

Diane Muldrow

“People not thinking visually—beware the talking heads.”

Diane Muldrow

“Don’t write to trends.”

Tamar Brazis

“Stilted language.”

Natalie Lescroart

ON THE SUBJECT OF LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH SCBWI

“For every book you write, read 500. Develop your own canon of literature that means something to you.”

Lin Oliver

“We read for one reason—we read to ‘root.’ If that person can do it, so can I. We need hopefully endings.”

Lin Oliver

“Read everything aloud.”

Lin Oliver

ON THE SUBJECT OF INSPIRATION AND LESSONS LEARNED

“I don’t write these stories, they write me.”

Greg Neri

“Doors open if you’re receptive. Walk through them and you’ll end up in a whole different part of the building.”

Greg Nari

ON THE SUBJECT OF WHAT PICTURE BOOK WRITERS NEED TO DO

“Art needs to be spelled out and specific.”

Bonnie Bader

“Make your vision clear when you submit.”

Bonnie Bader

“Most picture books can’t focus on more than two characters.”

Tamar Brazis

“Make the story work and make it vivid—even if it’s not all true.”

Tamar Brazis

“Not every book can be an $18.00 picture book.”

Diane Muldrow

“Always think of page turns.”

Diane Muldrow

“Take ownership of your writing.”
Diane Muldrow

“Think like an editor.”

Diane Muldrow

COOL PICTURE BOOK DUMMY HINT

“Take a picture book format you like [page numbers, size, etc.], then lay your book out to match.”

Diane Muldrow

Coming This Week!

2012-01-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

Week of January 15, 2012—Reflections from SCBWI Miami

Quote of the Week:

“Join the tribe! We have optimism for the future.”

—Lin Oliver

I’ve just returned from a wonderful three days in Miami at the Florida SCBWI Winter Conference. Actually, I returned last night and have spent all day writing and revising (the sure sign you’ve been to an inspiring conference). The event was made extra special because I was with members of both of my critique groups and my Golden Books/Random House editor, Diane Muldrow, was there.

This week, I’ll reflect on what inspired me, what challenged me, and what lit fires under me during the conference. I can tell you for sure this won’t be as good as being there, but it might be the next best thing.

Tuesday—Quotes to Remember

Wednesday—Big Ideas that Stood Out

Thursday—Beware of Writing Rumors

Friday—A Visual Peek at SCBWI Miami

Miami or Bust!

2012-01-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Florida SCBWI

I’m attending the Florida SCBWI Winter Meeting in Miami this weekend. The conference is entitled “Mad About Children’s Writing” and includes a Alice in Wonderland and Mad Hatter motif. I promise to bring back tons of great information to share. If you’re attending the conference, be sure to say hello!

Let It Go

2012-01-13T00:30:00.002-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Friday, January 13, 2012—Let It Go

If you’re to find success on your 2012 writing journey, you may have to let some things from 2011 (or before) go. This year is a fresh start. We don’t want to be weighed down by the past or by stinkin’ thinkin’.

Did you rack up a stack of form rejection letters last year? Let it go.

Did you not meet any of your goals for last year? Let it go.

Did your critique group disband? Let it go.

Were you not able to attend any writing training last year? Let it go.

Are you worried about not ever finishing anything? Let it go.

Did you have a book deal fall through at the last minute? Let it go.

Is no one else supporting your writing dreams? Let it go. (And maybe let them go!)

What do you need to let go in 2012? Write your responses below. Then let it go. Move on. Make 2012 your best writing year ever!

It’s Your Turn!

1. Let it go!

The Accountability

2012-01-12T00:30:00.001-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Thursday, January 12, 2012—The Accountability

Time for a confession—I hate the word accountability. I guess it’s part of my personal baggage (and I have a matching set of luggage). Since I know accountability is so important, I decided to find synonyms that might work better and make the concept more palatable to me. Here goes . . .

· Accountableness

· Answerability

· Duty

· Indebtedness

· Liability

· Obligation

· Responsibility

· Subjection

Ok, I don’t like any of those words either. So I’m sticking with accountability—the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.

If you keep secret your 3-word pillars, your dreams, and the steps you intended to take during 2012, chances are by the time March rolls around all those ideas and plans will be forgotten. When you add accountability into the mix, you increase your odds for success (or at least your odds of remembering).

Add Dates

The first and easiest way to add some accountability to your 2012 plans is to calendar out the steps to writing success that you brainstormed yesterday. If you decided to attend a conference, look up the date and put it on your calendar. If you think you’ll join a critique group this year, give yourself a deadline for doing so. If you decided on the number of manuscripts you want to draft in a given timeframe, write reminders in your calendar. Those simple actions add accountability and help keep your steps to reaching your dreams and “pillars” in your mind.

Schedule Monthly or Quarterly Check-ups

Decide how often you are going to check-up on your progress. I like monthly check-ups. Other folks like to do this on a bi-monthly or quarterly basis. Decide which will work for you, then make notes in your calendar or highlight the week/month when you will go back and review your pillars, your dreams, and your steps. Each time you do a check-up, you can check off what you’ve accomplished/completed, rearrange your plans as needed, and add additional actions that make be needed.

Tell Someone

The ultimate in accountability is to tell another human being what your plans are and the steps you are taking. You might choose a writing friend or mentor, your critique group, or another interested family member or friend. Don’t choose someone who will nag you to death, and don’t choose someone who will allow you to slack off! Ask your accountability partner to routinely check in with questions such as, “What have you done to reach your writing dreams?” or “What steps on your writing journey have you taken recently?” Open-ended questions are best.

It’s Your Turn!

1. Add some accountability into your plans for 2012. Do it today . . . don’t wait!

The Steps

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Wednesday, January 11, 2012—The Steps

Several years ago the company I worked for sent me on an extended trip to Israel with a film crew. The trip was an amazing experience in many ways and I look often at the souvenirs, artifacts, and photos I brought back.

On a side to trip to Jericho, my co-worker and dear friend, Lynne Norris, and I (along with Lynne’s mom, Martha) visited the Mount of Temptation. At the base of the mountain our tour guide suggested that we climb the steep steps to the Monastery of the Temptation. The monastery houses what is reported to be the very rock on which Christ sat during the thirty days of His temptation. We were game because we could see two or three flights of stairs and they seemed doable.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” I asked the tour guide.

“No, my friend. I have seen before. You go. I wait here in the restaurant,” he answered. (The air-conditioned restaurant I might add.)

What we didn’t realize is that Jericho is one of the lowest cities in the world, more than 800 feet below sea level, and the monastery sits more than 1000 feet above sea level and hangs off the craggy cliffs. (You do the math.) Each time we came to the top of one flight of stairs, another appeared on the right, then another on the left. By the time we reached the monastery, we were red-faced, covered with sweat, and out of water. (Did I mention Jericho is in the desert?)

So what’s the point? There were many steps to reach our destination in Jericho. And there are many steps to accomplish the pillars and dreams you created earlier this week. Use the chart below to help you begin to plan the steps to take to achieve all you hope to in 2012. (Note: Not every question below will fit every writer. Pick and choose what works for you and add other questions that you need to ensure your success.)

Steps I’ll take to learn more about writing . . .
Steps I’ll take to improve my writing . . .
Steps I’ll take to collaborate with other writers . . .
Steps I’ll take to invest in my writing . . .
Steps I’ll take to get input into my writing . . .
Steps I’ll take to get my writing “out there” . . .
Steps I’ll take to learn more about the publishing industry . . .
Steps I’ll take to learn more about picture books . . .
Steps I’ll take to gather more writing ideas . . .
Steps I’ll take to increase my productivity . . .
Steps I’ll take to increase my commitment to my writing . . .
Other steps I’ll take to ensure I work towards my writing dreams and my “pillars” . . .
Other steps I’ll take . . .

It’s Your Turn!
1. Recording the steps you’ll take will increase your focus on your “pillars” and get you closer to your dreams. Write down the steps you will take. Then place them in a prominent place to keep you focused and on task.

The Dreams

2012-01-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Tuesday, January 10, 2012—The Dreams

Do you know the Everly Brothers’ song “All I Have to Do Is Dream?” Come on everyone, sing along!

Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream.
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream.

Ok, you’re not singing. How about Roy Orbison’s “Beautiful Dreamer?”

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee

Still not singing? Maybe you’re more of a show tune kind of person. How about Jason Donovan’s “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat?

I close my eyes, drew back the curtain
To see for certain, what I thought I knew

Far, far away, someone was weeping
But the world was sleeping
Any dream will do

Excuse me. I hate to interrupt just when you finally started singing, but Joseph was wrong. Any dream won’t do. Why dream just any dream? Why not dream the dreams that are really the ones on your mind? Your secret dreams that no one knows, but that you so want to wake to find have come true.

Today I want you to dream. Specially, to dream about your writing. Dreams don’t have to be bound by SMART rules, or by the judgments of others. They don’t have to be realistic. They don’t have to make sense to anyone else. They are, after all, dreams.

I can tell you right now some people will disparage your dreams. They’ll say . . .

· “That’s a pipe dream.”

· “You’re dreaming your life away.”

· “Dream on!”

· “You’re living in a dream world.”

But you can still dream.

Imagine you are looking up into the clouds. You are looking into your writing future. Now answer these questions to begin to give words to your dreams.

· What about your writing do you see in those clouds?

· What do you dream will change about your writing this year?

· Who do you dream will read your writing and love it?

· What do you dream you will do to grow as a writer?

· Where do you dream your writing will be/reside/live in the future?

· What do you dream will happen with your writing this year?

· What do you dream will happen to your writing this year?

· What do you dream will happen because of your writing this year?

Dream big. Dream wild. Dream crazy. Dream.

Then you may be singing another tune . . . this one from Man of La Mancha:

To dream . . . the impossible dream . . .
To fight . . . the unbeatable foe . . .
To bear . . . with unbearable sorrow . . .
To run . . . where the brave dare not go . . .
To right . . . the unrightable wrong . . .
To love . . . pure and chaste from afar . . .
To try . . . when your arms are too weary . . .
To reach . . . the unreachable star . . .

This is my quest, to follow that star . . .
No matter how hopeless, no matter how . . .

(Lyrics by Joe Darion)

It’s Your Turn!

1. Dream your writing dreams today. Nothing is too crazy. Nothing is too far out. Nothing is impossible in a dream.

The Pillars

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Monday, January 9, 2012—The Pillars

Every job I’ve ever had required me to set performance goals, to measure my progress, to have data to prove I had accomplished my goals, and to explain why I did or didn’t accomplish my goals at the end of the year. Goals are helpful and needed.

If you were following Picture This! during 2011, you know that I led us through an extensive week of setting goals that were SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound). I met five of my six writing goals from 2011. Let me celebrate for just a second. The goals I met were:

1. Secure an agent

2. Blog weekly

3. Attend writing training at least once a quarter

4. Write at least one new manuscript a month

5. Keep and use a writing idea notebook

The one goal I didn’t reach (which involved how many books I would sell) was neither achievable nor realistic. It was something that was out of my control. (My friend, Heather, told me so, but I included it as a goal any way. So Heather, you were right.) Of course, the fact that I met five of my goals may mean I had a great year, or that I sat my goals too low. Perhaps I excelled. Perhaps I didn’t challenge myself enough. Either way, I’m going to celebrate.

This year I’m approaching my goals in a different way. During my holiday vacation I was watching the ABC evening news one night and saw a wonderful story where folks from around the country and of different ages used three words to tell how they would change the world. Each person held up a handwritten sign with their three-words written out as a commitment for everyone to see.

When I researched this story, I found that ABC’s Good Morning America has had a recurring segment for four years (where have I been) entitled “Your 3 Words.” Anchor Robin Roberts calls this a place for “expressing our common bonds and what makes us special and alike.” Most folks express a motto, slogan, or inspiring three-word thought. You can view a cool clip of a segment from Good Morning America on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpClB1kpcA0.

As I researched further, I found that social-media guru Chris Brogan also has blogged on the topic of “3 words.” (http://www.chrisbrogan.com/my-3-words-for-2011/.) Brogan has been using the “3 words” concept for years (again, where have I been). He chooses three words for himself at the beginning of each year. But instead of a motto¸ slogan, or inspiring thought, Brogan uses his three words as a way to set his course for the coming year. He blogs, I use the three words as “guiding pillars of what I’ll focus on in the coming year.”

I like this idea of not setting goals (which may or not be challenging enough, or SMART enough) for the new year. Heavens, knows I’m no good at keeping resolutions. (I am convinced that Weight Watchers only exists because of the number of times I’ve paid to rejoin). Instead, I’m choosing my three pillars—the stakes I’m driving into the ground to hold up everything I’ll do in 2012. My three words are:

WRITE. CREATE. COLLABORATE.

Brogan says that the words we choose can cover many aspects of our lives. For instance, my WRITE pillar, can mean my picture book writing, writing in my food journal, my blog writing, and my desire to stay in touch with friends and family. Thus, each of my three words is multifaceted and can cover a lot of territory. Together the three words sum up where I’m going in 2012.

I’ve already posted the 3-word Challenge on Facebook. But now I’m throwing it to you. What three words will be your pillars this year? Set down your stakes.

It’s Your Turn!
1. I challenge you: Choose your three words. Feel free to post them here for others to see.

Coming This Week!

2012-01-08T00:30:00.002-05:00

Week of January 8, 2012—Jumping Into 2012 Feet First

Quote of the Week:

The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.

—John Sculley

Welcome to 2012! I’m ready to jump into this year feet first, with wild abandon. I’m ready for this new, fresh start. I’m ready to leave the past in the past, and move forward. How about you?

This week I invite you to take the first steps into the new year. Ok, I realize that we’re already one week into 2012, but we can still take deliberate steps into this year of possibilities. On the count of three let’s jump in with both feet . . . 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!

Monday—The Pillars

Tuesday—The Dreams

Wednesday—The Steps

Thursday—The Accountability

Friday—Let It Go