Happy 2012!
May you write very day and find success along the way!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Writing Quote of the Day
December 29, 2011
You must want to [write] enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like.
—Phyllis A. Whitney
Picture This! will be back in full swing January 1, 2012. Don’t miss it!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Fun Times!
PB&J Holiday Get-Together
Our PB&J Critique Group enjoyed a holiday get-together tonight. What a wonderful time and what a wonderful group. From left to right: Madeleine, Jane, Cheryl, Dionna, and yours truly. We were missing Maryanne who was out-of-state with family.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Writing Quote of the Day
December 23, 2011
Write about what you care about and understand. Writers should never try to outguess the marketplace in search of a salable idea; the simple truth is that all good books will eventually find a publisher if the writer tries hard enough, and a central secret to writing a good book is to write on that [which] people like you will enjoy.
—Richard North Patterson
Picture This! will be back in full swing January 1, 2012. Don’t miss it!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Happy Holidaze!
Picture This! will be off-line during the two-week holiday period. Then we’ll launch 2012 with a bang . . . or rather, with a terrific interview!
In the meantime, I’m still collecting lists of favorite picture books of 2011 to add to our “you’ve-got-to-read-this” list. Add your ideas below as a comment or write me at rob@robsanderswrites.com.
Here’s wishing you happy holidays, fun times, and new memories!
Rob Sanders
Friday, December 16, 2011
Books Written by Some of My Picture Book Friends
Week of December 11—Fill Those Stockings with Picture Books
Friday, December 16—Books Written by Some of My Picture Book Friends
I can’t share lists of the best picture books of the year without sharing the books written by friends who have been featured on Picture This! this year. I’ll only list their latest releases, but please search out other titles by these fabulous authors.
Leonard S. Marcus
The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth
Written by Norman Juster
Illustrated by Jules Feiffer
Noted by Leonard S. Marcus
Janeen Mason
Gift of the Magpie
Written and Illustrated by Janeen Mason
Ocean Commotion: Life on the Reef
Written and Illustrated by Janeen Mason
Diane Muldrow
Where Do Giggles Come From?
By Diane Muldrow
Illustrated by Anne Kennedy
We Planted A Tree
By Diane Muldrow
Illustrated by Bob Staake
Margie Palatini
Hogg, Hogg, & Hog
Written and Illustrated by Margie Palatini
Goldie and the Three Hares
By Margie Palatini
Illustrated by Jack E. Davis
Jean Reidy
Light Up the Night
By Jean Reidy
Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Tammi Sauer
Mostly Monsterly
By Tammi Sauer
Illustrated by Scott Magoon
Mr. Duck Means Business
By Tammi Sauer
Illustrated by Jeff Mack
Lisa Wheeler
Dino-Basketball
By Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Barry Gott
Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children
By Lisa Wheeler
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Best-selling Picture Books of 2011 from Amazon.com
Week of December 11—Fill Those Stockings with Picture Books
Wednesday, December 14—Best-selling Picture Books of 2011 from Amazon.com
Amazon.com has already released its list of the Best-selling Picture Books of 2011. You’ll find on the list picture books we’ve featured on Picture This!, titles that are still best-sellers on the New York Times best-seller list, and other wonderful titles. You definitely need to sit with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy a few of these books!
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
By Eric Carle
Philomel
© 2011
The Man in the Moon: The Guardians of Childhood
By William Joyce
Atheneum
© 2011
Press Here
By Herve Tullet
Handprint/Chronicle Books
© 2011
Tumford the Terrible
By Nancy Tillman
Feiwel and Friends An Imprint of Macmillian
© 2011
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
By Joyce Sidman
Illustrated by Beth Krommes
Houghton Mifflin
© 2011
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
By Jerry Pinkney
Little Brown
© 2011
Grandpa Green
By Lane Smith
Roaring Brook
© 2011
Llama Llama Home with Mama
By Anna Dewdney
Viking
© 2011
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
By Sherri Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by Tom Lictenheld
Chronicle Books
© 2011
Neville
By Norton Juster
Illustrated by G. Brian Kara
Knopf
© 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Current New York Times Best Selling Picture Books
Week of December 11—Fill Those Stockings with Picture Books
Monday, December 12—The Current New York Times Best Selling Picture Books
I love perusing the New York Times best sellers list. Not only do I find books that are popular, but also the publishers who released the books, and authors and illustrators I don’t know—but want to. Below are the best-selling picture books per the New York Times, December 11, 2011. Why not add one or two your Christmas reading list?
If You Give A Dog a Donut
By Laura Numeroff
Illustrated by Felicia Bond
Balzer & Brat/HarperCollins
© 2011
Heaven Is For Real for Kids
By Todd and Sonja Burpo
Illustrated by Wilson Ong
Tommy Nelson
© 2010
The Night Before Christmas
By Clement C. Moore
Various illustrators
Various Publishers
Various copyright dates
Press Here
By Herve Tullet
Handprint/Chronicle
© 2011
Llama Llama Holiday Drama
By Anna Dewdney
Viking
© 2010
A Bad Kitty Christmas
By Nick Bruel
Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
© 2009
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
By Sherry Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Chronicle
© 2011
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
By Eric Carle
Philomel
© 2011
Home for Christmas
By Jan Brett
Putnam
© 2011
I Want My Hat Back
By Jon Klassen
Candlewick
© 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Coming This Week!
Week of December 11—Fill Those Stockings with Picture Books
Quote of the Week:
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.”
—Garrison Keillor
What could be better this holiday season than picture books wrapped for Hanukkah, nestled under the tree, or stuffed into stockings? Perhaps you want to add some wonderful picture book titles to your all-I-want-for-Christmas list. This week we’ll explore some popular picture books that would make great gifts. (Of course, there’s no better way of choosing a picture book than to spend some time in your local book store or library reading and enjoying new and old favorites.)
Monday—The Current New York Times Best Selling Picture Books
Wednesday—Best Selling Pictures of 2011 from Amazon.com
Friday—Books Written by Some of My Picture Book Friends
This Holiday Season Give Yourself the Gift Every Writer Needs!
A Critique
Critiques . . . the gift that keeps on giving!
What I Provide In a Critique
★I begin with an overall list of the things I love about your story and your writing, possible concerns, and possible fixes.
★Then I provide a line-by-line critique, which may include suggested cuts, additions, and comments.
★I will also look at the BIG PICTURE of your plot and story development.
Whether you have a manuscript in the final stages of revision, or a brand new manuscript, a professional critique can make a difference.
For more information about my critique service, visit: http://www.robsanderswrites.com/Critique_Service.html
if you have question s or want to check my availability, write to: rob@robsandswrites.com
You deserve something nice this holiday season, and for once it just might be better to receive than to give!
What Are Your Picture Book Picks for 2011?
I am collecting a list of favorite picture books for this year. What books moved you, caused you to say, “I wish I’d written that!” and made you laugh? What picture books have you read over and over, recommended to friends, and given as gifts?
You may post your favorites below or send me an email at rob@robsanderswrites.com. I will combine our favorites into a list that I will post at the end of the year.
So send those favorites to me and let’s celebrate our favorite picture books of the 2011!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Keep Revisiting and Reworking Those Ideas
Week of December 4—What Do I Do With All These Ideas?!
Friday, December 9—Keep Revisiting and Reworking Those Ideas
If ideas are a dime a dozen in an era when people are pinching pennies . . . what is the real value of an idea? If ideas really are worth a dime a dozen, then our 30 ideas from PiBoIdMo are only worth 25 cents. Please say it isn’t so.
It isn’t so! Our ideas are valuable. So my advice to you is: Value your ideas.
Just because some of your ideas didn’t make your current top-picks list doesn’t mean they won’t make the list another time. Who knows when one of those ideas you’ve skipped over for the time being will become your next inspiration? Who knows when one of those ideas might inspire another idea? Who knows when an idea you develop later will combine with an idea you had during PiBoIdMo to form a new masterpiece?
I sat in a meeting today and developed the problem to accompany one of my titles that I hadn’t even considered for my top-picks list. Later in the same meeting (yes, I was bored), I outlined another idea I didn’t think had much potential. Both of these ideas need tons of work, but they just might be great picture books one day.
So remember . . .
· Some of your ideas need more thought.
· Some of your ideas need room to breathe.
· Some of your ideas will get better with time.
· Some of your ideas need more research.
· Some of your ideas need a problem to solve.
· Some of your ideas need more brainstorming.
· Some of your ideas are stinkers, clinkers, and career sinkers!
Give each idea what it needs, when it needs it. And realize that even a stinker might come out smelling like a rose with the right kind of inspiration and hard work.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Plan Your #1 Pick!
Week of December 4—What Do I Do With All These Ideas?!
Thursday, December 8—Plan Your #1 Pick
I have a confession. Before PiBoIdMo was over, I had already started writing two of my ideas. I drafted one completely—then realized I didn’t address the central problem of the story. The other bogged down a third of the way in. Why? Because I failed to plan, that’s why. Oh, I had a vague notion of the conflict and the rise and fall of action, and I loved both concepts (and still do). But I didn’t plan, so I lost my way along the way!
It’s not unlike me to jump in with both feet. Frankly, it’s the same problem many of my students have. They want to write . . . plan? Forget about it! (And don’t even get me started on their feelings about revision.) I have to remind my students (and myself) that real writers . . . successful writers . . . professional writers don’t just let their writing happen, they plan it first.
With that in mind, I chose another of my top picks and planned it out thoroughly. The first draft was completed in no time, and I’ve already sent it to one of my critique groups for feedback. Planning is the key.
Today, I want to share my picture book planning organizer. Some of you have seen it before. This little sheet has made a difference for me. I know it won’t work a 100% of the time . . . but I’ll settle for 60% or 75%! You’re welcome to use it, too.
My challenge to you: Choose one of your top ideas and plan it. Really think through your story and where it is going. Know that the plan will change with each critique and that through revision you’ll polish and polish and polish. But first, get the plan written down and pound out that first draft!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Find What Moves You (and Makes You Chuckle)
Week of December 4—What Do I Do With All These Ideas?!
Wednesday, December 7—Find What Moves You (and Makes You Chuckle)
When I interviewed Diane Muldrow, editorial director at Golden Books/Random House, she said every picture book manuscript she acquires “has to have something—maybe it’s a strong and appealing character, maybe it’s a timeless message brought to life in a wonderful or fresh way . . . the main thing is that, as I said above, it has to make us feel something, it has to make us think about something after we put the book away.”
It has to make us feel something . . . hmmmm. If the goal of a picture book is to make readers and listeners feel something, then that manuscript has to make an editor feel something before acquiring it. If the editor who acquires it has to feel something, chances are an agent had to feel something. And before an agent could feel something, critique group members had to feel something. And, of course, before critique group members could feel something about a picture book manuscript, the author had to feel something.
Today is a subjective today. It’s a day to base on your decisions on your feelings. (Okay, maybe not all your decisions, but your decisions about your writing ideas.) Forget everything that went into gathering those ideas for PiBoIdMo. Imagine that you are seeing your circled and starred writing ideas (your favorite, unique ideas that had a problem to solve) for the very first time. Judge each idea based on the following:
1. Does it make me feel something?
2. Does it make me think or wonder?
3. Does it make me giggle, chuckle, or laugh aloud?
4. Does it make me say, “Ahhhhhh”?
Some of the things I said when I looked through my top picks were:
· That’s cute.
· That still seems funny to me.
· I think that’s unique and special.
· That is so silly . . . . I love it.
· I’ve never seen anything like that.
I placed a second star on the cards for these ideas. From my 43 original idea cards, I now have seven favorite ideas, and from my 21 title cards I’m down to one favorite. These eight ideas are my top picks to begin planning and drafting. Eight is certainly easier to focus on than 64!
Which of your ideas moves you? Which make you feel something? Which make you chuckle? Which give you goose bumps? Which make you wonder and imagine, think and question? These are your top picks, my friend.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Unique, Things too Familiar, Problems to Be Solved
Week of December 4—What Do I Do With All These Ideas?!
Tuesday, December 6—Unique, Things too Familiar, Problems to Be Solved
In the town where I teach (Plant City, Florida) you’ll find a down-home, country-cooking restaurant called Fred’s. Fred’s is known for its huge buffet where food is served in the pots, pans, and skillets in which its cooked. I had eaten there several times before I realized there was a menu. After all, who needs a menu when you have that buffet? I can always find some favorites on the buffet—fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, dressing, rolls, and more. There are also foods there that I only sample on occasion—catfish, stewed tomatoes, and ribs, for instance. And then there are the foods I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot poll. (Collard greens and creamed spinach are two examples.)
My list of writing ideas generated during PiBoIdMo is a lot like the buffet at Fred’s. Some of those ideas I can already tell are going to be delicious favorites I can bite into and start writing. Others might be worth a sampling to see where they go. And a few, I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot poll. They are the creamed-spinach of my writing ideas.
Today I spread out my cards buffet style in front of me. And I did some sorting and refining.
LOOK FOR THE UNIQUE
First I looked through my buffet for unique ideas—ones I’ve never seen before, ones that really interest me, ones that I think can sparkle. I drew a star on each of those cards. (Yes, if you want to use golden star stickers, be my guest!) Then I did the same thing with my cards that just have titles.
Interestingly, I only starred 11 of my 34 idea cards. That’s 32.35%. About one third of my ideas seem unique or appetizing to me (to continue our metaphor from above). I starred four of my 20 title cards. (That’s 20% if you’re keeping track.)
CULL OUT THE FAMILIAR
My next step today was to do some culling of ideas. I threw out the card/idea: Uncle Saint Nick. It seems far too familiar—I know it’s been done before. I had an idea for a manners book, but when I looked on Amazon.com, I immediately found three other similar concepts. While I love the idea, there’s no need to spend time on an idea that’s been done already. (Unless I have a totally different take on it, and I don’t.)
Another way I have to cull out is to look for ideas that are too didactic. I am a teacher. Sometimes my writing ideas are heavy-handed when it comes to trying to teach something, make a point, or get a message across. I know that’s a problem I have, so I can look for those things. I either have to find a way to make ideas that are too didactic less teach-y and preach-y, or I have to throw them out.
Through this process I eliminated five idea cards. (Do not fear or fret! Even though I’m throwing away the cards, the ideas are still in my writing notebook.)
BE SURE THERE’S A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED
My final step for today was to bring all my starred idea cards to the top of the pile. Then I evaluated each with this question in mind: Is there a problem to be solved? I circled the star if there was already an obvious problem. I added a huge question mark by the star if there was no problem yet identified.
Something inside me fights the concept of having a problem to solve when I write. It goes back to being a teacher—sometimes I want to teach, instead of telling a story. But I’m a picture book author. I write fiction. Fiction has plot. A fictional plot has a character with a problem that needs to be solved.
If you don’t know the problem to be solved, there is no reason to go any further with that idea. Once you have identified the problem, then you can take the idea another step. As you sort through your starred cards, the problem may pop out from the title or the description you’ve written. Or with a little thought, the problem may come to you. Don’t worry if you can’t identify a problem for every starred idea. This is another culling-out process that will get us closer to the ideas that are ready to be written.
Place your circled starred cards on top of the stack and your starred cards with no circle directly behind them.
Your buffet of ideas now has your most tasty dishes at the front of the serving line. We’ll dig into these delectable ideas more tomorrow!
P.S. For all of those who are fretting over “losing” ideas—you may go back to one of those starred ideas in the future. Don't worry about leaving it for now. If you can't say goodbye, try, “See ya later!”
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