Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Opinions Wanted


If You Could Make a List . . .

I’m planning a couple of training events for picture book writers. Before I launch into what I think people would like to learn about, I decided I’d ask picture book writers to tell me what they’d like to learn. If you were asked what you wanted to learn in a picture book track, what would you include on your list? Do you want to know about idea generation? Planning? Plotting? Writing craft? Character development? Voice? Rhythm, rhyme, and meter? Revision? Dummies, mock-ups, and formatting? Or some other writing craft or component of the writing process?

How do you like to learn? Would you want to look at exemplar picture books that could model successful writing techniques? Would you want to experience hands-on writing activities? Would you want to apply what you learn to your own writing? Would you like to work with a partner or a small group of writers from time to time during the event?

What would you write on your list of “what I want to learn about picture
books?” Add your thoughts as a comment below. Not only will your ideas help me
plan content for upcoming writing training events, they will also inspire future blog
posts.

THANKS!

7 comments:

Kaye Baillie said...

Planning, plotting and revision.

Wendy said...

I would love hands on exercises in picture book endings. I guess that's part of plotting. Ideas are bursting out but that satisfying ahhh is hard to conjure!

Lauri Fortino said...

Pacing!

Rob Sanders said...

Thanks, Kaye, very helpful! I've added your comments to my list.
Wendy, I agree--endings can be tricky. Great idea. (And I love hands-on, too!)
Lauri, you have hit upon a VERY important topic. Though different in every story--recognizing pacing that is too fast, too slow, and what is cuasing the pacing issue(s), could be a great topic!

Unknown said...

I would like to learn about picture books dummy mock ups, page spreads and how to include back matter, facts and author notes.

Rob Sanders said...

Thanks, Wendy. Sounds like you're further along in your writing process and that you are interested in non-fiction. Coolio.

tatiana said...
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