2022 -- A New Year!

 {What is your plan?}

I see a lot of posts in writing groups where people ask something similar to "How do I get started?" or "What do I do next?"

I've been thinking about this a lot because... well, it's January, and I have a lot of New Year ideas floating around. January is a great time of year to look at where you've been, where you're going, and what your plan is to get there. I've been working on this myself, and I thought I'd share in case it is helpful to anyone. I'd love to see your plans too--share it to make yourself accountable and help others with ideas!

Where I've been:
2020: A year of learning. I learned SO much! I started my little publishing company, hired an illustrator, ran a month-long Kickstarter, and published A Dinosaur Made Me Sneeze, the first in a fun Earth science meets fiction series. My books arrived the last few weeks of the year.
2021: Try everything! I learned SO much more this year! I think bulk printing on off-set printers is the best way to publish, but I wanted to know what everyone was talking about with KDP. So I started a nonfiction series for preschoolers and published When Will Cicada Sing? and Who Needs a Volcano? as paperbacks and ebooks on KDP. I prepared A Dinosaur Made Me Spill and ran a 2-week Kickstarter for it (my Kickstarter backers should get it this spring and it will probably be released to the public in the fall). My girls pushed me to publish Ten Very Merry Yetis in December (and we sold out of it at the one Christmas event I did)! I did school visits, street fairs, and festivals...and I LOVED it!! I sold about 1800 books this year, and actually made a profit!

Where I'm Going:
2022: (Keep Trying New Things!) and Scaling UP! I want to sell more, reach more people, and keep making books! I have at least one more dino book coming, several more nonfiction preschool books, and a new decodable series for early readers. I want to work with more people and other publishers. I want to learn everything (yes, everything, lol!), try new things, and grow my little business!

My Plan: This is clearly the abbreviated, goal-oriented version. 
=> Finish setting up A+ content for my KDP books.
=> Figure out how to make higher return ads on KDP.
=> Finish up A Dinosaur Made Me Spill and release it in an epic, exciting launch.
=> Finish writing the next dino book.
=> Write two more nonfiction preschool books.
=> Outline the rest of the nonfiction preschool series.
=> Write a kindergarten science curriculum based on the nonfiction preschool series.
=> Have an epic, nation-wide launch for my new early readers.
=> Grow FB & IG.
=> Do more school visits, festivals, street fairs, and other events!

Soooo... what's your plan?! What are you working on?!

Picture Books, Postcards, and Pitches

I have enough to tell you that I'm beginning to feel like a volcano so full of fabulous things to share that I'll just have to let them fly out!

Picture Books
The best thing you can do if you want to write picture books is to read and study them!  Here are three excellent examples of very well-written picture books.  Children love them and adults (at least this one!) can enjoy reading them over...and over and over.  They all have a creative story line with an unexpected ending.

1. Edwina The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
2. Troll Teacher by Vivan Vande Velde
3. There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea by Jennifer Ward and Illustrated by Steve Gray

Postcards
I am organizing a Postcard Exchange for my preschooler and still have several openings.  If you would like to be involved, please email me!  It will involve sending at least six postcards throughout the United States and to a few other countries.  If you want more details, please visit my family blog here.

Pitches
Susanna Hill, a children's book author, hosts a weekly Would You Read It? meme where she posts a pitch and her readers comment on whether or not they would be interested in the book.  Today, my unpublished story, Witches Don't Dance is the pitch for the week!  I'd love to read your comments on her blog about your reaction to my pitch!

How often do you post on your blogs?  I'm considering posting more than once a week.  How often do you like to see new posts on the blogs you visit?  I love to hear from you!

Editing Exercise and Blog Awards

Editing can be a beast, but this writing editing exercise can make it a bit more exciting.  I'm calling it, The Chopper!  Follow the steps and enjoy the freedom that comes from detaching yourself from your writing!


The Chopper:

1.  Start with your manuscript for a picture book, article, or one chapter from a longer work.  Write down the total words.

2.  Cut the total words in half.  Yes, you read it right...in half!  This is your target word count.  Write it down!

3.  Start chopping!  You will need to chop because just plucking a word here or there won't do it.  You can always add things back in if you feel like you've changed too much, but wait a few days.  Do you really need that description, that conversation, or that detail?  Remember your goal is to show as much as possible with as few words as necessary.  It's  a lot of fun to see how different your work can be when it's forced down to half the original length.  It's also good practice to help train yourself to be able to say more with less!

Let me know how it goes!  I'd love to cheer for you!


In other news...

I want to shout out congratulations to Jo and Dawn for taking on the 50-Word Challenge last week!  I totally enjoyed their stories!  If anyone else wants to try it (just for fun!), feel free--I rarely close comments!


And now, for some awards!

Last week I received two blogging awards!  Stuff like this brings out all sorts of silly grins--it brightens my day and makes me want to learn how to turn cartwheels!  I am delighted to pass them on, too!

First, thank you Abby at Something To Write About for the 7 x 7 Award!  Her blog is full of wonderful posts related to writing and things that might interest writers. 

For this award, I choose a blog post for each of seven categories...so, here you go! 

MOST BEAUTIFUL:  Beating a Fear of Success 

MOST HELPFUL:  Writers, How Well Do You Know Your Audience?

MOST POPULAR:  eReaders For Kids

MOST CONTROVERSIAL:   Lessons/Morals in Picture Books

MOST SURPRISINGLY SUCCESSFUL:   P is for Al Perkins

MOST UNDERRATED:  What Do Kids Read?

MOST PRIDE-WORTHY:  Dreaming Big

I would like to pass this award on to the following blogs: 
The Writing Nut
Wavy Lines
Kelly Polark

Next, thank you to Elizabeth at Elizabeth Anne Writes for the Versatile Blogger Award!  Elizabeth writes in many genres and has lots of information for writers on her blog! 

For this award I tell you seven things about myself!  So, here you go:

1.  I signed up to run a half-marathon in February on the beach!  Woo hoo! 

2.  I love to try new things...especially food!  This week, I've tried three new recipes and loved them all...Mmmm!

3.  I'm slightly germaphobic.  I used to be extremely germaphobic, but then I had a little boy who seems to desperately want to cure me. 

4.  I have a small in-home daycare.

5.  I'm a serious science nerd.  College only encouraged me. 

6.  My favorite places in China are probably gardens, Yellow Mountain, and the Great Wall area.  It's no coincidence that they're all outdoors.

7.  Laughing makes me happy.  Life is funny.  It feels good to laugh about it.

Well, there you have it!  I'm going to pass this award on to the following bloggers: 
 (note: Original Versatile Blogger Rules say to pass this on to 15 others...but, since I'm versatile, I'm passing it on to 5!)


Lauren Boyd
Imagine Today
The Restless Writer
Of Thoughts and Words
Children's Books Heal

Creating Characters for Picture Books

Character-driven picture books are in demand, but how do you make the space to introduce a character, share his/her story, and create a decent plot in a couple hundred words? 

Every author will find a personal method, but here's a few tips I'm working with: 

* Know your babies!  You, the author, will know far more about your characters than your readers ever will.  You will know their passions, weaknesses, greatest fears, and proudest moments.  You don't have to put it all in your book (you can't!), but knowing them may just bring the story you're looking for onto the computer screen.

* Kids (and editors) like character-driven books because they relate to the main character.  Reading the book makes them feel something.  Emotions and feelings are powerful!

* Challenge your main character.  Tension is good.  Don't make the solution too easy.  Remember you're relating to young children.  Life can be downright hard sometimes.  Challenges do not always disappear in less than 32 pages, even for children living relatively comfortable lives. Today, for example, my four-year old said "Good-bye" to her grandma (who she won't see for at least 2 more months), had to leave some "beautiful, special flowers" outside where the "wind might blow them away," had to cope with her brother putting a scribble on her masterpiece, had to wait for a turn (several times!), had to share toys and games she didn't want to, had to play outside while it was hot, and lost her computer privileges when she didn't mind.  Remember the world from a child's point of view--what seems like a minor inconvenience to me can be a very stressful situation for preschoolers.  And they want to see that in their books.

* Learn from the best!  Fancy Nancy and Mr. Duck Means Business are two fun examples. 

Scenes v. Summaries

I've been learning a lot from Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul lately.  I was lucky enough to win it during National Picture Book Writing Week and have thoroughly enjoyed working with it.  Today, I wanted to share one little tool that applies to picture books and (ahem) non-picture books.  It's about choosing when to write a scene or a summary. 

A scene is like a line by line from real life...the story you would expect to see in a movie or on a stage.  A summary skips the details and quickly tells you what happened. 

Ann explains that scenes do one of two things: move the plot forward or reveal something new about your characters.  If you're writing a scene that does neither of those things, cut the scene and summarize it.  If you're summarizing a move in the plot, slow down and take the time to write a good scene. 

I immediately began thinking of the scenes that I've enjoyed reading: Katniss shooting the apple at the game-makers feast, Mat Cauthon using a quarterstaff to beat a small army, Nancy tripping over her sparkly parfaits, and many others.  They are all full of action and either move the plot forward or teach us something about the characters. 

Writing a scene is a lot more work than writing a one or two line summary, but it is so much more fun to read.  Are you up for a challenge?  I'm so excited to try writing some scenes that I can't wait to finish posting this! 

Writing a Hook for Kids

How do you write the perfect hook for kids and teenagers?   There is no magic formula, but there are two sets of information that I like to think about:  form and content.

Form
What will your perfect hook look like?  Some popular hooks include:

• A Question
• Dialogue
• Sound
• Shocking Numbers or Statistics
• Emotions

Content
When I was in college I had a teacher tell me that if I wanted to get a teenager's attention, I only had to relate what I was saying to money, food, or dating.  It doesn't seem to matter if it's a class discussion or a book--money, food, and dating hold most teens' attention.  I've found a few other topics that most kids find universally interesting.  They include humor, trouble, danger, adventure, body sounds and odors (especially flatulence, burping, vomit, etc.), and insecurities.  Most kids also like to see inept adults and kids with a few adult tendencies. 

Remember the hook should throw your article, story, or book into meaty action you want the kids to remember.  No back story here!  Your hook should be more riveting than the first five minutes of a show on the Disney Channel and more engaging than your reader's current Best Friend Forever.  Those are, after all, your competition. 

Do you have a favorite hook?  What types of content do you think kids like best?  I'd love to know!

The Best Picture Book Ever

As if I could really pick just one!  In honor of Megan's Favorite Picture Book Blogfest, however, I am honoring one of my childhood treats:  Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.  Hopefully you won't consider it cliché to love a book so very popular.  After a brief ride through my memories I will share a lesson for writing picture books from the history of Where The Wild Things Are.  

A whirring helicopter noise best describes the sound I think of when I remember discovering Where The Wild Things Are the first time at a school book fair when I was six years old.  I was hunting for the one book my parents would buy, and it seemed to jump off the shelf.  Hundreds of kids buzzing around books with their parents faded out like a movie fading out a noisy street and zooming in on a quiet conversation.  That book spoke to me.  I was a wild thing.  I must belong in that book.  I started reading and had to have it.  I ran to show my parents.  I still have that book. 

It is remarkable that a book written in 1963 remains just as popular now as when it was published.  In 2009 The Morgan Library hosted a display for Where The Wild Things Are and Maurice Sendak.  This little history chapter holds a vital lesson for picture book authors.  It seems that Where The Wild Things Are went through three major revisions.  These were not just line edits.  The first draft included horses.  Sendak made himself put it down because he felt like it was being forced.  When he returned to it, he composed a draft in verse.  He described this as "all bad."  The third draft ultimately became the version I love.  

Many things could be said about Sendak and his books.  His patience in re-writing one of my favorite picture books is an example for all writers.  Perhaps I'll post about him again one day for more lessons!

Lessons in Learning How to Write Picture Books With I Ain't Gonna Paint No More

Today's case study book is I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont.  It is a captivating story about a youngster who got in trouble for painting the "ceiling and the walls and the curtains and the door" and was told "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!"

Here are six shining writing tips from its pages:

1. Make every word count!  Besides coming in at just over 250 words, the text fits "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" perfectly.  You could sing the entire story.  In fact, as you read it, you want to sing the story. 
2. Be illustrate-able.  I love the pages where the pictures tell as much story as the text.  For example, "...there ain't no way that I ain't gonna paint no more" is accompanied by the kiddo on top of a self-made tower to reach the paints on the top shelf of the closet. 
3. Let the child be the authority.  Mama might put the paints away, but that isn't what stops our hero from painting.  The end of the adventure comes only when circumstances created by the child main character impose a real stop to the creative process.  
4. Make the rhyme perfect.  The rhyme and meter is so perfect I want to sing the story.  That is no accident!
5. Relate to children's lives.  Is there such a thing as a child who has not been in trouble for drawing where he shouldn't?  This instantly makes every reader the main character and they love it!  
6. Let the story be fun for adults too.  After all, they have to read it over and over and over. I still haven't decided if I identify with the Mama or the kid, but I have enjoyed the story many times.

These writing lessons are easy to apply.  Do you think they are absolutely required?  I think some are.  Every story is a little different.  I Ain't Gonna Paint No More is a joy to read to all ages, and that is most important.

Learning how to write picture books is a challenge that I enjoy daily.  In an effort to learn what is successful, I am studying picture books that my children and I love.  Lessons in Learning How to Write is a blog series to keep track of brilliant strategies great authors have used to write for children.

Lessons/Morals in Picture Books

Each author needs to decide whether or not to include a lesson or a moral theme in their books for children.  The expert opinions on this are divided.  I have studied instructional material for authors that insist that a picture book's purpose is to entertain and hook kids on reading.  One cited Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak as a book about fun and adventure.  Other experts argue that kids need moral education and picture books are a great place to get it.  One university even went so far as to publish that picture books "have been and remain, in part, about moral education." 

I do not think that picture books need to focus on a lesson or moral theme, but I do think that the most successful picture books will have subtle meanings that teach important lessons.  They can be ignored or emphasized by adults reading the story, but they do exist.

My favorite picture books have such lessons.  Where the Wild Things Are can teach about obedience, consequences, and family life.  Pigsty by Mark Teague is hilarious and it includes great lessons about family life and cleanliness.  The book we looked at last week, The Donkey's Christmas Song by Nancy Tafuri, can teach about confidence and individual uniqueness.  Even books like Life Size Dinosaurs by David Bergen can have inferred lessons such as making judgments based on appearances. 

It is, of course, important to research any publisher to which you intend to submit a picture book manuscript.  Find out if the books they publish include moral lessons or not.  Only submit to publishers that match your writing style.  My submissions will include morals.

Lessons in Learning How to Write Picture Books With The Donkey's Christmas Song

Today's case study book is The Donkey's Christmas Song by Nancy Tafuri.  It is a beautiful look at the first Christmas through the shy little donkey's perspective.  The young donkey wants to welcome the little baby, but is afraid his loud song might scare him.  After all the other animals welcomed the baby, the shy little donkey dares to sing his loud "hee-haw."  The baby's laughter consistently elicits giggles from my young readers.  It is a delightful book that children want to hear over and over, and even parents enjoy the many re-reads.

Here are the writing tips I've gleaned from its pages:

1. Make every word count!  The whole story is shared in a scant 174 words (yes, I counted!).  I could not find even one word that I could remove from the book.
2. Be illustrate-able.  Most page spreads had only one sentence, or less, on them.  Each sentence matched the picture. 
3. Be predictable.  The text followed a repetitive pattern that makes sense to young children.  It can easily be memorized and "read" by two- and three-year-old children. 
4. Be educational.  The story introduces seven animals and sounds they make. 
5. Be meaningful.  This is not just a story.  It speaks to any child who has ever worried about how he will perform, how he (or a gift he made) will be received, or if he is good enough.  It speaks to older children and parents.  It is a story with meaning. 
6. Use a context to which children can relate.  This is a story about the first Christmas.  On the first page, I had a three-year old ask, "That's Mary and Joseph!  Is this story about Jesus?"  She related.  The story also has animals, which are a high-interest item for children.

Whenever I look at books for children now, I look for writing lessons I can find.  I found six easy-to-check tips in The Donkey's Christmas Song.  Are they always required.  Probably not.  What do you think?  They did integrate beautifully to make one captivating story.

Learning how to write picture books is a challenge that I enjoy daily.  In an effort to learn what is successful, I am studying picture books that my children and I love.  Lessons in Learning How to Write is a blog series I am beginning to keep track of brilliant strategies great authors have used to write for children.