For several years, this series on writing a picture book has been available free on this site. It’s now available altogether as a 110 page pdf file, How to Write a Children’s Picture Book.
It’s time to spend a lot of time doing revising of the picture book text.
Does it Hang Together
Does the story hang together. In such a short story, you can’t mention anything extraneous, at all. If you mention a cat in the first paragraph, the cat needs to be important. Look over the story and list all the elements. Have you used them to weave the story into a tight-knit whole? Cut the extras and use what’s left for maximum effect.
Check the Narrative Arc Again
Even quiet picture books need some kind of arc. Make sure there is a built-in progression of language (good, better, best; bad, worse, worst). Even stories with an event-repetition (think of the three little pigs) has a progression (hay, sticks, bricks).
Cut
I asked you to play with the story and cut it in half. This cut is for real: cut out 1/3 of the words, but keep the story the same.
Of course, that’s arbitrary, maybe cutting 1/4 works. But I’ve often found that cutting 1/3 works quite well.
Micro-cuts
Now, go back and cut another 100 words. Again, it’s an arbitrary number, but it works so well. Think of this as a poem, which is the tightest writing possible. Nothing extra, but nothing left out.
Examples of microcuts and microchanges:
- Instead of a prepositional phrase, use an adjective:
While you’re at it, replace to be verbs with stronger verbs.
The tree with the apples was big/The apple tree loomed. - Unless it’s part of the voice, cut out introductory words:
While you’re at it, sharpen details:
While you’re at it, replace to be verbs with stronger verbs:
Well, it was a nice day/The sun gleamed. - Replace weak nouns with specific nouns:
While you’re at it, replace “to be” verbs with stronger verbs:
The dog barked/The poodle yapped.
Add Word Play
Read Alexis O’Neill’s book, The Recess Queen.
It’s a great example of playing with language. It turns a didactic story about bullies into a piece of literature that I’d read to anyone. In fact, when my college freshman students had to write an essay about bullies, I read it to them.
See Also: 30 Days to a Stronger Novel
Related posts:
- How to Write a Creative Non-Fiction Picture Book
- 10 Suggestions for Picture Book Titles
- How to Mock-up a Picture Book
- Picture Book Manuscript Quiz
- How to Write a Picture Book Biography
 |  Revise with confidence. |
I just wanted to let you know, in appreciation of your blog, I have passed along to you the Brilliante Weblog award. ;)
http://d-michiko-f.livejournal.com/2008/08/15/
[...] The story feels too wordy. (Cut in half!) [...]
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