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The illustrator doesn’t tell YOU what to do, so don’t tell the illustrator what to do! Professional Respect You do your professional job with the text and the illustrator does his/her professional job with the art. Respect is the key here. If you want to dictate some of the art to the illustrator, please put [...]
UPDATE: See the 2009 List of Picture Book Topics to Avoid Dial editor, Liz Waniewski (ONE–es-key) spoke at the Arkansas SCBWI 2007 conference. For a couple months before the conference, she kept track of her slush pile pb submissions by category. Here are the top 12 picturebook topics that she received–thus, the top 12 to [...]
If you want to write a picture book with humor, you must understand the development of humor in kids. Thanks, Tammi, for asking for something on this topic. If you have requests for a certain topic about picture books, send me an email, or put something in the comments. Writing Funny Picture Books Here are [...]
Page 32, the last page in a picture book is a chance to give the reader a twist, or emphasize an emotion. Page 32 The last page of a picture book is a left-hand single page. Consider ways to use this last chance to connect with the readers. Emphasize the emotional connection. In Officer Buckle [...]
What is the biggest mistake made when submitting a picture book to a publisher? You do NOT need to find an illustrator The question most often asked is this: “How do I find an illustrator for my book?” You don’t. The publisher chooses the illustrator. In fact, you cut your chances of selling in half, [...]
When you’re happy with the revisions of your picture book manuscript, it’s time to make a mock-up, or what is usually called a dummy. Why Make a Dummy? Picture books combine text and words in a short 32 page book. The structure is so unusual, that you need a dummy to refine and polish your [...]
One of the key things I check when revising a picture book manuscript is page turns. Have I given the reader any reason to keep turning pages, or does each page stand alone and the reader doesn’t care if s/he finishes the book? 5 Ways to Make the Reader Turn the Page Stop a sentence [...]
When you have a full text of a picture book, it’s time to PLAY! After all, this is just a story for kids, right? Here are two ways to play with your story. You’ll be amazed at what you find out about the story when you do this: Cut in Picture Book Text in Half [...]
Picture book characters can make or break the story. We usually think of kids or at least humans as the main character, but there are other options. PICTURE BOOK CHARACTERS Humans 10 Little Fingers, 10 Little Toes. All the babies in this book are realistic babies. Inanimate Objects Objects as characters: Pumpkin Heads by Wendell [...]
When you’re thinking about writing a picture book, the structure if important. With about fourteen double-page spreads, it’s time to turn to Shakespeare for some help. Sonnets and Picture Books I think you can compare picture book structure to the structure of poetry. For example, sonnets have 14 lines, picture books can have 14 double-page [...]
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