Writing Exercise/Understanding Your Perspective by Jean Reidy

As my six-year old daughter and I end a short, TWO-day school week that was actually TOO long (LOL), I think it's quite appropriate to feature Jean Reidy, author of "Too Purpley!" and "Too Pickley!" I think she has just the right perspective to understand what too much is! I hope you enjoy Jean's exercise on perspective.

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Picture Book Writing Exercise - Understanding Your Perspective by Jean Reidy

I'd like to take a poll. How many of you are teachers? How many are librarians? Parents? Childcare providers? How many of you once were kids?

This is terrific because you have this marvelous window into childhood and children.

However, it’s interesting how easily our perspective can get in the way of our writing. So often we want to teach or discipline or judge or convey a message. And this can get us into trouble as picture book writers.

So how do you get over your perspective? Well first you need to understand your perspective. Here's an exercise to help you do just that.

Choose a beloved picture book, like WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE or KNUFFLE BUNNY or maybe even TOO PURPLEY! and rewrite the story from an exaggerated adult point of view, teacher point of view, parent point of view - whichever most closely resembles you. Keep that adult thinking cap tightly on your head and really let those lessons, frustrations, messages and judgments fly from your pen to the paper.

What will this do for you?

Even the most exaggerated perspective holds at least some semblance of your actual point of view while writing your book.When you understand your perspective more clearly, it can’t sneak up on you in your writing.

NOW,  here's the skinny on Jean:

Jean Reidy's been told that a naughty little kid lurks somewhere inside her ... and she takes that as a high compliment. She eats crunchy peanut butter by the spoonful while she writes from her home in Colorado. You can visit her at www.jeanreidy.com.

Her books include:

TOO PURPLEY! (Bloomsbury 2010)
TOO PICKLEY! (Bloomsbury 2010)
MY OWN LITTLE PIECE OF THE UNIVERSE (Disney Hyperion 2011)
THERE'S A CORNER IN MY HOUSE (Disney Hyperion 2012)
TOO PRINCESSY! (Bloomsbury 2012)
Shop at Amazon.com!

Writing Prompt/Metaphorically Thinking with Anne Marie Pace

With school having started recently for many of our children, those beloved book club flyers will soon appear in their back packs. With fond memories of those book club days, I am pleased to present a writing exercise from  former teacher and fellow Scholastic author Anne Marie Pace. Check the September flyer of Scholastic's Firefly Bookclub for her book! I can't wait to get a copy for Kayla <3

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Metaphorically Thinking (and More!)

This is a writing exercise I always enjoyed doing with my students when I was a teacher. Make a list of nouns which name objects which seem completely unrelated. Then take any two of them and start listing ways in which they are similar. At first “grasshopper” and “skyscraper” might seem like a complete mismatch, but as you give yourself time to think, you’ll find they have more in common than you might have guessed at first.

This exercise, done thoughtfully, forces you to look more closely at objects and can also lead you to writing some interesting metaphors and similes.

About "Never Ever Talk to Strangers":

Anne Marie Pace's NEVER EVER TALK TO STRANGERS, illustrated by Guy Francis, is available in the September flyer of Scholastic Book Club's Firefly Club. Jamie Bear is sure he's learned all of Officer Crane's stranger safety rules--but when he meets a stranger, will he remember what to do?

Please Check Out Anne Marie's Website: http://www.annemariepace.com/

Writing Prompt/Character First

If you are a SCBWI              Prose Shop Members Diana Murray & Lynne Marie
member AND a

picture book writer,

then you know the

pressure that

February 15th through

March 15th can

bring to complete,

revise, polish, shine,

print out and post

that winning manuscript

for the SCBWI's                                                    

Barbara Karlin Grant!

My fellow Prose Shop Critique Group Member and Friend Diana Murray knows this first hand as I am proud to share that she was this year's WINNER with her manuscript "Grimelda, the Very Messy Witch."

                                                                  
I am extremely pleased to be able to have Diana here with you today to share some of her process on writing the winning manuscript. Here is how she began:

Character First

When I wrote “Grimelda the Very Messy Witch”, I started with the idea of a character. I wanted to write about someone who was messy and stubborn. From there, I envisioned different types of characters who would fit the bill and finally decided that a witch would give me the most room to push the idea to its limit. Next I gave her a witchy goal and then made her messy, stubborn nature an obstacle in achieving that goal.

There are many ways to start a puzzle. Starting with the idea of a character is like putting down a corner piece first. With those two flat edges, you have a clue where it goes. Choose a scenario that best lets you showcase that character and the rest of the pieces can fall into place.

ABOUT DIANA:

Diana Murray won the 2010 SCBWI Barbara Karlin Grant for her rhyming picture book entitled, "Grimelda the Very Messy Witch". Her poems are forthcoming in publications including SCBWI Bulletin, Highlights, and Spider. For more information about Diana, please visit her web site: http://www.dianamurray.com/

 

ABOUT THE GRANT:

http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Barbara-Karlin-Grant

 

Please follow this blog so you don't miss our upcoming talented authors as well as a tip from Barbara Karlin Grant Runner-up Jenni Bielicki!

Art Advice/Launching Your Story by Amal

I am pleased to introduce my dear friend Amal -- one of my East Coast Conference Posse (clockwise, Penny Weber, Lynne Marie, Deborah Cuneo and Amal Karzai). Although I am hardly an illustrator, these extremely talented illustrators and writer/illustrators who let me hang out with them and sometimes let me humor them with my stories and cut-paper art which I dabble in!

I can only say it is a pleasure to witness Amal's genius in writing and illustration first-hand, and I am proud to share one of her tips with you.

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On illustration: To make things easier when approaching a book consider the whole story, where you can take it, how far you can take it, and ways to endear the character to yourself. If you love the character there's a positive chance that someone else will too.To set the tone before storyboarding I work the cover art first, even if it's not what the art director chooses for the cover. It lets me know how to proceed -- a necessary launching pad of sorts. Because I judge books by their covers, and because I don't judge anyone who picks one up for the title font, the cover art counts double -- like the first page of a novel, we want them to keep flipping pages.

LEFT:  The portrait in red is titled Mirror Image. So what else does one do with oneself at 2am but play Sudoku and paint a self portrait. Oil on canvas.

RIGHT: The Vault is an illustration that belongs to Mercurial - A day in the life of Anaka Twarpick. It's the picture book sequel to Stravinsky's Lost Music. Mixed media

View additional images here: http://amalillustration.com/

Links: http://www.artsac.org/

A long bow of thanks to the Global Studies Program at SUNYSB for their clever fund raising adventures

Please check out Amal's NEW children's book:

Order 'My Magic World' now from Amazon:

ttp://www.amazon.com/My-Magic-World-Viswan-Rahasya/dp/0982114109

The cover art is for Ali's Special Cure - a picture book being published by Tazeen Ahmed and due out end of 2010. It's about a young boy who learns the power of prayer. Kinda apt for the times....The artwork is in watercolor.

Writing Advice/Picture Perfect Rhyme with Dori Chaconas

As a Children's Writer (childrens-writers@yahoogroups.com) Veteran, I've gotten to know many fabulous children's writers over the years. Dori Chaconas is one of the best of the best, and always a helpful, friendly force among us. I cannot thank her enough for being the first rhyming picture book author to guest blog about the often difficult topic of rhyme for me!

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Writing advice: Make That Rhyming Picture Book Perfect!

A perfect rhyming picture book story is made up of three main elements - story, rhythm, and rhyme - in that order of importance.

Story - As in any book, the story must be solid, fresh, and fully developed with a beginning, middle, and end. Because picture book stories need to be short! short! short! each word must earn its place in the story without fillers or excessive words used only because the end of the line rhymes. No room for slackers here! Make your writing colorful, with memorable characters, and an emotionally satisfying ending.

Rhythm - The rhythm in a rhyming book can be nothing less than perfect. Does the chosen rhythm set the mood you are trying to create? Imagine your rhyming lines set to music. Does it hold to the beat? Is it consistent and true? Picture books are meant to be read out loud, so read your story out loud often. Then have several different people read the story out loud to you. Is the reading smooth and effortless? Or are there some 'stumbles' that need to be corrected?

Rhyme - Like rhythm, the rhyming words must be a perfect match. Near-rhyming words might sound like they work together, but they present a flawed story to an editor. And in achieving perfect rhythm and rhyme, does each line read as naturally as prose? If you have to twist the natural order of words to make the rhyme work, then the line is forced and will stick out like an elephant in a bread basket. Read lots and lots of rhyming picture books and note the rhythm and rhyme schemes. Look for examples of fresh rhymes - those that go beyond tree-me-see-be, and make your rhyme as fresh as the best.

For a more detailed look at writing in rhyme, read through the article on my web site, Icing the Cake: Writing Stories in Rhythm and Rhyme.

http://dorichaconas.com/Icing%20the%20Cake%20page.htm

Dori Chaconas is the author of more than twenty books for children, many of them written in rhyme. Her latest picture book is Don't Slam the Door, Candlewick 2010.

"A slamming door may not seem like a big deal, but in this hilarious story of cause and effect, it can have far-reaching consequences, including a limping Pa, a bee-stung bear, and a house plunged into chaos! In lively rhyme that's perfect for reading aloud--illustrated with cozy, homespun artwork by Will Hillenbrand--Dori Chaconas relates a humorous tale of a pint-size narrator who tries valiantly to warn her family of the increasingly outrageous effects of their actions."

I came from a HUGE family with cousins here and cousins there and cousins everywhere! There was nothing better than when the cousins came to visit! Kids ran in and out, and the old screen door banged over and over again! It was a welcoming sound, filled with the promise of fun, games, stories, and excitement. This book is dedicated to my family and to families everywhere who enjoy the warmth of gathering together.

www.dorichaconas.com

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/corkandfuzz?ref=ts
Shop at Amazon.com!

Writing Advice/Writing Sea-crets from Author/Illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg

I am honored and excited to present today's Guest Blogger for many reasons. One, she's the FIRST author/illustrator talent to be featured here <3 Second, she's a New Yorker, like me! Third, her book features an unusual event that happens at a wonderful place -- Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York! Fourth, she's a sweet and wonderful person who spends lots of time and energy promoting children's literature and art <3 Fifth, she has Mermaids in her book! And Sixth, her tip can be used by BOTH illustrators and picture book story writers to map out their story!

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Writing Sea-crets from Author/Illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg

I’ve written and illustrated a story about a shy mermaid coming out of her shell. How do I go about getting my story published?

To present my book idea to a publisher I take these steps.

* First, a Thumbnail Grid is the entire 32 page book on one a sheet of paper. It's an outline and a map for the sequences of scenes.

* Second, a 32 page Storyboard brings the words and pictures together. Here starts composition, camera angles, and characters.

* Last, is a dummy, or a fake 32 page picture book in the size that you envision. The dummy contains the storyboard sketches enlarged and refined. The words are pasted in to see if they work with the art. The dummy is a good place for self-editing. How does the book's pacing sound and feel with each turn of the page when read aloud?

The Book Dummy is finished! What is the next step?

* Find an editor who is interested. Or, send to a publishing house Slush Pile, in other words, the cattle call.

* Send that editor (or the Slush Pile) a packet with a Cover letter, Typed Manuscript, Book Dummy and Color Art Samples, and a SASE. Remember, never send original art, send color reproductions only!

Good Luck!

See Melanie's Thumbnail Grid, Storyboards and Picture Book Dummy for "Mermaids on Parade" at her blog: http://mermaidsonparade.blogspot.com/2009/05/writing-and-illustrating-dummies-are.html
Web: http://www.melaniehopegreenberg.com
Illustration Blog: http://melaniehopegreenbergillustrations.blogspot.com/

ABOUT MERMAIDS ON PARADE:

Once a year, mermaids, Neptunes and legendary sea creatures come to life - leaving their oceans to parade on the land. They sparkle and glitter and make the streets of Coney Island electric with excitement. In the middle of it all, a shy little mermaid comes out of her shell to march with all the others. Young and old alike can enjoy the salt water taffy-hued costumed entrants who come to open the ocean and march in the nation’s largest art parade around a once world famous amusement park.

Keep reading to find out where to get your own signed copy of  "Mermaids On Parade!"

Purchase signed copies of "Mermaids on Parade" here:
http://mermaidsonparade.blogspot.com/2009/11/collect-melanies-art-and-books.html

Writing Prompt/Road Blocks by Brenda Reeves Sturgis

If you're thinking a road block is a bad thing, perhaps this could be a lesson in positivity to take the things life throws in your path and turn them upside down and all which ways. In  her picture book "Ten Turkeys in the Road,"  my dear friend, Brenda Reeves Sturgis has taken a road block and turned it into lots of fooling around and fun for all.

Road Blocks by Brenda Reeves Sturgis

In my story 10 Turkeys in the Road, the silly turkeys are blocking a road by performing a circus. The farmer that is delayed becomes increasingly angry and agitated. What might be something in your demographic that might block a road? What could your characters be doing in the road that could help you create a story? How might you write a suspenseful ending with a twist, or perhaps a sad ending, or a happy ending?

How would you write this in rhyme? What different word choices could you use if you chose to write in prose?

10 Turkeys in the Road is a counting book, being released by Marshall Cavendish in 2011. When 10 Turkeys block a road by performing a circus, a farmer becomes angry and agitated, until the clever circus turkeys get what they were really after all along.

Watch the Book Trailer on Brenda's Website

for more information: http://www.brendareevessturgis.com/

Shop at Amazon.com!

 

ABOUT BRENDA:

Brenda weighed 3 1/2 pounds when she was born. That's like 3 1/2 packages of hot dogs. She loves hot dogs, but can only eat the kind without gluten, and definitely without a bun, so she settles for turkey hotdogs, but shhh...don't tell the circus turkeys in her book because they might clown around and turn their tricks on her.

EXCITING INFORMATION for Children's Authors!

Brenda is hosting a workshop with Author Toni Buzzeo (http://www.tonibuzzeo.com/) this NOVEMBER. The workshop will be held in Shapleigh, Maine, on November 13th, 2010. The fee is $100.00 per person, and an additional $75.00 if you'd like a critique, for a picture book manuscript. The fees are due one month prior to the workshop. There will also be a registration fee due to hold your spot that will be non-refundable.

Here is an overview of the workshop:  For many authors, speaking is a bread-and-butter aspect of the writing career. From school visits to state, regional, and national teacher and library conferences, we are called on to speak to audiences of our readers. This daylong workshop will examine the specific skills needed to be a good presenter at schools, whether you’re presenting to a whole-school assembly or to a single classroom. Using role-playing, demonstration, discussion, and practical examples, we’ll examine tips and tricks that will enable you to successfully pursue school visits. We’ll also discuss proposing sessions to teaching and library conferences in order to expand the audience for your books. Join Toni Buzzeo, the author of Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers for a day of learning and speaking!

Toni will attend a Schmooze after the Workshop. Dinner and dessert will be provided at Brenda's home.

Please let Brenda know if you are interested, by e-mailing BSturgis@metrocast.net.

L to R, Author Brenda Reeves Sturgis, Kayla Michelle (Age 1) and

Author Lynne Marie at the NESCBWI Conference at Nashua, New Hampshire in 2005