Picture Book Writing

I attended workshops over the weekend about writing picture books for children.

Marc Harshman - He is West Virginia's poet laureate and a picture book writer. And, he is a very nice person! Click here for his amazon page. Though I notice that there are a few books missing that he has written, including two of his latest, Mountain Christmas and One Big Family.

 Marc Harshman

Anna Egan Smucker - She is another West Virginia author who writes picture books. Click here for her Amazon page.

Ashley Teets - An illustrator from West Virginia. Click here for books on Amazon that she has illustrated.

One of Ashley's suggestions was to write with a lot of verbs.
We also did a drawing exercise where we closed our eyes and, with a crayon, made a doodle on a page. Open your eyes. Look at the picture from all angles. Draw a picture from your doodle. It just may be an inspiration for a new manuscript.

I drew a picture of a tortoise in a hurry. His head was stretched way out and he was really getting down the road. I see a picture book here. Harry, the Tortoise in a Hurry.  :o)

Anna, who always writes her first drafts in pencil, says to think in pictures.
Leave a space or draw a line when you think there will be a page turn.
Make sure enough happens in your story.
Try different ways to tell your story.


All of her books, except one, were sent out to publishers without using an agent!

I took the advantage of seeing these authors and got a few of my books autographed by them.

What am I going to do now?

I am going to go over my picture books - again.
I am going to make sure that my words (500 or less) provide enough opportunities for the illustrator to do his or her job.
And I am going to make sure there is enough going on in my story.

Hope you enjoyed my post.
Now get out your pencil and paper and write - or doodle.

Do you have any suggestions on writing picture books?

PPBF - Outside the Window

 

Outside the Window

by Anna Egan Smucker

Illustrated by Stacey Schuett

 Alfred A. Knopf

1994

Theme: Animals, good night book

Age group: preschool - 2nd

Opening Lines:  On a strong leafy branch outside the bedroom window of a little boy, there is a nest. In that nest live a mother bird and her five baby birds. The biggest one loves to eat. The medium-sied one loves to play. The cleanest one loves to take baths.  The chirpiest one loves to hear stories. And the tiniest one is always sleepy. But they are all very curious about the little boy who lives in the house that their nest in the maple tree can almost touch.

Synopsis: This is a cute book with a twist. The birds watch the boy and are constantly asking their mother what the little boy is doing. They want to know if he is playing or what he eats. They want to know if the mother is reading to him yet or if he is asleep. They are full of questions just like inquisitive little kids. When the boy finally goes to sleep, the little birds close their sleepy eyes.

Resources:

Click here for a site filled with all kinds of bird activities for preschoolers!

Click here for coloring pages of birds.

This was Anna Smucker's second picture book. I think you will like it. I like it because it is about baby birds and their illustrations are beautiful. I also like reading books from fellow West Virginians.

Every Friday, bloggers post a favorite picture book.  To see what other people posted, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books. 

Also let me also take this opportunity to tell you about a brand new picture book that is out. I will post about it on another PPBF, after I get my copy. Please click here, for a chance to win this just published picture book about monsters and their ailments. My friend, Quinn, would love to hear your comments. Thank you.

 Posted by Janet F. Smart on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.