This post was originally published on the Children’s Books Academy blog. Kids love humor. And parents enjoy reading books aloud and hearing their children laugh in response. Nothing brightens a moment more than a smile. Including humor in a picture book is one way to grasp the attention of the youngest readers as well as… Read more »
This post originally appeared on the Children’s Books Academy blog. I recently enjoyed the revival of My Fair Lady on Broadway. One of my favorite songs from the musical is “Show Me.” In the musical, Eliza Doolittle sings: Words Words Words I’m so sick of words I get words all day through First from him,… Read more »
This post originally appeared on the Children’s Book Academy blog. Ideas for children’s books are all around. Sometimes you find and harness them. Other times you may need to kick start the idea avalanche. Being open and receptive to thoughts, visuals, snippets of conversation, children’s antics, pets, nature and science, current events, music, art, and… Read more »
This post originally appeared on the Children’s Book Academy blog. December is always a busy month, with holiday celebrations, school and work events, family commitments, and more. It’s easy to let creative pursuits take a back seat to end-of-year demands. So how do you stay motivated to be creative during this sometimes overwhelming season? Read… Read more »
This post originally appeared on Epic Eighteen. Here’s a list of five goals I set to become a published author. Hopefully these ideas will be useful as you chart your own course toward publication. 1) Develop a writing habit: I try to do some type of writing-related work almost every day. That could be writing… Read more »
This post originally appeared on Epic Eighteen. As a picture book author, I write words that eventually will be paired with illustrations, creating a whole book. Since I’m not an illustrator, my vision is only one part of the finished process. A certain amount of trust is required to believe that the publisher, editor, and/or… Read more »
This post originally appeared on Epic Eighteen I’m happy to write about how educators can use my debut picture book, SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH, to enhance their lessons. There are three themes that will resonate most in the classroom or library: perfection, creativity, and imagination. SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH tells the story of Scarlet, who paints perfect… Read more »
This post originally appeared on the Children’s Book Academy blog. One rule to follow when writing picture books is to “leave room for the illustrator.” An author must write words that allow space for the illustrator to bring his or her own vision to the project as it relates to and expands on the text…. Read more »
This post originally appeared for CHABOOCHA LITE 2018 on the Chapter Book Challenge Blog. In chapter books, authors use a combination of dialogue and description to hook the reader and move the story forward. When writing dialogue in chapter books, several factors must be taken into consideration, including the style of language used, the goal… Read more »
This post originally appeared on Epic Eighteen. I’ll always remember the story of how I met two of the most important people on my writing journey: my publisher and my editor. I met my publisher, Callie Metler-Smith from Clear Fork Publishing, by sending her a query for a picture book about a squirrel. In that… Read more »