That's a lot of blog posts on writing and illustrating children's picture books • Paeony Lewis

Wow, I've been blogging at the Picture Book Den since it began almost eight years ago, but now that I've started an MA in Fine Art it's time to take an extended break. So to say farewell, I thought I'd list my main blog posts (see further down) and do click on those that appeal. They're on writing, illustration and the world of children's picture books.

The statistics on the viewing figures for my different blog posts intrigued me. I discovered the blog post viewed the most was on the picture book differences between bookshop chains in the US and UK. This was written in 2016 and had several thousand more views than my least popular post (that's a secret!). I suspect the viewing figures increased because of the US reference (there's many more of you in the US than UK).

If you're new to writing picture books then perhaps begin with the 2018 Starting to write picture books and also What's at the heart of a picture book?,  which although written in 2013 includes vital advice that is often forgotten.

As for my personal favourite, well of course I'm going to say it's impossible to pick one but... My blog post on the convoluted journey of one particular story still makes me smile and I hope it encourages others to persevere with their writing. I also really enjoyed looking at illustration, such as investigating dioramas and 3D illustration in picture books.

List of Blog Posts (newest first)

• Dioramas and 3D illustration in children's picture books
• Illustrating water in children's picture books
• Illustrating the night in children's picture books
• Starting to write children's picture books
• So much effort for something so small (the journey of one picture book text)
• Favourite picture books of writers and illustrators
• Looking at illustraton: traditional printmaking in children's picture books
• Intriguing details in picture book illustration
• Picture book differences between the main main bookshop chains in the US and UK
• Picture books that made me pause (for good, bad and surprising reasons)
• Looking at the illustration of eyes in children's picture books (with four illustrators)
• Little niggles in manuscripts
• More tips on writing picture books
• Looking at the 'art' in picture book illustration
• Extra tips on writing picture books
• Do hardback children's picture books lack something?
• Throwing out old picture books
• Why do some picture books stay in print for decades?
• The right words
• Go on, try an experiment with your picture book writing
• Why did the picture-book illustrators grumble about drawing horses?
• Typically, how many words in a picture book?  
• What's at the heart of a picture book?
• Stealing and murder in picture books?
• Picture book endings
• Why do I tutor courses on writing children's books?
• The mysterious number three in storytelling
• Naming characters
• How do you write picture books if you're not the illustrator?

I'm really going to miss being a regular part of the wonderful Picture Book Den. Thank you to all my brilliant fellow writers and illustrators, and all you lovely readers.
Bye for now, Paeony
PS I'm still writing, when not enmeshed in book arts and conceptual art.

For books: www.paeonylewis.com
For art: www.paeony-lewis.com