Picture Book Den: writing tips

Showing posts with label writing tips. Show all posts

Monday, 30 October 2023

Has someone written your idea first? Moira Butterfield

It happens to me on a regular basis. I think up an idea – an approach to a subject that might be turned into a book (in my case it’s generally kid’s non-fiction). I put this idea on my ‘think about it soon’ list. Before I get round to it a version appears on Instagram. It’s been published! Everyone says it’s original and great thinking! Grrrrrrrr!

Grumpy author, having just seen her idea already written.

Does it happen to you? If you’re a regular author I’ll bet it has at some point.

It’s deeply irritating for quite a while, even though there is a sensible explanation. Ideas come from the myriad things we see and hear, and others might come upon them from the prevailing zeitgeist, too. I have this picture in my mind of small invisible ideas-with-wings whizzing around everyone like birds – zeitgeist birds, perhaps. They change shape depending on the things that happen to people in the world. They’re a bit like little Pokemon, I suppose, and sometimes you can see them and catch them. (I told you I had a sensible explanation).

An idea flying around, possibly near you.

It’s hard cheese to know that someone else noticed your good idea, gave it a home and put in the time and effort to care for it and grow it more quickly than you did.

When this happens I think there are three things to do.

1) Stomp around feeling annoyed. Get it out of your system (privately).

2) Wish the other author’s book well. (In fact if it is successful, the chances are that other publishers will be looking for things in the same area). Seek it out and take a quick look at it to see its approach. before....

3. Take your initial idea and work on it. Play with it. Shape it how YOU want. It’s likely to evolve and become a new thing – perhaps on the same subject but with your take and nobody else’s. Your brain is unique, after all. You can make it yours and yours alone, and I reckon that idea will be better and more original than it might ever have been before.

To prove the point, here’s a collage I recently made of me and my own brain. Make your own collage of yourself and yours will be entirely different – though still a collage.

My head in collage form.

A good idea came to you. It won’t drift away unless you want it to. Catch it!

Moira Butterfield is an author of many children’s books sold around the world, including WELCOME TO OUR WORLD (Nosy Crow), the LOOK WHAT I FOUND series (National Trust/Nosy Crow) and THE SECRET LIFE series (Happy Yak).

Moira Butterfield

www.moirabutterfield.co.uk

X/Twitter @moiraworld

instagram and Threads @moirabutterfieldauthor

Monday, 7 October 2019

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)

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

Friday, 6 November 2015

Seven secret rules of being an author - Moira Butterfield

I’ve been thinking about the less obvious aspects of being an author. From my own experience over the years I’ve thought of seven hidden rules. They’re not in any order of priority. I hope at least one of them helps you in the future, and I would love to hear your own 'less obvious' rule additions or thoughts on my thoughts.

1. Don’t talk about the plot of your book too much. Talk about the concepts.

I find if I talk too much about a story I’m working on, it begins to die. I think my brain decides it’s finished when it’s not. However, I do think that discussing the concepts behind a story is helpful. They’re the underlying truths you want to present.

2. Remember who you’re writing for.

Always. Who’s going to buy your book and who’s going to read it? In picture books you’re writing for a reading team – adult and child. You must engage both.

3. Have an answer for the following questions that I will guarantee you will get at some point.

“Have you written a book that I would know?”

This is code for “Are you famous?”.

Suggested answer: “Possibly, if you read with children. I write xxxx books (insert type of writing).” Then ask the person about their own reading experiences, thus moving them on from the fame fixation.

“Do you make any money?”

The person who asks this is rude and nosy!

Suggested answer: “Yes, thanks.” (Even if you don’t). Then move away from this person or change the subject.

Is this a rule? I'm not sure - Sometimes (usually at a party) I meet men who make default rude jokes about children’s stories, involving silly innuendo (often to do with Captain Pugwash) as soon as they are mentioned. I really don’t know why this is. Is this a secret rule of being a children’s author or is it just me this happens to? (Embarrassing if that’s the case!).

4. Don’t feel bitter about others.

You may read a book that has been highly-praised and you think it is rubbish and it makes you angry that the person who produced it has been lauded. It happened to me recently. I heard good things about a picture book so I bought it. It looked good but the text was very wrong for the age-group and actually unusable. I tried it with my young 3 year-old friend but it was totally misdirected. We went back grumpily to Hairy McClary. You may think ‘how can this be?’ and gnash your teeth. It doesn’t matter. It happens and it always will. Move on. Ditto children's books written by celebrities. Life's too short to get upset about these things and there's nothing you can do about them. (I'd like to get my money back for that crap picture book, though.)

5. Seek out other genuinely creative people.

These people need not necessarily be other writers. They could well be local people being creative in a different field, but with an imaginative mindset (e.g: musician, artist, poet, playwright). These people will, hopefully, inspire you without pressurizing you. You can talk about your creative urges and setbacks with them without feeling an idiot.

6. Don’t agree to read other people’s work, unless you are in a genuinely supportive creative group (see 5).

That means saying no to your neighbour, your kid’s teacher, your dentist, your in-laws, your relatives, distant friends of friends etc, etc….All or any of whom may want you to see their book idea. From experience they are unlikely to listen to your advice. If you tell the truth about it, they may get very offended because they are not used to treating creative criticism constructively.

Suggested reply: “I’m sorry. I don’t read other works-in-progress. To do it properly takes up a lot of time that I don’t have, and it’s hard to give creative criticism to a personal contact. It’s much better for you if you use a professional editorial agency who could help you in depth. I’ll send you a link to a list.”

It will be much better for them, and for you, too. I know it's hard to say no. You don't want to seem mean. But saying yes spells trouble. I warned you.

7. Don’t beat yourself up if you feel unhappy about work.

There is definitely such a thing as creative unhappiness. In fact, it’s a regular feeling for a number of professional creatives I know who work in different fields. When it comes upon you, you probably need to plan in some time away – a few days if you possibly can - walking, thinking, relaxing, going to exhibitions – whatever is your relaxing bag. Then go to option 6 and find some positive creative souls to be with.

If I add any more rules I'll be breaking a important one – Don’t bore people by writing too much in a blog! So it’s over to you. Do you have some more ‘secret rules’ of being an author, that could help others?

Moira Butterfield has been a children's author and editor for her entire working career.

She has recently been reading picture books with her great-niece, a very blunt and no-nonsense 2 year old critic. They have found between them that rule 2 is broken annoyingly often.

Moirabutterfield.com

@moiraworld

Sunday, 1 March 2015

More tips on writing children’s picture books, by Paeony Lewis

Right now I'm in the midst of tutoring a regular adult course on writing children’s picture books. Every week, two students read to us. They bring these books from home so we can experience a variety of tastes (sometimes the books aren't to my taste, which is good in an educational way!). We also experience a variety of voices and this is helpful in reminding us that some people relish reading aloud, and some don’t.

In real life, adults (parents, grandparents, carers, teachers, librarians, editors, etc.) won’t necessarily read our books the way we’re used to hearing them read in our heads or aloud to ourselves (or the cat and hamster). Maybe these adults won’t emphasise the ‘right’ bits, or they might use daft voices, or they rush or sound wearied after a long day. The book belongs to them – we have lost control.

When we write we can stress specific words in bold or large type, but the story can’t rely on a specific way of reading and we can't give adults voice auditions before they buy the book. So even without our control, a story needs to be good enough to be read in a variety of ways.

However, as a writer, when we read in our heads we always read our story a certain way. Therefore, here’s Tip 1: Find one or two friends who’ll read your manuscript TO YOU. They won’t necessarily read it how you think it ‘should’ be read. There are sure to be clunky bits. Don’t correct them! Go away and rewrite.

Listening to the students read in class also reminded me that as adults we forget what it’s like to sit quietly and listen to a grown-up share a picture book. The child may not be able to read and therefore, despite the illustrations, has to concentrate on the oral story. Illustrations help, but the child has to retain a lot of information.

I now appreciate how tricky this can be because when the students read the picture books on the writing course, they are too far away for me to be able to follow the words. Yikes! I found concentrating on the oral words would sometimes strain my brain (some of that may be because I have the attention span of a flickering light).

Whilst listening, several times I realised I hadn't begun to concentrate and missed the very start of the story. Or I wasn't captivated and my mind wandered. Plus it made me appreciate short texts that don't ramble. What was essential for me, apart from an interesting story, was a clear structure and patterning. A familiar pattern and some repetition helped to drive the story along and reinforce the story in my head, making it easier for me to focus. Mind you, too much unvarying repetition became tedious and I also stopped listening - sorry!

Tip 2: Repetition can help glue the storyline together and provide familiarity and fun. However, don’t overdo it and a lot of repetition requires some variety in the way it’s presented, and the occasional break in pace.

I shouldn't be surprised by this need for a beguiling story combined with clarity. Long before they were written down, everyone listened to traditional tales shared verbally around the fire. These tales needed a clear structure to be understood, often using the rule of three, and it made them easier to learn too. In addition, the characters in traditional tales are often given simple labels such as the prince, the queen, the old woman, the giant, the traveller or the pig or the fox. Alternatively, they had memorable monikers, such as Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White. It’s easier to keep track of what’s happening when there are labels, especially when there are several characters. I hadn't thought of it before, but perhaps it’s another legitimate reason for labelling some picture book characters Mother Bear, Baby Bunny, Little Grey Fox, etc.

TIP 3: Remember the oral traditional tales and how a clear structure, patterning and repetition help the listener to follow the story. And try to avoid lots of complicated or similar names.

I suppose these three extra tips appear obvious, and they are, but I've found I can 'know' something without absorbing it, if that makes any sense? Then something happens (like having to really listen!) and the knowledge sinks in deeper. Anyway, happy writing, regardless of tips. There are no rigid rules - just what works for you and the publisher and the illustrator and the bookseller and the book buyer and the reader and listener...

Paeony Lewis
www.paeonylewis.com

Plus please click here for a list of links to my other blog posts on writing picture books.

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Extra Tips On Writing Picture Books, by Paeony Lewis

At the Picture Book Den there’s a titanosaurus-sized mass of tips on how to write children’s picture books. So is there any advice left? Maybe! I’ve decided to pass on four slightly different, personal tips.

Titanosaurus (BBC)

Tip 1

Join an evening class on writing poetry. Yes, you did read that correctly! I spent a year attending poetry classes with a friend and after a few months we discovered that the quality of ALL our writing had improved. Writing poetry (not rhyme) for adults made us think harder about word choices. Revision is constant and clichés are shunned. It’s the attention to EVERY word that has left the strongest impression.

So if you join a course on writing poetry and have a tutor that won’t accept lazy writing, I suspect your picture-book writing will stealthily improve. However, I won't guarantee how long the influence will last - I think I need to return to writing poetry!

Tip 2
Looking at published picture books can be daunting to a new writer. Perhaps you wonder if you’ll ever be able to match the awesomeness of your favourites. If this is a problem and you lack confidence, then type out the text of a picture book (one that is understandable from the text alone). This makes the process of writing a picture book feel more manageable and may help with the analysis of the story.

Tip 3
As many of you know, picture book writers often divide their text into twelve spreads (a spread is a double page). Or sometimes writers follow the example of illustrators and ‘storyboard’ using twelve boxes to represent the twelve spreads. However, I’ve found that taking this a step further with a simple, physical mini book can help new writers think harder about the potential illustrations and story structure. Of course, the final illustrations may be completely different and if you don’t illustrate then they’ll be out of your control, but at this stage you’re just planning and moulding the story.

All you need to do is take a pile of 8 sheets of A4 paper and fold them in half. That’s it! You have a cover and book! Now sketch out your story and don’t worry that the drawings look pathetic – nobody else will see your stick figures. The aim is to help you visualise the story and page turns and see what might appear on every page. There’s no need to write the text – just use thick lines to represent the sentences. Perhaps you’ll discover there is too much text and the illustrations are too samey.

Tip 4

With character-led stories your characters must be REAL to you, because if they’re not then how can you expect your reader to believe in them? The characters aren’t just nebulous talking bears, bunnies, pigeons, dinosaurs or small children. They’re individuals with specific character traits and emotions. It can be tricky with picture books as you have so few words, but take a look at picture books with main characters that have birthed several in a series and study what makes them come alive on the page. What makes that character appealing and ‘strong’ enough for people to want to read more?

Happy writing, everyone, and do whatever works for you!
Paeony Lewis
www.paeonylewis.com

Saturday, 1 March 2014

Introducing... Michelle Robinson

Hello, I'm children's author Michelle Robinson. Thank you for welcoming me into the Picture Book Den! I've been reading the blog for a long time, so I feel very honoured to find myself ‘on the inside’. I thought my first post ought to be an introduction - after all, contrary to the belief of anyone who asks me what I do for a living, there’s absolutely no evidence that I am indeed ‘the next JK Rowling’, so you probably won’t have heard of me. Yet.

My first picture book came out in 2012, I’ve now got ten on the shelves, another ten in production, many more doing the rounds and a squillion duff ones cluttering up my desktop. Maybe I’m not the next JKR, but I'll happily settle for The First Me.

FACTS: I love picture books and am woefully short on shelf space.

I used to be an advertising concept bod and copywriter. I wrote radio ads for a long time, so setting up ideas and resolving them quickly - as well as reading them aloud - set me up well for writing picture books.

I met fellow Picture Book Denner, Malachy Doyle on an Arvon course that he tutored some years ago. It was through his help and guidance that I found my agent and got published. Malachy will be on my Christmas list forever.

When writing, I try to choose the simplest words and use as few as possible. I chuck in the odd big word as I don’t believe in talking down to children. Books are a great place to learn new words. (As a child, I adored reading the dictionary. Still do.)

I got majorly into reading when I moved schools aged five, spotted a girl with her head in a Famous Five book and thought 'That looks fun'. She became my best friend and I spent all my pocket money on second hand Blytons.

I always dreamed of becoming a children’s author. My dad told me it didn’t matter that we weren’t rich; I could achieve anything I wanted if I worked hard enough. I believed him; I believed in myself. I worked hard and my dream came true. I can’t tell you how incredible that feels. Now I give my own children the same advice my dad gave me - and I have my very own books to back it up.

I have two children, Arthur (four) and Heidi (two). They take up most of my time, which is magic - but I do appreciate the two mornings a week when they're at nursery and I can write (and iron, vacuum, bake, eat all the baking, etc.).

I'm Patron Of Reading for my local first school. It's brilliant. I get to spend time with wonderful kids and introduce them to brilliant books they might not otherwise encounter.

My pet publishing hate is people being secretive about the road to publishing. There's always space on the shelves for more great books, and children deserve quality. I'm always happy to share any 'wisdom', hence my website features a regular-ish advice section called Pencil Tips.

I like cake a little bit too much.

Finally - violins at the ready - I'm writing this from a hospital bed. I'm currently getting hardcore drugs and custard free on the NHS, and attempting to write a first draft of a children's novel while I'm bed bound. It's not going terribly well. I blame the high temperature.

I'm really looking forward to contributing to the Den and getting to know you all a little better.

With warmest wishes (currently about 38°),

Michelle Robinson

For more on Michelle Robinson, including writing advice, colouring sheets and free audio games to accompany her picture books, visit her website.

Saturday, 28 September 2013

Five Tips for Writing a Page Turner - Lynne Garner

We all want to write a book that is reviewed as a page-turner. But how do you achieve this with a picture book? Well here are my five favourite tips:

One:

Make your reader fall in love with your character or at least care for them, even if they don't like them. If they don't care what happens then they'll not want to read to the end of the story.

Two:

End your page with a cliff-hanger. This is a device used time and again in television programmes. The writers know when the advert breaks are coming so they time cliff-hangers to happen just before a break. This ensures viewers will return. If it works for them it'll work for you.

Three:

Don't complete your sentence but end with three dots then finish the sentence on the next page. To increase the desire to turn the page you could finish the page with such words as 'and...' 'then...' or 'but...'

Four:

Pose questions where the only way the reader can discover the answer is to turn that page.

Five:

Ensure each page moves the story forward. This could be answering a question, solving the cliff-hanger set on the previous page or it could be setting up the next cliff-hanger.

Hopefully by using these tips your next story will be one an editor will love and will want to publish.

If you have any of your own favourite page-turner tips please do share them here.

Lynne Garner

I also write for: Awfully Big Blog Adventure, Electric Authors, The Hedgehog Shed and Fuelled by Hot Chocolate.

P.S.
I have three new distance learning courses commencing in November via Women On Writing:

How To Write A Picture Book And Get Published

Five Picture Books In Five Weeks - Advanced Course

How To Write A Hobby Based How To Book

Thursday, 20 December 2012

In Celebration Of ... Group Post

Christmas is all about sharing, so we decided to post our first group blog and share our top ten writing tips, plus the books we'd like Father Christmas to sneak into our Christmas stockings.

Abie Longstaff - author of The Fairytale Hairdresser and new book The Mummy Shop (illustrated by Lauren Beard).

My writing tip:
Draw: Drawing really helps to pace the book and to get the page turns right. It also helps with working out what must be said in the text, and what can be left for the illustrations. And if you can't draw, draw anyway - just draw stick figures and squiggles.

The book I want from Father Christmas:
The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier and Rebecca Dautremer. The book looks so beautiful and I'm a sucker for anything fairytale related

Jane Clarke - author of Knight Time (illustrated by Jane Massey) and other titles.

My writing tip:
Have some time off. Embrace the ups and downs of the holiday season - and use the experiences and heightened emotions to inform your work at a later date.

The book I want from Father Christmas:
Please may I have a hardback copy of Flotsam by David Wiesner. My paperback version is worn out by constant use. Flotsam has so many levels of enchanting possibilities, it highlights how sophisticated a picture book can be.

Juliet Clare Bell - author of The Kite Princess (illustrated by Laura-Kate Chapman) and other titles.

My writing tip:
My tip is to reduce the amount of time I’ve got for writing, in the hopes of getting more written. I’m going to give myself an hour which is dedicated, sacrosanct, scheduled in at a very specific time each day and where, on pain of death, I am NOT allowed to have access to the internet. In that writing time, I will WRITE. I will timetable things so that I do the marketing/generating new work etc. at other specific times and I will no longer let myself think that reading about what other writers are doing on FaceBook is actually work.

The book I want from Father Christmas:
The book I would most like from Father Christmas is Quentin Blake’s Beyond the Page (Tate Publishing, 2012) with 240 reproductions of his work since 2000. My favourite book until now has been Quentin Blake’s Words and Pictures, an autobiography full of his inspirational illustrations, and Beyond the Page will carry on where that one left off. And do you know what? I’m actually getting it for Christmas. Yippee!

Karen Saunders - author of Baby Badger's Wonderful Night (illustrated by Dubravka Kolanovic) and other titles.

My writing tip:

Set yourself a really low word count or goal to meet every day, something that's very achievable. This way, you'll be encouraged to actually start writing, because it's much less intimidating to write 50 words than 500, and chances are, you'll keep going once you've hit your target. Also, turn off your internet connection so you don't get distracted and spend all of your writing time procrastinating online (or maybe this one just applies to me).

The book I want from Father Christmas:
Any of the Little Grey Rabbit story books, because they're a wonderful reminder of my childhood and were my favourite books to share with my mum.

Linda Strachan - author of What Colour is Love? (illustrated by David Wojtowycz) and other titles.

My writing tip:
READ READ. Read as many picture books as you can. Look at how they are structured and how they differ in word count. Look at how the author approaches the story/idea in a unique way and how the story ends, which can be just as important. Be a critical reader, then go away and write!

The book I want from Father Christmas:
The book I'd like to receive is Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brand. I seem to have lost my copy. It was originally published in 1934 but I still find it an inspirational book about writing and being a writer.

Lynne Garner - author of A Book for Bramble (illustrated by Gaby Hansen) and other titles.

My writing tip:
Set yourself a goal. Something that will stretch your writing muscle. For example Picture Book Ideas Month which takes place each November where you pledge to come up with 30 ideas over 30 days. Or perhaps try 12 x 12 which encourages you to write one new picture book story per month.

The book I want from Father Christmas:
This is really three books but they make a series. How to Write a Children's Picture Book Volume I: Structure - Volume II: Word, Sentence, Scene, Story - Volume III: Figures of Speech. Written by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock.

Malachy Doyle - author of Too Noisy (illustrated by Ed Vere) and other titles.

My writing tip:
Take it to the garden, shed, bathroom - anywhere quiet - and read it out loud. Catch it by surprise.

The book I want from Father Christmas:
A Dictionary of British Folk Tales (part b), by Katherine Briggs. Martin Waddell, in my early days of writing, recommended these for inspiration, and he's right. I've got part a, but the cheapest I can find part b is £50, so ...

Moira Butterfield - author of Smile Baby Smile (illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw) and other titles.

My writing tip:
Remember to play. Occasionally give yourself a treat and just play with words, writing for fun only. I’m sure professional singers must sometimes sing in their baths and professional artists must sometimes doodle. I see it as trying to keep some water in the creative well.

The book I want from Father Christmas:

I love to find vintage Children’s books and on the internet I’ve seen the cover of an interesting-looking 1970s picture book called The Very Important Man, by Joan Hickson. The deliciously retro cover looks great, with a humourless-looking man being driven in an impossibly long car that wraps round the whole book. I’ve never seen inside and I want to know what happens to the very important man. Whenever it turns up on the internet (not very often) it’s too expensive, but perhaps Santa has one in his attic.

Paeony Lewis - author of Best Friends or Not? (illustrated by Gaby Hansen) and other titles.

My writing tip:
I enjoy the traditional clichés of Christmas. However, I suggest trying harder to avoid clichés in our writing. Think before including overused phrases, though don't be afraid of using simple words like 'said'. This also applies to tired scenarios, such as ending a story with the hero being presented with a medal by the mayor and everyone cheering (I did this with my first story - justifiably unpublished!).

The book I want from Father Christmas:
I might have been too naughty this year for a present, so I bought it earlier this week. Mirror by Jeannie Baker is a very visual picture book that opens up on the left and the right to show us the mirror images of an ordinary day in the life of two families (in Australia and Morocco). Although the lives appear different, underneath we see many similarities. Plus the final images remind us we shouldn't make clichéd assumptions. In this 'season of goodwill' we think about others, and Mirror encourages year-round reflection.

Pippa Goodhart - author of Just Imagine (illustrated by Nick Sharratt) and other titles

My writing tip:
Take a professional interest in those terrible cracker jokes. A really good joke that lends itself to visual treatment, and a sequence of revelations, just might make a brilliant picture book!

The book I want from Father Christmas:

Children’s Picture books; The Art Of Visual Storytelling by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles. It’s a stonking £22.50 because it is sumptuous and big, and full of wonderful examples of picture book art.

With warm and festive greetings for a wonderful holiday from Abie, Jane, Clare, Karen, Linda, Lynne, Malachy, Moira, Paeony and Pippa.

And now over to you: what would be your top writing tip, and which book would you love to receive this Christmas?