To paraphrase a comment from #kidlitchat this week, one of the biggest mistakes writers make is thinking there's a magic formula for what will sell. A visit to your library or local bookstore will demonstrate the huge variety of picture books on the market. The best advice for writers and illustrators has always been to create what you love.
What makes you fall in love with a project? Once you have satisfied the marketing checklist for appropriate story structure and format, what is the intangible quality that sells a story?
That's our topic for the week--what are your favorite picture books, and why? Our scheduled topic question was whether character-driven or plot-driven books are most effective. That's certainly part of the equation--it's important to examine all the variables: humor, emotion, wordplay, visual quality . . . so many things contribute to the success of a picture book.
For more thoughts on the subject visit Wendy's blog on recent award-winning picture books, then join us Thursday at 9 pm Eastern to discuss your personal favorites.
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