So, we’re two weeks into the four-week writing phase of creating a picture book dummy.
It’s hard work, isn’t it? Contrary to popular opinion (the people you meet at cocktail parties), writing picture books is not exactly an entry-level exercise into children’s publishing. In fact, it’s probably the most difficult genre in all of kidlit—so don’t beat yourself up if you’re struggling to find your way through a picture book manuscript.
For inspiration, we can’t do much better than directing you back to the resources listed in the Step 2 post: revisit the sites, flip back through the how-to books. Now that you’ve made a start, some piece of advice may jump out at you, or strike you in a different way.
If you’re lucky enough to have completed a viable draft already, use this remaining time to do one of two things: let the text rest unseen for a few days. Come back to it with fresh eyes after it’s marinated a bit. Or while you’re taking a break from your manuscript, put it in another reader’s hands—preferably someone who doesn’t have any idea what you were trying to say when you wrote it. Even better, have a third party read your story to a child in your target age group.
Things will change once you start developing the visual context of the story. Try thinking of it this way: your job as a writer is to prepare a foundation worthy of the beautiful artwork to come! :-)
Best of luck to all.
took your advice and sent it in to:
ReplyDeletehttp://rateyourstory.blogspot.com/p/submission-guidelines.html
Interesting. I know nothing about this site--let me know what your experience with them is like.
DeleteI’m sure that I’m not the first to say this: writing the book is easy. It’s the REwriting that’s the hard part. Coming back with “fresh eyes,” as you say, and realizing that, while you were away, your “masterpiece” has turned to dross! Actually, it’s not usually THAT bad, but one definitely notices that a word or two needs changing, or a phrase needs to go here instead of there, or this sentence needs to be tightened up. I mean, this is a picture book, not “War and Peace.” One or two words out of place can make a HUGE difference. However, all that being said: mine (I’m working on two) are coming along just fine.
ReplyDeleteSo true--all writing is re-writing.
DeleteI'm one of those people who revise as they're going, so it takes me a long time to work through the first draft. The good news is that living with it so long, you get totally invested and then you pretty much HAVE to make it work. I don't give up on projects easily. :-)
My story is finally coming together but I am struggling with the words. I will keep pushing forward and hope to hand it off to someone next week for a critique.
ReplyDeleteI've got a great beginning - I need to get the end great to...it's the backside that holds up the front side!
ReplyDeleteI took my story to my crit group yesterday and received great feedback on rhythm and how I can cut a lot of my story down to even less words! It sits at 480 words now, but a lot of that are words on what I can show.
ReplyDelete