LESSON ONE (1)
So I love writing picture books. But since I am new to the field of writing, I am studying how to do it. I searched online, registered for webinars, signed up for workshops, ordered books written by successful picture book writers, and my favorite, read at least 7 books per day. I am learning so much.
Some of the ones – the books I wrote – I felt like were just great, I am realizing that they need work. So for the next week, I will be revising and implementing strategies I am learning along the way. For instant the Do’s and Don’ts.
Do’s
*Spend time reading picture books.
*Make books easy to read out loud.
*Focus on the action and the dialogue
*Write scenes with actions
*Transition characters into different settings
*Introduce new characters ONLY IF they serve a purpose in moving the story along
*Scenes should have emotional intensity
Don’ts
*Don’t describe the characters’ clothes. These are wasting precious words. The illustrator can tell your story through your words. (S)he will interpret how the character look and demonstrate that with their artistry.
*Don’t be afraid to be foolish. (This is my downfall. I am serious about everything. I want to tackle serious issues, so I am working on that.)
*Don’t make the language babyish; make it rich!
This is the first lesson in writing a picture book.
Why I Write Picture Books? (#YIWritePB) 