Transformations Spirituality Center Wouldn’t you love to spend a weekend here? You can if you sign up for the SCBWI-MI Fall 2013 Revision Retreat. There are very few spaces left in an intimate retreat designed to move your picture book or novel to the next stage in development. Two tracks are offered: picture book revision… Read more »
FRESH IS BEST Kathy Temean shares some great tips from Emma Coats who compiled nuggets of narrative wisdom she received over the years working as a storyboard artist for the animation Pixar studio. 1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. 2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as… Read more »
Boni Ashburn You know how I love mentorships and you can’t get a better opportunity than this… SCBWI-MI proudly announces the 2014 Mentorship Program for Fiction Picture Books. This is a competition and the Grand Prize is a 12 month mentorship with acclaimed Michigan writer, Boni Ashburn, author of six fiction picture books including, Hush, Little Dragon, Over at the Castle, I Had… Read more »
A writer friend, Shutta Crum, shared a great post today that I will pass along for two reasons:1. to see if you fall into the trap of “ya, butting” when provided with a critique of your work (note: you should not!), and 2. to see a perfect example of “voice.” I don’t know the author Keith Cronin but I… Read more »
Let’s say you REEEAAALY want to write and/or illustrate a children’s book but after getting the idea, and maybe starting to put it on paper, you don’t know what the next steps should be. Whenever I’m quizzed on this topic, my first recommendation (aside from patting yourself on the back!) is to join the Society for Children’s… Read more »
Watch out for exclamatory cows! Writers are admonished to “show don’t tell” all the time. I’ve heard that concept described more ways than there are changes in the weather where I live. But this quick description from the Institute of Children’s Literature RX really sunk in: Show don’t tell involves more than images…it is about immediacy. Whenever you’re… Read more »
Life Shrinks or Expands in Proportion to One’s Courage – anonymous Why is there a quote about courage under a title about the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, you ask? Because I always need courage to sign up for a large conference. Here’s why:1. Money: my writing account will take a hit with this conference (you have a writing budget,… Read more »
Ryan Hipp (SCBWI member and author-illustrator from the great state of Michigan), is nearing completion of his Kickstarter intiative for the picture book he wrote and illustrated called Little Steps. When I heard Ryan was using Kickstarter.com to fund the publication of this book, I wasn’t too surprised because Ryan is a creative, big-thinking, self-starter. But I was interested to learn… Read more »
I can’t say I’m one of those writers who loves revising. (Those writers do exist; I’ve actually seen them in real life.) But if I force myself to remember that revising is just RE-VISIONing, it helps. Then I relax into the process and can almost, a l m o s t look forward to what may happen… Read more »
I’m sharing a humorous sad-but-true Rejection Bingo post created by Zachary Petit. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/rejection-letter-bingo?et_mid=607853&rid=3198389. This is one game I’d rather not win!
Sharing insights on writing children’s books and the publishing industry, and offering trinkets for creators and educators because you rock.
