Today, I’m offering you a time management tool that a cave dwelling, amygdala-focused person could have created. First, let me be clear, I have no judgement against dwelling in caves or being amygdala-focused. In fact, many days that sounds like the perfect way to live. However, my world, like yours, is full of Must Do’s,… Read more »
It is my observation that we get stuck in revision when we limit our thinking to good or bad. Those adjectives are judgmental, flat, and as oppositional as a tired two year old. Why not try shades of BETTER? Start where you are and strive to make the work BETTER using whatever criteria needs applying… Read more »
As part of a continuing effort to match my WsIP with publishers’ interests, I scour new online catalogs for publishers that seem like a fit. Usually catalogs release in the fall and spring, so I’m actively looking at them now. This catalog by Sterling Publishing is particularly informative because they provide info on the author, illustrator,… Read more »
courtesy of Amazon.com Consider my mind blown. A 54 page picture book?Of course it’s a biography of Albert Einstein (On a Beam of Light A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne and Vladimir Radunsky) and there’s relativity and quantum physics and atomic particle stuff. But still.We are “taught” to work within 32 (or maybe… Read more »
The term didactic refers to intending or inclined to teach, preach, or advise.In today’s market, writing an overtly didactic children’s story for the trade market is usually a kiss of death for the manuscript. Avoiding didactic writing or themes might be one of the hardest concepts when beginning to write for children. I get it; our adult mind — either… Read more »
created by Michigan SCBWI member, Lindsay K. Moore I’m drawing-challenged, but if I weren’t I’d be registering for this Retreat before the chartreuse could dry on my cotton duck canvas. The (Days and) Nights of the Roundtable Fall Retreat 2016 is hosted by SCBWI Michigan. It features three tracks: picture books, novels, and illustration. The illustrator track… Read more »
I’ve been a soccer mom for 17 years which means I’ve watched (and coached) a LOT of soccer games. I love the moment shown here when competition is transcended by compassion and respect. I also love these moments within the children’s book industry, another highly competitive endeavor. Even when Writer A knows that Writer B sitting next to her at the critique… Read more »
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, a nonprofit land conservation organization, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Their 2016 Storybook Hike Series is such a fun way to celebrate this milestone. They hosted me and A Warm Winter Tale at their Kalamazoo preserve on February 27, 2016 and I had a blast! The intent of our storybook hikes is… Read more »
Laura Backes, former children’s book editor and now co-founder of Children’s Book Insider, wrote a helpful article in their newsletter about the perennial topic of leaving room for illustrations. I’ve blogged about the “why” of this concept before and now Laura’s perfect algorhythm for “how” to keep word count down follows. To read the full newsletter and access all… Read more »
All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle &… Read more »
Sharing insights on writing children’s books and the publishing industry, and offering trinkets for creators and educators because you rock.
