Success!
Everyone has their own priorities, style and way of creating the projects they work on. Having success placing my recent picture book manuscript with a publishing house, I thought it would be fun to share how I went about writing and organizing my story.
First things first: I actually write or have the idea of the ending in mind when I start. If you don’t, chances are you’ll spend unwanted time and energy meandering about to get to your point. From the very beginning phase of writing I had the actual words/message used in the final copy I submitted as an ending. Remember, it can always be edited.
Then, as I mentioned getting to your point or message, think about where your passions lie. What is your personality like? What are your interests? I hope you allow those things to guide you to your message and main theme.
Do you express yourself through compassion? Then choose that as your message. Are you a goofy entertainer at heart? Chances are you'll write or illustrate a good silly or funny book. Are you a teacher or enjoy sharing facts and trivia? Pick one of many interesting non-fiction themes to direct your point.
With a great boost of inner inspiration, I knew the exact message I wanted to get across and tackled it head on. I also spent tender loving care to relay that message with a combination of both gentleness and candor. This is where I focused on the age group I was writing for. Keep your words sensitive to the child’s age, but it’s okay to teach them about something they should know, will know someday, or reiterate something they know already.
Finally, I can’t stress enough, especially regarding children’s books and to authors- try to write visually. As your words and sentences are formed, what’s the accompanying picture you’re envisioning, describing, or taking us to? I knew the illustrations in my book were just as important as text. I let my manuscript be conducive to a story journeying through an art gallery with its words. The publisher I submitted my book to picked up on that immediately, felt drawn in, and signed me.
First things first: I actually write or have the idea of the ending in mind when I start. If you don’t, chances are you’ll spend unwanted time and energy meandering about to get to your point. From the very beginning phase of writing I had the actual words/message used in the final copy I submitted as an ending. Remember, it can always be edited.
Then, as I mentioned getting to your point or message, think about where your passions lie. What is your personality like? What are your interests? I hope you allow those things to guide you to your message and main theme.
Do you express yourself through compassion? Then choose that as your message. Are you a goofy entertainer at heart? Chances are you'll write or illustrate a good silly or funny book. Are you a teacher or enjoy sharing facts and trivia? Pick one of many interesting non-fiction themes to direct your point.
With a great boost of inner inspiration, I knew the exact message I wanted to get across and tackled it head on. I also spent tender loving care to relay that message with a combination of both gentleness and candor. This is where I focused on the age group I was writing for. Keep your words sensitive to the child’s age, but it’s okay to teach them about something they should know, will know someday, or reiterate something they know already.
Finally, I can’t stress enough, especially regarding children’s books and to authors- try to write visually. As your words and sentences are formed, what’s the accompanying picture you’re envisioning, describing, or taking us to? I knew the illustrations in my book were just as important as text. I let my manuscript be conducive to a story journeying through an art gallery with its words. The publisher I submitted my book to picked up on that immediately, felt drawn in, and signed me.
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