Let’s Talk Picture Books, Part 3

In picture books a compelling story must be told in 32 pages. If you read a few or a lot of these books, the task of writing one seems easy, but don’t let their simplicity deceive you. Picture books can be tricky to write. In a short span, you must to develop a character and situation and write the story in such a way that the reader will embrace it. 

Language and imagery work in unison to create a story. Some books are written in verse. There’s not an ounce of rhyming ability in my DNA so I don’t attempt it. Also, many editors don’t request rhyme because it is so difficult to carry over the entire story. If you are excellent at writing in verse, remember to think story first, verse second.

Many editors do not like stories written in verse because some writers may be tempted to choose a particular word that fits the rhyme rather than promoting the plot. When this happens the story loses momentum, sometimes takes a detour, and the dramatic core is sabotaged for the sake of the rhyme. Stories should unfold organically not forced in order to get two words to rhyme. Many common rhyme schemes have been overused: he/she/be/tree/me. If the child can guess the next word, that may take away the element of surprise and be less engaging for the audience.

When writing or marketing your first picture book, stick to prose. If you’ve written several picture books in prose and decide to write one in verse, experiment with the story. After you’ve written the rhyme version, write another in prose for comparison. Which works better?

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Hanging Loose Press welcomes high school submissions. "We feel a special responsibility to those young writers who look to us not only for possible publication but sometimes also for editorial advice, which we are always happy to give when asked. Our work as editors is of course time-consuming, but we feel a strong commitment to give as much time and attention as possible to the work we receive from high school age writers."

Submission guidelines at hangingloosepress.com/submissions.html

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

BABBLE. Indicate in the subject line of your email what section of Babble your piece would run: Mom, Pregnancy, Baby, Toddler, Kid, Body + Mind, Work + Money, Home, Relationships, Entertainment, Beauty, Food, or Travel. Pays roughly ten cents/word for articles up to 1,200 words.

Submission guidelines at http://www.babble.com/write-for-babble/

Poetry in Prose/Call for Submissions/Contest

When I write children’s picture books, I stick to prose rather than a rhyming text. But, as with poems, I strive to evoke strong visual images or emotions with few words. And, as with poems, if the story line is humorous, I add the punch line at the end to surprise the reader. In these respects, I find that writing picture books and poetry are similar. Writing poetry helps writers become more adept at writing picture books because it teaches us to create vivid mental pictures using few words.

Poetry, how do I know thee? Let me count the ways.
· Economy of words—says a lot in a little with carefully selected words.
· Speaks in a special way by evoking feelings of joy, sadness, surprise, and more.
· Sounds like music to the ear
· Uses imagery to help the reader “see” a mental picture
· Rhythmical patterns
· Incorporates storytelling with a beginning, middle, and end

In order to say a lot with few words, poets make comparisons using similes. Similes use “like” or “as” to compare two different objects. In my book, Happy Birthday the Story of the World's Most Popular Song, I used this simile: Words tripped off her tongue, smoothly as ice cream dripping from a cone on an August afternoon. Words and ice cream seem to be objects of unlikely comparisons until they’re used in a simile. These words did more than compare. They evoked the feeling of a hot, steamy day and painted a picture of how words could flow smoothly as ice cream.

Next week we’ll look at how poets make comparisons with metaphors, personification, and hyperbole.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
221b Magazine Summer Issue: a short story competition. The best six entries will be included in the next edition of our magazine.

Anyone who submits must first read our terms and conditions:
Deadline: 31st May 2011 Tuesday
Details: http://221bmagazine.co.uk

Contest for young writers:
The Hummingbird Guide is hosting their first Children's Story Contest about hummingbirds. Minimum of 300 words for submission.
· Submit original work written by you.
· Contest open to ages 6 to 12.
· Fill out the "name" box and be sure to include your age.
· Winners will be selected based on visitor comments (favorites).
· Submissions deadline is May 31, 2011.
· Details at http://www.hummingbird-guide.com/kids-hummingbird-writing-contest.html