Oohs and Aahs for 5.2.25
What makes a picture book so special? Plus a new class!
A picture book is a unique art form. It pairs visual storytelling with the art of writing succinctly while giving the reader unexpected layers to explore. The illustrations work with the text to create something that’s grander than the sum of its parts. The text on its own may be poetic and moving. The illustrations might tell a compelling story. But together, they create a special moment children and their grown-ups can share again and again, in layered and beautiful ways. In short…
Text + Art = Something More
Some picture books break the rules, but most are:
Designed for ages 3-7 years, although some sophisticated NF titles stretch into ages 12+
Rarely over 1000 words, many are under 500
Feature a main character who is 3-7 years old (in body or soul)
Following a traditional story structure where the main character solves the problem
Read aloud with a grown up
About sibling rivalry, going to school, sharing, nature, love, and other topics relevant to young readers
These are the qualities that readers expect to find in a picture book. But YOU might need to keep in mind different qualities while you write.
Enter the Checklist…
Every picture book is different, but most need at least three of these qualities, maybe even four or five. It depends what thoughts and feelings you want to leave the reader with. At the same time, I can’t imagine any book has all of these qualities. It’s your job as the author to pick and choose the tools that work best for your story. You are the artist, and you get to decide!
Of course this is a checklist, but you are NOT here to soullessly check boxes. You are making magic. Readers deserve your most creative ideas. They deserve stories that sparkle with excitement and meaning.
That takes time.
And it’s easier with a friend…
If you’ve been dreaming of writing a picture book, I’m teaching Finding Your Star: How to Write a Picture Book at The Porch, where we’ll be reading LOTS of picture books, taking notes, and writing together. You can see some of the books we’ll be studying here and here. We start 5/6 and I hope you can join us! 📚
Remember when I reported back from the picture book section of Barnes & Noble? One of my takeaways was that one way to stand out is to “Develop a memorable character like Escargot or Swatch. Take them on an adventure that connects to a theme that is relevant to kids.”
That’s exactly what we do in Finding Your Star!
Students say nice things like…
“Heidi was a delight, and had such great examples of picture books to show us. Her workbook was super helpful!”
“Heidi was wonderful! Children's books are an entirely new genre to me as a writer, and I learned so much about how they 'tick' and left inspired to try my hand at one!”
“Wow! You have surprised and delighted me. I am truly thankful for your time, effort, thoughts, and suggestions. In addition, your subtle emotional support is real and has me fired up to move forward. Overall an excellent experience.”
I hope you’ll join us!
This Week I’m
Offering last-minute gift subscriptions to Nebula Notebook for Mother’s Day 🌸
Laughing so I don’t cry 😬
Finding these tips on being playful with your kids more helpful than annoying (Her new course Activate Play Mode is inspiring me too.) 🎈
Thinking about sneaky kinds of perfectionism and the curse of having too many ideas in the latest 4,000 Ideas post 🤓
Talking with
about how we can start a creative project when we’re bone tired and why it matters 💛Watching worlds collide with this Carle Museum x Emily Dickinson Museum collab 🐛
Applauding this new Prospect Park sculpture devoted to motherhood 🙌
Telling you to go read the comments on this post about unhinged pretend play if you need inspiration for your next picture book 🦄
Nebula Notebook is a place to meet kindred spirits, get inspired, and learn how to find ease and joy in the creative process—even when life is bananas. 🍌🍌🍌
✏️ PS—The fastest way to grow as a writer is to book a manuscript critique or a creative coaching session with an expert. My clients get agents, sell books, and win awards. They also learn how to enjoy the creative process, so they can keep going when life gets hard. 👏
