Let’s start with a confession. For years, I used “voice” and “tone” interchangeably. And the truth is, in casual conversation, many writers do. But when you’re revising a manuscript—especially a picture book—confusing these two can be the difference between a manuscript that sings and a manuscript...
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There’s a particular magic to picture books that still thrills me—even after years of writing, editing, and teaching them: In roughly 32 pages...
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Finding the right literary agent for your work can feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack. With so...
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My friend Peter H. Reynolds once gave me a great image for cultivating ideas. He said he had "story radar"...
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Some writers love outlines, others feel boxed in by them. Mind mapping offers a third option—especially useful in the early stages of picture...
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At the heart of nearly every picture book lives a question. Not a moral.Not a lesson.It's...
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Writers often get asked this question: Where do you get your ideas?But it's a tricky one to answer. Why? Because ideas usually don’t...
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January invites lists. Target word counts. Submission goals.And while goals absolutely have their place, I want to offer you something that I’ve...
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As the final days of the year wind down, you may feel caught between two impulses: the urge to “get it all...
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Let’s be honest: November through December can be a whirlwind. Family gatherings, travel, school events, gift-giving, emotional highs and lows… it’s a...
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