Many writers assume that depth comes from complexity—that richer stories require more plot, more explanation, more moving parts. But picture books teach us the opposite lesson. The stories that linger longest are often the clearest on the surface. Their sophistication comes not from adding more, but from...
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Picture books are often thought of as "simple." Short sentences. Only so many pages. A quick read. But anyone who has ever tried...
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Dialogue in picture books does a lot of heavy lifting. Good dialogue: - Reveals character - Builds tension - Moves the plot forward - Delivers conflict -...
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Let’s start with a confession. For years, I used “voice” and “tone” interchangeably. And the truth is, in casual conversation, many writers do....
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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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