Story Radar
My friend Peter H. Reynolds once gave me a great image for cultivating ideas. He said he had "story radar"...
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Ideas Tag
Mind Mapping for Picture Book Writers
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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Where Do Picture Book Ideas Really Come From?
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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What A Character!
Great picture book ideas often start with an unforgettable character. Whether it's a mischievous pigeon, a determined little girl, or a lovable...
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From Theme to Story: Turning Abstract Ideas into Specific Stories
Themes are the big ideas that give stories depth and meaning...
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The Mash-Up Method: Creating New Ideas by Combining the Unexpected
Sometimes the most original ideas come from combining two completely unrelated concepts. This "mash-up" approach invites you to think outside the box...
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Mining Childhood Memories for Story Gold
The best picture books resonate because they capture universal truths about childhood. One way to tap into these truths is by mining...
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Ideas on the Go
I’ve been honing my Story Radar, and have found the holiday season to be more abundant than ever with respect to prompting...
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Who Can Help Me Tell This Story?
This week I had the joy of interviewing my friend and picture book hero, Peter H. Reynolds, for the Children’s Book Hub....
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Voice Exercises
As every singer knows, exercises that strengthen and warm up the vocal cords are essential in order to sing well. Painters do...
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