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Picture Book Secrets
"Musings" - February 2008

by Margot Finke

There is a big myth out there in the ordinary world.  It says writing a picture book is easy – a snap!  We’ve all heard a doting mother exclaim,  “My little Ralph always does the cutest things. I’m going to write a picture book about them.”  And she does: sending it off to languish in a slush pile, waiting for some poor assistant editor to cringe over. 

I know you readers are far smarter than that doting Mom.  You understand that writing a picture book takes special writing know-how: a flair for choosing perfect words, the same way an artist knows how to chooses the perfect colors.  Writing a picture book is all about painting word pictures: a marriage between artwork and writing.  When these two talents come together, they make a delightful book children beg you read to them, again-and-again.

Look below for the secret clues to writing a really wonderful picture book:

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Checklist for Writing Picture Books:

• CONFLICT: The main character needs to be in conflict with something or someone for the story to grip small readers. Have some problem that bothers, or gnaws, or leads to trouble. The hero/heroine gets to solve the problem over the course of the story. The solving is the meat in your story
• DIALOGUE: Kids like realistic fast action dialogue. It brings things up close and personal.
• READ lots of picture books. Ask your librarian to point you in the direction of classics, as well as those published in the last couple of years.

A Good Way to Plot a Picture Book:

• Something happens to someone
  and
• this leads to making a goal
  and
• that needs a plan of action
  but
• forces try to stop the main character
  yet
• he moves forward because there is a lot at stake
  then
• things get as bad as they can
  and
• he learns an important lesson
  however
• when he is offered the prize he had sought so hard, he has to decide whether to take it on not
  thus
• in making this final decision he satisfies a need created by something in his past

The 5 "C" rules for writing compelling fiction:

• CHARACTERS: both you and the reader care about
• COMPLICATIONS: something happens: crises, conflict
• CHOICES: your character makes
• CONFLUENCE: tie it all together at the end
• CONCISE: make the writing tight (don't waffle on about things that don't move the plot forward)

 Prune out those overused words that will not be missed:

Such as: just, that, seemed, suddenly, felt like, some, nice, very (add some of your own to this list). 

Search Out Active and Powerful Verbs and Evocative Adjectives.

Because of the word restrictions (1, 000 or less – preferably a lot less), every word you choose must earn its keep.  Weak or ho-hum verbs will not do.  Use your Word Thesaurus (Shift F7) to find verbs that shout action, reek of power, and paint an active word picture in your reader’s head.  Make sure your verbs fit the actions. Verbs do rule!

Choose adjectives the same way you would choose a valuable gem.  They must resonate with clarity and sparkle.  Forget: nice, happy, good, bad, and other dull and overused adjectives.  Exchange them for:  pleasurable, overjoyed, exceptional, or ghastly.  Make sure the adjectives you choose are the right descriptive words.

Tight Writing Is Mandatory:

“Picture Book” is a two-word description for a reason.  It is a book that is 50% words and 50% illustrations: and it all must fit into 32 pages.  This works extremely well, when the writer leaves a trail of clever word clues on every page.  The artist uses these word clues to expand the story into many delightful illustrations that amplify the clues, and the rest of the story. 

A Summary to Write By:

• Craft your story without wasting one word.
• Keep the plot simple
• Find powerful verbs and evocative adjectives.
• Use fun and humor – kids love that!
• HOOK your reader in the first paragraph.
• Limit the number of characters
• Always let your young POV (point of view) solve the problem
• Write in specifics.  Young children do not grasp ephemeral ideas.
• Use only one POV (point of view) character.
• New writers usually work better in third person past tense.
• SHOW what happens, by the use of action scenes and sharp dialogue – Telling is a big yawn!
• Think of your story as a garden:  prune hard, and treat unnecessary words and sentences  like weeds – DIG THEM OUT!
• Plan your plot and writing, so you end up with approx 14-15 evenly spaced illustration opportunities.
• A 32 page picture book (the usual size) needs approx 14 – 15 illustrations.

Writing a really wonderful picture book is one of the hardest, trickiest things a writer can tackle.  However, the satisfaction and pleasure you feel, when it is finally published, is worth every rejection, every rewrite, and all those obsessed hours you spent waiting beside your mailbox. YOU DID IT!

Some of Margot's favorite picture books:	Other Musings on picture books:
Broken Beaks: Nathaniel Lachenmeyer	Writing Picture Books: The Basics
The Cat in the Hat: Dr. Seuss	Rhyming Picture Books: For Those Who Must
Cork and Fuzz: Short and Tall: Dori Chaconas	How to Cook up a Great Picture Book
Don't Be Silly, Mrs. Millie!: Judy Cox	"Writing Time Outs": Polish Your Picture Book
Goodnight Moon: Margaret Wise Brown	A Picture Book with Fabulous R & M
Grandpa for Sale: Dotti Enderle	Editors and Your Picture Book
Guess How Much I Love You: Sam McBratney	So You Want to Write a Picture Book?
Jack of All Tales: Kim Norman	Picture (Book) Perfect
Jose! Born to Dance: Susanna Reich
Llama, Llama Red Pajama: Anna Dewdney
Mrs. Biddlebox: Linda Smith
Olivia Forms a Band: Ian Falconer
Searching for Sasquatch: Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
There Is a Bird On Your Head! (Elephant and Piggie): Mo Willems
Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak
Window Music: Anastasia Suen

HAPPY WRITING MATES!

Margot Finke's biography and index to Musings.