Posts
During the first week of May, writers will create one picture book per day for seven days. This event is meant to spur those reluctant writers who've always wanted to write for children but have never taken the plunge.
Paula Yoo (author of Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
, and the YA novel Good Enough
) warns prospective writers:This is NOT to say writing a picture book is easy. On the contrary, it's EXTREMELY difficult and challenging to write a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end, an original plotline, and a unique character with a compelling voice for the picture book genre. Every word has to count. Every image and every action has to speak volumes in terms of theme and deeper meaning... while still being kid friendly, fun, and appropriate for the tone of the book (be it a quiet literary picture book or a hilarious, laugh out of loud funny picture book).
When I first heard about this project a year ago, I had strong reservations. But author Daniel Kirk (Library Mouse
, Dogs Rule
, and Elf Realm: The Low Road
) argued convincingly for its merit, and I've since come to realize the value behind NaPiBoWriWe.So swing over to Paula Yoo's site and see if you're up for the challenge. (She's written posts providing tips for writers all through the month of April).
Who knows? Perhaps in a year I'll be discussing a picture book that you created on this very week!
2 comments:
I followed your post here to Paula's site and decided to plunge in, although I am using Storybird (online picture book creator) so that I can concentrate on the writing and finding inspiration from the illustrations of others. I know where my strengths are and where they are not. And they are not in my artistic abilities.
There are certainly pros and cons to such a challenge, which you have outlined (last year?).
But I see it as another creative endeavor that keeps me writing in new directions.
Here are the stories I have come up with so far:
MoonSong: http://storybird.com/books/moonsong/
The Boy with the Angry Stomach: http://storybird.com/books/the-boy-with-the-angry-stomach/
I like MoonSong better than Boy and can see some future possibilities. And that is what this seems to be about, for me: laying the groundwork for possible future writing.
Thanks!
Kevin
Hey, Kevin!
Loved your stories. I think using Story Bird is a fab way to get stories generated, and as your stories prove, they can be quite original and authentic in voice. Great work! Please come back and post the rest!
Post a Comment