Storystorm 2021 Day 24: Cindy Derby Creates a Writer’s Block Creature

Thank you! What a great interview.

Thanks for inviting us to watch the evolution of Snap Tooth, Cindy! No doubt, a helpful creative process…

Thank you for the creative way to work through a challenge!

Thanks for the creative “Snap” for those of us climbing our own “Hairy Tooth Mountain” today!

I like the question, “What have you got for me today, Snap Tooth?” Have to go now. I’m writing down the answers. Thanks for sharing.

Fun post!

That was so fun! I think I just figured out a plan for my son’s abandoned white board! Love How to Walk and Ant. Can’t wait to see your new work!

How fun! What a great exercise! Really enjoyed the video–and Snap Tooth. 🙂

Yes! Take out those coloring pencils! 🙂

I thought for sure you were going to have a symbolic burning and then…plot twist! You kept your darling for inspiration. Thanks!

Eeek! Now that I’ve drawn my creature I’m totally using him today’s story idea… take that big nasty blocker! 😈 This was a super fun exercise.
Thanks Cindy!

I enjoyed your video. I love seeing where doodles can lead. Thank you for sharing this fun exercise!

Loved this post! Off to create my writer’s block creature.

Great video, thank you Cindy. This was fun & a nice change of pace, as I am not an artist. I created “Snailey Seahorse” lol.

I enjoyed drawing along with you. Thanks!

I enjoyed starting my day with Snaptooth!

I love this idea. I’m headed for the pencil and paper now!

Suddenly, stuck doesn’t feel so sticky!
thank you

Great!

Great ideas!

Ima post my monster on Facebook ….

I’m calling my creature. Headpecker. So I can keep pecking my head for ideas.

What a fun creative post! Thank you!!

OUTSIDE IN has such beautiful haunting illustrations. I can’t wait to read TWO MANY BIRDS!

I love it. I will start making my own now!

I think my creature may be the recipient of some choice language! 😁

Thanks for introducing us to Snap Tooth and modeling how we can introduce ourselves to our own writer’s block creature.

Fun idea!

Oh this is gonna be a hard one…I’m not an artist, not an artist, not an… wait … not bad… actually invigorating, and refreshing and FUN!!!
I now have my very own creative friend keeping me company in my work space, thanks to you!
Super fun post, Cindy.

What a fun and creative post! Thank you.

Thank you, Cindy. Sometimes you have to be unconventional to be creative.

Cindy, you are one funny woman! I’d love to see your puppet shows. From a fellow devotee the other side of the pond.

So fun! Thanks for stopping by! Can’t wait to read your latest!

So fun, thank you! I love the furry toes! Mine has tentacles, or many tails.

Oh my gosh!!!!
I had SO much fun drawing my “Block Creature!”
Thank you, thank you, thank you…(every time I look at it, I chuckle to myself! ❤️

Interesting! Such a fun idea. Wish I could be that entertaining. Thank you:)

Thank you for being so real! I love the writer’s block creature. I am sharing with teachers for their students. What a great way to validate we all have struggles sometimes. Thanks again!

An intriguing exercise, Cindy, especially your blind drawing way to start it. Going to give this a try as I’m tired of the writing slump I’m in. Thank you!

Well done! Combining the difficult – writer’s block – with chuckles and smiles . . . a helpful lesson in many areas of life. Thank you.

Thanks so much for your video!

That was something different! It’s a good way to express frustration or even make a new character! I love birds. Wish you luck with your book, Two many Birds.

nice monster

I’ve had writers block the entire month!! Time to draw a writer’s block creature!

sometimes you just got to draw….something. My something is the spark, then I can write around that something. thank you

Thanks for this fun video post!

So funny. Love the name Snap Tooth.

Love this so much! And miss you terribly! Thanks, Cindy! 🙂

I doodle a lot when I write. Those doodles can bring an idea to light, or they can simply keep my mind and fingers moving while ideas begin to sneak forward and take shape so I can write them down.

How fun! I was excited to see a video post. I was also amused by your book titles. How to Walk an Ant made me laugh.

Now that was an amazing exercise! Loved it and will be posting to the group later. Thanks for the share!

I love the idea of creating and naming my writer’s block creature!

LOL, so cute. I would love to hear what kind of advice Snaptooth has given you.

How fun! I love doodling, since that’s all I can call my “drawings” . I will try to doodle my own writer’s block creature! Thanks for sharing!

How creative! Thank you.

writer’s block creature, or a quick giggle, to clear my mind is a great trick. thank you.

What a great way to get pepped up first thing in the morning! Can’t wait to draw my writing block creature! Thank you 🥰

I used to build houses for salamanders out in the woods, so I’m delighted by the idea of making houses for insects.

Hi Cindy! I begged my doctor for a prescription for writers block but she insisted there’s no such prescription. So I’m going to try your creative creature suggestion. Thank you for your fun advice! Looking forward to reading Blurp’s Book of Manners.

Ooooh! My daughter and I LOVE birds and would absolutely love to own this book.

I loved watching you draw this – thanks Cindy!

So much fun!

Thanks Cindy!

That was fun! Thanks Cindy!

Congratulations on the Caldecott Honor!

First, congrats on today’s wonderful, well-deserved honor! How fun for me to try something new, and to draw with such a talent. 🙂 But it wasn’t really about drawing, was it? It was about creativity, the flow, letting go, and also making room – and I loved it!!

This video was a delight! Thank you! Here’s to no more creatures!!

Thanks Cindy! Such a fun way to deal with writer’s block. Thanks for sharing with us and for the chance to win one of your books.

Love your monster. 🙂 T

Fun idea—enjoyed the video!

I love the use of humor with something difficult.

Never too many birds. lol Looks like a fun book.

Hilarious, novel prompt from an amazing author-illustrator –thanks!

I love this! It’s great to take a break from writing and sink our creativity in another direction. Looking forward to getting out my colored pencils for this one!

Congratulations on your Caldecott Honor!! I’m looking forward to reading Two Many Birds, as well.

What a fun change of pace, it felt great to use a different part of my brain. Thanks Cindy!! And congratulations!!

You are adorable! That was fun!

(Congrats on your Caldecott by the way!)

Scribbling a writer’s block creature with you was fun. I liked your guy better. I’d love to win the raffle for one of your books! Thanks for the video post, Cindy.

Thank you for your insight. That was different spin on things.

Cindy, what a great idea. And I agree that calling something by its name reduces fear. Loved your “block creature.” Your video was lots of fun.

Ah, I remember doing that with my kids when they were little. We’d take turns drawing and we’d come up with some weird things-I think I even saved some of them. Congrats on your book! Looks adorable!

What a fun idea. I think I’ll name mine the blah blob.

Thanks, Cindy! This was great! And a big congrats on your Caldecott!

Creating a creature to–ahem–draw out the block? Fun!

Thanks Cindy! I drew my “writer’s block creature” and I’m sure it will scare away any writer’s block! Love your books!

Interesting. Hairy Toe mountain and Snap Tooth.

Snap tooth was awesome! I can’t wait to try this.

Well, that was fun! Thanks!

Fun video! Thank you!

I will never, ever visit furry toe mountain. But, what a great way to work through some creative blocks!

I loved the video! What fun!

Your background work is incredible and SO interesting. LOVED reading your bio. I made my writers block creature and named him Snarglefoot. 🙂 Thanks for the fun video and activity. 🙂

I love miniature things, so apartment blocks for insects is inspirational. As are some of those book titles!

Thank you for changing it up and giving us something to look at, listen to, and laugh at! Writer’s block is just “a thing”

Loved your video. Thank you! Drawing my own writer’s block creature today. Congratulations on your well-deserved Caldecott Honor!

LOL, Cindy! I’m thinking ol’ Snap Tooth might just show up in a book set on Hairy Toe Mountain one day…

Fun!

I have a damnit doll….

oh what a breath of fresh air. This was joyous!

This was a fun way to exorcise the writer’s block creature. Thanks

Loved watching your video! The idea of Writer’s Block as a creature is fun! Thanks!

I’m going to draw a writers block creature and then I’m going to rip it into shreds and put it in a jar… Congratulations on your book “Two Many Birds”!

Thanks!

That’s really funny! Love ole snap tooth! We all have one! Thank you for sharing!

What a fun idea. And the cool thing is that perhaps the creature can morph so you can do this activity multiple times over a longer span on time. Thanks for the suggestion.

I LOVE this idea and I know my students will too! Even drawing something without looking can give you ideas.

Such a fun exercise! Thank you!

Thanks for the encouragement