by Ruth Spiro

Guess what? You’re exactly halfway through Storystorm! You have fifteen days behind you and fifteen more ahead. This means you most likely have fifteen (or more!) ideas, with more to come. To borrow from Mary Oliver, what will you do with these wild and precious ideas?

Yes, an idea is precious, full of hope and possibility. If cared for properly, an idea can blossom into something surprising and wonderful.

Sometimes an idea is right in front of your nose…

My kitchen:

My office:

My living room writing/reading chair:

… but it takes a while for your brain to recognize it.

In the spring of 2021, I sat in my office revising a manuscript and glanced at the mini garden on my desk. I thought, “I should write a book about houseplants!” This was the closest thing to a lightbulb moment I’ve ever experienced.

Five months later I had a finished manuscript and a two-book deal with HarperCollins. About two years after that, I held the finished book in my hands. LOVE GROWS, illustrated by the amazingly talented Lucy Ruth Cummins, published in December.

The process from idea to finished manuscript to contract was quick, but that doesn’t mean it was easy! In the first two months there was a lot of back-and-forth with my agent. LOVE GROWS started as a counting book, but my agent felt it needed something more and she was right. Once acquired, there were more revisions. But with TLC my idea grew into what it was supposed to become.

How can you cultivate your wild and precious ideas? Here are a few similarities I’ve discovered between writing and plant parenthood:

They both need optimal growing conditions

When a plant isn’t doing well, you have to figure out how to help it. Does it need more sun? Less water? A larger pot? Sometimes a plant needs a sturdy framework like a trellis or moss pole to hold on to.

LOVE GROWS began as a simple counting book, but it needed more to stand out in the market and appeal to readers. By adding the human connection between a girl and her aunt, as well as switching to an epistolary format, it became a relationship story as the two bonded over their love of plants.

As you develop your idea into a story, consider a variety of options for the care, feeding, and frameworks that will help it thrive.

Propagation has its perks

When a plant gets “leggy” you can use a cutting to grow an entirely new plant. Place the cutting in water to grow roots and then you’ll have a new plant independent of the original.

My new picture book series, HOW TO EXPLAIN SCIENCE TO A GROWN-UP, is the result of propagation! After fielding requests from parents and educators for a slightly more advanced series for readers who’ve outgrown their beloved BABY LOVES SCIENCE board books, this concept was born. We took a snippet from the original, gave it a different framework, and popped it into a snazzy new container.

If you’re running short on ideas, till the soil of stories you’ve already written. You just might discover a bounty of ideas you can use to craft a story that’s entirely new.

Germination takes time

Even in the most perfect conditions, a seedling takes time to sprout. A cutting takes time to grow roots. A good gardener or houseplant parent knows this, and is patient.

ONE SMALL SPARK: A TIKKUN OLAM STORY is my personal interpretation of the Jewish concept that is commonly translated to “repair the world.” I first added this idea to my list about ten years ago. (Yes, ten!) I knew it had great potential, but spent years moving the idea from window to window. Did it want direct light, or indirect? A humid spot in the kitchen, or dryer surroundings in the den? It took much longer than expected but eventually I hit the perfect combination and the story flourished.

Have you participated in previous Storystorms? Look back at your previous idea lists and pick a few that didn’t pan out at the time but still cling to your imagination like ivy on a garden gate. Add those to this year’s list because they may be ready to germinate!

Ruth Spiro is giving away one signed copy of LOVE GROWS and one signed copy of HOW TO EXPLAIN CODING TO A GROWN-UP (U.S. addresses only) to two separate winners.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2024 participant and you have commented only once on today’s blog post.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.

Ruth Spiro is the author of more than 30 children’s books. Her bestselling Baby Loves Science board books are the groundbreaking originals that introduce big ideas to the littlest listeners in an age-appropriate and engaging style. The enthusiastic response to the Baby Loves Science books inspired a new picture book series perfect for early elementary readers, How to Explain Science to a Grown-Up. Her other picture books include Made by Maxine, Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever, and Love Grows.

Ruth’s work has been praised by the Los Angeles Times, NPR, TODAY, Bank Street College of Education, Purdue Engineering, and more. Fans who have publicly shared their love of her books include Gabby Giffords, Chelsea Clinton, and Chance the Rapper. She hopes her books inspire kids to observe the world, ask questions, and when it comes to their futures, DREAM BIG!

Visit Ruth at RuthSpiro.com and follow her on Instagram @ruthspiro and BlueSky @ruthspiro.bsky.social.