by Gina Perry

I am a long-time Storystorm participant. I love finding new ideas! What I don’t love is the stuck point. You know what I’m talking about. When you love your character, but you lack a plot. Or when you have a great story arc, but something about the voice isn’t working out. Or, when you know it’s a good idea, and you have catchy refrains, but your character is missing that something special. And worst of all, when all you have is a catchy title or premise! But don’t fret, a stuck point is not a dead end. Today I’m sharing 5 techniques that have helped me get stories back on track:

  1. Put it away.
    Try not to think about the project AT ALL for several days to a week. Then pick it up again and see if anything new jumps out.
  2. Break it down.
    Dissect all the elements and decide if any of them could be more interesting. With THE KING OF BOOKS, my main character started as a basic orange cat. I flipped through old work and saw a simple illustration I did of a tiger wearing a crown on a pink background. Huzzah! A more exciting character and setting is born!
  3. Start from Scratch. Picture books are fragile, but short. Have you tried writing your story over again? You could change the setting, the voice, or the main character. It doesn’t hurt to give it a try, then compare and see if it shines a light on a better path. For my picture book SMALL, I had to try a few settings for the story before I landed on the city. It was full of diverse challenges and perfect for my tiny protagonist.
  4. Play favorites.
    I write funny picture books. If I’m not having fun making a book, it’s a problem. But even if you write serious picture books, they should have an element of wonder or magic, right? Try injecting your story with your favorite foods, animals, activities, humor, games, etc. What makes you feel like a kid? What would the ‘normal’ adults think is childish for you to collect or enjoy? Are you an artist who finds yourself drawing the same thing over and over? Weaving favorites into your story will make it feel more personal and authentic. And keep you motivated through the long journey to publication.
  5. Frankenstein’s Monster.
    If you only have a catchy title or premise, go back through all your ideas and see if you can patch together a story using multiple nuggets. Are there patterns to your ideas that go together? Is there a big emotion you return to over and over? Why can’t your rainy day story also be about monsters and pancakes?

Gina Perry is an author and illustrator from New England. Her latest picture book, THE KING OF BOOKS, is out now from Feiwel & Friends. She is also the creator of the monthly illustrator event #KidLitArtPostcard. You can find Gina on Instagram @ginaperry_books or BlueSky @ginaperry.bsky.social or follow her author newsletter Doodle Mail.