You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘STORYSTORM 2024’ category.
by Bridgitte Rodguez
When I was a kid, I hated creative writing. I just wasn’t good at making up stuff. I loved reading, and getting lost in other worlds and characters. But I just could not come up with my own ideas. It was stressful and I did not enjoy it.
And now, here I am, a writer, all these decades later, coming up with my own story ideas. However, I still don’t make things up in my stories. All my stories stem from some experience I have had either recently or back when I was a kid and are grounded in the real world. I am a writer who writes what they know. Though I marvel at writers who can weave a tale from anything! Alas, this post is about using your own experiences to write informational picture books.
Informational picture books are fiction. But they are fiction grounded in reality. Where the people, places, things, events are real, or could be real. Most often the reader will come away having ‘learned’ something. Sometimes they include an author’s note or back matter or factual sidebars within the text. They come in a variety of formats.
The book is somewhat dated now, but PICTURING THE WORLD Informational Picture Books for Children by Kathleen T. Isaacs, published in 2012, states, “Nearly all informational books are about concrete subjects, things that can be seen and heard and touched, the lives of real people, places that can be visited or the stories of real events. That connection with the real world is the heart of the attraction of informational books.”
I am a huge fan of informational picture books—I like real things, I like learning about real people, real places. My debut picture book, A WALK THROUGH THE REDWOODS, illustrated by Natalia Bruno, and published by Reycraft Books, is an informational picture book.
It’s based on my real experiences of walking through the redwoods. The story itself is fictional—though, I am the “aunt” in the story. When I initially wrote the draft for this, in the summer of 2020, sitting on a bench in Central Park, the adult started out as a mom, then a dad, and then I decided I wanted to be in the story! As I don’t have children—but have a host of nieces and nephews, I figured, that could be an additional layer to the story, an aunt with their niece/nephew—we are so often not seen.
Before writing this book, I had never walked through the redwoods with my nieces/nephews, but I myself had taken many walks through the redwoods during my college years at the University of California, Santa Cruz, which is nestled among a redwood forest. So I drew upon all the experiences I had then, to fill out the story.
Additionally, as the story was taking place in a real place, the redwoods, I wanted the animals and plants mentioned to be real. Initially, the facts were included in the text, and the aunt was imparting this knowledge to the little girl. It was my editor who suggested I remove those facts and include them as sidebars, which is what happened.
The story doesn’t need to be the entire experience but the experience serves as the initial spark. Use your real life experiences to tell a story that others can experience through your words—and learn something along the way. That is what I wanted to do with A WALK THROUGH THE REDWOODS. I wanted folks, kids, anyone, who’d never seen or been to the redwoods, to get that experience of what it would be like to walk through the redwoods.
In my preparation for this post, I began researching for informational picture books. There are a ton! I am now keeping a spreadsheet of the ones I liked. But I came across some basic themes: Place, Activity, Food, Culture, Personal Stories, Nature, Emotions. Some books touch on multiple themes. Below are a few books in each of the themes that I thought did a great job. Of course, there are many, many more!
- For nature: check out any of Nell Cross Beckerman’s books and Kate Messner’s Over and Under series.
- For a food/culture theme: Freedom Soup by Tami Charles/Jacqueline Alcantara, Watercress by Andrea Wang/Jason Chin, and Masala Chai, Fast and Slow by Rajani LaRocca/Neha Rawat.
- Books that take you to different places: My Two Border Towns by David Bowles/Erika Meza, Homeland My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck/Reem Madooh, and Sari-Sari Summers by Lynnor Bontigao.
- For books about an activity: Challah Day by Charlotte Offsay/Jason Kirschner, Woven of the World by Katy Howes/Dinara Mirtalipova.
- For books about emotions: A Blue Kind of Day by Rachel Tomlinson/Tori-Jay Mordey and Whatever Comes Tomorrow by Rebecca Gardyn Levington/Mariona Cabassa.
So my challenge to you for today is to mine your experiences and see which ones might make for a compelling picture book! Some experiences to think of: Food, Cultural Events, Nature Activities, Places, Emotions. Really the topics/themes are endless!
Bridgitte Rodguez is giving away a copy of her book A WALK THROUGH THE REDWOODS and a virtual classroom visit to one lucky winner.
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.
Bridgitte Rodguez currently lives in New York City by way of Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Santa Cruz, San Diego and Puerto Rico. When she’s not rearranging her apartment for the thousandth time, she writes books for kids of all ages mostly stemming from her personal experiences focusing on nature, family and culture. You can find her at BridgitteRodguez.com and occasionally on social media at @KidsBookWriting.
by Gabi Snyder
Hello, Storystormers! You’ve made it to day 24 and I suspect you’ve already collected several shiny new ideas. Hooray!
BUT, alas, what about those old ideas that won’t leave you alone, that haunt your sleep and follow you everywhere? Maybe you have one particular idea that’s near and dear to you. You’ve tried writing it three, five, fifteen different ways and nothing quite works. You’re tempted to bid that idea a forever farewell, and yet you know there’s a reason you keep coming back to it. There’s something there. But how can you discover the perfect way to turn that beloved idea into a stellar story?
Well…no promises but try these sideways approaches to discover a new portal into your story!
THE MIX AND MATCH APPROACH!
Compile a list of old ideas that you still love but have not yet been able to write into a winning story. Write each idea on a sticky note for easy mixing and matching.
Look at your list. Do you see any ideas that seem to go together, perhaps complement each other? If so, create a list of five ways you could combine those ideas into a new idea.
Now look for ideas that seem worlds apart from one another. What would happen if you combined those disparate ideas? Can you create something new and surprising?
THE UNEXPECTED APPROACH!
For a particular idea, create a list of at least five ways you could write the story in wholly unexpected ways – the stranger the better. For instance, if your idea is “octopus Houdini” inspired by the true story of Inky (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/160414-inky-octopus-escapes-intelligence), what are five unlikely or unusual ways to approach that story? For example:
- The octopus hypnotizes her audience, including the reader!
- Instead of focusing on the octopus’s amazing escapes, the story focuses on the octopus’s amazing appearances. She unexpectedly appears in surprising places.
- The unlikely friendship between the octopus and the person charged with recapturing her.
- The octopus escapes through a magic door and enters a world of mythical creatures.
- The octopus is actually another creature disguised as an octopus.
I imagine your list will be totally different. Have fun with it–play!
THE BALDERDASH APPROACH! (for a group)
“Balderdash” is one of my all-time favorite words (and it’s also on Tara’s list of 500+ Fun, Cool, and Interesting Words). Balderdash is also one of my favorite boardgames, and that’s probably because it involves making things up—but within parameters. During gameplay you invent answers to particular questions in an attempt to fool your opponents. For our StoryStorm purposes, let’s tweak the usual Balderdash categories into these three—
- Unusual words: You and your critique partners take turns sharing unusual, important, or intriguing words from your ideas or stories that you have not yet shared with each other. You know why a particular word is important to your story, but your CPs don’t. In guessing the why behind the word, your CPs might come up with potential connections you hadn’t considered!
- Characters: You might have an idea or story that involves a key character. You have an idea of who this character is. But your fellow players/writers aren’t familiar with the character, so when you give them the character name, they’ll make up completely new character descriptions. You might end up liking one of their descriptions enough to borrow it for your story!
{One of my favorite characters–the cat from TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal!}
- Titles: If you have a story titled “The Bridge,” your critique partners would share one-line descriptions of what they think your story is about. And again, one of their ideas might inspire a new approach to your story. In the game of Balderdash, sometimes the simplest answer ends up being the right answer. If your story has become overcomplicated, you might find a simpler idea among your critique partners’ answers.
I hope these suggestions give you some fodder for play. Take what resonates with you and ignore the rest! Happy idea generating!
Gabi Snyder is giving away a choice between one 30-minute “Ask Me Anything” Zoom or one picture book critique. The winner will also receive a copy of her latest picture book, TODAY (out January 30, 2024).
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.
Gabi (rhymes with “baby”) Snyder is a fan of the unexpected and the author of several picture books including TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal; LISTEN, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin; and COUNT ON US!, illustrated by Sarah Walsh. Gabi is also the author of the upcoming picture books TODAY (coming January 30, 2024) and LOOK (coming April 16, 2024).
Gabi studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at GabiSnyder.com or connect with her on Instagram @gabi_snyder_writer.
by Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
By this point in Storystorm, I’m sure you have a LOT of ideas. Smoke might even be pouring out the sides of your ears. Your eyes might be spirals of overwhelm. 😵💫 Do not despair! Let’s take a moment today to organize your ideas and get a few of them ready for the rest of the writing process. Clearing your mind a little may even inspire some new ideas when you’re done.
Firstly, how are you keeping track of your Storystorm ideas? Maybe you’re using the official Storystorm notebook, maybe each idea is on a separate page or post-it note, or maybe you prefer a digital list on your phone. Whatever you do, make your ideas easy to access and simple to find. Bring all your ideas together in one place.
Next, let’s sort them. It helps me to do this on paper so I can think without distractions.
Take a moment to look at your list of ideas one by one. Do any of them stick out to you or give you a little jolt or make you smile? Does your imagination run away with any of them? Do any ideas make you want to draw or write more? Let’s mark those ideas as your top contenders.
For my top ideas, I like to doodle and do a bit of visual note-taking. Take your top three concepts and let’s doodle!
Sometimes, like with my book TUMBLE, a word prompt inspires my imagination. TUMBLE came from a “story duel” instigated by my son. He wanted us both to make stories based on the word “tumble.” Immediately images from my time in Texas and New Mexico came to mind, so I sketched them out.
The rough sketches turned into a dummy and the text came afterward. I pitched the dummy to my agent who then asked for full color renderings of a few of the sketches, and we submitted it to publishers.
Not a doodler? How about writing what words, phrases, or thoughts you associate with the idea? That’s what I did with my book COUNTDOWN FOR NOCHEBUENA. The word that sparked the book was “Nochebuena.” Memories of the many Christmas Eve celebrations of my childhood flowed out in a descriptive list.
Every time a related visual or description would come to me, I’d jot them down and put them in a simple 3 prong folder. If, after this exercise, an idea keeps popping up in your life then it’s probably a good indicator of its potential!
Next, if you’re an author-illustrator, it’s time to dummy up your concept. A dummy is a rough mock-up of a picture book. It’s often sketched in greyscale. Here’s what I mean:
These rough thumbnail dummies are how I organize my thoughts about a story. See how some of those early concepts made it into the final art and text?
With each dummy, I’m working through parts of the story that don’t flow, or compositional elements that don’t work. The idea gets more and more refined, until it’s pitch-ready.
I put all these dummies and drafts together in a simple 3-prong folder to keep them together. This way, I can quickly find alternative versions that an editor or art director might request. Plus, seeing all the drafts together is a great reminder that ideas start out rough, and that helps keep perfectionism at bay.
Are you feeling a bit more organized? Are you ready to take an idea to the dummy stage? I can’t wait to see where your Storystorm ideas take you! Feel free to download this blank dummy page to help you get started dummying up your favorite concepts.
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom is giving away a signed copy of one of her books to one lucky winner (winner’s choice).
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.
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom is a Cuban-American artist and children’s book author-illustrator. She loves languages and literacy and is the author-illustrator of ABUELITA AND I MAKE FLAN, TUMBLE (Orchard Books, 2023) and COUNTDOWN FOR NOCHEBUENA (Little, Brown, 2023). Follow her on most social media channels as @adriprints, or check out her blog and website adriprints.com.
by Maria Marianayagam
Hey there, fellow writers and storytellers!
Doesn’t it feel like the quest for the next idea is a journey we’re constantly traveling? It feels like we’re always looking up, down, and around, searching for a spark to get us moving on our next story. Today, rather than looking around ourselves, I want to talk about looking within—using our own unique identities as the spark for our next literary masterpieces.
I’ll be sharing insights from my own upcoming works and shining a light on how our personal experiences and the beautiful mix of our identities can serve as the ultimate wellspring for new and captivating stories.
First, I like to think of the many aspects of my identity and make a list:
• Tamil-Sri Lankan • Canadian • Woman • Mom (Amma) • Daughter • Sister • Wife • Engineer • Writer • BIPOC Catholic • Recovered OCD sufferer • Immigrant • Traveler • Mom of mixed-race children • girl-mom • foodie • STEMinist • time-travel enthusiast • and more
Then I mash them up to see what story ideas I can generate. Here are a few examples:
THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS, illustrated by Skylar White (Sourcebooks eXplore, 2024)
- Identities: Woman x Engineer x STEMinist x girl-mom
My debut picture book, a STEM-based, girl empowerment personifies girls as forces of physics—gravity, friction, magnetism, and more—to explain the science of forces, as well as trying to showcase the wonderful characteristics of girls. As an engineer who worked in a male-dominated industry for a decade and a mom to young girls, I wanted a story that would embolden girls to consider a career in STEM.
CURRY MEANS MORE, illustrated by Geeta Ladi (Astra Books for Young Readers)
- Identities: Sri Lankan-Canadian x foodie
My next picture book delves into the cultural significance of food on identity. I was made fun of smelling like curry as a child and I wasn’t sure why. Drawing from my personal encounters, this story showcases what curry really is, while reflecting on its many meanings to a child.
WAIT TILL YOU’RE OLDER (Sourcebooks eXplore)
- Identities: Sister x Engineer x time-travel enthusiast
Another picture of mine focuses on a sibling relationship with a time-travel backdrop. I read a nonfiction book about time travel by Paul Davies in high school and it still remains one of my favorites. In this book, he explained how a person could actually travel time. I wanted to create a story that shared this information with the youngest reader, but in an approachable way. Using a classic sibling argument and the age-old adage of “wait till you’re older” helped spark this SEL/STEM mashup.
BABY VIRTUES BOOK SERIES, illustrated by Kat Uno (WorthyKids, 2024)
- Identities: BIPOC Catholic x mom
Finally, in 2024, my debut board books, BABY HOPE and BABY COURAGE, stemmed from two desires: (1) to distill these big values into simpler concepts that young kids could relate to and (2) to showcase diverse kids as Christians since I never saw this in books growing up. Thus, the Baby Virtues series was born!
Your turn!
- List your identities. Think about cultural and faith background. Think careers. Think upbringing. Think about your mental and physical abilities.
- List your passions. Ex. baking, traveling, STEM, soccer…
- Think about your WHY. Why do you want to write for kids? To inspire, educate, comfort, make a child feel seen…
- Mix and match identities and passions. Examples: OCD + STEM, sisters + baking, immigrant + traveling. Your WHY can help you come up with the scaffolding for the story. Ex. I want an immigrant, traveling story that inspires (the premise for an unannounced PB!).
I hope this blog post and exercise showcases just how powerful introspection can be in crafting meaningful stories for young readers. I suggest looking within to find your next story idea!
Maria Marianayagam is giving away a PB critique with career consultation (20 min Zoom).
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.
Maria Marianayagam is a Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian children’s book author. Maria is a former chemical engineer who fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). Maria enjoys writing lyrical picture books centered on STEM, faith, and South Asian culture, as well as high concept middle-grade grounded in culture. The first two installments of her debut board book series, BABY HOPE and BABY COURAGE (WorthyKids/Hachette), and her debut picture book THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS (Sourcebooks eXplore) release in 2024.
When Maria is not writing, she can be found traveling the world, devouring books, and spending time with her wonderful family. She resides in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and two daughters. Sign up for her newsletter for more writing tips (and giveaways!) and follow her on Instagram @msmarianayagam.
by Teresa Ho Robeson
According to my “Ideas” notebook, I’ve been participating in Storystorm since 2014 (back in its PiBoIdMo days), though I swear I’ve been doing it for longer.
In those nine years, I’ve written down about 270 ideas from the random ones floating in the universe like dandelion fluff (according to Elizabeth Gilbert in her BIG MAGIC book).
Of those 270 I managed to capture in my notebook, I have drafted eight, thanks to 12×12, the other challenge besides Storystorm that help me keep my ducks writing life in a row.
Even though I haven’t sold any of those eight manuscripts, and nine other ideas have already appeared as books by others (Elizabeth was right!), I still find myself with an abundance of ideas on my list and not enough time to write them all. After all, even if I only took a month to write and polish one picture book from an idea, it would take me over twenty-two years to write all 270+ of them. And I keep accumulating more from doing Storystorm year after year.
But there is a solution of sorts! And I stumbled upon it unexpectedly.
I was recently approached by a publisher to write a nonfiction middle grade book for a fun concept an illustrator thought of. While drafting the book, seven story ideas from various years of brainstorming managed to show up at the party and became a part of that book. Also, two more ideas ended up in another nonfiction middle grade book (my own concept this time) I’m writing for a different editor! And I didn’t even realize I had included those ideas until I flipped through my notebook and noticed them after drafting both books.
That’s when I smacked my forehead and had a eureka moment.
Who said that each Storystorm idea had to lead to a single story? Surely not Chief Lazar of the Storystorm Police Department. Instead, why not consolidate two or more ideas into a single manuscript?
I had already done this, by accident, but now I plan to do it on and with purpose. When I’m wanting something new to write, I will read through my entire notebook of ideas and try to smash things together like an author cyclotron.
Sometimes I might put similar ideas with each other to create a thesis for a longer work (as in the NF MGs I mentioned above). But other times, I can randomly pair wildly disparate ideas to create really cool and unique plots or situations for fiction, too.
So, by the power vested in me by the State of (Writerly) Affairs, I hereby grant you permission to do the same! At the end of the year’s challenge, when you look back on all your wild and wonderful ideas, if single ones aren’t leading to worthwhile stories, smash a bunch of them together to create BIGGER MAGIC, and possibly better stories.
Teresa Ho Robeson is giving the winner the choice of either a signed copy of WHO IS TIBET’S EXILED LEADER? THE 14TH DALAI LAMA (Penguin Workshop) or a critique of a nonfiction picture book manuscript under 1,000 words.
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.
Teresa Ho Robeson is an Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Picture Book Award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction books on science, nature, and her own culture, from her debut QUEEN OF PHYSICS: HOW WU CHIEN SHIUNG HELPED UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE ATOM (Union Square, illus. Rebecca Huang) to the upcoming CLOUDS IN SPACE: NEBULAE, STARDUST, AND US (MIT Kids/Candlewick; illus. Diana Renzina).
When not writing or teaching at The Highlights Foundation, SCBWI, and other conferences, she keeps busy with her family growing, and canning, much of their own food on 27 acres, as well as knitting, sewing, drawing, and sometimes making soap.
Visit her at TeresaRobeson.com or follow her on Bluesky @teresarobeson or Instagram @tmrobeson.
by Karen Kane
It’s Day 20, and we’re in the thick of Storystorm! Honestly, I could stay in this creative phase forever. Me and my notebook filled with ideas.
Add a cup of coffee and I’m in my happy place, with every story idea inside my notebook a world of perfect possibility.
But Day 31 will soon be here and then we make a choice. We keep those wonderful, perfect ideas safely tucked away in our notebooks.
Or we are brave and take one of those ideas and begin writing.
Now, once you take that perfect idea and put it on paper it becomes imperfect.
It becomes real.
Real can be scary.
Again, you must be brave. And you know who can help you be brave?
A friend. A writing friend.
That’s how I wrote ALPHABUDDIES: G IS FIRST!, with my writing partner Beth Bacon:
How do you start writing with a friend?
First, pick an idea.
Don’t pick your heart and soul idea, the heart and soul idea that you love so much you get teary-eyed whenever you give a five-minute pitch to someone who unwittingly asks what you’re writing.
Instead, pick an idea you can be open with. That you can play with. That you can hold onto lightly. At least in the beginning.
ALPHABUDDIES: G IS FIRST! began as a story I had written about a friendship between the letter e and the letter x. Beth read my manuscript and gave me feedback. My story definitely needed more work. However, I was new to writing picture books and not ready to revise.
A few years later, Beth was cleaning up files on her computer and found my old story. She asked if I wanted to collaborate on it.
I said yes!
I intuitively knew the picture book would stay unfinished unless I did something different.
My original idea became our bouncing off point.
Writing together, Beth and I transformed the story of the letters e and x into a story about the letters a and g, with g wondering why a is always first. When can g be first?
Not anytime soon!
Or start with a mentor text.
Pick a book you both love.
Map it out. Look at the structure of the book. Look at the beats. Look at what you love about it. Start to brainstorm. Start to play.
With a middle-grade project, Beth and I used Karen Cushman’s THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE as our mentor text.
We summarized each chapter to find the story beats. Starting with that mentor text, we wrote THE DOG OF SECOND CHANCES, about a boy and a dog both finding a second chance at an animal shelter.
On the surface, our book is nothing like THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE, yet underneath it has a similar structure and emotional resonance.
Beth and I met on Zoom, and we used Google Drive to collaborate. We took time to create the foundation of our stories. We took time to be creative and to play. We both worked on our own writing as well. And collaborating with Beth made me brave enough to reach out to my friend Jonaz and partner on a book with him.
Finally, don’t forget the joy is in the journey.
How do I know that? I wrote it in my journal, so it has to be true.
There’s something magical about saying to a friend, “Let’s write a book!” and you make it up as you go, together. You learn about the craft of writing, together. You learn what works and what doesn’t work, together.
Now there are two of you who both love this one book. Two people with different strengths, writing something they could have never written alone. And while you are waiting for that book to sell (see THE DOG OF SECOND CHANCES above), you have a friend you can wait with, together.
I would rather write a book and not sell it than to not write it at all.
Of course, I would really rather write and sell books.
Sometimes a project doesn’t work that way. That’s where the brave part kicks in.
But once you say yes and take the plunge with a partner, you don’t need to keep reaching for brave.
You just need to enjoy the journey and see what unfolds.
Then you get the best of both worlds. Your perfect notebook world and your imperfect real world, with real stories you have written.
As long as there’s coffee, both worlds are wonderful to be in.
Karen Kane is giving away two signed copies of ALPHABUDDIES: G IS FIRST! 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.
Karen Kane grew up in Rochester, NY and became a sign language interpreter before becoming a writer. A graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts, Karen is the author of the Edgar-award nominated book CHARLIE & FROG and its sequel THE BONEY HAND, ALPHABUDDIES: G IS FIRST! with Beth Bacon, and MONSTER HANDS with Jonaz McMillan (May 2024).
Visit her website at KarenKaneBooks.com or follow her on Instagram @karenkanebooks.
Karen and Beth will be discussing how they collaborate on Tuesday January 23rd at this free virtual event with the Baltimore Public Library.
by Julie Rowan-Zoch
“Oh, that’s my dream job!”
That’s the response I get every time I share with other authors that I am a bookseller. And I reply, “It’s a retail job.” My responsibilities and aching feet are not much different. But one advantage—beyond the danger of an employee discount—is the highlight of my week: STORYTIME!
I’ve lucked out over the years with two consistent daycare groups. I’ve learned their names, their likes and dislikes, and how fast that can change as they grow and move on to pre-school. I am challenged to change the content and themes every week, which also keeps me informed of our ever-changing stock to help customers too. Every week I read a LOT of books, looking for titles that will suit my purpose in read-aloud-ability and engagement. My acquired skills help, but I still bomb now and again (read below*)!
Here are some of the bigger lessons I’d like to share as each on its own may aide in the cultivation of ideas this month—and beyond:
READ A LOT: for the bookstore I read at least 20-30 a week (also to post recommendations for upcoming titles). My choices have to be engaging for the age-level, currently 2-3yrs old, and energetic enough to keep some of the babies from crying! Attention spans are very short if I make a mistake.
READ ALOUD: Before I read to kids I read aloud to myself first—it helps me notice which may have content or vocabulary above their level, and helps me gauge the meter and rhythm in rhyming books.
READ IN ORDER: I select 4-5 books for 20 mins of steady listening. I might be able to read more on a good day, but a bad day (windy days!!) will only allow for 3. I read the longest text first and try to balance the rest for pacing—just like in writing!
READ COMPANION TITLES: For efficiency I chose books based on a theme. It also allows me to explore what is currently available on the shelf and to see what the local library has to compliment. This is a writer’s practice too, right? I have found themes with barely any titles—a great prompt to write one myself!
STOP READING: time for fingerplay, food, games, or a craft related to the theme. I love this part because it exercises another area of the creative process and I get a ton of ideas based on their reactions. I like to have two things handy and often throw in 10 (!) rounds of a favorite finger play—they really do love repetition! “Again!!!” Please note: Pick crafts according to skill level and number of adult helpers available!
BE FLEXIBLE: an audience can change on any given day (esp school vacation!). One time I only had a set of grandparents with a baby, so I didn’t read, but we sang a LOT of songs! If older kids join us I can grab a more complex favorite off the shelf to start.
BE FLEXIBLE 2: Like I said, I bomb* occasionally! I may have chosen the wrong books for the mood of the day, or little Tommy just can’t stop crying and everyone else’s attention span is shot! I switch the order of books, change how I read them (will skip text if I must!) or drop ’em cold and go straight to activities. OR I grab a back-up title: ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE almost NEVER disappoint! It’s the DRAMA!
MAKE FRIENDS: with your local librarian(s)! I have learned so much from them about reading to a group. Heck, they are trained!!! They know it’s a hard-earned skill, they have sooo much knowledge, and surprise, surprise—they LOVE to help!
DON’T FORGET: to have FUN! The purpose of storytime is to engage but not to preach. It’s great to share concepts, exercise fine-motor skills (hanging socks on a clothesline is always fun!), and introduce kids to beautiful art, but storytime leaders are like writers too—we are connectors, inspirers, friends!
So, are there any other advantages to working at this retail job?
YES! And I’d love to come back some time for another chat—if you’re game, Tara? (YES, I AM!)
Julie Rowan-Zoch is giving away THREE prizes (to three winners in the US):
- One copy of LOUIS, written by Tom Lichtenheld, illustrated by Julie
- One copy of I’M A HARE, SO THERE!, written and illustrated by Julie
- One copy of NOT ALL SHEEP ARE BORING!, written by Bobby Moynihan, illustrated by Julie
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.
Author, illustrator, bookseller, and activist: Julie Rowan-Zoch grew up collecting freckles and chasing hermit crabs in New York, and spent years slicing rich breads in Germany before waking up to 300 days of blue Colorado skies. If she doesn’t answer the door, look in the garden! She is the illustrator of NOT ALL SHEEP ARE BORING!, written by Bobby Moynihan (G.P. Putnam’s, 2022), LOUIS, written by Tom Lichtenheld (Clarion, 2020), and the author-illustrator of I’M A HARE, SO THERE! (Clarion, 2021). Julie is on Instagram @julierowanzoch and her website: JulieRowanZoch.wordpress.com.
by Caron Levis
Sometimes I hide from inspiration.
Usually there’s nothing that makes me more present and joyful than collecting fresh drops of ideas. Tinkering with ideas—and working on the ones that trumpet, squawk, neigh, yawn, or cry the loudest—is what grounds and propels me through life. However, at times when mucky emotions overwhelm me, inspiration oddly feels exhausting, and I tend to stick my head in the sand. Once I hid so long, it seemed like my ideas had given up waiting and dried up. Scary. But uncollected inspiration never actually goes away and as Auntie Em says to elephant siblings Ely and Enid in MIGHTY MUDDY US, even during a drought “there is always water somewhere underground to sniff out and dig up.” Here are some ways I search for water on the tougher days.
Play in the Mud: One of the stickiest pieces of advice came from an acting teacher long ago. I had trouble finding my way to acting joyful if I felt sad. My teacher said, “start where you are, not where you want to be.” So, instead of trying to escape my current state, I allow myself to wallow, explore, get curious about it and see how it transforms.
Dig: Use writing prompts such as My Mud Is Made Of… or My Emotional Shape is… These can clear a path for inspiration or even give you some words, phrases, or ideas.
Roll the Ball: hope and ideas will follow. In Ida, Always, after the death of his friend, polar bear Gus hides with his grief in shadows. Eventually he begins to roll Ida’s favorite ball and his grief begins to take a new shape. Sometimes you need to act playful before you can feel playful. This concept of acting first, feeling later is one I turn to and play with a lot in my Act-Like-A-Writer workshops.
Dig: physically do something simple that brought you joy as a child or as an adult—even if you don’t feel like it. Get suggestions from friends too. (Thank you Tara for reminding me to discover new Absurd Words!)
“Be a Spy for Hope”: I have this (slightly abbreviated) quote from Katherine Patterson tacked to my bulletin board alongside the advice from Kate DiCamillo “Do Not Hope, Observe.” Spying and observing are actions we can take to find ideas.
Dig: Your mission is to walk, ride, or sit for twenty to forty minutes and collect one to five juicy images/sounds of hope. I once spied a child in a stroller fighting sleep as an ever-growing yawn took over. This was one of the raindrops for Stop That Yawn! Illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
Follow the Interrupting Ducks! I mean storks! I mean ideas! When I was looking for a new story for the feeling-friends collection with Charles Santoso, I got stuck for months working on one idea. One day my aunt sent me, “a cute video about ducks.” It turned out those ducks were storks with an incredible story. I allowed myself to take a break and follow the storks…all the way to Feathers Together. While we want to commit and be wary of sirens, sometimes the ducks can waddle you in the right direction.
Dig: When a new idea flies in at the “wrong” time, give yourself one hour, day, or week to explore it. If its pieces are coming together (and you aren’t in contract for the other!) keep going, keep it as your on-the-side project, or store for later.
Dedication Inspiration: In MIGHTY MUDDY US, Enid gets lost in a dust storm—and it’s by answering Ely’s call that she finds her way out of it. On dusty days, I think of someone I want to write for. This helps me generate a list of new ideas or find a fresh take on an oldie. The search for ideas that became THIS WAY, CHARLIE, FEATHERS TOGETHER, and MIGHTY MUDDY US was largely inspired by Charles Santoso and his heartfelt art. My niece and nephews are responsible for what I’m revising now.
Dig: Dedicate your daily writing or idea gathering session to someone you care about. Report back on what you came up with for them.
Enjoy your Mighty Muddy Storystorm!
Tooo-Weeee!
Caron Levis is giving away three limited edition prints of the characters in MIGHTY MUDDY US, created by Charles Santoso, to three 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.
Caron Levis (MFA; LMSW) is the author of several picture books including the award winning Feeling-Friends collection illustrated by Charles Santoso: MIGHTY MUDDY US, FEATHERS TOGETHER, THIS WAY, CHARLIE (Abrams) and IDA, ALWAYS (Atheneum/S&S) which the New York Times Book Review calls, “an example of children’s books at their best.” Other titles include Stop That Yawn! (Atheneum/S&S.) Caron is the Coordinator and a Professor for The New School’s Writing for Children/YA MFA program. She has over 20 years as a Creative SEL/Literacy skills educator and uses a blend of drama and writing techniques to create a variety of interactive workshops for children and adults. Caron was born, raised, and currently lives in New York City. One of her favorite adventures was flying in a hot air balloon at sunrise. Writing short things takes her a long time. Visit her at CaronLevis.com.
by Melissa H. Mwai
Happy 17th Day of Storystorm!
This past year, I worked on three non-fiction early readers for DK that required a ton of research. Through each book project, I rediscovered my love of research and refined my work process. And let me tell you, I found some true gems. Not only for the story ideas themselves…but how to do research in the future.
Here are five research gems, I want to share with you the next time you want to research a topic for a story:
1. THE FIVE Ws
Remember the “five Ws” you were asked to memorize in school: who, what, where, why, and when? The “five Ws” are sometimes called “journalist’s questions.” It’s a great place to start researching a topic. While researching for THE HISTORY OF JAZZ (Sept ‘24), I skimmed many encyclopedia articles focusing on the “five Ws” because they gave me a 50,000-foot view of 200 years of musical history! I had a path to follow as I worked out an outline.
Research Gem: Using the “Five Ws” can help map out a new research topic or simplify a complicated one.
2. ASK WHAT IF?
“What if?” is a powerful question to have in your toolkit when doing research. For example, Louis Armstrong had to be in my book on THE HISTORY OF JAZZ, but he didn’t become famous on his own. I asked myself, “What if I learned about the other people in his life?” That question turned into a profile highlighting the fabulous Lil Harden Armstrong, who was his bandmate, manager, and wife! So remember to ask, “what if…” as you are researching a topic.
Research Gem: Asking “What If” questions while researching can lead to angles that were missed.
3. VARY YOUR SOURCES
Do you recall learning about primary and secondary sources? Primary sources offer first-hand accounts of events like interviews or autobiographies. Secondary resources can give you summaries, commentary, and analyses. While working on A PUERTO RICAN CHILDHOOD (Mar ‘24), I had the challenge of researching modern-day life for kids. For primary sources, I used news reports, video bloggers, and even interviewed residents. My secondary sources included travel guides, art, and music. When you think outside the box for your research sources, you’ll never know what treasures you’ll find.
Research Gem: Unique sources can help you mine interesting or overlooked topics that can be worked into your story.
4. FIND YOUR ANGLE
Ideas are everywhere. That means stories are going to cover similar topics. But don’t let that scare you from making a story about it. Remember to ask yourself what’s unique about your story’s angle as you research. In A HARLEM RENAISSANCE (June ‘24), my favorite example of a unique angle is the sports chapter. Why? Because I didn’t see those mentioned in current stories published for kids. I learned the Harlem Globetrotters weren’t based in Harlem at all! Instead an amazing team called the Harlem Rens dominated the scene.
Research Gem: If you’re interested in a topic, it’s easier to dig up the bits that interest others.
5. DO A HEART CHECK
The last thing I do is ask whether my research connects with the heart. These questions applied to all of my books. Usually, the emotion was the piece I needed to carve out when writing and revising.
- How does the research highlight people’s emotions?
- How does the research connect with readers (so in my case—kids)?
- Does the research connect with something important to me?
And now that the books are done, I see those diamonds everywhere.
Research Gem: Mine your research for emotional moments and make sparkle in your stories.
Whether or not you’re a research enthusiast like me, I hope this post helps map out a path to the hidden gems for your next story!
Melissa H. Mwai is giving away a choice of one 30-minute “Ask Me Anything” Zoom or one picture book/early reader critique. The winner will also receive a copy of her upcoming book, A PUERTO RICAN CHILDHOOD out March 26, 2024.
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.
Melissa H. Mwai is the author of STACEY ABRAMS (Nat Geo Kids, ‘21) and a contributing author/illustrator of GNOME AND UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures (Writers’ Loft, ‘23). She also has several early readers by DK and Paw Prints coming out in 2024, 2025, and 2026. When Melissa’s not falling down research rabbit holes, she’s a freelance author and illustrator. Between projects, she spends her time playing board games with her husband and two kids. Visit her at MelissaMwai.com or follow her on Instagram/Threads at @me_mwai.
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.
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 