Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)

Storystorm 2026 Day 22: Mel Rosenberg is Silly and Childish

January 22, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Mel Rosenberg | 143 comments

by Mel Rosenberg

As an aspiring children’s author, I’ve worked on hundreds of ideas for stories, but so far only one has broken through. EMILY SAW A DOOR (magnificently illustrated by Orit Magia) will launch with Random House Studio on February 24th. The original version (in Hebrew) has been extremely successful, and the book will soon be published in multiple languages (including Arabic!). How in the world did that happen?

Similarly, in my previous career as a researcher, I had hundreds of ideas for experiments and inventions, but only a couple led to noteworthy papers and inventions.

Where do those rare, successful ideas come from?

This question weighed on my mind as I prepared to teach an academic course on multidisciplinary creative thinking some twenty years ago. What I learned is that successful ideas across various disciplines often share a common characteristic—they appear, at least initially, to be silly and childish. Perhaps that’s because they often come from the meeting of two minds—both of them ours.

Norman Podhoretz put it best:

“Creativity represents a miraculous coming together of the uninhibited energy of the child with its apparent opposite and enemy, the sense of order imposed on the disciplined adult intelligence.”

Great ideas can sprout from the connection between our adult mind and our playful, inner child mind. When this happens, we can come up with unanticipated, wacky, weird and whimsical ideas (you may recognize most or all of these), such as…

A squash becoming a girl’s pet.
School, worrying about its first day at school.
A bear who is attached to a small hat.
A crack on the ceiling with the habit, of sometimes looking like a rabbit.
NOT eating one’s classmates, even though they are yummy.
A rather large animal going unnoticed in the house.
A careful bull in a china shop.
Seven eating nine.

Has your adult mind been cultivating your relationship with your child mind?

Here are a few ways to invite it to “come out to play.” Please feel free to create your own versions and variations.

Just before you sit down to write, do something ridiculous. Bark. Dance a silly jig. Put on a funny hat. If you have a couple of youngsters around the house, invite them to join in! After all, they are the ones who invented silliness.
Warm up by inventing silly nonsense words. You can check out some of mine here.
Doodle, if you are so inclined.
Make up a ‘Silly Mary’ rhyme. Here is one of myme: Mary has an autograph/Of someone rich and famous/but it is difficult to read/exactly what the name is.
Make a list of ten things you can do with porridge. THEN make a list of ten things you CAN’T do with it. Oh, and it could be chocolate. Or a very ripe banana. Or practically anything.
Write ten things that are ridiculously and hilariously untrue about an object, such as a fish. Not as easy at sounds.
Do routine stuff, thinking about nothing in particular. Great, silly ideas can pop out when we are washing dishes or taking a shower. Be sure to keep a waterproof notebook handy.
Try to disregard serious adult thoughts, such as “Who will be interested in reading/buying/selling my story,” “What if people think I’m silly (“You should be so lucky),” or “Shouldn’t I be doing something more constructive now like answering emails?”

In writing “Emily Saw a Door,” I was lucky to have my child mind on board. It’s the story of a young girl who shows up out of nowhere and traverses a strange landscape of strange doors in her search for a place that is right. One door has endless stairs. Another is only for liars. A third for those who are blue “through and through.” Does that sound silly and implausible? If it does, then I only have my child mind to thank for it. And I do.

Mel Rosenberg is a Canadian-born author, scientist and inventor. He hosts the Children’s Literature channel of the New Books Network [Host, Children’s Literature Channel, NBN ], and is co-founder of Ourboox.

EMILY SAW A DOOR is his first North American picture book release. He is represented by Liza Royce Associates.

Storystorm 2026 Day 21: Emiko Rainbow Finds the Golden Thread Across Picture Books, Product Design and Freelance Illustration

January 21, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Emiko Rainbow | 122 comments

by Emiko Rainbow

Inspiration, for me, is not just a lightning bolt that strikes from time to time. It’s a constant current I tune into, again and again, whether I’m illustrating a picture book, designing a coffee cup, painting large wall murals, or creating artwork for a stadium of fans. The illustrations I create may be on different surfaces, but they all run on the same pulse: visual storytelling that feels bold, inclusive, colorful and inspiring.

My work in children’s books has recently become a main character in my creative business. The manuscript NANA AND ABUELA spoke to me personally, rooted in love and listening. With a multiracial family like my own, and the experience of living between cultures in the midwest. I wasn’t chasing a trend or market. I tapped into my own childhood and let it guide me. Inspiration grows when you trust what already belongs within you. The color palette I love and gravitate to, the tools, brushes, textures I picked up along the way traveling around the world felt nostalgic or from my own heritage. It’s soulful, the warmth I want a reader to feel. These choices weren’t accidental, they are a visual language that comes from my own story and tastes. I’m writing and illustrating my debut picture now, and I will for sure tap into my own history to create the most authentic and fun experience for the audience.

When my illustration work expands beyond picture books, I know that inspiration doesn’t need to reinvent itself every time. When I designed the Holiday Caribou Coffee Cup, I brought the same instincts with me. I wanted people to buy not just a cup of coffee… I wanted them to buy a cup of bold, colorful festive inspiration! Swirling with the same zest and cozy I grew up with when stopping at Caribou after school with my girl friends or helping me survive art college on late nights. Like an injection of a hug and reassurance I needed at the time.

Tapping into inspiration from my own style guide (some call it Style ID or voice or taste) has carried me through illustrating the MN Twins Artist Series T-shirt and a AAPI Night Coloring page for the MN Timberwolves. I’m not much of a big national sports fan but I knew I had some tools in my pocket that could inspire me to collaborate in an authentic way, to merge our styles together in a bold innovative mix. Freelance or client collabs often ask you to adapt, to respond to a brief, to serve a brand and a specific audience. What a fun challenge to sprinkle my razzle-dazzle into that narrative! But within that, I look to my style guide inspiration and see there is lots room for authorship still. Inspiration thrives when I bring my full visionary self to the table. Not diluted, not hidden, not people pleasing, or from a place of fear or scarcity. Inspiration comes from a place of abundance, for us all, we just have to have a few tools in our tool box to pull out when the time calls. You carry inspiration with you all the time!

I’ve come to terms that I am a visionary. It sounds pretentious, but I have to create something out of literally nothing. I can’t “see it to believe it”. I have to dig in, dig deep within me and excavate the authentic stories out. Written or illustrated. When I honor that and look at the blank canvas, wall, cup, t-shirt, or page… Let my life experiences, my tastes, love of color and boldness shine all over it. Let my voice be loud and proud, it can live across many forms. Inspiration is not fragile, it is generous. When you honor it, it will meet you wherever you create!

My questions for you are:

What parts of your own story do you find yourself returning to time and time again in your creative work?
When you think about your childhood, what colors, textures, or memories feel “nostalgic” or creatively alive for you?
Do you have your own Style Guide too? What does it include?

Emiko Rainbow is a Minneapolis-based professional freelance illustrator, muralist, and product designer who makes art and stories for diverse people to be seen and celebrated. Her first illustrated picture book Nana and Abuela, written by Monica Rojas, was published in 2023. She has been a creator and art brand for over 16 years, collaborating with brands like Trader Joe’s, Barnes & Noble, Caribou Coffee, the Minnesota Twins, and the Timberwolves. Her work has been featured on everything from cups and t-shirts to murals and children’s books. As a multiracial woman and mom, her art and stories are deeply rooted in themes of identity, belonging, and empowerment—always sprinkled with a sense of magic, humor, and lots of color. You can find her at EmikoRainbow.com and @emikorainbow on Instagram and Substack.

Storystorm 2026 Day 20: Dana Wulfekotte Mines Her Childhood

January 20, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Dana Wulfekotte | 135 comments

by Dana Wulfekotte

A brief look into how I come up with my story ideas:

A lot of my ideas come from my own childhood in some way. My upcoming book, MABEL’S MUSEUM OF WONDERS, was inspired by the “museum” my best friend and I created in my basement. We took all of the things we had amassed over the years and put them on display (Happy Meal toys, Play-doh sculptures, mostly a lot of weird junk). I remember my mom indulging us by walking through the museum, pretending it was all very interesting, and then buying something at the gift shop for a dollar.

I’ve been a collector since I was a kid. My aunt has been giving me rocks and crystals since I was a kid. If we went to the beach, my pockets would be weighed down with shells by the end of the day. When my husband and I bought our house from my father-in-law, he left behind his jars of marbles for us (which also make an appearance in the book).

So I used these memories as a starting point for my story. But I needed some kind of conflict. What if Mabel didn’t have a best friend yet, and creating this museum was her way of trying to connect with others? And what if most of the kids thought she was kind of strange, but maybe one of them understood her? The rest of the story came together quickly from there.

I drew this sketch back in 2019 before I had started working on this story. Since then, Mabel’s friend has changed from a girl to a boy to a badger, but the heart of the story was still captured in this image. Keeping a sketchbook has been tremendously helpful for me when it comes to developing ideas. My sketchbooks are not made for Instagram. They’re full of drawings I’d be embarrassed to show other people, but I think that’s kind of the point. Most of the characters and ideas in them will never grow into full stories, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wasted effort.

As I wrap up revisions on my current project, I’m starting to think about what my next one will be. Maybe it’ll be something that’s been sitting in my sketchbook for years, or maybe I’ll come up with something entirely new. Either way, I’m going to embrace the process and try to skip Step 3 this time around. Hopefully you all will do the same!

Dana Wulfekotte is an author-illustrator and animator. She was born in South Korea, grew up in New Jersey, and currently lives in New York with her husband and two rabbits. She illustrated the Schneider Family Honor book THE REMEMBER BALLOONS (written by Jessie Oliveros). Her new book, MABEL’S MUSEUM OF WONDERS, is coming out on June 30, 2026. You can find her online at DanaWulfekotte.com and on Instagram and BlueSky @danawulf.

Storystorm 2026 Day 19: Sara Weingartner Branches Out a Character

January 19, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Sara Weingartner | 153 comments

by Sara Weingartner

Before we dive into creative inspiration, I want to take a moment to check in with you all. How are you, emotionally? I’m in Minneapolis. The weight of the world is overwhelming—with fear, anger and sadness for what is happening to Minnesotans, my neighbors, the businesses, our schools, our whole community.

If even a little bit of this resonates with you, take a moment. And breathe. In times like this, the act of writing and art making can be our place for peace or meditation. What we create can also become a moment of calm, or hope, or joy for anyone who sees it.

(Thanks for letting me be real for a moment. Now onto the inspiration part…)

As an artist, I’ve always loved brainstorming and creating characters and imaginary worlds. So, when I discovered Storystorm back in 2013 (when it was PiBoIdMo) even though I hadn’t declared myself a writer yet, my journey as a PB writer began.

For me, PB ideas often begin with a character that I’ve drawn or one that is stuck in my head, pleading to come out on paper. As I play around with animal vs. human, body shape, clothes and accessories, it slowly reveals its personality.

It’s wonderful to be able to draw out my first impressions of a character. But I often don’t have a clear picture or direction of whom this character is, its hobbies, friends or setting.

That’s when “branching” ideas can be super helpful.

Here’s how it works:

(RED) Draw a circle in the middle of your paper and choose a character you’re interested in (animal, person, object, place),
(BLUE) Branch out and draw three (or more) circles. Think up characteristics or qualities (realistic or imaginary) about this character.
(GREEN) From those three words, branch out again, but this time, with two circles each. Fill with 1) the opposite, and 2) the extreme versions of each quality/characteristic.
(PURPLE) Last branching, add two more circles each, and fill with nouns that also possess this quality or characteristic.

I hope I didn’t lose you. (Download Sara’s Branching Template here.)

Here’s my quick branching example of an alligator for clarity:

Now comes the fun, brainstorming part! Combine these words to create new character(s), a possible setting, even a friend. So, instead of my initial idea of a (boring) long, snappy, scary alligator, I’ve just imagined a mini alligator fashionista who goes everywhere with her teddy bear, who might be best friends with a confident mouse artist, and maybe this story takes place in a peaceful meadow.

You’re welcome! Now you give it a try!

But first, a few tips:

TIP 1: Set a timer. Maybe 5-10 mins. Because with a tick-tocking clock, we tend to think quicker and avoid self-editing.
TIP 2: Use a thesaurus! Choosing words from a list, speeds up your process, and offers multiple meanings of a word. (Note my “stylish” word choice above.)
TIP 3: I’ve attached a blank branching template PDF if you think it’s more fun to fill in circles.

After you come up with a potential character with weight, dive deeper:

WHO are they?
WHAT do they really want?
HOW are they going to get it?
WHAT is at stake if they don’t?
WHERE does this story take place?
and ask WHAT IF? (if you get stuck along the way).

As an added BONUS, challenge yourself to draw your character! And I already don’t believe you if you say, “But I can’t even draw a stick figure.” YES YOU CAN! Just try.

But most of all, enjoy the creative flow because this is what we are made to do! Thank you, Tara, for this opportunity to share, and for all of you for choosing to be on this journey, too.

Sara Weingartner has illustrated nine books (PBs and an early chapter) and is currently submitting her author-illustrator dummies to agents. She works in mixed media (traditional and digital) and is a graphic designer who has designed tons of PBs for a local publisher. Sara is happiest when she’s creating things, being active, and filling her world with color. She also loves throwing pottery (on a wheel!), pickleball, baking and running. She dreams of an inclusive world, believes in magic, and wishes animals could talk. Living in Minnesota, Sara and her husband have two kids (an adult art teacher and teen) and a very spoiled pooch.

Visit her at SaraWeingartner.com or on Instagram @sarajweingartner and Bluesky @saraweingartner.

Storystorm 2026 Day 18: Ann Diament Koffsky Writes What She Cares About

January 18, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Ann Diament Koffsky | 138 comments

by Ann Diament Koffsky

“Write what you know,” is a classic piece of advice given to writers.

Hogwash!

If I only wrote what I know? I would be writing very little!

For example, I didn’t know much about Emma Lazarus. Just that she had written the poem about the Statue of Liberty. That’s it.

But because I was compelled by that poem, I was driven to research and discover a lot more about her: her compassion for immigrants, her advocacy work, and her kindness (I especially loved learning how she once wrote a passionate response to an antisemitic screed—go Emma!) And thus, my love and admiration for Emma led to my book WHAT EMMA WROTE, (Apples and Honey press, March 2026).

I propose that we transform the advice of “Write what you know,” into what I think is a far more useful mantra, “Write what you CARE ABOUT.” Caring, otherwise known as feelings, can be a supercharged, flammable, writing fuel!

For example, you wouldn’t think feelings of grief would lead to a book about comedian Mel Brooks. But when my family and I suffered a terrible loss a couple of years ago, humor was one of our life rafts—or as Brooks said, “Once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it,” This inspired me to write BLAZING HUMOR: MEL BROOKS IS SERIOUSLY FUNNY. (Intergalactic Afikoman, April 2026).

BOREDOM inspired another of my new books. Passover lasts eight long days, and if you’re one of those who celebrates the holiday by eating matzah (a flat, cracker-like unleavened bread) each day, it can start to taste pretty bland by day three! Matzah with melted cheese and tomato sauce smeared on top has always given me a welcome break from the boring, and so it is for the main character of my book THE MIRACLE OF MATZAH PIZZA (Intergalactic Afikoman, February 2026)

Other writer friends of mine report that their caring, and emotions have inspired them, too.

A feeling of SHOCK inspired educator and author Jacqueline Jules, “I was very surprised to learn that my students didn’t know that the Pentagon had been attacked on September 11, 2001.” How could her students, who lived just miles from the Pentagon, not know what their neighbors had suffered that terrible day? This led her to write SMOKE AT THE PENTAGON (Bushel & Peck, 2023).

ANGER can be a motivator too, according to author Linda Elovitz Marshall, “Furious that Russia invaded Ukraine, the former home of my great grandparents, I wrote BRAVE VOLODYMYR: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for Ukraine (HarperCollins, 2023).

And, lest I leave you with the impression that only negative emotions can inspire, let me add that positive ones can be effective too, “I’ve always loved encounters with nature—seeing the ocean, watching sunsets, climbing mountains, exploring wildlife,” author Chana Stiefel says. Those feelings led her to write AWE! (Scholastic, March 2026).

So, the next time you feel bored, shocked, frustrated, awestruck, furious—take note!

Feelings are a compass—they can point you precisely to what you care about and what’s important to you; to what’s meaningful to you and your unique soul.

Feel the feelings.

And get out your notebook.

Ann Diament Koffsky is the award-winning author and illustrator of more than 50 books for children.

Ann’s artwork has also been featured on products by Hallmark, Costco, Great Arrow Graphics, Rite Lite Judaica, as well as in publications like The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Times, Jewish Action Magazine and Hadassah Magazine.

Previously she was an editor and art director at Behrman House Publishers, and an illustration Professor at Stern College, Yeshiva University.

Ann lives with her family in West Hempstead, NY. Visit her online at AnnKoffsky.com.

Storystorm 2026 Day 17: Gina Perry Gets Unstuck

January 17, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Gina Perry | 123 comments

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:

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.
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!
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.
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.
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.

Storystorm 2026 Day 16: Ursula Murray Husted Draws Inspiration

January 16, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Ursula Murray Husted | 135 comments

by Ursula Murray Husted

Want more free comics like this one, teaching guides to my books, or step-by-step videos/pdfs with classroom art activities? Go here!

Ursula Murray Husted is the creator of the graphic novels A Cat Story and Botticelli’s Apprentice. A lifelong artist, former professor, and advocate for the arts and art history education, Husted teaches formal comics classes, lectures, and art history workshops ranging from graduate university seminars to pre-K. Husted received her PhD from the University of Minnesota, MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and BFA from Marshall University.

Storystorm 2026 Day 15: Marcie Colleen Practices the Quiet Work of Noticing

January 15, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Marcie Colleen, THE BEAR'S GARDEN | 165 comments

by Marcie Colleen

Lately I have been reading and studying the poetry of Mary Oliver. Slowly. Intentionally. Not to rush through it or “get” something from it, but to sit with her language and the way she notices the world.

Reading her work has made me think a lot about attention—about what we choose to notice, and what we allow ourselves to linger with. Mary Oliver’s poems don’t hurry. They observe. They stay. They remind me that paying attention is not passive. It’s an active, generous way of moving through life.

That way of noticing has been echoing for me because it’s the same kind of attention that lives at the heart of my picture book THE BEAR’S GARDEN, illustrated by Allison Oliver (Macmillan, 2020). In that story, the world is busy and rushed. Whole neighborhoods are forgotten. Broken. Overlooked. But the child sees something else. She notices small bits of beauty where others see only neglect. A reflection. A shape. A possibility. And because she notices, she begins to tend.

She doesn’t force the garden to grow. She watches. She believes. She whispers encouragement. She stays with it—day after day—through heat, wind, and uncertainty. And slowly, because of that attention, others begin to notice too. First quietly. Then together.

This practice of slowing down and choosing what to pay attention to has been with me through this first half of StoryStorm. Thirty ideas in one month can invite comparison, urgency, and the feeling that creativity needs to be performed on command.

So let’s gently set that aside.

Your job this month isn’t to perform.

It’s to live with attention.

Creativity doesn’t need to be summoned or proved. It doesn’t respond well to force. What it responds to is presence as your daily life unfolds, even when nothing particularly dramatic seems to be happening.

Living with attention means slowing down enough to notice what usually gets brushed past. A feeling that lingers. A moment that makes you pause. A thought that quietly returns when everything else moves on. These are small things. They’re easy to miss. And they’re exactly where stories begin.

You don’t have to catch every idea. You just have to savor enough moments that curiosity has room to grow.

Mary Oliver understood this deeply. Her poems remind me that noticing is a choice. That attention shapes meaning. That what we turn toward matters.

And THE BEAR’S GARDEN reminds me of something else: that noticing is an act of belief. Belief that what looks small or overlooked is worth caring for. Belief that tending—even quietly, even imperfectly—matters.

When we allow ourselves to savor a moment rather than rush past it, curiosity naturally follows. It asks gentle questions: Why did that stay with me? Why does this matter? You don’t need answers right away. Curiosity doesn’t demand them. It just wants space to exist.

Some days, that curiosity will bloom quickly. Other days, it will barely stir. Both are part of the work.

Some days will feel quiet.
Some ideas will barely whisper.
Trust them anyway.

Quiet days are not empty days. Whispered ideas are not weak ones. Many of the stories that stay with us the longest begin this way—small, unassuming, easy to underestimate.

StoryStorm doesn’t require brilliance on demand. It asks for openness. It asks you to notice what you’re already living. To write down what sticks, what returns, what gently taps you on the shoulder when you’re not trying so hard.

If you miss a day, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. If an idea feels incomplete, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t count. An idea can be a sentence. A question. A feeling you don’t yet have words for. Write it down anyway. You’re not finishing stories this month—you’re planting them.

And perhaps most importantly, you’re practicing trust.

Trust that your life is already full of material.
Trust that attention is enough.
Trust that you don’t need to force meaning for it to exist.

Because when you savor life—really savor it—stories follow.
Not all at once.
Not loudly.
But faithfully.

So let this month be gentle. Let it be curious. Let it be quiet if it needs to be.

You’re not behind.
You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re living with attention—and that is the work.

Marcie Colleen is the author of numerous acclaimed books for young readers. Her writing spans picture books, chapter books, and comics. No matter the format, her stories reflect a deep love of community, creativity, and joyful connection. For more information about Marcie’s projects, visit ThisisMarcieColleen.com. You can also find her on Instagram @marciecolleen and Bluesky @marciecolleen.bsky.social.

Storystorm 2026 Day 14: Michael Leali Has Too Many Ideas

January 14, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Michael Leali | 135 comments

by Michael Leali

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by inspiration. Story ideas come to me on a weekly and, not infrequently, daily basis. An observation at the bookstore, a snippet of overheard conversation, the image of a young child chasing her dog. Everywhere we go there are seeds that can grow into something more.

I have more story ideas than I will ever have time to explore. And writing time is precious and inconsistent, so I must be selective. As someone with many, many only-just-begun manuscripts that have been abandoned for the next shiny idea, I’ve learned to pause when inspiration strikes. Give my nascent ideas room to breathe. That’s the only way I see a project through to the end.

Listing out my ideas helps me organize, reflect upon, and recall my sparks of inspiration. Revisiting my lists not only reminds me about my story ideas, but it also acts as a gauge. How excited am I about one idea over another? Which ideas continue to rise to the surface? When I’m bored, which stories do I daydream about? The longer I wait and let the ideas fight amongst themselves, the stronger some story ideas become.

Storytellers and future readers deserve only the best ideas because time is a precious, limited resource. Not only are we giving of our time when we commit to putting a story on paper, we’re also asking our future readers to dedicate their time to reading the story. We must give them a story worthy of the time they are sharing with us and our art.

So, how do I know which story idea to pursue? Here are a few cues I wait for that tell me to stop waiting and start writing:

Shaken Soda:
For me, art is a joyful thing. I love the act of making something from nothing. When I feel the story idea ready to erupt, bubbling and gurgling like a shaken soda can, I know it’s time to write. This usually only happens after I’ve been gripped by daydreams of the story for weeks or months. Often, I will have written a few lines or brainstormed some world building—I allow myself to write around the story, but not the story itself. When I have all this, and I’m ready to burst from excitement and the gleeful prospect of spending countless hours in this world, only then do I sit down to write.
Say Something:
I can turn just about anything into a story. I think many writers can! But just because I can say something, it doesn’t mean that the story is saying something. For me, every great story is a highly entertaining narrative that reflects something about the human condition. This doesn’t mean that every story needs to be overtly philosophical or wildly moving, but every story should reflect and connect on a human level. I write a better story when I know my story has something to say.
Daydreams:
A great story idea will rise to the surface of my thoughts over and over again. Whether I’m walking the dog or doing dishes, in those moments where my body is distracted and my mind can wander, I’ll find myself consistently returning to a particular story idea. It will grow slightly or flip around, and I’ll see it from a new perspective. This is a sign that the story has a beating heart. It’s living and now I need to care for it.

If you’re like me and facing the overwhelm of indecision—or making the “right” decision—try paying attention to these cues. Don’t let the gift of many story ideas feel like a burden. Because it is a gift! Let your creativity generate more creativity. But be patient. Let the very best you have to offer rise to the surface. And then… get writing!

Michael Leali is the award-winning author of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, which won SCBWI’s Golden Kite Award. His work has also been twice nominated for Lambda Literary Awards among many other honors. His other middle grade novels include Matteo and The Truth About Triangles. He is a veteran high school English teacher, a seasoned writing coach, and he now teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco. He holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Follow Michael on Instagram @michaelleali and learn more about him and his work at michaelleali.com.

Storystorm 2026 Day 13: Ariel Bernstein Writes a Piece of Work

January 13, 2026 in STORYSTORM 2026 | Tags: Ariel Bernstein | 123 comments

by Ariel Bernstein

One of my favorite parts of the writing process is wondering which line will lead my friend and critique partner, the author Ali Bovis, to comment that a character is ‘a piece of work.’ She doesn’t quite mean it in the same way as Merriam-Webster’s definition of ‘a complicated, difficult, or eccentric person.’ She means it in the kidlit way of saying THIS is a kid character (human, animal or other), the good and the bad. Because there is nothing I love better in a book than seeing a kid character reflect young readers on their level, accepting them for who they are.

The first time I remember seeing a piece of work character was in that most iconic of children’s books, Maurice Sendak’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Many people understandably comment on the Caldecott-winning art and the indelible images of the wild things as reasons for why the book has endured for each new generation of readers. But I think what children most respond to is the subtle message that Max, who acts badly and never actually apologizes, is not seen as a ‘bad child’ but as a child who is still learning about lashing out and seemingly unfair consequences and above all, is a child who is still deserving of love (and what is love but a parent who leaves their child a hot supper after a tantrum).

In my new early reader, OLIVE & OSCAR: THE FAVORITE HAT, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, I knew Olive would be the “piece of work” character. Her first act is actually kind as she gifts her friend Oscar the aforementioned hat. But as the day goes on and the friends find themselves in need of objects (something to dig sand with, something to hold groceries when a bag breaks, etc.), Olive volunteers Oscar’s new hat without hesitation and without much thought as to whether it’s an appropriate use of Oscar’s hat or if Oscar himself wants to use his new hat for such purposes. Some people (adults) would recognize this behavior as less than ideal as Olive is being rather presumptuous. But at a kid level through a kid lens, it makes sense. If you don’t have a shovel for sand, why not use a hat? It’s there. Why should a kid be expected to think first of the consequences of a sand filled hat? Just because Olive is making a bad decision doesn’t mean she’s a bad kid. She’s just a kid. A work-in-progress kid. Who also happens to be a “piece of work.”

Of course not every children’s book needs a piece of work character, and I would say most children’s books don’t have one at all. But when a book has one and it works, it can create a story full of understanding, humor, endearment and emotional resonance.

Some more of my favorite books with such wonderful characters include Kelly DiPucchio and illustrator Greg Pizzoli’s DRAGON WAS TERRIBLE, Ryan T. Higgins’ WE DON’T EAT OUR CLASSMATES, and Katrina Moore and illustrator Zoe Si’s TEENY HOUDINI series.

I would add my picture book MABEL WANTS A FRIEND, also illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. It was suggested that I remove the scene where Mabel stole a child’s toy in case it made Mabel too unlikeable. I decided to keep the scene because I felt the reader needed to see who Mabel truly was, warts and all, before a friendship helped changed her desires and priorities. Mabel did a particularly bad thing, and while she deserved her friend Chester’s condemnation, she also deserved a chance to learn and grow from her mistake.

These piece of work characters of course can and should learn from their mistakes as kids eventually do. Max decides to leave the wild things and return home. Olive offers to replace Oscar’s ruined hat. They haven’t suddenly become different characters and the expectation isn’t that they will never make a bad decision again. But they’ve learned a little and understand a little more. The fact that they were seen and accepted—the mom still loves Max and Oscar still loves Olive—make it easier for these characters to grow at their own pace. And a young reader can see that when they too make a mistake, they should also still be loved and understood.

My writing prompt for you is this:

Create a character and then think…what it is about them that makes them a “piece of work”?

Is there a scene where they are impulsive, presumptuous, angry, greedy, overwhelmed, bossy?
How do you make these traits into something relatable to a young reader?
How do you make the readers feel seen through your character rather than judged?

Ariel Bernstein is an author of picture books including WE LOVE FISHING! (starred review Publisher’s Weekly), YOU GO FIRST (starred review Kirkus Reviews), and MABEL WANTS A FRIEND (starred reviews Kirkus Reviews and Publisher’s Weekly), all illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. She also wrote the WARREN & DRAGON chapter book series, illustrated by Mike Malbrough. Honors include a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2024, Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, Junior Library Guild Gold Selections, CCBC Choices, and Bank Street College Best Book of the Year. Ariel lives in New Jersey with her family and you can find her online at arielbernsteinbooks.com.