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Woo-hoo! The fab #JewishBoardBooks group is here to brainstorm some small but mighty ideas on Day 12 of Tara Lazar’s Storystorm Challenge!
PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE by Vivian Kirkfield
Small but mighty—that’s a great way to describe board books. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a board book is a book for young children with pages made of heavy laminated paper or cardboard. But honestly, a board book is so much more than that. Studies show that the greatest amount of human learning takes place between ages 0-3 and that exposing children to books well before they are ready to read could have a huge impact on literacy.
Are you thinking of writing a board book? Most board books have very low word-counts and only a few images on each page—sometimes, just one.
Why then does PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE work as a board book even though it has over 300 words, plus multiple characters and many images on each page?
- The rollicking rhyme and repeating refrain create a fun read-aloud.
- The animals, like cat, mouse, fish and owl are familiar to very young children.
- The illustrations created by Jill Weber are joyful and vibrant.
- Each page provides opportunities to seek and find Pippa and her friends.
Most board books can be divided into three main categories:
- Concept Book: introduce ideas such as counting or ABCs.
- Picture Book: usually about one subject such as animals or trucks.
- Story Book: has a plot and several characters and often teaches a lesson.
PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE falls into the “story book” category, with a simple plot and a holiday layer woven throughout.
So, here’s your challenge, dear friends: Make a list of the holidays or other occasions you celebrated when you were a kid – and then create a board book manuscript! And if you keep it to 50 words or less, you can enter it my #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest in March. Who knows…it might become a real board book one day.
COUNTING ON SHABBAT by Nancy Churnin
Why did I write a board book? Because I wanted to thank and encourage little ones everywhere to realize the joy they bring with the simple gift of their presence.
COUNTING ON SHABBAT is inspired by seeing joy in my mother, a retired teacher, when little ones visit with kisses and chaos. Board books benefit from a simple structure. I built 10 spreads around counting from one to ten as we get ready for Shabbat, a weekly celebration where we light candles and prepare a feast to welcome a day of rest. My hope is that children who start by counting objects will sense that we are also counting on kindness as the arrival of a diverse family brings joy to an elderly man who might otherwise be alone.
In board books, it’s important to keep things simple. COUNTING ON SHABBAT clocks in at 48 words and features a gentle rhyme that helps kids anticipate what the ending word on each page might be. I included more illustration notes in this manuscript than I ever had because I knew that the book must be visually driven. Even so, it was a delight to see illustrator Petronela Dostalova take the concept and run with it in her own unique way.
I hope this book will give Jewish children pride in our weekly celebration of love and light, open a window to this happy holiday for non-Jewish children, and spark fresh ideas of how we can all build bridges of love among all ages, faiths, and communities.
SHEEP SAYS SHALOM by Ann D. Koffsky
Board Books are deceptively simple. As an author, they appear oh-so-achievable. 50 words? I can write 50 words, no problem!
But be wary, oh ye aspiring board book authors. Board books are, as I said, DECEPTIVELY simple. Every word has to be just so, and the concept has to be made of such sturdy stuff, that you can tell it with the fewest of words, and it will still connect to readers. For my book, Sheep Says Shalom, that concept was based on the three meanings of the word SHALOM: Hello, goodbye, and peace. So, I actually got extra meaning out of that one, singular word. ( It almost felt like cheating!)
For me, coming up with that idea, that concept, is the most challenging part of writing any book, but especially for board books. And it’s at this part of the writing process that I most often can feel stuck.
I recently had the opportunity to spend time with Jewish legendary storyteller, Peninah Schram, along with my friend Chana Stiefel, and Chana asked Peninah: “How do you get past those moments, when you are stuck?” Peninah’s answer was also deceptively simple. She described how she has a practice of finding the time to daydream each day. She lies down in a comfortable space, puts on relaxing music, and lets her mind wander freely.
And you know what? I tried it and it works! So this is my challenge to Storystormers out there: try out Peninah’s Practice. Take 10 minutes and let you mind wander. And see what comes your way.
MAZAL BUENO by Sarah Aroeste
Board books have immense value besides simply being a baby’s first entry into the world of books. For many children—and their adults—board books can also serve as the first entry into unfamiliar cultures. It can be their very first glance into new worlds, customs, and languages.
As an activist promoting a minority culture, Sephardic Judaism, I believe board books are critical to creating understanding and empathy in families. I purposely chose this medium to convey simple, universal themes for wider audiences to learn about my culture.
MAZAL BUENO! celebrates the milestones in a child’s life—from first giggles, to first foods, first words and more. Every family can relate to these awe-filled moments! While it looks like Spanish, the refrain of mazal bueno (congratulations) is a combination of Hebrew and Spanish, also known as Ladino, which is the language of Sephardic Jews. Cheering with a mazal bueno to acknowledge wonderful occasions is a part of everyday life for Sephardic Jews, which is the point of the book. Mazal Bueno is about normalizing the Sephardic experience and exposing more families to the many ways Jews look, speak, and live!
I knew that I was writing a niche book, but I didn’t let it stop me. Providing windows into new cultures—at the earliest possible age—is vital to fostering caring kids and families. So my advice to all of you: don’t let fear get in your way. Write what you feel families need to read, keeping in mind the possibilities that a board book format offers. Even the most basic of concepts (a mazal bueno!) can open up minds and worlds.
CHALLAH! by Varda Livney
For me, writing a board book is trying to get a smile from (or get a simple idea across to) a little human who has no interest in complicated plot twists, wordy descriptions, or character development. Then it’s trying to relax as it dawns on me that that little human is probably at this moment chewing on the masterpiece that I sweated so much to create.
My board book, Challah! is coming out in October. I decided to make a book introducing Shabbat (Sabbath). I started by doodling wine, candles, a festive dinner table, challah, and a family of bunnies (of course). I drew a word bubble coming out of the baby bunny’s mouth, saying “Challah!” Turns out it was his first word, and, in the tradition of baby bunnies everywhere, this bunny did not stop saying “Challah!” all week long. Would he ever learn a second word? (Spoiler alert: yes.) Eventually all that doodling morphed into a book!
There are many ways to come up with ideas, but here’s what worked for me with CHALLAH!:
Big cup of coffee, quiet room, butt in chair, doodle, daydream, free-associate, write, trashcan, repeat.
BTW, this little blurb is longer than my book.
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words, but she’s already checked off skydiving, walking along the ocean floor, and visiting critique buddies all around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing stories in the picturesque village of Bedford, NH. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog, Picture Books Help Kids Soar, where she hosts the #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest and the #50PreciousWordsforKids Challenge. She is the author of many picture books that have garnered accolades such as Junior Library Guild Selection, Eureka Honor Award, Best Science STEM Book, and Social Studies Notable Trade Book. You can connect with her on her website VivianKirkfield.com, social media, or just about any place people with picture books are found.
Nancy Churnin is an award-winning children’s book author who writes about people that inspire children to be kind and make the world a better place. Her Dear Mr. Dickens won the 2021 National Jewish Book Award and 2022 Sydney Taylor Honor and is a Junior Library Guild Selection, a National Federation of Press Women 1stPlace winner and on the Bank Street College Best Children’s Books list. Nancy is that author of 10 picture book biographies and will welcome six more books, including her board book debut, Counting on Shabbat, in 2023. Additional honors include: Two Sydney Taylor Notables, Social Studies Notable Trade Books for Young People; the South Asia Book Award, Children and Teen’s Choice Book Awards finalists; starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly; and multiple state book lists. Nancy lives in North Texas. Her books come with free teacher guides, resources and projects on her website, NancyChurnin.com. Follow her on Twitter @nchurnin.
Determined to help preserve Sephardic culture, Sarah Aroeste draws upon her ancestral roots from N. Macedonia and Greece to present traditional and original Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) songs with her unique blend of Balkan sounds, pop, and jazz. Since 2001, Aroeste has performed and given musical talks across the globe and has recorded eight albums. She also pens Sephardic-themed books for children, including Buen Shabat, Shabbat Shalom (Kar-Ben 2020), the first PAL board book with Ladino words, and the upcoming Mazal Bueno (Kar-Ben 2023). Bringing Ladino books and music to young and old, Aroeste has garnered wide critical acclaim for her efforts to introduce Sephardic culture to new audiences. Visit her at SarahAroeste.com or on social media as @saraharoeste.
Ann D. Koffsky is the author and illustrator of more than forty books, including Under the Sea Seder, Visual Thinking (for Young Adults) with Temple Grandin, What’s In Tuli’s Box, and the Kayla & Kugel series. Several of her books have been PJ Library selections, and her book Noah’s Swimathon received a Sydney Taylor notable mention from the Association of Jewish Libraries. Sheep Says Shalom will be out August 1, 2023 from Green Bean Books. Find free coloring pages and see more about her work on her website Annkoffsky.com. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram as @JewishArtbyAnn.
Varda Livney lives (and doodles) on a kibbutz with her family and 1,000 other assorted people, dogs, cats, cows, and olive trees. Visit her at VardaArt.com and follow her on Instagram @vardaart.
**Most of these board books won’t be out until the fall, but if winners are patient, they will be sent as soon as they become available.***
- Vivian Kirkfield: PB Critique OR Copy of PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE
- Nancy Churnin: copy of COUNTING ON SHABBAT
- Sarah Aroeste: copy of MAZAL BUENO!
- Ann Koffsky: 15-minute Zoom Critique
- Varda Livney: Copy of CHALLAH!
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2023 participant and you have commented only once on today’s blog post. ↓
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
by Vivian Kirkfield
Oh my gosh…just a few more days for Storystorm! The Good Thing about posting on the back end of the challenge is that I had a lot of time to think about what I would write. But the Bad Thing is that 27 creative people already shared their techniques for generating ideas. As day after day of amazing blog posts appeared, the tricks and tips in my Felix-the-Cat magic bag became old news. It’s kind of like when you’ve got a wonderful manuscript sitting in your file/desk/notebook and then someone announces a book deal for that same topic.
And that thought connected some dots and made me realize that since we are blogging about ideas, perhaps I could address the topic of what happens when someone else writes a story about YOUR IDEA—can-more-than-one-book-about-a-person-or-event-or-subject find happiness and success in the publishing world?
I believe the answer is YES! I’ve had experience with this. We sent MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe to an editor in January 2018. And then, another Ella and Marilyn book hit the bookshelves in February. I was sure Little Bee Books would pass on my manuscript because not only was the book about the same two people, it was about the same moment when their lives intersected. Much to my surprise…and joy…the editor moved ahead with my story and it was published in January 2020.
Another example which also took place in 2018 concerns Nancy Churnin’s IRVING BERLIN: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing launched in May of that year—alongside TWO other books about Irving Berlin. And the editor probably knew that there were other books in the pipeline when she acquired the manuscript. But that didn’t stop Nancy or her publisher—they moved forward—and the book won awards and accolades.
I think what we need to remember is that we each have our own unique voice when we write. The words and style we use imparts a certain flavor to our stories. Do you employ alliteration? Always add a repeating refrain? Are you a rhymer? A lyrical language lover? Do flowery phrases or short staccato sounds pepper your pages?
Also, although the story may be about the same person or topic, your focus can be different. Will you hone in on one specific moment or event in the life of your subject? Will it be a birth to death account? Will you stick to reality in a sibling story or will you create a fantastical tale?
And listen…if you need to reinvent your story in order to snag a book deal, you can do it! An editor asked me for a story about women in the 1890’s– and how bikes helped their fight for suffrage and independence. I wrote a manuscript about three women. The editor didn’t like it and asked for a story about just one of them. I completely rewrote it. The editor didn’t like that either. We sent it to another publishing house—that editor wanted revisions. Three times. I finally decided to study other books that particular editor had worked on, using them as mentor texts to discover how those authors opened their story, set the pacing, created a satisfying ending. When the editor received my newest revision, she acquired the book. PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, First Woman to Bike Around the World will launch in Spring 2024 from Calkins Creek/Astra.
This month, we’ve heard so many inspiring ways to generate ideas. Whether you use a word list, long walk, or butterfly net, snag yours, start writing, and always be ready to reinvent.
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more words—but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, and visiting kidlit friends all around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing picture books in the picturesque town of Bedford, New Hampshire. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest and the #50PreciousWordsforKids Challenge. Her nonfiction narratives bring history alive for young readers and her picture books have garnered starred reviews and accolades including the Silver Eureka, Social Studies Notable Trade Book, A Best Stem Book K-12 for 2022, and Junior Library Guild Selection. To connect with Vivian and learn more about her books, see viviankirkfield.com, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, & Instagram.
Vivian is giving away a prize of the winner’s choice: a signed copy of FROM HERE TO THERE, a PB critique, or 30-minute Zoom call to chat about anything writerly.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
by Vivian Kirkfield
Ten years ago, I skirted the shadows of Tara’s 2011 PiBoIdMo (now Storystorm) Challenge. I walked away with a notebook filled with 30 ideas and a thirst for more. Two months later, I hopped aboard the first year of Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Picture Book Challenge and wrote 12 picture book manuscripts. I got in the habit of gathering ideas from wherever they came and turning them into picture book stories. And that habit came in handy in the fall of 2017. I sold a manuscript to Ann Rider at HMH and she didn’t want just that manuscript—she wanted NINE! She wanted to create a compilation book about inventions that changed the way the world moves. My deadline was May 1, 2018—which gave me nine months to hand in nine submission-ready narrative nonfiction picture book biographies.
The idea for the first story actually came from my sister who had told me about a friend of a friend who was the granddaughter of the founder of the Greyhound Bus Company. It sounded like a fascinating story—my curiosity was piqued—and I dug deep into finding out more. After writing the rough draft and many rounds of revision and critique group feedback, my agent submitted it and we got interest from Ann. But the editor wasn’t sure if Eric and the bus were strong enough/popular enough to be a stand-alone picture book. Ann had an idea…would I be willing to write several more stories, similar in structure and tone, about the invention or creation of other things that move?
My answer, of course, was YES!
The editor wanted all the stories to include:
- Engaging opening lines.
- Child main character who has a dream/goal.
- AH-HA moment.
- Fun language/great rhythm/excellent pacing.
- Legacy paragraph that shows how the invention impacts us today.
- Satisfying ending that echoes the opening lines.
I got down to business. First, I made a list of vehicles, like the car and the train. I already had a manuscript about the invention of the hot-air balloon—maybe I could tweak it to fit this collection. But Ann also wanted me to think outside the box of things that move. Maybe a robot, she suggested. And I wondered, who invented the first robot? Early on, robots were part of science fiction—in the writings of H.G. Wells and Isaac Asimov. I dug deeper. I discovered the story of a young boy of fifteen who rebuilt the transmission of his family’s car—without an instruction manual. When he graduated from high school, he designed the first automatic doors. He engineered the first photoelectric entrance counters which were demonstrated at the 1939 World’s Fair. And he built the first robotic, a mechanical arm used at a General Motors factory in 1961 to weld car parts. His name? George Devol, the Father of Robotics. But I’d never heard of him and perhaps most of you haven’t either. I guess that’s another reason I write these narrative nonfiction biographies—I’m passionate about sharing the lives of these ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. I’m hoping to spark the curiosity of young readers to inspire them to create their own magic.
Another out-of-the-box moving invention was the folding wheelchair that opened doors, both literally and figuratively, for mobility challenged individuals. More digging revealed that this inventor had been a high hurdler in college. But after becoming a mining engineer, Herbert Everest broke his back in a mining accident. Paralyzed, but unwilling to forego his beloved road trips, Herbert and a mechanical engineering buddy, Harry Jennings, brainstormed until they came up with a wheelchair design that would allow the chair to fit in a car. Although there was a lot of information about their wheelchair company, there was almost nothing about Herbert’s early life. Where could I find that information? I consulted the census, I studied the online documents from the Colorado School of Mines where Herbert attended college, and I reached out to the special collections’ librarian at the downtown library in Oklahoma City where Herbert lived for many years. Lisa Bray was unbelievably helpful and I learned enough so that I could craft a credible story of Herbert’s early years.
The last chapter in this compilation book is one of my favorites. I know I wanted at least one water vehicle. But who invented the first boat? Canoes and kayaks have been around since before 8000 BCE. There was no way I would be able to pin down an AH-HA moment or delve into the childhood of those visionaries. So again, I tried to think outside the box. I googled ‘firsts in shipbuilding’ and I was lucky. Up popped the name of Raye Montague, who led the team of naval engineers in 1970 to create the first computer-generated ship design. More luck came my way when I uncovered several taped interviews she had given and I was able to hear her story, from childhood on, in her own voice.
My journey with FROM HERE TO THERE: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves, illustrated by the brilliant Gilbert Ford, has definitely been a labor of love—nine months, nine stories—and I think the journey is just beginning. But I’d like to leave you with a quote from Lisa Bray, that amazing Oklahoma City librarian, because it speaks to what the Storystorm Challenge is all about, and to what we, as writers, need to keep close to our hearts as we step into 2021 and craft stories that will engage young readers:
”There are interesting stories everywhere you look, and one doesn’t have to be famous to have a good story to tell.”
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more words—but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, and visiting kidlit friends all around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing picture books in the picturesque town of Bedford, New Hampshire. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest and the #50PreciousWordsforKids Challenge. Her nonfiction narratives bring history alive for young readers and her picture books have garnered starred reviews and accolades including the Silver Eureka, Social Studies Notable Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild Selection.
To connect with Vivian and learn more about her books:
Website: www.viviankirkfield.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/viviankirkfield
Twitter: www.twitter.com/viviankirkfield
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/viviankirkfield
Instagram: www.instagram.com/viviankirkfield
Vivian is offering a 60-minute Zoom meeting to chat about a specific manuscript or anything else writer-related.
Leave one comment below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
Wow…we are half-way through the month of January and therefore, half-way through Storystorm. Is your notebook half filled with great story ideas, titles, or even just a phrase that you’ll go back to as the year unfolds to see whether it will turn into a winning manuscript? No worries if it isn’t. You still have plenty of time, and even if you don’t have thirty ideas at the end, you will have more than if you hadn’t participated at all. Here’s a page from my 2012 PiBoIdMo journal (as many of you know, that was Storystorm’s former name. And that idea became Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book that launched in April 2019. By the way, the post that day was contributed by the late Dianne de las Casas.
When Tara asked if I’d contribute one of the posts this year, I wondered what I was going to chat about. In 2018, I shared where I got ideas for each of the manuscripts that became books in 2019. And I also touched on why I chose those topics.
For today’s post, I’ll put on my serious hat (wait a minute…I don’t even wear hats!) and I’ll talk about how, as authors (and illustrators), we have an amazing opportunity to make our voice heard—when we write (or draw) about issues that are important to us and to the children of the world, and also when we speak at conferences and school visits.
I think this “speaking at conferences and school visits” may be a big worry for many of us. And even if you are pre-published, opportunities may come along for you to present…and if you keep doing what you are doing—writing, revising, submitting—you WILL have a book deal one day, I know you will. After I share where I got the idea for my newest nonfiction PB bio that launches in just a few days, I’m going to share some tips and techniques from my conference and school visit presentation toolbox.
As a child, I was very timid—afraid to meet new people, go new places, try new things.
Obviously, somewhere in these last 73 years, something happened and I gained a new confidence in myself (or perhaps it’s just that, with Uber, I don’t have to worry about getting lost 😊). Maybe it was self-publishing that parenting guide back in 2010, or maybe it was jumping out of a perfectly good airplane in 2011, or maybe it was just pushing myself, one step at a time. But whatever it was, I can now step out in front of an audience, at a conference or at a school visit, with a smile on my face and without my teeth chattering, my knees knocking, and my hands sweating. And this is crucial because I get to make my voice heard. I get to share my journey at conference presentations and inspire others who are on the same path…I get to talk about my courageous characters with students at school programs.
I doubt that many of you are signing up in the next few months to go skydiving. So, here are a few other things you can do that will give you the confidence to make your voice heard:
- Be passionate: about the topics/people/characters that you write about—passion gives you an energy and a fearlessness, like a mother lion protecting her cub.
- Believe in your characters: whether you write fiction or nonfiction, choose topics that are close to your heart and your beliefs. Get to know your characters—in one of the writing classes I took, the instructor urged us to ‘interview’ our characters as if we were newspaper reporters. When I discovered an online photo of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, sitting shoulder to shoulder in a nightclub and the caption explained that these two were friends, I had to find out more.
You see, I grew up in the 1950’s—Ella and Marilyn were icons even then. But I didn’t know that Marilyn was an early Civil Rights and gender equality activist nor that Ella had sued a major airline for racial discrimination…and won! I’m passionate about offering strong female role models to young girls…this passion helped me stay the course and dig deep to flesh out and revise my story idea into a manuscript an editor fell in love with. I’ve got a calendar full of bookstore events and school visits coming up for this wonderful book, so I want to share a few other tips that may help banish conference presentation and school visit jitters.
- Be prepared: preparation is the KEY. Practice your presentation. Record yourself and listen back. Call on local friends and family to be your audience. The more prepared you are, the more confidence you will have. You don’t need to memorize every word—but it helps to be very familiar with what you plan to say.
- Be proactive: if possible, scope out the venue where you will be presenting or, at the very least, speak with a contact person. Do you know how to get there and how long will it take? (try to be early—not leaving enough time just adds to the stress) What type of space is it? Do they have the proper hookups for your computer or flash drive? There’s nothing worse then getting to a conference and discovering they don’t have a computer available for your flash drive and the computer you brought doesn’t have the proper cable hook up. This happened to me in NZ last March and at the NE-SCBWI last May. Luckily, they were able to cobble something together and the presentation went smoothly. Word to the wise…I now have two small cable dongles (hahaha…what a word!) which enable me to use my own computer no matter what type of hook up the venue has.
- Be a PowerPointer: standing up in front of a crowd of adults or children can be intimidating, but if you have a PowerPoint presentation, the audience is looking at the slides on the screen, NOT at you! And if you forget what you wanted to say, you will have the slide right there to jog your memory. The audience hasn’t heard your rehearsed document so it won’t matter if you don’t say every word you had practiced.
- Be Personal: start your presentation with a personal story—this helps the audience connect with you. It can be funny, sad, whimsical. I begin my program by telling about the unique birthday present my son gave me when I turned 64. He took me skydiving! I have a slide of me, flying through the air—no matter what the age of the audience, jaws drop and everyone is engaged and wants to hear more. I’m sure each one of you has some type of story that will entertain the audience and connect you with them.
I hope these ideas will help all of you make your voices heard as you write your manuscripts and as you share your books when they are published. I’ll be making my voice heard today at the Barnes and Noble in Nashua, NH for the launch of Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, illustrated by Alleanna Harris and published by Little Bee Books. And then I’m off again, to Chicago, for more bookstore events and school visits…but not more skydiving, thank you very much.
Here’s to finding ideas that evoke your passion, to making your voices heard…and to a wonderful 2020 for all!
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words, but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, banana-boat riding, and visiting critique buddies all around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing picture books in the quaint village of Amherst, NH where the old stone library is her favorite hangout and her young grandson is her favorite board game partner. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog, Picture Books Help Kids Soar where she hosts the #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest and the #50PreciousWordsforKids Challenge. She is the author of numerous picture books. You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin, or just about any place people with picture books are found.
Vivian is giving away a picture book critique (non-fiction/fiction/rhyming/prose, she does it all).
Leave one comment below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
Good luck!
It’s an honor to be here! Tara asked if I would talk about how I took SWEET DREAMS, SARAH all the way from idea to published picture book. But I kind of feel like an imposter because although the book was slated to pub in March 2017, I still have no book in hand…and the tentative October 2018 launch date may have to be pushed back again. However, I know it will be worth the wait. Plus, happily, in the last two months of the year, I got THREE new book deals. So I’m also going to share how I got the ideas for those books.
TAKEAWAY #1: You need an infinite amount of patience…and a goodly supply of chocolate…to take an idea all the way to published book.
In 2012, I turned the page to another chapter in my life. Just retired and ready to follow my dream of writing picture books, I joined Julie Hedlund’s newly-formed 12×12 Writing Challenge, dipped my toes into my first-ever critique group, and participated in Tara’s month-long idea-fest.
TAKEAWAY #2: Connecting with fellow travelers on this writing journey will provide you with support, encouragement, and joy!
Several years passed with no sign of a book deal. Determined, I refused to give up. Joined more critique groups. Took picture book writing classes. Attended webinars and conferences. And I wrote, revised, and submitted…over and over again.
TAKEAWAY #3: If you hone your craft, embrace feedback, and are tenacious…you WILL succeed!
I also kept filling those Storystorm notebooks with ideas. But where did those ideas come from?
- The idea for SWEET DREAMS, SARAH came from an internet search of “the first woman to…” Why not see if your next story is on this list of inspirational female pioneers?
TAKEAWAY #4: The internet is an unbelievable gold mine for writers and illustrators—a spiderweb that allows you to connect with people, information, and resources all over the world.
- The idea for VISITORS TO DEEP POOL came from observing animals while fly-fishing with my husband on a pristine mountain stream. It was my Day 3 story idea for Tara’s 2012 challenge and guess what? I signed the contract on Wednesday.
TAKEAWAY #5: Get out into nature—there are many stories waiting there for you!
- The idea for PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE came during Tara’s 2013 challenge when Kar-Ben editor Joni Sussman said she wanted more Jewish holiday stories. She passed on the rhyming story I wrote, but another house bought it…and guess what? I signed that contract last month and the editor is taking the book dummy to the Bologna Book Fair.
TAKEAWAY #6: Listen to editors/parents/teachers/kids—they will tell you what they want to read about!
- The idea for INVENTING came from a conversation with my sister. She told me about the friend of a friend whose grandfather founded an iconic company in America. I contacted the granddaughter, wrote the story, and an editor loved it. The contract for that book arrived yesterday.
TAKEAWAY #7: Let people know you are a writer and that you write stories for children—you will have an endless supply of new ideas.
- The idea for BRUSHSTROKES came from a New York Times article (my niece sent me the link last January) about an artist who had just died. An editor did make an offer, but before the contract was signed, another imprint of the same publishing house announced a book on the same person. The editor had to step back and withdraw the offer. But the manuscript is out on submission again and my fingers are crossed for another editor to fall in love with it.
TAKEAWAY #8: Peruse newspapers, magazines, journals—uncover forgotten stories and write them so you can bring history alive for kids.
- The idea for SCULPTING STORIES: THE MAGIC HANDS OF JOSÉ DE CREEFT came from watching an episode of “American Pickers” on television. I entered the manuscript last month in the NESCBWI Peg Davol Manuscript Critique Scholarship…and won!
TAKEAWAY #9: Kick back and relax—but keep a pencil and paper handy when you watch TV or a movie. You just never know where the next story idea will come from.
In fact, keep a pencil and paper handy ALWAYS! If you are like me, unwritten ideas float back to the Universe from whence they came. But no worries…just kick back and relax…watch TV, read a newspaper, chat with family and friends, take a walk in the woods…grab those ideas and write, revise, and submit so that you can kick butt with book deals in 2018 and beyond.
Vivian Kirkfield constantly takes leaps of faith. She jumped from a perfectly good plane with her son, hiked to the summit of Pikes Peak with her husband, and parasailed over the Pacific Ocean with only seagulls for company.
A former Kindergarten teacher with a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Vivian is passionate about helping kids become lovers of books. A proud member of SCBWI, she presents literacy programs that entertain and engage parents, teachers and kids. When she’s not writing, revising, or critiquing picture book manuscripts, Vivian plays epic games of Monopoly with her nine-year old grandson, shares stories on Skype with her four-year old granddaughter, and takes walks through the idyllic New England village of Amherst, New Hampshire where she currently resides.
Her debut nonfiction picture book, SWEET DREAMS, SARAH, will be published by Creston Books in October 2018. You can find her on Twitter @viviankirkfield and Facebook, or visit her blog at Picture Books Help Kids Soar.
Vivian is giving away a picture book critique.
Leave ONE COMMENT on this blog post to enter. You are eligible to win if you are a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below. Prizes will be given away at the conclusion of the event.
Good luck!
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 