On my shelf this week:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo
Writing Picture Books: A Hands-on Guide From Story Creation to Publication, by Ann Whitford Paul
The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, by Erma Bombeck
On the first one: does she have children? Is she even married? I would love to see this book written for a large family of five or more people. I would love to know it’s possible to have a tidy home with children. Nevertheless, I’ll be trying her technique. This summer we’re pulling everything out and deciding whether or not to keep it, and we’ll be including the children in the process, too. It’s time to reduce. Paul’s book is one I’m reading because I’m working on a couple of children’s manuscripts. It’s been helpful to look at my technique and some of the technical details of writing children’s books. Bombeck’s book is just for fun, because I love her humor.
Best quotes so far:
“Children care deeply. Tap into their strong emotions for your stories.”
Ann Whitford Paul
“Writers don’t need to explain too much. Children are wise enough to figure out what a story is about without tacking on a moral. We’re in the business of writing engaging stories, not teaching lessons. Leave that to education.”
Ann Whitford Paul
“Enduring picture books must be about something bigger than a mere incident. The story problem must explore some large theme or issue. It must have a kernel of truth about life and our world.”
Ann Whitford Paul
“The writer must have an idea, or theme, in the back of her mind that she’s investigating. She must have something that will turn such a set of incidents into a story that stays with the reader long after the book is closed.”
Ann Whitford Paul
Read any of these? Tell us what you thought.
