Podcast – Assessing Ideas with Laura Backes

Our yearly free Mini Summit is one of our favorite events. Our previous Mini Summit: Where the Idea Are was so full of juicy goodness, we decided to share it here on the podcast. Listen to Part 1 – Generating Ideas with Katie Davis here. In Part 2 of Where the Ideas Are: Assessing Ideas, PBSummit co-founder Laura Backes shares how to assess if your idea is one worth pursuing including…

• Finding out if there’s room in the market for your idea
• Deciding if your has kid-appeal
• Determining if your idea is the right size for a picture book

Start assessing ideas before you write and be on the road to picture book writing success.

Listen here:

Do you find Laura as inspiring as we do? Check out her full-length presentations on our Picture Book Summit Teachable site:

Rules Schmules – How to Break the Rules and Get Away with It

Picture book writing is filled with “rules” on everything from word count to story structure to format. But what if your idea doesn’t conform to all the rules? Can some be ignored or even broken? And, if so, are you skilled enough—and brave enough—to be a rule-breaker? Laura Backes will analyze picture books that successfully defied convention, including how the creators worked with intention and which rules they absolutely left intact.

Creating Memorable Picture Book Characters

If you want to create a picture book that children beg to have read to them over and over, you must start with unique and appealing characters. Learn how to craft characters with spirit, personality, and aspirations that young children will identify with and find immensely entertaining.

Purpose Without Preaching

Are you talking down to your audience and not even realizing it? Children are clever and they know when they’re getting a morality lecture. Didactic picture books will get your story rejected in a snap. Learn to master picture books with purpose so children—and editors—will embrace your story.

Join us LIVE for this year’s out-of-this-world Picture Book Summit! Find out all the details about this year’s event here.