Shadra Strickland might be the most delightful writing workshop presenter on the planet. In this episode, the author/illustrator (and agent!) reveals how to get at the heart of your story by sharing some of her best writing exercises to get your creative juices flowing from your brain to the page.
This is a fun one! Enjoy!
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What do t-shirt design and writing and illustrating picture books have in common?
Quite a bit actually! They have to be eye-catching. They have to be something the wearer or reader wants to go back to again and again. And just like a picture book, a good design tells a story.
Eric and Terry Fan take us on a journey in To Imagination and Beyond. The Fan Brothers share how your next story might be waiting for you where you least expect it. And, they should know. A t-shirt design ultimately became the award-winning picture book The Night Gardener and a 30-year-old doodle grew into Lizzy and the Cloud.
We adore The Fan Brothers and after this episode we think you will too!
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To say Julie Hedlund is a fan of wordplay might be the understatement of the year. Just one look at her picture book OVER, BEAR! UNDER, WHERE? will show you that you are in for some picture book fun with this workshop! On October 5, 2023, she will be online at Picture Book Summit presenting…
Wordplay works with all types of picture books. From funny stories to lyrical nonfiction, playing with words can be the best part of the writing and reading experience. Our own wordplay warrior, Julie Hedlund, will train us to recognize when we should lean into all the puns, alliteration, and double entendres and when to hold back.
Grab a big piece of paper and some brightly colored markers because today we are mind-mapping our way to great picture book ideas! Listen in to excerpts from our Summit workshop with author and educator Rob Sanders. Rob will reveal how mind mapping can lead to both story ideas and ways to present stories that engage readers.
Rob Sanders is known for his funny and fierce fiction and nonfiction picture books and is recognized as one of the pioneers in the arena of LGBTQ+ literary nonfiction picture books. Rob’s books include Two Grooms on A Cake: The Story of America’s First Gay Wedding (Little Bee Books), Stitch By Stitch: Cleve Jones And The Aids Memorial Quilt (Magination Press), Mayor Pete: The Story of Pete Buttigieg (Henry Holt & Co), and Rodzilla (Margaret K. McElderry Books).
After this episode, you’ll be surprised at how much your past can help you write stories that engage with kids today.
Get ready to generate ideas that are uniquely you!
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In this episode of the Picture Book Summit podcast, we bring you Yuyi Morales. Yuyi is the author and illustrator of many books for children, including the New York Times bestseller Dreamers andNiño Wrestles the World. She is a six-time winner of the Pura Belpre Medal for an outstanding work of literature for children that best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience. In 2015, she received the Caldecott Honor for her book Viva Frida. Other honors include the Americas Award, the Golden Kite Medal, the Christopher Award, the Jane Adams Award, and the Tomas Rivera Award.
In her Picture Book Summit keynote, Yuyi shared how there’s an idea bank inside all of us and how we can use it to tell the stories only we can tell.
Get ready to be inspired!
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Generating ideas for lots of picture books is one key to success! That’s why we did a whole Mini Summit on Where the Ideas Are. In this three-part series, we’ll share ways to generate ideas, assess ideas, and develop ideas. While we can’t tell you exactly where to get your next great idea, Katie Davis can give you tips for harvesting the ideas that are cropping up all around you.
Today’s episode was originally part of our free yearly Mini Summit! Be sure to add yourself to our notification list to hear all about our upcoming events. Plus, you’ll receive our favorite revision strategies just for signing up. Click here.
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In today’s episode, we feature literary agent Brenda Bowen and snippets from her appearance at Picture Book Summit.
As an agent at Greenberger Associates, Brenda represents authors and illustrators who are national and international bestsellers, as well as winners of Newbery and Caldecott awards. Before becoming a literary agent in the summer of 2009, Brenda held a variety of positions during her 25-plus years in children’s publishing. She has been editorial director of Henry Holt & Books for Young Readers, Scholastic Press, Disney/Hyperion, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
In Brenda Bowen’s presentation, she spoke with her author hat on about how she finds and develops ideas and how, sometimes, necessity can be the mother of invention. She also touches on the key components that agents look for in a successful query letter.
Don’t miss getting the inside scoop from this successful author and literary agent.
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Kate McMullan, bestselling author of over 100 books for children, uncovers sources of inspiration for picture books. Drawing from her own creative process and interviews with contemporary and classic picture book writers, she provides tools you can use to tap your own muse.
After teaching grade school in Los Angeles and Germany, Kate McMullan moved to New York City and became an author. To date, she has written more than 100 books for kids, including the I STINK! series, illustrated by her husband, Jim McMullan. “The Stinky & Dirty Show,” now streaming on Amazon, was inspired by their book collaboration. Kate’s first writing love is picture books, and she currently has five in the works: I’M TOUGH!, How Do YOU Take a Bath?, How Do YOU Go to Sleep?, This Is the Tree We Planted, an Earth Day story, and As Warm as the Sun, starring the McMullan French bulldogs, Toby and Pinkie.
In today’s episode, Kate talks about inspiration, where you can find it and how to capture it when it strikes.
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