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!
Listen here:
When we first started Picture Book Summit, I had no thought of doing it for a decade. I had no idea how many we would end up helping, both our attendees, as well as the charities we would give a portion of the proceeds. Now, as I look back and think of my top 10 memories of the last 10 years of dozens of brilliant presentations, I’m overwhelmed with options. So I’m lying here. These aren’t my top 10. They are among dozens of stellar memories of Superstar Speakers. But I had to choose 10, so here are the first 10 that popped into mind, in no particular order.
(Did you miss Emma’s Top 10. Catch up here!)
#1 – Paul O. Zelinsky
I remember Paul O. Zelinsky’s poignant reflection of being in his crib at his great-grandmother’s. Over the crib hung a painting she’d made of Hansel and Gretel and he talked about the intense feelings this painting gave him and how you never have such such strong reactions to things again once you’ve grown up.
#2 – Jane Yolen
Jane Yolen’s comment about being called prolific and how she preferred “versatile” because “Prolific always has that whiff of, ‘She does too much, she does too fast, how can it be any good?’ And then there’s the word versatile, which I like better because it means that you can do a variety of things, that you can do them well…”
After the Summit each year, we survey our attendees to see what they liked, what we can improve, and who they’d like to see at future events. In last year’s survey, one of our Summiteers recommended picture book creator Shadra Strickland saying, “her advice was game-changing!”
The more we got to know Shadra, the more excited we were to bring her expertise to you in one of this year’s Summit workshops!
Who wants new picture books? Silly question, right?
If you’re reading this blog post, you probably love picture books as much as we do. That means you’re in luck because it’s time for our annual Picture Book Summit Book Bundle Giveaway! This is your shot to win one of three out-of-this-world book bundles with books from this year’s Superstar Speakers and workshop presenters! Enter to win these six picture books!
Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson live ordinary lives. Sometimes their lives feel a bit too ordinary. Sometimes they wish something different would happen. And one day it does, when someone unpredictable finds her way to their front door. In a delightful origin story for the star of the Mercy Watson series, a tiny piglet brings love (and chaos) to Deckawoo Drive — and the Watsons’ lives will never be the same.
It’s a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, but Lizzy doesn’t mind. She’s not looking for a big one or a fancy one, just one that’s right for her. And she finds it in Milo.
Soon, she’s taking Milo out on walks with her family, watering Milo right on schedule, and seeing Milo grow and grow. But what happens when her pet cloud gets too big for Lizzy to handle?
