Picture Book Pointers from the Prairie ~ by Patricia Toht

What was I doing last Saturday night? 

Photo by Floyd G

White-knuckling it while skating my car home on icy roads. Sometimes I hate living in Illinois!

But, what was I doing last Saturday day? 

Glorying in 10+ hours at Prairie Writer’s and Illustrator’s Day, our state’s annual SCBWI conference. Sometimes I love living in Illinois!

This year’s faculty included:

• Esther Hershenhorn, writing teacher and coach

• Eliza Wheeler, author and illustrator

• Caroline Abbey, Senior Editor, Random House Children’s  Books

• Jordan Brown, Senior Editor, Walden Pond Press/Balzer & Bray

• Brett Duquette, Editor, Sterling Publishing

• Noa Wheeler, Editor, Henry Holt BYR

• Loraine Joyner, Senior Art Director, Peachtree Publishers

• Karen Grencik, Agent, Red Fox Literary Agency

• Rachel Orr, Agent, Prospect Agency

From Eliza Wheeler's opening speech to the final thoughts from faculty, the day was chock full of writing advice, tools, inspiration and laughs. Without a Harry Potter time turner, I couldn't attend every breakout session. As a picture book writer, I chose workshops in voice, revision, and craft that honed in on that format. Below are some helpful tidbits I gathered that day.

~ Oftentimes, a picture book needs an opening spread to tell you what to expect from the book; it initiates the voice and “trains” the reader in what to expect from the rest of the book. (Brett Duquette)

~ Your word choices should never be random. Choose words that have weight, especially action verbs. (Brett Duquette)

Photo by Alice Popkorn

~ Your characters need to go on both a physical and an emotional journey. (Eliza Wheeler)

~ Every character must serve a purpose in your story. If not, remove them – even the parents! (Brett Duquette)

~ If taking an illustrator on as a client, it’s important that the illustrator demonstrate that he/she knows how to make a picture book dummy. Try a dummy of a known story, such as a fairy tale. (Rachel Orr)

~ Don’t ruin the punch line of a joke by putting it into text when an illustration can have a bigger bang. Use an illustrator note. (Brett Duquette)

~ Craft matters! Take time to learn and grow. (Jordan Brown)

~ Don’t forget to be playful. And don’t be afraid to play with bad ideas, for something surprising may come of them. (Caroline Abbey)

~ You must want your manuscript to improve more than you want to be right. (Eliza Wheeler and Karen Grencik)

In their final advice of the day, the faculty reminded the writers and illustrators present to never be too nervous or afraid to ask questions. Editors, agents and other presenters are there to encourage and cheer you on.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Writing Conference Critiques ~ by Patricia Toht

I'm a writing conference junkie, and I try to attend a few each year. Conferences offer a chance to see old writing friends, meet new ones, and learn from brilliant faculty. Often they also include an option for a manuscript critique. 

Photo by Jeffrey James Pacres, Creative Commons license

I've signed up for a critique at the Illinois-SCBWI conference next month, so now I'm faced with a decision -- which manuscript do I send? Well, I can tell you one thing.  I'm not sending my best work.

Photo by Tim Simpson, Creative Commons license

"WHAT?!" you may think. "Are you crazy?" 


Hold on. 
Let me explain.



The choice of which manuscript to send was easy for the first conference I attended. I only had one story in the stable. 

But soon I had several. For the next conference, I sent my very best. The story my critique group felt was "ready to go". The one I had polished to a fine shine. I imagined an editor seeking me out in the crowd, throwing arms around me, declaring "I WANT YOUR BOOK!"

Photo by Matt Herzberger, Creative Commons license

Yep. Delusional.

The written critique I received was kind, yet not very helpful. I loved my story and I hoped the editor would love it, too. It was well written, but I already knew in my heart that the manuscript was too quiet for the market, and that's exactly the feedback I received. 

Nothing was gained. I had wasted an opportunity because I had mistakenly viewed my critique as a sales vehicle rather than the chance to get feedback from a professional. 

Now, I'm not recommending that you send a first draft. But perhaps you have something that your stuck on? A piece that your critique group can't seem to connect with? A story that could use a fresh set of eyes? Send that! Use this opportunity to learn. Unlike a submission, you are guaranteed to get feedback.

You'll still have your sales opportunity. You can submit to this same editor, as well as the others on faculty, after the conference. But you'll be submitting the new and improved version of your work.

Here are a few more tips on conference critiques from two Illinois-SCBWI reps, Lisa Bierman and Sara Shacter:

• Bring a copy of your manuscript with you to a face-to-face critique. And come with questions.

• When talking with the editor/agent, communicate that you are wide open to advice (even if it's hard to hear!). It's all about having an open dialogue.

• A written critique is often inserted into your conference folder. Resist the temptation to look at it immediately! Instead, focus on learning as much as you can from the day's sessions.

• Tuck a written critique away for a few days and come back to it. Looking at it later, it won't sting as much and it will be easier to observe it objectively.

• Keep a copy of your pre-conference manuscript. After you've made suggested changes, look at both versions to see what works.

• If you receive a helpful critique, let the person know! Thank you cards are good.

Do you have any other conference critique advice to share, GROG readers?