What Novelists Can Learn from Studying Picture Books

By Sherry Howard, @SherLHoward

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: Writing is writing no matter what the genre or market, and we can learn a lot by studying what other writers--and markets--have done. Sherry Howard shares thoughts on what novelists can learn from studying picture books.

Sherry Howard lives with her children and silly dogs in Middletown, Kentucky. Sherry is the author of the picture book ROCK AND ROLL WOODS, with a starred Kirkus review. Her poems and stories have appeared in multiple journals and anthologies. She also writes for the educational market, with about a dozen books.

Sherry Howard | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Take it away Sherry...

8 Things to Know If You Want to Write a Picture Book

By Amy Fellner Dominy and Nate Evans, @amydominy

Part of the How They Do It series

Amy Fellner Dominy is the author of books for teens, tweens and toddlers. A former advertising copywriter and MFA playwright, Amy’s novels include Die For You; A Matter of Heart; Audition & Subtraction; and OyMG, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book. Picture books, co-written with Nate Evans, are Cookiesaurus Rex and Cookiesaurus Christmas (2018.) Amy lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, various pets, and two children who occasionally stop by for free meals.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Nate Evans is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including Ponyella with Laura Numeroff. His most recent picture book is Cookiesaurus Rex co-authored with Amy Fellner Dominy. Tyrannosaurus Ralph is his first middle-grade graphic novel, with artwork by his brother, Vince Evans. Before turning to his true love – children’s books – Nate was a greeting card artist. Nate is also a middle-grade art teacher and loves to share his passion for books with his students. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Take it away Amy and Nate...

Picture Book Plotting 101

By Sarah Frances Hardy, @sfhardy2

Part of the How They Do It Series 

JH: One of the great things about story structure is that it works for stories of all shapes and sizes. Author/illustrator Sarah Frances Hardy (no relation) takes to the lecture hall today to show us how universal plotting can be.

With a juris doctorate cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law, a Bachelor of Arts in fine art from Davidson College, and subsequent studies at Parsons School of Design in New York and Paris, Sarah Frances Hardy took an early retirement from practicing law to redirected her creative juices towards writing and illustrating books for children--picture books as well as middle grade and young adult novels.

Her first book PUZZLED BY PINK which she both wrote and illustrated was published in April of 2012 by Viking Children’s Books. Her next book PAINT ME! about a girl who begins the day painting a portrait of her dog and ends up painting everything she comes across, was published by Sky Pony Press in May of 2014. Watch for her next release DRESS ME! in Spring of 2015.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

Take it away Sarah Frances...

Lula’s Brew: From App to Print

By Elizabeth O. Dulemba, @dulemba

Part of the How They Do It Series   

JH: Please welcome the ever-wonderful Elizabeth O. Dulemba to the blog today. As an author-illustrator and tech-savvy gal, Elizabeth is always trying new things in publishing, and she's here to share with us the story of one such endeavor. It's a great example of how many options are out there for authors, and how we can make technology work for us.

Elizabeth is an award-winning children’s book author/illustrator of over fifteen books including her most recent title, THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN GEORGIA. She loves to give back to the community that supports her. As the Illustrator Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org) Southern Breeze region (Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi), she established gallery shows, an annual Illustrators' Day, and was awarded the 2009 SCBWI National Volunteer Scholarship. As a Board Member of the Georgia Center for the Book, she helped create the inaugural "25 Books All Young Georgians Should Read" list. She speaks regularly at schools, conferences, and events, and teaches "Creating Picture Books" at various venues in Georgia and North Carolina. She taught Beginning and Advanced Illustration as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia. And she created one of the very first children's book apps way back in 2009, LULA'S BREW. Her "Coloring Page Tuesdays" images garner over 1.5 million visitors to her website each year and she has over 3,000 subscribers to her weekly newsletter. Learn more at www.dulemba.com. LULA'S BREW is out in paperback now, and is perfect for little monsters looking for a great Halloween read.

Hey, a Contest! One lucky commenter will receive a free copy of Lulu's Brew, chosen by the random generator gods. (Contest winner announced Friday, noon EST)

Take it away Elizabeth...

Rhythm and Pattern in a Picture Book

By Iza Trapani

JH: I'm always excited to bring on guest authors who do things I don't do. One of those things is picture books. They're such a specialized market and there's little room for error when you're dealing with under 500 words. So today. I'd like to welcome Iza Trapani to tell us a little about rhythm in picture books (and rhythm is something even novelists can benefit from). Her latest book is The Bear Went Over the Mountain, so check it out.

Iza has published over 20 books. She's always loved children’s literature- from the wacky brilliance of Dr. Seuss to the timeless, love-filled classics of Margaret Wise Brown and a slew of others in between. The combination of simple but elegant text and enchanting illustrations has always been an irresistible package and has fascinated her all my life. As a child she spent hours immersed in the magical world of books and tries to re-create some of that magic for others to enjoy. You can find Iza at her website, blog or twitter @IzaTrapani .

Take it away Iza...

Creative Juices--Be Ready When Inspiration Strikes

By Nancy Raines Day


JH: Today, I'd like to welcome picture book author Nancy Raines Day to the blog. Since I'm an artist and a writer, I used to think it would be fun to write a picture book. (I even did one in college for my portfolio) Then I discovered these books are a heck of a lot harder to write than they look. Now I leave them to the writers with mad picture book skills. If you've ever had that urge to write a picture book (or just wanted to find ways to nudge your muse a little), Nancy has some great tips to get your creative juices flowing.

In addition to authoring numerous children's books, Nancy writes for educational publishers and consults on picture book texts for members of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Her first children's book, The Lion's Whiskers: A Ethiopian Folktale, was hailed by the New York Times as one of five notable picture books of the year. She earned a BA in journalism from the University of Michigan and an MA in literacy journalism from Syracuse University. A member of the Authors Guild, Day lives with her husband and three cats on St. Simons Island in Georgia. Her most recent book is A is for Alliguitar.

Take it away Nancy...

Picture This: Leave Room For Your Illustrator

By Leslie Muir

JH: I have a fun treat today for you picture book writers out there. Leslie Muir is here to talk to us about a unique challenge for those who prefer their stories under 500 words. How to aid your illustrator without telling them what to draw.

As I learned at a recent SCBWI conference, this is a common reason picture books get rejected. The story has little to no room for the illustrations to tell the story along with the actual words. Even if you don't write picture books, the same idea is a great way to help show, don't tell.

Leslie is a writer, painter and poet. She has three published picture books to date. Her next book, C.R.MUDGEON (Atheneum), illustrated by Julian Hector, is being released TODAY! You can learn more about Leslie and her books at: www.lesliemuir.com And feel free to “like” her on Facebook at Leslie Muir Books For Kids.

Take it away Leslie...

A Path to Picture Books

By Nancy Raines Day

Part of the How They Do It Series   

JH: I have a fun treat today. Picture book author Nancy Raines Day joins us to talk about writing for very young readers. So if you ever had an inkling to write that picture book, but didn't know how, this post is for you.

Nancy and husband live on an island. She thinks up ideas while walking the beach and swimming in the ocean. She always loved the water and thought she’d make a very good mermaid.


Nancy's books include On a Windy Night,  Flamingo's First Christmas, Double Those Wheels, Piercing Earth & Sky Together, A Kitten's Year, and The Lion's Whiskers.

Take it away, Nancy...