Picture Writing

I had left this book in the shelves for quite a long time. To be honest, I did not like the first pages, which revolve around the standards of the children/young adult markets (how many pages in a picture book and so on). Recently, though, I've challenged myself to either finish or abandon a few half read books on my shelves. I started over again, and finally, I could see this book is a gem for re-writing. There's some basic advice on writing, that's true, but what it really hooked me, were two things: 1.- The use of a writer's diary to reflectively learn from other works, focusing in what worked and did not work in them, and... 2.- A step by step, systematical, yet full of heart, graphic approach to revising and rewriting.

The way she breaks down the different categories in children's literature alone is worth the price. Very in-depth knowledge so that the stories you write match the categories that the publishers are looking for. If you're not an author/illustrator, it helps us authors "see" our pic books in our mind's eye so we can write them visually better. Highly recommended!

This is the BEST book ever written on the art of writing for children and young adults - and I have read most of them! Suen provides essential insider information that gives aspiring authors the confidence to pursue their writing dreams. If you want to write for young people - whether infants or high schoolers - you must read this book!!!

Reading and using this book is almost the same as taking Anastasia's online Intensive Picture Book courses. In fact in some ways it's like taking IPB 3 ! Anastasia leads writers a few steps further than many "how to write for children" books do. The exercises help you study and discover what works while they also set up habits of keeping a writer's journal for you to think about your writing process, and a reader's log to keep track of what you've read. There's something for everyone- from board books to YA, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Make sure to check out the great info in marketing and in each appendix!