 This is what my weekly library haul looks like. Between being a writer, a elementary teacher, a mother to 2 young kids, and a lover of picture books, I read an average of 20-30 picture books a day. Many of them MORE than once. That’s more than 9,000 picture books a year! By Katrina Moore If you want to write picture books, you have to read picture books. Hundreds. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands of picture books. As debut author Cate Berry eloquently says on the Cynsations Blog: “Picture books are like learning a new language. There is a rhythm, a vibe, and implicit rules are attached to the form. Taking a class or reading a craft book is great, but reading a heap of picture books is even better.” But if you’re a writer, it’s not enough to read picture books. You must study picture books. What’s working? What’s Fresh? Why do you love it? Here’s how I studied two recently released picture books in 3 parts:  PART I: Summarize First, I read the book as a reader. If I really enjoyed the book, then I jot down some summary* points: Premise: (Who/what’s this about and what’s their goal?) Square is trying to make something for Circle that’s as perfect as Circle is. Inciting Incident: (What happens to set the story in motion?) Circle sees the “sculpture” that Square “made” and insists he makes one for her. Resolution: You’ll have to check it out yourself !:-) *Acclaimed author Arree Chung has a great method for studying picture books (& more) that he shares in his Storyteller Academy Class. Part II: Analyze Then, I think about how this picture book works as a marketable product for the intended audience. *Remember, picture books are unique in that you have 2 audiences in mind (the child and also the adult reading to the child): What’s working? The story structure is familiar, but it’s suspenseful from the inciting incident. As a reader, I’m wondering, how will Square solve this? He’s unprepared for it! Oh, the pressure!! I can feel the tension. There’s logic. Everything make sense for this abstract world. I’m not spending my time questioning or second guessing anything that distracts me from the narrative. It’s deceptively simple! There’s a lot of room for the reader to fill in the blanks. What’s fresh? What I love about this book, and really all books by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, individually and together, is that they both respect the child reader and her/his intelligence. SQUARE allows big conversations and a lot of thinking to happen. The takeaway is so subtle and it’s open to interpretation. Why did I love it? This book is so funny! There’s sparse text and very specific word choice, such as “Oh crumbs!” and “Oh dirt!” The art is genius. Jon Klassen is able to convey so much emotion from these characters using only their eyes. I was emotionally invested in Square’s “journey.” His problem was relatable, and the way the page turns built up tension was extremely satisfying. On spread 26-27, Square says, “I Must stay up all night and figure this out!” And when I turned the page, I burst out in laughter. All that built up tension was comically deflated in a very enjoyable way. Part III: Storyboard Finally, because I am fascinated with the picture book design and story structures, I like to flip back through the pages (starting from when the story begins) and break down how many spreads are dedicated to each part of the story arc**: Set up: 5 spreads Escalation: 7 spreads Climax/Low Point: 2 spreads Resolution: 3 spreads Wink: 1 spread **For more on storyboarding a picture book, see Steph Lurie’s interview on Picture Book Builders. (Note that this will work with narrative picture books, but not others, such as concept books.)  STARRING CARMEN! Written by Anika Denise Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez GÓmez (Abrams Books For Young Readers, 2017) Part I: Summarize
Premise: (Who/what’s this about and what’s their goal?) Carmen is a star, a one-girl sensaciÓn! But how will the show go on when the audience needs a break from show business? Inciting Incident: (What happens to set the story in motion?) Carmen’s little brother, Eduardo, asks if he can be in her show. Resolution: You’ll have to check it out yourself ! :-) Part II: Analyze What’s Working? This story is paced well (see Part III) and gives us insight into Carmen’s world. From the catchy title and bright, colorful cover, I’m intrigued! I know this is going to be about Carmen. She is a star! I want to know more. What makes her a star? What happens when she’s not a star? It’s a character I want to know more about. What’s fresh? While there are many sibling stories, this one stars Carmen! It’s her perspective, her world, her stage. The narrative voice is strong and thus, we are immersed in Carmen’s world from start to end. Why did I love it? Carmen has universal appeal and yet, she’s so uniquely her own. She’s sassy, a bit devious, and loves her little brother. I saw myself as an older sister in Carmen, and myself as a younger sibling in Eduardo. I also loved that this book stars a girl from a marginalized background that we don't often see in a starring role. We get a glimpse into this loving family’s life and learn some new spanish words throughout that adds fun flair to this charming story. And the last spread had me giggling. Part III: Storyboard Set up: 3 spreads Escalation: 4 spreads Climax/Low Point: 3 spreads Resolution: 4 spreads Wink: 1 spread Now it’s your turn! Pull out that picture book manuscript you’ve been polishing. Summarize it. Analyze it. Storyboard it. What’s working? What’s fresh? Why will a reader love it? In a future post, I’ll dive more deeply into revision. Until then, happy reading (and studying) and writing!✨
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Similar Stories and Marketability (When to Set it Aside, When (and how) to Make it Marketable4/12/2018 When I “send” a new story to my agent, I usually feel a mix of excitement, hope, and worry. Excitement because I love this story. I spent so much time and energy getting it to a “ready” state, hoping that my agent will love it and tell that me it’s magical and marketable enough to submit to editors. But that brings worry, too. Because what if it’s not? OR…what if, recently after hitting “send,” I see promotion for a picture book coming out this year that has an almost identical title, similar concept, and same characters as the story I just sent my agent? 😩 😩 😩 Excitement---deflated. Worry---escalated. Hope---hmm… *could* we still submit this? It’s NOT the first time this has happened. It’s not the last time it will happen. It happens for a lot of different reasons, and most of them...are out of my control. So instead of wallowing (I allowed myself 5 minutes 😭), I will: 1-set this story aside for now. It is not the right time for this story. 2-focus my energy on different projects I can move forward with (I purposefully am always working on more than one thing at a time), 3-check out the upcoming comparative book when it comes out so that I can ask myself: “HOW WILL THIS STORY STAND OUT FROM WHAT ELSE IS IN THE MARKET?” “What value will my book add?” “Why would a reader/buyer choose my book over the others?” **these are questions an editor will ask, and have to answer when they present my manuscript to acquisitions** 4-develop/revise this story (and others), thinking further about it’s marketability. I’ll ask myself: “What are the themes?” “What are the hooks?” “How will an editor pitch this?” “What type of consumer will want to buy this? Which readers will love this?” (Is that a wide-enough audience?) “What element from this story can I highlight that will widen it’s audience and make it pop?” And when I have the answers to those questions, my story will be stronger and more marketable for having gone through this process. And I’ll be a better writer. I know this. I’ve been through this (more than once). When my debut picture book, ONE HUG (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, 2019), was on submission, it got a pass from a couple of editors because they had a similar backlist “hug” book or forthcoming “lyrical” book. Yet, when it sold in 2017, there was interest from multiple editors because among other things, it felt fresh. But still... at a big bookstore, I saw a recent picture book release featuring hugs. It seems similar by title, but it’s completely different than ONE HUG. Am I worried? No. Am I excited? Yes! There is room for both these books (and other hug books!) in the world. So if you’re in the same boat, don’t despair! There is room for all our stories. Your voice, your take, your YOU-NESS is what makes your story unique. How can you best capture THAT in your story? Trust that your story will find the right agent, editor, and publisher. In the meantime, keep learning about the market and improving your craft. Have patience, persistence, and perseverance. The time for you and your story will come. Have hope. ✨✨
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AuthorKatrina Moore is an author and former elementary educator. She writes in Georgia. where her mission is to create books that children will hug for ages. She's the author of ONE HUG, GRANDPA GRUMPS, SOMETIMES LOVE, GRUMPY NEW YEAR, HOPE IS A HOP, and the forthcoming CHANG'E ON THE MOON (HarperCollins, 2024), and THE STAR IN YOU. (RBP/Macmillan, 2024), as well as the humorous TEENY HOUDINI chapter book series, starring the magic-loving, mischief-making Bessie Lee, and more. Connect with her on twitter! Freelance EditorKatrina has professionally critiqued over hundreds of picture book manuscripts at writing conferences she has presented at, through her work as a council member, mentor, and presenter for the Rutgers One-on-One-Plus conference, as a Critique Ninja, and through her freelance editing services. Her editorial work and services, attention to detail, and ability to bring manuscripts to the “next level” have been highly praised by editors, agents, published authors, and those receiving critiques. For more details, and to inquire about rates, contact Katrina.
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