Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 105

What Is Your Picture Book About?

This is one of those questions that you see posed in many workshops about picture book writing. I most really saw it in the workshop with agent Sean McCarthy at the Kansas-Missouri Regional Conference. The way the question is posed is this: What is your story about? What is it really about? If you are … Continue reading What Is Your Picture Book About? →

Research: How Much Is Enough

“How much research do you need to do when you write a book?” This seems to be one of the most common questions that I get an a nonfiction author. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any easy answer. Many people assume that it depends on the length of the project. Sometimes it does but a 500-word … Continue reading Research: How Much Is Enough →

Picture Books with Inanimate Characters

I request at least one book a day from the library. Novels, graphic novels, picture books. I request a bit of this and a dab of that. In the morning, I love to sprawl on the sofa, drink coffee, and read picture books. I did a double take when I started reading A Home Again … Continue reading Picture Books with Inanimate Characters →

Collage and Copyright

Yesterday one of my students asked about including a collage in her book manuscript. Her book directs students through a number of creative projects, one of which is making a collage. The students can naturally use copyrighted photographs and postcards of art in their collages. This is fair use. But what my student wanted to … Continue reading Collage and Copyright →

Celebrating I Love to Write Day

Today, November 15, is I Love to Write Day. Some of my friends prefer to write in a coffee shop or at the library. I’ve tried that but I spend far too much time people watching. Me? My office is my chosen spot. I can sit or stand at my desk and contemplate the scenery. … Continue reading Celebrating I Love to Write Day →

Protecting Your Time

This has been one of those weeks. I’ve had several editors get back to me with things that need to be done. And I’ve got several extended family members who have figured out that they can ping me through Messenger. It is how my husband and I communicate with our son so it is open … Continue reading Protecting Your Time →

Suspense: Keep Your Reader Reading

Readers, especially young readers, have a lot of distractions. They’ve got homework. They’ve got side-hustles like scouts and sports and music lessons. They’ve got pesky adults telling them to do their homework, work on the requirements for a merit badge, or practice their instrument. So if you want them to keep reading, you have to … Continue reading Suspense: Keep Your Reader Reading →

Different Types of Children’s Books

When I’m talking to a new children’s writer, I always ask them what they are working on. I’m surprised by how often they tell me “a children’s book.” When I press, they can’t tell me if it is a picture book vs an early reader vs a chapter book. This might seem oh so picky … Continue reading Different Types of Children’s Books →

RIP April Pulley Sayre

It is a sad, sad week for children’s nonfiction. This weekend April Pulley Sayre was laid to rest among the trees and leaves and creatures that she loved to write about. If you write nonfiction for young readers, you need to get to know April’s books. She generally wrote in rhyme and her books are … Continue reading RIP April Pulley Sayre →

3 Things You Need to Understand to Write a Picture Book

I’m not sure how this escaped my notice last week but November is Picture Book Month. I love, Love, LOVE picture books. I always have a stack of picture books from the library on the coffee table. My favorite morning activity is to sit down with a cup of coffee and read picture books. I … Continue reading 3 Things You Need to Understand to Write a Picture Book →