Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 117

What I’m Reading

I always have a ton of library books. There are the picture books stacked on the coffee table. There are the books for whatever I’m working on. And then there’s what I’m reading for fun. My fun reading is a little dark lately. At the moment I’m reading a middle grade novel called The Ash … Continue reading What I’m Reading →

Audience vs. Who Will Buy Your Book

When you write for children, you need to know about two groups of people. You need to know who your audience is and who will buy your book. Audience Your audience is your reader or the child to whom your book is read. Unless you write educational material for teachers or parents. If that is … Continue reading Audience vs. Who Will Buy Your Book →

How I Built a Career in Children’s Nonfiction

I didn’t graduate from college planning to become a writer.  My degree is actually in anthropology.  I loved working in archaeology but took a new job at the university when it became clear that department wasn’t going to be around much longer. I didn’t much care for my new job.  I was paging through the … Continue reading How I Built a Career in Children’s Nonfiction →

Children’s Books and Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, I just read The Tree Lady by H. Joseph Hopkins, illustrated by Jill McElmurry. It is about Kate Sessions, a girl who grows into a woman who is passionate about trees. She is such a ground breaker that she even earned a college degree in science in 1881 from the … Continue reading Children’s Books and Earth Day →

Podcasts: Learn about Writing and Find Inspiration

Recently a group of writers were discussing favorite pod casts. While I sample writing pod casts, they are not my favorites. My favorites are informational and cover a wide range of topics. They include: Missing in the Carolinas, a true crime podcast by writing friend Renee Roberson. Renee is a top notch researcher and journalist. … Continue reading Podcasts: Learn about Writing and Find Inspiration →

Free to Use and Reuse at the LOC

Check out these awesome posters. They are from the Library of Congress and free to use. The library makes a number of images available. You can find them here on the Free to Use and Reuse Sets page. These posters are both part of the “Libraries” collection and were printed by the WPA during World … Continue reading Free to Use and Reuse at the LOC →

SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards

I voted!  Members are casting ballots in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kites Awards.  The Crystal Kites are voted on by your peers, fellow authors and illustrators.  There is an award for each of the SCBWI regional divisions worldwide. This means that as a member of the Mid-South, I vote for … Continue reading SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards →

Why You Need to Reread the Books You First Loved

I’ve been cleaning out and decluttering. This weekend, I got around to the bottom shelf on our bedroom bookcase. Book had been crammed onto the shelf but it hadn’t been dusted in several years. It was long past time to remove everything, get rid of the books I can’t explain, and dust. And it was … Continue reading Why You Need to Reread the Books You First Loved →

Research: Sometimes It Means Getting Your Hands Dirty

When we get ready to write something new, writers research. We do Google searches on our topic. We look for first hand experience. We scroll through photos. But sometimes what we need to do is get our hands dirty, figuratively if not literally. Year ago, I was working a rummage sale when I saw an … Continue reading Research: Sometimes It Means Getting Your Hands Dirty →

How Much Do You Need to Read?

Before you try writing (picture books/YA fantasy/middle grade science fiction/whatever) you need to read. Some people will say read 50 books. Some will say 100. I’d be willing to bet that some say that the number should be much, much larger. And in a sense, they are all right. How can they all be right? … Continue reading How Much Do You Need to Read? →