Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 13

How to Create Multifaceted Antagonists

Recently, I was reading an issue of Janice Hardy’s Fiction University. She had a piece about creating multifaceted antagonists. She really didn’t. I had a powerful dyslexic moment. When this happens my brain recreates one word and this time it did it persistently. I glanced at this article two or three times before I realized … Continue reading How to Create Multifaceted Antagonists →

Not Sure How to Revise? Go Back to What You Loved

Thursday I pulled out the manuscript that I decided to revise for the Ann Whitford Paul grant. Hmm. I remembered loving this manuscript, but now? Now it felt decidedly ho hum. How could this be the manuscript that I nearly got a contract on? I decided to start reading Larson’s Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Books, … Continue reading Not Sure How to Revise? Go Back to What You Loved →

What Manuscript Should I Submit?

I’m getting ready to put together a submission for the Ann Whitford Paul and Writers Digest Most Promising Picture Book Manuscript Award. There is one award for fiction and another for nonfiction. I’ve been trying to decide which manuscript to submit. Last year, they received 660+ submissions. This year, they will likely get even more … Continue reading What Manuscript Should I Submit? →

Is That Book Fiction, Nonfiction, or Informational?

Recently one of the members of my critique group recommended Bears Are Best to someone else in the group. When they were telling us about it, they called it nonfiction. Why? Because there is all kinds of information about each species of bears including where they live and what they eat. “Nope. Talking bears explain … Continue reading Is That Book Fiction, Nonfiction, or Informational? →

Non-Compete Clauses: What They Are and Why They Matter

On Friday I got an email from one of my favorite editors. “We are looking for writers for this series.” I groaned when I saw the topic because less than a year ago I wrote a book for another editor at another company on a tangential topic. Was it too close? I decided that I … Continue reading Non-Compete Clauses: What They Are and Why They Matter →

Should You Write Work-for-Hire for the School Library Market?

Most of my writing income comes from my work for Red Line Editorial. This is where I get most of my assignments writing for the school library market. Periodically I am contacted my a freelance editor working for one of the school library publishers. Here are the traits that make me a good fit for … Continue reading Should You Write Work-for-Hire for the School Library Market? →

Self-Care and Writing

Last week I met the last of my contracted deadlines. That means that I can work on whatever I want for the foreseeable future. I have several things that I want to work on. They include: That’s the order I plan to work on these projects. But without deadlines on anything but the Ann Whitford … Continue reading Self-Care and Writing →

NaNoWriMo Shutting Down

Instead of working on my book yesterday afternoon, I spent time watching The State of NaNoWriMo – A Community Update – March 2025 on Youtube. To make a long story very short, NaNoWriMo is closing down. For those of you who aren’t familiar with NaNoWriMo, it is a nonprofit program built around the November challenge … Continue reading NaNoWriMo Shutting Down →

Writing the Funny Picture Book

Earlier in the week when I was reading a stack of picture books, I found the perfect April picture book. April is National Poetry Month and, while this book is NOT an example of great poetry, it does combine humor and rhyme. So, yes, it would have been perfect for April Fool’s Day. Too bad … Continue reading Writing the Funny Picture Book →

Picture Books: Plot vs Theme

Yesterday I read a stack of 11 picture books. Two by Cori Doerrfeld very deftly showed the difference between plot and theme. Plot is what happens in your picture book. It is the events in the story as well as the development, the rising tension, the climax and the dénouement. Is the story an adventure? … Continue reading Picture Books: Plot vs Theme →