Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 166
July 16, 2019
Cover Reveal: The Dark Web
Over the weekend I was fiddling around on Amazon when I found the cover for my latest North Star title, The Dark Web. It will be released in August. I admit that as I’m writing a title, I sometimes wonder what the cover will look like. What images will they use? What font will they choose? […]
July 15, 2019
Harper Alley
Good news for graphic novel fans! HarperCollins is launching HarperAlley, a graphic novel imprint for readers of all ages. What does this mean? As explained by Editorial Director Andrew Arnold, “We believe that a good story is a story that any reader can relate to. That’s what we mean when we say “readers of all […]
July 14, 2019
Theme: How Broad or Narrow Should You Make It?
Last week at critique group we ended up discussing theme. One of our members had just run a picture book rewrite through the group. She knew it needed another rewrite but what to bring forward? And what to minimize or cut altogether? A lot of this would depend on not only the plot but also the […]
July 11, 2019
A New Manuscript: How to Start Writing
One of my students mentioned to me that she is having troubles starting her manuscript. She has the research. She has the outline. She just can’t get the words to flow. Here are three different ways to start writing a new manuscript if you are having this problem. When you worry that the beginning isn’t […]
July 10, 2019
Onomatopoeia or SFX
This week, I’ve been rewriting my picture book level graphic novel. I’m having a lot of fun with it but admittedly find myself asking questions I’m not used to contemplating during the course of drafting a manuscript. What noise does someone make when they wretch? What sound does a vacuum make? What sound does it […]
July 9, 2019
Poetry: The Zejel
Maybe it is because I just finished reading Naomi Shihab Nye’s Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners, but I’ve been playing around with poetry a bit more than usual lately. My latest attempt is a zejel which you can find described by Robert Brewer here. The zejel is known as an old Spanish form but […]
July 8, 2019
Rewriting: When One Section Is Clearly the Best
It doesn’t matter if you are working on a picture book, graphic novel or novel. When the time comes to rewrite your work and you read through it, one section will stand out. “Wow. This is really good.” Good for you! Take a moment to celebrate and then get ready to get to work. No, […]
July 7, 2019
Copyright Free Photos
Last week, I was reading the Library of Congress (LOC) blog when I came across a post that included a photo of an ice cream vendor in long ago Cuba. What? The image was free for public use. I read the post closely and discovered that the LOC holdings online include a section titled “Free […]
July 4, 2019
Making STEM Fun
Why aren’t young learners interested in engineering/chemistry/physics/insert science of your choice here? The truth is that they are. That’s the funny thing about young learners. They are all about learning. They explore. They examine. They question. And they will keep learning, exploring, examining and questioning if they are encouraged to do so. That means putting […]
July 3, 2019
4th of July: Living the Life of a Freelancer
Well, it’s that time again. Time for my annual 4th of July post. Today I’m spending time with my family and taking time off to recharge my batteries. I hope you’ll be doing the same. Whether you are working are chilling out, it pays to be flexible. I’m not sure who is doing what in […]
