Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 272
May 7, 2015
Mentorship: YA writers have the chance to work with Jennifer Brown
One of the best things about going to the Missouri SCBWI Retreat is having the chance to work with and learn from my fellow writers. But why wait until the next retreat to seize this kind of opportunity? If you are a young adult writer, an SCBWI member and living in Missouri, you can apply […]
May 6, 2015
Story Arc: How to plot your nonfiction picture bookBook
Hi Folks! This is my last post on what I learned at this year’s Missouri SCBWI Writing Retreat. This lesson came together for me before the retreat. One of the comments that Katherine Jacobs made on my picture book was that I needed a stronger story arc. She suggested that I read Bread, Bread, Bread […]
May 5, 2015
Plot: Plot and Pacing working together
When we discuss plot and pacing, most of us think of either the 3 Act Structure or Freytag’s Pyramid. In Freytag’s Pyramid, the story consists of 5 primary parts: Exposition: This is the everyday world. The reader learns what she needs to know to understand the story. There is an inciting incident and then … […]
May 4, 2015
Critique: The wonder of a top notch critique group
One of the best parts of the Misssouri SCBWI Writing Retreat is the opportunity to work with a top-notch critique group. I have the honor of getting to run one of the groups each year but I have to admit that it’s a socialist affair. I want to hear about everyone’s groups and then we […]
May 3, 2015
Picture Books: Learning from published texts
As promised last week, this week, I will be writing about various things I learned at the Missouri SCBWI Writing Retreat at Conception Abbey. One of the first lessons I learned this year was how to study a picture book. When Katherine Jacobs, editor at Roaring Brook Press, recommended that I take a look at Bread, […]
April 30, 2015
Blogging: Don’t Chance Disaster
If you’re a blogger, this post is for you. If you aren’t a blogger, check out my post tomorrow at the Muffin. Maybe after reading why I blog, you’ll decide to do it too. Most of us get it. Back up your hard drive. But how many of us take the time to back up our […]
April 29, 2015
Rewriting: Take Your Time
About five days before the retreat, I got my manuscript back from the editor. There were some comments and boy oh boy did some of them look helpful. I know that many of my peers rushed to get a rewrite done before meeting with the editor. Not me. Instead I arrived with a list of […]
April 28, 2015
Agents: Agents currently looking for authors
I love it when I find an agent that is looking for new writers. Take a look at the names below and see if one of them might be a bood match for you. Maria Lamba is an associate agent at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. At the moment, she is interested in: Young adult […]
April 27, 2015
Book awards: Crystal Kite voting Round 2 now open!
If you are a full member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, you can now cast your vote in Round 2! Don’t dawdle. This round of the voting closes on April 30, 2015. As before, go to the SCBWI web site and log in. The top right corner of your screen will […]
April 26, 2015
Writing Events: I just came home from the Missouri SCBWI Writing Retreat
I’m just home from another wonderful Missouri SCBWI writer’s retreat. After I take a few days and process all that I learned, I’ll be writing up some blog posts to share a few tidbits with all of you. Until then, here are some basics to keep in mind if you are planning to attend an […]
