Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 44

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week

The first full week in February each year is Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week. My writing friend Pat Danna has been posting favorite books all week long on Facebook. So I thought I’d take a moment to share some of my favorites.  When I was little, my absolute favorite book was Puffy. My mother always called it Puffy … Continue reading Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week →

Finding Ideas

The vast majority of my ideas come when I consume media. No, I don’t worry about copying because that isn’t what I’m doing. I may want to know more about a historical figure mentioned in someone’s book. Or I feel the need to explore a location where a documentary took place. Or I’ll pick up a book only to … Continue reading Finding Ideas →

World Read Aloud Day

Today is World Read Aloud Day. Whether you are an author, a teacher or just someone who loves books, reading matters.  World Read Aloud Day was founded in 2010 by the nonprofit organization LitWorld. There is a reason that so many preschool and toddler programs like Parent’s as Teacher emphasize reading aloud. Children who hear stories … Continue reading World Read Aloud Day →

Do You Have What It Takes to Write Nonfiction?

People often ask me what it takes to write nonfiction for young readers. They assume that … To these three things I would respond, maybe, maybe, and not if you’re going to be preachy about it.  I honestly think that the most important trait is curiosity. You need to be curious about the world. You need to be … Continue reading Do You Have What It Takes to Write Nonfiction? →

Guiding Your Reader, Step by Step

I have to admit that before I agreed to take on this particular project, I took a good hard look at the guidelines. What did the editors want me to include? There is so much guilt and self-hatred when it comes to diet and body that I didn’t want to add to that. After all, the reality is … Continue reading Guiding Your Reader, Step by Step →

Looking for Picture Book Ideas? Start with Word Play

Yesterday I read a stack of picture books. That’s something that I do every now and then because the books I’ve requested tend to arrive at the library in bunches. Or, since they are books, I should probably say stacks. So I gathered together something to drink and my library books and settled down on the sofa to … Continue reading Looking for Picture Book Ideas? Start with Word Play →

How and Why to Create a Picture Book Dummy

If you write picture books but have never dummied your work before, give it a try. A dummy allows you to test out your manuscript. It will help you see: If you’ve never created a dummy? Here is how I do it. Staple together 16 pieces of paper.   Wait a minute. Isn’t a picture … Continue reading How and Why to Create a Picture Book Dummy →

My Path To Becoming a Writer

When I was a new children’s writer, I made an uncomfortable discovery. It seemed like everyone else who was writing for young readers was a teacher or a librarian. They had kids. This was their world!  Me? I had always loved books. I loved stories even before I could read. My father, also a committed reader, discovered early on that … Continue reading My Path To Becoming a Writer →

How Many Projects at Once?

Yesterday another nonfiction writer posted that she is currently working on four projects. She said that she can do this because they are very different from each other. This made me wonder – how many projects am I working on at once?  1 – Contracted Nonfiction: Teens and Tweens My primary focus right now is a … Continue reading How Many Projects at Once? →

Interior Dialogue: What Characters Say to Themselves

“What does your character think about what just happened?  What does he feel?” I hate it when I get this question on a manuscript. Generally when someone says this, I know the answer. I think the information is in the story, but my reader just doesn’t get it. One of the ways to get this information across … Continue reading Interior Dialogue: What Characters Say to Themselves →