Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 57

Time for Revision

This is a great depiction of the project I have due Friday. I roughed it out all the while knowing that there were big changes ahead. Such big changes. But you know how it goes. You can’t fix it until you’ve got it down. I’ve worked with people who simply freeze up when it comes … Continue reading Time for Revision →

National Literacy Month

Did you know that September is National Literacy Month? This is the display case just inside the front doors of my local library. Nine times out of ten, when I pass it, I want to go find a librarian. “Can you get the key? I need the third book from the left. No, I don’t … Continue reading National Literacy Month →

Review of Santa’s Slip Up by Raven Howell

On a dark Halloween night, everything spooky and scary is out and about. There’s the black cat, a spider, bats, scary clowns and witches. And into all of this spook and scare comes the unexpected. “Merry Christmas! Ho, ho!?” Santa goofed! He’s there on the wrong day entirely but Santa isn’t one to let an … Continue reading Review of Santa’s Slip Up by Raven Howell →

Early Readers: Working with Repetition

One of my writing friends has been working on an early reader. I have to admit that when it comes time to critique, I find myself saying things like “If this was a picture book . . .” or “I’m not sure how much description is in an early reader. Not super helpful. But I … Continue reading Early Readers: Working with Repetition →

Banning Book Bans

The first title that I tried out for this post was “Banning Bans.” It felt like a tongue twister or some sort of word play. But it is actually good news for the people of California. There is a bill on the governor of California’s desk. If he signs it, there will be a law … Continue reading Banning Book Bans →

Guest Post: The Fascinating Story Behind “Monster Mash”

I’m taking part in a blog tour for Raven Howell’s picture book, Santa’s Slip Up. As part of this tour, Raven has written today’s blog post (see below). Below the blog post is the schedule for the tour. Come back on Friday (9/15) for my review of her book. Now I’ll hand things off to … Continue reading Guest Post: The Fascinating Story Behind “Monster Mash” →

Do You Have What It Takes to Write Nonfiction?

Three of my new books arrived on my doorstep on Saturday. I finished American Life in the 1970s about a year before Fish and Activision Blizzard. Even if these three books weren’t all created in the same season, they do demonstrate something important about this market. All kinds of kids are interested in all kinds … Continue reading Do You Have What It Takes to Write Nonfiction? →

Celebrate Your Library

Did you know that September is Library Card Signup Month? If you already have a library card, there are lots of ways to celebrate what that little card can do for you. If you live in an area with a top notch library system, use it. And let your librarians know that you appreciate them … Continue reading Celebrate Your Library →

The Need for Detailed Research

Last weekend, four kendo dojos held demonstrations at a Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. I would never claim to be a kendo expert but I do have a number of people I can ask. Hint: My son is second from the right and I know several of his friends in this photo. The … Continue reading The Need for Detailed Research →

Time to Revise

You’ve finished a draft of your picture book/poem/short story/novel. When the time comes to revise, many of us simply work at making the current form work. We don’t consider experimenting to make sure that we’ve settled on the best possible form. In her book Writing Picture Books, Ann Whitford Paul advises readers to try telling … Continue reading Time to Revise →