Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 61
June 20, 2023
The Right Cover for the Book
We may say “never judge a book by its cover,” but it is often the first thing we notice. Or at least that was my experience the other day when I picked a stack of books up at the library. Among the other books was I AM THE STORM by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple. … Continue reading The Right Cover for the Book →
June 19, 2023
Getting Over Our Selves: Guest Post by Ronald Chapman
Good morning, wonderful writers! Today we are joined by author Ronald Chapman. He is writing about a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Very few of us become successful without help from others and yet it can be easy to forget. Some advantages are socio-economic. Others are simply a matter of luck. … Continue reading Getting Over Our Selves: Guest Post by Ronald Chapman →
June 18, 2023
Juneteenth
Today is Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865. This was the day that Major General Gordon Granger announced that slaves in Texas were free. Juneteenth originated in Galveston. This federal holiday helps us remember that equality is a long time goal and something that we are still striving for. Two books off my shelves that you … Continue reading Juneteenth →
June 15, 2023
How to Make Your Readers Care
“I like to start with action so how do I make readers empathize with my character?” This is something that writers often ask. And it can be tricky. We want to start with drama and action and danger! But when we do that and the reader doesn’t yet know our character, they don’t care as … Continue reading How to Make Your Readers Care →
June 14, 2023
Revision: Working with Reading Level
Tippy-tippity-tap. I’d like to think that as I’m revising this week the words are just flying. But I’m fine tuning reading level so that just is not my reality. It seems like 90% of the time I can drop my text to a fourth or fifth grade level with no problem. But getting it down … Continue reading Revision: Working with Reading Level →
June 13, 2023
5 Essentials for a Picture Book Biography
When a friend recommended Make Way, I knew I wanted to read it but how was it going to fly as a children’s book? After all, I adore Make Way for Ducklings but does it still have a big enough draw? The answer, especially where this book is concerned, is yes. But part of it … Continue reading 5 Essentials for a Picture Book Biography →
June 12, 2023
5 Must Have Artifacts
I’ve been taking place in writing coach Kevin T. Johns’ Story Plan Intensive. Although I have the basics of story structure down, this has been useful to me just because he looks at things a little differently than I do. For example, in our first assignment, we had to come up with 5 pieces of … Continue reading 5 Must Have Artifacts →
Book Bans: Is the Government Getting Involved?
On May 22, 2023, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights contacted Forsyth County School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden to inform him that the schools removal of 8 books from school and classroom libraries. Initial complaints were that the books contained inappropriate sexual content but in the board meetings preceding the removal some comments … Continue reading Book Bans: Is the Government Getting Involved? →
June 8, 2023
Responding to Critique
So how did it go earlier this week when I ran my new picture book past my critique group? About as well as can be expected! While I always hope that they’ll tell me I’m brilliant, they told me what they liked, but they also told me what I needed to fix. The best feature … Continue reading Responding to Critique →
June 7, 2023
Why Is This Your Story to Tell?
Lately I’ve encountered multiple conversations online about submitting to agents, periodicals, or publishers. Many are now using submission forms, some on Submittable. And there is one question that seems to thoroughly annoy a large number of writers. Why are you the person who should tell this story? Or, another variation, why is this your story … Continue reading Why Is This Your Story to Tell? →
