Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 85

Writing Nonfiction: Deciding What Is Main Text vs Sidebars and Back Matter

Just when you think you’ve about finished your nonfiction manuscript, you realize that it is too long. Or you don’t have enough sidebars. Or you’ve gone off on too many tangents. All of this and more can be solved with a careful use of back matter and sidebars. Let me explain how. Start with a … Continue reading Writing Nonfiction: Deciding What Is Main Text vs Sidebars and Back Matter →

How and Why to Slant Your Work

When I’m working with a new nonfiction writing student, one of the topics that we discuss is how they should slant their work. The reality is that whether you are writing nonfiction book for teens or a picture book, your book is going to have a slant. Don’t panic. This isn’t the same type of … Continue reading How and Why to Slant Your Work →

Preparing to Write a New Book? Read the Competition

You’ve got an idea for a new book. You’re eager to start writing, but there is something that you need to do early in the process. You need to check out the competition. I always tell my writing students to do this because it is the best way to know that there is room for … Continue reading Preparing to Write a New Book? Read the Competition →

What Are You Reading?

As soon as I saw this word and the definition, I thought of my early love of reading and books. I was the kid who read during spelling tests. I brought a book to every function I attended. I loved Sunday when I went home with my grandmother after church. We watched TV in the … Continue reading What Are You Reading? →

10 Helpful Plot Twists

Recently I read this Writer’s Digest post about how to use plot twists to get “unstuck” when your plot bogs down. But a plot twist can do more than help you get going again. It can also increase tension or provide a solution to a story problem. Here are five plot twists I’m considering as … Continue reading 10 Helpful Plot Twists →

Poet Laureate Ada Limón

Yesterday it was announced that the next US poet laureate is Ada Limón. Limón will take on her duties this fall when she gives a presentation at the Library of Congress. Did you know that one of the Librarian’s duties is to select the poet laureate? How cool is that? I loved what Librarian Carla … Continue reading Poet Laureate Ada Limón →

Two Is the Limit on Gestures and Expressive Verbs

In mid-June, I read Nathan Bransford’s blog post, “Avoid Aimless Stage Direction.” One of the things that he wrote about was making your gestures meaningful. He warned that generic gestures can be overdone. If your character sighs, shrugs, or sways with indecision she should sigh, shrug or sway no more than twice in the course … Continue reading Two Is the Limit on Gestures and Expressive Verbs →

Story Stakes: External, Internal and Philosophical

Type type type type. Delete delete delete. I’ve been working and planning and plotting. I’m taking a class on narrative structure, using it to workshop my middle grade science fiction, Airstream. As I work on it, I’ve been wondering about my story stakes. They don’t always feel high enough. I think the problem lies in … Continue reading Story Stakes: External, Internal and Philosophical →

Themed Word Lists for your Picture Book

Yesterday I blogged about how to make your picture book a fun read aloud. I’m embarrassed to admit that I forgot to write about themed word lists! A themed word list is any word list full of words that focus on your picture book’s topic or theme. Maybe you are writing a book about dogs … Continue reading Themed Word Lists for your Picture Book →

Should You Write in Rhyme?

One of the most common pieces of advice given to new picture book writers is not to write in rhyme. “But why?” they say. “We see published picture books written in rhyme. Obviously these manuscripts sell.” And that’s true. But to sell, rhyme has got to be spot on and flawless. And that means that … Continue reading Should You Write in Rhyme? →