by Bryan Patrick Avery

At the beginning of every year, we make new year’s resolutions, set goals, and make vision boards. Maybe we want to get that latest novel finished, learn to write in a new genre, or get our debut book out into the world. Whatever your goal (or goals) this year, I’ll pulled a few books off my shelf that can help you get started in the right direction.

Ready
Unless you’re a complete pantser (no judgement here), your first step in any new project is to put together a high-level view of your story. For many us, that means creating a story spine. Though often attributed to Pixar, due to its use of the concept, the story spine is actually the creation of Kenn Adams. An award-winning playwright, Adams documented the story spine concept in his book HOW TO IMPROVISE A FULL-LENGTH PLAY: THE ART OF SPONTANEOUS THEATRE. 

The book focuses on theatrical improv, but the concepts are applicable to any type of storytelling. I won’t go over the story spine here but check out Adams’ book which not only lays out the concept but give examples of how to use it to flesh out a story from beginning to end. Whether you’re writing picture books, middle grade, or YA, this book can help you create a well-structured story that will resonate with readers.

Set
Even the greatest (and most well thought-out) ideas can fall flat with readers if they aren’t well executed. This is where craft comes in. If you’re looking for a single resource that can help you hone your craft as a writer, check out Cheryl B. Klein’s THE MAGIC WORDS: WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. Klein brings her vast experience as an editor of books for children to this book, covering everything from rough guidelines on word counts to plotting your stories. 

One of my favorite chapters in the book focuses on voice. With a series of explanations and exercises, Klein breaks down creating a maintaining voice in your writing into digestible chunks that will make it easier to apply to your work. If you’ve got a plan for a story you want to work on, or you’re revising something already in progress, check out THE MAGIC WORDS. You will, undoubtably, find something that will help make your writing stronger.

GO!
There’s more to building an author’s career than writing. Social-networking, agent-hunting, and promotion all play a key role in your success as an author. Given the complexity, it can be difficult to know where to start. Enter THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER by Jane Friedman. Focused on the notion that writing is a business, Friedman sets out to teach writers who to survive, and thrive, in the publishing world. After setting the stage by showing what the writing life is like, THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER dives into an overview of the publishing industry, how to get your work published, and what to do once it gets published. 

I have many writing books in my home library. This is one of the few that dives deep into how to turn a love of storytelling into a long-term career. The section on creating an author platform is worth the cost of the book all on its own. Still, don’t miss Section 5: How Writers Make Money. If you want to turn your storytelling into a profitable business, this book is for you.
 
Well, that’s all for now. Happy New Year and have a magical month.

1. Write your observations, questions, ideas, bits of dialogue, doodles, and more, either in a notebook or on your phone or computer. Try to find and capture several new story ideas today, this week, and this month.
2. Pick a few manuscripts that you will revise over the next few months. They can be new or old. View them with fresh eyes, and don’t be afraid to completely revision the stories if necessary.
3. Resolve to read three new kidlit titles each week this month. Study the books and note what works and what doesn’t work. Think about how these mentor texts can inform your writing.
4. Perhaps try writing in a different genre – if you usually write fiction, try researching for a non-fiction story. Or perhaps if you usually write picture books, try writing a chapter book or middle grade novel!
5. If you are ready to submit to agents and editors, make it a goal this month.
6. Spend time with your critique partners – renew your commitments and double down on your critiques. Or create a group to work with and enrich your writing life. 
7. If you are marketing a book, find new ways to get your message out there. Review your social media, and think outside the box in terms of publicity methods, virtual school visits, other speaking engagements, guest posts on kidlit blogs, and more.

Let’s all make the most of the start to a new year! Cheers to creativity and to continued writing success in 2021! 

BIO:
Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush, Ready, Set, GOrilla!, and Sadie’s Shabbat Stories. (Clear Fork, 2018 and 2020). Melissa is a Blogger and Course Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, a Moderator for the Debut Picture Book Study Group, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, and a founding member of The Book Meshuggenahs. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and long beach walks.

CONNECT:  
https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog 
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller
http://www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
http://www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller

by Bryan Patrick Avery

Well, it’s been quite a year. Whether you’ve been able to put aside all the stresses of the year to keep working towards your writing goals or you’ve barely been able to keep on track, I congratulate you. This has been a difficult year for so many so give yourself a break(and a pat on the back).

For my last post of the year, I’d like to highlight several of the books I turn to for inspiration, as mentor texts, or just for plain old enjoyment. These are some of the more recent books I return to again and again as I work on my own stories and they’ve helped me along my storytelling journey. I hope you find something here that inspires or guides you.

Enjoy!

​DRAWN TOGETHER by Minh Lê and Dan Santat
THE UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson
ONE FOX by Kate Read
THE LAST PEACH by Gus Gordon

​SUPER HAPPY PARTY BEARS by Marcie Colleen
EERIE ELEMENTARY by Jack Chabert
A TO Z MYSTERIES by Ron Roy
THE BAD GUYS by Aaron Blabey

​33 MINUTES by Todd Hasak-Lowy and Bethany Barton
MIDNIGHT AT THE BARCLAY HOTEL by Fleur Bradley
THE PARKER INHERITANCE by Varian Johnson
HARBOR ME by Jacqueline Woodson

​THE MOON WITHIN by Aida Salazar
GARVEY’S CHOICE by Nikki Grimes
THE ONE AND ONLY BOB by Katherine Applegate
LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds

​SHIRLEY & JAMILA SAVE THEIR SUMMER by Gillian Goerz
NEW KID by Jerry Craft
NIMONA by Noelle Stevenson
ROLLER GIRL by Victoria Jamieson

If you haven’t already, take a look at these books. I hope they’ll inspire your writing as much as they’ve inspired mine.

Well, that’s all for this month (and this year). Happy writing and have a magical new year.

Bryan Patrick Avery writes picture books, chapter books, middle grade and graphic novels. His middle grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, was published in June 2020 in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, an anthology from HarperCollins and the Mystery Writers of America. His debut picture book, THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, will be published in Spring 2021 by Clearfork Publishing/Spork.

By Melissa Stoller

During the winter holidays, take a moment to reflect about what makes your holiday traditions - or any other rituals - special to you. Use these thoughts as inspiration for a book idea. Here are a few writing prompts to get you started, and an activity to connect with family and friends. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and safe season, and cheers to 2021! ​

This year I decided to go big or go home (guess who was able to do both?) and help former students and friends get the word out about their recent books (because Covid sucks for releasing new books and bookstores), and raise money for scholarships now that my hubs has been rendered unemployable with Covid and age, and give massively to our kidlit community with the 2020 Picture Book Palooza scholarship fundraiser. 

One of my 3 presentations was about the Wonderful World of World Wide Resources and because I've been a crazed wombat putting the Palooza together with 40 speakers, 5 parties, and tons of giveaways and also setting up some outrageously fabulous Golden Ticket Showcase judges for our January Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books course and living on 4 hrs sleep a night, I forgot to do my blog post. Yikes! So what better than to share some of these resources starting with the ones for Research? These research links are for researching fiction and nonfiction and seeing what else is out there, although some of them could easily go in the other structural categories that I set up - Inspiration, research, educational and publishing access, which I'll be publishing here on the first Monday of the month, or you can access them all at one by registering for the Palooza. Anything underlined is a link. 

Also heads up, I'm moderating the final panel on Illustrating and writing tonight (at 4PM Pacific Standard time), which shows the connections between the two while focusing on what illustration does and how it does it. So it's not too late to join for only $20, see this fantastic panel with Larissa Marantz, Lisa Goldberg, Fia Kilbourne, and Chantelle and Burgen Thorne AND receive access to the Giveaways and Recordings all for only $20!!! Just click right here!

Newspapers.com (thanks Alice Faye Duncan)

Museum Archives

Facebook for whatever your topic is about

Google whatever your topic is about

Pinterest the same

Questia aprox $20 pm for academic resources where you can copy and paste quotes and notes

Historical societies or societies related to your topic on the web

Writing and Illustrating: Kathy Temean’s wonderful blog sharing information About writing and illustrating for children

Reading For Research Month (ReFoReMo): A blog and Facebook grouP about reading children’s lit for research purposes

​Nerdy Book Club: Shares love of reading with others as well as hosting the Nerdies Book Awards.

SCBWI British Isles Blog: A worldwide organisation of writers and illustrators of children's books, whether published, not yet published, or independently published. Most SCBWI regions have their own blogs or newsletters as well.

Mem Fox: A blog by a successful Australian Kidlit writer.
​Design of the Picture Book: Carter Higgins writes about picture books and graphic design

Nonfiction Ninjas: The Nonfiction Ninjas are a group of nonfiction authors who have a passion for nonfiction.
​
Book Meshuggenahs: A group of Jewish women who write traditionally-published Jewish-themed books.

Pass It On: A wonderful weekly, interactive e-zine for anyone interested in the Children’s Book writing and illustrating industry, especially Aussies and Kiwis.

Write Links: Write Links is a support group for beginner and emerging children’s writers and writer/illustrators living in Brisbane, Qld and the surrounding area.

Kidlit411 - a total treasure trove of resources!

And if any of this is helpful, or you want to comment on the Palooza, or you have some other great research suggestions, please drop a comment below. xoxox