Getting to “The Heart” of Your Story

by Laurie Smollett Kutscera

As writers, we all know inspiration can come from just about everywhere. Listening to a child’s conversation, or watching critters outside interact on a crisp autumn day. Sometimes inspiration comes from the memories woven into a faded photograph, or the grief that follows the loss of a friend. I’m hoping to help you find the heart of your story by sharing how I found the heart of my 2nd published book – Maya’s Treasures.

Maya’s Treasure Summary:
Each morning when the sun rises, Maya and her sister, Alita, go to the shore to collect the beautiful seashells the waves wash up on the beach overnight. The sisters scrub their finds until they sparkle like stars, then string them together to make beautiful jewelry they can sell to the people in their island village. When Alita discards shells she deems too broken or ugly, Maya rescues them and remembers the words of her grandmother: ''Even the tiniest nub can be quite beautiful. You just have to find the magic in it.'' But can Maya turn the cast-off shells into something truly special?

It was an overwhelming feeling of loss that inspired me to write Maya’s Treasure. I wanted to put into words the ‘gifts’ my friend Enid had shared with me, and everyone who knew her.
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Wherever we were, sitting on the porch of their vacation cabin in Grand Lakes Stream Maine, or just traveling down a quiet road near our home, Enid would always notice something remarkable happening that none of us were paying attention to. “Did you see that gnarly tree?” Or, “Ohhhh, did you notice the wings on that turkey vulture?” She saw beauty in everything. Enid taught me to connect with the magic around me, and when she passed away, I felt lost. That’s when the words came to me.

I sat down and began writing about a girl, who guided by her grandmother’s words, finds beauty and purpose in the shells used to make jewelry that her sister deems damaged.

That first draft was beyond helpful to me emotionally. To share what Enid had meant to me and get it down on paper was in many ways healing. But I also knew if this was to be a picture book I needed to make sure the heart of the story was strong enough to connect with young readers.

I continued to write and rewrite. With each new draft I added another layer— more tension between the siblings, problem solving opportunities for Maya, and finally, the all-important environmental obstacle that helped bring Maya’s Treasure to a satisfying ending. Each new layer building on the other through the use of lyrical language. It took me two years, but I had finally created the emotional arc that made the heart of the story even stronger.

Now it was time to work on the illustrations. Having found the perfect model for Maya, the dummy and final sketches came together quickly. But choosing the right medium was another dilemma— it was as crucial as my choice of words.

Digital wasn’t going to work for this project. I needed a medium that would evoke more emotion. I started playing with watercolor and colored pencils but I wasn’t feeling “the heart” in either. I wanted a medium that would add richness and vibrancy to Maya’s world. Pastel, I thought, would be the perfect choice.

Deep, starry night blues and dark, stormy purples added quite a bit to the dreamy quality of the story. An organic and more textural material, pastel gave Maya’s Treasure the “visual heart” I was looking for.

After subbing Maya’s Treasure for over a year, I was excited to receive an offer of publication from Peter Pauper Press. At the same time, I also found representation with my wonderful agent, Matt Belford at Tobias Literary.

My journey to publication began in 2016 and the book was just released last month, November 2021. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the idea of being a published author. Don’t rush. Let changes percolate for a while. If you take your time and give your work room to blossom, getting to the heart of the story will be a much more rewarding experience.

So now I’d like to ask you to dig deep into something tender or touching in your story and see if perhaps that might be the heart of your story. Then ask yourself how you can focus on that to make it even more meaningful, poetic, and touching

Laurie Smollett Kutscera was born in New York City, and studied fine art and children’s book illustration at Queens College. Her love for art, storytelling, and most of all those stories representing characters who discover hidden strength flourished throughout her graphics design career, leading her to illustrate Ravita and the Land of Unknown Shadows. Maya’s Treasure, her second solo project after middle-grade novel Misadventures of a Magician’s Son, also shares a story inspired by a dear friend. Laurie lives on the north shore of Long Island with her husband, and rescue dog Abby, where she continues to bring her stories to life. Laurie is also a Children’s Book Academy graduate She is available for lively virtual visits for schools and other groups interested in kidlit art and children’s literature.

Find Laurie here and participate in her giveaway

twitter:@lkutscera
instagram:lauriesmollettkutscera
website: LSKillustration.com
Purchase Maya's Treasure here:
https://www.amazon.com/Mayas-Treasure-Laurie-Smollett-Kutscera/dp/1441337628

And now for some great news! Laurie is giving away either a signed book for someone in the US or a 500 word or less PB critique to some lucky winner. All you need to do is follow Laurie on Twitter or Instagram and tag her with #MayasTreasurePB and post something meaningful or touching from your own life below. You have 10 days to enter until January 13th! Fingers crossed for you. Wish I could enter.

​Oh my, I couldn't resist making a wee video review for this book because I loved it so much. So proud of Laurie and her beautiful and meaningful work. I hope you like it and get a sense of how lovely this book is.