This little mouse arrived in my mailbox today as a gift from Rebecca Angus! It is so darling and was such a day brightener. I’m really looking forward to the release of MOUSE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT in October, 2018. Hope you are, too!
Category: Author life
Layers–Julie Hedlund’s list of layers in picture books and link to FB live seminar
Social media–gotta love it.
I was able to tune into a Facebook Live chat with Julie Hedlund about layers in picture books. She had some fantastic information. I shared it to my Facebook page if you are interested, or you can find it at the PB Summit Facebook page. I also have a link to Julie’s FB Page because her page offers some more fabulous tricks of the trade that I think are helpful to any picture book writer.
The layers she talked about were:
1. Plot
2. Character
3. Heart
4. Rule of Three
5. Pacing
6. Illustrations
7. Voice
8. Structure
9. Language
10. Theme
What a great list!
I loved how she gave example texts and talked about how they exemplified each layer.
So, for my next challenge, I am going to:
1. Check out some picture books and analyze for layering.
2. Revise my own manuscripts with these layers in mind.
I’ll let you know my progress! (Stay tuned!)
Thanks, Julie at PB Summit for a great FB Live post!
Writing- test of endurance and willingness to take a LEAP OF FAITH
So many points along the writing journey have required a leap of faith.
–Taking a writing course (even when it cost money)
–Believing that my manuscript was good enough to submit to an agent, magazine publication, or a book publishing house.
–Submitting the manuscript for the possible acceptance/rejection of that agent, publication, or a book publishing house. (FOLLOW THROUGH)
–Going to a Writing Conference
–Signing up for a 15 minute appointment with an expert at the Writing Conference
–Talking to other people that I didn’t know at the Writing Conference
–Joining a critique group
–Setting up a Blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter promoting the fact that I am a writer.
–Actually telling people face-to-face that I am a writer. That was and is probably the hardest! Especially when I don’t have anything published to show for myself (yet) 🙂
And,
I have taken each of these steps of faith along my writer’s path! And survived! God was (and is) with me every step along the way.
And, currently in my writing journey, I am facing another LEAP. Can’t explain the whole thing, but it is there. And looking very impossible!
So that’s why I’m reminding myself of the faithfulness of God.
Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Not to take this verse too far out of context but.. 1 Thess 4:24 “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
Many of Jesus’s miracles required the person he was helping to take a leap of faith.
Can you think of any examples?
Here’s an example from something I studied last week:
Jesus’s first miracle…turning the water into wine.
Have you ever noticed that the servants had to take the “water” to the master and present it to him as wine. The question is, when exactly did they KNOW they had wine in their jars?
I admire their faith.
I want to imitate their faith.
I will take my leap of faith. (Hold me accountable, please!)
I will let you know how it goes. Are you facing a leap of faith? I’d love to hear about it.
P.S. BTW, a good reminder. Even if what I want to happen doesn’t happen, God is there. And HE is enough!
Countdown to Publication…11 more months!
Would you like to help me on my publicity team?
Here is a Google Form that will help me to connect with you:
Marketing sign up for Mouse’s Christmas Gift
Only 11 months until my manuscript becomes an actual book! (Although it has been almost a decade since I started down this path!)
If you are willing, here are a few of the ways you can help me in the next year as I continue to build my social media platform:
1. Go to my Facebook Author page and like it, share it, and comment on anything and everything. It is helpful if you invite others that you think may be interested to like my page. The address is:
2. Twitter. Retweet things like my blog posts and tweets, especially as things get rolling and I do my cover reveal and other promo tweets like that. My twitter is @mindybakerbooks
3. I am now on Instagram. (mindybakerbooks) You can follow me there, too! I don’t know much about it, but I will be learning.
4. Goodreads and Amazon. I will tell you more about this as time gets closer. I hope to do some give-aways.
5. Become a follower on this blog (SO GLAD YOU ARE ALREADY HERE).
You may wonder where we are at in the publication process (and it is a lengthy process!)
The illustrator is Dow Phumiruk. She is so talented! You can see samples of her artwork on her website www.artbydow.com. I have seen the cover and it is adorable! I am really looking forward to the big reveal for that!
I want to thank you again for your interest, friendship, and support. It means the world! I am counting the days until October, 2018!
My take-aways from mini PB Summit on August 22
I recently watched a free PB Mini Summit online on August 22 with presenters Julie Hedlund, Jon Bard, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Katie Davis. Great content! After the evening presentation, I went to the library and checked out a few of the “mentor texts” they suggested. Had to put “MOTHER BRUCE” on hold, can’t wait for it to come in!
My take-aways
1. Think about pacing and how to create movement with words. Do I want to slow. certain. texts. down. to. a. standstill. Or do I want to create a more fast paced line that will zip along quickly and rapidly for the reader to read. And how do authors create a sing song quality… I’ve really been reflecting on the role of punctuation, repetition, and word choice.
2. I loved this quote by Kate Davis, “Cut soggy words and keep the crisp words.” As the one of the presenters said, “pictures are supposed to create 50% of the story.” So, if that is true, what should I cut out of my story to create space for the artist to work his/her magic?
**This got me thinking about how being an author/illustrator would be advantageous, because so much of the humor/sparkle comes in the pairing of the words and the art. (A little worried about this because I am not an artist.)
3. Use page turns to create suspense and reveal a surprise or punchline. I plan to go back through manuscripts to make sure that the page turn has a reason and/or a surprise waiting on the other side.
It was a really helpful mini-seminar, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to tune in!