by Salina Yoon & Christopher Polentz People often ask me if my characters come first, or the story. Which inspires the other? Each book is different, but it’s an interesting question, and fun t…
Source: Storystorm Day 9: “The Original Character” by Salina Yoon & Christopher Polentz
Intriguing way to search for story ideas!
by Tara Lazar (with Deb Lund) Over the holidays, I caught an NPR broadcast on secular Christmas music. Immediately struck by the rich voices of Perry Como, Judy Garland, and Nat King Cole, I listen…
Source: Storystorm Day 8: “Sing Along to the Classics” by Tara Lazar
Can we learn from and be inspired by the classics? You bet! That’s why they’re classics!
by Jennifer Arena A year ago last autumn in Chicago during the Architecture Biennial, one exhibit captured my imagination. Situated in the middle of a large room were several dozen waist-high stand…
Source: Storystorm Day 7: “Be Big! Be Small! Be Any Size at All!” by Jennifer Arena
Need fresh ideas? Change your perspective! Can you see those tiny people sitting on a mountain of chips?
by Hannah Barnaby Novels were my first love—as a children’s literature graduate student, as an editor, as a bookseller, and then as a writer. I loved long descriptive passages, the rising ten…
Source: Storystorm Day 6: “Switching Sides: How a Novelist Became a Picture Book Writer” by Hannah Barnaby
by Dan Moynihan “DON’T THINK. JUST DRAW.” That’s what I’ll tell you in one of my collaborative story-making events. That’s our motto as we set forth to create a wild batch of picture book stories i…
Source: Storystorm Day 5: “Don’t Think. Just Draw.” by Dan Moynihan
Don’t think – just go. Allow the creative juices to flow and see where your story takes you! Thanks, Dan!
by Tammi Sauer I am a huge fan of Storystorm (formerly known as PiBoIdMo). Many of my books started right here! YOUR ALIEN, my book with Goro Fujita, for example, first appeared on my 2012 PiBoIdMo…
Source: Storystorm Day 4: “What’s the Big Idea? Ask the Big Question!” by Tammi Sauer
Oh, this is good stuff, writers! Beautiful strategy for getting those ideas and storylines flowing! Thanks, Tammi (and Tara)!
by Josh Funk Yesterday, Tara told us to be mindful and also to daydream. Mindfulness and daydreaming may seem like opposites; pay close attention to the world…and pay attention to only what’s…
Source: Storystorm Day 3: “Eye Loaf Otter Car Wrecks” by Josh Funk
This great post by Josh Funk encourages us to salvage those autocorrect disasters and mine them for future writing projects! Way to go, Josh!
Storystorm! A month of brainstorming, learning, making friends, writing – all centered on picture books. Come on, writers, let’s go!
by Tara Lazar Amidst the chaos and confusion of the past year, a Zen movement gathered steam, gently simmering in the background of our harried lives and minds. You may have noticed—albeit fleeting…
Source: Storystorm Day 2: “To Mind or Not to Mind” by Tara Lazar
My January writing activities include Storystorm! Thanks, Tara Lazar!
by Guest: Deb Lund
I’ve been restless lately. Uncertain. Wondering what to work on next, but not taking action. Growing up in northern Minnesota, the outward version of that was an approaching storm—…
Source: Storystorm Day 1: “The Calm Before the Storm” by Deb Lund
wafts of spice tickle
quivering noses and tongues
gingerbread delight
~ Angie Quantrell
There is most decidedly a reason that gingerbread has become synonomous with Christmas.
The scent.
The fragrance of warm spices, the steam of a hot oven, the soft melting of toasted cookies melting in your mouth…
Welcome, gingerbread. Welcome, Christmas.
Love, Laughter, and Life 