Sunday, July 22, 2012

Coming This Week!


Week of July 22, 2012—Common Problems in Picture Book Manuscripts
Quotes of the week:
The important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution.
Unknown

Laugh at your problems, everyone else does.
Unknown

I critique lots of manuscripts—and I love it. I belong to two critique groups with a total of twelve members, I critique student writing on a daily basis, I critique the model writing that teachers present in lessons with students, and I have a critique business which brings the manuscripts of picture book writers from around the country (and a few from Canada) to my house on a regular basis.

Critiquing others, makes my writing better. Why? Because it always seems easier to identify a problem in someone else’s writing than in your own! Which reminds me of another quote . . . “If you caught it, you got it.” When I catch the same problem over and over in manuscripts, often it’s an indicator that I have that same problem in my own writing.

This week we’ll look at five of the most common problems I see when I critique picture book manuscripts. (And when I write my own.)

Monday—A Problem with the Problem
Tuesday—Under-developed Plot
Wednesday--Too Much Backstory
Thursday—Talking Heads
Friday—Trying Too Hard 

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