“You don’t start a children’s book with dialogue. Children need a little info to get their bearings. A little where. A little who. Give them a bit of a reference point to begin with.”
Hmmm … I didn’t know that.
“You shouldn’t write children's books from the first person POV – it’s just creepy!”
Well … I didn’t know that either.
These are two of the tidbits I picked up while sorting through various author blog posts. I was perusing writer websites, mostly because this is my weakest area and I desperately need ideas on what to do, and these two gems popped out at me.
Although I can’t remember who it was that said each of those statements, what I do remember is that I had nothing in common with either author. They were as different from me as could be. They were young and trendy and used all the right hashtags. I’m old(er) and a throwback to a time when gas cost $0.52 a gallon. And hashtags give me hives.
But – I am teachable. I can learn from anyone. I took both those statements and went back and evaluated two of my picture books. One story went from first person POV to third person POV, and tada! ... Jewell was born. The other story got a fun beginning sentence to set up the scene.
Did it work? Yes, and yes!
It was a pleasant surprise to me, and I honestly believe that the changes made the books better. Much better. Thank you unknown writers!
So, should you be wandering through the cyber world of posts, blogs, and hashtags, go ahead and read some from writers that are not like you in the least – you might just learn something.
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