045 - Finding Voice in Picture Book Biographies with Lesa Cline-Ransome
Release Date: 03/14/2023
Picture Book Summit Podcast
Picture books are a truly unique genre of literature. Other books CAN be read aloud, but picture books are ENGINEERED exactly for that precise purpose. In this episode, Emma Walton Hamilton defines the importance of "Read-aloud-ability" (HINT: it can sway the submission process), while Katie Davis illustrates one impactful way to factor that secret sauce into your writing. Stay tuned! This is the first of a three-part series.
info_outline 070 - Meet the GatekeepersPicture Book Summit Podcast
Editor and agent assistants: the rarely-talked-about demi gods of the publishing industry. They are the gatekeepers, and if they don't think your manuscript is up to snuff, it won't be leaving the slush pile. So what can you do about that? In this episode, Emma Walton Hamilton asks editor and agent assistants AZ Hackett, Claire Tattersfield, and Gaby Caballero all the burning questions.
info_outline 069 - Shadra Strickland - The Parallel Universe of Authors and IllustratorsPicture Book Summit Podcast
Author/Illustrator and Agent Shadra Strickland reveals how to get at the heart of your story by sharing ideas and exercises to get your creativity flowing—in your brain and on the page. This is a fun one. Happy listening!
info_outline 068 - The Fan Brothers: To Imagination and BeyondPicture Book Summit Podcast
In this episode, Eric and Terry Fan, also known as writing-illustrating duo The Fan Brothers, are taking us to new worlds in To Imagination and Beyond. They reveal their unique path into picture books after originally pursuing other careers and talk about some of the unconventional sources for their story ideas. They are proof that stories can hop from one place to another: from a t-shirt design that eventually became The Night Gardener, or a careless doodle from thirty years ago that grew into Lizzy and the Cloud. Eric and Terry reveal how your next story may be waiting in the...
info_outline 067 The Cosmic Connection Between Beginnings and EndingsPicture Book Summit Podcast
Today’s episode features a practically perfect pair of presenters. You’ve seen presentations about great picture book beginnings. You’ve seen them about effective endings. But a truly great picture book relies on the connection between the two. Today, Emma Walton Hamilton & Julie Hedlund are here to show how to launch topflight stories and navigate them to stellar endings.
info_outline 066 Houston, Your Manuscript has a ProblemPicture Book Summit Podcast
One of the best ways to navigate your course as a writer is through critiques. In this episode of the podcast, we share a snippet of Founder Katie Davis’ presentation Houston, Your Manuscript Has a Problem. Katie discusses why critiques are important and things to consider as you seek feedback from critique groups and freelance editors. Get ready to take your work to a whole new stratosphere!
info_outline 065 - Kate DiCamillo: Commit to Your Dreams of WritingPicture Book Summit Podcast
A few years ago, we had the privilege of hosting former National Ambassador of Young People's Literature and bestselling author Kate DiCamillo as one of our Superstar Speakers. Her presentation was nothing short of magical. She shares how she went from wanting to write and thinking about writing to actually writing. We hope this snippet of her talk inspires you to get started (or restarted) too. Savor this episode. Be part of the magic of Picture Book Summit LIVE! join us at this year's online event on October 5th - Perfect 10: Going for Picture Book Gold. Join us for Perfect...
info_outline 064 - How to Maximize Your Online Writing Conference ExperiencePicture Book Summit Podcast
Attending a writing conference can be a transformational experience, filled with opportunities to hone your craft, connect with your peers, and move closer to your publishing dreams. Online writing conferences offer unique opportunities compared to their in-person counterparts. In addition to saving money on travel and accommodations, you can maximize your learning by engaging from the safety, comfort, and familiarity of home. Whether you're attending your first conference or your fiftieth, here are nine tailored tips on how to get the most out of an online writing conference. We invite YOU...
info_outline 063 - How to Evaluate an Online Writing ConferencePicture Book Summit Podcast
You’ve just received another email for an online writers' conference. How do you know if it’s right for you? Will it really advance your writing career? Is there such a thing as a free conference? We’re celebrating 10 years of hosting the Picture Book Summit online writing conference. So much has grown and changed in the online conference space in that time. So, today, we pull the curtain back and give you some insight into what goes into putting on a conference so you can pick the best online writing conferences for you and your writing goals. Listen up! We have 5 questions to...
info_outline 062 - Picture Book Summit Roundtable: Humor in Picture BooksPicture Book Summit Podcast
Publishers and agents alike say they want humorous, quirky, or funny books, but it seems more and more difficult to get a response on those humorous, quirky, or funny submissions. We're here to dig into it in today's episode of PBSummit Roundtable. Julie Hedlund shares her personal experience and overall observations about what is going on in the industry with silly stories and how YOU can break through! Books talked about in today's episode: by Jon Klassen by Kari Lavelle by Corey R. Tabor by Corey R. Tabor by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Melissa Iwai by Katelyn Aronson and Steph Laberis...
info_outlineA good writer tells a story, a great writer brings the reader into the story.
One of the best ways to render that sense of immersion is capturing the authentic voice of your characters—especially when writing picture book biographies. Award-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome, author of Before She was Harriet and many other iconic titles, shares exactly how to do that with her own method of asking questions of yourself and your characters.