Evolution of a Rhyming Picture Book

I just finished the manuscript for the picture book I'm working on with my amazing friend Lisa Amowitz, so I thought I'd share how I go about doing one of these babies.

First off, almost all of my picture books start out rhyming. I don't know why. I just like them that way LOL They don't always stay rhyming, but if they do, this is how I swing things.

1. I need an idea. I get most of these from watching my kids. But other things inspire me too. For this particular project, Lisa had the outline and a couple pictures and she asked me to write the manuscript. I was thrilled to agree :D

2. I sit down and write. Sometimes by hand, sometimes by key :D I'm not very structured when it comes to picture books. But for this one, since Lisa already had the outline, I tried to be very organized. I numbered all of the images we discussed and tried to write a line or two for each. I had a very difficult time. I finally just read through the outline, sat down, and wrote, referring back to it every now and then when needed. And I was able to finish. Lesson learned. When it comes to picture books I am anti-organized :D

3. Revision time. I go through and clean up the rhymes, the repeats, and anything else that needs to go (or get added). I send it to my sister and another crit partner or two and I read it to my kids and get their input.

4. Once I have a fairly clean manuscript, the real work begins. It's time to clean up the rhythm and meter. Rhyming picture books are a hard sell. They have to be as perfect as possible. So...I print it out and mark it up. I count the syllables in each stanza and line. It looks like this:

Then I mark the stressed and unstressed syllables. And then I change words and lines so it matches up as perfectly as possible with the meter I want to use. I do try to stick to the form I've chosen as closely as possible while writing, but I make mistakes, and sometimes I just use a filler word or two so I can move on. When revision time rolls around, I take a notebook and keep track of the syllable stress patterns while I read/rewrite. It ends up looking like this:

 And when I'm done, I have a rhyming picture book with a nice flowing rhythm and meter as perfect as I can get it. :D


Does anyone else out there write rhyming books or poetry? What is your process?

Back To School Pros and Cons

Well, my baby started kindergarten yesterday, and my son just started first grade. Which means for the first time in seven years, I will be ALONE for the majority of the day. I think it's Pro and Con time.

PRO: I'm alone!!!! I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want. Wooohooo!

CON: So far my alone time has consisted of sitting at the kitchen table basking in the silence. Wonderful, sure, but not very productive.

CON: Alone Time seems to move a lot faster than Regular Time - I sense a hostile conspiracy

PRO: I can crank my iPod up full blast and dance around the house, singing at the top of my lungs while I clean. (my husband and most likely my neighbors think this is a CON...but this is my list, they can make their own) ;-P

CON: Having to put the phone in my pocket on vibrate so I know if it rings....and having it go off in the middle of killing the big spider behind the toilet, scaring me half to death *note to self - forget the phone, let voicemail get it*

CON: I sorta miss their little faces (my kids', not the spiders')

PRO: I actually MISS their little faces - a nice change from those adorable countenances making me want to tear my hair out

CON: I can no longer blame the destroyed house on the kids...at least from 8-3

PRO: I can, however, blame it on the big spider behind the toilet

PRO: Having time to both clean, run errands, and write - all before the sun goes down

CON: (See CON #1 - me and productivity...not so much. Though to be fair, we are only on day 2....things may improve in that department) (I said MAY, don't laugh)

PRO: I can watch all my DVR'd shows during the day instead of staying up all night

PRO: The house (theoretically) gets clean and stays that way....at least until 3:00 - but still a vast improvement

CON: The speed with which the house gets demolished after 3:00 - holy cow, my kids are talented

PRO: The sweet hugs and "Mommy I missed you!"s from my kids when I pick them up

CON: Worrying about them being scared, lonely, picked on, confused, homesick, hungry, or in any other way in need of a mommy while they battle the terrors of the elementary school yard

PRO: Hearing "Mommy we LOVE school, it's awesome!"

CON: Knowing THAT particular sentiment won't last long

CON: Realizing my babies are growing so quickly

PRO: Witnessing the awesome people they are growing into

PRO: Having the time, energy, and desire to contemplate all this because I'M ALONE! :D

What are your Back to School Pros and Cons?