Discover Author Penny Lockwood

Boo sneaks out of the house and discovers that freedom by himself can be scary.

It is my distinct pleasure to feature a brand new picture book by Penny Lockwood today. Penny has an information-packed article on Crafting a Picture Book for you AND a giveaway! Thanks so much, Penny!

Janet, thanks for hosting me. I’m thrilled we are able to do a blog exchange and that your fans can find you today on my blog at Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz Blog

At the end of my blog tour, I will pick out one commenter’s name and send an autographed copy of Boo’s Bad Day to a United States address only. If the name I pick is someone who lives outside the U.S., I will send a PDF copy of the book. So remember, readers, be sure to leave contact information when you comment!

If your readers missed my post yesterday, they can check it out at C.K. Volnek's Blog
Tomorrow, I’ll be visiting at Hazel Nutt's blog
There is a review of Boo’s Bad Day posted at Sue's Book Reviews 

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CRAFTING A PICTURE BOOK By Penny Lockwood

Have you considered venturing into the world of picture book writing. Writing a couple hundred words is not as easy as it may appear. According to Lee Wyndham in Writing For Children and Teenagers, Dr. Seuss guessed he wrote and drew more than 1,000 pages for each 64-page book he finished! Picture books require a plot, strong characters, a beginning, a middle and an end. Putting all of those pieces into a book of less than a few hundred words can be a daunting task.

There are several types of picture books. This subject is covered in depth by Laura Backes in her article, “Understanding Children’s Writing Genres.” (Writing World, http://www.writing-world.com/children/genres.shtml) Once you choose the type of book you wish to write, you’ll know how many words you have in which to create your story. Third person voice is typical for most writers. It allows for a broader look at the story and characters. If your story isn’t working in the third person POV, try rewriting in the first person, second person, or as a letter, journal or diary. Most publishers don't want rhyming stories as they are the most difficult to properly craft.

You need a strong plot to keep the reader’s attention. What your character wants and how she gets it moves your story forward. Solving that conflict should take at least three tries, with each attempt becoming harder to accomplish. There are several conflict scenarios: conflict with oneself, with others, with the larger world, and with nature. Most often plot material consists of everyday situations such as play, family, pets, toys, friendship, and fears.

Moving the story forward can sometimes be the most difficult, but if you have your ending in mind, you'll know where you're going. There are several successful endings to your book:
1. Your main character solves the problem;
2. Everything leads to it;
3. Your main character changes;
4. No lucky coincidences or adults to save the day; and 5. Give the reader hope.


When you're writing your story, focus on telling it and don't talk down to the kids. You need to write clearly, so your illustrator will be able to see the story in his or her head. The words in a picture book are only half the story. The illustrations will bring the story to life, especially for the very young.

Read other books written for the same age group, both the ones which are good and those which are not. Take note of what makes one a winner, while the other mediocre. Have a firm grip on grammar and punctuation. Listen to the children around you. See what makes them laugh, cry, or be afraid. Learn to connect with your readersno matter what age they are. Read your finished manuscript out loud, give it to a trusted critique partner to read, read it to children (other than your own), then let it sit for a week or more. Study the picture book markets as carefully as you would any other market.


Some writers choose to self-publish their books, while others publish with traditional publishers. Explore your options to find what is the best fit for your book. Most traditional publishers use their own illustrators, so if you want to do both the illustrations and the writing, you may be better off going the self-published route. If you choose to submit your picture book to a traditional publisher, is there a market for it? Yes, but the number of people who believe they can write a good picture book is greater than the number of small presses that will take children's picture books. If you’re willing to work to sell your book once it’s published, approach the small independent publishers. It isn't always the writer who is best who succeeds, but the one who is ready to work at being the best.


BOO’S BAD DAY
By Penny Lockwood
Picture book for children aged 18 months to 7 years
Back of the Cover--Boo is a very bored kitten. When Timmy and his mom return home, Boo sneaks out of the house. Boo is frightened by the noises of the big world outside of the safety of his warm home. When Timmy coaxes Boo back into the house,
Boo realizes some places are safe and some are not.
Published by 4RV Publishing
Look inside at Amazon 

ABOUT PENNY

Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has published more than 100 articles, 75 stories, a chapbook, and her stories have been included in two anthologies. She writes for both adults and children. Her fiction has appeared in numerous genre and children’s publications, and non- fiction work has appeared in a variety of writing, parenting, and young adult print magazines and on line publications. She edits for MuseItUp Publishing.

Connect online with Penny:

Penny's web site and Penny's writing blog 

She has recently released Boo’s Bad Day with 4RV Publishing and has three other children’s books under contract with them: Ghost for Rent, Ghost for Lunch, and Many Colored Coats. She has three romances published by MuseItUp Publishing: Love Delivery, Lady in Waiting, and Mirror, Mirror. Her short story collection, A Past and A Future, is available through Sam’s Dot Publishing and Smashwords.