Books for kids, teens, & those who are young at heart

Cheating On My Novels With Picture Books

I’ve so not been in the mood to blog lately. I have lots of things I could write about (both on the blog and in my own writing) but nothing that’s really sparking for me. So I’d rather spend my limited words on my actual writing than here.

So I’m just popping in to say that the one aspect of writing that I’m excited about is picture books. I think the short form is fitting with my attention span right now. Plus, I’ve been reading so many picture books with the boys, it’s hard not to get inspired in that area.

Writing picture books is a fun break from novel writing, which has felt like so much work lately. I’m slogging trough the long sentences and paragraphs in the novels. But my picture book is coming to me in fun little spurts. The scenes are snapshots that I have to interpret into words. Then I have to piece those snapshots together for a whole…but a short whole!

Not to say that shorter = easier. That is certainly not the case. But picture books are different than novels, and a change must be what I need. It’s almost like I’m cheating on the longer form with the shorter stuff. For me, there is less baggage when it comes to picture books. I feel a lot of pressure to get things right with this novel I’m working on, but there’s none of that with my picture books.

So I’m going with it…riding this burst of picture book creativity for now.

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10 Comments

  1. mirkabreen

    Now I know why it feels like a constant adjustment: I’ve been cheating on my PB with MG, and on my MG with CB, and on my CB with PB… Us cheaters unite!

    • Katie L. Carroll

      LOL! Glad I’m not the only cheater here. There’s something so refreshing and fun about working on picture books right now. I think I once felt that way about novels, but I have yet to get my mojo back when it comes to the long form.

  2. Vijaya

    Lol Mirka. I’m always cheating with multiple projects in different genres. Katie, when my kiddos were little it was so nice to be able to complete something, anything, even if it was just a 3-line poem. Keep writing!

    • Katie L. Carroll

      That’s so true, Vijaya, about wanting to complete anything when the kiddos are little. I also write little poems in between bigger projects. Thanks!

  3. Meradeth Houston

    I think this is great–you gotta take advantage of where the Muse hits, and she’s talking to you, that’s wonderful! Wishing you lots of luck!!

    • Katie L. Carroll

      Definitely gotta follow the Muse, and she’s all about short, short, short. Thanks for the well wishes!

  4. kaistrandauthor

    I tried writing picture books. After a while I stopped trying. They’re hard! Good for you for changing it up.

    • Katie L. Carroll

      I’ve played around with them for awhile, but it’s something I’ve gotten more serious about lately.

  5. S. J. Pajonas (spajonas)

    I feel you. I’ve been having trouble motivating to write as well!

    • Katie L. Carroll

      Hugs, S.J.! Hopefully we’re both just on a down cycle right now and the pendulum will swing up again soon.

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